This episode of State of Sportfishing Podcast dives into the excitement of competitive sailfishing, focusing on the recent Sailfish Challenge. Hosts Dave, Danny, Brandon, and Mark discuss the record-breaking event, which saw 1,467 sailfish caught over two days. Brandon shares his experience fishing with Liquidated, while Danny explains how weather conditions contributed to the explosive bite. The hosts highlight top-performing boats like Native Sun, Living Water, and Sandman, and analyze the str...
Mar 11, 2025•1 hr 28 min•Ep. 132
In this episode of the *State of Sport Fishing Podcast*, we dive into the thrilling world of sport fishing with Mark and Captain Bob Hovey, sharing stories from Venice, Louisiana. The episode kicks off with a humorous recount of a chaotic fishing trip filled with equipment failures and lost catches—blamed, in part, on “too much alcohol.” Bob also provides exciting updates on the fishing season, highlighting record-breaking yellowfin tuna and swordfish catches while discussing the evolving fishin...
Mar 04, 2025•1 hr 10 min
In this episode, we dive into an exhilarating fishing trip I took with Bob in Venice, Louisiana, a unique fishing destination known for its vibrant fishing culture and stunning scenery. We kick things off with some light-hearted banter about the energy that comes with hooking a fish, which is always a game-changer for our podcast vibe. Bob shares his insights on the fishing conditions during my visit, noting that while the fishing was challenging, we managed to have an incredible experience. We ...
Sep 10, 2024•51 min•Ep. 130
In this podcast episode, the hosts dive into thrilling fishing adventures, tournament insights, and essential boat safety tips. They discuss a harrowing fishing day filled with lost catches, the dynamics of fishing tournaments like the White Marlin Open, and the importance of proper gear and teamwork. The conversation also touches on innovative fishing technologies, such as Starlink for offshore communication, and the practical use of drop-in pumps and stay afloat putty for emergency situations....
Aug 20, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 129
Today, we are excited to bring back the State of Sportfishing podcast with an incredible episode featuring Mark Spurgeon, Leo Chapman, Danny Clinton, and Bob Hovey. In this episode, everyone catches up and shares their fascinating experiences on the water, from their thrilling marlin fishing adventures and first encounters with sonar to transitioning from the Coast Guard to owning a charter business. If you have any requests or awesome guest for the podcast let us know via: podcast@billfish.site...
Jul 23, 2024•1 hr 33 min•Ep. 128
In this episode of the State of Sportfishing podcast, host James LeGrone talks to Taylor Sanford to discuss their recent victory in a fishing competition. They reflect on his boss's bragging rights and the origins of their team. The conversation delves into the purpose of fiberglass boats and the beauty of the sport. Taylor Sanford, who shares his background in fishing and his experiences running on a 66 Viking boat. Tune in to hear more about their fishing adventures and insights into the sport...
Oct 03, 2023•50 min•Ep. 127
In this episode of the State of Sportfishing podcast, host James LeGrone is joined by Eric Leach to discuss all things fishing. They start by talking about the current weather conditions in Florida and then dive into the topic of Eric's boat, the Miss Elizabeth. Eric shares that he has been running this 61 Viking for two years now and also mentions his 27 Kong bait boat. They discuss the popularity of the 27 Kong and its production location. James then asks Eric about how he got into fishing, an...
Sep 12, 2023•54 min•Ep. 126
In this episode of the Bill Fish podcast, Captain Big Wave shares his journey from being a bottom fishing mate on head boats to becoming a successful captain. He talks about starting in Daytona Beach and how his love for fishing began at a young age. He also discusses his time in college and a surf trip to Hatteras that led him to discover the Oregon Inlet Fishing Center. Tune in to hear more about Captain Big Wave's career in sport fishing and the hard work that has paid off. If you have any re...
Aug 29, 2023•55 min•Ep. 125
In today’s podcast, we’re joined by Daniel Klein, he runs the boat “Deploy” a custom 58 assegai. He is based on the east coast of Australia, you can check him out at the pursuit of giants game fishing, where you can find a bunch of his awesome marlin adventures. Daniel Klein explains the process and what goes into fighting a giant fish, how to leader the fish, and how to fight the fish so you don't lose it. If you have any requests or awesome guest for the podcast let us know via: podcast@billfi...
Aug 22, 2023•1 hr 3 min
In this episode, host Leo Chapman is joined by Laura Russell, a guest who recently completed the Royal Slam. The Royal Slam is a fishing achievement that involves catching all of the billfish species in both oceans. Laura completed this impressive feat in just und 6 months, visiting different countries along the way. She shares her experience and the motivation behind her pursuit of the Royal Slam. Tune in to hear about Laura's incredible fishing journey. If you have any requests or awesome gues...
