January 7, 2015

2014 TAG & RELEASE WINNERS!

The tag and release reports are in and the results have finally been tallied. This year was truly a record year for billfish anglers and for TBF’s Tag & Release Program. Below are some of the top anglers and captains from across the world at the apex of this amazing sport. Congratulations to all the winners and we hope to see everyone at our awards ceremony on Friday, February 13 in the Treetop Ballroom at Jungle Island during the 2015 Miami International Boat Show. See below for more information. Winners are asked to RSVP for the event by Monday January 12. 

Every year, The Billfish Foundation (TBF) recognizes the captains, mates and anglers (including youth and ladies) who tag and release the most billfish in each of the world’s oceans. The competition is categorized by billfish species, ocean, and whether the fish were tagged or released untagged.  Award winners are recognized at TBF’s Annual Tag & Release Awards Ceremony held during the Miami International Boat Show presented by the TBF’s 2014 Tag and Release Sponsors: Bisbee’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation FundCasa Vieja LodgeCosta SunglassesPELAGIC, King Sailfish Mounts and SIMRAD.

The Billfish Foundation’s Annual Tag and Release Ceremony will be held Friday, February 13, 2015, in the Treetop Ballroom at Jungle Island. The evening will kick off at 6:30 PM with cocktails followed by the award presentation and dinner. Proceeds benefit TBF’s tag and release program. Get your tickets for the 2015 Tag & Release Award Ceremony here.

Please note that for all anglers, captains and mates to receive their awards they must be current TBF members. You can join or renew your memberships online. 

Top Overall Tag & Release Winners

Overall Release Captain – Chris Van Leeuwen

Overall Tagging Captain– Chris Sheeder

Overall Release Angler – Pat McCotter

Overall Tagging Angler – Keith Brandner

Overall Release Lady Angler – Tiffany Sisolak

Overall Tagging Lady Angler – Sandra MacMillan

Overall Release Youth Angler – Gregory Benn

Overall Tagging Youth Angler  Shawn MacMullin

Top Tagging Angler- Atlantic Ocean

Blue Marlin – Gray Ingram

Sailfish – Kasey Swan

Swordfish – Matt Bierley

White Marlin – Laurent Sahyoun

Top Release Angler- Atlantic Ocean

Blue Marlin – Gray Ingram

Sailfish – Gray Ingram

White Marlin – Gregory Benn

Top Tagging Captain- Atlantic Ocean

Blue Marlin – Ronnie Fields

Sailfish – Fin Gaddy

Swordfish – Mark Pagano

White Marlin – Christian Benazeth

Top Release Captain- Atlantic Ocean

Blue Marlin – Ronnie Fields

Sailfish – Dean Panos

White Marlin – John Mumford

Top Tagging Angler- Pacific Ocean

Black Marlin – Brady Wild

Blue Marlin – Keith Brandner

Sailfish – Darryl Schroeder

Striped Marlin – Robert Hendricks

Top Release Angler- Pacific Ocean

Black Marlin – Barry Alty

Blue Marlin – Pat McCotter

Sailfish – Bill Easum

Striped Marlin – John “Jack” Duvall

Swordfish –  John Gregory

Top Tagging Captain- Pacific Ocean

Black Marlin – Tim Richardson

Blue Marlin – Josh Temple

Sailfish – Chris Sheeder

Spearfish-  Gene Vander Hoek

Striped Marlin – Jaime Gonzalez

Top Release Captain- Pacific Ocean

Black Marlin – Brett Alty

Blue Marlin – Pete Rae

Sailfish – Chris Van Leeuwen

Striped Marlin – Chris Bays

Swordfish – John Gregory

Top Tagging Angler – Indian Ocean

Black Marlin – Scott MacGowan

Sailfish – Jo-Ann Riley

Top Release Angler – Indian Ocean

Black Marlin – Murray Teasdale

Sailfish – Henry Riggs-Miller

Top Tagging Captain- Indian Ocean

Black Marlin – Eddy Lawler

Blue Marlin – Eddy Lawler

Sailfish – Jourdain Ellens

Striped Marlin – Eddy Lawler

Top Release Captain – Indian Ocean

Black Marlin – Eddy Lawler

Blue Marlin – Ross Newton

Sailfish – Rolly Pierre

Youth Tag Divisions

8 and Under
Charles Gaddy & Kyler Swan (TIE)
Runner-up – Caden Alexander

9-10
Aidan Burke
Runner-up – Kasey Ray Swan

11-12
William Stark

Runner-up Kaleb Richardson

13-15
Shawn MacMullin
Runner-up – Bo Ingram

16-17
Nick Brackmann

Youth Release Divisions

8 & Under
Brown Gaddy

11-12
Jonathan Gaskill

13 – 15
Bo Ingram
Runner-up- Shawn MacMullin

16-17
Gregory Benn
Runner-up Curtis Englert

GOM Marlin Tagging Competition

Top Tagging Captain Blue Marlin
Al Roper- Michi

Top Tagging Captain White Marlin
Don Thrasher – Business Interruption

Top Overall Tagging Captain
Jimmy Crochet – Conundrum

Top Overall Tagging Boat
Conundrum – Capt. Jimmy Crochet

The tag and release reports are in and the results have finally been tallied. This year was truly a record year for billfish anglers and for TBF’s Tag & Release Program. Below are some of the top anglers and captains from across the world at the apex of this amazing sport. Congratulations to all the winners and we hope to see everyone at our awards ceremony on Friday, February 13 in the Treetop Ballroom at Jungle Island during the 2015 Miami International Boat Show. See below for more information. Winners are asked to RSVP for the event by Monday January 12. 

