FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 2023

 

Contact: Chris Caravello 

Phone: 954-725-4010

Email: Chris@bluewatermovements.com

 

The 20th Annual Sailfish Challenge Was One To Remember

 

Leg 2 of the Quest for The Crest Sailfish Series, Sailfish Challenge, was one to remember! This year a field of 55 teams accepted the challenge in search of the winning stringer of release flags between Government Cut in Miami, Hillsboro Inlet in Pompano Beach, and Lakeworth Inlet in West Palm for a total purse of $504,500.

 

In addition to a solid purse, a new champions prize was introduced at the Sailfish Challenge – The Billfish Foundation Champion’s Satellite Tag benefiting their research efforts. As a bonus from winning the Challenge, team Remix has earned the opportunity to participate in and contribute to TBF’s Tag and Release Program through a satellite tagging expedition led by TBF scientists. To learn more about TBF’s tag and release program, please visit them online at Billfish.org.

 

The expedition will allow Remix to have a satellite tag named after their team and participate with scientists in the deployment of the tag to be able to track it, collect valuable data, and share that data with our fishing community and tournament anglers to further the study and advancement of billfish conservation.

 

Kicking Things Off 

 

The 20th annual Sailfish Challenge kicked off the week of events with the captains’ meeting on February 22nd at Galuppi’s Restaurant & Sports Bar in Pompano Beach, featuring a live performance from The Holidazed, who rocked the night away (and a screening of Costa’s New Hooked On: Sailfish Documentary). Competing teams enjoyed complimentary cocktails from Islamorada Brewery & Distillery, Papa’s Pilar, and Landshark Lager with dinner and were accompanied by tournament sponsors and vendors PELAGIC, SiriusXM Marine, The Billfish Foundation, RMK Merrill-Stevens, Rio Saress, Eddie Forbes Art, and Islamorada Brewery & Distillery for a night of festivities before the competition began.

 

 

The Challenge Recap

 

Day One

 

The bite on Day 1 was hot down south, with 124 total releases and seven of the top ten teams fishing out of Miami. Contender Boats Remix and Still Right led the pack going head to head, with 8 releases finishing 1st & 2nd, respectively. Top Female angler, Sarah Cleare, clocked in two of her four releases on the weekend, contributing to Remix’s Early Bite win with 7 releases to start the day, landing them a 1st place finish in Tier 1 and Tier 2 Daily Calcuttas, earning them a total of $53,290. Still Right answered the call that afternoon with 7 releases to win the late bite, landing them a 2nd place finish in Tier 1 and Tier Daily Calcuttas, earning them a total of $25,030. 

 

Off Course, the Tier 1 Daily 3rd place winner stayed on course fishing out of Palm Beach with Front Runner running up right behind them and the Day 1 leaders down south, tallying up 7 releases each, finishing 3rd & 4th, respectively, on the day. 

 

5th through 8th place teams of Day 1, Osh-it, Chasin’ Tail, Fishtales, and Weez In The Keys also fished out of Miami, with 5 releases each. While 9th & 10th place teams MDALA & Pari Passu stayed north fishing out of Palm Beach to tally 4 releases each. 

 

Whoever said sails pay the bills hasn’t met the buffalo on the water. Meatfish, meet Hank… Hank the Buffalo, that is, reeling in a 44.6lb kingfish. That bite alone won them Big Fish Bonanza and 1st in The Big Three Calcuttas and The Heavest Kingfish and Grand Daddy Meatfish Division Awards, earning them a total of $26,225. 

 

Day One Standings

 

Day One Leaderboard

 

1st – Remix – 8 Points

2nd – Still Right – 8 Points

3rd – Off Course – 7 Points

4th – Front Runner – 7 Points

5th – Osh-it – 5 Points

 

Tier One Daily – 50/30/20 Split

 

1st – Remix – 8 Points – $9,450 Payout

2nd – Stil Right – 8 Points – $5,670 Payout

3rd – Off Course– 7 Points – $3,780 Payout

 

Tier Two Daily – 70/30 Split

 

1st – Remix– 8 Points – $42,840 Payout

2nd – Still Right – 8 Points – $18,360 Payout

 

Dynamite Daily – Meatfish 70/30 Split Per Day

 

1st – REEL E SEA – Aggregate – 96.4 Points – $7,560 Payout

2nd – How Ya Reelin Fishing & Tackle – Aggregate – 81.4 Points – $3,240 Payout

 

 

 

 

Day Two

 

On day two, the bite stayed hot, with a total of 190 releases. Big Ben went up big with 10 releases after a slow start on day one. 7 of their 10 releases came in the afternoon, winning them the Late Bite and 1st place finishes in Tier 1 and Tier 2 Daily Calcuttas, collectively earning them a total of $53,290. 

 

10 releases and a hefty payout weren’t the only things the team had to be proud of that day. Big Ben mate Stephen Rivero went above and beyond that afternoon. After seeing a tail-wrapped sail come up to the surface depleted of energy from the battle with his teammate, he quickly made the call to Captain Colin Page to put the boat in gear to help revive the sail back to health. In a competition where every second counts, Stephen and the rest of the Big Ben crew gave a few of those seconds back to their opponent as a clear demonstration of the respect and compassion sportsmen have for these magnificent creatures. 

