Weekly Offshore & Sportfishing Report

Weekly Offshore & Sportfishing Report — March 23–30, 2026

The Los Sueños Signature Triple Crown wrapped its three-leg series with the highest release volume of the 2026 event, and Team Galati emerged as series champion in one of the tightest points races in the tournament's recent history. On the product side, Viking Yachts unveiled a new 70 Convertible model, the most significant domestic sportfish builder announcement of the month.

Tournament Results & Standings

2026 Los Sueños Signature Triple Crown — Leg III — Quepos, Costa Rica

Dates fished: March 18–21, 2026 | Fleet: 40 boats | Format: Release — all species scored on points

Leg III Top 3 (and Series Final Standings):

Team Galati (Capt. Tony Carrizosa) — 111 sailfish released in Leg III (11,100 pts); 26,500 points overall — 2026 SERIES CHAMPION
Max Bet (Capt. Austin Robins) — 98 sailfish in Leg III (9,800 pts); 25,600 points overall
Vintage — 98 sailfish in Leg III; 20,000 points overall

Leg III alone produced 2,491 sailfish releases and 8 blue marlin from the 40-boat fleet — a volume benchmark that underscores the productivity of Costa Rica's Pacific coast late in the season. The final margin between Team Galati and Max Bet was just 900 points after nine combined fishing days. Blackhawk, captained by Bill Pino — who earned his first Triple Crown top-angler honor — posted 53 sailfish and 1 blue marlin in Leg III.

Source: Marlin Magazine

Upcoming Tournaments — Next 2–4 Weeks

Tournament	Location	Dates	Species
Bisbee's Costa Rica Offshore	Quepos, Costa Rica	April 14–18	All billfish (release); tuna & dorado (weigh-in)
SFC Key West Classic	Key West, FL	April 17–19	Billfish / multi-species
Offshore World Championship	Marina Pez Vela, Quepos	April 19–23	All offshore billfish

Format changes this year:

Bisbee's Costa Rica Offshore is Bisbee's inaugural international event. Multi-million dollar potential payout structure.
Offshore World Championship: For the first time, competing teams are not restricted to the host facility — teams may fish from any location within approved boundaries.
SFC Key West Classic opens both Atlantic and Gulf divisions simultaneously with approximately $400,000 in prize money.

New Builds & Launches

Viking Yachts — 70 Convertible (New Model)

Hull popped from the mold on March 10; Viking announced the model publicly at the Palm Beach International Boat Show this week. MTU 16V engine package confirmed. This marks Viking's first new Convertible model announcement of the 2026 build cycle.

Source: Marlin Magazine / Facebook

Jarrett Bay Boatworks — Hull 68 (90-foot Custom Sportfisher)

Twin 2,600 hp engines and gyro stabilizers now installed — big iron milestone reached using the yard's indoor bridge crane. Hull 69, also a 90-footer of the same design, is under simultaneous construction at the Beaufort, NC yard — the third 90-foot build of this type from Jarrett Bay.

Source: Jarrett Bay Boatworks

Industry News

NOAA Closes South Atlantic Recreational Golden Tilefish Season

NOAA Fisheries announced the 2026 recreational golden tilefish season in South Atlantic federal waters closed at 12:01 a.m. on March 27, 2026, and remains closed through December 31, 2026. The annual catch limit of 2,741 fish was projected to be reached at closure date. Offshore anglers targeting mixed-bag deepwater species in Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas are now prohibited from keeping golden tilefish in federal South Atlantic waters for the remainder of 2026.

Source: NOAA Fisheries Bulletin FB26-011

Pelagic Longline Amendment 15 — New Monitoring Area Rules (April 3)

Pelagic longline vessels fishing in the Charleston Bump or East Florida Coast Monitoring Areas must comply with new VMS requirements and set limits effective April 3. These are areas where blue marlin and other billfish concentrate seasonally — the same zones recreational tournament boats fish. Charleston Bump limit: 380 sets (Feb 1–Apr 30); East Florida Coast: 250 sets (Jan 1–Dec 31).

Source: NOAA Fisheries Amendment 15 Compliance Guide

Used-Boat Market Pulse

No new data-backed sportfishing or center console market reports were published this week that meet the qualifying standard. Check back next week for inventory, days-on-market, and segment movement data.

What to Watch Next Week

Bisbee's Costa Rica Offshore results — expected by April 18 at Marina Pez Vela. Bisbee's first international event; watch bisbees.com for daily leaderboard updates starting April 15.
NOAA Amendment 15 takes effect April 3 — watch for compliance issues or industry response during prime spring billfish migration.
Viking 70 Convertible next steps — mold pull confirmed but no launch timeline stated. First hull delivery estimated 12–18 months out based on normal Viking timelines.
Jarrett Bay Hull 68 sea trial approach — with big iron installed, the yard progresses toward systems integration. Jarrett Bay celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2026.
Offshore World Championship field confirmation — the April 19–23 OWC will begin releasing registered team lists. The new location-flexibility rule may draw a larger international field.

Quick Takeaways

Team Galati is the 2026 Los Sueños Triple Crown champion with 26,500 series points. Max Bet finished just 900 points back after nine combined fishing days.
Costa Rica's Pacific fishery is producing at exceptional volume — nearly 2,500 sailfish releases from 40 boats in a single three-day leg reaffirms the region as the world's highest-release billfish destination.
Viking's new 70 Convertible is the domestic builder story to watch — first new Convertible announcement this cycle with MTU 16V power and a Palm Beach debut.
South Atlantic golden tilefish season is closed through year-end — deepwater tilefish trips in federal South Atlantic waters are off the table until 2027.
April is a loaded month for Costa Rica tournament anglers — Bisbee's (April 14–18) followed immediately by the OWC (April 19–23) creates a two-week window where the world's top tournament teams will be fishing out of Quepos.