Chainlink takes Big Rock into Overtime June 17, 2006 – Morehead City, N.C. – Skirt Chaser captain Barry Daniels and angler Chuck Walker of Wilmington are now in a waiting game, twiddling their thumbs until 5:30 p.m. to see if the 486.5-pound blue marlin they caught Friday turns out to be the winner of the 48th annual Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament. Chainlink takes Big Rock into Overtime June 17, 2006 – Morehead City, N.C. – Skirt Chaser captain Barry Daniels and angler Chuck Walker of Wilmington are now in a waiting game, twiddling their thumbs until 5:30 p.m. to see if the 486.5-pound blue marlin they caught Friday turns out to be the winner of the 48th annual Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament.
Bruce Paul, Media Director
That’s because Morehead City captain Ralph Griffin took the competition into overtime Saturday, boating a blue marlin on the Goldsboro-based Chain Link after a six-hour fight.
The fish — hooked up at 8:59 a.m. — was not boated until 3:39 p.m., more than 90 minutes after the tournament ended. The Chainlink, owned by Wes and Ben Seegars, benefitted from the tournament rule that allows every angler to fight their catch until it gets away, is boated or released.
Chainlink put itself in position to win $768,537 from the tournament’s record $1,593,425 purse. The Skirt Chaser and the Can Do Too, a boat captained by Jim Foy and angler Victor Gold of Wyckoff, N.J., now have to wait and see where they end up on the leaderboard.
Gold reeled in a 451.5-pound blue marlin Monday during the tournament’s first day. His catch dropped to second place Friday when Skirt Chaser arrived at the scales.
Razorback Express captain Scott Wiggins and angler Tony Deibert of LaGrange, who had been in the runner-up position until Friday with a 432.5-pound blue marlin, now find themselves tenuously in third as the competition heads towards one final weigh-in.
Anglers from 12 states battled all week for a share of the record Big Rock purse. A record 140 boats entered all levels of the competition. A record 180 boats fished the final day.
Gamefish weigh-ins continue until 7 p.m. Winners receive their checks this evening at the Big Rock awards ceremony that officially wraps up the competition.
Bruce Paul, Media Director
That’s because Morehead City captain Ralph Griffin took the competition into overtime Saturday, boating a blue marlin on the Goldsboro-based Chain Link after a six-hour fight.
The fish — hooked up at 8:59 a.m. — was not boated until 3:39 p.m., more than 90 minutes after the tournament ended. The Chainlink, owned by Wes and Ben Seegars, benefitted from the tournament rule that allows every angler to fight their catch until it gets away, is boated or released.
Chainlink put itself in position to win $768,537 from the tournament’s record $1,593,425 purse. The Skirt Chaser and the Can Do Too, a boat captained by Jim Foy and angler Victor Gold of Wyckoff, N.J., now have to wait and see where they end up on the leaderboard.
Gold reeled in a 451.5-pound blue marlin Monday during the tournament’s first day. His catch dropped to second place Friday when Skirt Chaser arrived at the scales.
Razorback Express captain Scott Wiggins and angler Tony Deibert of LaGrange, who had been in the runner-up position until Friday with a 432.5-pound blue marlin, now find themselves tenuously in third as the competition heads towards one final weigh-in.
Anglers from 12 states battled all week for a share of the record Big Rock purse. A record 140 boats entered all levels of the competition. A record 180 boats fished the final day.
Gamefish weigh-ins continue until 7 p.m. Winners receive their checks this evening at the Big Rock awards ceremony that officially wraps up the competition.
