GALLERY: Big Rock Day 1
Benchmark
The team for Benchmark, dressed here in patriotic red, white and blue, poses for the Best Dressed Contest on Friday at Big Rock Landing. (Zack Nally photo)
Sign-ups
Teams of costumed teams sign up for the KWLA Best Dressed Contest on Friday at Big Rock Landing. (Zack Nally photo)
Johnie Floyd
The Johnie Floyd team, dressed as Hula dancers, prepares to sign up for the Best Dressed Contest at the KWLA event on Friday. (Zack Nally photo)
Wake & Wilder
Wake Lancaster, left, and Wilder Abee prepare to take part in the Best Dressed Contest on Friday. (Zack Nally pho
Ebony Anglers
The Ebony Anglers team is back on the waterfront for a second straight year, dressed up as a boxer with her entourage on Friday. Those in the photo are, left to right, Lesleigh Mousi, Tiana Davis, Bobbiette Palmer, Gia Pebbles and Glenda Turner. (Zack Nally photo)
Reel Priority
The KWLA team for Reel Priority reads its pirate treasure map during the Best Dressed Contest on Friday. Those in the photo are, left to right, Tracy Hicks, Stacy Bradfield and Chrissy Pritchett. (Zack Nally photo)
Wall Hanger
The team for Wall Hanger, dressed here as the cast of the TV show Yellowstone, stops for a quick pose on Friday during the KWLA Best Dressed Contest. (Zack Nally photo)
KWLA Wet Dream dolphin
Wet Dream angler Nicole Yusko poses with her 42.8-pound dolphin caught Saturday in the 25th annual KWLA tournament. Yusko won her boat a tidy $104,975 in prizes. (Big Rock photo)
KWLA Can Do Too
The ladies-only crew of Can Do Too of Stuart, Fla. proudly waves its two blue marlin release flags on the way back to port on Saturday. The boat won the 25th annual KWLA competition with two blue marlin releases worth $108,800 in prize money.
Crowd
Crowds gather in droves Monday for the first of six competition days in the 64th annual Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament. There were five blue marlins brought to the weigh station on day one. (Zack Nally photo)
MJ & Curtis
NBA legend Michael Jordan makes an appearance at the Big Rock weigh station on Monday to visit his friend, Big Rock TV emcee Curtis Strange, and weigh a 24-pound dolphin. Jordan has fished the tournament three straight years aboard his 80-foot Viking Catch 23. (Zack Nally photo)
Silva Lining
The crew of Sylva Lining explodes in cheers Monday after its 401.3-pound blue marlin is weighed. The team entered the tournament mourning the death of a close friend and wanted to bring a fish to the weigh station to honor their memory. (Zack Nally photo)
High Yield hoist
High Yield Capt. Paul Wiseman watches as his 536.8-pound blue marlin is hoisted at the Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament weigh station. The boat’s catch is worth $283,525 if it holds onto third place. (Zack Nally photo)
Stacy Allen
Stacy Allen is one of two lady anglers to bring a blue marlin to the Big Rock weigh station on Monday. Her 556.4-pound catch off Wall Hanger grabbed second place as the last fish of the day. It is worth $426,287 in prizes if it holds onto second place. (
Fabulous Fisherman's check
Mercenaria Capt. Neil Sykes, left, and angler Matthew Brown land a 572.6-pound blue marlin on Monday that won the boat an instant prize of $777,750 for the Fabulous Fisherman’s category, awarded to the first blue marlin weighing more than 500 pounds. (Zack Nally photo)
1st place capt.
Mercenaria Capt. Neil Sykes speaks with Big Rock TV emcee Tommy Bennett about his boat’s 572.6-pound blue marlin. It’s the fourth fish Sykes has brought to the scales over the years, and it could win his team a whopping $3.48 million in prize money. (Zack Nally photo)
1st place angler
Mercenaria angler Matthew Brown speaks with reporters after his 572.6-pound blue marlin is weighed on Monday. (Zack Nally photo)
1st place angler
Mercenaria angler Matthew Brown speaks with reporters after his 572.6-pound blue marlin is weighed on Monday. (Zack Nally photo)
Mercenaria
The crew of Mercenaria poses with its 572.6-pound blue marlin on Monday. The boat, which already won the $777,750 Fabulous Fisherman’s prize, is in line to win a potential record $3.48 million in first-place prizes. (Zack Nally photo)
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