1 / Tournament Results
| # | Boat | Catch |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Plane Simple | 3,650 pts |
| 2 | Marlin Darlin | 3,350 pts |
| 3 | Mama Who | 2,450 pts |
| 4 | Incognito | 2,300 pts |
| 5 | HMY | 2,300 pts |
2 / Billfish Hotspots
Deep water around Grand Cayman produces blue marlin, white marlin, and wahoo in the spring window. Swordfish at depth on overnight trips.
3 / Upcoming Tournaments
| Tournament | Location | Dates | Species |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bahamas Billfish Championship – Guana Cay (Leg 1) | Great Guana Cay, Bahamas | May 4–7, 2026 | Blue marlin, white marlin, sailfish, spearfish |
| NPDL Pacific Islands Tournament – Tonga Leg | Vava'u, Tonga | May 5–10, 2026 | Blue marlin, striped marlin, yellowfin tuna, wahoo |
| Armed Forces Shootout | Abaco Beach Resort, Bahamas | May 6–9, 2026 | Marlin |
| Baker's Bay Invitational | Baker's Bay, Bahamas | May 6–9, 2026 (fishing days May 8–9) | Blue marlin, white marlin, sailfish, wahoo |
| Charleston Billfish Invitational (SC Gov Cup Leg 1) | Charleston, SC | May 6–9, 2026 | Blue marlin, white marlin, sailfish |
| Hurricane Hole Invitational | Grand Isle, LA | May 6–9, 2026 | Blue marlin, white marlin, sailfish, spearfish |
| Northeast Florida Marlin Association Bluewater Tournament | Saint Augustine, FL | May 7–9, 2026 | Blue marlin, sailfish, mahi-mahi, wahoo |
4 / New Builds
No new builds or launches reported this week.
5 / Industry News
NOAA Fisheries opened the 2026 recreational gag season in South Atlantic federal waters at 12:01 a.m. on May 1, 2026. The window runs 93 days and closes at 12:01 a.m. on August 2, 2026.
Brunswick's Simrad AutoCaptain is the first commercially available autonomous docking system for recreational sportfishing and cruising boats. Six stereo cameras build a real-time 3D map and execute docking maneuvers without captain input. Available now on Boston Whaler 405 Conquests at approximately $120,000, with Sea Ray to follow.
6 / Market Pulse
No new brokerage market index reports were published within the April 28–May 4 reporting window.
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7 / Fuel Index
National diesel rose this week. The AAA national average diesel as of May 4, 2026 is $5.641/gallon, up from $5.449 the prior week. The DOE/EIA on-highway diesel average for the week of April 27 tracked at $5.351/gallon (down slightly from $5.403 the week of April 20, reflecting a one-week lag in EIA reporting).
| Region | Diesel ($/gal) | Direction | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| US National Average (AAA) | $5.641 | ↑ Up | AAA national average diesel, May 4, 2026 |
| US On-Highway (DOE/EIA) | $5.351 (wk Apr 27) | ↓ Down | EIA weekly average, one-week lag |
| Gulf Coast Region | ~$5.00–$5.50 (est.) | ↑ Up | Venice / Orange Beach corridor; estimate based on national trend |
| SE Florida (marina docks) | ~$5.20–$6.10 (est.) | ↑ Up | Marina dock premiums typically 20–40 cents above retail |
| Bahamas (out-island marinas) | ~$5.00–$8.00+ | — — | Baker's Bay, Guana Cay marinas vary; verify dockside before departure |
All marina-dock diesel prices carry significant location and volume premiums over national averages. Call ahead to confirm pricing before departure.
8 / What to Watch
Four billfish events all kick off May 6, spanning the East Coast and the Bahamas. Charleston opens the SC Governor's Cup series calendar that runs through July. Baker's Bay is the invite-only Bahamas marquee. Armed Forces and Hurricane Hole add depth to the Gulf and Bahamas slate.
The Louisiana Gulf Coast Billfish Classic wraps today out of Venice. Scales close at 6 PM, awards at 7 PM. Day 1 left Metal Masher and Boujee Marlin tied at 2 blue marlin releases each — final standings and the Gulf Grander 7 jackpot status (a $1,000,000 payout for any blue marlin over 1,000 lbs) post tonight. Live at lgcbc.catchstat.com.
Sugar Mama's opens May 10 in Guatemala, NEFMA in Saint Augustine May 7, Savannah Bluewater Invitational May 11.
The Shootout Production vs Custom concluded May 2 with Plane Simple taking the title. An official media recap from Skip's Tournaments is expected within the week. Full standings at skip.catchstat.com.
Tournament Charter Marketplace
Most charter platforms charge captains hundreds to list — and none of them focus on tournament fishing. Sportfish Hub is the only place where captains list tournament-specific charters completely free, connecting them directly with anglers researching the events they fish.
Tournament results, schedule changes, and boat drops — delivered every Monday.
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| # | Boat | Catch |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scotch Bonnet Express | 2,000 pts |
| 2 | Naut Wukin | 1,600 pts |
| 3 | Rocksteady | 1,200 pts |
| 4 | Liquid Limo | 800 pts |
| 5 | Grander | 400 pts |
| # | Boat | Catch |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Metal Masher | 2 blue marlin released |
| 2 | Boujee Marlin | 2 blue marlin released |
| 3 | Cole Play | 1 blue marlin released |
| 4 | Relentless Pursuit | 1 blue marlin released |
| 5 | Rising Sons | 1 blue marlin released |
Abacos in peak spring billfish season. Blue marlin numbers building through May–June as fish move north. White marlin and sailfish active across all depths out of Marsh Harbour.
Cape Verde's spring window (April–June) is historically peak Atlantic blue marlin season — multi-grander seasons documented, fleet averages of 10+ releases per day during hot stretches. The volume above is consistent with that. No tournaments are running in Cape Verde this week — these are private/charter boat releases.
Source: Billfish Report Facebook feed (primary daily-release tracker for the global billfish fleet)
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| Puerto San José, Guatemala |
| May 10–11, 2026 |
| Sailfish, blue marlin, mahi-mahi, yellowfin tuna |
| Savannah Sport Fishing Club Bluewater Invitational | Savannah, GA | May 11–16, 2026 | Blue marlin, mahi-mahi, wahoo |