Done Deal
2018 Tournament Champions
Largest Fleet and Cash Awards in OBBC History
53 Teams, More than $1M in Prize Money
Done Deal Returns to Familiar Spot Atop Leader Board
The 22nd Annual Orange Beach Billfish Classic (OBBC), for the second year in a row, saw record participation and prize money. Fifty-three boats released twenty-five Blue Marlin, six White Marlin and one Sailfish while weighing five Blue Marlin. The OBBC annually is the first big game fishing tournament of the season along the Gulf Coast and is also the first leg of the
Gulf Coast Triple Crown Championship.
Done Deal, a 70' Viking from Houma, LA was the only boat to weigh a Blue Marlin on Friday night to claim the early tournament lead and would not be bested by anyone else in the fleet. Angler Katie Gonsoulin's 118.5 inch Blue Marlin topped the scales at a shockingly big 740.6 pounds. "I was hoping that fish would maybe hit 700 pounds," said
Done Deal Captain Jason Buck. "We knew it was a fat fish, but we are all happily surprised when the number posted!" That is the largest fish caught by the 21-year-old highly accomplished lady Angler Gonsoulin.
As the weigh scales opened on Saturday night, four Marlin were headed to The Wharf Marina. The first was on
Black Sheep, a 61' Garlington. Boat owner Rusty Skalla was on the rod for the 108-inch fish that weighed an impressive 513.4 pounds. The third Blue Marlin of the tournament belonged to
Breathe Easy a 68' Viking from Orange Beach, Alabama that vaulted the team lead by owner Matt McDonald and Captain Pat Ivie into second place. The 111.5-inch fish caught by Rick Olsen would be the second largest fish of the tournament at 551.8 pounds. Two more Blue Marlin were weighed, but neither the 491.2 pound fish from the 72' Viking
Born2Run or the 472.2 pound Blue Marlin caught on
A Work of Art, a 92' Viking could bump
Black Sheep from the third place spot on the tournament leaderboard.
In the Catch and Release Division,
Sea Mixer a 66' Spencer, added their name to the annual Johnny Johnson Memorial Trophy as they took home top honors with three Blue Marlin Releases, while
Share-E, a 72' Viking also released three Blue Marlin finishing in second place.
Team Supreme, a 76' Viking finished in third place.
The Tuna category was won by
Chasin' Tail with a 164.6 Yellowfin.
Miss Mary was second at 158.8 pounds followed by
Annie Girl at 157.6 pounds. A huge Wahoo brought big cheers from the crowd as the crew of
Wynsong hung up a 110.4 fish that topped the nearest competitor by seventy-six pounds!
Lyon's Pride was second in the Wahoo category at 34.4 pounds and
Get Reel was third at 30.8 pounds.
The Dolphin category was tight with only four-tenths of a pound separating first and second place.
Geaux Time's 35.4 pound Mahi-Mahi edged out the 35.0 pound Dolphin from
Breathe Reel Deep.
Share-E added to their prize money with a third-place finish in the Dolphin category at 32 pounds.
The Top Lady Angler was Sherry Polk on
Share-E and the Top Junior Angler Award was presented to Jaselyn Berthelot on the
Get Reel.
Official 2018 Orange Beach Billfish Classic Results
Blue Marlin
1st- 740.0 lbs. Done Deal- angler Katie Gonsoulin
2nd- 551.8 lbs. Breathe Easy- angler Rick Olsen
3rd- 513.4 lbs. Black Sheep- angler Rusty Skalla
Catch and Release
1st- Sea Mixer
2nd- Share-E
3rd- Team Supreme
Tuna
1st- 164 lbs. Chasin' Tail- angler John Engquist
2nd- 158.8 lbs. Miss Mary- angler Rod Wilhoft
3rd- 157.6 lbs. Annie Girl- angler Tammy Jackson
Wahoo
1st- 110.4 lbs. Wynsong- angler Mitchell Riley
2nd- 34.4 lbs. Lyon's Pride- angler Mike King
3rd- 30.8 lbs. Get Reel- angler Jaselyn Berthelot
Dolphin
1st 35.4 lbs. Geaux Time- angler Robert Zukley
2nd 35 lbs. Breathe Reel Deep - angler JC Jacobs
3rd 32 lbs. Share-E- angler Sherry Polk
Top Lady Angler
Sherry Polk on the Share-E
Top Junior Angler
Jaselyn Berthelot on the Get Reel