Dallas, Texas Sportfishing Team Takes Top Honors 2024 Yamaha Contender Miami Billfish Tournament of Champions

Against the picturesque backdrop of the Miami Beach Marina, the fourth annual Yamaha Contender Miami Billfish Tournament of Champions  returned to Miami Beach from February 1-3. Proudly hosted in collaboration with the Miami Beach Visitor and Convention Authority, this premier event once again played host to elite fishing teams from across the country. After two days of intense and competitive sportfishing, The Edge from Dallas, Texas emerged as champions, securing not only the highly coveted Championship Cup but also $195k in cash and the sought after Tournament of Champions Garmin Marine watches.

Led by the team at Fish Hard Events behind pro football Hall of Fame Coach Jimmy Johnson’s Championship Fishing Week tournaments, the Miami Billfish Tournament of Champions signifies the kick-off of the South Florida competitive sportfishing season for the Fish Hard Events team. The high stakes, invite-only event offers an unparalleled VIP experience, tailor-made for the epitome of competitive fishing excellence. The exclusive tournament seamlessly pairs highly competitive sportfishing with culinary delights from Miami Beach leading restaurants. To qualify, participating teams must have triumphed in one of the various Jimmy Johnson ‘Quest for the Ring’ tournaments from previous seasons, making the Miami Billfish Tournament of Champions the culmination of hard work from the prior sailfish season.

As the sun set each night, teams gathered at the Miami Beach Marina for dockside parties and ‘A TASTE OF MIAMI BEACH’ hosted by Papas Pilar with the awards night hosted by GED Lawyers. The culinary showcase featured offerings from renowned Miami Beach establishments such as Joe’s Stone Crabs, Café Avanti, Bodega, and Lobster Shack, along with a Rusty Pelican pop-up.

Distinguished as the sole CATCH & RELEASE Billfish tournament in the series, winning teams were determined by the number of releases, with tiebreakers decided by the time of the call-in. The tournament paid out to 3 places with daily winners and a warrior optional winner take all category, hosted by MYCO Trailers. Official tournament results can be found at champions.catchstat.com.

In a nail-biting finish, Captain Chris Wood of The Edge emerged victorious with 8 releases overall, securing the coveted Championship CUP.  The Edge not only claimed the title of tournament champion but also clinched the Day 1 Daily Winner and the Winner Take All Optional Calcutta, resulting in an impressive total prize of $195k. Owner Trey Brown of Dallas, Texas assembled the triumphant team aboard the 70ft Spencer. The winning crew, led by captain Chris Wood, included anglers Pete Ferlitto, Danny Kollwitz, Mike Tarmey, Wes Thompson, Joe Turner, and Jake Wood. 

Securing second place with a commendable 7 releases overall was Triple Threat, the reigning 2022 tournament champion.  Adding to their achievements, Triple Threat also earned the Day 2 Daily Winner title with five releases, resulting in a total prize of $47,500. Owned by Peggy Johns of Cincinnati, OH, Triple Threat consisted of captain Matt Rabenstine and anglers Carol Andrews, Sam Baker, Tom Grote, Bryan Limsing, Justin Miller, Ridge Murphy, Jake Turik, and Marissa Williams. 

Claiming third place with a notable 6 releases overall was War Bird, earning a prize of $20k. Owned by Roger Ward of Fisher Island, FL, War Bird was captained by Brett Dudas with anglers Mike Bondoraunt, Fred David, Jake Dudas, Jane Dudas, Lucas Harth, Jorge Liriano, Johnny Valario, and Jose Vecenti. 

A special shout-out to tournament sponsors who played an instrumental role in elevating the Yamaha Contender Miami Billfish Tournament of Champions to a VIP experience for top anglers. This year’s tournament was brought to you by Title Sponsors: Contender Boats, the official center console boat sponsor; Yamaha, the official outboard sponsor; and Presenting Sponsor Papa’s Pilar, the official spirits partner. This year’s Hosting Sponsors: Miami Beach Visitor and Convention Authority, GED Lawyers, Michelob Ultra, Cadillac, Farside Outdoors, and Hines Securities, and our esteemed Corporate Partners: Garmin Marine, the cifoundation, MYCO Trailers; and Crook and Crook of Miami. A special mention to our Official Tournament Artist and Apparel provider, D. Friel Connected by Water. For a comprehensive list of additional event sponsors and final payouts, please visit the event website: https://questfortheringfl.com/tournament-of-champions.

The team at Fish Hard Events will now turn its efforts to the 13th Annual Jimmy Johnson’s “Quest for the Ring” Championship Fishing Week (JJFISHWEEK) , scheduled for March 5-9, 2024. This highly anticipated tournament is proudly presented by Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood in partnership with Visit Lauderdale. Be sure to follow @FishHardEvents on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for up-to-date tournament information.

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