OCEAN CITY, Md. — A Florida man now holds a record-breaking title for reeling in the largest Blue Marlin fish in Maryland's history.
According to Maryland's Department of Natural Resources, 41-year-old Billy Gerlach caught a 1,135-pound Blue Marlin during the 30th MidAtlantic fishing tournament in Ocean City on Aug. 20.
Gerlach cruised through the water for a few hours just 70 miles off the shore of Ocean City when he felt the hit that would change his life forever. It took more than three hours to reel in the whopping fish using a Joe Yee Super Plunger, MDNR said.
“I’ve been waiting for that bite my whole life,” Gerlach said.
The Blue Marlin was officially certified by tournament weighmaster Francis Ingram at Sunset Marina. A Maryland Department of Natural Resources biologist confirmed the catch.
Gerlach will be walking away with a large sum of $505,344 for his big catch, according to the payout amount released by The MidAtlantic. Maryland Department of Natural Resources officials said in a statement that the Blue Marlin was donated to area food banks and parts of the fish were collected for scientific research.
Anglers who think they have a potential record catch can download and fill out the state record application and call 443-569-1381 or 410-260-8325. Maryland Department of Natural Resources recommends the fish be immersed in ice water to preserve its weight until it can be checked, confirmed, and certified.