Now this is a big fish - with a sad ending for the Anglers!

[Texas Transplant]

This is a big fish, with a very sad fish story to boot. Caught during the annual Big Rock Blue Marlin tournament, the fish was eventually disqualifed since a hired deck hand (college student), didn't have a valid fishing license.



Cost the crew/team the $1,000,000.00 first place they would have won. Read the entire story at the link below.

Tex
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37896025/ns/us_news-washington_post/

 

[Jim in VA]

What's interesting is that the captain and crew are appealing the disqualification even though they admit they broke the rules. The quoted excuses are numerous ("I'm just a college student") ("We didn't know") ("We got a license right after the fish was caught"). Doesn't matter. I agree with the tournament official's statement - "there's no such thing as breaking the rules 'a little bit.'" Captain and crew need to man up and accept that their mistake (self-admitted) cost them the prize.

 

[Texas Transplant]

I agree. Most all of us know and understand, that ANYONE on a boat that is outfitted for fishing, and on public waters, has to have a valid fishing license. And, if I'm fishing in a tournament that pay's this kind of payout, I'm not leaving the dock till I know for certain that everyone has a valid license with them (and I'm talking about SEEING it, not simply being assured that I have it.



Regardless, that is some fish!



Tex

 

[Kacee Black]

I agree 100%,even when the wife goes on the boat-just to sun bath-she has a vaild license!!!! Thatsjust crazy to appeal it,they no they done wrong!!

 

[Berry Lindley]

I agree on the decision, it was tourament rules, but if this guy just rigged and cleaned, and did not fish, he shouldn't have needed a license to fish. This may have caused the misunderstanding. I do saltwater tournament fish some, and the mates can NOT touch the rods on these deals, so again I'm not disputing their rules, just that I don't think that he probably legally did not need a license. My wife will not fish, and in the past has gone out reading a book, and everywhere I've lived you must be visually ID'd as fishing to check for licenses.

 

[Bill McElroy]

A MILLION dollars is waaayyy to much money to allow ANY GREY area's in the rules....

You can bet your wiggler's...next year,..that boat will make damn sure EVRYBODY is legal before they even step on board!!:angry:

 

[Andrew Zuber]

I take it there is no 'catch and release' in these tournaments? shame....



az

 

[Gene B]

A lot of them do catch and release, at least the ones I've seen on ESPN.



Gene

 

[Texas Transplant]

The other part of the story seems to be that the crew tried to make up some type of 'story' to help cover their mistake, and when the lie detector test was administered, it showed up.



Yeah, it's a shame that a fish like this is still not swimming around in the ocean.



Tex

 

[Jim in VA]

Yup - gotta agree that we should see more catch 'n release for these types of large ocean fish. We've done really well on the catch 'n release culture for fresh water (with scofflaws of creel limits being severely punished). As a country, we ought to push similar limits (not bans!) on ocean fish - especially large ones that are indeed very very rare.

 

[TOMMY RICH]

Captains fault! Period.