Furuno Captain on a Run: Fight for 2026 Captain of the Year Far From Over

The 2026 InTheBite Captain of the Year Cup — presented by MTU — is heading into its final stretch, and if you haven’t been following along, now’s the time to start. Five divisions, hundreds of boats, and one blue marlin so big it’s already the story of the season before the leaves have even started to turn.

The Biggest Fish of the Season

Let’s start with that fish. At June’s Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament in Morehead City — one of the most storied big-game events on the East Coast — Captain Cameron Guthrie and the crew of Marlin Fever boated a 919.9-pound blue marlin, the largest fish weighed anywhere on the COTY calendar this year. It’s the kind of catch that stops conversations at the dock: an eight-foot-plus fish that outweighs a grand piano, hauled up out of the Gulf Stream by anglers who’ll be telling that story for the rest of their lives. And not to mention the fish won $6.5 million bucks. Awesome stuff right there!

Guthrie’s monster wasn’t the only heavyweight. Out in the Release Marina International Division, Nicholas Froelich brought an 838-pound blue marlin to the scales at the Sea Horse Anglers Billfish Tournament, and in Hawaii, Joe Thrasher’s 778-pounder at the Kona Throw Down anchored a wild day on the Big Island that also produced a 707-pound second-place fish and a 666-pound third — three true giants weighed at a single event. Add in Landon Bell’s 780.4-pounder on the Gulf and Captain Alex Soto’s 788.6-pounder at the MBGFC Ladies Tournament, and you’ve got a season already stacked with fish most anglers only dream about.

Jason Buck’s Gulf Coast Runaway

The points race is just as compelling as the fish. In the Galati Yacht Sales Gulf Coast Division, Captain Jason Buck aboard Work of Art has turned in the most dominant run of anyone in the fleet — a string of top finishes and a 641-pound blue marlin of his own have built a lead of nearly 1,500 points over second place. That’s the kind of cushion that lets a captain fish the final stretch of the season with house money.

Hawaii’s Closing Gap

Hawaii’s race looks similar on paper: Captain Teddy Hoogs and Bwana have piled up 2,400 points behind wins at the Rock ‘n Reel Hawaiian Open and the Firecracker Open, a lead that would be commanding in most years — except Captain Tracy Epstien has been closing fast, and there’s still enough tournament schedule left on the islands to make it interesting.

East Coast Nail-Biter

The tightest race in the fleet right now is on the Airmar East Coast Division, where Captain Mark Rogers (Rascal) holds a lead over Captain John Belansen (Beast) of just 100 points — practically a photo finish with a full slate of marquee events, including the White Marlin Open and Pirates Cove tournaments, still to be decided.

International’s Deep Field

In the Release Marine International Division, Captain Tony Carrizosa and Team Galati lead a deep, well-traveled field that’s chased points from Costa Rica to Bermuda, with Captain Rudy Arguedas keeping the pressure on all season.

Florida’s Champion: A Family Boat Among the Pros

While the other four divisions are still fighting it out, Florida’s Lindgren Pitman Division title has already been decided — and it comes with one of the best stories of the year. Captain Jorge Sanchez brought home the title aboard Priceless with 1,200 points, holding off Cody Darbie and Killbox by just 50. What makes it worth telling: Sanchez is the owner-operator of a family-run boat, spending the season going toe-to-toe with career sailfish professionals who fish for a living — and out-pointing every one of them. Behind that top two, the rest of the fleet tells its own story about how tight Florida’s release fishery has gotten: thirteen captains finished the season tied for third place at 500 points apiece.

What’s Left on the Calendar

With Hawaii and the East Coast wrapping up their sanctioned schedules by late summer, the Gulf Coast running into September, and the International division fishing all the way into mid-November, there’s still enough season left for someone to make a move — or for a leader to close the door. One thing is certain: with fish like these already on the board, the home stretch of 2026 has a lot to live up to.

Follow the full standings, tournament results, and Heavy Hitter leaderboard all season at InTheBite.com Captain of the Year.

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