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Greetings!
Due to the very weak number of registrations, we have cancelled the Cape Eleuthera leg of this year's BBC. This is the first time in 30-years of managing the BBC that we have had to cancel a tournament; however, as anglers and sponsors, your satisfaction with the Series is of the utmost importance. Rather than our anglers traveling to Cape Eleuthera and being disappointed in a small tournament and correspondingly small award pool, we decided it would be in everyone's best interest to cancel this leg.
The rest of the BBC's 2012 tournament schedule remains unchanged and new entries for the other four tournaments are coming-in daily. The reports of good fishing in the Bahamas are certainly helping. Just last week, Mitch Roffer posted on Facebook, "We are receiving very good reports of marlin and dolphin in the Bahamas from Abaco to Chub to Cat Island. Best spring in years!" It would appear that Mitch's Seasonal Fishing Forecast for 2012 (below) is, once again, right on target. Read Mitch's forecast and you will see why, when it comes to fishing, 'It's Better in The Bahamas.'
I sincerely hope that each of you has an opportunity to participate in at least one BBC tournament this year. From an organizational standpoint, we are set-to-go and all of us associated with the Championship look forward to welcoming you to the BBC for our 39th season.
Tight Lines and Good Fishing,
 Al Behrendt Bahamas Billfish Championship |
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A New BBC Season is Just Weeks Away
The Bahamas Billfish Championship kicks-off its 39th season with the Guana Cay Championship hosted by MarineMax and Hatteras Yachts. Orchid Bay Yacht Club & Marina has rolled out the red carpet for the BBC fleet and is offering special rates for BBC boats staying a minimum of ten nights.
The entire island of Guana Cay is looking forward to the Championship. Thanks to MarineMax, there will be cocktail receptions for BBC teams at Nipper's and Grabber's during the week. Look for the BBC e-Update (April 16) for the complete schedule of events.
From the Abacos the Championship moves to North Eleuthera where Bank of America and Silver Airways will host the Harbour Island leg of the Series. Opening night anglers meeting and dinner will be overlooking the pink sand beach at Coral Sands. Romora Bay Club & Resort will be the setting for the awards presentation and dinner.
The BBC Committee Boat and ribbon distribution will be at Romora Bay Marina. Dockage during the Harbour Island Championship is also available at Harbour Island Club & Marina and Valentine's.
To read all about the upcoming season click here ...
To Register & Enter online click here.
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 Seasonal Fishing Forecast for 2012:
Best Conditions Seen In Years
By Mitchell A. Roffer, Ph.D.
Based on the information we have analyzed, the conclusion (our forecast), is that the BBC will have a relatively high abundance of blue marlin this season. These conditions are the most favorable that we have seen for a long time. Not incidentally, blue marlin fishing action, along with unusually early high catch rates of mahi mahi and yellowfin tuna, have been experienced from the Andros Island - Chub Cay area to Treasure Cay since January.
Not only does this support our oceanographic analyses, this is also a very positive indicator for the tuna, mahi and marlin season from Jacksonville, FL to Cape Hatteras, NC this spring and early summer as the fish move northwest with the Bahamas water until it mixes with the eastern side of the Gulf Stream.
While it appears that there will be an abundance of these fish from the Bahamas to North Carolina, good fishing action on a daily basis is strongly linked to local currents. When the water mass boundaries of these currents are favorable (over good bottom topography to concentrate the bait fish), then the real fun action happens. This is controlled by sub-daily and daily, small scale movements of the currents.
Stay tuned for these daily forecasts as subtle changes in the currents and convergences have dramatic impacts on the distribution of feeding concentrations of fish. Get ready the good fishing is about to happen! This is likely to be the year when fishing action in the BBC gets very good. Not the year to be sitting and watching the action on the internet.
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Selective Harvesting
and Selective Criticism (Continued)
By Capt. Skip Smith
I apologize for not completing my article about big fish in the last issue of The Teaser. The article should have ended by saying, "I have no problem 'greasing' a blue marlin for money." Would I kill one for $100? ... Probably not. On the other hand, $40,000, that is worth it.  How much a pound does that come out to?
If the government puts a minimum length on them and the laws allow it, what is the problem? The biggest tournaments today have a payout for dead fish. Tournaments like the Ocean City White Marlin Open, the Mid-Atlantic $500,000, the Bisbee Black & Blue, the Big Rock and more. The BBC used to be structured the same and I remember when there were 78 boats fishing one year off of the Abacos.
