Indholdsfortegnelse for January/February 2026 i Marlin

Big-game fishing is built on tradition, but like most things, it is driven by change. When the news broke that InTheBite would be joining the Marlin Group, the response from the community was immediate and genuinely thoughtful. That didn’t surprise me. InTheBite has long been a cornerstone voice for the working side of our sport—captains, crews, and the professionals who make their living on the water. What did surprise me, in the best possible way, was how quickly the conversation shifted from concern to possibility. Rather than potentially losing one of the most respected brands in our space, we now have the opportunity to build it stronger than it has ever been—and to do so in a way that benefits not just two publications, but the biggame fishing community as…

Although we have caught many impressive fish over the years, nothing prepared us for what happened on November 7, 2025—a day that marked a turning point for all of us. It was the first fishing trip of our season, which always brings a special kind of energy on board. Early in the morning, the air felt clean, the sea calm, and the boat—our 42-foot sport-fisher, Golden Wave III—was in perfect condition. My crew, Ludovic and Damien, had tuned every reel, checked every crimp and sharpened every hook. Everything felt aligned. Our clients for the day, Sergei and his two sons (who visit Mauritius twice a year), were fishing with us for the first time. They were excited, relaxed, and ready for a half-day charter. None of us could have anticipated…

Swordfish Tacos Al Pastor By Josh Nilan Serves 8-12 I first tasted tacos al pastor only a few years ago in LA, a city with some unbelievably good taco vendors. While I know that swordfish doesn’t carry the same rich fattiness as, say, pork, I just had to try replicating this absolutely delicious dish using fish. This recipe is from my book Take One Fish, and I hope you enjoy. INGREDIENTS Marinade and fish 2½ tbsp grapeseed oil, plus extra for brushing8 garlic cloves, chopped2 tsp dried oregano1 tsp ground cumin1 tsp cracked black pepper½ tsp ground cloves7 dried guajillo or ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded, cut into 1-inch pieces¾ cup pineapple juice⅓ cup apple-cider vinegar⅓ cup achiote paste (about 3½ oz.)Sea salt flakes4½ lb. swordfish loin, sliced ⅛ inch…

How did you spend your fall? Pumpkin patches and college football? Mullet runs and tuna fishing? Not me. This fall, I spent a good part of my early Q4 nerding out and getting a crash course on some of the newest technology to enter the marine and boating world. Each year, between the months of September and November, there are three significant events in the marine and boating world where the latest and greatest are unveiled. First is the National Marine Electronic Association (NMEA) Conference, which took place in September in West Palm Beach, Florida. Just a few weeks later was the International BoatBuilders’ Exhibition & Conference (IBEX), which was held in Tampa, Florida, and is North America’s largest technical trade event for marine industry professionals. Completing the triumvirate is…

The old saying, “You can control everything but the weather,” was certainly true for the 2025 Los Cabos Billfish Tournament. Trimmed from three days to a single-day shootout, the event still delivered an incredible tournament experience as the fleet—and Cabo’s legendary fishery—rose to the moment. When the skies finally cleared and lines went in, the 28 competing teams made the most of their lone opportunity, producing an impressive 10 blue marlin, 10 striped marlin, 20 sailfish, four wahoo, three dorado, and one black marlin weighing 414 pounds. While anglers were sidelined by weather delays early in the week, they still made the most of their time in Cabo. From the vibrant nightlife along the marina to world-class dining, local excursions, and beachfront gatherings hosted by Playa Grande Resort & Grand…

SAN JUAN INTERNATIONAL BILLFISH TOURNAMENT November 7–10 TOP TEAMS – NON-SONAR DIVISION FIRST-PLACE BOAT: Sari Victoria, Capt. Miguelito Tirado, 72’ Viking, 7 releases SECOND-PLACE BOAT: Release, 44’ Contender, 4 releases THIRD-PLACE BOAT: Chu-lería, 50’ Hatteras, 4 releases TOP TEAMS – SONAR DIVISION FIRST-PLACE BOAT: Fresh Air, 54’ Hatteras, 6 releases SECOND-PLACE BOAT: Fishing Time, 48’ Viking, 4 releases THIRD-PLACE BOAT: Pícara, 64’ Viking, 4 releases TOP ANGLERS BEST ANGLER: AJ Cabrer, Release, 4 releases SECOND PLACE: Faustino García, Fresh Air, 3 releases THIRD PLACE: Hans Mangual, 2 releases TOURNAMENT INFORMATION TOTAL PARTICIPATION: 62 boats  CATCH INFORMATION: 107 total releases ISLAMORADA SAILFISH TOURNAMENT December 5-7 TOP TEAMS – PROFESSIONAL DIVISION FIRST-PLACE TEAM: Killbox, Capt. Cody Darbie, 37’ Freeman, 900 points SECOND-PLACE TEAM: Lfish, Capt. Micael Taute, 35’ Release, 900 points THIRD-PLACE TEAM: Relentless, Capt. Paul Ross, 48’ MM, 600 points…

