OR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 8, 2026
Media Contact:
Robert “Fly” Navarro
Tournament Director, World Cup Blue Marlin Championship
Phone: (561) 310-9214
Email: fly@bluemarlinworldcup.com
Website: www.bluemarlinworldcup.com
Bad Company First and Last in the 2026 Blue Marlin World Cup
In a day featuring plenty of fireworks and celebrations across the United States, big-game enthusiasts were busy monitoring the digital leaderboard as the 41st Annual Blue Marlin World Cup unfolded across the globe. When lines-out was finally called in the South Pacific, Bad Company was the winner of the tournament and the Big Blue Challenge.
It was quite an eventful, weird day. Three fish qualified and all three fish were exactly 119 inches (lower jaw to fork length) and two were exactly 653 pounds. What are the odds of that? Tournament Rule #9 provides that: “In the case of a tie with two or more marlin weighing the same amount, the winner shall be the first Participant that confirms with IGI that the marlin has been boated.” Since Bad Company, fishing in the Cape Verde Islands, was the first to confirm that they had boated their fish, they captured the win.
Bad Company, with angler/owner Anthony Hsieh and Capt. Steve Lassley running the 57 Spencer, boated their blue but decided to fish out the day, trying for a larger one. The fight for the winning fish took approximately two hours on 130-pound-class tackle. The fish ate a pitch bait rigged with a circle hook.
With no official weight recorded, the outcome was still undecided. Bree, an 88 Merritt (Capt. Kyle Liane) weighed a 617-pound blue in Bermuda early and went back out fishing. Later, Swish a 78 Rybovich with Capt. Michael Mattson at the helm, weighed a 653-pound entry, also in Bermuda. Unfortunately, it was later in the day that Swish confirmed they caught and boated their fish so Bad Company was the champion based on the tournament tie-breaker rule.
All three qualifying teams were entered in winner-take-all base entry and the optional Big Blue Challenge jackpot. Bad Company earned $1.168 million for its winning catch.
One hundred forty-eight teams competed in this year’s World Cup. Ten countries were represented, including the Turks & Caicos for the first time since 2002. The Blue Marlin World Cup is a one-day fishing tournament conducted globally. Only blue marlin weighing more than 500 pounds are eligible. Competing teams fish in their respective time zones from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. Entries are weighed on certified government scales and verified in their respective locales.
Fly Navarro, tournament director, noted that 2026 was a great year with a fitting July 4, 2026 tournament climax. “On a day when the United States was celebrating its 250th birthday, there were two fish that weighed in with the same weight. So, the 41st annual World Cup made its own mark on sport-fishing history.”
The 2027 Blue Marlin World Cup will be held July 4, 2027. For more information please visit: www.bluemarlinworldcup.com.
Contact:
Tournament Director – Robert “Fly” Navarro at 561-310-9214 or at fly@bluemarlinworldcup.com