Massachusetts Anglers Land Believed East Coast Largest Marlin

A Massachusetts charter boat crew aboard Castafari, led by Damon Sacco with client Walter Chapman, landed a 1,260-pound Atlantic blue marlin off Atlantis Canyon near Cape Cod, widely regarded as the largest ever caught on the U.S. East Coast. The fish, over 11 feet long, weighed in well ahead of the previous East Coast record and came within about 142 pounds of the IGFA world record for Atlantic blue marlin. The three-hour battle began with the anglers mistaking the gleaming silhouette for a shark before realizing it was a marlin with a pointed bill. University of Maine expert Walt Golet noted the cold Northeast waters make such giant marlins rare, suggesting the fish could be 25 to 30 years old. If certified, the catch would set a new Massachusetts state record and signify a historic milestone for Atlantic blue marlin fishing in the region. The marlin was weighed on an IGFA-certified scale at Falmouth Bait & Tackle, reinforcing the record-breaking status of the catch.