BAY POINT BILLFISH OPEN LIVE UPDATES

90 boats in the field? Two clear options of running close or going a long distance? Sign us up! We’re on the ground here in Panama City Beach for the Bay Point Billfish Open, one of the largest tournaments in the Gulf of Mexico. 

Slightly different schedule this weekend, competing Thursday-Saturday. There’s a shotgun start at 10:00 AM local time, with a boat parade featuring all 90+ boats starting at 9:00 AM.

THURSDAY, JUNE 25: DAY 1
*ALL TIMES CENTRAL

7:30 AM: Lots of bladders on every boat. Gulf Coast Cowboys are fueled up for a long run. Third Coast Renegades are looking to likely fish like they do back home in Texas. Similar to Capt. Spencer Johnson and the Texas Lone Stars.

9:00 AM: IT’S TIME FOR A BOAT PARADE! All the boats are led out across Panama City Beach for the shotgun start.

10:00 AM: Hopefully not a bad omen, but the three fighter jets that were scheduled to fly over the full field became two after a reported bird strike.

10:05 AM: GULF COAST COWBOYS ARE COMING BACK IN. They’ve reported a bent prop, meaning they struck something on the way out. 

Four of the five blades are bent. The crew has to take the prop for repairs at a machine shop, hopefully they are running by the evening to be on the blue marlin in the morning. 

12:36 PM: THE TEXAS LONE STARS RELEASE A SAILFISH TO TAKE THE EARLY LEAD! That was quick. Bryan Richter is the angler of record, and the strategy looks to be going according to plan. I expected the Lone Stars to be fishing quickly, staying closer to home than the others making a long run. Also suspecting the Renegades and Black Flags to do the same.

LEADERBOARD AS OF 1:00 PM:
Texas Lone Stars - 75 Points
Gulf Coast Cowboys
Third Coast Renegades
Mississippi Blues
Louisiana Canyons
West Florida Black Flags

2:32 PM: THIRD COAST RENEGADES ARE HOOKED UP! We are live on ESPN+ and Garrett Frazier is fighting standup. We believe it to be a sailfish.

2:39 PM: Renegades get the release and slide into second place.

LEADERBOARD AS OF 3:00 PM:
Texas Lone Stars - 75 Points
Third Coast Renegades - 75 Points
Gulf Coast Cowboys
Mississippi Blues
Louisiana Canyons
West Florida Black Flags

3:05 PM: Jordon Benefield of the Gulf Coast Cowboys tells me that their prop will be ready for pickup at 5:00 PM local time. They’ll get the prop installed and have some work on their bow thruster before they head out. The Cowboys are hoping to be making way by 7:00 PM local time.

4:00 PM: We’re going off the air for day one of the Bay Point Billfish Open, but they’re still fishing until the sun goes down! We’ll keep you posted if there is any action.

4:36 PM: What did we tell you? They’re still fishing out there. The Texas Lone Stars release another sailfish. David Blackbird credited with the release and the additional 75 points, bringing the defending league champions’ total to 150.

6:12 PM: WE HAVE A NEW LEADER! Third Coast Renegades and Dylan Frazier release a blue marlin, climbing up to 525 Points.

7:02 PM: Texas Lone Stars hit back with another sailfish, bringing their total to 225 Points.

7:27 PM:  But the Renegades counter again with a sailfish of their own. Garrett Frazier gets his second sail and the Texas clubs are lighting up the leaderboard early as we expected.

Now while the sun is going down, the fishing may be over, but the action is not. SFC Insider Rudy Tomarchio and Gulf Division correspondent Sara Burk have been dockside with the Gulf Coast Cowboys watching the propeller re-installation.

7:44 PM: The Cowboys also had a bow thruster pump replaced, and the service specialist just arrived for that. 

9:14 PM: GULF COAST COWBOYS ARE OFF THE DOCK. 11 HOURS, 14 MINUTES LATER FROM THE SHOTGUN START.

DAY 1 LEADERBOARD:
Third Coast Renegades - 600 Points
Texas Lone Stars - 225 Points
Gulf Coast Cowboys
Mississippi Blues
Louisiana Canyons
West Florida Black Flags

 

FRIDAY, JUNE 26: DAY 2

6:14 AM: MISSISSIPPI HAVE FOUND THE BLUE MARLIN! Adam Davidson releases one this morning to jump into second place, passing the Texas Lone Stars and only trailing the Third Coast Renegades.

7:45 AM: WE HAVE A NEW LEADER! Adam Davidson and the Blues release their second blue marlin of the day, and the Mississippi Blues are now out in front. 

8:40 AM: Meanwhile…the Gulf Coast Cowboys have arrived at their spot and look to find their first blue marlin of the tournament after an eventful day one at the dock.

8:47 AM: The Texas Lone Stars convert on a sailfish triple. Raul Perez (8:31 AM) Bryan Richter (8:35 AM) and not David Blackbird all combine for the additional 225 points. With six sailfish releases total, the 2025 league champs now have as many points as a single blue marlin (450) and sit in third.

9:13 AM: The Mississippi Blues are on the fish. Adam Davidson releases a white marlin, bringing their total to 1,000 points. Their lead is not safe though should the Third Coast Renegades find another blue. 

Also important to note: that white marlin gives the Blues the opportunity to cash in on the 200-point grand slam bonus should they release a sailfish this weekend as well. Both the Renegades and Blues are one billfish species away from a grand slam. The Renegades need a white marlin to complete their slam.

9:35 AM: The Louisiana Canyons were hooked up, but it was a shark. Time to reset and get back after it.

10:54 AM: Some more separation for the Renegades with Dylan Frazier releasing a sailfish, but to keep a safer lead, the defending Gulf Division champions are only up 125 points on the second place blues, so they are currently safe from another white marlin release. A sailfish released by the Blues would trigger the 200-point grand slam bonus and jump the Renegades, as would a blue marlin.

11:07 AM: WEST FLORIDA BLACK FLAGS HAVE JOINED THE PARTY: Donnie McMahon releases a white marlin to slide into fourth place.

Day 2 Leaderboard as of 11:30 AM
Third Coast Renegades - 1,125 Points
Mississippi Blues - 1,000 Points
Texas Lone Stars - 450 Points
West Florida Black Flags - 100 Points
Gulf Coast Cowboys
Mississippi Blues
Louisiana Canyons

11:59 AM: Dylan Frazier adds another sailfish for the Renegades

12:18 PM: And another billfish for the Black Flags. Rose McMahon releases her first fish in SFC competition with a sailfish, bringing their total to 175.

12:27 PM: The Texas Lone Stars continue to find sailfish. Bryan Richter releases another one.

Day 2 Leaderboard as of 1:00 PM
Third Coast Renegades - 1,275 Points
Mississippi Blues - 1,000 Points
Texas Lone Stars - 450 Points
West Florida Black Flags - 175 Points
Gulf Coast Cowboys
Mississippi Blues
Louisiana Canyons