Take a quick look at the back of any sportfishing boat that is serious about fishing for large blue marlin in the Gulf of Mexico and you will find one common denominator – every transom is lined with tens of PVC tubes. These tuna tubes as they are called are the key to *just about* every tournament winning blue marlin that has been caught in the Gulf of Mexico over the last 5 years. The best kept secrets are no longer what lure you are pulling off the flat line – they are the technique of catching bait and filling your tubes up as quickly as possible. We wanted to pay homage to this unique live bait fishery by officially dubbing the Gulf of Mexico as the live bait blue marlin capital of the world.
SORD will be taking this new design to a few select tournaments in the jam-packed trail along the live bait coast. This year’s circuit kicks off next week with the start of the Louisiana Gulf Coast Billfish Classic and the entire trail is stacked larger than it has ever been. There are 13 tournaments running from Port Isabel, Texas to Panama City Beach, Florida with the comeback of the famed Baypoint Billfish Open. We have highlighted every event on the Gulf below and *denoted which ones we will be attending with our full booth.
The full 2022 purse power rankings
Emerald Coast Blue Marlin Classic………$1.9m
Mississippi Gulf Coast Billfish Classic….$1.3m
Blue Marlin Grand Championship…….….$886k
Orange Beach Billfish Classic……………..$850k
Texas Legends Billfish Tournament….…$800k
The Lonestar Shootout……………………...$767k
Gulf Coast Masters……………………………$726k
Cajun Canyons Billfish Tournament…….$394k
Louisiana Gulf Coast Billfish Classic…...$277k
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Billfish Extravaganza………………………….$100k
**Not Applicable - Baypoint Billfish Open (Re-Launch 2023)
**Not Published - Pensacola International
**Not Published - Texas International Fishing Tournament
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The full 2023 Gulf of Mexico tournament calendar
Louisiana Gulf Coast Billfish Classic
Dates: May 1st - 7th
Marina: Hurricane Hole Marina
Town: Grand Isle, Louisiana
Total 2022 Payout: $277k
**Televised on Sportfishing Championship
Billfish Extravaganza
Dates: May 11th - 13th
Marina: Harbor Docks
Town: Destin, FL
Total 2022 Payout: $100k
*SORD Expedition Stop
Orange Beach Billfish Classic
Dates: May 16th - 21st
Marina: The Wharf
Town: Orange Beach, Alabama
Total 2022 Payout: $850k
Gulf Coast Masters
Dates: May 22nd - 28th
Marina: Orange Beach Marina
Town: Orange Beach, Alabama
Total 2022 Payout: $726k
*SORD Expedition Stop
**Televised on Sportfishing Championship
Cajun Canyons Billfish Classic
Dates: May 30th - June 4th
Marina: Cypress Cove Marina
Town: Venice, Louisiana
Total 2022 Payout: $394k
Mississippi Gulf Coast Billfish Classic
Dates: June 5th - 11th
Marina: Golden Nugget Casino and Hotel
Town: Biloxi, Mississippi
Total 2022 Payout: $1.3m
*SORD Expedition Stop
**Televised on Sportfishing Championship
Emerald Coast Blue Marlin Classic
Dates: June 21st - 25th
Marina: Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort
Town: Miramar Beach, Florida
Total 2022 Payout: $1.9m
*SORD Expedition Stop
**Televised on Sportfishing Championship
The Baypoint Billfish Open
Dates: June 28th - July 1st
Marina: Point South Marina
Town: Panama City Beach, Florida
Total 2022 Payout: N/A
*SORD Expedition Stop
Pensacola International Billfish
Dates: June 28th - July 1st
Marina: Palafox Pier
Town: Pensacola, Florida
Total 2022 Payout: Not Published
The Blue Marlin Grand Championship
Dates: July 12th - 16th
Marina: The Wharf
Town: Orange Beach, Alabama
Total 2022 Payout: $886k
*SORD Expedition Stop
The Lonestar Shootout
Dates: July 18th - 23rd
Marina: Alligator Head Club
Town: Port O’Connor, Texas
Total 2022 Payout: $767k
Texas International Fishing Tournament
Dates: August 2nd-6th
Marina: South Point Marina
Town: Port Isabel, Texas
Total 2022 Payout: Not Published
Texas Legends Billfish Tournament
Dates: August 9th-13th
Marina: Fisherman’s Wharf
Town: Port Aransas, Texas
Total 2022 Payout: $800k