The unofficial start to the 2011 Baja tournament season wrapped up last night as the Bisbee's East Cape Offshore Tournament held its awards banquet at the Hotel Buena Vista Beach Resort. On the stage overlooking a tranquil Sea of Cortez, $331,740 in cash prizes were awarded to five teams. A total of 61 boats fished this 12th annual sport-fishing event which is presented by Cabo Riviera.

Chucky Van Wormer and his team aboard La Hielera & Co. were the biggest winners after boating a blue marlin weighing 557 pounds. The big blue was caught on a Hi-5 Triple XL Kona Dodger lure and was weighed before noon on the first day of fishing. Van Wormer earned $238,569 for that catch, which was the only qualifying marlin brought to the scales. It also represented the largest blue marlin ever weighed in the history of the East Cape event, and is the tournament's largest single cash payout to date.

Don Whittier, fishing aboard a 23 Angler center console, was the other big winner. He took top dorado and both dorado and tuna day one jackpots (47.2 and 56.2 pounds, respectively). Whittier also scored the biggest tuna, a yellowfin that weighed 51.5 pounds, on the second day to take that daily jackpot as well. Whittier's total winnings added up to $46,585.

Alain Iribe claimed the other second day gamefish daily when he hoisted a 33-pound dorado to the scales. Iribe was trolling aboard Carajo when the neon-green fish struck his bait. For his efforts, Iribe earned $12,112.

Some new faces showed up at the scales on the last day. John Reinhardt, fishing aboard Flora T II, landed the top dorado for Friday. His 42.8-pound fish earned $12,112 in the daily jackpot category. Sergio Aviles, fishing aboard Tail Chaser, pocketed $22,360 when he weighed in the day's biggest tuna, a yellowfin that tipped the scales at 58.1 pounds taking both the daily jackpot and top tuna.

Sneak Attack, skippered by Capt. Sammy Talbert, took the top release boat honors with a solid effort. El Dorado, featuring an all-lady angler team, took second place in the release division, followed by Karma 3. El Dorado was awarded second based on the time the fish were released.

A total of 105 billfish were caught during the three days of competition, including 39 blue marlin, 38 striped marlin, two black marlin and 26 sailfish. Tournament director Wayne Bisbee was surprised no other qualifying marlin were weighed, but he certainly wasn't disappointed by the overall outcome.

"It's been a great way to kick off another tournament season here in beautiful Baja," Bisbee said. "We had a near-record field of boats, some great anglers and cooperative weather. Unfortunately the bigger fish didn't get the memo about the meeting this week, but that's fishing. But now everyone is tuned up and ready to go for the rest of the season, and I'm sure it's going to be a good one."

The next leg in the Bisbee's Offshore Tournament Series is the Los Cabos Offshore Tournament, in Cabo San Lucas October 14-16. That's followed by the biggest event of all, the 31st Bisbee's Black & Blue Marlin Tournament October 18-22, also in Cabo San Lucas. The Black & Blue is the richest event in sportfishing, with more than $51 million awarded in prize money in its three-decade history.

Tournament Awards

TOP MARLIN AND ALL MARLIN JACKPOTS
Team #57 La Hielera & Co., 31' Bertram 557 lb. blue marlin caught by Chucky Van Wormer : $238,569.00

New Tournament Records for blue marlin (previous 2010 441 lbs. on Cowboy VII) and single cash payout (previous 2005 $224,244 Adam's Folly)

Capt. David Almanza, Team from Los Barriles
• Chucky Van Wormer
• Kiko Vega

1ST PLACE RELEASE TEAM
Team #10 Sneak Attack, 65' American Custom Yacht 1500 points/9 billfish : 3 blue marlin, 5 striped marlin, 1 sailfish
Capt. Sammy Talbert, Team from California, Florida, Texas and Cabo San Lucas
• Eduardo Angeles Cesena
• Shawn Guttersen
• Bo Jenyns
• Steve Perry
• Dan Rosenthal
• Cindy Uhr

2ND PLACE RELEASE TEAM
Team #2 El Dorado, 28' Cruisers Yacht 1100 points/7 billfish (on time) : 2 blue, 2 striped marlin, 3 sailfish
Capt. Hector Aguilar, Team from Los Barriles and California
• Carole Berry
• Cathy Catalano
• Jaime Fiol
• Sheila Marshall
• Laura Ogletree
• Rosemary Owen
• Ellen Todd
• Carolina Wheeler

3RD PLACE RELEASE TEAM
Team #35 Karma 3, 54' Sculley 1100 points/7 billfish : 2 blue marlin, 4 striped marlin, 1 sailfish
Capt. Juan Jose Abaroa, Team from San Diego and Cabo San Lucas
• Bob Manroe
• Kyle Manroe
• Gallo Zumaya

TOP TUNA, DAY 3 TUNA JACKPOT
Team #58 Tail Chaser, 28' California 58.1 lb. yellowfin tuna caught by Sergio Aviles : $22,360.50
Capt. Santiago Cota Rochin, Team from Los Cabos
• Octavio Aviles Cota
• Roberto Aviles Cota
• Sergio Aviles Cota
• Hernan Lucero Burquez
• Jose Lucero Burquez

TOP DORADO, DAY 1 DORADO JACKPOT, DAY 1 & 2 TUNA JACKPOT
Team #49 Moonraker--Team Latosos, 23' Angler 47.2 lb. dorado, 56.2 & 51.5 lb. yellowfin caught by Don Whittaker : $46,585.50
Capt. Don Whittier, Team from North Carolina and San Jose del Cabo
• Eduardo Aripez Beltran
• Carlos Beltran
• Roberto Beltran
• Jaime Echaveste

DAY 2 DORADO JACKPOT
Team #59 Carajo, 35' Pro-Line 33.0 lb. dorado caught by Alain Iribe : $12,112.50
Capt. Jesus Franco, Team from Culiacan, Hermosilla and Aguamarga
• Osiris Arellano
• Jesus Corona
• Gualderto Esquerra
• Ewald Estrella
• Jesus Franco
• Alain Iribe
• Enrique Lucero

DAY 3 DORADO JACKPOT
Team #44 Flora T II, 50' Silverton 42.8 lb. dorado caught by John Reinhardt : $12,112.50
Capt. Antonio Caballero, Team from Arizona, California, Illinois and La Paz
• Jim Brown
• Darin Fitzgerald
• Gary Merin
• Juan Carlos Moreno Camacho
• John Reinhardt
• Justin Stull