Operation Sailfish Deploys at Sailfish Marina January 17-21, 2024
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 2023
Contact: Chris Caravello
Phone: 954-725-4010
Email:Chris@bluewatermovements.com
The Chase for Burgundy is on
The Quest for the Crest Sailfish Series, proudly presented by Raymarine, returns for another exciting season! The pursuit of the coveted burgundy jacket kicks off with the first leg, Operation Sailfish, at the iconic Sailfish Marina resort from January 17-21, 2024. Teams will compete in a two-day battle off the stunning shores of Palm Beach, vying for a share of the impressive $800,000 cash purse, exclusive sterling silver champions’ dog tags, and a full year of well-earned bragging rights.
The week of events begins on Wednesday, January 17th, 2024, at the captains’ meeting, where the festivities kick off with a grand Opening Ceremony and a US military Salute by the Operation Homefront Color Guard. After the official start, teams in the competition can unwind and connect at the evening’s events, on Sailfish Marina’s recently expanded south lawn, featuring a gridiron fundraiser for tournament charity Operation Homefront. The atmosphere will be buzzing with tournament sponsors, vendors, beverages and more for a night of celebration and comradery before the fishing action begins.
The two-day competition takes center stage on Friday, January 19th, and Saturday, January 20th. As the excitement unfolds on the water, teams will showcase their skills and vie for victory. Saturday evening at 8 pm on the Sailfish Marina south lawn, tournament teams, sponsors and marina guests are invited to a ‘Spirit of America’ live performance with the country kickin’ Andrew Morris Band! The awards ceremony takes place on Sunday, January 21st, with a brunch awards party recognizing the outstanding achievements of the participants. To cap off the week, a closing ceremony will take place, complete with the retirement of the flag and a tribute to the brave men and women of the United States military.
Take a Hero Fishing Day
As a highlight of Operation Sailfish, the tournament proudly hosts its iconic “Take a Hero Fishing Day” event, a tribute to the true American Heroes—the men and women of our United States military. Scheduled for January 18th, 2024, this special day is conducted in collaboration with Operation Homefront, a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to constructing strong, stable, and secure military families capable of thriving in the communities they’ve diligently safeguarded.
Active duty military personnel and veterans will take to the seas, teaming up with participating fishing teams for an unforgettable day on the water. The festivities continue on shore with a cocktail party and awards ceremony, where the outstanding heroes will be honored with custom trophies courtesy of tournament and series sponsor Land & Sea Professionals.
For more information on the Operation Homefront mission, please visit their website, https://operationhomefront.org/
Tournament Entry Tips
Secure your spot early for Operation Sailfish with a discounted entry fee of $1200 per boat available until January 3rd, 2024. After this date, the late registration fee kicks in at $1700. In addition to the first-place title, there will be several other opportunities to cash in through various general and optional entry categories. Get ready to take some notes to take advantage of the tips below.
General Entry Divisions:
Final Sail $100,000 Guarantee: Yes, you read it right—no gimmicks, no BS. Thanks to the generous support of Raymarine and Yamaha, we’ve added a spectacular grand finale bonus jackpot to the last leg of the series. This extra payout is on top of the prize money offered in the general prize structure for Final Sail and is exclusively available to teams entering all three legs of the series. Even if you can’t compete in one of the series legs, simply registering for the events is enough to meet the requirements to enter the $100,000 added value guarantee at Final Sail.
Meatfish Madness: Don’t sleep on the meatfish categories in the Quest series! With three meatfish divisions—Meatfish Aggregate, Heaviest Fish Divisions for Dolphin, Wahoo, Kingfish, Cobia, and Tuna, and The Grand Daddy: Heaviest Fish Overall—plus three meatfish Calcuttas, you can potentially win over $50,000 without landing a single sail in Operation Sailfish! Witness how Reel-E-Sea secured their big payday with a 69.9lb Wahoo and hefty Kings on here. Making bills without catching bills has never sounded so good!
Optional Entry Calcuttas:
Fish For Charity Calcutta: Some moments transcend fishing, and our Fish For Charity Calcutta embodies the spirit of giving back. We wholeheartedly encourage all teams to participate in this noble cause, benefitting our charitable partner, Operation Homefront. It’s a win-win for both teams and charity, with a generous 50/50 split between the high point team and the tournament charity. The entry fee for this Calcutta is $500 per boat.
Quest “TNT” Series Calcutta: A team must register for this category in the 1st leg of the series in order to be eligible for the prize money at the end of the season. The entry fee for this Calcutta is $1,500 per boat.
Release Round-Up: Everyone’s favorite Calcutta—The Quest For The Quest Series Exclusive Winner Take All: Release Round-Up. This optional entry category unfolds over four rounds across two days of fishing. Advance through all four rounds, and your team could strike gold in the Release Round Up Jackpot! In 2020, Miss Annie hit the Round-Up jackpot, securing an astounding $371,700 payout. The question now is, who will be the next team to claim the big prize? The entry fee for this Calcutta is $1,000 per boat.
Operation Sailfish 2024 Schedule of Events
All events for the week will be held at Sailfish Marina:
98 Lake Drive, Palm Beach Shores, FL, 33404
Kick-Off Party/Captain’s Meeting
When: Wednesday, January 17th, 2024
Time: 7:00pm – 10:00pm
Take A hero Fishing Day
When: Thursday, January 18th, 2024
Lines In – Lines Out: 8:00am – 2:00pm
Cocktail Reception: 3:00pm
Awards Ceremony: 3:30pm
Fishing Day 1
When: Friday, January 19th, 2024
Lines In – Lines Out: 8:00am – 4:00pm
GEMLUX Happy Hour: 5:30pm
Deadline to Submit Media: 6:00pm
Fishing Day 2
When: Saturday, January 20th, 2024
Lines In – Lines Out: 8:00am – 4:00pm
C&L Insurance Happy Hour: 5:30pm
Deadline to Submit Media: 6:00pm
Spirit of America Performance
When: Saturday, January 20th @ 8pm
Where: Sailfish Marina South Lawn
Live Performance by the Andrew Morris Band
Awards Ceremony
When: Saturday, January 21st, 2024
Brunch: 11:00am – 12:00pm
Awards Presentations: 12:00pm – 1:00pm
Closing Ceremony: 1:00pm
ABOUT THE QUEST FOR THE CREST 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 28 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.
