The Billfish Report is counting down its Top 10 Billfisheries of the Year, and our #2 Billfishery goes to the Cape Verde Islands. Criteria for our Top 10 include fish numbers, variety of billfish species, average size of fish, length of season and number of boats fishing. With over 11,000 Billfish Reports submitted to us in 2014 from around the World, to even be considered for our Top 10 makes a fishery one of the best!

The numbers of Blue Marlin feeding in these waters is staggering. Some may even call it Blue Marlin heaven. Absolutely no fishery can boast both the numbers and size of the Blue Marlin here. The Cape Verdes was the Top Billfishery in the World to catch a Blue Marlin over 500 lbs and it wasn’t even close. The fleet released a total of 105 Blue Marlin over 500 lbs accounting for 23% of those caught in 2014. The largest of which came from Happy Hooker II who released a 950+, which in this part of the world, it could have easily gone over the 1,000 lbs mark.

This is not a very large fleet with only 7-8 boats working these waters full time. Although Blue Marlin can be caught here all year, most boats start in earnest in February and end in July. But what happens between these months is what makes this place extraordinary. It is not uncommon at all to see 10+ Blue Marlin in a day with a shot at a couple nice fish. The U.S. based Big Oh not only saw 10+ Blue Marlin, but managed to more than ten (10)any in a single day on six (6) separate days . They went 10-13, 10-14, 10-17, 11-16 and 13-18 and a season best 15 Blue Marlin released. To be fair, Big Oh has a longer range than most of the other boats in the fleet, but that is not to say others did not do well. Capt. Marty Bates on Onda Emma went 9-14 on his best day. Capt. Olaf Grimkowski on Andromeda saw 13, releasing 8 on his best day.  Capt. Marco Canu on Nha Cretcheu went 6-9, Capt. Marin Das on Cal Rei 6-8, Capt. Matthias Henningsen on Smoker 6-9 and Capt. Zak Conde on Amelia released 9. Three boats released over a 100 Blue Marlin for the season including Big Oh, Cal Rei, Onda Emma. 

Another great season in the Cape Verdes Islands, our #2 Billfishery of 2014!

SEASON HIGHLIGHTS

Capt. Zak Conde on Amelia released 9 Blue Marlin.

Big Oh  went 10-17 on Blue Marlin, largest was 650 lbs.

Capt. Marty Bates on Onda Emma went 6-9 on Blue Marlin.

Capt. Olaf Grimkowski on Andromeda went 8-13 on Blue Marlin.

Happy Hooker II went 5-8 on Blue Marlin.