Massive 919-pound marlin caught during NC tournament

MOREHEAD CITY, N.C. – The champagne bottles were popping earlier this week at the dock in Morehead City, North Carolina, where a crew of fishermen brought in the biggest billfish ever weighed at the Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament.

The giant blue marlin caught by the Marlin Fever team weighed 919.9 pounds. That is the largest fish ever caught in the tournament’s history.

It took about two hours to reel it in.

“I knew it was big but when we actually saw it jump in, I was like, ‘man, that’s too big,'” Justin Petrilli said.

If the fish holds the lead through Sunday’s final weigh in, the team could reel in a payout of more than $6.5 million.

Organizers say the 919-pound marlin replaced the previous record of 914 pounds set in 2019.