Every year, The Billfish Foundation (TBF) recognizes the captains, mates and anglers (including youth and ladies) who tag and release the most billfish in each of the world’s oceans. The competition is categorized by billfish species, ocean, and whether the fish were tagged or released untagged.  Award winners are recognized at TBF’s Annual Tag & Release Awards Ceremony held during the Miami International Boat Show presented by the TBF’s 2014 Tag and Release Sponsors: Bisbee’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation FundCasa Vieja LodgeCosta SunglassesPELAGIC, King Sailfish Mounts and SIMRAD.

The Billfish Foundation’s Annual Tag and Release Ceremony will be held Friday, February 13, 2015, in the Treetop Ballroom at Jungle Island. The evening will kick off at 6:30 PM with cocktails followed by the award presentation and dinner. Proceeds benefit TBF’s tag and release program. Get your tickets for the 2015 Tag & Release Award Ceremony here.

Please note that for all anglers, captains and mates to receive their awards they must be current TBF members. You can join or renew your memberships online. 

Top Overall Tag & Release Winners

Overall Release Captain – Chris Van Leeuwen

Overall Tagging Captain– Chris Sheeder

Overall Release Angler – Pat McCotter

Overall Tagging Angler – Keith Brandner

Overall Release Lady Angler – Tiffany Sisolak

Overall Tagging Lady Angler – Sandra MacMillan

Overall Release Youth Angler – Gregory Benn

Overall Tagging Youth Angler  Shawn MacMullin

Top Tagging Angler- Atlantic Ocean

Blue Marlin – Gray Ingram

Sailfish – Kasey Swan

Swordfish – Matt Bierley

White Marlin – Laurent Sahyoun

Top Release Angler- Atlantic Ocean

Blue Marlin – Gray Ingram

Sailfish – Gray Ingram

White Marlin – Gregory Benn

Top Tagging Captain- Atlantic Ocean

Blue Marlin – Ronnie Fields

Sailfish – Fin Gaddy

Swordfish – Mark Pagano

White Marlin – Christian Benazeth

Top Release Captain- Atlantic Ocean

Blue Marlin – Ronnie Fields

Sailfish – Dean Panos

White Marlin – John Mumford

Top Tagging Angler- Pacific Ocean

Black Marlin – Brady Wild

Blue Marlin – Keith Brandner

Sailfish – Darryl Schroeder

Striped Marlin – Robert Hendricks

Top Release Angler- Pacific Ocean

Black Marlin – Barry Alty

Blue Marlin – Pat McCotter

Sailfish – Bill Easum

Striped Marlin – John “Jack” Duvall

Swordfish –  John Gregory

Top Tagging Captain- Pacific Ocean

Black Marlin – Tim Richardson

Blue Marlin – Josh Temple

Sailfish – Chris Sheeder

Spearfish-  Gene Vander Hoek

Striped Marlin – Jaime Gonzalez

Top Release Captain- Pacific Ocean

Black Marlin – Brett Alty

Blue Marlin – Pete Rae

Sailfish – Chris Van Leeuwen

Striped Marlin – Chris Bays

Swordfish – John Gregory

Top Tagging Angler – Indian Ocean

Black Marlin – Scott MacGowan

Sailfish – Jo-Ann Riley

Top Release Angler – Indian Ocean

Black Marlin – Murray Teasdale

Sailfish – Henry Riggs-Miller

Top Tagging Captain- Indian Ocean

Black Marlin – Eddy Lawler

Blue Marlin – Eddy Lawler

Sailfish – Jourdain Ellens

Striped Marlin – Eddy Lawler

Top Release Captain – Indian Ocean

Black Marlin – Eddy Lawler

Blue Marlin – Ross Newton

Sailfish – Rolly Pierre

Youth Tag Divisions

8 and Under
Charles Gaddy & Kyler Swan (TIE)
Runner-up – Caden Alexander

9-10
Aidan Burke
Runner-up – Kasey Ray Swan

11-12
William Stark

Runner-up Kaleb Richardson

13-15
Shawn MacMullin
Runner-up – Bo Ingram

16-17
Nick Brackmann

Youth Release Divisions

8 & Under
Brown Gaddy

11-12
Jonathan Gaskill

13 – 15
Bo Ingram
Runner-up- Shawn MacMullin

16-17
Gregory Benn
Runner-up Curtis Englert

GOM Marlin Tagging Competition

Top Tagging Captain Blue Marlin
Al Roper- Michi

Top Tagging Captain White Marlin
Don Thrasher – Business Interruption

Top Overall Tagging Captain
Jimmy Crochet – Conundrum

Top Overall Tagging Boat
Conundrum – Capt. Jimmy Crochet

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