Category: News

As competitors headed offshore Monday for the start of the 61^st annual Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament, a final review of all entries confirmed 184 boats were entered and set to compete for a record purse of $2,869,050. The previous Big Rock record — set last year — was $2,560,925.

That means the potential first-place prize for a 500-pound blue marlin entered in all levels is $1,324,438.

The Level V Fabulous Fisherman’s prize for the first blue marlin over 500 pounds is worth $531,250. That’s why 181-of-184 boats in the field elected to fish on opening day.

 Every level offers amazing prizes. The Winner-Take-All (WTA) dolphin category is $361,250. The billfish release purse is $282,626, not including daily prizes.

Last year, Honey Hush won the 60^thBig Rock with a 518.5-pound blue marlin. Honey Hush grabbed the tournament lead on the second day of competition and held on to win $753,875. It was a tight competition throughout the week. The three fish that finished atop the blue marlin standings were separated by just 17.6 pounds.

Tight finishes are a common at the Big Rock. In 2013, Hatteras Fever II captured the 55th tourney when its 465.3-pound blue marlin catch topped the 423.8 pounder brought to the scales by Sensation.  In 2017, Run-Off ran off with a record $1,161,450 prize because its 533.8-pound blue marlin weighed 27.8 pounds more than the runner-up catch by Rehab. These differences represent a couple meals when marlins are hungry. 

Big Rock officials are also excited that eight current service members are set to go offshore on competitor boats. These service members were nominated to take part in the Big Rock Big Hero (BRBH) program, an event sponsored by Salt Life. The BRBH program was developed to provide an unforgettable fishing experience for men and women who have sacrificed so much for this country

Lines went in the water Monday at 9 a.m. for the first six hours of fishing in the six-day event. Teams are allowed to fish 4-of-6 days during the competition, captain’s choice.

Whitecaps captured the 22nd Keli Wagner Lady Angler Blue Marlin Tournament Saturday, topping a record field of 167 boats with two blue marlin releases worth 800 points to win $81,525 at the one-day competition.

Whitecaps captain Scott Wiggins, LaGrange, put Collins White, Wilson, on a blue marlin at 11:47 and she scored a release worth 400 points after a 56-minute fight. Whitecaps angler Wortley Whitehead, Wilmington, was in the fighting chair 19 minutes before the end of fishing and scored a second blue marlin release in overtime to secure the overall victory for her team.

El Cazador, who scored the first blue marlin release of the day, ended up second with 407 points for one blue marlin release and a 7.4-pound dolphin. Benchmark ended up third with 400 points for one blue marlin release.

Jennifer Cameron, angler on the Floridian, reeled in a 36.6-pound dolphin to helped her team capture the dolphin division prizes. This year, the dolphin gamefish division prize and the Winner Take All (WTA) dolphin prize combined to total $67,150.

Ominous weather forecasts didn’t discourage a record number of teams from entering the KWLA. Seasoned competitors decided better-than-anticipated weather would actually make Saturday’s one-day competition special.

It made for a crazy late rush of registrations at tournament headquarters and later at the KWLA pre-tournament party.

“To be honest, the record total didn’t surprise me,” said KWLA director Madison Maxwell. “When reports from offshore boats indicated Friday (Gulf Stream fishing) was great, we had a surge in registrations. KWLA competitors look forward to this competition every year. They weren’t going to let a little bit of rain spoil the fun.”

The KWLA, which once struggled to reach double-digit registration totals, has now become the largest one-day billfish release tournament in the nation. This year, anglers battled for $177,925.

This year, winning teams had to provide indisputable video or photo evidence and file release paperwork to qualify for releases points and prizes. Proceeds from the one-day billfish event will be donated to KWLA charities. Since 1998, KWLA has raised $349,165 for charities, including $303,916 for Carteret Health Care’s Cancer Center.

Last year on this day, Justify captured the triple crown of horse racing and won $800,000 for winning the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park in Elmont, NY.

That same day, Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament competitors were getting set to battle for $2,560,925.

Take a moment to let those numbers sink in.

The “Big” Rock could hardly be considered so in 1973. Tournament organizers had just adopted a new name for their blue marlin competition. The tournament entry fee was $75. First prize was $600. The event didn’t draw any national attention.

Meanwhile, up in New York, Secretariat won the 73 Belmont Stakes by 31 lengths. That marvelous horse ran 1.5 miles in 2 minutes and 24 seconds … a record to this day. Back then, the amount won by Secretariat ($90,120) dwarfed Big Rock prizes for years to come.

 But this would all change.

The Fabulous Fishing Club tournaments provided the Big Rock officials with a solid base to build upon. While the Belmont prize money grew 900 percent in 66 years, Big Rock board members, sponsors, participants and staff found a way to zoom past the Belmont purse.

