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REMIX Sportfishing Secures Victory and $166,050 with 25 Releases
Against the picturesque backdrop of the Miami Beach Marina, the annual Yamaha Contender Miami Billfish Tournament of Champions (TOC) returned to Miami Beach February 5–7, 2026, officially kicking off Fish Hard Events’ 2026 tournament season. Hosted in collaboration with the Miami Beach Visitor and Convention Authority, the invite-only championship event once again welcomed elite fishing teams from across the nation for two days of fierce, competitive sportfishing and three days of VIP events.
After two days of intense competition, South Florida’s REMIX Sportfishing emerged as the overall tournament champion with an impressive 25 total releases, earning $166,050 in total winnings, and narrowly edging out second place finisher Carolina Reel Men, which recorded 24 releases. The victory secured REMIX Sportfishing the prestigious Championship Cup and coveted Tournament of Champions Garmin Marine watches.
Aboard a 44-foot Contender, captained and owned by JC Cleare with partner Kenny Hernandez, REMIX Sportfishing dominated the leaderboard, capturing first place overall and claiming top honors across the All-Star Calcutta, Daily Game Ball MVP, Top Angler, Charity Calcutta, and the all-new Winner Circle Calcutta.
Produced by Fish Hard Events, the team behind Pro Football Hall of Fame Coach Jimmy Johnson’s Championship Fishing Week tournaments, the Miami Billfish Tournament of Champions stands as one of the most exclusive events in competitive sportfishing. Participation is limited to teams that have earned a coveted Golden Ticket through prior Jimmy Johnson “Quest for the Ring” tournaments.
The high-stakes championship event pairs catch-and-release sportfishing with a weekend of VIP hospitality, showcasing Miami Beach’s culinary scene through dockside dining experiences from Joe’s Stone Crabs, Pizza Bar,
CJ’s Crab Shack, Lobster Shack, and a special Rusty Pelican pop-up featuring a signature steak night with Executive Chef Fiorela Cornejo.
Returning for 2026, the Miami HEAT Charitable Fund (MHCF) served as the tournament’s official beneficiary, reinforcing Fish Hard Events’ continued commitment to community impact. The event kicked off with a Charity Prefish Day featuring Miami HEAT legends and Associate Head Coach Chris Quinn, while additional charity focused Calcutta categories raised funds throughout the tournament in support of MHCF’s South Florida community programs as well as the Miami Billfish Foundation’s conservation initiatives. One Step Ahead Fishing from Fort Lauderdale took home top honors during the Charity Prefish Day with four billfish releases, helping raise significant funds to support South Florida communities – truly Fishing for a Cause.
TOURNAMENT RESULTS: Final standings were determined by total releases, with ties broken by time of call-in. The tournament awarded top three overall placements, Daily Game Ball MVP prizes, and multiple Charity Calcuttas, including the all-new Winner Circle Calcutta. Official results are available via CatchStat.
- 1st Place – REMIX Sportfishing (Miami & West Palm Beach, FL)
o 25 releases
o Captain/Owner: JC Cleare
o Partner: Kenny Hernandez
o Total Winnings: $166,050
o Additional honors: 1st Place – 1st Place – All-Star Calcutta, 1st Place – Daily Game Ball MVP, 1st Place – Top Angler, 1st Place – Charity Calcutta, 1st Place – ALL-NEW Winner Circle Calcutta • 2nd Place – Carolina Reel Men (Charlotte, NC)
o 24 releases
o Captain: Sean O’Donnell (Islamorada, FL)
o Owner: Steve McLaughlin (Charlotte, NC)
o Total Winnings: $78,450
o Additional honors: 2nd Place – All-Star Optional Calcutta, 2nd Place – Winner Circle Calcutta, and 1st Place – Day 2 Daily Game Ball MVP
- 3rd Place – Far From Free (Palm Beach County, FL)
o 20 releases
o Captain: Andrew Greenberg
o Owner: John Davie (Palm Beach County, FL)
o Total Winnings: $10,000
A special thank you to the tournament sponsors who once again helped elevate the Yamaha Contender Miami Billfish Tournament of Champions into a world-class event. This year’s tournament sponsors include Title Sponsors: Contender Boats, the official center console boat sponsor; Yamaha, the official outboard sponsor; Presenting Sponsor Papa’s Pilar, the official spirits partner; Hosting Sponsors: Miami Beach Visitor and Convention Authority, Miami Dade Tourism Development Council, Hilton Bentley Miami Beach, GED Lawyers, and Michelob Ultra; Corporate Partners: Garmin Marine, MYCO Trailers; Big Dog Tackle, Slicker Beaut, and Crook and Crook of Miami; Fisher’s Island Lemonade, Titos Vodka, and Engle Coolers, Official Tournament Artist and Apparel provider, D. Friel Connected by Water; Charitable Partners: Miami Heat Charitable Fund and Miami Billfish
Foundation. This year’s Radio Room was hosted by Network Innovations and CatchStat Live Scoring is hosted by Garmin Marine.
For a complete list of sponsors and final payouts, visit https://champions.catchstat.com.
With the Tournament of Champions complete, the Fish Hard Events team now turn its attention to the 15th Annual Jimmy Johnson’s “Quest for the Ring” Championship Fishing Week (JJFISHWEEK), returning March 3-7, 2026, and hosted at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida.
About FISH HARD EVENTS
Fish Hard Events annually hosts a series of fishing tournaments throughout the year with Coach Jimmy Johnson for Jimmy Johnson’s Championship Fishing Week (JJFISHWEEK) and the culmination is this project, the Yamaha Contender Miami Billfish Tournament of Champions (TOC), which takes place in Miami Beach as a celebration of the best of the best teams, the celebrities of the sportfishing, who come together to compete for a high stakes tournament weekend. Coach Jimmy Johnson’s Championship Fishing Week has (2) legs, (1) takes place annually in March across South Florida, where teams come from around the country to fish from Ocean Reef in Key Largo, Fl to Palm Beach and celebrate at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino throughout the week, with a $1Mill Guaranteed purse and up to $2Mill est payout annually, and (1) in July, which takes place in Atlantic City, NJ and attracts teams from across the east coast to join in Atlantic City to compete, which another est $2Mill plus up for grabs.
February’s Yamaha Contender Miami Billfish Tournament of Champions is the culmination of the hard work these teams put on annually and brings together the leading teams in sportfishing for a VIP Kick off to South Florida Sailfish season with a weekend of luxury entertainment from local partners and high stakes sportfishing with teams from across the country, hosting a purse of est. $300,000-$400,000 and three days of intense tournament fishing and hospitality events taking place at Miami Beach Marina. Teams that generate a certain amount of dollars throughout the competitive season throughout a variety of different tournaments in the country are invited to join. More information can be found at www.fishhardevents.com or www.jjfishweek.com or on social media @FishHardEvents @jjfishweek or @jjfishweekac.
