Team Sea Toy, a 59-foot Spencer based out of Manteo, North Carolina, led by Capt. Bull Tolson and mate Catlin Peele, is one of the most well-known and winningest boats in tournament fishing. Team Sea Toy had a strong first two days of fishing, releasing five blue marlin and earning 2,500 points for anglers Mark Frazier, Craig Johnson, Gene Brown and Paul Milde to win the 2022 Bermuda Big Game Classic. They also won the Day Two Release Points Jackpot, Overall Release Points Jackpot and Marlin Magazine Manufacturer’s Cup for a total winnings of $113,600. Team Sea Toy also received an invitation to fish in the 2023 Costa Offshore World Championship.
Team Paradise One, a 54-foot G&S Custom Cat based in Somerset, Bermuda, with Capt. Allan Bean and mate Delvin Bean released two blue marlin for angler Mark Outerbridge on the final day and wowed the crowd with an impressive 713-blue at the scales to win the Daily Marlin Jackpot and Overall Largest marlin Jackpot winning $125,400. The angler on the fish was Cooper Simpson who is an avid Bermuda tuna and wahoo angler but this was his first blue marlin catch.
Team Plane Simple a 77-foot Spencer out of Cape Canaveral, Florida with Capt. Chris Weeks and mate Derek Scherz, had a blank on the first day but made up ground quickly as they released two blues on the second day of fishing to get within striking distance of the leaders. The final day of fishing saw Plane Simple zoom to the top of the leaderboard releasing two blues and a white scoring 2,100 points and earning second place team honors and the Day Three Release Jackpot and second place Overall Release Points Jackpot for a total winnings of $72,480. Sixteen-year-old angler Manny Pereira caught all of the fish to win Top Angler and Top Junior Angler honors.
Team Gladys Fox, a 42-foot Wilson based in Somerset, Bermuda, with Capt. Kevin Fox and mate James Adams, put angler Peter Mahoney on the bite, catching four blue marlin in the tournament to win third place team honors with 2,000-points. They were also in the Optional Overall Release Points Jackpot placing third for a total winnings of $29,025.
Team Sea Striker, a 61-foot Jarrett Bay from Morehead City, North Carolina, won the Day One Billfish Release Jackpot with three blue marlin for anglers Christian Bedsworth and Dave Pfeiffer winning $22,800.
Team Triple Play, a 36-foot Off Soundings based in Somerset, Bermuda, with owner and captain Andrew Dias and teammate Martin Estis are one of the most consistent large fish-catching duos in Bermuda, landing their tenth qualifier in the Bermuda Triple Crown era. On Day Two, angler Mike Palmieri battled for an hour and 43 minutes on what they called the toughest 500-pound class marlin they have ever seen. The 529-pound blue won a double daily marlin jackpot worth $45,600.
Team Flyer, an 86-foot Merritt out of Palm Beach, Florida, with Capt. Bryce Garvey and mate Peter Lewis, won the largest gamefish award with a 45-pound wahoo caught by angler Mark Woodbury, winning $4,095.
Top Lady Angler Honors went to Maria Smith catching two blues and a white fishing aboard Uno Mas with Capt. Brooks Smith.
The 39-team field of 288 anglers caught 88 billfish including 67 blues and 21 whites over the three days of fishing. Three of the blue marlin were weighed, including the 713 on Paradise One, a 534-pounder on Pescador and 529-pound blue on Triple Play. The tournament culminated with the traditional Bacardi cocktail reception at their international headquarters in Hamilton followed by the gala awards banquet in the Harbourview Ballroom at the historic Hamilton Princess Hotel. The tournament awarded $413,000 in purse plus prizes.
