CATCH, RELEASE, REPEAT

The Pelican Yacht Club Invitational Billfish Tournament set an unofficial single-day record for sailfish releases earlier this year (see Page 42). Here are the top sailfish tournament days in Florida for the past two decades.

Jan. 10, 2019: 712 sails, Pelican Yacht Club Invitational Billfish Tournament

Jan. 5, 2012: 659 sails, West Palm Beach Fishing Club Silver Sailfish Derby*

Dec. 9, 1997: 382 sails, Stuart Sailfish Club Light Tackle Sailfish Tournament

Jan. 13, 2012: 269 sails, Pelican Yacht Club Invitational Billfish Tournament

Jan. 12, 2012: 259 sails, Pelican Yacht Club Invitational Billfish Tournament

Jan. 7, 2006: 258 sails, West Palm Beach Fishing Club Silver Sailfish Derby* Unofficial top sailfish tournament totals in Florida:

1,174: 2012 West Palm Beach Fishing Club Silver Sailfish Derby, 46 boats*

969: 2019 Pelican Yacht Club Invitational Billfish Tournament, 30 boats

958: 2006 West Palm Beach Fishing Club Silver Sailfish Derby, 50 boats*

736: 2012 Pelican Yacht Club Invitational Billfish Tournament, 29 boats

538: 1997 Stuart Sailfish Club Light Tackle Sailfish Tournament, 45 boats

408: 2010 Pelican Yacht Club Invitational Billfish Tournament, 29 boats

386: 2004 Pelican Yacht Club Invitational Billfish Tournament, 52 boats

377: 2011 Pelican Yacht Club Invitational Billfish Tournament, 30 boats

377: 2011 Pirate’s Cove Resort Sailfish Classic, 27 boats

373: 2018 Pelican Yacht Club Invitational Billfish Tournament, 25 boats

* Live bait allowed; other tournaments are dead bait only