World Class Sport Fishing visits the world's most productive international sport-fishing destinations and introduces our viewers to the industry's foremost experts in saltwater fishing.  International Captains Peter B. Wright, Bark Garnsey, Robert "Fly" Navarro, Joseph "Tony" Gillham are featured with professional world record anglers Gary Carter, Enrico Capozzi and Stacey Georgia Parkerson to fish for the biggest saltwater species in all corners of the world.


Show Descriptions:

Episode #53 - Outdoor Channel Offshore Classic Tournament - Islamorada, FL - Peter Wright and Tony Gillham join Iraq veterans from Walter Reed Hospital catching their first Sailfish. Air Date: January 1, 2009
 
Episode #54 - Guatemala Sailfish with Capt Eddie Bairez - Peter Wright and Tony Gillham visit the famous Pacific Fins Resort for wild Sailfish action. Air Date: January 8, 2009 

Episode #55 - Fishing with legendary Capt Ron Hamlin, who has released more Sailfish than anyone else in the world.  Peter Wright and Tony Gillham visit the Guatemala Sailfish Capital. Air Date: January 15, 2009

Episode #56 - Costa Rica Marlin fly fishing on 16 lb tippet for Blue Marlin, with Professional Anglers Stacey Parkerson and Enrico Capozzi. Air Date: January 22, 2009  

Episode #57 - Marlin Masters Tournament fishing in Dominican Republic with Peter Wright and special guests. Air Date: January 29, 2009 

Episode #58 - Oversized Sturgeon Fishing in northern Oregon with Peter Wright and Tony Gillham with expert guides Todd and Julie Benton. Air Date: February 5, 2009 

Episode #59 - St Maarten Caribbean Blue Marlin. - Peter Wright is challenged in one of the most prestigious Master Angler events in the Caribbean. Air Date: February 12, 2009 
 
Episode #60 - St Maarten Caribbean Blue Marlin fishing at The Fishing Event Marlin tournament. - International Anglers participate in one of the most prestigious events in the Caribbean. Witness some amazing blue marlin action. Air Date: February 19, 2009 

Episode #61 - Flamingo Costa Rica - Enrico Capozzi and Stacey Georgia Parkerson go after some fly fishing blue marlin records.  Air Date: February 26, 2009

Episode #62 - Offshore Sailfish and Pacific blue Marlin fishing at world famous Tropic Star Lodge with Captain Bark Garnsey and ultra light tackle professional Gary Carter. Air Date: March 5, 2009 

Episode #63 - Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament - International Anglers participate in one of the most prestigious events in the Pacific. Giant Blue Marlin action! Air Date: March 12, 2009

Episode #64 - Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament - Part Two. International Anglers participate in one of the most prestigious events in the Pacific.  Giant Blue Marlin action! Air Date: March 19, 2009

Episode #65 - Best of World Class Sport Fishing. Air Date: March 26, 2009


Host bios:

Capt. Peter B. Wright -

Peter Wright grew up in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and began working on charter sport fishing boats out of Hillsboro Inlet while still in grade school. He studied Oceanography in graduate school at the University of Miami Rosensteil School and published a paper on marine ecology research. After completing college he traveled throughout the South Pacific in his early twenty’s gaining knowledge of the largest billfish in the sea and headed to the home of the giant black marlin, the Great Barrier Reef in 1968.

Wright has fished every season in Cairns, Australia since 1968, and currently resides in Stuart, Florida. Among the waters Peter has fished are Australia, New Zealand, New Guinea, Indonesia, Thailand, Mauritius, Kenya, Mozambique, South Africa, The Ivory Coast, Bom Bom Island, Cape Verde Islands, Canary Islands, Madeira, Puerto Rico , Dominican Republic and the Virgin Islands, Bahamas, US Gulf and East Coast, Canada’s Maritime Provinces, East and West Coasts of Mexico, Guatemala, Venezuela, Costa Rica, Panama, Ecuador, Chile, Peru, French Polynesia, Fiji, Hawaii, Alaska and the Galapagos.

