he 25th anniversary running of the Los Cabos Billfish Tournament showcased a historic striped marlin bite. Over three exhilarating days, the tournament record for billfish releases was shattered as 42 teams released a staggering total of 583 striped marlin, seven blue marlin and three sailfish. This number nearly quadrupled the previous tournament release record of 150 in 2018. ¶ The record-setting performance came as developing Hurricane Norma took aim at the Los Cabos region, and despite permitting challenges that threatened to disrupt, a 58-foot Viking from the Channel Islands, California, emerged victorious as the 2023 Los Cabos Billfish Tournament champions. Under the skilled leadership of owner-angler Dennis Hood and Capt. Angel Agundez Sandez, the formidable team, consisting of Adrian Covarrubias, Guillermo Gonzalez, Ezequiel Orias and Ramon Sandez Agundez, exhibited exceptional angling prowess by releasing a remarkable total of 140 striped marlin. Their outstanding performance not only secured them the champion’s trophy and the top captain trophy, but it also earned them a substantial prize of $86,550. Additionally, their triumph came with the honor of an invitation to compete in the 2024 Offshore World Championship.