Category: News

RELEASE POINTS – Blue Marlin, White Marlin, Sailfish, Spearfish, and Hatchett marlin will receive 125 points.

Blue Marlin will be scored at 400 points if the team provides indisputable video or photo evidence to the Rules Committee. In order to qualify for the 400 points, teams must turn in a Release Form in person along with the SD Card, Micro SD Card or Compact Flash Card from their camera. Forms and Media Cards can be turned in at the Official Weigh Station in Morehead City or to the tournament representative at Hatteras Harbor Marina. The Media Card and Release Form must be turned in no later than 10:00 p.m. on the day fish is released to qualify. The Media Card must show continuous video or a clear single photo of the mate touching the leader and clear and indisputable evidence that the fish is a blue marlin. It is the responsibility of the participants to ensure that their camera’s Clock/Date is set accurately to reflect the time and date of the Releases to qualify for the 400 points. All videos will become property of the Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament. In the event that 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 tournament will NOT allow photos or video from cell phones.

All other released fish must be attested to by signature of the captain and mate or angler on board the boat at the time of the release on the Official Release Form provided by the Tournament Committee. This form may be submitted to the OFFICIAL WEIGH MASTER AT TOURNAMENT HEADQUARTERS, Hatteras Harbor Marina or submitted electronically. Release forms must be turned in no later than 10:00 p.m. on the day the fish is released to qualify. Other than blue marlin, billfish forms may also be photographed and emailed to forms@thebigrock.com. If you do not receive an email confirmation, please call tournament headquarters to confirm. Release reports will be taken over the phone from the reporting station personnel to the Tournament Headquarters staff each morning of the tournament. The forms will then be forwarded to the Tournament Headquarters by the reporting station for verification.

In the event of ties, the first boats to achieve the winning totals shall be declared the winners.

The Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament was presented a plaque from the Otway Burns National Daughters of the Revolution Chapter.  

 

The tournament donated more than ten-thousand dollars to DAR in an effort to bring the Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall to Morehead City in May of 2017.  

 

Board Member Tommy Bennett was first approached by the Otway Burns DAR Regent, Linda Phelps.  “The Big Rock receives numerous requests for donations on an annual basis, but few come with the passion that Linda and the DAR brought.  Linda and her team were determined to make the Vietnam Wall visit to Morehead City happen on Memorial Day Weekend, and their devotion to seeing the project through to fruition was evident every step of the way,” explains Bennett.   

 

Phelps held back tears as she presented Bennet with the plaque.  “It was incredible as it came in to the church parking lot,”  Phelps explained.  The names of veterans engraved in the wall are her most vivid memory of the experience as well as speaking with veterans that came to visit.  “It meant so much them.  They just want to be remembered,” she said.  Countless community members gathered at Glad Tidings Church to pay tribute to Vietnam Veterans at the wall.   

 

Phelps went on to say,  “if we had not met Tommy,  I don’t know that the wall would have come to Morehead City.”  The donation helped cover transportation of the wall and supplies for volunteers. 

 

The Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall is a 3/5 scale of the Vietnam Memorial in Washington DC, it stands six feet tall at the center and covers almost 300 feet from end to end.  The memorial stands as a reminder of the great sacrifices made during the Vietnam War. It was made for the purpose of helping heal and rekindle friendships and to allow people the opportunity to visit loved ones in their home town who otherwise may not be able to make the trip to Washington.

The Parker family has been in the automobile business in Morehead City for 71 years.  It was created around the same time as our tournament.   

We sat down with Brian Parker to talk about the past, present and future.  

 

Parker sat behind his desk at their Buick/GMC dealership with a big smile.  He has found the perfect partnership between his family business and the Big Rock tournament.  “It is a lot to be proud of.  It is a big deal for Morehead City,” he said.  The Parker auto group is a diamond sponsor for our 60th anniversary.   “It is a legacy he would be so proud of,” Parker says about his grandfather Dick Parker.

 

“We hold him as the patriarch of the family.  He grew up in the depression era.  And on his own he built a fantastic company from nothing,”  Parker says of his grandfather.  Dick Parker was also on the Board of Education and served as president of the North Carolina Auto Dealers Association.  

 

Dick Parker was also instrumental in the early days of the tournament.  “My grandfather and his friends saw the economic possibilities that came with the tournament.  From the boats, to bait and tackle, really the whole deal,” he explained.  Parker says his grandfather was a forward thinker and dedicated beyond measure.  “In his 80’s he was at the dealership everyday,” he said.   

 

Like grandfather, like grandson.  The younger generation Parker is dedicated to keep his family traditions strong both at the dealership and the tournament.  He takes his children ages 3, 4, and 7 to landing.  “That is just a ball to discover when a fish is coming in.  And everyone is hoping it is big.  It is so exciting,” he explains.  “We get to see a lot of folks when we are down there that week.  We get to interact with our customers in a big (ROCK) way!”  We look forward to seeing you and your family at the landing this year.  

The man known as the Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament founder has passed away.  

