It’s official: Big Rock record marlin thrown back

Jacksonville angler John Parks had conflicting emotions Tuesday as did Carnivore captain Ed Petrilli of Cape Carteret.

They loved that they were the champions of the 52nd Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament, but they didn’t know exactly how to feel about how they got there three days after all lines were out of the water.

“I’m glad that we won and all that,” Parks said, “but I hated to win in that way.”

The Big Rock board of directors made it official late Tuesday afternoon, stripping Citation of the title because a mate, 22-year-old Peter Martin Wann of Alexandria, Va., didn’t have a North Carolina Coastal Recreational Fishing license – reports the Jacksonville Daily News.

Wann couldn’t be reached for comment. As an out-of-state resident, Wann could have bought a 10-day pass for $10 or an annual pass for $30, or the Citation could have bought 10 10-day passes for all members of its crew for $150.

As a result of the board’s decision, the Citation not only lost out on $912,825 of the $1.66 million purse, but its record 883-pound catch Monday was erased from the record books, allowing Summertime Blues to retain the record of 831 pounds set in 2000.

“I’ve got mixed emotions,” Petrilli said. “I’m a sportsman and a competitor, and I don’t like the feeling of winning things by default, but with that said I fully support the decision by the board of directors of Big Rock had to make for the integrity of the sport, the integrity of the tournament in future years. I think it was a tough decision.”

With Parks as the angler, the Carnivore brought to the docks a blue marlin weighing 528.3 pounds Wednesday, which would have been big enough to have won last year’s tournament and netted the boat $217,570.

Now, the Carnivore will pocket an estimated $999,453, with Wet-N-Wild claiming $275,322 for second — up from $144,380 — for its 460-pound catch Friday. None of the other 156 boats broke a blue marlin to the weigh station.

In making its decision, the board of directors interviewed Citation crew members as well as consulting with the state attorney general’s office and the state marine fisheries division before reaching its unanimous decision, according to a news release.

“The rule violation did not involve ‘dishonesty’ or ‘cheating’ on the parts of the owners or angle or the Citation,” the news release said, adding all participants were reminded they were required to have a fishing license prior to the tournament.

“This is an unfortunate situation for the crew of the Citation as well as the tournament itself. For the integrity of the tournament, the Big Rock has no choice by to enforce the rules and disqualify the fish.”

That, however, was exactly what both Citation angler Andy Thomossan and Michael Topp, one of the boat’s three owners, expected would happen after first learning of the problem Saturday night. Thomossan and Topp told The Daily News on Sunday that while no official announcement had been made, their catch was history.

“It hurts,” Thomossan said. “No record. No money. No fish. No nothing. Yep, it’s a nice ending to the story, isn’t it.”

While not for Citation, it is for Carnivore, although this fish story will come with an asterisk.

“I think it probably does carry an asterisk,” Petrilli said about 15 minutes after being informed of the board’s decision by Big Rock president Randy Ramsey. “But, again, it’s important that the integrity of the tournament is upheld.

“We’re very proud of the fish we caught and our accomplishment, and that’s where I guess I’ll leave it at.”

With Carnivore being a head charter boat, Petrilli said he has a “blanket license” that covers everyone aboard his boat.

Asked what the last two days have been like, Petrilli replied: “It’s not been easy. I was just standing by waiting for the board to make their decision. I don’t like to participate in dock talk. I just really tried to stay to myself the last couple days and let this thing work itself out.”

The last 48 hours hasn’t been easy for Parks, either.

“Oh, man, waiting, just waiting to see what they were going to decide. I don’t blame them (for taking their time). They needed to cover all their bass and do the right thing.”

Like his captain, Parks supported the board’s decision.

Still, he added, “it’s just an unfortunate situation. We’re enjoying the win, the team is, I’m sure. But it’s just not that great a way to get it. But I am happy, don’t get me wrong. I’m pumped. I’m excited.”

Ironically, Parks and another crew were penalized Saturday at another tournament that dropped their boat from second to fourth before Parks headed to the Big Rock awards banquet later that night in Morehead City.

“Lo and behold we leave from there and take a shower and go to the ceremony for the Big Rock and (there’s) a penalty to the winning team,” he said. “The tournament I was in was not near the amount of money as the Big Rock, but still, you know, it’s a terrible deal both ways.”

But in the end Parks and Carnivore will go down as the winners of the 2010 Big Rock, asterisk or no asterisk.

“I’m thrilled because we’ve won one of the biggest salt water tournaments in the world. Words can’t really describe what it feels like to win it. It just would have been a lot nicer if it hadn’t been tarnished with that, of course,” he said.

“But it is awesome, believe me, believe me. It opens more doors for my fishing opportunity. We do a lot of tournaments. It’s the greatest thing you can win in the fishing world to me. Can’t get no bigger really than the Big Rock, especially living right here.”

THANKS, JACKSONVILLE DAILY NEWS:
http://www.jdnews.com/news/marlin-79666-didn-captain.html