As a captain Wright has caught more marlin over 1,000 pounds than any captain or angler in history and has won dozens of tournaments and guided his clients to numerous records. These include the Australian men's record 1442 pound Black Marlin on 130 pound line, women's 80 pound class World and Australian record of 1323 pounds.

As a contributing editor Wright wrote the Sport fishing column for Motor Boating and Sailing along with many feature articles and boat reports for over 13 years. He was consultant editor for Blue Water Magazine. He gives seminars and consults in the marine and electronics industries and for major fishing tackle companies and was on the Pro Staff for Bass Pro Shops and Offshore Angler. He is currently “Editor at Large” for by Bonnier Corporation to write a big game fishing column for "Marlin" Magazine and will also write feature articles for the magazine as well as hosting television shows and conducting seminars and "Marlin University" programs.

Peter Wright is an International Game Fish Association Representative and guides anglers, captains and scientists to all corners of the fishing world. Peter Wright was inducted to the IGFA Hall of Fame in October 2007; Peter's reputation speaks for itself.

Enrico Capozzi and Stacey Georgia Parkerson -

Enrico Capozzi and Stacey Georgia Parkerson who between the two of them have set 78 IGFA world records as a team of which 34 World Record catches are still current with the International Game Fish Association. 46 year old Enrico Capozzi was born and raised in Italy, and has been an avid fisherman since he was a child. Enrico is highly respected in the fishing community, having just received a Light Tackle Award from the International Game Fish Association. Enrico is the only man in the world to have caught a world record billfish on 2 lb tippet. 28 year old Stacey Georgia Parkerson is an accomplished light  ackle angler from Florida with World Records held in both light tackle conventional techniques and Fly fishing. She is the only women in the world to have caught a world record blue marlin on fly fishing tackle. Her stunning personality and intelligence is very well suited for the sport and she can hold her own on deck, in front of the camera, and behind the reel of any fishing gear.

Fishing Statistics for Enrico Capozzi –

• Enrico has caught 9,456 billfish (including 611 blue and black marlin)
• Enrico was awarded 27 times between all billfish categories angler of the year from the Billfish Foundation for the most billfish releases in the world.

Other achievements include:

• Largest fish of any kind ever landed in angling history on 2 lb conventional: Black marlin
• Largest fish of any kind ever landed in angling history on 2 lb fly : Pacific Sailfish
• Largest fish of any kind ever landed in angling history on 6 lb conventional: Black marlin
• First ever record blue marlin on fly over 20 to 1 : 8 lb tippet
• Second world record in angling history over 100 to 1 ( Black marlin on 6 lb - 146.2 to 1)
• Super Grand Slam of billfish world records on conventional tackle
• Grand slam of billfish world records on the fly
• First angler to catch over 100 blue marlin in a year 142 (1995)
• Successfully caught and released 16 billfish Grand Slams (including first in history on fly rod)
• Royal Slam (every single billfish species in the world, both oceans)
• Fishing Statistics for Stacey Georgia Parkerson
• Stacey has caught 1,456 billfish (including 98 blue and black marlin)
• Stacey was awarded three years in a row as Lady Angler of the year for the most billfish releases in the world. Stacey was awarded IGFA lady angler of the year for the most world records in 2004, and is an active member of the International Women’s Fishing Association

Other accomplishments:

• First woman to land world record blue marlin in angling history on fly 20 and 16 tippet
• First woman to land a billfish in angling history: sailfish on 2 and 4 lb tippet
• First anglers as a couple in angling history to have held every single line class world records in one category: Mullet snapper from 2 to 50 lb.test.

Robert “Fly” Navarro -

Robert Navaro started his fishing career in 1993 out of Florida and spent time fishing in the northeast primarily for giant tuna, out of Glouster Mass. and Long Island NY. Fly caught his first blue marlin in August of 1995 during the Mid Atlantic $500,000. The following year he made his first trip to the Yucatan peninsula and fished out of Cancun, Mexico, experiencing the incredible sailfish bite that has made that area famous.

