When the New Jersey Sea Birds Angling Club first entered the MidAtlantic Tournament aboard their yacht Taylor Jean in 2012, they were just another name on a long list of hopefuls. They were not the biggest boat in the fleet, nor the most famous crew. But by the end of that week, everyone in the tournament, and many readers of the Asbury Park Press, knew precisely who they were.
The MidAtlantic is no ordinary fishing contest. It is one of the most prestigious and high-stakes billfish tournaments in the world, drawing elite crews and yachts from across the East Coast and beyond. Payouts can stretch into the millions, and reputations are built or broken in a single week. For the Sea Birds, it quickly became more than a competition; it became a proving ground.
The Storm of 2012: A Debut That Turned Heads
The crew’s first year, 2012, was anything but ordinary. A bad storm was rolling in, forcing tournament officials to allow fishing only three out of the scheduled five days. For many teams, the decision was simple: sit out the worst of it. High winds, heavy seas, and unpredictable weather make for dangerous and exhausting conditions. Bigger boats, some measuring 70 to 90 feet, opted to remain docked, saving their energy for safer days.
The Taylor Jean, by comparison, was a 45-foot boat. On paper, she did not have the size advantage to push through a pounding ocean. But Captain Ken had been watching the weather forecast closely, and he noticed something others seemed to overlook. Hour by hour, the outlook was improving. Instead of writing the day off, he proposed a calculated gamble.
The plan was straightforward: head out for just two hours, and if the weather turned, come back immediately. It was not about catching a haul; it was about taking advantage of the tournament’s daily prize system. If they could land just one qualifying fish while every other boat stayed in, the day’s payout would be theirs uncontested.
That is precisely what happened. They set out as the only boat to leave the dock that day, cutting through swells and rain while the marina remained eerily still. It was a surreal moment, the Sea Birds in their modest-sized Taylor Jean heading toward open water, while the giants of the fleet watched from shore.
Their strategy worked. They secured the daily prize, worth more than $50,000, and instantly gained a reputation as risk-takers with a knack for turning opportunity into results. The Asbury Park Press and other outlets wrote about the crew’s boldness, describing them as the only team with enough grit, or “enough balls,” as Ken puts it, to challenge the storm. The win was not just about the money; it was also about earning the respect of the tournament community.
Years of Trying to Get the Big Win
The Sea Birds received significant attention in 2012 because they were successful at chasing storms, but that did not immediately lead to consistent tournament cash. They played well and with dedication for the next few years, but they were always just short of the leaderboard.
The MidAtlantic is notoriously unforgiving. Rules are strict, qualifying fish are rare, and luck plays an undeniable role. A single line break, a misjudged weight estimate, or a delayed run to the scales can mean the difference between a six-figure payout and going home empty-handed.
The Sea Birds were not discouraged by the long stretch without prize money; it made them want to work harder. Every year was a chance to learn, improve their strategies, study how other crews operated, and make better decisions. They knew that one good fish could make a big difference.
The Year of Breakthrough: 2017
That change came in 2017, a year that would not only deliver their first significant winnings but also create what they now call the “odd-year pattern.”
Early in the week, they hooked a qualifying white marlin. They knew the risks of mechanical failures or sudden weather changes, but they made the brave choice to end the day early and go straight to the scales before they even opened. They did it on purpose to make sure nothing would ruin their catch.
When the tournament staff weighed the fish, they were very clear: “It’s small.” Still, it met the minimum and, for the moment, it was the only qualifying fish on the board. That moment stretched into days. From Monday through Thursday, the Taylor Jean crew held first place, each day’s standings adding to the mounting anticipation.
Then came Friday night. At 7:30 PM, just half an hour before the final lines-out deadline, another boat brought in a white marlin. It was only three pounds heavier than the Sea Birds’ catch. The math made the heartbreak worse than just losing the lead. Those three pounds equaled about $175,000 each, nearly $750,000 in total.
The Sea Birds did not leave empty-handed, though. Their week’s performance earned them a check for over $217,000, a life-changing sum for many crews and a validation of their strategic approach. It was also the year they noticed something curious: their success came in 2017, and in later years, 2019, 2021, and 2023, they would win again, always in odd-numbered years.
The Odd-Year Pattern
Superstition and sport often go hand in hand, and the Sea Birds’ record in the MidAtlantic is no exception. Since their 2017 breakthrough, every odd-numbered year has brought prize money.
Whether it is by chance, confidence, or some unexplainable rhythm in their preparation, the odd-year streak has become part of who they are. And as 2025 gets closer, they are excited to see if the pattern will hold and deliver their biggest win yet.
Learning to Be Precise and Patient
The Sea Birds have learned that every little thing matters in the Mid-Atlantic after more than ten years of competition. One story in particular stands out as a reminder that even small mistakes can have significant consequences.
On a previous trip, they caught a marlin that was long enough but, according to their calculations, not heavy enough. Using the standard formula length × girth² ÷ 800, they estimated it at 60 pounds, below the 65-pound minimum. Choosing conservation over risk, they released the fish.
Later that day, at the docks, Ken spotted a marine biologist measuring another marlin. He noticed they took the girth measurement not at the belly, as his crew had, but at the sail, a wider part of the fish. By that method, their marlin might have been good enough. It was a frustrating realization, but it made a hard truth even stronger. Knowledge, accuracy, and method are just as necessary as luck and bravery.
More Than Just a Tournament
The MidAtlantic is more than just a tournament for the Sea Birds. It is not just about the money or bragging rights. It is about proving themselves to the competition, to the sea, and their crew. It is about the camaraderie of a team that has weathered real storms together, the satisfaction of sticking to a plan even when it seems impossible, and the thrill of seeing their boat’s name on the leaderboard.
It is also about the friendships that grow from returning to the same marina every year, seeing familiar faces, and swapping stories about near misses and big wins. The tournament has become a touchstone for the team, a fixed point in the rhythm of their year.
A Legacy in the Making
The Sea Birds’ journey through the MidAtlantic is a story of strength, determination, and adaptation. It begins with the storm-defying gamble of 2012 and runs through the leaderboard drama of 2017, with missed chances and repeat successes along the way.
Their yacht, Taylor Jean, might not always be the biggest in the fleet, but time and again, it has proven to be one of the smartest. And while the past has been filled with great moments, it is the future that drives them.
With 2025 coming up, another odd year on the calendar, and a laser focus on marlin fishing, the Sea Birds are ready to chase history once again. In the MidAtlantic, you do not just fish against the ocean; you fish against every decision you have ever made. For the New Jersey Sea Birds Angling Club, those decisions have built a legacy worth watching.
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Website: TaylorJeanFishing.com
SFC Team Page: SportFishingChampionship.com/New-Jersey-Sea-Birds-Angling-Club
