MOREHEAD CITY, N.C. — A record-breaking catch from early in the week proved untouchable as Marlin Fever captured the 68th Annual Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament on Saturday.

The boat’s 919.9-pound blue marlin, weighed on Day 2 of the tournament, held the top spot through the final day after no larger blue marlin reached the scales during the tournament’s closing stretch. The fish set a new Big Rock tournament record.

Marlin Fever’s catch surpassed the previous Big Rock record of 914 pounds, set in 2019, and immediately became the fish every crew in the fleet was chasing for the remainder of the week.

The tournament entered its final days with challenging conditions. No blue marlin were brought to the scales Thursday or Friday as crews battled heat, wind and limited fishing opportunities, leaving the leaderboard unchanged heading into the weekend.

The winning fish was caught by angler Connor Daniel aboard the Wilson County-based boat and earned Marlin Fever the tournament’s Fabulous Fisherman’s prize for the first blue marlin over 500 pounds weighed during the event. Tournament officials estimated the fish was worth a potential multimillion-dollar payday if it held on through Saturday.

Several challengers emerged during the week, but none could threaten the record-setting marlin.

Fender Bender surged into second place with a 644.1-pound blue marlin caught on Day 3, while Free Ranger finished close behind after weighing a 597.4-pound fish. Hit N Run and Builder’s Choice rounded out the top five blue marlin standings.

The victory capped a dramatic week at Big Rock Landing, where more than 270 boats competed for a share of a purse exceeding $9 million.

Marlin Fever’s historic catch quickly became one of the defining moments in the tournament’s 68-year history, drawing thousands of spectators to the Morehead City waterfront and setting a new benchmark for future competitors.

Final Heaviest Blue Marlin standings:

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Marlin Fever — 919.9 poundsFender Bender — 644.1 poundsFree Ranger — 597.4 pound