2014 Bahamas Billfish Championship - New Fishing Format and President

Big blue marlin at the transom during the 2013 BBC

After completing its 40th season of competitive billfishing in 2013, the Bahamas Billfish Championship (BBC) continues to evolve. The 2014 series will consist of four tournaments equally spread across the months of May and June, with each event focusing on the renowned fishing grounds of the Abacos.

New tourney President and director Jennifer Dudas has been with the BBC for 21 years already, and should bring a steady hand to their long term tradition of quality. “First I want to thank Al Behrendt for producing the Bahamas Billfish Championship for the past 20 years,” said Dudas. “The first-hand knowledge I learned from him, plus my own passion for offshore fishing, will give me the tools to take the BBC to the next level.”

“We will begin a slight format change in 2014 with a reduction in fishing days,” said Dudas. “We will discontinue the practice of a lay day, where competitors choose which day to stay in port during the BBC. So now everyone will be fishing for three days in a row, which will streamline our tournament.” This move also gives businessmen who typically own these sportfishers another day in the office to work.

Second Place at the 2013 BBC goes to Blue Sy from S.C.

One such angler is Greg Smith of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina who will travel to fish in the Bahamas Billfish Challenge opener at Guana Cay on May 7. “We fished this same tournament in 2013 and had a blast,” said Smith, who owns a 56-foot Viking named Blue Sky. “We ended up taking second place and doing pretty well in the calcutta, but the intangibles are what made us decide to come back in 2014.”

The tournament schedule for each event begins with a Captain’s meeting on Wednesday night, followed by three days fishing from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. An awards banquet on Saturday night will recognize the top anglers and serve to round out the tournament scene that anglers, their families and tourists will take part in. The 2014 dates begin in Guana Cay on May 7 – 10, and upon completion of the four events the overall winners will be recognized at the final Saturday awards banquet on June 21.

To view the feature article in the April issue click on All At Sea.

To view past blog entries about fishing on the Blue Sky click here.