Director Crystal Hesmer says “It is with great sadness we have lost another member of the original “Fabulous Fishing Club.”  Bob Simpson was a visionary and worked tirelessly to create what is now the “Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament.” He was told it was impossible and eventually persevered.  We were so excited to have him as part of our 60th anniversary celebration and it will not be the same without him. Our thoughts and prayers are with his friends and family.”

Bob Simpson was a part of the Fabulous Fishing Club along with Tom Potter, Jerry Schumacher and James Macy.  They gathered for the first time in April of 1965. “Up until then we had never caught any marlin. Then a blue marlin drifted up on the beach.  We had been talking about marlin and I was convinced there were blue marlin off here,” explained Simpson in a prior interview.

They decided to offer local captains a cash prize to land a blue marlin.  However, there were no sign of marlin that summer. The first blue marlin was landed the following fall of 1957.  “They gave me a rope and told me to string it up. Well, I had no idea how to string up a marlin, but I did the best I could,”  Simpson explained with a smile.

Simpson was the longtime owner of the famed “Sylvia II.”  She operated out of the “Sanitary” as a charter boat before she sank during the “Great GroundHog Day Storm” of 1976.  Bob bought her for the princely sum of $300 as documented in his book “When the Water Smokes.”  Syliva is known as the oldest fishing boat on the Carolina Coast.

In 2006, Simpson was inducted into the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, North Carolina’s highest civilian honor. During the 1960’s he was instrumental in building support for the creation of the Cape Lookout National Seashore and even provided the first tours to politicians in his WWII amphibious vehicle.  His influence on today’s Outer Banks and the Crystal Coast is absolutely undeniable.

“You know, I’m proud of what we did,” Simpson said in a prior interview. “And I’m proud of all those people who worked with us and after us because they stepped up to the bat. We were told it was impossible – and we did it.”

Simpson will be greatly missed by our Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament family.  We are forever grateful for the time we spent with an amazing angler, businessman, writer and former United States Marine.

** some statements are from a 2015 interview with Simpson in ncoast.com

Linda Rike’s real estate signs are a staple around the Crystal Coast. She jokes about being in the business 33 years, “I only fish for buyers and sellers.” The truth is fishing is something dear to her heart.

2018 will be Rike’s twenty-first year as a Big Rock sponsor. She smiled when she thought about when she was first approached about the idea. “It was Crystal’s first year as director. She just walked in here and nicely asked. And I just said “sure” and didn’t think twice. The rest is history.” Rike credits the hard work of the board, volunteers and sponsors for what she calls a “huge milestone.”

The 60th Anniversary of Big Rock has Rike very excited, especially about the potential for charitable funds to be raised. “That is the aspect I love. Charity First. That is where it is at. It is dear to my heart and important to me,” she explained.

Rike says she could not resist the offer to sponsor the Keli Wagner Lady Angler tournament. She has had friends diagnosed with cancer and wanted to do more to support their care and recovery. She loves to come up with items for the seabag each year. And was not ready to reveal her contribution for 2018 just yet!

You can expect to see Rike at the scales for daily weigh ins. She also enjoys the social gatherings associated with the tournament and raves about the ladies events. “Every year when it is over. I think, what am I going to do tomorrow,” Rike explains.

At the end of our conversation Linda raised her glass to have a sip of luke warm coffee. She smiled as she drank out of a KWLA tournament cup.

The North Carolina Governor’s Cup Billfishing Conservation Series is an annual sportfishing series operating cooperatively with eight major billfish tournaments held along the Tar Heel coast. The Series, managed by the Division of Marine Fisheries promotes conservation, protection, and preservation of our marine resources. Participating boats or teams are awarded Series points for billfish caught and released and for billfish taken which met tournament minimum size requirements. Penalty points are assessed for undersized fish taken, the emphasis being on fish released. Trophies are awarded to boats with the most points in both the “Private Boat” and “Charter Boat” categories. Individual awards are given to the outstanding junior boy, outstanding junior girl and lady anglers. In addition, trophies are awarded for the largest blue marlin, yellowfin tuna, wahoo and dolphin.

Click here to see the this year’s schedule and Standings  www.ncgovcup.org

 

Steve has created exclusive art for the Big Rock Tournament seven times.  “I have a wonderful relationship with the Big Rock and helped to raise a bunch of funding for their charities through my illustrations,” he explains.  

Q. What is your inspiration for this years artwork?

A. The celebration of the 60th anniversary had me immediately thinking about historical elements which led to celebrating what Big Rock has become over the years. The incredible marlin statue at Big Rock Landing and depicting the afternoon weigh-ins is where I landed. Those elements really capture magical afternoons in June!

Q. How long have you been working on it?  When will it be complete? And what are the steps you take to make a signature piece for the tournament?

A. The creative process started when I was asked to be the 2018 artist a few months back.   I developed a few rounds of concept sketch’s with the Big Rock committee and then hit on the approved sketch.  Many times the creative process is the most difficult and challenging aspect. I can’t emphasize enough how important being the artist in the past (and last year) and spending a week with the Big Rock staff and at Big Rock Landing each afternoon helps the process! You live the highs and (some) lows with the committee behind the scenes, you interact with the public each day during the weigh-in and get their view/feel of the Big Rock..  By the weeks end your really tuned-into the complete Big Rock experience and then the job is to translate that into a illustration.