Aug 15, 2023•29 min•Ep. 124
In this episode of the State of Sport Fishing Podcast, hosts James and Willie Zimmerman dive into Willie's journey in the fishing industry. Willie shares how he got started at a young age, fishing with his dad and friends. From his first tuna catch to growing up with boats and fishing every weekend, Willie's passion for fishing shines through. Join James and Willie as they have a casual conversation about their love for the sport and the grind of tournament fishing. Get ready to sit back, relax,...
Aug 08, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 123
In this episode of the State of Sportfishing podcast, Leo interviews Marty from Main Attraction, a charter boat captain in the Florida Keys. Marty shares his fascinating story of how he got into the charter business, starting from his childhood experiences of fishing for fun during summer vacations. He also talks about taking over the company and the challenges he faced when Hurricane Irma hit. This episode provides a unique insight into the world of charter fishing and highlights Marty's expert...
Jul 25, 2023•41 min•Ep. 122
In this episode, Leo from State of Sportfishing podcast interviews the legendary Ryan Higgins, a respected figure in the fishing industry. They discuss how Ryan ordered a shirt from Billfish and the mutual respect between the brand and experienced anglers. Ryan shares his fishing background, including his 20-year tenure with Viking Yachts and his current involvement with Valhalla Boat Works and Valhalla Boat Sales. He also talks about growing up in Winter Park, Florida, and how his passion for f...
Jul 18, 2023•53 min•Ep. 121
In this episode of the State of Sportfishing podcast, Leo Chapman from the Billfish Group is joined by previous guest Wallis to discuss their successful fishing season. They start by talking about their move to the Bahamas after a good season in Costa Rica, where they won a daily. In the Bahamas, they won the White Marlin Roundup tournament and had great fishing, catching a lot of Blue Marlins and White Marlins. It has been a fantastic season for the team. If you have any requests or awesome gue...
Jul 11, 2023•52 min•Ep. 120
In today's episode of the State of Sportfishing Podcast, host Leo talks with Josh Jorgensen about how Josh started out, what he has done, his experiences, AI, and touches on Josh's recent illness and upcoming surgeries. Tune in for an engaging conversation about fishing and personal challenges. If you have any requests or awesome guest for the podcast let us know via: podcast@billfish.site If you like the podcast, please support us by checking out some of our latest products, especially the Perf...
Jul 04, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 119
Phill Mahn was Born In NJ, but has spent his whole life in Florida. Together with Mark his business Partner he always joked around about starting a boat dealership company and now he does Custom Boats with vilano & FrontrRunner. Subscribe to get notifications as soon as we upload a new podcast! Spotify: https://Spotify/State/of/Sportfishing Podcast: https://Podcasst/State/of/Sportfishing If you have any requests or awesome guest for the podcast let us know via: podcast@billfish.site If you l...
Jun 27, 2023•57 min
In today's episode of the State of Sportfishing Podcast, host James LaGround talks with guests Nicole and Katie about what made them love fishing. Katie left her entire life behind to live in Costa Rica with her spouse for fishing. Nicole shares her story of falling in love with swordfishing in high school and keeping a detailed log of her experiences. She also reveals that she used to babysit for Chris Meek and would take sword baits instead of cash as payment. If you have any requests or aweso...
Jun 20, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 118
In today's episode of the State of Sportfishing Podcast, host James LaGround talks with Tye Lalik to discuss how Tye got his start in the fishing industry. Starting with bass fishing in ponds while growing up in Virginia, Tye eventually moved on to fishing in the Chesapeake Bay and offshore. After borrowing some 50s and catching a few tunas offshore, nowadays Tye works on various sportfishing boats along with fishing on his family's outboard rig. He details different East Coast fishing scenes an...
Jun 13, 2023•57 min•Ep. 117
In today's Podcast we are joined by Carl Allen, Carl Allen was born in Rochester, NY, and received a degree in business. After college, Mr. Allen began working for Heritage Bag Company in a production capacity. Throughout his career he worked in nearly every department within the company, eventually becoming President/CEO. In 2005, Mr. Allen acquired Heritage Bag Company. He sold the company in 2017. The Allens purchased the Walker Cay island in 2018 a started the rebirth of the legendary fishin...
Jun 06, 2023•52 min
In this episode of the State of Sportfishing podcast, Leo is joined by the legendary team, Bad Company, who hold the record for the most billfish releases in one day. They discuss their world tour and how it's been working out for them, including traveling to northern and southern hemispheres and multiple oceans. They also talk about their recent move from Brazil to Cape Verde, fishing the same team, program, and boats. If you have any requests or awesome guest for the podcast let us know via: p...
