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Guatemala Billfish Invitational – Best One Yet!

Guatemala Billfish Invitational Recap

A HUGE congrats to everyone involved. What an event!


The 6th Annual Guatemala Billfish Invitational was not only sold out, we had three lodging locations at capacity. It was no surprise with such high anticipation that built throughout the year.


The event week started Thursday night with a Captains meeting at Pacific Fins. It was a nice time for all anglers to get acquainted and teams got to spend sometime with their boat Captains.

Saturday night was a night that all anglers were looking forward to. Celebrity Chef, Serial Griller, Matt Moore cooked up an amazing feast for all to enjoy.
Whether you were Pro or an Amateur team, The 6th Annual Guatemala Billfish Invitational was a nail biter from the start. On the Pro class, the highlight were Rumline and Chechos team. They both entered the tournament not looking for a second place trophy.

Day one; Rumline and Chechos finished the day tied with 1300 points. Rumline managed to win the daily by 11 minutes.
Day two; It was a mirror of day one, but at the end of the day, Chechos took the lead by 3 fish and managed to win the daily.
Day three; It was a thriller of a final day as claiming the top spot came down to the wire! With minutes left before lines out, team Chechos was in the lead, when second place Rumline, hooked up a double in the final moments…almost inching a comeback to overtake the top spot. What a way to end the 6th annual of competition for team Chechos! 

Tournament Results

1st Place Pro Team for a total of 4100 points, team Chechos.
Anglers: Ozzy Delgado, Juan Manuel Cobar, Josh Greene, and Peter Miller. Captain Carlos Diaz. Team won day 2 calcutta and overall prize money.
2nd Place Pro Team for a total of 4000 points, team Rumline.
Anglers: Dell Dembosky, Mary Dembosky, Ken Cofer, Amanda Cofer. Captain Terry Brennan. Team won day 1 calcutta. Congrats to Captain Terry and his crew for putting up a great fight to the end.
3rd Place Pro Team for a total of 3700 points, team Makina.
Anglers: Ed Secke, Mark Anstine, Austin Collins, and Carey Riel. Captain Luis Wicho Ramirez. Team won day 3 calcutta.
1st Place Amateur Team for a total of 3100 points, team Piragua.
Anglers: Hugo Mayorga, Alexander Alonso, Nelson Duarte, Jaret Williams.
1st Place Marlin with 2 blue marlin releases, team Captain Hook.
Anglers: Kris Mohandie, Fran Gough, Kyle Sowell, Fran Gough, and Matt Moore.
1st Place Dorado for a total of 127.4 pounds, team Uno Mas.
Anglers: George Plihal, Albert Guzman, Mike Russell, and George Gozdz. Captain Justin Royal.
Another amazing highlight during the Invitational, to have Rivers Rutherford’s presence at Pacific Fins. With a name like Rivers Rutherford, it’s no surprise this soulful storyteller and recent Nashville Songwriter’s Hall of Famer was destined to become one of music’s most talented and accomplished singer-songwriters.
Guests at the Invitational had front row seats as David Lee Murphy performed several songs. David is an American country music singer and songwriter. He is best known for his #1 country hits “Dust on the Bottle” and “Everything’s Gonna Be Alright”, as well as the hit songs “Party Crowd”, “Out with a Bang”, “Every Time I Get Around You”, “The Road You Leave Behind”, and “Loco”. Oh and by the way… Congrats to David for releasing his first blue marlin!

The tournament in 3 days, generated a total of 545 sailfish raises, 480 bites and 348 Sailfish releases. 8 blue marlin and 2 striped marlin.
We want to THANK all our participating anglers for making this a special one yet. We were happy to see all having a great time, meeting and making new friends. From the kick-off party and Poolside Celebration to the neighboring resorts (Casa Vieja Lodge, The Hook, Sailfish Oasis, and Aeroclub) who took part in the Invitational, to the awards presentation at the final dinner and all the parties and fishing in between, this is definitely a tournament that any novice or serious angler needs to be a part of. We are pleased to support the Billfish Conservation Project and the week-long festivities that generate much needed funds for a worthy cause – A total of $18,000 was collected.
In addition, we are going to be posting on our social pages pictures that were taken during the event. 2022 dates will be: December 8th through the 12th. Trust me… YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS IT!

A Special Award For A Special Person

A lot happens behind the scenes that people don’t see or hear. Much hard work and preparation goes into these events. It can be stressful at times, but in the end, the results are all worth it.


It is with great pleasure that we present Niels Erichsen with a special award. We want to recognize the person whose work has had a truly outstanding impact in conservation and in the lives of many. 


We THANK YOU Niels Erichsen! 

TO ALL ANGLERS AND SPONSORS, CHEERS TO YOU FOR MAKING IT A SUCCESFUL ONE!

About Pacific Fins

Pacific Fins Resort  is Guatemala Fishing at its best. Our boutique hotel with private villas and suites is located in the world’s most productive billfishing destination. We offer all-inclusive fishing packages with a la carte dining, open bar, and custom, personalized service. Our setting on the water and attention to detail is unmatched in Guatemala.

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