Q. This is the 60th anniversary of Big Rock.  How would you say marine art has evolved in the past 60 years?

A. Marine Art has exploded in the last 10 to 15 years as its surroundings and subject matter are very pleasant, exciting and attractive to illustrators. I believe the biggest change (as almost every business can attest to) is the internet and social media. Anyone who can design a website can become a “marine artist” overnight so the industry is flooded.  Most new “marine artists” will quickly find industry relationships, honesty, delivering on time and on budget projects all along with being a businessman first and artist second is the key to sustaining a long career!

Q. Do you spend more time fishing or creating artwork?

A. Definitely creating illustrations.  I may spend 50 to 75 days a year fishing but the rest of my time is in the studio. Although I am constantly teased about it.  Fishing is “work” for me. There is never a moment when I’m offshore that I am not observing, or looking for that next spark! It may be a mate rigging a bait, an angler in the cockpit, schools of baitfish, game fish, a story told by a crew member, sunrises and sunsets.  Being creative is a blessing and a curse, sometimes you wish you could turn it off if just for a moment.

Goione’s studio is located in Wilmington, NC. His original commission illustrations of sportfishing boats have become a hallmark in the industry.

The Big Rock Board of Directors and its Charity Committee have committed to a core group of charities in the community to receive consistent funding from the tournament. The entire process is driven by the fit between Big Rock’s five-point mission statement and the destination of the charitable funds. In addition to these yearly donations, the board also reviews new larger impact community projects. The donations are funded by the success of the tournament, our sponsors and retail sales.

In 2017 the Big Rock Board was able to contribute to their annual core donations but also fund additional needs within these core charities and beyond. The Salvation Army kicked off their capital campaign for a new building and Big Rock donated the seed fund of $262,500 just before the 2017 tournament began. Various Carteret County School donations for labs, special leadership programs and playground equipment totaled $37,200. In addition, the board will donate $200,000 this spring for the Domestic Violence Center’s new facility. These and other donations to our community and state are the basis of what Big Rock tournament stands for and total over $600,000 from last year’s event!!

Last year the Keli Wagner Big Rock Lady Angler Tournament (KWLA) was sponsored by ALEXSEAL YACHT COATINGS and held on Saturday June 10, 2017. A whopping tournament record of 144 boats participated and the Keli Wagner Lady Angler Tournament donated $25,000 to the RAAB Oncology Clinic. Donations to the clinic since 2005, total over $278,916. Overall, the ladies tournament has donated a total of $324,416 since it began in 1998. Way to go ladies!!

The tournament is very proud of its past contributions totaling $4,909,791 after the 2017 tournament. This year’s Tournament Charity Committee consists of Tom Bennett, Chairman, Dale Britt, Richard Crowe, Curtis Strange and Caroline Henry.

The Newport Historical Museum was the recipient of Big Rock Foundation’s generous donation of $14,000 for the repair of the Museum roof and new shingles. The Museum is located in the historic Teacherage building on Chatham Street in Newport, across from the Newport Elementary School. The preservation of the Teacherage is paramount to the Historical Museum organization’s purpose to preserve the past and promote the future of Newport.

The Newport Historical Museum not only houses a collection of items from Newport’s past, but offers the following: (1) guided tours of the Museum, (2) lectures on the history of Newport by various speakers, (3) scholarships awarded annually, and (4) a military memorial room to honor our military men and women. A Civil War Park commemorating the Battle of Newport Barracks is located adjacent to the Museum.
The organization also preserves artifacts from the old Newport School building, which no longer exists. Many of the members attended school from grades one through twelve in this building and have fond memories of this time. Through its newsletters and reunions held in years past, many schoolmates relive these memories and keep in contact.

The Museum raises funds from memberships and donations, as well as several fundraisers including dinners, cookbook sales, and the purchase of bricks for the brick pathway located in front of the building.

The Newport Historical Museum is grateful to be the recipient of this donation from the Big Rock Foundation. Preserving a historical building is costly, and the money will be used for much needed roof repair and new shingles.
The Big Rock Foundation is truly an asset to the nonprofit organizations in our community.

 

Susan Davis, President, Newport Historical Museum

The Seaman’s Service Center was established at the Morehead City Port in 1971 and was incorporated as a 501(c) 3 organization in December 1989. The purpose of the Center is to serve the temporal needs of seafarers of all nationalities, ethnic and religious backgrounds who visit the State Port and to a lesser extent military personnel awaiting deployment.

The Center is located on the Port in a 2500 square foot facility. Here our visitors are provided a game room with a pool table and ping pong, a quiet chapel, free internet service, a TV room and refreshment area, and quiet phone booths for private conversations with family members. In addition, the Center has a 15 passenger van to shuttle passengers to retail shops, mailing facilities, restaurants, and medical/dental facilities.
During a typical year, Center volunteers will visit 120 ships. Each ship carries an average crew of 25 which means approximately 3000 seafarers visit the Port each year and our volunteers interface with approximately 1000 during the year.

The Ministry appreciates the support of the Big Rock Foundation in providing funds to help with much needed upgrades to the Center.