One of San Carlos’ many popular fishing tournaments, the 30th Annual Ladies International Fishing Tournament takes place on May 24-26, 2024 (Memorial weekend).
The Entry Fee is $125 USD per angler. Register online here. Dinner tickets cost $35 USD.
Basic Rules: Mexican law requires a fishing licenses. Billfish are catch and release only. Read all the rules here.
There will be a “No Host” Cocktail Party at 5:00 PM on Friday, May 24 at San Carlos Yacht Club for Registration.
The Fishing Tournament will begin at 7:00am and will end at 3:00pm each day.
The Awards will be presented on Sunday, May 26 at 6:00pm at the Awards Banquet at the San Carlos Yacht Club. You are encouraged to bring your partner and captain. However, extra
tickets for Guests are limited to availability.
For more information, contact Kathy Rodgers at 622-120-7869 or write info@sancarlosfishingtournaments.com.
Ladies International Fishing Tournament Results: 2024 to 2010
2024 LIFT
17 boats competed in the 2024 Ladies International Fishing Tournament (LIFT).
Here are the results:
1st place: Ragin Cajun (pictured left)
2nd place: Marlin Monroe
3rd place: Baby Girl
2023 LIFT
A great time was had by all at the Ladies International Fishing Tournament (L.I.F.T.) over the weekend!
“The Buffalo” got first place with the efforts of anglers Melissa Rende Hicks who caught and released a big Marlin, Cathy Sainsbury who reeled in a beautiful sailfish and caught a weighable dorado, and Noreen Sauser wrangled in two 33+ lb dorados that took 2nd and 3rd place biggest fish caught.
Susan Hanes Sarnoski had the biggest dorado at 35 lbs and Linda Cooper and Debbie Forrester on Encantada brought in two 32 lb ones.
Holly Moran was the top angler with a billfish and 3 dorado on Baby Girl.
The great news is that the fish are back!
It takes a village to put on an event like this and Kathy Rodgers did an outstanding job of organizing her team of volunteers who give selflessly of their time and donations. Thank you to everyone! Click here for a Video.
Results:
1st Place Boat: The Buffalo
2nd Place Boat: Rebel
3rd Place Boat: Baby Girl
1st Place Angler: Holly Moran
2nd Place Angler: Susan Sarnoski
3rd Place Angler: Heather
2022 LIFT
57 anglers on 20 boats competed in this year’s LIFT. Here are the final results.
1st Place Boat- Relax
2nd Place Boat-The Mentor
3rd Place Boat- Telamon
Largest Dorado:
1st Place: Tawni King fishing on The Mentor with a 42 pound Dorado
2nd Place: Lucia Apodaca fishing on Mist & Smoke
3rd Place: Tami Goldring fishing on Telamon
2019 LIFT
Judy Earl on Kryptonite won 1st place for first Marlin caught
Pam Donnemeyer won 2nd place for 2nd Marlin caught
Cathi Sainsbury won 1st place Jackpot Fun Fish
2018 LIFT
Unfortunately, the official LIFT tournament scheduled over the May 26-27 weekend was cancelled. But that didn’t stop our ladies from fishing last Wednesday in an impromptu tournament in calmer waters, by Jeanella Malvzzi Mathis
2017 Ladies International Fishing Tournament Results
May 26 – 28, 2017: The Ladies International Fishing Tournament was Memorial Weekend with 18 boats and 35 anglers. There were 5 billfish released. Vi West with Captain Mike on Catch-a-Lotta took first with the first release. A 7.4 pound dorado was the largest weighed.
2016 LIFT Final Results
18 boats with 35 anglers caught 25 billfish (marlin & sailfish). The winners were:
1. Judy Earl with 1200 points (pictured right)
2. Morgan King with 750 points
3. Carolina Kreshner with 750 points
4. Eleanor North with 750 points
5. Jamie Schwarz with 600 points
The Kryptonite, owned by Wade Earl, was the boat with the most points in the tournament.
2015 LIFT Results
Reel Mistress either used their good network of connections again or went off some good intuition to get their lady angler 10 sails and a marlin on lures on Sunday in the LIFT (LIFT winner, Tamra Williamson from Reel Mistress pictured). This is by far a record for the tournament, even for both days. A few boats had two releases on Day One. I am sure they were biting nails hearing Reel Mistress calling in fish after fish on Sunday.
There are whales and dolphin all over. Enjoy the ‘cool’ air while it lasts, and take a dip in the clear blue 80 degree water after that big battle!
2013 LIFT Results
Things are heating up in San Carlos, but we are keeping our cool. It was a beautiful day on the water today without the crowds. I was able to fish my way again, with bait, and it was ON! Six sails, a marlin, and a dorado were caught for dinner. Just a few of us were on the boat, so we had our fun when a pack of over six sailfish was attacking all of our eight lines. We had others on that got off, but we still caught plenty. The fish were jumping all over and only a few miles out. All we needed was something to eat in the end, and before I had to bring out the deep divers for Sierra, we got a nice dorado. That will hopefully replenish them from all the billfish battles. There’s nothing like catching your first billfish, and then three more.
There is beautiful blue water pushing in almost to shore out there. The temperatures are between 77 – 81 degrees. There are lots of dolphin, and we spotted some whales at times, and turtles, mantas, and a variety of sharks – some 10 – 11 feet. The small dorado are almost a nuisance at times. The big ones still sound a ways off, but they will come. There are lots of marlin in close, and today it sounded like the billfish were showing on the Reef too. Outside the reef and farther out, and especially around large weed patches, there were good numbers of dorado.
Some dorado weighing up to 23 pounds were caught in the Ladies International Fishing Tournament Memorial Day weekend. I believe around eight fish made the 15 pound ‘weighable’ status. I’m sure that several hundred small ones were caught, with most of them released. I sure enjoy tasting that great mahi mahi again though! There were no wahoo, but a couple of super small ‘football’ tuna were caught. Fifty-seven anglers fished from 27 boats for the two-day tournament. Vi Traynor on Costa Lotta with Captain Mike took First Place with three sailfish releases and a weighable dorado. Close behind was Susan Frost on Border Bandit with a marlin and two sails, and Third Place went to Dana Cryer on Reel Loco with two sail releases. The fish were biting, but often not sticking, as Team Kryptonite must have gone 0 for 24 on Sunday. We had a long tournament too on Telamon until our lady angler Tammi Goldring got her first marlin before the end of the last day. They sure can put up a fight. It was great to get out with the ladies for this lure’s only tournament, but bait fishing with circle hooks is the way to go. There are healthy releases on light tackle.
2010 LIFT fishing tournament Results
Largest Fish
Dorado:
1.- Debbie Martin … 32.6
2.- Danni Earl … 19.2
3.- NONE
Tuna:
1.- Linda Swanson … 69.6
2.- Susan Pyros …31.2
Wahoo:
NONE
Boat – most points:
1.- Kryptonite … 419.2
2.- Alaska Bill … 400.0
3.- Captain Hook … 300.0
Anglers – most points:
1.- Jackie Carpenter … Two C’s … 500 points.
2.- Danni Earl … Kryptonite … 419.2 points.
3.- Vi West … Costa Lotta … 400 points.
4.- Pat Walsh … Alaska Bill … 400 points.
5.- Linda Pringle … Flying Low … 400 points.
