Black Marlin stuns in brutal conditions

A monster black marlin caught in horrendous offshore conditions has not only claimed top honours in the Kubota Billfish Classic, but also etched its place in the Mercury Bay Game Fishing Club record books.

Fishing aboard Corblimey, a 28ft Rayglass (8.7m), angler Jason van Esch, alongside skipper Mark Phillips, was working an area near Whale Rock in around
60m of water when the unforgettable strike came.

While black marlin had been reported around the islands, the crew hadn’t heard of any being taken in the exact area they were fishing. However, strong bait presence in the days leading up gave them confidence fish could be holding there. With the weather dictating their movements, the decision to fish the area was a calculated one – though under calmer conditions, they admit they likely would have been elsewhere.

Those conditions turned out to be anything but forgiving.

“The weather was horrendous,” Jason said. “We had over 3m of swell with an opposing chop – it made everything harder.”

Livebaiting in the rough seas, the crew waited around an hour-and-a-half before the bite came – and when it did, it left no doubt, engulfing a kahawai that was effectively being used as a skip bait.

“When it struck, it just pulled line straight away, showed its shoulders and then did one full leap out of the water,” he said. “After that, we didn’t see it again for about three hours.”

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What followed was a gruelling battle, not just against the fish but the sea itself. Managing the boat in the conditions while staying connected to such a powerful fish proved to be the toughest part of the fight.

After roughly three hours, the crew finally got their prize boatside, with Captain Phil and the crew aboard Seahorse lending a much-needed hand to bring the fish on board.

Jason was fishing a Shimano Tiagra 80 paired with a Tiagra 37kg rod, running 37kg mono and a heavy 500lb livebait rig – gear well suited to the task at hand.

Despite the scale of the fight, it wasn’t until the fish was safely in the boat that the true size of the capture became clear.

“Not until it was lying inside the boat did we realise how big it was,” he said. “It was just – OMG, what have we just done?
This is massive.”

The capture now ranks as the top catch of Jason’s fishing career and secured multiple accolades, including heaviest fish of the day, heaviest fish of the tournament, and second place overall on points – taking home a whopping $497,050.

The fish was also the largest ever caught in the Kubota Billfish Classic and has been confirmed as a club record for the Mercury Bay Game Fishing Club – a remarkable achievement given the conditions it was caught in.

In a fitting end to the story, the fish was donated to charity, with plans underway for a shoulder mount to commemorate the catch.

“The prize money is definitely life-changing,” Jason said. “It’s a lot of money.”

A record fish, brutal conditions, and a moment that will be remembered for years to come.

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