Anglers in the recent Bermuda Blast tournament enjoyed plenty of action with some 47 blue marlin and 18 white marlin caught and released.As the first leg of the Bermuda Triple Crown Billfish Championship series, the Blast began on the July 4. The event is designed to support the teams also fishing in the Blue Marlin World Cup Championship tournament.Teams were allowed to weigh fish on July 4, but were required to release all billfish on the second and third days of fishing.Three blue marlin were put on the scales as many firsts were accomplished in the tournament.Widely regarded as the most exciting fishing day every year in Bermuda, the event can offer a half-million-dollar payday.The fist hook-up came at 8.32 on Sea Toy when Nancy Kohl from Pennsylvania landed a 547-pounder.Sea Toy then headed back offshore and released two more blue marlin to win the Daily Release Jackpot.The same boat continued to see success in the tournament, releasing a blue on the second day and two more on the final day for a total of 3,047 points from five blue marlins.Captain Bull Tolson, mate D.J. Dejarnette and anglers Kohl, Mike Nelson, Monica Freese and Ryan Freese took the first place team award and Day One Billfish Release Jackpots for total tournament winnings of $67,500.They also received an invitation to the Offshore World Championship and Billfish Blast marlin pendants from Vanmark Jewelry. Kohl earned 2,047 points, wining both High Point Angler and Top Lady Angler honours — a first for the tournament.Team Blank Check, fishing from a brand new 77-foot Jarrett Bay out of Florida with Capt. Danny Hern, saw Kevin Gaylord hook a blue that weighed in at 668 pounds, ultimately winning the Billfish Blast Daily Marlin Jackpots — worth $81,000 — and the Blue Marlin World Cup Championship, for a total of almost $450,000 in prize money.Bermuda now boasts the most World Cup Championship wins with eight since the inaugural event in 1985.Team Impulse, with Capt. John Cochrane and team-mates John Echols, James Flores, Dave Cochrane, David Soares, Ann Marie Cochrane and James Nantz, took the second place team award, catching four blue marlin which earned them 2,000 points for $21,600 in earnings.Three of the blues were caught on the second day of fishing and the haul just missed the Daily Release Jackpot by seconds.Team Challenger with Capt. Alan Card and son Ian Card of Bermuda took a charter from well-known tournament competitor Elaine Jones from Mississippi, one of the most recognised names in the sport.On the second day of competition, Challenger caught three blues. The team won the Day Two Release Jackpot, earning 1,500 points — enough to place third in the tournament and claim a total of $40,500.The final day of fishing, owners of El Cazador from Texas and their team, fishing on their 65-foot Viking, hooked three blues — the first time this had been achieved in the Blast,All were all quality fish, estimated at 300, 400 and well over 600-pounds.A notable catch also occurred on Team Overproof with Bermuda Capt. Peter Rans and angler Nick Brown, from England, boating and weighing a 641-pound blue after more than three hours in the chair. The fish wasn’t large enough to win, but it gave a big scare to Team Blank Check and represented the third largest fish caught in the 2013 Blue Marlin World Cup.