State of Sportfishing - Billfish Group

The boys are back - no guest this week, just shooting the shit! Chase takes the wheel to recap his recent run in the Carolina Billfish Classic, highlighting the team's tournament winnings and a wild day on the water chasing meat. The crew also hits on the point scaling debate between blues and sailfish, the corporate buyout of Los Suenos Marina, and some legendary off-the-water antics—from co...

The boys are back - no guest this week, just shooting the shit! The crew breaks down Marlin Fever’s record-breaking $6.5 million Big Rock payout before diving into the realities of running a sportfish boat. They also briefly swap stories about rookie fishing mistakes, review the latest sea-surface temperature apps, and share advice on making the jump from mate to captain.

The boys are joined by Chris Haley, owner of the 2026 75 Scarborough Boatworks “Skin Deep”. Team ‘Skin Deep’ is captained by Kyle Smith. Chris walks us through the process of designing the new boat, why he went with certain options, their travel and tournament plans and more Tune in on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5fI9XxC4gJDbeJzpWDK5eI Watch full episode to our YouTube channel: https://...

The boys are joined by Michael Grandonico, owner of the 46 Sparks Boatworks “Roll out”. Mike grew up fishing his whole life tournament fishing and was fortunate enough to get to build his dream Center Console. No Buggy Top, Tower Legs as thick as Sportfish yachts, Remote control teaser reels and more. Hear the story behind the build and how he’s been using the boat since taking delivery. Tune in o...

Today we're joined by Kevin Basirico, CEO at Barker Boatworks. Kevin has wore many hats during his time at Barker until ultimately buying the company and taking on the role of CEO. Kevin gives us an inside look into what it's like to operate a boat brand, what makes the Barker difference.  Tune in on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5fI9XxC4gJDbeJzpWDK5eI Watch full episode to our...

The boys are joined by Lancen Halbert, who will be running the 56 Freeman Hull #2! Lancen is managing the build closely as they prepare to hit the ground running this tournament season. They plan on fishing the White Marlin Open and several other tournaments as soon as she’s done. Please enjoy the the inside story of what it’s like to build a Freeman Boatworks 56! Tune in on Spotify: https://open....

The boys are joined by Toby Berthelot and Jacelyn Berthelot of team Rising Sons. Toby tells us how their program got started, carrying bladders in the back of a Proline Center Console all the way to the team competing in the Sportfishing Championship and winning BIG in the Bisbee’s down in Mexico. Hope y’all love it!

Leo, Chase and Bob sit down to discuss The Charleston Billfish Invitational, Fishing with the Rising Sons, What it takes to run a startup and scaleups, Firing Clients and awesome experiences with clients.

Legendary boat builder John Floyd and his team join the podcast to discuss their latest build, the 82’ F&S “You Never Know”. They previously had a 72’ F&S and are now in the process of taking delivery of their new 82. John talks about the challenges involving boatbuilding in an inflationary environment, the ins and outs of boat building and more!

The pod is back! Leo, Chase and Bob are joined by Chase Edgren. Chase runs the Triple Net, a 48 Viking out of Charleston, SC. The guys discuss the new 56 Freeman, Distributing Tournament Winnings and more!

This episode of State of Sportfishing Podcast dives into the excitement of competitive sailfishing, focusing on the recent Sailfish Challenge. Hosts Dave, Danny, Brandon, and Mark discuss the record-breaking event, which saw 1,467 sailfish caught over two days.   Brandon shares his experience fishing with Liquidated, while Danny explains how weather conditions contributed to the explosive bite. Th...

In this episode of the *State of Sport Fishing Podcast*, we dive into the thrilling world of sport fishing with Mark and Captain Bob Hovey, sharing stories from Venice, Louisiana. The episode kicks off with a humorous recount of a chaotic fishing trip filled with equipment failures and lost catches—blamed, in part, on “too much alcohol.” Bob also provides exciting updates on the fishing season, hi...

In this episode, we dive into an exhilarating fishing trip I took with Bob in Venice, Louisiana, a unique fishing destination known for its vibrant fishing culture and stunning scenery. We kick things off with some light-hearted banter about the energy that comes with hooking a fish, which is always a game-changer for our podcast vibe. Bob shares his insights on the fishing conditions during my vi...

