Bermuda Big Game Classic Prizes & Awards 2020

2020 Unofficial Prizes & Awards

While all efforts are made to keep this information current, all rules and awards published on this website shall be considered unofficial. Official rules and awards will be distributed and announced at the registration check-in and captains meeting.

Base Entry Fee

All teams pay a tournament base entry fee of $3,500. This is not optional. The tournament base entry fee prize money will be disbursed to the winners accordingly: 35 percent goes to the tournament; the remaining 65 percent goes to the top three team point leaders and largest game fish.

The scoring system includes 500 points for each blue marlin release, 1 point per pound for blue marlin at or over the 500-pound minimum weight, 100 points for each white marlin, spearfish release and sailfish release.

Team Division Awards

Bermuda Tourism Authority First-Place Team
30 percent

Miles Market Second-Place Team
20 Percent

Garmin Third-Place Team
10 Percent

Fairmont Hamilton Princess Biggest Game Fish
5 Percent

PW Marine High-Point Angler
Trophy and Prize Package

Fishing Tease High-Point Lady Angler
Trophy and Prize Package

Steve Goione High-Point Junior Angler (age 17 and younger)
Trophy and Prize Package

In the event of a tie the team reaching the highest score first wins with the other team assuming the next award position. This is based on the time of release and boated time of billfish. In the event that no game fish meeting the 25-pound minimum weight are caught, the 5 percent in the game-fish pool will be split evenly among the first- through third-place teams.

Optional Jackpots

90 Percent Payback.

The fee to get into the optional Daily Billfish Release Jackpot is $2,000 and is optional. The Daily Billfish Release Jackpot covers all three days of fishing. For example, the Jackpot awards go to the team that scores the most billfish release points each day. The daily billfish release prize consists of one-third of the total jackpot money. If no billfish are released on an individual day, the jackpot rolls over to the next day. If on the final day of fishing no billfish are released, then the final-day jackpot money goes to the previous day’s winner(s). Only teams entered in the Daily Billfish Release Jackpot will be eligible for these cash awards.

Quick Day 1 Billfish Release Jackpot

One-Third of Total Pot

Island Construction Day 2 Billfish Release Jackpot

One-Third of Total Pot

King Sailfish Day 3 Billfish Release Jackpot

One-Third of Total Pot.

Bacardi Daily Blue Marlin Jackpot

90 Percent Payback.

The fee to get into the optional Daily Blue Marlin Jackpot is $2,000 and is optional. The Daily Blue Marlin jackpot covers all three days of fishing. For example, the Jackpot awards go to the largest blue marlin (by weight) caught each day that meets or exceeds the minimum weight requirement of 500 pounds. The daily jackpot prize will consist of one-third of the total jackpot money. If no fish that reach the minimum weight on an individual day are weighed, the jackpot rolls over to the next fishing day. If on the final day of fishing no fish that exceed the minimum weight limits are caught, then the final day’s jackpot money goes to the previous day’s winner(s).

If no qualifying fish are caught, the Daily Blue Marlin Jackpot will be awarded to the top billfish release point team of each day of competition. If all teams entered in the Daily Blue Marlin Jackpot fail to earn billfish release points during any day of competition, the jackpot rolls over to the next day’s or the previous day’s winners. Only teams entered in the Daily Blue Marlin Jackpot will be eligible for these cash awards.

Marlin Jackpot

Yeti Day 1 Marlin Jackpot
One-Third of Total Pot.

Vanmark Jewelry Designers Day 2 Marlin Jackpot
One-Third of Total Pot.

Petit Day 3 Marlin Jackpot
One-Third of Total Pot.

Gregory Poole Marine Power, Pantropic Power, Ring Power and Foley Power Systems Caterpillar Largest Blue Marlin Jackpot

90 Percent Payback.

The fee for this category is $3,000 and is optional. The Largest Blue Marlin Jackpot will be awarded to the team catching the largest blue marlin of the tournament over the three days of fishing. If no teams registered in the Largest Blue Marlin Jackpot catch a qualifying marlin over the minimum weight, the jackpot will be awarded to the top three billfish release point teams of the tournament and will be split accordingly: First place 50%, Second Place 30% third place 20%. Only teams registered in the Largest Blue Marlin Jackpot will be eligible for this cash award.

Lucas Oil Overall Billfish Release Points Jackpot

90 Percent Payback.

The fee for this category is $3,000 and is optional. The Overall Billfish Release Points Jackpot will be awarded to the top three teams with the most overall billfish release points of the tournament over the three days of fishing and be awarded accordingly:

Global Rescue, First Place 50%
Northern Lights, Second Place 30%
Release Marine, Third Place 20%

Only teams registered in the Most Overall Billfish Release Points Jackpot will be eligible for these cash awards.

Marlin Magazine Manufacturers Cup Division

Marlin Magazine recognizes the huge effort made by those crews steaming to Bermuda from the states and Caribbean to fish the Bermuda Big Game Classic—the longest sea crossing without any fueling station, watering hole or landmass along the way for any billfish tournament. To show our support to you, the competitor, we have come up with yet another way to showcase your talents—the Marlin Magazine Manufacturers Cup.

Marlin Magazine Manufacturers Cup

The banks off Bermuda possess the most consistent large-blue-marlin fishery in the world, once again testing the machines and crews of both visiting and Bermuda boats like no other tournament. The owners of the vessels already fishing the event represent the most competitive teams from the top boat manufacturers in the world. Marlin Magazine and the leading manufacturers of sport-fishing yachts have put together this very unique division within the tournament. All teams fishing the tournament in boats produced by sponsoring manufacturers will be eligible to win the Marlin Magazine Manufacturers Cup. The winning team will be awarded cash, prizes and recognition in a Marlin Magazine in a two page spread and a plaque on the perpetual Bermuda Big Game Classic trophy.

Here’s how it works: Each boat builder entered into the division will post a $2,000 entry fee into the division. If we have 6 manufacturers enter, the total purse would be $12,000. Any team fishing aboard a boat that is built by the sponsoring manufacturer will be competing for the total cash purse and the title on behalf of the sponsoring manufacturer.

The 2020 Marlin Magazine Manufacturer’s Cup has six manufacturers competing: Spencer Yachts, Viking Yachts, American Custom Yachts, Jim Smith Tournament Boats, Jarrett Bay Boatworks, and Merritt Boat and Engine Works. All are supporting their owners in this special division within the tournament. Spencer Yachts won the 2016 award with team Big Deal. Jarrett Bay won the 2017 award with team Mama Who. Viking Yachts won the 2018 award with team Playmaker. Merritt Boat & Engine Works won the 2019 award with team Flyer. If you’ll be fishing on board one of these makes, you will be automatically entered in the added competition for more cash, prizes and recognition.

Prize Disbursement
Any team receiving cash awards must fill out a prize-disbursement form prior to receiving any funds or prizes. Each registered team representative is in control of any winnings and must sign this form. All winnings will be sent to the winners once all funds have cleared the bank. All winners and entrants of this tournament may be subject to a polygraph test at the tournament committee's discretion. If a participant refuses to submit to a polygraph test for any reason, then any winnings that may be coming to that participant (or his or her team) will be automatically forfeited.