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Records, unlike promises, are meant to be broken, and no lifetime record can ever be considered unattainable when people are willing and able to pursue it. Case in point: the long-standing record of the most Atlantic blue marlin released in a single day. While not officially kept by the IGFA or any other governing body, these billfish daily-release records are more along the lines of big-game fishing’s “oral tradition,” regulated and safeguarded by those interested in the pursuit. The previous record of 23 blue marlin was set in 2016 by Capt. Miguel Tirado aboard Blue Bird while fishing out of Marina Cap Cana in the Dominican Republic. It was closely contested but not broken—until December 2, 2024, when Trilo Bite caught 25 blues out of the same marina to take over that coveted place in sport-fishing lore.
With a wide-open blue-marlin bite in the last quarter of 2024 in the productive waters off Cap Cana, many boats recorded catches in the high teens and even the low twenties. If the record were to fall, it seemed like it would indeed be challenged during this flurry of action. These waters are well known for blue-marlin spawning activity, proved by larval sampling of the channel between the east end of the Dominican Republic off Punta Cana and the west end of Puerto Rico off Rincon. This fact alone shows the potential for large numbers of juvenile blue marlin and subadults to be in the area in the years following a high recruitment cycle.
Trilo Bite, a stunning tournament-rigged 80-foot Donzi based in Cap Cana, has a history of being a steady tournament contender. With Capt. Juan Colón at the helm, the sonar-equipped sport-fisher left port on December 2 with a battle-ready bevy of anglers in the cockpit. The boat’s owner, Carlo Kier, was joined by friends Braizon Cedeno, Carlos Rodriguez and Oscar Farias. Mate Javier Silva rounded out the team. None expected the record-breaking day ahead.
Leaving the dock late, the team didn’t put out the first lines until 8:15 a.m. By 10:30 a.m., they had already released 11 blues. The fish were coming into the spread very aggressively, and the anglers maintained a high-percentage hookup ratio throughout the morning, but no one on board was thinking about records. All that would soon change.
Suddenly, the bite turned rabid, and several successful double- and triple-hookup releases had the team chatting about the possibilities. By 3:35 p.m., their tally hit 20, with plenty of afternoon light left to get it done. After 4 p.m., a double release brought Trilo Bite’s count to 22 blue marlin, just one fish short of tying the record. The flurry of bites then slowed, and the crew would have to wait another hour and fifteen minutes before the action would pick back up again.
At 5:15 p.m., multiple blues rushed into the spread. The crew made quick work of them, releasing a triple-header in fifteen minutes and locking in a daily total of 25 blue marlin. They’d done it! Trilo Bite had broken the record. Champagne emerged from the salon shortly afterward to properly celebrate their achievement.
The team aboard Trilo Bite went 25 for 30 on blue marlin and one for one on white marlin that banner day. All fish were filmed for verification, and a new record was firmly established. Surely, a sailfish release to complete a grand slam would have been the icing on their celebratory cake, but I’m certain that no sleep was lost on that not happening. I had the joy of fishing and filming with the Trilo Bite team back in May and can attest to the high skill level of their other team anglers, including Kier’s wife and son, Alice Stevanin and Vittorio; Stacey Georgia Parkerson; and Antonio Torreblanca.
Worthy of note for this unprecedented feat was the size of these pesky blues, for it very well could have played a major role in the boat’s success. The largest estimated weight was 180 pounds. The smallest fish was a 30-pound “baby blue.” Had several of these fish been 300-plus pounds, much more time would have certainly been needed to catch them, quite possibly a major detriment during the multiple hookup scenarios that occurred throughout the day.
When you consider all the factors that played out in favor of Trilo Bite’s record, all the planets had to align. It might be a long time before this record is broken again. All fish were caught on rigged ballyhoo and circle hooks. The tackle used was all Italian-made AB1 rods and Alutecnos reels. This team competes under the Bluefin USA apparel banner, so credit of success is spread over many players.
A hearty congratulations to Trilo Bite for resetting the bar in the Atlantic. Who’s next?
