Video: 625 Pound Marlin Earns Tournament Prize

July 5, 2016

American Stephanie Choate of Florida hooked a 625-pound marlin in the Bermuda Billfish Blast yesterday, taking home a jackpot prize purse on the 4th of July.

Because Day 1 of the Bermuda Billfish Blast [July 4] coincides with the World Cup Blue Marlin Championship, Ms Choate was simultaneously competing with anglers from around the world.

Her catch yesterday was the second largest worldwide, but according to the BTA, it is the biggest in the “Optional Blue Challenge Category” so she takes home more than $340,000.

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The winning fish [pictured] was taken on-board the chartered Reel Addition with Captain Cragin Curtis at the helm.

There are 30 teams fishing in the Bermuda Billfish Blast — 19 visiting game boats, three local private boats and eight charter boats with guests from the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Russia.

The Bermuda Tourism Authority is a sponsor of the Billfish Blast and its two sister events this summer which make up the Triple Crown, and said her catch “has helped reaffirm Bermuda waters as having produced the second most winning catches in the history of the World Cup Blue Marlin Championship.”

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Comments (25)

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  1. O'Brien says:

    Congratulations, you outsmarted a fish.

    • Jimbo says:

      Can u.?

      • ron,b says:

        not even for food , but for sport , these killers get paid and the marlin get chopped up for bait,,,,,this is what actually happens

  2. Terry says:

    Keeps a couple employed.
    Blue.
    White.

    Give way to people on your right.
    Shalom.

  3. Jus' Askin' says:

    :-(

  4. Whistling Frog says:

    What a waste… You couldn’t tag and release?

    • Hope says:

      The number of fish killed during competitions in Bermuda waters is extremely low. We have probably killed more ocean wildlife by consuming plastics than we have from sports fishing.

    • Teresa says:

      Every yr someone say’s the same thing.athe tournament dictates the rules.Some are tag and release and some are to boat for weigh in to verify weight for records.
      Hope this clarifies?

  5. JoeyD says:

    Sport hunting in Bermuda. What an awesome bunch of people they all are.

  6. betty says:

    Agree tag and release to kill such a beautiful fish for fun and money is so sad

  7. Jimbo says:

    Beautiful catch. Get one more.

  8. Jimbo says:

    Bigger next time. Congrats

  9. Fishy says:

    By the time they catch the poor creature and then take useless photos the fish is dead anyway. future generations will suffer the consequences of such useless sport.

  10. Charlie says:

    Vile excuses for human beings.
    Put a hook in their mouths and drag them by it for hours.

  11. Annie says:

    The ladies certainly have Marlin appeal!

  12. Sir Randeville Flash says:

    Congratulations! That’s even bigger than the one I hooked between Crow Island and Trunk Island in Harrington Sound.

  13. RechB says:

    its a real shame – so sad

  14. Cat woman says:

    Such a shame….why couldn’t this fish be tagged and released? I dislike humans who kill noble animals.

    • Sally says:

      Cat woman – if you eat meat, chicken or wear leather, you are hypocrite.

  15. Just the Tip says:

    Just to check do these fish then get sold to local businesses?

    • Hope says:

      Last year one of these was given to the Ocean Vet team for their Marlin episode. I have to say it was one of the best episodes that I have seen, and explained a lot about the science and anatomy of the Marlin. It definitely went to a worthy cause.

      • wahoo says:

        Rarely are they killed but when they are they are put to use either as chum for the yellowfin tuna which you like to eat and I think some people even smoke the meat and consume it.

        • wondering says:

          many ppl just don’t know that it is recycled and used as bait. these fish are not overfished and some ppl would be very upset if they saw the amount killed in Hawaii for sport and then eaten as food I suppose