Zihuatanejo
Zihuatanejo
Offshore Total Tag & Release
Billfish Tournament
Named one of the Top 100 Worldwide Billfish Tournaments
by The Billfish Tournament Network
It was decided at the Rolex/IGFA Offshore Championship in May of 2004 in Cabo San Lucas that the Fintastic Tag & Release Tournament had achieved the goals set forth in 1999. The total purpose of this tournament was to make both the Mexican Capitans of the area and the sportfishermen visiting ZIH aware of the need for Tag & Release in the Zihuatanejo area. This has been done. Within the last 2 years Zihuatanejo has achieved the #3, #9 & #12 WORLDWIDE billfish tag & release Captains. Said Captains being Capt. Santiago Valdovinos (#3) of the panga Gitana, Captain "Pepino" of the Whisky II and Capt. Ed Kunze, Mar y Tierra. Today, Tag and Release or catch and release is the way fishing is done for billfish in ZIH.
We would like to thank all those who helped change a way of life and preserve this fishing area for the future. Primarily the captains, please see the website ZIH Tag & Release Captains to book your reservations direct. Many thanks to Kay Davy and Deborah Cummings of the Billfish Foundation for assistance in tags and the same to Dave Holts of NMFS. Please see the links page for additional sponsors of the years.
ROLEX/IFGA Championships: Let me encourage you to participate in the following events if you wish an invitation to either the Rolex/IGFA Inshore or Offshore Championships:
Jacks or Better, Inshore Tournament, Oct 6-10 for the Inshore Championship, Fly fishing only
Sails & Tails, Offshore Tournament, Dec. 3-7 for the Offshore Championship, Fly fishing only
These will be first class events hosted by Gary Graham of Baja on the Fly and directed by Ed Kunze of Zihuatanejo and Mar y Tierra.
The concept of this tournament came about in the cockpit of a Custom Sportfisher chasing Sailfish off the coast of Key West during the Fall of 1995. Two things were a requirement, a MAJOR need for Tag & Release fishing and great fishing. Both were found in ZIH. Zihuatanejo was known as a killing ground, in the past 4 years the tournament has been a major factor in the shedding of this image and influencing the crews toward greater release fishing.
It was due to the close fishing proximity that we chose Zihuatanejo as the starting point for the Fintastic's Tag & Release Tournaments. Most fish are taken within 7 to 10 miles of the dock, about 5 miles offshore.
Fintastic's Tag & Release Billfish Tournament
3566 Elk Rd., Westbank, BC V4T 2H4
Tel: 250-768-3537
FAX: 250-768-3592
Web Site:
http://www.fintastic.com
Internet: info@fintastic.com
Electronic mail
General Information: Fintastic's
Tag & Release Tournament
Fishing Charters: Contact Captains direct, Whisky Charters, or
Mar y Tierra
Hotel and Air: Conni Bandy
Webmaster: web@fintastic.com
