Morehead City, NC (July 16, 2026) – The second season of the Big Rock Triple Crown (BRTC) presented by Bailey’s Fine Jewelry featured 64 boats competing across the series. Of those, 19 boats entered the Level II Calcutta, with an entry fee of $5,000, bringing the total purse to $80,750. Boats that entered the Triple Crown weren’t required to fish all three Big Rock Tournaments (KWLA, Big Rock, BRKids), though each crew earned 50 bonus points for every tournament they competed in, up to 150 total. Now that Big Rock season has come to a close, we’re proud to announce that STREAM WEAVER is the 2026 Big Rock Triple Crown Champion.
STREAM WEAVER opened the series with a Sailfish release during the Keli Wagner Lady Angler Tournament on June 6th. They carried that momentum into Big Rock, where they went two-for-two on Blue Marlin on Day 1; Wes Carter and Richard Edwards each releasing a Blue Marlin within 90 minutes of one another on June 9th, before Carter added a White Marlin release the following morning. STREAM WEAVER saved their best for last, closing out Big Rock Kids with five releases over two days: three Sailfish on July 9th (Sam Deans x2, Lewis Deans) and a Sailfish + Blue Marlin double from Gunner Johnson on the tournament’s final day, July 12th. With 3 Blue Marlin, 1 White Marlin, and 5 Sailfish released across the series, STREAM WEAVER finished with 2,850 points, claiming the BRTC Level II Calcutta top prize of $40,375
It came right down to the wire. MARLIN FEVER made history in June by weighing a record-setting 919.9 lb. Blue Marlin — good for the 68th Annual Big Rock title and a WORLD RECORD $6,513,188 payday. Under the Triple Crown’s points-per-pound scoring for boated fish, that single fish was worth 919.9 points — meanwhile every other top finisher scored entirely on releases. MARLIN FEVER’s near-miss made for the tightest finish in Triple Crown history, the crew finished just 5.1 points behind STREAM WEAVER for the Triple Crown with 2,844.9 points. MARLIN FEVER opened with a White Marlin release during the Keli Wagner Tournament, then a White Marlin and Blue Marlin release during Big Rock on June 8th, a day before Connor Daniel’s record fish was boated. In the Big Rock Kids finale, junior anglers Gretchen Daniel, Belle Daniel, and Molly Reed Lane combined for five Sailfish releases across July 9th and 12th, Safe to say, the team’s Level II payout of $24,225 was well earned. MARLIN FEVER topped the leaderboard in last year’s inaugural Triple Crown, so this marks back-to-back years cashing a top three check for the crew.
MARSH MADNESS rounded out the top three with 2,725 points, good for $16,150 in the Level II Calcutta. The team’s Triple Crown run was built almost entirely on Big Rock and Big Rock Kids: Walker Marsh released a Blue Marlin and a White Marlin on June 10th during Big Rock, and the crew exploded for six Sailfish releases during Big Rock Kids — five of them on the tournament’s final day, July 12th, from Andrew Mitchell, Benjamin Proctor (x2), Elijah Smith, and Caleb Norton. Like MARLIN FEVER, MARSH MADNESS is a repeat name for the Triple Crown money winners, having also cashed a Level II check for 3rd place in the inaugural 2025 series.
Thank you to the participants, sponsors, and supporters who made this second season of the Triple Crown another resounding success. Winners will be recognized at a private ceremony this October in Morehead City, NC, where the STREAM WEAVER crew will be presented with the six custom Big Rock Triple Crown rings designed by Bailey’s Fine Jewelry. Congratulations to STREAM WEAVER!
Mark your calendars for the 2027 Big Rock season: the 30th Annual Keli Wagner Lady Angler Tournament kicks things off on June 9th and fishes June 10th, 2027, followed by the 69th Annual Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament from June 11th-20th, 2027, and 7th Annual Big Rock Kids from July 14th-17th, 2027.