Fly’s ability to speak both Spanish and English is a great asset in the fishing industry, and he made his first trip thru the Panama Canal to fish the legendary Zane Grey reef in Pinas Bay Panama. Over the next four years he bounced back and forth between the St Thomas summer blue marlin season and Venezuela to catch everything thing imaginable aboard the Toplesss with Capt Billy Borer. During his time on the Toplesss they were the first American boat to make it back to Venezuela after their tragic mudslides of December 1999. In November of 2000, Fly started fishing with Jim Lambert and Capt Eddie Herbert aboard the Reel Tight. He averaged over two hundred days a year fishing on the 80 foot Merritt and got the best on the job training one could ask for. Traveling from Florida, Bahamas, Mexico, Bermuda, St Thomas, Venezuela, Dominican Republic, Panama, and Costa Rica.

In April of 2008 Fly estimates that he assisted in catching close to 750 blue marlin on board the Reel Tight.

Some of Fly’s accomplishment include:

• 1st place 2001 La Guaria Venezuela Blue Marlin Shoot
• 3rd place 2001 USVI Atlantic Blue Marlin Open
• 1st place 2002 Bermuda Big game classic
• 2nd place 2003 Bermuda Big Game Classic
• 1st place 2004 Bermuda Big Game Classic
• 1st place 2004 Ft Lauderdale Billfish Tournament
• 1st place 2006 Bermuda Billfish Blast
• 1st place 2008 USVI Game Club July Open
• 2000 Mate on the Topless Aftco Atlantic Angler of the Year, Top Blue Marlin, and Top White Marlin
• 2001 World Billfish Series Top Mate
• February 12, 2001 - Record 120 Atlantic Sailfish caught off of Isla Mujeres Mexico.
• 2005 Mate on the Reel Tight Aftco Atlantic Captian of the year
• Fly is a founding member of InTheBite.com and writer for the “Fly Zone” from 1998 thru 2000, and the writer for “Dock Talk” in Marlin Magazine from 2006 thru 2009

Joseph “Tony” Gillham -

Joseph “Tony” Gillham was born in Phoenix Arizona and was introduced to the outdoors at a very young age. His first trip to deer camp was at the age of eight weeks and he has been hooked on the outdoors ever since. His late Grandfather and his father instilled in him a great respect for the outdoors and taught him the art of hunting and fishing, and with each passing year his love for the outdoors grows a little deeper.

When he was seven he went with his parents to live every outdoorsman’s dream and moved to Alaska to pursue a life based around hunting and fishing. At the age of ten he had already taken a bear and landed a 65 pound king salmon on his own, and was just beginning a career in guiding.

By the time he was thirteen he was running boats and guiding for king salmon on the Kenai Peninsula, operating a drift boat and following in his dad’s footsteps into the family business as a professional guide. At seventeen he earned his license from the Coast guard to guide in a power boat and since then has been a professional Halibut and King salmon guide with many Halibut over 200 lbs and kings over 60 lbs to his credit.

Tony entered the Marine Corps when he was 19 years old and served over five years with one tour in Iraq as a marine sniper and assistant team leader for a Reconnaissance team. He left the Marines as a sergeant in 2006 and returned to pursue his career as a guide by expanding his season and accepting a job offer from a friend to be a big game guide in northern Alaska, for moose, brown bear, and caribou and now spends even more of his year where he is most at home, among the rivers the wildlife and the great outdoors.

So weather it’s a fishing pole in his hand in some back country stream or a rifle and binoculars on top of a mountain as long as he is outside he feels blessed to have the opportunity to be there.

