Every June, hundreds of sportfishing boats head to the Crystal Coast of North Carolina for the Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament. This is one of the richest and most storied Billfish tournaments in the world. Founded in 1957, the Big Rock is now in its 68th year. It has grown from a casual challenge among local captains into a multi-million-dollar competition that draws national headlines.
Whether you want to compete, follow the leaderboard from the dock, or just soak in Big Rock week in Morehead City, this guide covers everything you need to know – from entry fees and rules to the disqualification controversy that keeps making news.
What Is the Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament?
The Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament is a nonprofit sportfishing competition held annually in Morehead City, North Carolina. It takes its name from an underwater rock formation located roughly 40 miles offshore, where the Gulf Stream pushes warm water over a rocky bottom and creates a magnet for pelagic species. Blue Marlin are the main event, but the tournament also awards prizes for Dolphin (Mahi Mahi), Yellowfin Tuna, and Wahoo.
Since its beginnings in 1957, the Big Rock has grown into the largest nonprofit fishing tournament in the world, blending top-tier angling with a commitment to charitable giving. Marlin Magazine named it the 2025 Tournament of the Year, citing the event’s charitable mission, fierce competition, and electric dockside energy.
History of the Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament
The Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament started with a simple challenge: find out whether anglers could actually catch Blue Marlin off North Carolina’s Crystal Coast.
In 1957, Bob and Mary Simpson, Bill Strickland, Tom Potter, and Dick Parker wanted to see if this was possible. This group of Morehead City fishing enthusiasts teamed up with local businesses and put up a reward for the first successful catch. That moment arrived when angler Jimmy Croy landed a 143.5-pound Blue Marlin aboard the Mary Z, captained by Bill Olsen. The catch helped put the area’s offshore Marlin fishing on the map.
What began as a small local contest grew along with Morehead City’s sportfishing scene. In 1972, the tournament took the name “Big Rock,” a nod to a well-known offshore fishing spot used by local crews.
Today, the Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament is a major event on the North Carolina fishing calendar, combining serious offshore competition with a long-running commitment to the local community and sportfishing.
When Is the Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament in 2026?
This year the event ran June 5–14, 2026. The full tournament week begins with the Keli Wagner Lady Angler Tournament and runs through the final weigh-in on Saturday evening. Fishing days span Monday through Saturday, with two required lay days chosen at the captain’s discretion.
Here’s a 2026 breakdown of the key events and dates:
| Event | Date | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Keli Wagner Lady Angler Tournament | June 5–6 | 8:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. |
| Captain’s Party | June 6 | 7:00 p.m.–11:00 p.m. |
| Captain’s Meeting | June 7 | 5:00 p.m.–6:00 p.m. |
| Fishing Days (Day 1-6) | June 8-13 | 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. |
| Awards Brunch | June 14 | 11:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. |
2027 dates: The 69th annual Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament is scheduled for June 11–20, 2027. The first day of fishing is always the second Monday in June.
Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament Entry Fees and Divisions
The Big Rock uses a multi-tiered entry system unlike most tournaments. There’s one mandatory base level and 10 optional add-on levels, each buying you into a different prize category.
Base entry fee
Level I is mandatory at $5,000. It covers the basic prize pool, including payouts for the top three Blue Marlin, daily release prizes, and game fish prizes.
Added-entry levels or categories
Optional levels let teams buy into deeper prize pools. Here’s how they break down:
| Level | Fee | Prize Structure |
|---|---|---|
| Level I (mandatory) | $5,000 | Top 3 Blue Marlin (50/30/20 split), releases, game fish |
| Level II | $2,500 | 50/30/20 Largest Blue Marlin |
| Level III | $5,000 | 50/30/20 Largest Blue Marlin |
| Level IV | $5,000 | Winner-Take-All Blue Marlin |
| Level V – Fabulous Fisherman’s | $5,000 | First 500 lb+ Blue Marlin (WTA) |
| Level VI – Super 20 | $20,000 | WTA Largest Qualifying Blue Marlin (400 lb+ minimum) |
| Level VII – Largest Dolphin | $2,500 | WTA Largest Dolphin |
| Level VIII – Release | $5,000 | Weekly + daily release categories |
| Level IX – Non-Sonar Release | $5,000 | Release points, non-sonar boats only |
| Level X – Outboard | $1,000 | Outboard boat category |
| Level XI – Outboard Release | $1,000 | Outboard release category |
A full buy-in across all 11 levels runs $57,000 per boat. Boats must enter Levels I through V to participate in the Level VI Super 20 category.
Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament Prize Money
The Big Rock’s total purse has grown rapidly over the past several years. Here’s how it’s trended:
| Year | Boats | Total Purse |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 184 | $2,869,150 |
| 2025 | 272 | $6,325,875 |
| 2026 | 278 | $9,038,225 |
The 2026 prize pool was distributed across the guaranteed prizes, added-entry levels, and rollover categories. Much of the growth comes from the optional added-entry levels, especially the Level VI Super 20, which rolls over if no qualifying fish is weighed. In 2026, that rollover from prior years helped push the top-end payout past $6 million.
The Fabulous Fisherman’s Prize is one of the tournament’s signature payouts. It goes to the first Blue Marlin over 500 lb brought to the scales. The Prize was worth $871,250 in 2026.
Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament Rules and Eligibility
Point system
Billfish releases earn points throughout the week:
- A standard release of any Billfish – Blue Marlin, White Marlin, Sailfish, or Spearfish – backed by a signed release form is worth 125 points.
- A Blue Marlin release earns 400 points, but only if the team submits video or photo evidence confirming the release; without sufficient video proof, it’s scored at the standard 125 points.
- Weekly and daily release categories award prizes to the boats with the most release points.
- A separate non-sonar release category rewards boats that fish without advanced electronics.
Fishing format
Teams fish six days, with two required lay days at the captain’s discretion. Lines go in at 9:00 a.m. and come out at 3:00 p.m. each fishing day. A Blue Marlin must weigh at least 400 lb or measure at least 110 inches to qualify for the leaderboard and prize payout. Boating an undersized fish triggers a 400 lb penalty against the boat’s largest qualifying catch of the week.
Game fish categories for Dolphin, Wahoo, and Yellowfin Tuna are in play as well, with winners determined by weight.
Key rules
The Big Rock runs on its own detailed tournament rules for tackle, boundaries, and fish handling, but it followes IGFA standards for one specific, closely watched provision.
The rule that generates the most attention – and the most controversy – is the mutilation rule. Under IGFA guidelines, any fish with fresh damage from Sharks, other marine animals, or propellers is disqualified. Old healed scars and leader-caused scratches don’t count. Only fresh, visible damage triggers the rule.This rule has played a dramatic role in recent tournaments (more on that below).
All Billfish releases must be verified through CatchStat, the tournament’s electronic verification system.
Licensing requirements
Anyone fishing in the Big Rock needs two things:
- A North Carolina Coastal Recreational Fishing License (CRFL), available through the NC Division of Marine Fisheries
- An HMS Angling Permit from NOAA, required for targeting Billfish, Tuna, and Sharks in federal waters
Rules can change – always check with the NC Division of Marine Fisheries and NOAA before heading out.
How to Enter the Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament
Registration is handled online through the official Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament website. and Reel Time Apps. Registration typically opens in January. In-person registration is also available during tournament week. For any questions that you may have, you can contact the Big Rock office at madison@thebigrock.com or call (252) 247-3575.
Don’t own a boat? You can book a charter.
You don’t need your own sportfisher to experience Big Rock week in Morehead City. While entering the tournament itself requires a registered boat and crew, plenty of local captains run offshore charters during June that put you in the same Blue Marlin waters the tournament fleet is fishing. It’s a great way to target Billfish, Mahi Mahi, and Tuna on the Crystal Coast – even if you’re not competing for a seven-figure check.
Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament Notable Winners and Records
Big Rock has seen monster Marlin, record payouts, and catches that went from first place to disqualified at the dock. These are some of the tournament’s standout moments.
2026 – Marlin Fever’s record-setting 919.9 lb Blue Marlin
The Big Rock record finally fell in 2026. On the tournament’s second day, Connor Daniel battled a 919.9 lb Blue Marlin aboard Marlin Fever, a 63-foot Jarrett Bay captained by Cameron Guthrie. The fish edged past the 914 lb record that had stood since 2019, and nobody topped it during the remaining four days. The record fish came with a record payday. Marlin Fever finished the tournament with $6,513,188 in winnings, making the catch one of the most valuable in Big Rock history.
