In 1954, the Puerto Rico Tourism Company commissioned Agustín Echevarría to organize a fishing tournament with Club Náutico de San Juan to promote Puerto Rico’s recently discovered fishing grounds. Thus began the longest consecutively held big game fishing tournament in the world – the International Billfish Tournament of Club Náutico de San Juan. That first edition chaired by Chilo Bird  invited anglers from the New York Anglers Club an the Miami Rod & Reel Club. During these first years, the Tourism Company invited accomplished anglers such  as Bob Lichfield and Roy Bosche to come to Puerto Rico and share their knowledge with the new fishing enthusiasts. This was the time of such outstanding club members as Miguelito Ferrer, Jr., Ralph Christiansen, Luis Torregrosa, Carlos Gual and Juan Casellas, among others.

 

For the past 64 years sports fishing developed beyond expectations and has lured anglers from all over the world to our famous Blue Marlin Alley off the coast of San Juan. Through the years the Club and the Tournament have hosted anglers from Australia, South Africa, Spain, Scotland, Papua New Guinea, Ivory Coast, Guatemala, Ecuador, Mexico, Panamá, among many others