Gary Carter -

Gary Carter started fishing as a kid at his grandfather's farm pond, catching bream and bass with his dad. During his teen years he started fishing for trout in mountain streams of north Georgia and continued through college. He began fishing inshore salt water in Northern Florida in early 70's, and continued his annual trip to "northern" destinations in the late 70's thru the mid 80's, including Alaska, British Columbia, Northern Territories, Saskatchewan, Baffin Island. His targets were salmon, rainbow trout, grayling, pike, arctic grayling, lake trout and many other species.

In 1989, Gary moved to Amelia Island and bought a 26ft Hydra Sport, the first "Silver-Rod-O" and fished for the salt water species of king mackerel, shark, tarpon, and started moving more offshore. In 1991 he bought a 32' Blackfin and started serious offshore fishing with 80 mile runs to Gulfstream fishing for Dorado, tuna, and Wahoo. In the early 90’s Gary Carter began fishing in the Bahamas for billfish and bought a 35' Cabo Sport Fishing Boat and spent his 1st season in North Carolina, then to Bahamas and Turks & Caicos going after Atlantic blue marlin, white marlin, sailfish , Wahoo, tuna and dorado. In the late 90’s he teamed his 35 ‘ Cabo up with 57 Hatteras LRC, "Silverado" as a mother ship, and explored Turks & Caicos, San Salvador, and the Bahamas. He continued his travels to San Salvador, Isla Mujeres, Cuba, Dominican Republic, St Thomas and on to Venezuela via St Lucia and Granada.

Gary completed his 1st Royal Slam at Cocos Islands in the Pacific catching sailfish, blue marlin, black marlin, and striped marlin in Flamingo, Costa Rica. He then moved to Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala and in the calendar year of 2000, released 1017 billfish, and then sold the Hatteras while in Guatemala. Gary moved to Carrillo, Costa Rica in 2001, and has been based there for 8 years. In late Oct 2006 he took delivery of his new 45 G&S and fished for swordfish in Miami, and then took it thru the Panama Canal, and currently, splits time between Carrillo Costa Rica and Panama. In addition to the above destinations, Gary has fished in New Zealand, Australia, Tonga, Vanuatu, and the Canary Islands.

Gary’s Accomplishments:

• IGFA Outstanding Achievement Award - Royal Slam in less than 12.
• IGFA Outstanding Achievement Award - Releasing 1017 billfish in a calendar year.
• IGFA Royal Slams - Four Billfish and one Tuna Royal Slam.
• IGFA Light Tackle Grand Slam - sail on 8 lb, striped marlin on 8 lb, blue marlin on 6lb
• IGFA Grand Slams - Venezuela, Costa Rica, Panama.
• TBF Release Awards - Overall Release Angler in 2000 and 2001.
• IGFA World Records:
• Pacific Blue Marlin - pending- 252.8 # on 6# test...Aug 2008, Pinas Bay Panama
• Atlantic Blue Marlin - 357# on 6# test....Jun 2008, LaGomera, Canary Islands
• Southern Bluefin Tuna - 4# test ....May 2007, Australia
• Dolphinfish - 58.2# on 2# test....Jan 2007, Pinas Bay Panama
• Spearfish - 62# on 6# test.....Feb 2005, Kona
• Dogtooth Tuna - 2#,6#, and 8# test ....Aug 2002 and Nov 2004, Vanuatu
• Oceanic Whitetip Shark - All tackle - Jan 2001, San Salvador Bahamas
• Vanuatu National Records: Pacific Blue Marlin - 249# on 8 lb, Striped Marlin - 190# on 8 lb test
• Australia GFAA Records: Yellowfin Tuna - 6# test...Apr 2007, Wahoo - 4# test.

Captain Bark Garnsey -

Capt. Thomas Barkley Garnsey started fishing in Florida with his father at a very young age and his dad, Capt. Dan Garnsey was his first and greatest teacher, and took the family on many vacations to the Bahamas where Bark Garnsey caught his first blue marlin. Bark’s world changed when he was sent to Vietnam where he flew helicopters in the military. He was shot down five times while collecting a chest full of medals including two Bronze stars, two Distinguished Flying Crosses, a Silver Star, a Purple Heart, and a Vietnamese Cross for gallantry. He returned to the United States as one of the many wounded, and after his recovery, pursued his love for fishing.

