HISTORY
The International Roosterfish Tournament has always been an invitational tournament, now into its 55th year. The tournament was founded in 1967.

It began with a small group of anglers that knew each other from either business or the LA Billfish Club. In Baja California, Mexico,1966, the VanWormer family was building their new hotel on the Sea of Cortez - “Hotel Punta Colorado.” The area became known as the "Roosterfish Capitol of the world" and the hotel became the site of the first  Roosterfish Tournament in the world. 

The first 2 tournaments had 8 anglers but it grew larger each year. From the initial founders there have been a progression of anglers and families that come to fish; husband, wives and eventually the children and friends of those founding anglers.

As the tournament expanded and progressed the all-male tournament eventually became co-ed.

Through the years there have been several changes in the rules. There have been barbless hooks, days of dead boat fishing, using 2-3 strengths of line for different points structures and the addition of a "stick" to measure larger fish for extra points (without harming the fish). Other species were also included in the point system. These were the formative years from 1966 through the 1980’s.

The tournament finally settled into a set of rules conforming to IGFA standards, settling on 12# tournament test line and  exclusively fishing for Roosterfish, no other species were caught for points.

The Roosterfish Tournament has always been an invitational and exclusive, in that one must know someone in the tournament and be recommended to be invited. There exists a waiting list to participate. The tournament remains moderate in size due to hotel and fishing fleet restrictions.

For a full history of the Roosterfish Tournament and all the social interaction at past tournaments through the years, read “Hooked On Roosters” by Constance A. Stockman. Connie was not only the author but she and her husband (one of the founders) were anglers in the Roosterfish Tournament

​www.roosterfishtournament.com

(Est. 1966)

INTERNATIONAL ROOSTERFISH TOURNAMENT (IRT)

www.roosterfishtournament.com

The International Roosterfish Tournament follows IGFA tournament rules. The IRT tournament rules state that all anglers will use only IRT committee furnished "12# tournament test" line and Circle hooks.  There is a 30 minute catch and release policy that protect the fish. The scoring system is also based on time. We fish 3 to a boat. Teams and  boat assignments are a random draw.

For more detailed rules and regulations, contact the board of the IRT.

(see "Contact Us")

Anglers need to furnish:

2 light weight rods - (6lb -30lb)

2 light weight reels

Terminal tackle & lures (if desired)

Line (12# tournament) and bait furnished by IRT tournament committee.

 WINNERS OF THE IRT
1967 No winner due to weather
1968 Frank Hedge
1969 Fred Stockton
1970 Fred Stockton
1971 Ray Flanigan
1972 Vern Brown
1973 Bob Manos
1974 Bob Manos
1975 Fred Stockton
1976 Bob Roulette
1977 Fred Stockton
1978 Charlie Klen
1979 Dick Egerer
1980 Neal McNamara
1981 Vern Rudd
1982 Fred Stockton
1983 Curtis Fitzgerald
1984 Ed Sweet
1985 Don Damron
1986 John Jackson
1987 Walt Godber
1988 Ken Warner

1990 Ken Warner
1991 Walt Godber
1992 John Jackson
1994 Randy Egerer
1995 Bob Roberts
1996 Randy Egerer
1999 Steve Martin
2002 Bernie Berg 
2003 Ken Warner (on time)
2004 Paul Degraffenreid
2005 Ken Warner
2006 Dennis Bannon
2008 Rocky Franich
2009 Rocky Franich
2010 Ken Warner
2011 Dan Lester
2012 Mike Hoffman
2013 Don Damron
2014 Jack Snyder
2015 Rocky Franich
2016 Sean Lester
2017 Ken Kurtz

2018 Rodger Comstock

2019 Steve Martin

2020 Rocky Franich

2021 John Jacquemine

2022 Bill Evans

2023

2024

2025