It’s really hard for many to believe that this one-time fishing wager for $250 silver dollars grew into the  behemoth that it has become.

Next week, eight current service members are slated to go offshore on competitor boats. All were nominated to take part in the Big Rock Big Hero (BRBH) program, sponsored by Salt Life, which was developed to provide an unforgettable fishing experience for men and women who have sacrificed so much for this country. While the BRBH has become an integral part of the tournament, it has ties to 1973.

Back then, Lt. Col. Jerry Marvel fished and finished third with a 478-pound blue marlin. The 1973 tournament was dedicated in Marvel’s honor since he had just recently returned to North Carolina. His return to this area came after spending 1,846 days in a prison-of-war camp in North Vietnam.

As the 22^ndKWLA tournament drew to an end, Big Rock registrations reached 101 boats entered in the six-day competition. Registration continues Saturday and Sunday. All registrations and upgrades cease at 9 A.M. Monday, the same time lines first go in the water.  

When lines came out of the water Saturday, five of the record 167 boats entered in the 22nd annual Keli Wagner Lady Angler (KWLA) Blue Marlin Tournament were still hooked up. That meant the competition would continue until all fights reach a resolution.

In the end, KWLA anglers released 13 blue marlin, eight white marlins and nine sailfish. It was unknown how many gamefish were headed to the Big Rock scales.

Ominous weather forecasts didn’t discourage a record number of teams from entering the KWLA. Seasoned competitors studied revised offshore weather projections late Friday and decided that better-than-anticipated weather would actually make Saturday’s one-day competition extra special.

It made for a crazy rush of registrations at tournament headquarters and later that evening at the KWLA pre-tournament party.

“To be honest, the record total didn’t surprise me,” said KWLA director Madison Maxwell. “When reports from offshore boats indicated Friday (Gulf Stream fishing) was great, we had a surge in registrations. KWLA competitors look forward to this competition every year. They weren’t going to let a little bit of rain spoil the fun.”

Last year, Hit-N-Run captured the 21^st annual KWLA when it topped a then-record 161 boats to win $66,406 in perfect fishing conditions. Hit-N-Run captain David Fields put Mindy Fitzpatrick, Morehead City, on a blue marlin 80 minutes into the start of fishing and she reeled hard to tally a release after a 77-minute fight

The KWLA, which once struggled to reach double-digit registration totals, has now become the largest one-day billfish release tournament in the nation. This year, anglers will battle for $177,925. The team with the most billfish release points, if entered in the Winner Take All (WTA) billfish category, would receive a check for $81,525 at the Big Rock awards ceremony.

This year, winning teams must provide indisputable video or photo evidence and file release paperwork to qualify for releases points and prizes. Proceeds from the one-day billfish event will be donated to KWLA charities. Since 1998, KWLA has raised $349,165 for charities, including $303,916 for Carteret Health Care’s Cancer Center.

Don’t forget to download the Big Rock mobile APPon your apple or android device for the latest tournament updates & happenings- including both Big Rock & KWLA Tournament details. The Big Rock app features tournament leader boards, scoring, audio/video feeds, participants, photos, fishing statistics & more! Provided by Reel Time Apps.

TO DOWNLOAD via iOS or Android: Search “Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament” in the app store / Google Play. WEB: Visit https://www.reeltimeapps.com/live/tournaments/61st-annual-big-rock-blue-marlin-tournament

The Big Rock Keli Wagner Lady Angler Tournament (KWLA) is gearing up for another record-breaking year as it celebrates its 22nd Annual event on June 7-8, 2019.

The KWLA Tournament is one of the largest ladies-only events in the world & serves as a launch pad from which the Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament begins. Last year, the lady angler tournament set the stage in a big way with a record field of 161 boats. The KWLA tournament has set new records for boat counts in each of the last six years.

“It just keeps getting better!”, exclaimed KWLA Tournament Director, Madison Maxwell. “To be the second largest tournament in North Carolina, behind Big Rock, is incredible. We’re ready for this year to be even more epic than the last!”

Similar to the Big Rock Tournament in 2017, the KWLA Tournament will now require all blue marlin releases to be verified. To qualify for the 400 points, teams must turn in a Release Form in person along with indisputable video or photo evidence that the released billfish is a blue marlin. If the rules committee is unable to see indisputable evidence that the fish is a blue marlin, the release will be scored at 125 points.

The Winner Take All Billfish level was added to the KWLA line-up in 2018. 116 of the 161 boats participated in this new level. For an additional $500, participants can double their overall billfish release winnings. The Winner Take All Dolphin category is always a huge success with last year’s top team winning $71,151. There were no wahoo or tuna caught in the 21st Annual tournament; therefore, $5,701.51 from 2018 will rollover to 2019 for both the largest wahoo & largest tuna gamefish categories.