Ever since legendary captain Tommy Gifford had the idea to get a larger spread and refine the “drop-back,” and subsequently implemented his “outrigger” idea, the refinements and benefits have snowballed. Gifford started with bamboo poles attached to the boat with an articulated fitting at the base, a lay-down arm on the bridge, and a rope going forward to hold it from collapsing aft on the bite. Glass eyes were used to run the rigger lines through, with clothespin-style clips to hold the fishing line. Through companies like Lee’s in Miami, the poles morphed into fiberglass with cast-metal mounting and layout systems. With the need for more strength for larger baits and longer poles for larger boats, aluminum poles with spreaders and aircraft cables to stiffen them became the standard. The…

I heard of Capt. RJ Boyle long before ever meeting—and eventually fishing with—him. For anyone who grew up in Florida and lived through their swordfish-obsessed years, he’s something of a cult leader. But once you get to know him, you quickly realize RJ is far more than a fisherman. A celebrated artist, educator, entrepreneur, rapper, and one of the most influential swordfishing minds of the era, he’s a wildly talented and endlessly creative force. I had the pleasure of sharing a cockpit with RJ recently where I finally heard his incredible story, and rapping, firsthand. Your career started in a pretty unconventional way. How did you go from baseball to running a music club? I was playing baseball in the Florida League trying to go pro, but life had…

Over the past several months, no destination has captured the attention of big-game anglers quite like the Dominican Republic, where the fleet has been producing jaw-dropping numbers of blue marlin. In the waters off Marina Cap Cana, both Gunpowder and the Viking 68 Demo recently delivered single-day performances that stretch the realm of what’s possible on the water, toppling records along the way. GUNPOWDER’S HISTORIC RUN On November 3, 2025, the crew of Gunpowder etched their names into sport-fishing lore with a day that hardly seems real—27 blue marlin released during a 10-and-a-half-hour spree off Cap Cana. The run began like many Dominican mornings: rough, confused seas, high anticipation, and a quiet confidence as Capt. John Mitchell and his team slipped lines. “We started the day like any other,” Mitchell…

The island of St. Lucia established itself long ago as a location of strategic maritime significance. In fact, its natural harbor was of such tactical importance that it led to the island changing hands 14 times, and the British and French fought over it fiercely from 1664 to 1814. British sovereignty was finally established in 1814 and continued until independence in 1979. St. Lucia remains culturally vibrant, and today the forts and their cannons, while reminders of yesteryear, have given way to the blue economy; more specifically, rods, reels and charter fleets experiencing what could be blue marlin fishing’s best-kept secret. My father tells the story of moving back to St. Lucia in 1976 and being told we did not have billfish. And yet one of my favorite childhood memories…

IF YOU GREW UP FISHING anywhere along the western Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico or throughout the Caribbean, a relationship with sargassum is nearly as fundamental as learning to tie a Bimini twist or rig a ballyhoo. You learn early on that the floating weed is both friend and foe, a blessing and a curse. On the right day, when the water is clean and the breeze pushes golden mats into tight, healthy lines, sargassum becomes its own remarkable ecosystem, alive with baitfish, crustaceans, juvenile gamefish and the predators that shadow them. But when it’s scattered, windblown and disorganized, the same weed becomes a torment. It fouls baits, clings to dredges, trips up teasers, and leaves crews muttering obscenities into their mics as they pluck grass instead of watching the spread.…

When the Marlin Global Challenge (MGC) launched on April 1, 2025, it promised to deliver something entirely new to the world of big-game sport fishing: a truly global, season-long blue marlin competition open to anglers fishing any recognized tournament, anywhere in the world. With a guaranteed $100,000 minimum payout to the registered team that landed the heaviest tournament-caught blue marlin by October 31, and with Spot Zero signing on as the presenting sponsor, the stage was set for a high-stakes global shootout. The concept behind the MGC is simple: Register your team, fish your favorite qualifying tournaments, and submit your heaviest blue marlin. With a minimal entry fee and a global leaderboard connecting anglers from Hawaii to Bermuda, the MGC immediately captured the imagination of the tournament community. By season’s…

