Time to get your game on

NEWSLETTER – August 2026

THE BIGGEST WEEK IN BILLFISHING JUST WRAPPED. 

The White Marlin Open, the world’s largest and richest billfish tournament, took place this month. And this year, the tournament fished a little differently.

For the first time in tournament history, the Open expanded from a 3-out-of-5-day format to 3-out-of-6, giving crews a full extra day to work around the weather. 

“Unpredictable weather patterns have made it increasingly difficult for teams to plan their fishing days,” said Tournament Director Madelyne Motsko. “By extending the window to six days, we’re giving every crew a better chance to compete under fair and favorable conditions.”

That flexibility matters most out on the water, where Contender and Yamaha are proudly presenting the Outboard Division for another year, giving outboard-powered center consoles their shot at proving they belong with the rest of the fleet. 

Want to see how things shook out? Check out the leaderboard.

A 40-YEAR OLD FAMILY BUSINESS BUILT ON A HANDSHAKE. MEET SPORTSMAN’S CHOICE.

Mickey Thompson got a bit more than he bargained for when he asked a local marine service center for help with a raceboat engine in the eighties. Four decades later, he’s the man behind the transformation of Sportsman’s Choice Marine in Myrtle Beach, SC. 

With 34 employees, including his wife & both of his sons, Mickey has built one of the most respected Contender Dealerships on the East Coast. From custom builds to tournament sponsorships and every version of a day on the water in between, Mickey and his team know what it’s like to fish on a Contender—and they help every one of their customers build the perfect boat for how they like to fish. Read the full Sportsman’s Choice Marine story.

PUSH DEEPER INTO THE BACKCOUNTRY WITH CONTENDER’S BAY BOATS. 24BAY. 26BAY. 29BAY.  

Which One’s Built for You?

Every angler fishes a little differently, and the Contender Bay Series was built around that. Whether you’re chasing redfish in skinny backcountry water or running, there’s a bay boat built to fish the way you do.

24BAY

Every inch of this 24-footer was engineered to push you deeper into the bays and backcountry than you’ve been before. A single 300 gets it to 65 mph, and 80 gallons of fuel puts over 350 miles of range within reach. Explore the 24BAY.

26BAY

The 26BAY pairs a world-class running surface with the fishability Contender built its name on. Fish inshore, nearshore, or wherever the day takes you, with 100 gallons of fuel and a 12-inch draft that opens up water most boats can’t touch. Explore the 26BAY.

29BAY

The largest bay boat in the lineup and the one that does it all. The 29BAY comes standard with a Seakeeper Ride and a 400-mile range, so no water is off limits. Call it the SUV of the fleet: comfort and capability, without sacrificing the performance a Contender is built for. Explore the 29BAY.