Our Blue Marlin From the WMO

[LONGFIN2]

What do you guys think? Did I make the right call? Any guesses on weight? Length was right there but............

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QPFiaNXxB0

[sportfishingusa]

i like the beer in the dudes hand and the measuring system!!

i would say you were close around 400 but he didnt look to much smaller then olivias 500.. from what i could see!

[LONGFIN2]

That's me on the leader, and it was a sprite I did finally figure out how to measure a white............when I can't lift him in the boat, he dies

[JPH]

It's real hard to tell from that video but I don't see 500 pounds there...375 maybe? Who knows. Good call and really nice job! Congrats on the white marlin.

[sportfishingusa]

That's me on the leader, and it was a sprite I did finally figure out how to measure a white............when I can't lift him in the boat, he dies

sneaky!! looks like a wide mouth coors.. but if you call it a sprite thats cool too!

good call releasing it!! i think you made the right decision!

[Deep C]

Good call. Always tough to guess from vids or pics but appears to be a four class fish... Pretty work...

[frankypettolina]

Knowing the size of your cockpit- fish is mid 3's- good call. Might have made length, but would have not made weight.

Congrats again lance, and please extend congrats to your whole family for me

[swkicknfishn]

It was a good call to not weigh. However, the measuring system is breaking the IGFA rules to call the fish as a release because the plane of the boat was broken with a gaff there for the intent changes from release to boat. That is why crews tie a piece of mono or thin rope to the end of the tag stick instead of the gaff.

Not trying to stir anything up. Just trying to keep you legal.

Nice job on the fish!

[LONGFIN2]

Knowing the size of your cockpit- fish is mid 3's- good call. Might have made length, but would have not made weight.

Congrats again lance, and please extend congrats to your whole family for me

Thanks Franky, already gave them your congrats and mom and dad really appreciate it coming from you.

[frankypettolina]

is that an IGFA rule? or is it a tourney rule? I think it is only a tourney rule. Either way, letter of the rule would be a violation, but I suspect the judges would take intent into account there- swinging a flyer and missing- intent to kill and not a release- tyring to measure by taping a cord to a gaff- if you were not trying to hit the fish with the gaff- the intent was to release- I will ask the judges to satisfy my own curiosity

I have had some correspondence with Jim Motsko over the rules since the shark debauchle on Tidal Fish- he is pretty responsive when it comes to eliminating controversy (except when it comes to dock calcuttas). I would say the blue should not be disqualify because of intent.... Now if they measured it, decided to kill it, and then lost it for whatever reason- definitely not a release.

sometimes the interpretation of the rule comes into play.