Article Courtesy: coastalcarolinafisherman.com | Originally Published: 6/20/2022 | Click here for original article

 

“Mercenaria” Wins 2022 Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament and $3.4 Million

Days after boating a 572.6-pound blue marlin the Virginia Beach captain and crew can finally celebrate. Saturday they claimed the grand prize in the Big Rock Blue Marlin Open in Morehead City, North Carolina.

Captain Neil Sykes and crew on the Mercenaria won approximately $3.4 million, according to the Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament website. The big fish was landed on Monday which made the crew having to wait through five days of fishing until the tournament finished Saturday afternoon.

266 boats entered the six-day event. The winning fish was caught on opening day of the tournament which was last Monday. The Mercenaria’s catch was reeled in by Cape Charles’ Matt Brown, Cape Charles, VA and earned $777,750 for the Fabulous Fisherman’s prize as the tournament’s first qualifying blue marlin over 500 pounds.

Two other blue marlin catches were made on Monday. Those catches stayed on the leader board and remained in second and third for the entire tournament all week. The Wall Hanger, a North Carolina boat, finished in second place with a 556.4-pounder, with High Yield (Charleston, South Carolina) with a 526.7-pounder coming in third.