If you’ve followed the Main Attraction crew for any length of time, you know exactly what January means: the start of the prestigious Gold Cup Series. As the second tournament of the series approached, the crew snapped into their annual rhythm. Main Attraction Co-Owner Captain Marty Lewis and First Mate Mike Cangemi focused on the essentials—making sure the bait cages were loaded, the bait was well-fed, and, of course, catching more bait.
When asked about the obsession with keeping live bait, Co-Owner Katie Lewis laughed, “If I have learned one thing about being married to a fisherman, it’s that you can NEVER have enough live bait!” Curious about Marty’s bait obsession? Once you’ve finished this article, dive into the details with our deeper dives on bait use in the Secret to Winning Florida Keys Sailfish Tournaments, and for the breakdown of the baits he uses, visit Secret To Successful Sailfish Trips In The Florida Keys.
After the bait was sorted, the 66-foot Viking Headin’ South underwent a rigorous inspection along with all of the equipment onboard. Captain Marty and Mike ensured every line was respooled, leaders were built to strict rule specifications, and every piece of equipment was double-checked. Meanwhile, Katie handled the “fuel” for the humans. She stocked the boat with plenty of drinks, candy, and lunch options and provided the crew with a breakfast casserole to heat up the morning of the event.
By Tuesday night, the Headin’ South was primed and ready to go toe-to-toe with the Florida Keys’ elite. It was a formidable lineup: Captain Marty at the helm, Mike Cangemi running the cockpit, and a powerhouse squad of anglers, including Mark Busch, JW Drott, Robert Hiro and local Captains Danny Lombardo, Ariel Medero, and Ben Zdan.
Into the Chop
On Wednesday, January 21, 2026, the Florida Keys greeted them with classic “sailfish weather.” Conditions were sporty—winds out of the Northeast at 15-25 mph. It was rough, windy, and cloudy, with rain squalls moving through. But while the weather was challenging for the crew, the fish were ready to play.
The morning started with a bang. At 9:32 AM, team Headin’ South appeared on the live score screen, with the team’s first release by angler Mark. Just two minutes later, chaos ensued. Ben released a fish at 9:34 AM, followed quickly by Ariel at 9:38 AM. Just like that, Mike had a triple hookup cleared and released in the cockpit.
The Afternoon Charge
As often happens in high-level tournament fishing, the bite slowed down mid-morning, giving the team a moment to regroup. But the lull didn’t last. By early afternoon, the kites were flying, and the sails were hungry.
At 12:39 PM, Ben released a single sailfish. While Mike and the crew were resetting the spread, Ben got bit again at 12:51 PM—triggering another triple header. Ariel and Mark successfully released the other two fish, vaulting the team into First Place at 1:01 PM with 7 releases.
The conditions were finicky, making kite fishing the only viable strategy for the day. At 2:15 PM, Ben—who seemed to have the hot hand all day—kept the rod bent and released another sail.
The Nail-Biter Finish
At 3:51 PM, Ben Zdan released his final sailfish of the day. This brought the team to 9 releases, officially tying them with Back In Business. However, in tournament fishing, ties are broken by time. Back In Business had reached their 9th release just six minutes prior to Headin’ South.
When the Committee Boat called “Lines Out” at 4:00 PM, Captain Marty and the crew were thrilled despite the close call. They had left it all on the water against incredibly stiff competition.
A Three-Year Streak of Silver
It is a wild statistic, but for the third consecutive year, Captain Marty Lewis and his crew have secured 2nd Place Overall in the IFC Sailfish Tournament.
- In 2024, the crew took 2nd Place aboard the Main One (read the 2024 recap here).
- In 2025, fishing aboard the Main One, the team lost 1st Place to Back In Business within the final 18 minutes of the tournament. (read the 2025 recap here.)
- Now, in 2026, fishing aboard the Headin’ South, the gap closed even further, losing to Back In Business by a mere 6 minutes on time.
While the gold for this tournament has remained elusive, the consistency of Captain Marty and his crew is undeniable.
Final Standings
It was a fierce day of fishing, and we tip our caps to the winners:
- 1st Place: Back In Business (9 releases – won on time)
- 2nd Place: Headin’ South (9 releases)
- 3rd Place: Killbox (8 releases)
A special shoutout goes to Ben Zdan, who took home the Top Male Angler award for the IFC tournament with an impressive 5 releases for the Headin’ South team. This keeps the momentum going for Captain Marty’s anglers, following up on Mark Busch’s win as Top Male Angler in this tournament last year!
With this 2nd place finish, Headin’ South is now sitting in 3rd Place Overall for the Gold Cup Series! The chase isn’t over yet—stay tuned as we gear up for the next leg: the Cheeca Presidential Sailfish Tournament.
If you have questions about our availability for private Florida Keys Fishing charters, including tournaments, call us at 305-289-0071 or visit our contact page.