The Big Rock Lady Angler Tournament is proud to host a Big Rock, Big Hero during the 22nd Annual event. LTJG Jessica Tull is Chief of the Reserve Force Readiness System Staff in the United States Coast Guard. Before entering the service, Jessica was a school teacher at Bogue Sound Elementary. Jessica is stationed at Fort Macon and will be the first female to participate in the Big Rock, Big Hero experience.

The Big Rock Lady Angler tournament is named in honor of the late wife of Big Rock board member, Casey Wagner. The tournament was originally just called the “Lady Anglers Tournament,” but in 2008 when Keli Wagner lost her battle with cancer, the tournament decided to honor the longtime contributor by naming the event after her. Keli was enthusiastic about the success of this tournament and she played a vital role in having the tournament proceeds donated to the cancer clinic. To date, KWLA has donated a total of $303,916 towards the improvement of patient comfort and care.

The KWLA Tournament, sponsored by Alexseal Yacht Coatings, is a one-day billfish release tournament with lines dropping in at 8 a.m. on Saturday, June 8th, 2019 and fishing ending at 2 p.m. The lady angler reception held on Friday, June 7th, 2019 is sponsored by Linda Rike Real Estate, and will serve as the official kick-off to the Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament and its 61st Annual Tournament. The most anticipated aspect of the kickoff party is the Best Dressed Contest with fishing teams dressed head-to-toe in vibrant, colorful costumes.

Last year, the tournament produced a record purse of $148,962.50 and made a $25,000 donation to the Carteret Health Care Cancer Center.

MOREHEAD CITY, Carteret County — Excitement is building as the Big Rock board of directors prepare for its 61st Annual tournament beginning June 7-15, 2019. The event features world-renowned Jarrett Bay Boatworks as its major sponsor in addition to its 62 other industry leading supporters.

“This is going to be a great tournament”, commented local captain and Big Rock President, Dale Britt. “With the new dolphin WTA level increase, participants are not gonna want to miss this one.”

In the fall of 2018, the Big Rock board decided to raise the entry level on the dolphin winner-take-all level to $2500. This increase for the largest dolphin landed should net the winner a whopping check of nearly $300,000 based on last year’s entries.

In 2018, Big Rock celebrated another record purse of $2,560,925 as top boat “Honey Hush” took home $753,875. This purse shattered all previous tournament payouts. All this, combined with spectacular fishing last year, will set the stage for the 2019 event.

Liquid Video showcases “Big Rock TV”, hosted by Rick Cowell every afternoon from 4:00 until 7:00 pm. This broadcast will showcase the daily weigh-ins, Big Rock Sponsors, and features daily giveaways on site. This year, Otterbox coolers has donated 26 hard coolers that will be given to those attending the weigh-ins all week.

The Big Rock, Big Hero program continues for its second year with the tournament and participants hosting eight deserving active duty military members. BRBH program sponsor, Salt Life, stepped up this year to make it memorable for these heroes. These nominated winners will each receive a fantastic day of world-class tournament fishing and be treated with special prize packages from Big Rock sponsors.

“We can’t wait to get this party started!”, commented Crystal Hesmer, tournament director. “Our upgrades will make this a tournament to remember and a week of fun for everyone involved”.

The Big Rock KWLA tournament will kick-off on Friday, June 7th with its one-day fishing tournament held on Saturday June 8th. This tournament celebrated a record boat total of 161 boats in 2018 and donated $25,000 to the local Carteret Health Care Cancer Center.

The Big Rock tournament will get underway Saturday evening June 8th with fishing beginning Monday June 10th through Saturday June 15th. A field of 183 boats entered in 2018 donating over $400,000 to local charities, schools and worthy organizations.

May 27, 2019
Morehead City, NC

This weekend the Swansboro Rotary Bluewater Tournament celebrated its 39th year and saw two big blue marlin brought to Big Rock scales during the three-day event.

The first was a whopping 639.2 lb. blue brought in Saturday on “The General” captained by Wade Fickling for a winning purse of $125,950. The second blue marlin weighed on Sunday was a 445 lb. blue on the 1998 Big Rock winning boat, “Waste Knot”.

“The Swansboro Bluewater tournament is always a “first look” for Big Rock boats that participate in the North Carolina Governor’s Cup events”, commented Crystal Hesmer, Executive Director. “It always gets everyone excited about the Big Rock tournament coming up”.

The Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament and the Big Rock Keli Wagner Lady Angler Tournament will begin on June 7, 2019 and run through June 15, 2019. These much-anticipated events will feature seven fun-filled days of fishing and excitement at the scales. If you can’t be in Morehead City, the tournaments feature live audio and video showcasing the competition each fishing day.

For more information contact: The Big Rock office, 252-247-3575.

Check out our 61st Annual tournament program until you can get your hands on one! Read here