Black Book Charters owner and Captain Colin Page took Big Ben to the top of the leaderboard at the inaugural El Jefe Invitational, March 18 through 21, 2026, in Marsh Harbour, Abaco. The team released six blue marlin and one white marlin over three days of fishing for 27 points and $123,800 in a field of 24 boats.
The win was a team effort defined by one angler. Ryann Benjamin, earned both Top Lady Angler and Master Angler honors after releasing six of the team's seven billfish across the tournament.
The Tournament
The El Jefe Invitational is the first leg of the Quest for the Crest Marlin Majors, a new all-release series from Fish Bluewater. The event was held at Abaco Beach Resort and Marina with an invitation-only field representing some of the most competitive marlin programs in the sport. Builds in the fleet included Viking, Spencer, Bayliss, Merritt, and F&S, among others.
The Abaco fishery delivered across all three fishing days. The tournament fleet released 44 blue marlin, 32 white marlin, and 17 sailfish, with two grand slams recorded during the event. For an inaugural tournament, the numbers reflect both the quality of the fishery and the caliber of the teams invited to compete.
The Result
Big Ben, an F&S Boatworks build, posted consistent numbers throughout the event. The team's seven billfish releases over three days held up against a field that included proven tournament programs from across the East Coast and beyond.
Tournament Results
Champion: Big Ben (F&S Boatworks)
Captain: Colin Page
Top Lady Angler: Ryann Benjamin
Master Angler: Ryann Benjamin
Releases: 6 blue marlin, 1 white marlin (27 points)
Payout: $123,800
Field: 24 boats
Fleet Stats
- 44 blue marlin released
- 32 white marlin released
- 17 sailfish released
- 2 grand slams
About the Quest for the Crest Marlin Majors
The El Jefe Invitational serves as Leg 1 of the Quest for the Crest Marlin Majors, a new three-leg all-release series by Fish Bluewater. The series builds on the legacy of the Quest for the Crest Sailfish Series and the burgundy jacket tradition, this time focused on blue marlin across premier Bahamas destinations. Future legs of the series will expand across the Abacos, with the first Marlin Majors Series Champions Blue Jackets set to be unveiled in 2027.
For more information on the series, visit marlinmajors.com.
View the full Black Book Charters tournament calendar or read more from the 2026 season in our fishing reports.
