Why a Marlin Is Worth 300 Points: How Bisbee's Tournaments Score

Picture it. A flare goes up over the water off Cabo San Lucas at 7:00 am, and a whole fleet of sportfishing boats takes off at once. Ten hours later, one fish can decide a tournament. In the Bisbee's events here, a released blue or black marlin is worth 300 points, and a striped marlin can be worth 25 points or nothing at all, depending on which tournament you're in. Here is how the scoring works, in plain words, so the scoreboard finally makes sense.

One thing first. Everything below comes from the 2026 official rules on bisbees.com for two events: the Los Cabos Offshore and the Black & Blue. Bisbee's says its rules can change before each tournament starts, so if you're fishing, read the current rules yourself.

Two tournaments, two scoreboards

October is tournament month in Cabo. On the 2026 calendar, the Los Cabos Offshore fishes Oct 14 to 16, with awards on Oct 17. The Black & Blue follows right after: registration and the captains meeting on Oct 20, fishing on Oct 21 to 23, and the awards celebration on Oct 24. You can see both on our Cabo events calendar.

Both run on the same basic rule book, with one big difference in what counts. The Offshore rewards a team for every billfish it releases. The Black & Blue is all about blue and black marlin. That one change shapes how teams fish all three days.

Teams, boats and the shotgun start

A team enters with a boat, and there is no limit on how many people can be on it. Every person on the entry form counts as an angler, and that includes the captain and the deckhands. So the crew is not just driving the boat. They're on the team.

Each fishing day starts with a "shotgun start." Boats wait behind a start line, and no fishing lines can be in the water from 6:45 am. At 7:00 am a flare fires and the day begins. Fishing hours end at 5:00 pm, but a fish already hooked before then can still be fought until it's boated, released or lost.

Catch and release: proving it on video

Striped marlin, sailfish and spearfish are catch and release only in both tournaments. Blue and black marlin can be released too, and a released blue or black is where the 300 points come from.

So how does a judge know a fish was really caught if it swims away? Video. Under the rules, a release counts when the leader connection or swivel is wound to the tip of the rod, or when someone on the boat touches the leader while the fish is still hooked. The team has to film it, and the video has to show the species, the angler, that leader moment, and the day's Release Color Card, a card color that gets announced on the radio each morning so nobody can reuse old footage. Teams also report every hookup and release to Tournament Control by radio, and Tournament Control's clock is the official time.

How the points work: why a marlin is worth 300

Here is the 2026 points table, straight from rule 5.9 of each tournament:

• Released blue or black marlin: 300 points in both tournaments.
• Released striped marlin, sailfish or spearfish: 25 points in the Los Cabos Offshore, 0 points in the Black & Blue.
• Weighed blue or black marlin: 1 point per pound, with a 300 pound minimum.

Do the math and you see why a blue is the fish everyone wants. In the Offshore, one released blue equals twelve released stripers. In the Black & Blue, a striper earns no points at all, so teams are out there for blues and blacks.

Ties in the release categories go to the team that got to the tying score first, based on the official time of its final release. Speed matters.

The weigh-in and the 300 pound line

Bringing a marlin to the scale is a big call. A blue or black marlin has to weigh at least 300 pounds. If it comes in lighter, it scores zero and the team loses points on top of that: 25 points plus 2 points for every pound under 300. The official example is a 290 pound marlin, which works out to negative 45 points. In the Black & Blue, those minus points come off the team's largest qualifying marlin. In the Offshore, the penalty counts in the overall categories, not the daily jackpots.

Teams can bring in one marlin per angler, and no more than two marlin per boat per day. The weigh station sits in front of Puerto Paraíso Mall in Cabo San Lucas and is open from 2:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Fish are weighed in the order teams arrive, on the same day they're caught, and the angler stays with the fish the whole time. Boats need to be inside the harbor jetties by 9:00 pm.

In the Black & Blue, if two teams tie by weight in the marlin division, they split the daily award, and in the overall standings they split that award and the next place.

Want to get on the water yourself?

You don't need a tournament entry to chase marlin here. Our Cabo fishing guide covers seasons, species and what a day out looks like, and you can browse Cabo fishing charters or all of our fishing trips. Coming for tournament week? Read our Bisbee's Black & Blue guide, and if you want help putting the whole trip together, ask for a free Cabo itinerary and we'll build it with you. Confirm dates and details when you book.

FAQ

How many points is a blue marlin worth in a Bisbee's tournament?

In the 2026 Los Cabos Offshore and Black & Blue rules, a released blue or black marlin is worth 300 points. A blue or black marlin brought to the scale scores 1 point per pound, with a 300 pound minimum.

Do striped marlin count in the Black & Blue?

Not for points. The 2026 Black & Blue rules list a released striped marlin, sailfish or spearfish at 0 points. In the Los Cabos Offshore, those same releases are worth 25 points each.

What happens if a team weighs a marlin under 300 pounds?

The fish scores zero and costs the team points: 25 points plus 2 points for every pound under 300. The rules give the example of a 290 pound marlin, which ends up at negative 45 points.

When and where is the Bisbee's weigh-in?

For the 2026 Black & Blue, the weigh station is open from 2:00 pm to 9:00 pm on the fishing days, Oct 21 to 23, in front of Puerto Paraíso Mall in Cabo San Lucas. The Los Cabos Offshore uses the same hours and spot on its fishing days, Oct 14 to 16.

Key takeaways

• A released blue or black marlin is worth 300 points in both the 2026 Los Cabos Offshore and the 2026 Black & Blue.
• A weighed blue or black marlin scores 1 point per pound, and it must weigh at least 300 pounds.
• A marlin under 300 pounds scores zero and costs the team 25 points plus 2 points per pound under 300.
• Striped marlin, sailfish and spearfish are release only: 25 points in the Offshore, 0 points in the Black & Blue.
• Fishing runs 7:00 am to 5:00 pm after a flare start, and the weigh station at Puerto Paraíso Mall is open 2:00 pm to 9:00 pm.
• Rules can change before each tournament, so always read the current official rules on bisbees.com.

Source: Bisbee's 2026 official rules, schedules and entry info for the Los Cabos Offshore and the Black & Blue, read on bisbees.com on Oct 5, 2026. Rules can change before each tournament. Always check the current version.