Marlin Fisherman Ned Wallace Hands Over Bisbee’s Million Dollars to Crew

Newport Beach resident Ned Wallace has been trying to win the Bisbee’s Black and Blue Marlin Tournament in Cabo San Lucas for 18 years. So when Wallace won more than $1 million last week, he did what he thought was the only fair thing to do--he gave it to his crew.

“We've been fishing the Black & Blue since 1993,” Wallace said. "I keep the boat here in Cabo and all of our success is due to my crew. They're local boys (captain and two deckhands) and they really know what they're doing out there."

Wallace and his crew were fishing with live trolled skipjack Wednesday on the Pacific side of Lands End just inside the Golden Gate Bank. It was noon one day on one of the richest billfish tournaments in the world when a blue marlin started to glow iridescent as it pursued and then ate one of the baited skipjack. Twenty-two minutes later, local angler Luis Liera had a 395-pound blue marlin on deck.

“We knew it was a qualifier,” Wallace said. 

So the Tiger Spirit made the 30-minute mad dash to Cabo San Lucas to weigh their catch in.

In the end, Liera’s fish was second to a 409-pound blue marlin taken on board the Bad Medicine, but because Tiger Spirit had entered more of the daily jackpots, they took the lion's share of the purse. Tiger Spirit earned $1,162,842.50; it was the event's first $1-million payout since Hang 'em High won $2-plus million in 2008.

The competition featured 100 teams and 529 anglers from around the world. Only marlin weighing 300 pounds or more were allowed to be killed. In all, 122 billfish were caught with only seven were brought in and weighed.  Of the seven, three weighed less than 300 pounds and their teams were penalized for being under the required weight. The final breakdown: 56 blue marlin, 52 striped marlin, 12 sailfish and two black marlin.

For Wallace, it was the prestige of winning a cool million that meant the most.

“We've placed in the money three of the last four years, but this is our biggest fish yet,” he said. "I'm really happiest for my crew. This payout really means a lot to them from a prestigious standpoint. My captain, Sergio Cota, is one of the most respected in Cabo and this really cements that reputation."

And just in case the crews rising star and soaring reputation wasn't quite enough, Wallace deducted his entry fees and expenses and gave the rest to the crew.

“They deserve it. They work hard and without them, there would have been no victory,”  Wallace said.

Wallace will be on Fish Talk Radio with Philip Friedman Outdoors this Thursday from, 9-10 p.m. on AM 830 Radio, live from Angel Stadium.