Live Updates: Texas Billfish Open, presented by No Rivals

It is as hot as we expected in South Texas, if not hotter. On the ground since Tuesday evening, we have noticed that the wing has picked up considerably leading into the weekend, making for what should be a sporty day 1. The wind should lay off Saturday and Sunday to make for a nice time offshore, recreating the conditions that have produced quite an epic billfish bite this past month. 

Quick reminder that this is a 100 nautical mile boundary from the south jetty of Aransas Pass. No oil rigs are in this range, but there are several underwater geological features closer to the boundary, along with a couple of FADs.

Other notes: The boats can fish all day, and there is no specific lines out. The boats just need to be inside the inlet by 4:00 PM CT on Sunday.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 14: DAY 1
*All times Central (CT)

11:00 AM: SHOTGUN START! The boats blast out of the inlet. Gulf Coast Cowboys get the holeshot, running out first. The last club out of the SFC field are the Third Coast Renegades. They didn’t look to be in too much of a rush to mix it up in the wake of the larger field competing in the partnering Summer Slam Invitational. 

This is going to be a longer run than expected, with the conditions being rough.

2:10 PM: ONE OF THE HOME CLUBS STRIKE FIRST. Third Coast Renegades and Drake Beasley release a sailfish

2:28 PM: LOUISIANA CANYONS SLIDE INTO SECOND! Jaselyn Berthelot releases a sailfish. Her eighth sailfish of the season.

3:05 PM: Gulf Coast Cowboys look to be raising a fish! Left teaser is active.

3:08 PM: They spotted a sailfish, and then had a little blue marlin come under. No bite though. The Cowboys will reset again.

3:55 PM: Renegades find another sailfish! Kevan Billings gets the release for the division and tournament leaders. 

DAY 1 LEADERBOARD AT 4:00 PM
Third Coast Renegades - 150 Points
Louisiana Canyons - 75 Points
Texas Lone Stars
Gulf Coast Cowboys
Mississippi Blues
West Florida Black Flags

5:06 PM: WEST FLORIDA BLACK FLAGS INTO SECOND PLACE! Donnie McMahon releases a white marlin, the first non-sailfish to be released at the Texas Billfish Open, for a cool 100 points, trailing the Renegades by 50 points.

5:48 PM: WE HAVE A NEW LEADER! The West Florida Black Flags take their first tournament lead of the season thanks to a double sailfish release from the hubby/wife duo of Donnie and Rose McMahon. The 150 points added to their white marlin give them a 250 point total. 

5:48 PM: Renegades get another sailfish from Kevan Billings, moving them 25 points behind the Black Flags at 225.

DAY 1 LEADERBOARD AT 6:00 PM
West Florida Black Flags - 250 Points
Third Coast Renegades - 225 Points
Louisiana Canyons - 75 Points
Texas Lone Stars
Gulf Coast Cowboys
Mississippi Blues

6:16 PM: GULF COAST COWBOYS JUMP TO THIRD. Brian Kelley releases a white marlin to get the Cowboys on the board.

DAY 1 LEADERBOARD AT 6:30 PM
West Florida Black Flags - 250 Points
Third Coast Renegades - 225 Points
Gulf Coast Cowboys - 100 Points
Louisiana Canyons - 75 Points
Texas Lone Stars
Mississippi Blues

6:35 PM: WE HAVE YET ANOTHER NEW LEADER! OUR FIRST BLUE MARLIN OF THE TOURNAMENT GOES TO THE TEXAS LONE STARS. The defending league champs announce themselves in a big way, with 450 Points from the most prized species in the SFC scoring system.

DAY 1 LEADERBOARD AT 6:40 PM
Texas Lone Stars - 450 Points
West Florida Black Flags - 250 Points
Third Coast Renegades - 225 Points
Gulf Coast Cowboys - 100 Points
Louisiana Canyons - 75 Points
Mississippi Blues

7:25 PM: West Florida Black Flags hit back with another sailfish, this time from Marty Wilson

7:28 PM: I get the feeling the Black Flags and Renegades are next to each other out there. Every time one records a release, the other immediately gets one too. Dax Wright releases a white marlin for the Renegades, leaving them a blue marlin away from the grand slam bonus and an additional 200 points.

7:33 PM: And another sail moves the Renegades ahead of the Black Flags again for second place, now only 50 points behind their in-state rival Texas Lone Stars.

7:49 PM: EVERYBODY IS ON THE BOARD: The Mississippi Blues and Garett Schluter release a white marlin for their first points of the tournament, and knock the Louisiana Canyons down to sixth place.

DAY 1 LEADERBOARD AT 8:00 PM
Texas Lone Stars - 450 Points
Third Coast Renegades - 400 Points
West Florida Black Flags - 325 Points
Gulf Coast Cowboys - 100 Points
Mississippi Blues - 100 Points
Louisiana Canyons - 75 Points

8:05 PM: LONE STARS RELEASE ANOTHER BLUE! Bryan Richter gets another in his home waters and the league champs are up to 900 points.

8:18 PM: WEST FLORIDA BLACK FLAGS GRAND SLAM! WE HAVE ANOTHER LEAD CHANGE! Donnie McMahon releases a blue marlin, triggering the first Gulf Division Grand Slam bonus of the season. The additional 200 points make that fish 650 points, and jump the Lone Stars for first by 75 points.

DAY 1 LEADERBOARD AT 8:30 PM
West Florida Black Flags - 975 Points
Texas Lone Stars - 900 Points
Third Coast Renegades - 400 Points
Gulf Coast Cowboys - 100 Points
Mississippi Blues - 100 Points
Louisiana Canyons - 75 Points