Competing at the highest level in this sport requires a blend of skill, presentation, local knowledge, angling prowess, boat handling, and team chemistry. The stakes are particularly high when the competition includes the top boats on the Eastern seaboard. Therefore, when a team wins the championship trophy twice in four years, with a second-place finish in between, the term “domination” is well-deserved. Sea Toy exemplifies this dominance.
Led by veteran skipper Bull Tolson, the 59-foot Spencer charter boat, based at Pirate’s Cove Marina in Manteo, North Carolina, added to its Friday tally to secure the 2024 F. Wayne McLeskey Memorial Trophy as the top boat with seven billfish releases. The team pocketed $452,400 for first place in the standings, Billfish Jackpot, High Rollers Jackpot, Blue Marlin Jackpot, Legacy, and 20-Year Jackpot. Sea Toy also won the Top Crew Trophy and the Charity Mystery Fish drawing for Day 2. The team anglers included Korbel Ballard, Tommy Fowler, Bobby Kitchens, Ryan McKenzie, Bubba Simmons, Whitney Simmons, and Dan Stephano, with Ross Tolson and Richard Wright as mates. The overall purse for this year was $837,000 in cash prizes.
End Game, a 58-foot Buddy Cannady with Capt. Barry Daniels at the helm, earned second-place honors with six billfish and 680 points for the week. The boat won $126,000 for overall standing, second place in the Billfish and High Rollers Jackpots, and first place in the Day Two Daily Jackpot and Charity Mystery drawing for the last day.
Bi-Op-Sea, another former VBBT champion, was recognized as the third-place team overall. The crew released five billfish, scoring 610 points, to win $80,500 in prize money. Capt. Jesse Granitzki is the skipper of the 59-foot Spencer, also based in Manteo.
Wall Hanger (57-foot Spencer/Capt. Brian Allen) earned fourth place overall after releasing three verified blue marlin worth 600 points. Stacy Allen caught all three fish and was named the Top Overall, Top Lady, and Top Release Angler for the event. Wall Hanger accepted a check for $35,100.
Mercenaria (72-foot Viking) settled for fifth place overall with seven fish (490 points) as the Day One leader. Capt. Neil Sykes and his team won $24,500 for a top daily jackpot prize. Other daily jackpot winners included Summer Girl (Sea Island Boatworks/Capt. Steve Leasure) and Widespread (Crown Marine 52/Capt. Jay Watson).
Reelin N Dealin (Blackwell 62/Capt. Lang Christian) won the optional Lay Day Tournament prize of $31,500 after catching three billfish. All In (Blackwell 58/Capt. Daniel Caison) claimed the second-place Lay Day prize of $13,500. The General (Buddy Cannady 55/Capt. Max Weaver) also won $17,500 in a charity mystery fish drawing.
Game fish were scarce this week, but two teams made their catches count. Spiros (53-foot Jim Smith/Capt. Ben Honeycutt) and angler Jeff Brown weighed the heaviest tuna at 62.6 pounds. Bob McClam, fishing aboard Mister Pete with Capt. Alan Neiford (C&L 58), boated the top dolphin at 34.3 pounds. Those two fish earned $17,500 each. No wahoo were weighed.
In the special categories, Cuervos (Tribute 58/Capt. Foz Gibson) took home $5,000 after winning the Wayne Sawyer Victory Lap Hard Charger Award drawing. Chase Pake earned the Joel Webb Tribute to Excellence/The “Webby” Trophy as the top mate for 2024.
For the week, 139 billfish were released by the 70 boats competing. This tally includes 101 white marlin, 33 blue marlin, four sailfish, and one spearfish. No blue marlin were boated. Seven yellowfin tuna and six dolphin were recorded in the game fish divisions.
“It was another great tournament to celebrate 21 years of Virginia Beach billfishing,” said Tournament Director Paula Davis. “The weather was perfect, the fish were cooperative, and we enjoyed another exciting finish. Congratulations to Sea Toy and all the teams, and a big thanks to all our wonderful sponsors and volunteers. We look forward to seeing everyone again next summer.”
The 22nd Annual Virginia Beach Billfish Tournament will be held August 20-23, 2025.