Taylor Jean Sport Fishing – captained by Ken Hager (with Capt. Blaine Birch in recent years) – has amassed an impressive record in East Coast big-game fishing tournaments since 2013. Below is a comprehensive summary of the team’s tournament placements, notable catches, and winnings, organized by category.
Mid Atlantic Tuna Tournament – 3rd Place Heaviest Tuna
Our journey to greatness began with an impressive showing in the Mid Atlantic Tuna Tournament, securing a third-place finish and setting the foundation for future success. With a small check, the first of many to follow of $1,675.
Mako Fever – 2nd Place, 333 lb. Mako and a check for $10,250
Mako Mania – 2nd Place, 327 lb. Mako Taylor Jean has been a consistent contender in New Jersey’s annual Mako Mania shark tournament. Bringing home second place and $20,282
BTB Bailey Mako Rodeo – 1st Place Thresher, 398 lbs. and $9,000 in winnings
This was a breakout year for Taylor Jean, proving our ability to take on the fiercest sharks in the ocean and taking home money in the top 3 prestigious shark tournaments in the area.
South Jersey Shark Tournament
1st Place Heaviest Mako (Day One)
3rd Place Overall
With another first-place mako, we solidified our reputation as a top contender in the world of competitive shark fishing. Bringing home $3,772
Mako Fever – 1st Place Mako
A first-place finish in the Mako Fever Tournament was a defining moment, proving that Taylor Jean was not just participating but dominating. $8,500
As our focus expanded beyond sharks, we claimed victory in the dolphin category at Hoffman’s Invitational. It was a small tournament but local where we docked our boat so we joined and brought home $1,000 for 1st place dolphin,
1st Place Day 1-4 $3,698
2nd Place White Marlin
An outstanding performance in the Mid Atlantic 500, with consistent daily wins and a 2nd place finish in White Marlin, marked our entry into the billfish circuit. Taylor Jean has been a standout performer in this high-profile billfish and tuna tournament. Their most significant MidAtlantic achievement came in 2017, when angler Ken Hager boated a 72-pound white marlin to take 2nd Place Heaviest White Marlin, earning a hefty $217,665 prize . This 72-lb marlin was one of the top catches of the 26th annual MidAtlantic and netted one of the tournament’s largest checks.
Warriors for Warriors Shark/Tuna Tournament – 2nd Place Tuna $3,698
Tuna fishing became a major focus for Taylor Jean, leading to another top finish.
South Jersey Tuna Tournament
1st Place Heaviest Tuna
1st Place Heaviest Stringer bringing home $8,460 for the tunas.
The Mid Atlantic This year, the team weighed a 452-pound blue marlin – a massive fish that briefly held 2nd place before finishing among the top blues of the week .
1st Place Heaviest Blue (Small Boat Division)
2nd Place My Port Bringing home $31,396 for these two categories.
A landmark year with multiple first-place victories in both tuna and blue marlin categories.
South Jersey Tuna Tournament
1st & 2nd Place Yellowfin
1st Place Heaviest Yellowfin Stringer
1st Place Overall Stringer
3rd Place Heaviest Big Eye
This was a defining year for Taylor Jean, as we swept multiple categories in the South Jersey Tuna Tournament, proving our expertise in targeting yellowfin and big eye tuna and were rewarded with a check for $49,279 for the effort.
2nd Heaviest Tuna (Day 1)
3rd Heaviest Tuna (Day 2)
3rd Heaviest Tuna (My Port)
2nd Heaviest Dolphin Overall
Another strong performance at the Mid Atlantic, showcasing our versatility across multiple species. Bringing home 2 checks, one for $36,707 and $34,639.
Blue Fin Open $16,957
2nd Place Heaviest Double Bluefin
1st & 3rd Heaviest Under
1st Heaviest Under Double
Jimmy Johnson’s Quest for the Ring
1st Place Heaviest Tuna $170,000
The Blue Fin Open and Jimmy Johnson’s Quest for the Ring brought some of our most exciting and competitive wins to date.
Key West Viking Challenge
2nd Place Billfish Release
1st Place Bottom Fish
South Jersey Schools Out Tuna Tournament $2,650
1st Place Heaviest Dolphin
3rd Place Heaviest Combined Stringer
3rd Place Heaviest Yellowfin Stringer
White Marlin Open 28,925
Day 3 Most Points Billfish Release
3rd Place Overall Billfish Releases
The Mid Atlantic $159,574
3rd Place Heaviest Tuna at 216 lbs.
Our 2023 season demonstrated Taylor Jean’s versatility, with podium finishes in billfish, dolphin, bottom fish, and tuna.
Viking Key West Challenge (Key West, FL): Won Top Dolphin Team with the largest mahi-mahi.
White Marlin Open (Ocean City, MD): Earned $21,360 for 2nd Place Release and 3rd Place Overall Boat.
From 2013 to 2024, Taylor Jean Sport Fishing has amassed $835,789.72 in verified tournament winnings. Key payouts include:
$217,665 (MidAtlantic 2017)
$170,000 (Jimmy Johnson 2022)
$159,574 (MidAtlantic 2023)
$71,346 (MidAtlantic 2021)
49,279 (South Jersey Tuna Tournament 2020)
$28,925 (White Marlin Open 2023)
This figure excludes smaller prizes, suggesting their total earnings may surpass $900,000.