BigBendFishing.Net

It's not a trout or a redfish, but I thought y'all might like to see the weigh-in of a 911-pound blue marlin. This fish was caught by Harris Huddle yesterday aboard his 64 Jarrett Bay, Builder's Choice, in the Pirate's Cove Billfish Tournament currently underway in Manteo, NC. It only took 30 minutes to land on 80-pound class tackle (100-pound mono and 300-pound leader) and was caught on a Head Seas plunger lure. The lower jaw to fork length was 134.5 inches, the chest girth was 74 and the measurement around the tail was 19 inches. It was the first marlin killed in five years in this event and 97 other billfish (whites, sails and small blues) were released for the day mainly on 20-pound tackle. One boat had six white marlin releases. Harris is the guy in a white T-shirt and black shorts.

SHOULD HAVE RELEASED IT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What was his pay out for that fish assuming he won the tournament?

That sure wasn't a "virtual weigh in" but it would have been the right thing to do - get length and girth measurements and release the fish. Makes no sense to kill that Marlin, not anywhere near a record.

SK what will they do with that fish ?

The tournament is still underway, but the overall prize money is more than $807,000. Again, this is the first fish killed at this event in 5 years. It is primarily all-release, although the rules do allow a blue to be weighed that exceeds 400 pounds or 110 inches.

Many tournaments in the Gulf donate the meat to charity. Because of the rarity at this one, the meat was distributed and will get eaten. Weighed fish also give the opportunity for biologists to sample tissue, otoliths and other data to learn more about this open ocean species and their biology, travel patterns, diet, etc.

For the record, I have publicly advocated in print and vocally that billfish tournaments should be all-release, starting more than 25 years ago when I was editor of Marlin magazine. The mindset is changing towards a more conservative approach, fortunately. Several of the Gulf tournaments raised the minimum length this year and many of us are hoping that trend continues.

But it is a blood sport, after all. Even with releases there is some mortality. I wonder how many on this forum release every single trout and redfish they catch? Or participate in tournaments where the prize money goes toward the biggest sow trout or breeding-size grouper?

If I offended some with this post, that was not my intent. I simply thought members who haven't had the chance to attend one of these tournaments might find the actual process of weighing a huge fish a learning experience.

I'm just jealous at such a fish being caught using line rated just a hair over what I use to target cobes, which some days leads to losing many!

Caught in 30 minutes... did it just swim straight to them and jump in the boat?!

When I interviewed the angler he said it did swim up to the boat after the strike and hesitated for a couple minutes before taking off. The boat backed down on it to recover the line until it was within gaffing range. Twin diesel engines and a skilled helmsman and crew are a big factor in this game.

Should add that with digital technology, underwater and Go Pro cameras, satellite feeds, etc. the advances are quickly coming where a fight could be fully documented for display on a big screen back at the dock. That would convey the excitement and challenge of the fight without the kill so the catch could be documented for a score. Still difficult to verify actual size and impossible to accurately judge weight without measurements and scales. There's also the issue of secrecy, as many crews don't want to reveal their exact rigs/techniques or where they are actually fishing. These big money tournaments do use polygraphs to verify catch details before the checks are issued, however.

The crowds at these events get just as excited seeing a 200-pound yellowfin as they do marlin. Maybe I'll witness a sport-wide shift to all billfish releases before I retire. But there is tremendous amounts of money involved, along with some extra-large egos. Kinda like politics.

big bend gyrene wrote:I'm just jealous at such a fish being caught using line rated just a hair over what I use to target cobes, which some days leads to losing many!

Caught in 30 minutes... did it just swim straight to them and jump in the boat?!

Dang BBG what test do you use? All the cobia I’ve caught this year we’re on 30 lb test w 40 lb leader. Caught 2 on 50 lb, but no higher. That’s as big as I like to cast, and it’s a little big. May drop to 40 on the bigger rods

Salty Gator wrote:Dang BBG what test do you use?

For my primary line I typically use 60 or 80 lb braid depending on reel as well as type of structure I'm fishing. Use about the same strength fluorocarbon leader.

Funny thing about cobes, and guessing you may have experienced this as well Salty Gator, is that some days they'll tend to fight up higher cruising around the top of the surface, while other days every single one will do its very best to stay on the bottom seeking anything sharp-edged it can find. I've had days we've batted 100% on catch to strike ratio while I've also had days we've batted ZERO with as many as a dozen bottom structure cutoffs in a row.

Don't typically use anything over 80 because I find tying lines any heavier a PITA.

big bend gyrene wrote:

Salty Gator wrote:Dang BBG what test do you use?

For my primary line I typically use 60 or 80 lb braid depending on reel as well as type of structure I'm fishing. Use about the same strength fluorocarbon leader.

Funny thing about cobes, and guessing you may have experienced this as well Salty Gator, is that some days they'll tend to fight up higher cruising around the top of the surface, while other days every single one will do its very best to stay on the bottom seeking anything sharp-edged it can find. I've had days we've batted 100% on catch to strike ratio while I've also had days we've batted ZERO with as many as a dozen bottom structure cutoffs in a row.

Don't typically use anything over 80 because I find tying lines any heavier a PITA.

Man that’s huge line. Bigger than I use for grouper. When we hook a fish, we turn off the ipilot, crank the big engine and get off the structure. If they get you in the wreck we fish, they will cut you off w 300 lb test. I guess there is more than one way to skin a cat.
Sorry for the derail SK

With thread a bit quiet, hope Silverking doesn't mind me responding to the line conversation... Salty, you're right that the heavier lines aren't any guarantee against breakoffs in heavy structure. Bman can attest to that -- we took two crews out for a meet-up trip earlier in the year and bet we had double digit cut-offs between us.

The above shared, I typically fish from anchor and don't have / use a fixed spot-lock trolling motor so each bite I have to quickly make a call on whether or not to pull off anchor and take chase versus staying put and fighting fish up to the boat. Nine out of 10 times we'll stay put. Have found that the heavier lines buy me a ***tad*** more forgiveness with the structure as catch quite a few cobia with enough line scuffing I decide to re-rig post-catch. When I used to use lighter lines I'd simply get quickly cut off and not get to see any scuffing. With braid so thin to begin with I don't think going heavier spooks many more fish than lighter weight braids do... heck, I even use similar weight braids fishing lily pads for bass so can retrieve stuck frogs / fish out of pads without line break concerns. Also have moved to using pink flouro since the diameter is quite a bit bigger and do think it is low vis enough as not spook them too badly as get decent number of bites while using it.

To your point though, away from tons of structure I'd definitely feel good fighting cobes with much lighter lines. Back in the days I targeted them closer to shore around isolated bouys and birdracks we'd often catch them using rigs ranging from 10llb to 30lb. If not surrounded in all directions by barnacles and only grass and soft sand, much different and more forgiving game!

You seem to to have it dialed in, but if you did want to fire up the outboard and ( try to) pull them off, you could always use an anchor bouey like you’d use tarpon fishing.