When the BBC went to a modified release format it was in the best interest of the fish and they did it without observers. Releasing between 95% and 98% of the fish caught since the format change.
To be honest, you do not hear the controversy with the BBC that surrounds so many of these other tournaments. The BBC views a team who catches the most fish as the best boat and anglers.
Read Capt. Skip Smith's complete article here ...
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A Close Look at RJ Boyle
Artist, Fisherman, Entrepreneur
By RJ Boyle
I have been so fortunate to be given the opportunity once again to be the official artist for the 2012 Bahamas Billfish Championship T-shirt design. This will be the third year that I have been given this honor and, as an artist, it is one of my favorite times of the year. When I get the call from the BBC asking me to be the artist, it always puts me on 'cloud nine.' As an artist it's like adding a feather in your cap or a stripe on your uniform. The BBC is one of the most prestigious tournament series in the world to win as a fishermen and it is just as prestigious to be chosen as their artist.
I am not only an artist for the tournaments but I have been in the winner's circle at many of the BBC tournaments over the years. I have worked as a mate on the Concrete Machine and the Black Gold during many of the years; competing at the highest levels.
The closest I ever got to winning the BBC series was mating for the Black Gold skippered by Capt. Keith Bokenhagen and owned by Harry Sargeant. It was one of the most exciting things I have ever experienced in any tournament circuit. Boats were neck and neck the whole season. However, in the last ten minutes of the last tournament we ended up getting pushed out of first place by the In Flight. I wanted Championship Ring so badly but we fell just short. The Black Gold went on to win the Championship the next year (2003) but, unfortunately for me, I was back home doing art shows.
Discover the many facets of Bobby Boyle here ....
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Boaters receive a $300 instant fuel credit for a 4-night consecutive hotel stay at Bahama Out Islands Promotion Board member resorts and marinas.
Booking window: Now -June 26, 2012
Travel period: Now -June 30, 2012
Blackout dates: April 02-06, 2012
For details about this and other offers from the Bahamas Out Island Promotion Board and a list of participating resorts and marinas click here.
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As The Propeller Turns ...
Congratulations to Capt. Glenn Cameron on being In The Bite's 'Captain of the Year' ... Orchid Bay Marina has special rates for BBC teams; stay 10 or more days and pay only $1 per foot ... Will Bobby Jacobson come up with a boat for this year's BBC series? ... Nice to see Mike Bozzuto and team My Love joining us again this season.
A great line-up of social sponsors for BBC 2012 including Ocean Club at Port Canaveral, Caterpillar Marine Power, Treasure Coast Propellers and Silver Airways ... Speaking of Silver Airways, be sure to ask about the Billfish SunPac when you contact Silver Airways ... Be sure to read the BBC e-Updates for the latest information about this year's Prizes for the Daily Crew Drawing.
Thirty-three percent of the boats preregistered for BBC 2012 are fishing the Series for the first time ... Will Jeff Donahue on the Hatterascal have better luck if he leaves the curly-tail lizard on the dock? ... Bill Gardner (Boomer) has a new version of 'I've been workin on the railroad' ... Certainly worth repeating - Mitch Roffer posted on Facebook, "We are receiving very good reports of marlin and dolphin in the Bahamas from Abaco to Chub to Cat Island. Best spring in years!"
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Dolphinfish Research Newsletter
Another East Coast Export
Last issue of the newsletter reported on a Miami, Florida, dolphinfish that traveled to the eastern Bahamas. This was the second dolphin to travel from the U.S. east coast to eastern  Bahamian waters. The featured recapture for March is a fish that departed U.S. waters to travel to the eastern Caribbean, becoming the tenth dolphin tagged off the East Coast to be recovered by fishermen off Caribbean islands. This tagged dolphin is the first to be recovered in the Anguilla archipelago of the Lesser Antilles. The fish was tagged on June 20, 2011, off Marathon, Florida, by Philip Brownell of Coconut Creek, Florida, during a fishing trip with his father, Russell, aboard their boat the Mad Fin. While Philip has tagged more than 200 dolphin, this is his first long-distance recovery. Read the complete April Dolphinfish Research Newsletter here ... Back to Top |
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