2025 – Big Trouble’s final-day drama
The 2025 tournament’s defining moment came in the final minutes. Big Trouble brought a 517.1 lb Blue Marlin to the scales – enough to claim the Fabulous Fisherman’s Prize of $807,500. Big Trouble was named the winner, taking home $2,285,125 in total. The 64-foot Precision was captained by Chris Daniels out of Morehead City, with angler Brandon Creech on the rod.
That same week, Southern Grace arrived at the landing with a 653.7 lb Blue Marlin on Day 5, only to have the fish disqualified under Rule #24 for mutilation. It was the second high-profile disqualification in three years. The tournament also saw a record 420 Billfish released, including 238 Blue Marlin.
2023 – Sensation’s $3.5 million disqualification
Few Big Rock weigh-ins have ended with a bigger twist. Sensation arrived on the final day with a 619.4 lb Blue Marlin that appeared set to take the tournament – and a prize worth roughly $3.5 million.But the celebration didn’t last. Officials determined that the Marlin had been bitten by a Shark before it was landed, making the fish ineligible under the tournament’s mutilation rule. That left Sushi at the top of the 2023 leaderboard with a 484.5 lb Blue Marlin.
All-Time Tournament Record
Before 2026, the record belonged to Top Dog. In 2019, Captain Ryan Knapp and angler Todd Dickerson weighed in a 914 lb Blue Marlin, shattering the previous Big Rock record. Dickerson’s catch crushed the mark of 831 lb set in 2000 by Summertime Blues. Before that, Kathy Keel held the record – fishing aboard Chaser with Captain Randy Fagley in 1993, she landed a 759 lb Blue Marlin, becoming the first woman to hold a Big Rock record.
Marlin Fever’s 919.9 lb catch in 2026 now stands as the all-time Big Rock record.
Keli Wagner Lady Angler Tournament
Big Rock week starts with the Keli Wagner Lady Angler Tournament (KWLA), one of the world’s largest ladies-only fishing events. The one-day Billfish release tournament celebrated its 29th edition on June 5–6, 2026.
The event honors Keli Wagner, wife of Big Rock board member Casey Wagner, who died from cancer in 2008. Her legacy lives on through the tournament’s support for local cancer care.
KWLA also forms part of the Big Rock Triple Crown alongside the Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament and Big Rock Kids Billfish Tournament. In 2024, KWLA drew a record 267 boats and offered a $396,750 purse.
Big Rock Landing and the Spectator Experience
You don’t need a boat – or an entry fee – to enjoy the Big Rock. Weigh-ins are free and open to the public at Big Rock Landing, located at 710 Evans Street in Morehead City. Thousands of spectators gather at the waterfront each year to watch daily weigh-ins, cheering as giant fish are hoisted onto the scales.
Game fish weigh-ins typically begin around 4:00 p.m. daily (3:00 p.m. on the final Saturday). Live broadcast coverage starts at 2:00 p.m. via the tournament’s Facebook and YouTube channels. You can also follow along through the Big Rock app and Big Rock Radio for real-time offshore updates.
Throughout the week, the tournament hosts events beyond fishing: a Captain’s Party, Pig Pickin’, Tie Dye Event, Fashion for a Cause, and a prayer breakfast. It’s as much a community celebration as it is a fishing competition.
Weighed-in Blue Marlin are turned over for study to NC State University’s Center for Marine Sciences and Technology (CMAST), while game fish like Tuna, Dolphin, and Wahoo are sampled dockside and returned to the anglers who caught them. The Big Rock has partnered with NC State for decades. Researchers study stomach contents, mercury levels, and tissue samples from the Blue Marlin, turning every weigh-in into valuable data for marine conservation.
Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament FAQs
The Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament is one of those events you have to experience to fully appreciate – whether you’re watching from the dock or white-knuckling a rod 40 miles offshore. If you’re planning a trip to the Crystal Coast around tournament time, FishingBooker makes it easy to find fishing charters in Morehead City – filter by trip type, group size, and price to find the right fit for your crew.
The concept and outline of this article were created by people engaged by FishingBooker. Artificial intelligence tools were used to flesh out and reformat information into a blog article. Before being published, this article was edited and fact-checked by FishingBooker staff.
The post Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament 2026: Tournament Dates, Fees, Prizes, Rules, and How to Fish and Watch appeared first on FishingBooker Blog.
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