Fishing Crew Goes from $3.5 Million Winners to Disqualified After 619-Pound Marlin Is Deemed Ineligible

One crew’s massive haul in a marlin fishing tournament ended up being the prize that got away.

On Saturday, the crew of Sensation, entered in the Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament in Morehead City, 🌲North Carolina, thought that it had won the tournament and raked in some bonus money when they brought in a 619.4-pound marlin.

Then the judges inspected the catch, and the thrill of victory began to seep away.

“OK, guys. Let’s talk about the rules here for a second. It would appear that this fish has been bitten by a shark,” emcee Tommy Bennett said after the fish was inspected, according to The Washington Post.

The next day, the ruling came down.

“The Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament follows rules regarding mutilated fish as outlined in Rule #23 in the Big Rock Official Rules. IGFA rules state that the following situation will disqualify a fish: ‘Mutilation to the fish, prior to landing or boating the catch, caused by sharks, other fish, mammals, or propellers that remove or penetrate the flesh,’” the ruling said.

“After careful deliberation and discussions between the Big Rock Rules Committee and Board of Directors with biologists from both NC State CMAST and NC Marine Fisheries biologists as well as an IGFA official, it was determined that Sensation’s 619.4lb Blue Marlin is disqualified due to mutilation caused by a shark or other marine animal. It was deemed that the fish was mutilated before it was landed or boated, and therefore, it was disqualified.”