FISH THE TRADITION The Pensacola International Billfish Tournament offers big fun for anglers and spectators alike

FISH THE TRADITION

Pensacola International Billfish Tournament celebrates its 50th year

by Kelly Oden From June 30 to July 4, 2021, local anglers have the opportunity to enjoy some friendly competition at Pensacola Big Game Fishing Club’s (PBGFC) annual event, The Pensacola International Billfish Tournament. Celebrating 50 years in 2021, this year’s event is sure to be one for the record books.

Since its inception in 1970, the Pensacola Big Game Fishing Club has been the host to the country’s largest billfish tournaments. The first gathering, launched in 1971 as a club affair, involved only a handful of boats and anglers. The event quickly developed a reputation as the premier fishing tradition and turned a three-day blue water Gulf of Mexico deepsea fishing competition into the sporting event of the year, luring a record number of anglers and boats from across the nation.

Held on the last weekend of June at the famous Palafox Pier in downtown Pensacola, the competition draws large crowds and offers sizable cash and prize awards. This year’s total award payments land at $56,400.

Two additional events, the Junior Angler Tournament and Pensacola Ladies Billfish Tournament, both hosted at the WCI Lost Key Marina Yacht Club, complement the trio of tournaments.

While last year’s event was low key due to the pandemic, this year promises to be loads of fun for anglers and spectators alike. Several food vendors will be serving up delicious eats, and sponsors and vendors will have tents displaying goods and services. The public is invited to watch the weigh-ins on July 2 from 4 -7 pm and on July 3 from 3-7 pm. This year also features the return of Ron Thomas, who emceed the event back in the 70s. Thomas will team up with George Ballard to provide commentary

and weigh-in results. In addition, local angler and owner of Outcast Bait and Tackle, Tommy Holmes will serve as dock master. PBGFC’s goals go beyond the competition, however. Their mission aims to stimulate and encourage the sport of big game fishing in northwest Florida coastal waters, to demonstrate the recreational facilities and the abundance of big game fish off and near the coast of Pensacola, to encourage and promote the conservation and study of game fishes and to promote the sport of big game fishing as recreation and as a source of scientific data.

For more information, and to register for the tournament, visit pbgfc.com.

“We’re excited to get back to normal and have the tournament down at the Palafox Pier where spectators and the whole city of Pensacola can come down and watch.” – Ken McIlhenny, Tournament Chair

Tournament Dates: 6/30/21 - 7/3/21 Registration: Open until 7/1/21 10 am CST

Species: Sailfish, Blue Marlin, Dolphin, Wahoo, Spearfish, Yellowfin Tuna, White Marlin, Swordfish, Unidentified Billfish, Blackfin Tuna and Bigeye Tuna