Making its world premiere at the 2025 Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, the Viking 50 Convertible marks the third generation of this storied model—and a major step forward in small-tomidsize tournament boats. Though the smallest convertible in Viking’s lineup, it carries the DNA of a much larger vessel, from its sleek profile to its offshore composure. With an LOA stretching just shy of 52 feet and a new hull refined through computational fluid dynamics, the 50 delivers efficiency, comfort and capability well beyond its footprint. COCKPIT AND BRIDGE The 131-square-foot cockpit mirrors layouts found on Viking’s larger sport-fishers. An aft-facing observation mezzanine houses freezer space, gear compartments, tackle drawers, a refrigerated drink box and engineroom access. Two removable insulated fish boxes flank a fighting chair or launcher, while the molded…

To bridle or not to bridle? That is the question. I spent most of my early years putting live baits directly on a hook and watched too many baits come back after a bite with the hook buried back in the bait. I started driving my hook under the chin and up through the nose. That seemed to help, but sometimes it seemed like too many fish still got away. Every fish I lost hurt me. There had to be a better way. As the years went by, anglers realized that whether we were flat-lining or kite-fishing, flossing our live baits onto the hook was a better way to go. I look back now at the primitive way we used to create bridles on the back or nose of a…

There are certain stories in sport fishing that don’t get told—they’re earned. They’re shaped over decades, forged in trust, loyalty, and the stubborn grit that only fishermen seem to understand. The renowned Dreamin’ On operation has one of those stories. For more than 20 years, the 78-foot Garlington has carried anglers across oceans, but its greatest chapter has little to do with the miles traveled or the marlin released. At the center of it all is Capt. Randy Hodgekiss—a man whose life on the water began long before the boat ever existed, and whose resolve would be tested in a way few could imagine. Hodgekiss’ journey is defined not merely by where he has been, but by what he endured and how he returned. After the catastrophic loss of his…

Sapphire blue is the traditional color honoring a 45th wedding anniversary. For 2025’s 45th annual Bisbee’s Black & Blue Marlin Tournament, the appropriate colors were dollar green and peso gold. Once the awards presentation concluded in downtown Cabo San Lucas, three teams—Magic Touch, Rising Sons/Magnifico and Another Line—celebrated their wins and $1 million-plus payouts for their catches. The total purse this year was $7,452,775 among the 177 teams. Magic Touch earned top honors with a 459-pound blue, caught on the last day and edging out Rising Sons/Magnifico for first place by only two pounds. Backed by a 344-pound blue from Day 2, the combined team from Texas and Florida took home $2,440,850 for those fish, including first and fourth places, and multiple daily jackpot prizes. Led by Capt. Kim Manning,…

The Spencer 64 Southern C’s was designed as a fast, efficient platform for a veteran team that fishes hard. Every space—inside and out—was shaped around real crew workflow, balancing performance, comfort, and Spencer’s clean, purposeful aesthetic. From cockpit systems to bridge ergonomics to an interior built for both rigging and relaxation, Southern C’s reflects a modern tournament program dialed for results. COCKPIT AND BRIDGE The beamy cockpit sets the tone with hand-laid teak decking and an eight-rod rocket launcher positioned ahead of a large, insulated transom fish box. Utility systems sit neatly in L-shaped undergunwale hatches, eliminating clutter while keeping reel plugs, washdowns and shore power within easy reach. The mezzanine blends comfort with capability. Twin ice dumps and a climate-controlled bench sit over a deep freezer to port, while…

When Grady-White launched the Express 330 in 2001, it was the largest outboard-powered sportfisher on the market. In the 25 years since, the Express 330 has earned its place on the sport-fishing landscape. The people who swear by it—who you’ll find fishing and staying aboard the 33 Grady-White most anyplace you find dedicated offshore fishermen—have created something of a legacy and cultlike following for this boat. And that is part of what makes this new Grady-White Express 340 so exciting. It is a fresh, modern take on a classic—a totally reengineered deck mold that sits atop the same proven hull design. The boat is both true to its heritage and more modern and sleeker, with improved performance. The cockpit, well-appointed and unapologetically fishy, gives way to a covered helm station,…