St Lucia Billfish Tournament September 22-26: Sportfishing Week at Rodney Bay Marina
St Lucia Billfish Tournament week runs September 22 through 26, 2026, at IGY Rodney Bay Marina, a catch-and-release sportfishing event run by the St Lucia Game Fishing Association, with public weigh-ins and an evening prize ceremony open to spectators.
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Sportfishing fans and curious onlookers alike have a reason to head to Rodney Bay Marina this month, even without a boat of their own.
Key Facts
- What. The St Lucia International Billfish Tournament, a catch-and-release sportfishing competition run by the St Lucia Game Fishing Association.
- When. September 22 through 26, 2026, with registration and a skippers’ briefing on the 22nd, fishing days on the 23rd, 24th and 26th, and a lay day on the 25th.
- Where. IGY Rodney Bay Marina, Gros Islet, St Lucia.
- Who can attend. Fishing itself is limited to registered teams, but the marina atmosphere, weigh-ins and prize ceremony are open to the public.
- Format. Catch-and-release, with a scheduled lay day breaking up the three fishing days.
St Lucia Billfish Tournament: A Week of Catch-and-Release Fishing
The St Lucia International Billfish Tournament, organized by the St Lucia Game Fishing Association, runs its full week from September 22 to 26, 2026, at IGY Rodney Bay Marina in Gros Islet.
The tournament follows a catch-and-release format, a conservation-minded approach increasingly standard in Caribbean sportfishing competitions of this kind.
How the Week Is Structured
Registration and a skippers’ briefing take place on September 22, followed by fishing days on the 23rd, 24th and 26th, with September 25 set aside as a lay day between the second and third fishing days.
That structure gives participating teams a rest day mid-tournament, while spectators get an extra evening at the marina without competition activity to watch.
What the Public Can Actually See
While the fishing itself is restricted to registered teams out on the water, the marina atmosphere, daily weigh-ins and the closing evening prize ceremony are all open to the public.
Visitors without a boat can still experience much of the tournament’s energy by showing up for the weigh-ins, when teams bring their catches back to the marina to be recorded.
Rodney Bay Marina as a Destination
IGY Rodney Bay Marina is one of St Lucia’s best-known marina complexes, with restaurants and shops that make it a reasonable destination even for visitors more interested in the atmosphere than the competition itself.
The marina’s location in Gros Islet places it within easy reach of several of St Lucia’s north-coast hotels and resorts.
Why Expats Might Want to Attend
For expats and long-term visitors curious about St Lucia’s sportfishing scene, tournament week offers a low-effort way to see the sport up close without joining a team or chartering a boat.
The evening prize ceremony in particular tends to draw a social crowd beyond just the participating anglers, making it a reasonable option for an evening out.
Planning Around the Tournament
Anyone visiting Rodney Bay Marina during tournament week should expect heavier than usual boat traffic and marina activity, particularly around the daily weigh-in times.
Checking the St Lucia Game Fishing Association’s own channels closer to the date is the best way to confirm exact weigh-in times, since these can shift slightly based on how the fishing days unfold.
A Tournament With Two Scoring Systems at Once
The billfish categories are release-only and scored on points. Crews earn points for releasing blue marlin, white marlin and sailfish, and must hand tournament officials time-stamped video of each release.
The eating species run on the old system. Tuna, wahoo and dorado are weighed on the dockside scales, and the heaviest fish wins.
That combination is the point of the event. A conservation competition and a traditional weigh-in run side by side over the same days.
There is also a standing prize: a Jeep for anyone who beats the tournament record of 707 pounds, a blue marlin landed by Jean-François Fredonic of Martinique in 1996 and unbeaten for thirty years.
Who Comes, and Where to Watch From
The tournament was established in 1991 and is run by the Saint Lucia Game Fishing Association with the IGY marina. Republic Bank is the title sponsor for a fourth year.
Boats come from Britain, the United States, Antigua, Martinique, Barbados, Grenada and Trinidad and Tobago. Published figures disagree, giving somewhere between 21 and 28 boats and roughly 120 to 130 anglers.
There is no gate and no spectator ticket. Rodney Bay Marina becomes the social centre of the week, and the boardwalk, its bars and restaurants are the free vantage point.
The best time to be there is late afternoon, when the boats come back in and the weigh-ins happen. Evening entertainment runs on fishing days.
Rodney Bay is about 15 kilometres north of Castries. Saint Lucia uses the East Caribbean dollar, pegged at 2.70 to the US dollar.
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Frequently Asked Questions
When is the St Lucia Billfish Tournament?
September 22 through 26, 2026, with fishing days on the 23rd, 24th and 26th and a lay day on the 25th.
Can the public watch the St Lucia Billfish Tournament?
The fishing itself is limited to registered teams, but the marina atmosphere, daily weigh-ins and the closing prize ceremony are open to spectators.
Where is the tournament held?
IGY Rodney Bay Marina in Gros Islet, St Lucia.
What format does the tournament use?
Catch-and-release, run by the St Lucia Game Fishing Association.
Connected Coverage
Living in St Lucia? See our expat guides to island life, events and getting around Rodney Bay.
Sources: Caribbean Events (September 5, 2026), St Lucia Game Fishing Association.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief