During the first leg of the 2007 Los Sueños Signature Billfish Series presented by CABO Yachts, 54 teams battled it out, catching and releasing a combined total of 454 billfish, including 49 marlin and 405 sailfish.The first leg of the 2007 Los Sueños Signature Billfish Series presented by CABO Yachts ended on Sunday, January 21st after 3 days of tough competition. 54 teams battled it out, catching and releasing a combined total of 454 billfish, including 49 marlin and 405 sailfish.

The fishing was slow but spirits were high at the start of the tournament. Predictions were flying at check-in and registration on January 18th; the marlin bite would separate the winners from the losers. Word around the docks was that the marlin bite was excellent, but that teams would have to search hard and far to find the sails. This would surely be an interesting tournament.

Day 1 started off slow, which made for some fierce competition. It was clear though from the very beginning that Stephanie Lee, a 63’ Acy, was the one to watch. With 13 sailfish releases and 1 marlin, Captain Tony Carrizosa and anglers David Trombley, Jeff Stafford, John LaGrone, and Mitchell Pierson took a commanding lead. Dealer’s Choice, High Hook, El Jefe Grande and Adios charged the line again and again, but in the end it was Stephanie Lee who won the daily with 1800 points and a 400 point lead over Dealer’s Choice.

Day 2 proved to be more than just an angling competition. The teams were on the hunt for fish, taking their boats out to fish along the 50-mile tournament limit. Stephanie Lee showed her peers once again who was in command by catching and releasing 3 sailfish and 2 marlin. She raced to the front of the line with 1300 points and a 200 point lead over anglers Robert Del Vecchio, Peter O’Leary, Ty Visscher and Ron Schatman aboard Desperado, a 60’ Bertram captained by Jeffrey Schatman. High Hook, a 45’ CABO captained by Carlos Arguedas, came in third with 1000 points after anglers Larry Allison, Einer Tenorio, Carlos “Coco” Cambronero and Elmer Narvaez released 5 sailfish and 1 marlin.

Day 3 was even more exciting as the competition for second and third place became even more difficult. Stephanie Lee was well past the other teams and had already guaranteed her first place finish overall. However, El Jefe Grande, a 62’ Viking captained by Victor Lopez, slid into first place for the day after anglers Daniel Arrieta, DeCarol Williamson, Sean Patrick and Miguel Villaga caught and released 6 sailfish and 2 marlin for a total of 1600 points.
In the end, Stephanie Lee took her rightful place at the top of the podium with 4600 points over three days of fishing. High Hook came in second overall with 3000 points and El Jefe Grande placed third with 2500 points.

At the awards dinner sponsored by CABO Yachts later that evening, Los Sueños President and CEO William Royster presented the winning teams with checks for their share of the tournament’s US$140,250 cash jackpot ($70,125 to first, $40,075 to second, $28,050 to third) and trophies featuring Bodo Muche bronze billfish sculptures. Each angler also received Costa Del Mar sunglasses. All 3 winning teams received a humidor with cigars provided by La Casa del Habano and a framed print from Rick Bogert. The first place boat also received individual trophies for the captain, anglers and crew.

Tournament participants enjoyed four days of dinner events and entertainment, including dockside cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. The awards dinner on January 21st was out of this world, with live entertainment – including ESPN personality Chris Fischer, from Offshore Adventures – a jaw dropping tournament show filmed and produced by Fischer Productions, open bars and fireworks. The Los Sueños Signature Billfish Series has been christened the “Super Bowl” of sportfishing tournaments, with fishing, fun and events that outdo even the highest expectations year after year.

MARCH
The second leg of the 2007 Los Sueños Signature Billfish Series finishes with finesse on March 18th.
The second leg of the 2007 Los Sueños Signature Billfish Series presented by CABO Yachts ended on Sunday, March 18th after 3 days of intense competition between 55 teams. A total of 1,150 billfish were caught by 58 boats over the two tournament series, including 82 marlin and 1068 sailfish, making for an incredible fish to boat ratio of 20:1!
Fishing was up and down prior to check-in and registration for the second leg of the 2007 series on March 15th. However once the boats left Herradura Bay for the first day of fishing on Friday morning everyone knew this tournament would top 600 fish!

Day 1 brought out the competitive spirit of those teams vying for the ultimate $50,000 grand prize for the series champion. Stephanie Lee, a 63’ Acy with Tony Carrizosa at the helm, had a commanding lead after the first tournament of the series with 4600 points. Despite their record setting catches in January, anglers David Trombley, Jeff Stafford, Andy Moyes, Dennis Ward and Jeff Thiel, just weren’t having any luck bringing in the fish at the start of the March tournament. Hattaboy, a 60’ Hatteras captained by Chris Garner, squeezed into first place with 10 sails and 1 marlin for 1500 points, followed by a 58’ Merritt, Mimi, with 1400 points and Dealer’s Choice, a 64’ Viking captained by Bob Watson, with 1300 points.

Day 2 was defined by the marlin bite, with 15 marlin caught and released in one day! Competitors were looking to break through with big points. Anglers Robert Del Vecchio, Peter O’Leary, Ty Visscher, Heiner Vallejos and Parker Stephen aboard Desperado, a 60’ Bertram captained by Jeffrey Schatman, brought in 3 sails and 3 marlin for 1800 points and the lead for the day. The Bite and Barbarrosa, tied with 1300 points, came in second and third place respectively by time.

Day 3 was the culmination of this competitive spirit as Stephanie Lee and Dealer’s Choice came head to head for the title of Series Champion. Less than an hour before lines-out they were tied for the grand prize and had the tournament spectators on the edge of their seats awaiting the outcome of what would surely be the closest race in the history of the Signature Series. In the end, Stephanie Lee’s commanding lead after the January tournament rendered all else helpless and she took the ultimate title of Series Grand Champion with a combined two tournament total of 26 sailfish, 6 marlin and 5600 points.