Full Schedule, New St. Augustine Stop, and What’s Up for Grabs
| # | Tournament | Location | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | El Pescado Billfish Tournament (New for 2026/2027) | St. Augustine | Nov 3–7, 2026 |
| 2 | Dust ‘Em Off Sailfish Warmup | Pompano Beach | Dec 2–6, 2026 |
| 3 | Fish Heads of Stuart, “The Quickie” | Stuart | Dec 3–6, 2026 |
| 4 | Islamorada Sailfish Tournament | Islamorada | Dec 5–6, 2026 |
| 5 | Pirate’s Cove Sailfish Tournament | Stuart | Dec 9–12, 2026 |
| 6 | Pelican Yacht Club Invitational | Ft. Pierce | Jan 4–9, 2027 |
| 7 | Silver Sailfish Derby | Palm Beach | Jan 6–9, 2027 |
| 8 | Quest for the Crest: Operation Sailfish (Leg 1) | Singer Island | Jan 13–17, 2027 |
| 9 | Islamorada Fishing Club’s Sailfish Tournament | Islamorada | Jan 19–20, 2027 |
| 10 | Buccaneer Cup | Singer Island | Jan 19–23, 2027 |
| 11 | Cheeca Lodge Presidential Sailfish Tournament | Islamorada | Jan 22–24, 2027 |
| 12 | Gold Cup Invitational Sailfish Tournament | Palm Beach | Jan 26–30, 2027 |
| 13 | Quest for the Crest: Sailfish Challenge (Leg 2) | Pompano Beach | Feb 17–21, 2027 |
| 14 | Jimmy Johnson’s Quest for the Ring | Hollywood | March 2–6, 2027 |
| 15 | Quest for the Crest: Final Sail (Leg 3) | Ft. Lauderdale | April 7–10, 2027 |
| 16 | Viking Key West Challenge | Key West | April 14–18, 2027 |
The stage is set for the 2026–2027 InTheBite Captain of the Year Presented by MTU Florida Division sponsored by Lindgren-Pitman. With an expanded 16-event schedule, legendary captain rivalries, and thousands of points on the line, the upcoming sportfishing season promises high-stakes competition across Florida’s top billfish waters.
New Tournament Announcement: El Pescado Billfish Tournament
Kicking off the 2026–2027 Florida Division schedule is an exciting brand-new addition to the circuit: the El Pescado Billfish Tournament in St. Augustine, running November 3–7, 2026. As the newest sanctioned event in the lineup, it gives participating captains an early opportunity to lock in vital points before the South Florida winter swing begins.
What’s Up for Grabs: 14,900 Total Points
The 2026–2027 Lindgren-Pitman Florida Division features 16 sanctioned events with a grand total of 14,900 points up for grabs.
Per-Event Points Breakdown: Every tournament awards 900 total points distributed across the top three finishes — 500 points for 1st place, 300 points for 2nd place, and 100 points for 3rd place.
Series Championship Bonuses: The schedule features two major series competitions — the Quest for the Crest Championship Series and the Florida Keys Gold Championship Series. Winning either overall series awards an additional 250 bonus points toward the Captain of the Year title race.
2026 Standings Recap: Defending Champions and Winning Captains
Last season set an intensely competitive benchmark. Here’s how the top winning captains finished in the 2026 standings:
Capt. Jorge Sanchez (Priceless) — 1,200 pts — Division Champion Sanchez captured the division crown through consistent podium finishes: 2nd place at the Silver Sailfish Derby (300 pts), 2nd place at Operation Sailfish (300 pts), 1st place at the Sailfish Challenge (500 pts), and 3rd place at Jimmy Johnson’s Quest for the Ring (100 pts).
Capt. Cody Darbie (Killbox) — 1,150 pts Finished as runner-up after earning 1st place at the Islamorada Sailfish Tournament (500 pts), 3rd place at the Islamorada Fishing Club Sailfish Tournament (100 pts), 2nd place at the Cheeca Lodge Presidential Sailfish Tournament (300 pts), and claiming the Florida Keys Gold Cup Championship Series title (250 pts).
Capt. Koby Dobbelaer (Reel Deal) — 750 pts Took 1st place at Operation Sailfish (500 pts) and earned the Quest for the Crest Series Champion title (250 pts).
500-Point Tournament Winners:
- Capt. Luis Coll (Luckyboy / Astra Sails) — Dust ‘Em Off Sailfish Warmup
- Capt. Rhett Bailey (Intents) — Stuart Sailfish Club Light Tackle Tournament
- Capt. Glenn Cameron (Lo Que Sea) — Pirate’s Cove Sailfish Tournament
- Capt. John Dougherty (Easy Rider) — Pelican Yacht Club Billfish Tournament
- Capt. Art Sapp (Native Son) — Silver Sailfish Derby
- Capt. Alex Tallman (Wrapped Up) — Gold Cup Team Fishing Tournament
- Capt. Robert Collins (Back In Business) — Islamorada Fishing Club’s Sailfish Tournament
- Capt. KJ Zeher (Debaitable) — Buccaneer Cup
- Capt. Quinton Dieterle (Astra Sails) — Jimmy Johnson’s Quest for the Ring
- Capt. Alex Adler (Kalex) — Cheeca Lodge’s Presidential Sailfish Tournament
- Capt. Casey Hunt (Right Choice) — Viking Key West Challenge
- Capt. Sean O’Donnell (Carolina Reel Men) — Quest for the Crest Leg 3 Final Sail
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The 2026 Captain of the Year presented by MTU season is officially underway with points stacking up across the Gulf Coast, International, East Coast, Florida, and Hawaii divisions as teams battle through the world’s top billfish tournaments.
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Track the 2026 Captain of the Year Standings
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See rules, divisions, scoring structure, and the history behind professional sportfishing’s top performance award.