May 30, 2023•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 116
Today we are joined by a legend Al McGlashan to talk about his fishery in Australia and share random facts. Crazy to hear how and why Al got the motivation to start filming and taking pictures of his experiences offshore and how he catches fewer fish now because he is fully focused on getting the Shot of the fish. If you have any requests or awesome guest for the podcast let us know via: podcast@billfish.site If you like the podcast, please support us by checking out some of our latest products,...
May 23, 2023•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 115
In today's podcast, we are joined by Mike Bell an team Hells Bells. Running a 33 Frontrunner Catching everything from Kingfish and Wahoo to Swordfish and Marlin. Recently winning a Wahoo Tournament rocking some Billfish Custom gear. Listen or watch the whole podcast to hear about the massive 113 pounder on 20 pound test or the 900 pound+ Marlin that broke their rod. If you have any requests or awesome guest for the podcast let us know via: podcast@billfish.site If you like the podcast, please su...
May 18, 2023•45 min•Ep. 114
In today's podcast, we are joined by Garrett Lee, living in Hawaii and owner of Tsutomu Hawaii handcrafted Lures, today we talk about Lures fishing different Lures in different conditions, and why Garret started making and assembling Lures. If you have any requests or awesome guest for the podcast let us know via: podcast@billfish.site If you like the podcast, please support us by checking out some of our latest products, especially the Performance Pants, on Check out our gear at https://billfis...
May 16, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 113
Today we are joined by a legend Al McGlashan to talk about his fishery in Australia and share random facts. Crazy to hear how and why Al got the motivation to start filming and taking pictures of his experiences offshore and how he catches fewer fish now because he is fully focused on getting the Shot of the fish. If you have any requests or awesome guest for the podcast let us know via: podcast@billfish.site If you like the podcast, please support us by checking out some of our latest products,...
May 02, 2023•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 115
In today's podcast, we Re upload a podcast we did last year with Jon Duffie to appreciate his legendary moment catching 57 White Marlin in Day that was actually a miscalculation it was actually 58 White Marlin in a day, Growing up on the Docs in Ocean City Maryland. If you have any requests or awesome guest for the podcast let us know via: podcast@billfish.site If you like the podcast, please support us by checking out some of our latest products, especially the Performance Pants, on Check out o...
May 02, 2023•54 min•Ep. 112
In today's podcast were joined by Matt and Benny they explain what Captains For Clean Water is and why and how we can take action. Be part of captains for clean water so that our Inshore and Offshore fisheries don't disappear because of the action we are taking on land that affects the structure of the inshore that then doesn't hold bait and fish anymore. If you have any requests or awesome guest for the podcast let us know via: podcast@billfish.site If you like the podcast, please support us by...
May 02, 2023•40 min•Ep. 111
Today we have Anthony Mendillo from the Keen M Charters in Isla Mujeres, Mexico. Anthony has been in Isla Mujeres for over 25 years. Growing up in Rhode Island moved to Florida after school to fish on a 43 Merritt which eventually brought him to Isla Mujeres to finally settled down in the Isla Mujeres. Anthony is to be found every day of the season outside on the Ocean, where he says the Winter season is one of the best times to fish lately. Being the IGFA’s international representative to the Y...
Apr 25, 2023•45 min•Ep. 110
In today's podcast, we are joined by Anthony Burns. Anthony Burns was on talking about analyzing the current, ocean temperatures and all the date we collect to go out fishing using satellites, learn what eddies are how they form and why they hold fish and where they hold fish. Anthony is with the company ROFSS you can contact them for date and information on where you should go fishing next and to not fish on luck but on science. If you have any requests or awesome guest for the podcast let us k...
Apr 20, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 109
In today's podcast, we are joined by Chuck Moore runs the Artemis Express boat, that got fully refitted after being hit by lightning they added the game-changing Omni Sonar one of the few serious Express boats out there. Chuck has been on the Artemis for the past 5 years, he always wanted to fish with them as he fished with some of the o family in the past. Chuck has won a couple of t running the Artemis. If you have any requests or awesome guest for the podcast let us know via: podcast@billfish...
Apr 18, 2023•36 min•Ep. 108
In today's podcast, we are joined by Mark Deblasio, Legend Mark Deblasio joins us today his specialty catching Bluefin Tuna and Big Eye Tuna. Mark DeBlasio won his first tournament in the Wahoo category and many other Tuna categories later on. Mark Runs the Blue-runner. Canyon runs is something Mark has been doing really early on and talks on some stories here in the podcast. If you have any requests or awesome guest for the podcast let us know via: podcast@billfish.site If you like the podcast,...
Apr 11, 2023•58 min•Ep. 107
