Today I want to share a story that I found particularly interesting. This story comes from http://www.grindtv.com and is a story of triumph and utter disappointment. If you want your own fishing adventure be sure to check out Florida Keys Permit Fishing charters for the fishing adventure you so badly crave.
It took only one day -- including nine minutes of sheer angst -- for the world's richest marlin-fishing competition to produce Hollywood-style drama and extreme disappointment. Eight large marlin were weighed Wednesday, for considerable riches, during the first day of the three-day Bisbee's Black & Blue jackpot tournament off Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. But what does not show in the standings was by far the largest marlin, an 800-pound beast, that took five hours to land and was brought to the scale nine minutes past the 9 p.m. deadline, disqualifying a catch that would have netted a team from Texas more than $430,000.
What's more disappointing for Team Great Escape is that if no other team beats that weight during the remainder of the competition -- and marlin that large are rarely caught off Cabo San Lucas -- the catch would have been worth $1 million or more. "I'm not in that good of shape. I should have worked out," Carl Riley, the angler who fought the blue marlin, told a Pisces Sportfishing representative during the late weigh-in. "I just want a massage and to go to bed." The fishermen, who comprise one of 103 teams vying for more than $2 million in prize money, were aware that a 599-pound marlin, caught earlier Wednesday aboard the vessel Reelaxe, was the fish to beat when the 800-pounder struck a large lure being trolled behind the boat.
The Bisbee's competition, which attracts anglers from around the world, is in its 30th year and famous for producing drama and controversy.
Epic battles between man and fish have raged long into the darkness. Accusations of cheating have flown, and because of the amount of money involved, winning teams must pass lie-detector tests to determine if all rules were followed. One of many classic stories involved an angler who failed the test, became belligerent and smashed the windows of the hotel that served as tournament headquarters.
First-place prize money varies from year to year, depending on the number of entries and how many side jackpots a winning team has entered. A record check of $2,162,035 was written to the winners in 2008.
