Angler Buzz Colton from the United States Malibu Marlin Club originally was to be an observer during the 58th Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament for the Rod Bender team.
In the end, he was the angler who fought and caught the only weighed blue marlin during the Kona tournament, held in early August.
The team fishing from Rod Bender caught a 486.6-pound blue and claimed the Duke Kahanamoku Memorial Award. Colton, after a recent heart surgery, was in the cockpit clearing tackle when a blue marlin approached the lure he was retrieving. Due to strict tournament rules, Colton’s decision to get in the fighting chair resulted in him withstanding a four-hour fight. The Rod Bender team, fishing from a 35-foot Cabo, decided to bring the fish to the boat since no other marlin at that stage had been weighed. No others topped it during the tournament, but one the day before was around twice as big.
A day before the tournament, the famous Marlin Magic and Capt. Marlin Parker tagged and released a 900-pound blue marlin after a two-hour fight by lady angler Trish Simpson.
Miss Behavin won the award for most billfish tagged and released.
