Big Island woman catches half-ton blue marlin

Mega marlin fails to win fishing tournament, world record

By Cam Tran

Published  6:35 AM HST Aug 24, 2012

Kona angler Molly Palmer hooked a 1,022-pound blue marlin at the Big Island Marlin Tournament this weekend.

"We were pretty sure we had a tournament winner," said Palmer.

Despite landing the monster fish, Palmer was disqualified from the tournament's $39,000 first place prize and the female world record, which currently stands at 950 pounds.

Jody Bright from the Big Island Marlin Tournament said, "From the time the fish bites the lure only the angler unaided can touch the rod and reel." 

And that didn't happen. Palmer, who struggled for three-and-half  hours to reel in the fish asked her fellow anglers for help.

"I did not have enough hands or body weight to hold myself in the boat and stop myself from going out," said Palmer.  "So I figured catching the fish was more important that breaking the line or letting it get eaten by a shark."

Palmer and three teammates struggled for an additional hour and half to bring the fish on to the boat. "It is unfortunate that it came on a day where it was worth money," said Palmer."I wasn't allowed to make them proud by winning a world record and doing it all by myself but...we've had a lot worse days fishing."

The winning prize went to an angler who caught a fish weighing 550 pounds.