Boating & Fishing Insiders

The Silver Sailfish Derby dates to the 1930s. Credit: West Palm Beach Fishing Club

Last year, anglers competing in the 75th annual West Palm Beach Fishing Club Silver Sailfish Derby set a world record by releasing 1,174 sailfish in three days of fishing. It will be remembered as the greatest three days of sailfishing recorded in U.S. history, unless the 76th derby shatters its owns records.

The 76th annual Silver Sailfish Derby is set for Jan. 9-12, 2013, and conditions so far this winter point to another banner year. 

Sailfish action peaks in southeast Florida when cool weather and north winds drive the fish down the Gulf Stream current. We've had an early winter, with mostly cool days and winds out of the northeast to the northwest. The bite has been good, especially in waters off Stuart and Fort Pierce. The pros have been catching quite a few fish off Palm Beach and Jupiter as well. Another cold front or two will bring the fish down in force.

One of the most amazing things about this Derby is that the West Palm Beach Fishing Club has kept near-perfect records of the number of boats that participate and the number of fish that have been caught across more than seven decades. This information, along with other data on the population, strongly suggests that conservation efforts have succeeded in restoring a world-class fishery while in most other places in the world the species, and their close relatives in the Pacific, seem to be in decline.

Most of that success story involves anglers adopting a strong catch-and-release ethic, which includes the use of circle hooks. They almost always stick in the corner of a sailfish's mouth, without damaging the gills or internal organs.

Eagle Claw Fishing's L2004EL zero degree offset circle hook remains the ‘Official Circle Hook’ of the Silver Sailfish Derby. So many fish were caught and released on this hook during last year’s Silver Sailfish Derby that there is little doubt about this particular hook's effectiveness.

The Derby is a proud tradition, rooted in sportsmanship, conservation and fun. Come join it. Register online early and receive a discount.