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The 67th Annual Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament delivered a wild week of twists and turns, with more than $6.3 million on the line and a fleet of 272 boats competing out of Morehead City, North Carolina. From last-minute lead changes and disqualifications, dramatic weigh-ins, boats catching fire, and even emergency rescues at sea, this year’s event underscored why Big Rock remains one of the most captivating stops on the tournament calendar.
The tournament saw a total of 420 billfish released, including 238 blue marlin, 109 sailfish, and 73 white marlin—a new record for total billfish in a single Big Rock week. In a unique turn, the entire fleet took a lay day simultaneously mid-week due to unfavorable weather, setting up an intense four-day sprint to the finish.
The climax came in the tournament’s final minutes, when Big Trouble backed into Big Rock Landing with a 517-pound blue marlin. It was the first and only qualifying fish (minimum 500 pounds) weighed all week, netting the team the $807,500 Fabulous Fisherman’s Prize and securing their place atop the leaderboard with a total payout of $2,285,125.
The angler of the multi-million dollar catch, Brandon Creech, recounts the moment. “I’ve been fishing this tournament for about 15 years, and this is the first check I’ve ever pulled. It all happened so fast—the fight was less than 30 minutes. I thank God for it, the owner, Captain Chris Daniels, and our amazing crew.”
Southern Grace weighed in a 653.7-pound blue marlin on Day 5 of the tournament, however it was eventually disqualified due to mutilation.
Second place went to Bankwalker, whose 449.7-pound blue was landed by lady angler Lizzie Montague and earned the team $603,750. It was a proud family moment, as the boat was helmed by Lizzie’s father and featured three generations of Montague anglers aboard.
Wave Paver dominated the Release Division with four blue marlin, four white marlin, and ten sailfish released—highlighted by an astonishing four Grand Slams in three days. Their week earned them $206,762.50 and high praise from tournament organizers.
Despite the excitement on the leaderboard, it was acts of seamanship that defined the week for many. Teams aboard Waste Knot and Reel Lineman voluntarily left the competition in the final hour to aid another vessel taking on water, forfeiting a shot at potential winnings. The crew of Cost Plus, not fishing the tournament, rescued five anglers from a boat fire—thankfully, all escaped without injury.
As Big Rock looks ahead to its 68th edition, set for June 5–14, 2026, anticipation is already mounting. With $1.42 million rolling over in the Super 20 Division, and the tournament’s reputation for unpredictability intact, one thing remains certain: Big Rock Week never fails to deliver.