In this podcast episode, the hosts dive into thrilling fishing adventures, tournament insights, and essential boat safety tips. They discuss a harrowing fishing day filled with lost catches, the dynamics of fishing tournaments like the White Marlin Open, and the importance of proper gear and teamwork. The conversation also touches on innovative fishing technologies, such as Starlink for offshore c...

Today, we are excited to bring back the State of Sportfishing podcast with an incredible episode featuring Mark Spurgeon, Leo Chapman, Danny Clinton, and Bob Hovey. In this episode, everyone catches up and shares their fascinating experiences on the water, from their thrilling marlin fishing adventures and first encounters with sonar to transitioning from the Coast Guard to owning a charter busine...

In this episode of the State of Sportfishing podcast, host James LeGrone  talks to Taylor Sanford to discuss their recent victory in a fishing competition. They reflect on his boss's bragging rights and the origins of their team. The conversation delves into the purpose of fiberglass boats and the beauty of the sport. Taylor Sanford, who shares his background in fishing and his experiences ru...

In this episode of the State of Sportfishing podcast, host James LeGrone is joined by Eric Leach to discuss all things fishing. They start by talking about the current weather conditions in Florida and then dive into the topic of Eric's boat, the Miss Elizabeth. Eric shares that he has been running this 61 Viking for two years now and also mentions his 27 Kong bait boat. They discuss the popu...

In this episode of the Bill Fish podcast, Captain Big Wave shares his journey from being a bottom fishing mate on head boats to becoming a successful captain. He talks about starting in Daytona Beach and how his love for fishing began at a young age. He also discusses his time in college and a surf trip to Hatteras that led him to discover the Oregon Inlet Fishing Center. Tune in to hear more abou...

In today’s podcast, we’re joined by Daniel Klein, he runs the boat “Deploy” a custom 58 assegai. He is based on the east coast of Australia, you can check him out at the pursuit of giants game fishing, where you can find a bunch of his awesome marlin adventures. Daniel Klein explains the process and what goes into fighting a giant fish, how to leader the fish, and how to fight the fish so you don&...

In this episode, host Leo Chapman is joined by Laura Russell, a guest who recently completed the Royal Slam. The Royal Slam is a fishing achievement that involves catching all of the billfish species in both oceans. Laura completed this impressive feat in just und 6 months, visiting different countries along the way. She shares her experience and the motivation behind her pursuit of the Royal Slam...

In this episode of the State of Sport Fishing Podcast, hosts James and Willie Zimmerman dive into Willie's journey in the fishing industry. Willie shares how he got started at a young age, fishing with his dad and friends. From his first tuna catch to growing up with boats and fishing every weekend, Willie's passion for fishing shines through. Join James and Willie as they have a casual...

In this episode of the State of Sportfishing podcast, Leo interviews Marty from Main Attraction, a charter boat captain in the Florida Keys. Marty shares his fascinating story of how he got into the charter business, starting from his childhood experiences of fishing for fun during summer vacations. He also talks about taking over the company and the challenges he faced when Hurricane Irma hit. Th...

In this episode, Leo from State of Sportfishing podcast interviews the legendary Ryan Higgins, a respected figure in the fishing industry. They discuss how Ryan ordered a shirt from Billfish and the mutual respect between the brand and experienced anglers. Ryan shares his fishing background, including his 20-year tenure with Viking Yachts and his current involvement with Valhalla Boat Works and Va...

In this episode of the State of Sportfishing podcast, Leo Chapman from the Billfish Group is joined by previous guest Wallis to discuss their successful fishing season. They start by talking about their move to the Bahamas after a good season in Costa Rica, where they won a daily. In the Bahamas, they won the White Marlin Roundup tournament and had great fishing, catching a lot of Blue Marlins and...

In today's episode of the State of Sportfishing Podcast, host Leo talks with Josh Jorgensen about how Josh started out, what he has done, his experiences, AI, and touches on Josh's recent illness and upcoming surgeries. Tune in for an engaging conversation about fishing and personal challenges. If you have any requests or awesome guest for the podcast let us know via: podcast@billfish.si...