“Freedom” top boat in Belikin Tournament

Belize’s top sport fishing enthusiasts spent their holiday weekend in pursuit of a five hundred pound plus blue marlin and a fifty thousand dollar prize. That’s right, in this year’s Belikin Spectacular Blue Water Fishing Tournament Barry Bowen offered fifty thousand dollars to the man, or woman, who could break the current blue marlin record of four hundred ninety-two pounds. While no one brought in the big fish this year, or won the fifty thousand-dollar grand slam prize, the top boat was “Freedom” which won three thousand dollars. Top angler Art Picou also got fifteen hundred dollars and a trophy for bringing in the biggest blue marlin weighing two hundred ninety-seventy pounds. The “Isabella” came in second with Robby Espat catching a blue marlin weighing one hundred forty-two pounds and Mark Lizarraga landing a one hundred seven pound blue marlin. Third place went to the “Maria Elena,” “The Blue Water Express” was fourth and “Calypso” was fifth. The seventh annual Belikin Tournament was based at the Belize Yacht Club in San Pedro. Twenty-nine boats participated.