Capt. Bark’s favorite fishing is for giant blue fin tuna, and he has developed an exceptional set of skills needed to get boats, tackle and crew to places not often visited by recreational anglers. Such places include Java, Indonesia, Roatan, Honduras, San Pedro, the Ivory Coast and the Cape Verde Islands. Garnsey’s resume of fishing spots is impressive and includes the east coast of Florida, the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Windward Islands, Venezuela, Mexico, Panama, Brazil, Thailand, New Guinea, the Canary Islands and Madeira.

Capt Bark has worked for International world Record Holder Stewart Campbell for many years and the two of them have rewritten the billfish world record book on major expeditions to tropical and European fishing grounds. The pair has been so successful that their many Atlantic blue marlin records are now considered the records to beat by some of the best anglers in the world. They currently hold the men’s 6 lb Atlantic Blue Marlin record at 336 lbs, the 8 lb Atlantic Blue Marlin Record at 562 lbs, the 16 lb Atlantic Blue Marlin record at 820 lbs, the 20 lb record at 714 lbs, and the 30 lb record at 872 lbs.

Capt Bark currently lives in New Mexico, and is regularily seen in the billfish laden waters of the east Atlantic with Stewart Campbell on the boat “Chunda”.

World Class Sport Fishing Production Crew

G350 Productions LLC -

Producer: Sue Vermillion brings her vast experience both as an international angler and event planner to the shows. As a young girl, Sue learned how to fish in northern Minnesota with her family and has been active in the sport her whole life. Sue is the only woman to ever win the prestigious World Cup Blue Marlin Championship, and has caught nearly every species of billfish worldwide. She is an active regional representative of the International Women Fishing Association, and has served as the tournament director for some of the most prestigious sport fishing events in the world, including the Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament, the first Tournament Director for the Rolex/IGFA Offshore Championship, and the world’s largest women’s billfish tournament. All of these events draw anglers from all over the globe to tackle marlin and other fish, not for cash, but for the love of the sport. Sue has worked with film crews from Discovery, ESPN, National Geographic, Versus, Outdoor Channel and many local and regional networks nationwide. Producing over 91 HD TV shows for National Broadcast, Sue has a proven track record in producing quality shows with the world’s most notable fishing personalities.

Director of Photography: Rick Westphal truly lives the mantra “Anywhere… Anyway… Anytime”! The above and the below water high definition camera work is that of Rick Westphal, who has been a mainstay in the hunting / fishing / adventure travel show arena for over 20 years, having worked on productions with Norm Isaacs “Inside Big Game Fishing”, Guy Harvey's “Portraits of the Deep”, Trevor Gowdy Productions, Video Adventure Productions, Sea Lion Productions and on many other successful long running productions for ESPN, OLN (VERSUS) and Outdoor Channel. Ricks cheerful disposition and energy is infectious on location and is a huge asset to his long list of filming credentials and experience.

Post Production Lead Editor: Jeff Nemetz is an accomplished broadcast television editor, writer and FX designer with 8 years’ professional experience ranging from offline and online editing of Reality / Documentary / Clip Shows to the creation of motion graphics and titling effects for clients including New Line Entertainment, Outdoor Channel, Tennis Channel, Automat Pictures & Sony Home Entertainment. Jeff has a B.S. in Television & Film: San Diego State University, Sigma Cum Laude and is proficient with Final Cut Pro 5 HD, After Effects, Photoshop, llustrator, MS Office. He is also familiar with Kona HD/SD, XSAN, Cinewave hardware for the Macintosh. Jeff is a stabilizing force in the Post Production crew and his professional approach to the largest of challenges or the smallest of projects is one of his best abilities.