Five hundred sixty anglers aboard 80 registered vessels headed offshore on the weekend of May 6 and 7 in search of mahi, tuna, wahoo and tripletail for the 2023 return of the Tom Thumb Marathon Offshore Bull & Cow Tournament. Tipping the scales with a combined bull and cow weight of 48 pounds, the crew of “The Natural” claimed top honors in this year’s flagship category while also securing podium finishes in the Largest Bull Dolphin and Highest 3-Dolphin Combined Weight categories. Congratulations to all the tournament winners, many of whom arrived at weigh-in with fish upwards of 30 pounds.
“We had such a great turnout that we can’t wait till next year,” said tournament organizer Jack Carlson. “We’re going to have an $18,000 guaranteed first-place prize to start.”
The crew of ‘The Natural’ earns first place in the Highest Bull & Cow Combined Weight category. 
The crew of Two Conchs 34 eagerly watches the scale as they weigh their prized 27.5-pound cow. 
Five-year-old Owen Mummau heads in to weigh his fish. Owen lives in Pennsylvania and has been fishing the Keys for three years.
Highest Bull & Cow Dolphin Combined Weight
- The Natural – 48 pounds – RJ Lewis, Devon Hanna, Karel Lewis, Paul Byrd, Natalie Valdez and Reece Lewis from Little Torch Key
- Silent Hunter – 45.5 pounds – Bill Blum, Bryce Battle, Charles Meyers, Ely Hernandez and Tripp Textoris from Marathon
- Two Conchs – 39 pounds – Capt. Jordan Leake and mate Jayden Bruland with anglers Kyle Syberg, Eric Appelgren, Tim Burgess and Bruce Hoy from Sunset Hills, Montana.
Largest Bull Dolphin
- Two Conchs – 35.5 pounds
- The Natural – 32.5 pounds
- Heavy Guns – 25.5 pounds – TJ Zinkand, Juan Roman, Scott Battle, Brandon Mitchell, Leah and Cole from Key Largo
Largest Cow Dolphin
- Two Conchs 34 – 27.5 pounds – Capt. JC Carlson, Capt. Tucker Carlson, Michael Ruiz, Clay Daniels and Jarrod Wiley from Marathon
- Silent Hunter – 20 pounds
- Executive Decision – 18.5 pounds – Capt. Chris Ware, John Paglia, Jill Paglia, Josh Ardis and Mike Kasten from Duck Key
Highest 3-Dolphin Combined Weight
- The Natural – 57.5 pounds
- Silent Hunter – 56.5 pounds
- Two Conchs 34 – 55 pounds
Largest Wahoo
- Fishizzle – 13.5 pounds – Adam Riccioni, Will Baten, Jordan Wood, Chris Harpster and Easton Miller from Big Pine Key
- The Skinny – 10 pounds – Bjorn and Kristina Gunnlaugsson, Laurence and Dianna Stewart, and Rich and Shawn Magner from Pompano Beach
- Luvhers – 7 pounds – Ariana Bernhardt, Dave Wilbur, Amy Townsend and Kevin and Alex Bachner from Marathon
Largest Blackfin Tuna
- The 4th Line – 25.5 pounds – Andy and John Cacciatore, John Campbell, and Chris and Andrew Cacciatore from Springfield, Kentucky
- Tailwalker – 25.5 pounds – Capt. Brandon Simmons, Capt. Aaron Sutcliff, and Tom and Caroline McCarthy from Miami
- Two Conchs 34 – 23.5 pounds
Largest Tripletail
- Honey Maker – 7.5 pounds – Barry Heart, Jeremy, Vanessa Kopelakis and Albert Miranda from Georgia
Top Junior Angler
Corbin Buckley, Dream Weaver
Top Female Angler
Marilyn Deno, Half Time
Most Unusual
Sweet Boys, Brantley and Brennan Brodie with a triggerfish
