The spotlight will be on fun and conservation as the 29th annual New Orleans Invitational Billfish Tournament gets underway today. Sponsored by the New Orleans Big Game Fishing Club, the tourney features friendly competition with an emphasis on tag and release. Only one billfish was boated during the 10 tournaments hosted by the club last year, and that solo blue marlin, a 685-pounder, was the biggest fish caught during the 1999 Invitational. Ours is a billfish tournament, but we also recognize the largest fish caught in the other species categories. In addition to billfish, mako sharks, bluefin and yellowfin tuna, wahoo and dolphin are eligible.
Anglers can also earn extra points for fishing lighter line classes.
A field of 50 boats is expected, with half of those from Louisiana, and the other half from neighboring Mississippi, Texas, Alabama and Florida. Port Eads, LA, located at the mouth of the Mississippi River, will serve as tournament headquarters. From there anglers target the productive waters of the central Gulf, with its bounty of oil and gas rig platforms that act as artificial reefs, concentrating the bait. The bait abundance in turn attracts the larger pelagics, making this area, and the tournament, very consistent for multiple shots and close-in action. Our blue marlin have been running a little late this year, but everything's getting right just in time for the tournament.