- When
- Usually June
- Host port
- Morehead City
- Species
- Blue marlin, White marlin, Sailfish, Dolphin, Wahoo, Tuna
- Format
- Boat-based billfish tournament with a heaviest blue marlin leaderboard, prizes and a schedule; results are labeled unofficial on the live hub
Blue marlin and billfish tournament out of Morehead City, North Carolina, with a heaviest blue marlin leaderboard and a Fabulous Fisherman's Prize for the first blue marlin over 500 pounds. The 2026 edition was held June 6 to 14 and is described in coverage as the tournament's 68-year history.
Organizer's siteOfficial results
Results
| Year | Category | Winner | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Heaviest blue marlin (unofficial leaderboard) | Marlin Fever | 919.9 lb |
| 2026 | Heaviest blue marlin (unofficial leaderboard, 68th annual) | Marlin Fever | 919.9 lb |
| 2025 | Blue marlin, overall winner (67th annual) | BIG TROUBLE (Capt. Chris Daniels; angler Brandon Creech) | 517 lb; prize $2,285,125 |
| 2022 | Blue marlin, overall winner (64th annual) | Mercenaria | 572.6 lb; won more than $3.4 million |
Winners as the organizer or the cited results publish them.
The 919.9 lb blue marlin weighed by Marlin Fever on day 2 of 2026 was reported as the heaviest blue marlin in the tournament's history, above a 914 lb fish weighed in 2019.
Captains in published results
- Capt. Cameron Guthrie, MARLIN FEVER, 2026
- Capt. Chris Daniels, BIG TROUBLE, 2025
- Capt. Bryant Montague, BANKWALKER, 2025
