From the MGCBC archives - 1997

Mississippi Gulf Coast Billfish Classic - History 1997  http://mgcbc.com/History1997.php

60 Boats
The Classic kicked off its first tournament. All white marlin and sailfish were only to be tagged and released. The blue marlin's legal limit was set at 92 inches, five inches above federal guidelines. The purse was $300,000. Eight blue marlin were brought to the scales. David Pippin on the boat Miss Orleans weighed in a 917.4 lb. blue marlin that had to be disqualified by the tournament due to large prop slashes in the fish. Shannon Faulkner, an 18 year old fishing on his grandfather's boat Never Content took top honors and $130,000 with his 631.8 lb. blue marlin. There were 6 blue marlin and 2 white marlin tagged and released.

Blue Marlin
First - Never Content - Shannon Faulkner- 631.8 lbs
Second - Game Plan - Bobby Nicholson - 325.4 lbs
Third - Cat-N-Round - Michael Sullivan - 289.1 lbs

Tuna
First - Bud Man - Carmen Still - 185.9 lbs
Second - Never Rest - Jim Holmes - 166.9 lbs
Third - Leezer Time - Doug Newman - 164.0 lbs

Dolphin
First - Tempruss - Joe Ballow - 51.0 lbs
Second - Color Me Gone - Ted Taylor - 49.2 lbs
Third - Waste’n Away II - Raymond Heck - 44.3 lbs

Wahoo
First - Color Me Gone - Ted Taylor - 71.0 lbs
Second - Pamella Lynn - John Nicholas - 68.2 lbs
Third - Pamella Lynn - Mike Hixon - 60.1 lbs