BIG ROCK: “Pelagic Hunter II” takes top prize
"Pelagic Hunter II" will be crowned Big Rock champions after the final boat of the day conceded.
Tournament officials say that "Moon Dancer" had boat problems en route to the weigh station late Saturday afternoon.
The crew determined their blue marlin was not big enough to place into the top three, and they would "not be part of the day."
"Pelagic Hunter II" barely edged "Sea Striker" for the win. The winning blue marlin came in at 495.2 pounds, with the runner up weighing 495 pounds.
The crew of "Pelagic Hunter II" reeled in a Blue Marlin weighing in at 495.2 pounds to take the overall lead at the 62nd Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament.
The boat, based out of Sneads Ferry, NC, is a 35 foot Contender outboard and one of the smaller boats among the record 205 boats entered in this years event.
There is one day of fishing left with a record $3.4 million dollars in prize money on the line.
A boat from Morehead City is now in 5th place.
Bill Collector got back to Big Rock Landing just before 3:30 p.m. with a 453.7-pound catch.
Four boats landed big blues today.
Game Changer's catch was under the 400-pound minimum to be considered in the tournament. The boat came in shortly before 3:00 p.m.
April Mae brought their big blue back to Morehead City around 5:10 p.m. and it too was underweight.
Two crews have boated marlins this afternoon in day 5 of the Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament.
Bill Collector was the first to snag a marlin, boating at noon. They are expected to return to Big Rock Landing at about 2:45 p.m. Second to boat a fish was Game Changer, bringing its fish on board at 12:14 p.m.
Almost all of the boats are out fishing Thursday, with 187 boats out on the water.
Predator out of Hatteras still sits in the lead. The crew caught a 494-pound marlin Monday night and no one has been able to top it since.
Michael Jordan's crew Catch 23 made a 442.3-pound catch Tuesday afternoon. Both Catch 23 and Predator are back out on the water Friday.
There were no catches on day three or four of the tournament. It was a quiet day on the water Thursday with only 11 of the 204 registered boats out fishing.
The Fabulous Fisherman prize is still up for grabs. The first boat to bring in a big blue over 500 pounds will take home $552,500.
The tournament wraps up Saturday.
There was plenty of elbowroom to fish on day 4 of the Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament.
Only 11 boats of the 204 registered to fish ventured out.
Just one boat, "Sea Wolf", hooked up a blue marlin this afternoon, but released the fish a short time later.
"Predator" is still in the lead. The crew out of Hatteras made a 494-pound catch Monday night.
The Fabulous Fisherman prize is still up for grabs. The first boat to bring in a big blue over 500 pounds will take home $552,500.
There are no changes to the leaderboard as we head into day four of the Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament.
On Wednesday, there were a number of hooks and releases, but no blue marlins were caught. It was a quieter day overall, with only 176 of the 204 boats entered heading out to see.
Each boat is only allowed to fish four of the six days.
Predator is still in the lead. The crew out of Hatteras made a 494-pound catch Monday night.
As of Thursday morning, the Fabulous Fisherman prize is still up for grabs. The first boat to bring in a big blue over 500 pounds will take home $552,500.
There were no blue marlins boated on this the third day of Big Rock.
More than half of the 204 registered boats took a layday Wednesday, with only 76 out in the Atlantic. Boats can only fish four of the six days.
'Grand Slam' fought a fish for 5-1/2 hours, only losing the hook around 2:45 p.m.
Predator is still in the lead. The crew out of Hatteras made the 494-pound catch Monday night.
The Fabulous Fisherman prize is still up for grabs. The first boat to bring in a big blue over 500 pounds will take home $552,500.
Michael Jordan's boat brought in a 442.3-pound big blue, one of four that have landed blue marlins this morning.
Today is the second day of the Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament.
'Catch 23' had boated a big blue just after noon.
Three other boats also caught marlins on Tuesday.
'Dancin' Outlaw' boated the first blue marlin of the day. It weighed 470.4-pounds, putting it in third place.
'Hammer Time' boated next at 10:30 a.m. That catch weighed 450.2-pounds.
Finishing the day was 'Reel Steel' with a 450-pound catch.
A total of 204 boats are participating in the tournament this year with a record purse of $3,343,975.
The Fabulous Fisherman prize is still up for grabs. The first boat to bring in a big blue over 500 pounds will take home $552,500.
'Predator' brought in a 494-pound blue marlin late Monday night. That was just six pounds short of winning $552,500 for being the first to bring in a big blue over 500 pounds.
Regardless, the 'Predator' team is out of Hatteras and is your current leader at the 62nd annual Big Rock Blue Marlin tournament.
Finally, there is someone on the Big Rock leader board.
'Hatter-Done' brought in a 488-pound blue marlin late this afternoon. That was just 12 pounds short of winning $552,500 for being the first to bring in a big blue over 500 pounds.
The first two marlins brought in were under the required 400-pound weight minimum and were disqualified.
One final boat is on its way with a catch. 'Predator' hooked up a blue marlin this morning and they fought the fish for nearly five hours before boating it at 3:34 p.m.
The first two big blues brought in for this year's Big Rock Tournament weren't big enough.
'Tail Gunner' boated its blue marlin just 75 minutes into this year's tournament.
At Big Rock Landing, officials disqualified the catch saying it was underweight and not long enough.
A couple of hours later, "Reel Country' brought in a marlin that weighed 399.7 pounds. They too were disqualified.
Rules say all marlins must weigh at least 400 pounds or measure at least 110 inches.
'Hatter-done' boated a big blue around 1:30 p.m. and they are on their way into Big Rock Landing.
Another boat is also on its way with a catch. 'Predator' hooked up a blue marlin this morning and they fought the fish for nearly five hours before boating it at 3:34 p.m.
The tournament says 204 boats are participating this year with a record purse of $3,343,975.
Today there were 189 boats out in the water.
Two boats are now on their way to Big Rock Landing with blue marlins on this first day of the fishing tournament.
'Tail Gunner' boated a blue marlin less than 75 minutes after lines went into the water. And just before noon, 'Reel Country' reported it also had boated a big blue.
The tournament says 204 boats are participating this year with a record purse of $3,343,975.
Today there are 189 boats out in the water.
Despite COVID-19 restrictions, this year's
is underway with a record-breaking purse.
The tournament says 204 boats are participating this year with the purse of $3,343,975.
Lines were put in the water at 9:00 a.m. for this, the 62nd annual Big Rock.
Already 'Tail Gunner' boated a blue marlin, at around 10:15 a.m. There is no estimate yet on when they would return to Big Rock Landing.
The larget blue will net a $1.14 million dollar prize, while the first one boated over 500 pounds gets $552,500.
Today there are 189 boats out in the water.
