Team El Suertudo puts on a show, boating two qualifiers and releasing five striped earning first place team honors for the second year in a row. (Michelle Gaylord Photo)
The 2020 Los Cabos Billfish Tournament received 49 teams competing for $742,500 in purse plus trophies and prizes. The fleet recorded 70 billfish catches including 13 blue, three black and 55 striped marlin. The qualified marlin included an impressive 593 black caught aboard Stella June, 312 blue marlin aboard Artemis, 396 black marlin aboard El Suertudo and 350 blue marlin aboard El Suertudo.
The Los Cabos Billfish Tournament awards 300 team points for black and blue marlin releases, while striped marlin, sailfish and spearfish are 25 points. Marlin weighed over the 300-pound minimum are awarded 1.5 points per pound. The tournament also offers Optional Jackpots for most marlin release points each day and overall. There is a fun Tuna/Wahoo/Dorado Optional Daily Jackpot teams can enter.
Team El Suertudo scored 1,244-points winning First Place Team honors and Top Captain award for Greg DiStefano. El Suertudo angler Jeff Richardson caught a 350-pound blue to win the Day one Marlin Jackpots and Third Place Overall Largest Marlin Jackpots. Richardson was the lucky angler again on the second day of fishing catching a 396-pound black marlin to win the Daily Marlin Jackpots and Second Place Largest Marlin Jackpots. The team, consisting of Capt. Greg DiStefano, Guy Yocom, Jeff Richardson, Christian Lopez, Bruce McDonald, Azam Flores, Oswaldo Ortega, Brian Garcia, Luis Silvera and Alfonso Ortega earned $344,700 in purse, trophies, prizes and an invitation to the 2021 Costa Offshore World Championship in Costa Rica.
Second-place in the Overall Team Division went to Stella June scoring 889.50-points from their impressive 593-pound black marlin caught on the final day of the tournament. This fish also earned Day three Marlin Daily Jackpots and Largest Marlin Jackpots. Team Stella June also took the Day One Tuna Jackpot with their massive 236-pound yellowfin. The Stella June team including Captain Evan Salvay, Hugo Pino, Hernando Villavicencio, Andre Busto and Gertrude Jaramillo won a combined total of $249,300.
Third-place in the Overall Team Division was secured by Artemis with 793-points from their 312-pound weighed blue marlin, one blue and one striped marlin released by angler Josh Leffler. Team Artemis including Captain Jerry Lanzerotti, Josh Leffler, Jeff Stolarz, Mike Shores, Logan Rainey, Koby Orndorf and Ryan Vanderkooy earned them $31,300.
The 2020 Los Cabos Billfish Tournament is presented by the Los Cabos Tourism Board and sponsored by AFTCO, YETI, Garmin Marine, Playa Grande Resort and Grand Spa, The Marina at Puerto Los Cabos, King Sailfish Mounts, marine artist Carey Chen, Viking Yachts, Galati Yacht Sales, Arnian Group, API Cabo San Lucas, Marina Fundadores, Fisherman’s Landing, Diesel Premier, Marlin magazine, Salt Water Sportsman magazine, Shimano Fishing, Penn Fishing, Hilton’s Realtime Navigator and Big-T Lures.
2020 FINAL RESULTS
El Suertudo $344,700 -First Place Team, Day 1&2 Daily Marlin Jackpots, Second and Third Place Largest Marlin Jackpots
Stella June - $249,300 Second Place Team, Day 3 Daily Marlin Jackpot, First Place Largest Marlin Jackpots, Day 1 Largest Tuna Jackpot
Artemis - $31, 500 Third Place Team
Will 2 Win $22,500 First Place Overall Release Points Jackpot
Quitena $20,700 Second Place Overall Release Points Jackpot, Day 1 Release Points Jackpot
Vaquero $16,200 Third Place overall Release Points Jackpot, Day 2 Daily Release Points Jackpot
Run-N-Gun $13,500 Day 3 Release Points Jackpot, Day 3 Largest Wahoo Jackpot
Captiva 3 $18,900 Day 1-3 Largest Dorado Jackpot
Bill Collector II $6,300 Day 1 Largest Wahoo Jackpot
Cloud Nine $6,300 Day 2 Largest Tuna Jackpot
Bill Collector $6,300 Day 3 Largest Tuna Jackpot
Rising Sun $6,300 Day 3 Largest Wahoo Jackpot
