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Fisherman in Hawaii Hauls in 507-Pound Blue Marlin Backwards

A fisherman in Kona, Hawaii, got the new year off to a hot start on Monday by catching a 507-pound blue marlin in an unconventional fashion.

David Setniker was fishing aboard his boat called Maverick with Captain Trevor Child and crewman James Bach. Together, they landed the gigantic marlin in 45 minutes.

Blue Marlin can be found year-round in Kona due to its location in the Pacific and having higher average ocean temperatures. The town of Kona is considered of the best places in the world to fish for Blue Marlin.

Maverick Sportfishing Kona — a charter fishing boat company — took to social media to post about the catch, including pictures of the huge fish. 

“Another awesome fish for the boss today,” Maverick Sportfishing Kona reported on Facebook. “Unfortunately, the fish got tail-wrapped and came up backwards, so we had the smoke master ready. We are out the next few days so stand by for hopefully more excitement.”

Blue Marlin share similar features to the Swordfish, which is popular for eating. However, the Blue Marlin is actually not a popular choice for eating. Although the fish can be eaten, preferably smoked, most say that they taste “gamey.”

For those who don’t know, you may keep a Blue Marlin caught in Kona, Hawaii. However, most fishing charter captains prefer to catch and release Blue Marlin and other billfish in an act of conservation to preserve the fishery.

Fisherman Catches Another 500-Pound Marlin on New Year’s Eve

This most recent story of a blue marlin hitting 500 pounds or more in Hawaii definitely isn’t the only one.

Capt. Rod Quam and his wife Janice hauled in the fourth-largest blue marlin for Lahaina in 2020. Reported on New Year’s Eve by the Lahaina News, their impressive catch weighed in at a 510.4 pounds. That fish, too, was tail-wrapped and died on its way in, forcing the fishermen to keep the catch.

Back in mid-October, Capt. Jonny Keiley and his dad, Capt. Deli, landed a 546-pound blue marlin. That went down as the second-largest for the harbor at Ali’I Kai, Lani, the Lahaina News reported.

Going back even further, a construction crew in 2018 reeled in a 1,073-pound blue marlin off the coast of Kauai, Hawaii. The group reportedly battled the fish for hours before they were able to bring it in, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported at the time.

The Blue Marlin is one of the largest fish in the world and can grow to lengths over 14 feet and weigh up to 1,500 pounds or more. These fish are migratory and travel distances of hundreds or thousands of miles along their routes. Known for their speed and strength, they are highly sought after by sport fishermen.