Through the decades of Australia’s rich sport-fishing history, there has been one notable omission from its tales of giant fish.
The anglers fishing this continent’s marlin-rich waters have never weighed a blue marlin of at least 1,000 pounds.
That changed on the first day of 2018.
The crew aboard Black Marlin, part of the Peak Sport Fishing fleet and captained by Eddy Lawler, caught a 1,089-pound blue marlin off Exmouth, Western Australia. It’s the first grander marlin weighed in 2018 anywhere in the world, the new All-Tackle Blue Marlin record for Australia and ends Australia’s quest for a 1,000-pound blue. The angler credited with the catch is Clay Hibert, of Exmouth. The fish was teased up to the boat on a Bonze Violator lure and hooked on a striped tuna pitch bait.
Australia is known for its monster black marlin, with an annual tournament in Cairns celebrating the first grander marlin caught more than 50 years ago. There are also renowned sailfish and swordfish fisheries bringing anglers from all over the world to Australia for its sport fishing.
