Tag & Release Competition Update

Listed below are the top 5 captains and anglers in each category for The Billfish Foundation’s Tag & Release Competition as of April 28, 2021. If a category is missing, it’s because there haven’t been enough fish to qualify. The competition runs through October 31, 2021 and all entries must be in by November 15. Please remember that you are only eligible to receive an award if you are an active member of The Billfish Foundation. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at tag@billfish.org. To purchase tagging equipment and other TBF items, visit our online shop.

Top Overall Tagging Captain

1. Bobby McGuinness – Costa Rica
2. John Cagle – South Carolina
3. J. Newt Cagle – South Carolina
4. Patrick Price – Florida
5. Lance Hightower – Georgia

Top Overall Tagging Angler

1. Christian Hampl – Florida
2. Camila Ingram – Florida
3. Donna Reynolds – Georgia
4. Gray Ingram – Florida
5. Dawn Samuels – Florida

Top Overall Tagging Lady Angler

1. Camila Ingram – Florida
2. Donna Reynolds – Georgia
3. Dawn Samuels – Florida
4. Martha Macnab – California
5. Luena Amaro – Angola

Top Overall Tagging Youth Angler

1. George Straub – Florida

Top Overall Release Captain

1. John Cagle – South Carolina
2. J. Newt Cagle – South Carolina
3. Travis Ralph – Florida
4. Jesse Hill – Australia
5. Bobby McGuinness – Costa Rica

Top Overall Release Angler

1. Gray Ingram – Florida
2. Camila Ingram – Florida
3. Jesse Hill – Australia
4. Christian Hampl – Florida
5. Roy Rice – Florida

Top Overall Release Lady Angler

1. Camila Ingram – Florida
2. Dawn Samuels – Florida
3. Deb Foster – Australia
4. Shelby Callison – Florida

Top Overall Release Youth Angler

1. George Straub – Florida (tied for 1st)
2. Colton Bates – Florida (tied for 1st)

 

Top Tagging Captain

Atlantic

Blue Marlin

1. Kevin Deerman – Texas
2. Mike Hunter – Florida
3. Gordo Heldewier – Curacao

Sailfish

1. Patrick Price – Florida
2. Mike Hunter – Florida
3. Tom Hinterschied – Florida
4. Stephen Brexel – Florida
5. Shawn Albury – Florida

Swordfish

1. Vince Riera – Spain (tied for 1st)
2. Adam Peeples – Florida (tied for 1st)

Pacific

Blue Marlin

1. Tracy Epstein – Hawaii
2. Chris Choy – Hawaii

Sailfish

1. Bobby McGuinness – Costa Rica
2. Lance Hightower – Georgia
3. Ben Brownlee – Florida
4. Robert Reed – Florida
5. Richard Crosby – Texas

Spearfish

1. Tracy Epstein – Hawaii

Striped Marlin

1. John Cagle – South Carolina
2. J. Newt Cagle – South Carolina
3. Chris Workmon – Georgia
4. Jerry Lanzerotti –  New Jersey
5. Abraham Marquez – Illinois

Indian

Blue Marlin

1. Ross Newton – Australia

Sailfish

1. Bomber Farrell – Australia
2. Darryn du Plessis – Seychelles

Swordfish

1. Calvin du Plessis – Kenya

Top Tagging Angler

Atlantic

Blue Marlin

1. Kanmair Kleinmoedig – Curacao
2. Tim Peterson – Texas

Sailfish

1. Dawn Samuels – Florida
2. Jacob Lepera – Florida
3. Luena Amaro – Angola
4. Robert Patterson – Florida
5. Fernando Duarte – Angola

Pacific

Blue Marlin

1. Chad Beaudry – Colorado
2. Paul Dolinoy – California

Sailfish

1. Christian Hampl – Florida
2. Donna Reynolds – Georgia
3. George Straub – Florida
4. Clay Nalley – Georgia
5. Christopher Hampl – Costa Rica

Spearfish

1. Chad Beaudry – Colorado

Striped Marlin

1. Camila Ingram – Florida
2. Gray Ingram – Florida
3. Paco Ruiz – Illinois
4. John Kleinfeldt – Illinois
5. Martha Macnab – California

Indian

Sailfish

1. Bomber Farrell – Australia
2. Taro Tominaga – Australia (tied for 2nd)
3. Quentin Toose – Australia (tied for 2nd)

Swordfish

1. Gavin van der Merwe – South Africa

Top Tagging Youth

13-15

1. George Straub – Florida

 

Top Release Captain

Atlantic

Blue Marlin

1. Gordo Heldewier – Curacao
2. Mike Hunter – Florida

Sailfish

1. Travis Ralph – Florida
2. Patrick Price – Florida
3. Mike Hunter – Florida
4. Matt Alligood – Florida
5. Charlie Stubbs – Florida

Pacific

Black Marlin

1. Jesse Hill – Australia

Sailfish

1. Bobby McGuinness – Costa Rica
2. Johnny Fulqueira – Puerto Rico
3. Robert Reed – Florida
4. Alfredo Vargas Lopez – Mexico

Striped Marlin

1. John Cagle – South Carolina
2. J. Newt Cagle – South Carolina

Indian

Black Marlin

1. Neville Kent – Australia

Blue Marlin

1. Neville Kent – Australia
2. Eddy Lawler – Australia

Sailfish

1. Neville Kent – Australia
2. Calvin du Plessis – Kenya

Top Release Angler

Atlantic

Blue Marlin

1. Kanmair Kleinmoedig – Curacao

Sailfish

1. Roy Rice – Florida
2. Wayne Jenkins – Florida
3. Kip Edwards – Maryland
4. Calvin Viapiano – Florida
5. Dawn Samuels – Florida

Pacific

Black Marlin

1. Jesse Hill – Australia
2. Andy Kelly – Australia

Blue Marlin 

1. Gray Ingram – Florida

Sailfish

1. Christian Hampl – Florida
2. Ernesto Vazquez – Puerto Rico
3. Camila Ingram – Florida
4. Peter Myers – Florida
5. Dawn Samuels – Florida

Striped Marlin

1. Gray Ingram – Florida
2. Camila Ingram – Florida

Indian

Black Marlin

1. Deb Foster – Australia

Blue Marlin

1. Hayley Dellar – Australia
2. Deb Foster – Australia

Sailfish

1. Deb Foster – Australia

Top Release Youth

13-15

1. George Straub – Florida (tied for 1st)
2. Colton Bates – Florida (tied for 1st)

For more information about the Tag & Release Competition, check out our website. To stay up to date on all things billfish, become a member, subscribe to our monthly newsletter, visit our online shop, and follow us on social media, @TheBillfishFoundation.