State of Sportfishing - Billfish Group

Latest Episodes:

EP 146: Come fish with us in Venice! Aug 04, 2026

Show notes

Bob and Leo discuss Billfish's first in person event, an invitational trip down to Venice, LA to fish on 3 Freeman Boats in search of Yellowfin Tuna and Blue Marlin!

EP 145: PE ruining Boat Brands? 550lbs Bluefin and Annual Venice Trip! Jul 28, 2026

Show notes

Is Private Equity ruining boat brands? Bob is back from his Cape Cod trip and updates us on how it went, we discuss Private Equity buying Center Console brands, The Sargassum problem and more!

EP 144: Dewey Weaver - 64' Bayliss 'Is That So' Jul 21, 2026

Show notes

The boys are joined by Dewey Weaver of the 64' Bayliss 'Is That So'. They talk about how Dewey got started up in NC, Shipping nightmares, Mexico and more!

EP 143: Mike Able of Haddrell's Point Tackle Jul 14, 2026

Show notes

The boys are joined by Captain Mike Able of Hadrell's Point Tackle - no script, just a bunch of fishermen chatting it up!

Enjoy!

EP 142: FishCBC Recap Jul 07, 2026

Show notes

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 cooking fresh wahoo on deck to an aggressive post-tournament paintball showdown.

EP 141: Big Rock 2026 Recap and More Jun 30, 2026

Show notes

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.

EP 140: 75 Scarborough ‘Skin Deep’ Jun 23, 2026

Show notes

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://www.youtube.com/c/BillfishTV
Check out our gear at:
https://billfishgear.com/
To our socials, Instagram links:
- Follow Leo at @billfishgroup
https://www.instagram.com/billfishgroup?igsh=dDd3YjFjanY2Yzls
- ⁠Follow Mark on @gmyachtservices
https://www.instagram.com/gmyachtservices?igsh=bWc4Mm1vbzZ0ZXpw
- ⁠Follow Bob on @trollnaked
https://www.instagram.com/trollnaked?igsh=MXE1M2wzeWgxNmJsaA==
- ⁠Follow Chase on roa_sportfishing
https://www.instagram.com/roa_sportfishing?igsh=MXB5bGp5MTE0MGt3Mw==
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/billfishgroup/
TikTok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@billfishgroup

EP 139: 46 Sparks, Dream Center Console Build Jun 16, 2026

Show notes

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 on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/5fI9XxC4gJDbeJzpWDK5eI

EP 138 Barker Boatworks, 40' Cat and More! Jun 09, 2026

Show notes

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 YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/c/BillfishTV
Check out our gear at:
https://billfishgear.com/
To our socials, Instagram links:
- Follow Leo at @billfishgroup
https://www.instagram.com/billfishgroup?igsh=dDd3YjFjanY2Yzls
- ⁠Follow Mark on @gmyachtservices
https://www.instagram.com/gmyachtservices?igsh=bWc4Mm1vbzZ0ZXpw
- ⁠Follow Bob on @trollnaked
https://www.instagram.com/trollnaked?igsh=MXE1M2wzeWgxNmJsaA==
- ⁠Follow Chase on roa_sportfishing
https://www.instagram.com/roa_sportfishing?igsh=MXB5bGp5MTE0MGt3Mw==
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/billfishgroup/
TikTok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@billfishgroup

EP 137: Building 56 Freeman Hull #2 Jun 02, 2026

Show notes

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.spotify.com/show/5fI9XxC4gJDbeJzpWDK5eI
Watch full episode to our YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/c/BillfishTV
Check out our gear at:
https://billfishgear.com/
To our socials, Instagram links:
- Follow Leo at @billfishgroup
https://www.instagram.com/billfishgroup?igsh=dDd3YjFjanY2Yzls
- ⁠Follow Mark on @gmyachtservices
https://www.instagram.com/gmyachtservices?igsh=bWc4Mm1vbzZ0ZXpw
- ⁠Follow Bob on @trollnaked
https://www.instagram.com/trollnaked?igsh=MXE1M2wzeWgxNmJsaA==
- ⁠Follow Chase on roa_sportfishing
https://www.instagram.com/roa_sportfishing?igsh=MXB5bGp5MTE0MGt3Mw==
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/billfishgroup/
TikTok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@billfishgroup

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