 

Big Ben wasn’t alone in their standout Day 2 performance. Just Chillin and Osh-it both had a slow start to the weekend but kicked things into gear with 9 & 8 releases, respectively. Just Chillin made their way to the money, coming in 2nd in Tier 1 and Tier 2 Daily Calcuttas, earning them a total of $24,030, and Osh-it took home $3,780 for the day with a 3rd place finish in the Tier 2 Daily Calcutta. 

 

After earning $54,160 in the Meatfish Divisions and Calcuttas in Operation Sailfish, REEL-E-SEA does it again in Sailfish Challenge. Stacking up $16,090, winning the Meatfish aggregate in the Meetfish Division and The Dynamite Daily Day 1 Calcutta, 2nd in The Dynamite Daily Day 2 Calcutta, and 3rd in The Big Three Calcutta. 

 

Day Two Standings

 

Day Two Leaderboard

 

1st – Big Ben – 10 Points

2nd – Just Chillin – 9 Points

3rd – Osh-it – 8 Points

4th – Remix – 7 Points

5th – Three R’s – 7 Points

 

Tier One Daily – 50/30/20 Split

 

1st – Big Ben – 10 Points – $9,450 Payout

2nd – Just Chillin – 9 Points – $5,670 Payout

3rd – Osh-it – 8 Points – $3,780 Payout

 

Tier Two Daily – 70/30 Split

 

1st – Big Ben – 10 Points– $42,840 Payout

2nd – Just Chillin – 9 Points – $18,360 Payout

 

Dynamite Daily – Meatfish 70/30 Split Per Day

 

1st – Seapremacy – Aggregate – 139.6 Points – $7,560 Payout

2nd – REEL E SEA – Aggregate – 113.1 Points – $3,240 Payout

 

 

 

 

Challenge Accepted

 

Remix Stays In The Mix Down South 

 

Winning any tournament is no easy feat, especially when the playing field is expanded north and south, spanning 3 inlets from Palm Beach to Miami. Additionally, another level of skill is added to the mix when you need to stay on top of the bite for two days. Yes, one great day can win the dailies, but that’s not to say it will win the weekend. In a competition where consistency is the name of the game, two good days are all that’s needed to win it, and that’s exactly what we saw from Remix this weekend. 

 

None of this was news to Captain James “JC” Cleare, three-time Quest for the Crest series champion. Coming into the weekend, in contention for the Burgundy Jacket after their 9th-place finish in Operation Sailfish, the Remix crew knew exactly what to do after their day one 1st-place finish with 8 releases. Going into day two of the Challenge, JC  put anglers William Danko, Jorge Corzo, Ryan Alexander, Chris Dillon, Doug Mientkawicz, Rick Arnold, and Top Female Angler Sarah Cleare back on the bite to give the crew another day of consistent fishing. 7 was their lucky number and all they needed on day two to win it all, earning the team a total payout of $189,010! 

 

Remix… Thank you for accepting the challenge. Your reward, the title of 2023 Sailfish Challenge Champions, is now yours to hold forever.

 

Current Quest Standings

 

1st – Remix – 53 Points 

2nd – Big Ben – 43 Points

3rd – MDALA – 43 Points

4th – Weez in the Keys – 38 Points

5th – Fish On – 37 Points

6th – Bad Boyz/Audacious – 36 Points

7th – Three R’s – 35 Points

8th – Still Right – 34 Points

9th – Contender One – 33 Points

10th – Pari Passu – 31 Points

 

 

 

See full Quest for the Crest Series Standings here.

 

Two Down, One To Go: The Quest For The Crest Continues

 

The Grand Finale: Final Sail

 

The 10th Annual Final Sail hosted by Double Tree at Grand Hotel Biscayne Bay in Miami and benefiting Fishing for Muscular Dystrophy is set for April 12-15, 2023. Leg 3 of The Quest For The Crest puts the world title on the line during the peak of sailfish season. The tournament also brings a fun twist inspired by its name. The confirmation # for each team’s final sailfish release in the tournament is recorded and entered into a drawing where teams have the chance to win cash and prizes, including a free entry into the tournament for the following year! Call us in the office at 954-725-4010 or visit fish.bluewatermovements.com to register your team today. 

 

Early Entry is $1,200 per boat, and Late Entry after March 29th is $1,700 per boat 

 

 

About The Quest For The Quest Sailfish Series 

 

This iconic series hosts some of the top billfishing teams in the sport. Teams in this 3-leg series are expected to compete for an estimated purse of over $1.7 million. However, the most coveted award – The Crest – doesn’t come in the form of a cash prize. The Crest represents the pinnacle of tournament sailfishing. It is viewed as the highest accolade bestowed upon a team.  Presented in jacket form, competitors must emerge as the most dominant among an elite field in order to don the burgundy jacket. Privilege is earned, not given, on this quest to crown a world champion.

About Bluewater Movements

 

Bluewater Movements, Inc., is a sports marketing company based in South Florida, the sport fishing capital of the world. Throughout the past 27 years, our team has developed some of the most successful competitive fishing events in the industry. Our background in tournament fishing, coupled with our expertise in event marketing, has enabled a premium experience for tournament anglers and sponsors. Within our portfolio, there are seven wildly popular fishing tournaments, all hosted at various venues across South Florida.