Emerald Coast Blue Marlin Classic

The 15th annual Emerald Coast Blue Marlin Classic takes place June 21-256, 2017.

Timed to coincide with the peak of the Gulf Coast’s blue marlin season, and located at the South’s number-one ranked resort destination, the Emerald Coast Blue Marlin Classic at Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort sets the new precedent for world-class sportfishing tournaments.

This annual event offers something for everyone. Most importantly, for the angling teams, there’s the deep blue waters of the Gulf of Mexico, red-hot billfish action, and cool green cash.

While on-shore, both the teams and their families can enjoy the wide variety of recreational activities offered at the Sandestin® Golf and Beach Resort and The Village of Baytowne Wharf. The spectacular night time weigh-ins are held at the Baytowne Marina at Sandestin® and are open to the public.

The competition takes place in one of the most productive fisheries in the United States. In the past several years two blue marlin “Granders” (blue marlin weighing over 1,000 lbs.) have been weighed in the Gulf, and state records for blue marlin and both bluefin and yellowfin tuna have been broken.

The ECBC is a “modified-release” tournament and led the Gulf Coast tournament circuit in setting high minimum lengths for blue marlin. Blue marlin are the only billfish that may be weighed. Release points are awarded for blue marlin also, in addition to white marlin, sailfish and spearfish.

The three heaviest weighed blue marlin, dolphin, tuna and wahoo are eligible for cash awards, as are the top three teams entered in the Release Division, and the top three Crews entered in the Crew Division. Awards are presented to the top overall, release, lady and junior anglers, and the top overall release team has its name engraved on the Magnificent BluePerpetual Trophy.

As the top family friendly destination in the Southeast, tournament hostSandestin Golf and Beach Resort is the perfect venue for this world-class event. Besides a full-service marina and conference facility, the resort has plenty to offer non-anglers too, including the beach, shopping, dining and other fun activities for the whole family. On Friday and Saturday nights the Baytowne Marina is filled with spectators as the prize-winning fish are weighed in. The nightly weigh-ins are open to the public.

With warm water and ideal conditions in the Gulf and some of the best crews in the sport, the 2016 ECBC promises to be another exciting contest. The festivities get underway Wednesday, June 22. The boats start fishing Thursday at noon and continue until lines out late Saturday. The weigh scales are open Friday from 4-9pm and Saturday from 4-10pm at the Baytowne Marina at Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort.
 

For information about Emerald Coast Blue Marlin Classic such as registration and schedule of events, please visit www.fishecbc.com.