The Orange Beach Billfish Classic wrapped its 29th edition in record-breaking fashion, awarding a tournament-high purse of $1,286,900 to competitors.
With 52 boats in the fleet, the event, held …
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The Orange Beach Billfish Classic wrapped its 29th edition in record-breaking fashion, awarding a tournament-high purse of $1,286,900 to competitors.
With 52 boats in the fleet, the event, held at The Wharf in Orange Beach, saw top anglers battle rough seas and thrilling catches across three days of fishing.
The tournament, which began Thursday, May 15, saw teams depart Perdido Pass at 11 a.m. in choppy seas that limited action early according to reports.
Despite the conditions, anglers released three Blue Marlin and a Sailfish on day one. Improved weather on day two brought more bites, and at 10:20 a.m. Friday, Captain George Crenshaw, angler Scott Cooper, and the crew aboard CE — an 80' Viking from Point Clear — landed a 116.5-inch Blue Marlin, the tournament's first boated fish.
Saturday's final day saw more billfish releases before Never Settle, a 74' Viking from Destin, Florida, with Captain Stan Blackman and angler Jim Murdica, added excitement by boating a 113-inch Blue Marlin just before 1 p.m.
At The Wharf's weigh-in, CE's Blue Marlin topped the scales at 640.2 pounds, clinching the tournament championship and a record payout of $453,300.
"We knew there was big fish there," Crenshaw said. "We were hunting around, and before we even got a live bait out it crashed the left long rigger. Scott was great as usual in the chair, and our mates were at their best when it counted most, and we had the fish in the boat in just twenty-eight minutes from the time we hooked up until we slid it in the cockpit."
Never Settle's 468.4-pound Blue Marlin earned second place and $230,200 in prize money.
The event also featured big tuna at the scales. Bill Butler on Crawgator, a 61' Viking from Venice, landed a 204.2-pound Yellowfin to top the division. Miss Remy, a 65' Viking from Venice, took second with a 145.8-pound Tuna, just ahead of Diane Kay, a 55' Viking from Destin, at 141.0 pounds.
Relentless Pursuit, a 95' Jim Smith from New Orleans, weighed the only Wahoo of the tournament at 24.2 pounds. Fleur de Lis, a 62' Hatteras from Grand Isle, La., brought in the only Dolphin at 24.0 pounds.
Lifeline, a 60' Hatteras from Panama City Beach, Florida, skippered by Captain Blake Bridges, dominated the Catch and Release category by releasing four Blue Marlin and one White Marlin, earning the team $157,700. Fall Line, a 61' Jim Smith from Mob City, Magic City, placed second in Catch and Release with four Blue Marlin releases. Team Supreme, the defending champion from Destin, finished third with three Blue Marlin releases.
Overall, 54 billfish were released in the tournament, including 44 Blue Marlin, seven White Marlin, and three Sailfish.
Sherry Polk aboard Share-E, a 72' Viking from Venice, was named Top Lady Angler, while Jonah Smith on Fall Line repeated as Top Junior Angler.
The Orange Beach Billfish Classic, the world's largest tournament donor to The Billfish Foundation, returns to The Wharf in May 2026 to celebrate its 30th anniversary.
For more information, visit www.orangebeachbillfishclassic.com.
Blue Marlin
1st Place – 640.2 lbs – CE – Scott Cooper
2nd Place – 468.4 lbs – Never Settle – Jim Murdica
Catch and Release
Tuna
1st Place – 204.2 lbs – Crawgator – Bill Butler
Wahoo
1st Place – 24.2 lbs – Relentless Pursuit – Mike Akiu
Dolphin
1st Place – 24.0 lbs – Fleur de Lis – Caston Phillips
Top Lady Angler
Sherry Polk – Share-E
Top Junior Angler
Jonah Smith – Fall Line
