Live Updates: Gulfport Mississippi Open

Welcome back to the Gulf: The Division that has produced every SFC champion since the league’s inception is back in action for the first time since April’s Key West Classic that simultaneously kicked off both divisions. We’re in the metro area of Gulfport and Biloxi for the Gulfport Mississippi Open, presented by Guidesly.

The Third Coast Renegades look to retain their early divisional points lead in the hunt for October’s Zane Grey Championship Playoffs. The top two clubs from each division qualify to compete for the league title.

Here’s a quick update on the divisional standings after a long time off:

Third Coast Renegades AC - 3,500 Points
Louisiana Canyons AC - 3,000 Points
Mississippi Blues AC - 2,800 Points
Texas Lone Stars AC - 2,600 Points
Gulf Coast Cowboys AC - 2,400 Points
West Florida Black Flags - 2,200 Points

We’re getting started earlier with updates due to the new rule for this tournament, which allows the clubs to leave at noon on Thursday, with a lines in time of midnight on Friday. This change empowers the clubs to make the long run out to the rigs and catch bait at night to be ready to catch and release fish at first light, similar to what we saw typically in the morning of day two and three. 

THURSDAY, JUNE 11: START DAY
*All times Central (CT)

8:30 AM: We caught up with Louisiana Canyons first, before they went to fuel up. The cockpit & transom of their 58’ Viking sits very low in the water once they’re fully loaded on fuel, including their bladders. 

“The Marlin goes for a swim when we’re fully loaded,” said Jaselyn Berthelot, 2025 SFC Angler of The Year and star angler of Louisiana Canyons AC.

They went and got fuel shortly after our interview as the final item on their checklist prior to running out. 

9:00 AM: Captain Blake Bridges shared that the one big advantage for the Gulf Coast Cowboys with their new 67’ Paul Mann custom: speed. He covered 1,000 miles in three days picking up the boat in North Carolina. They’re ready to put the additional range to the test.

10:45 AM: Garrett Frazier of Third Coast Renegades shared a lot with us, with their 60’ Spencer fully loaded with a full fuel bladder in their cockpit. Approximately 250 gallons, according to Frazier, sitting on the port side of their cockpit, causing their boat to list slightly to port. Sounds like the Renegades are going to start the tournament by live baiting and going to the rigs. We also got our first reference of sargassum, aka seaweed. They saw a lot of it during a tournament out of Biloxi last week, calling the sheer amount of it out in the Gulf “diabolical.” 

12:00 PM: ROLL OUT! Three boats make their way out to the Biloxi sea buoy at the earliest possible time to leave: Louisiana Canyons, Third Coast Renegades, and Texas Lone Stars. We’ll see where they end up in the morning.

1:00 PM: Gulf Coast Cowboys are fueling up to leave.

2:01 PM: Off go the West Florida Black Flags.

But….where are the Mississippi Blues? If you read my Power Rankings from Tuesday, you already know the boat that won this tournament last year are still in the yard. Engine repower is still being sorted, along with re-fitting the boat with everything it needs to go out on the water. They aren’t leaving today. We hope they make it out tomorrow. Each day they don’t make it out is less time for them to fish, hurting their chances of a strong showing.

10:00 PM: Caught up with Toby Berthelot from Louisiana Canyons. He told me they were 200 miles offshore around the time the broadcast crew finished their multi-tasking: Watching the Stanley Cup Finals, World Cup match between South Korea and the Czech Republic, and Love Island. All while prepping for broadcast the next day.

FRIDAY, JUNE 12: DAY 1

8:30 AM: GULF COAST COWBOYS STRIKE FIRST! Lori McDowell releases a white marlin to start the Gulfport Mississippi Open with 100 points and the early lead. I would expect the first white marlin to go to the Texas Lone Stars

Early Day 1 Leaderboard:
Gulf Coast Cowboys - 100 Points
Texas Lone Stars
Third Coast Renegades
Louisiana Canyons
West Florida Black Flags
Mississippi Blues

9:30 AM: The Blues are on their way! They are filling with fuel before heading out to the sea buoy. They made the run early this morning from Orange Beach to the Gulfport/Biloxi area after getting the boat fully put together, and clearing an evening sea trial.

Good news for them is there is only one fish on the board. They will be hopeful that the bite remains slow until they can get out to the rigs.

11:52 AM: HOW ‘BOUT DEM COWBOYS? Brian Kelley releases a Blue Marlin to give the leaders a much bigger margin. Their total goes up to 550 points. That fish was a biiiig one.

Day 1 as of Noon:
Gulf Coast Cowboys - 550 Points
Texas Lone Stars
Third Coast Renegades
Louisiana Canyons
West Florida Black Flags
Mississippi Blues