Positive Vibes Lead a Team of Lady Anglers to an Epic Record
A Day That Stands Above the Rest
Having traveled and worked in some of the world’s top, most prolific fisheries, I have seen some incredible fishing days in my life, while also being part of a handful of exceptional teams. Winning tournament series within top-tier light-tackle fleets, tying the Canadian record for most giant Atlantic bluefin tuna released in a single day from the chair (eight), releasing 23 blue marlin in a day on bait-and-switch, and working a decade for a man that released his 1000th blue marlin as a captain under the age of 30, are just a few of the long list of what I have done and seen.
So, when I say that July 23, 2025, was one of the best fishing days of my life, that is not something I say lightly.
For those of us that have been blessed enough to be able to spend time offshore billfishing, we know what it is. We all feel it, the twist in your gut when a billfish comes up in the spread. The way you respond to that feeling reflects time and experience on the water, but the feeling, at its core, is the same for anyone with the billfish hunger.
What’s more, there’s a palpable energy that comes from an angler, especially a female angler, when they are fighting a fish and having the time of their lives. In my career so far, I have never seen or felt anything that compares to that.
Great Fishing and More
I am only 36 years old and have spent the last 14 years billfishing. I have what I hope to be a long career left in front of me, with what will hopefully be tons of perspective to gain. But I don’t think a single Old Salt, the real ones that are strong, confident, and capable, would disagree that to be successful in this industry, there needs to be more than just good fishing.
Because when the fishing is good, sure… the fishing is good. But when the fishing is good and the vibe on the boat is right, it is almost like the ocean gives to you.
This is a story about how the ocean gave to us, and why it was so special.
Understanding a Billfish Slam
Before kicking off the story of how my team and I released a five-grand-slam day, solidifying new Pacific and world slam release records, let me first explain that a Billfish Grand Slam is when three separate species of billfish are caught in a single day.
If four separate species are released, it becomes a Super Slam, and if five separate species are released, it becomes a Royal Slam.
Before our day on the water, the Pacific Grand Slam release record was four, set by Capt. Trevor Cockle and crew in 1995 aboard the Hooker, and again by Capt. Butch Davis and crew in 1999 aboard the Cerveza. The Atlantic Grand Slam release record is also four, set by Capt. Chip Shafer in 1999 aboard the Temptress, and again by Capt. Watson Caviness and crew in 2024 aboard the Salty Fare.
A Vacation to Remember
In July, the Bates family of four took their summer vacation to Mexico to fish aboard Magnifico, a 60-foot Spencer that my husband, Captain Drake Sawyer runs, and that I freelanced for and helped equip for international travel and fishing when he first took the vessel on in 2023.
His exceptional crew includes young guns Justin “Sparky” DeLassus and Robert “Ty” Tyson, along with local stewardess and my dear friend Melissa Martinez, who were equipped to take the Bates family light-tackle fishing for three days out of Cabo San Lucas.
My miniature apricot poodle, “Makaira Apricans”, came along and after the first day on the water was dubbed the boat’s good luck charm.
That day we not only released a personal best for the captain, boat, and crew with three grand slams, but both Tricia and Scout Bates caught their first marlin, Adair caught her first personal grand slam, and Mel worked on hooking her first fish.
The vibes onboard were incredible: positive, uplifting, rejuvenating energy. I did not think it could possibly get better than that.
An Epic Day Begins
Two days later, Wednesday July 23, 2025, at 7:26 am I posted a story on Instagram saying I was in my happiest place on the planet.
By 9:50 am, we had our first grand slam. By 10:58 am, we released another blue marlin. Every single fish had been caught on a Shimano BFC, and we could not believe the incredible blue marlin fishing we were in the middle of.
By early afternoon, we had tied our previous slam record. The fishing continued, the support from the crew never wavered, and the energy onboard only grew stronger.
Mermaid Time
Then came the moment that perfectly defined the day.
In the middle of the most epic slam fishing Drake and his crew had ever seen, Scout and Adair asked if we could jump in the water and play mermaids.
Drake put the boat in neutral. The boys brought in the spread. And we jumped in.
That decision alone says everything about the confidence, calm, and trust onboard that day.
Blue or Black?
Later in the day, a stubborn marlin tested us all. The fight was intense, the leader light, and the stakes high. We needed to confirm whether it was a blue or a black marlin.
We pushed the pectoral fins down. They folded.
It was a blue marlin.
That confirmation mattered — because if it had been a black marlin, it would have changed the record books yet again.
A New World Record — Without Knowing It
Ten minutes later, a sailfish double-header pushed us into uncharted territory:
six blue marlin, five striped marlin, and six sailfish.
That is how a new world record was set — with the Bates family on summer vacation, none of us knowing what we had just accomplished.
We were just fishing.
A Day of Many Firsts
We finished the day with personal slams, firsts across the board, and moments that cannot be measured by numbers alone.
Fishing isn’t about the catches.
It’s about the relationships, the challenges, the laughter, the learning, and the shared experiences that stay with you forever.
Looking back, I am endlessly grateful — for the positive vibes, the memories, the fish, and most of all, the days on the water filled with giggles in the headsets.
Article written by Katie C. Sawyer for InTheBite LLC
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