Mississippi Gulf Coast Billfish Classic - History 1997

60 Boats
The Classic kicked off its first tournament.  All white marlin and sailfish were only to be tagged and released.  The blue marlin’s legal limit was set at 92”, five inches above federal guidelines.  The purse was $300,000.  Eight blue marlin were brought to the scales.  David Pippin on the boat “Miss Orleans” weighed in a 917.4  lb. blue marlin that had to be disqualified by the tournament due to large prop slashes in the fish.  Shannon Faulkner, an 18 year old fishing on his grandfather’s boat.  “Never Content,” took top honors and $130,000 with his 631.8 lb. blue marlin.  There were 6 blue marlin and 2 white marlin tagged and released.

Blue Marlin

First              
Never Content - Shannon Faulkner- 631.8 lbs    

Second          
Game Plan - Bobby Nicholson - 325.4 lbs    

Third            
Cat-N-Round - Michael Sullivan - 289.1 lbs    

 

Tuna

First              
Bud Man - Carmen Still - 185.9 lbs    

Second          
Never Rest - Jim Holmes - 166.9 lbs    

Third            
Leezer Time - Doug Newman - 164.0 lbs       

 

Dolphin

First              
Tempruss - Joe Ballow - 51.0 lbs

Second          
Color Me Gone - Ted Taylor  - 49.2 lbs       

Third            
Waste’n Away II - Raymond Heck - 44.3 lbs      

 

Wahoo

First              
Color Me Gone - Ted Taylor - 71.0 lbs      

Second          
Pamella Lynn - John Nicholas - 68.2 lbs      

Third            
Pamella Lynn - Mike Hixon - 60.1 lbs