# Poco Marlin



## Tom Hilton (May 24, 2004)

Howdy,
Heard a rumor that "Mechanical Man" is bringing in a 116" fish to the scales.

The calcutta is worth $538,000.00 along with the tournament money of $88,000.00 for a purse totalling $626,000.00.

What a great time to catch a 116" marlin - congrats to Mechanical Man if the rumor is true.

All the best,
Tom Hilton


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## Charles Helm (Oct 22, 2004)

Let us know if this is confirmed. I'd love to see a picture.


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## Deep Hunter (May 22, 2004)

Just weighed it ... 705lbs and 118". Congrats to "Mechanical Man" and the team.


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## Charles Helm (Oct 22, 2004)

Deep Hunter said:


> Just weighed it ... 705lbs and 118". Congrats to "Mechanical Man" and the team.


 Thanks for the update. I'll second (third?) the congratulations.


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## Deep Hunter (May 22, 2004)

Thats a huge marlin for the Texas coast. I don't think there are many that size caught.


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## Brian Castille (May 27, 2004)

Wow, I've never heard of one over 700. Too bad it's dead now.....


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## ReefDonkey (Jul 1, 2004)

Brian Castille said:


> Wow, I've never heard of one over 700. Too bad it's dead now.....


Uh oh...here we go again


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## Bret (May 21, 2004)

Awsome. That is a big fish no matter where you fish.. It has got to be one of the top 5 biggest caught off of the Texas coast.. Congrats guys..


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## newman (May 21, 2004)

I second Bret. Awsome. Congrats. Sure would like to get a detail type report.


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## Dutch Treat (May 21, 2004)

ReefDonkey said:


> Uh oh...here we go again


Yep and amen..................


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## Dutch Treat (May 21, 2004)

Bret said:


> Awsome. That is a big fish no matter where you fish.. It has got to be one of the top 5 biggest caught off of the Texas coast.. Congrats guys..


That is a very good Gulf Marlin. A friend caught on in the eighties that went 703.5 after laying in the cockpit for 20 hours. The biologist/weighmaster at the Galveston july 4th tournament said it was probably 800 or so when it came out of the water.

Bob


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## CC Duck (May 24, 2004)

Congratulations to the _Mechanical Man_!!! That is going to be very tough to beat. Will be down at weigh-in tomorrow.


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## Jackson Yacht Sales (May 21, 2004)

It was beautiful and fat! I know what it was caught on but not where. 

"Seventh Heaven" weighed in a 750 something a number of years ago during Poco. That was a big fish.


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## speckle-catcher (May 20, 2004)

Brian Castille said:


> Wow, I've never heard of one over 700. Too bad it's dead now.....


I certainly don't know you, but I seriously doubt there are more than a handful of people on this board that would turn loose a fish worth a half-million dollars.

I am not one of them.


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## bambinosan (Feb 9, 2005)

*Marlin*

If I'm not mistaken there was a big Hatteras at BHYC in the 70's that caught one that weighed over 1,000. I think it might have been 1,056. He also caught the record king at that time which was about 71-73. I don't know if he was fishing the 550K calcutta back then or not but the bidder gets 40%. Isn't that correct? They used to get 60/40. Someone who knows correct me if I'm wrong.


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## Freshwaterman (May 21, 2004)

Excuse the dumb question here guys but what is the Calcutta? I've seen several posts that mentioned "the calcutta" or "the calcutta money" but none ever said what it is all about. I have never been marlin fishing or tuna for that fact so reading about all of this in new to me. Thanx in advance.
Billy


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## CHARLIE (Jun 2, 2004)

Calcutta is when every boat in the tournament is auctioned off. Example when your boat comes up you bid on it and the highest bidder gets the boat. If that boat wins then he gets the money in the calcutta. Will be lots of money when all the boat money adds up. 
You (of course) always try to buy your own boat cuz you are so shure you are going to win. Some times another bidder runs the price of your boat up its kinda a never ending price run on if your boat is well known and catches fish and has done well in the tournaments before. Does this make sense?

Charlie


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## Tall1fin (Jun 3, 2004)

Brian Castille said:


> Wow, I've never heard of one over 700. Too bad it's deadnow.....


Brian, the fish had not been feeling well for quite some time and the quality of life was just not there anymore. Lots of problems with its gills and its tail was a source of much pain. Luckily this fish had the foresight to have a living will and choose to not be released should he ever be caught and possibly be in a position to make a nice payday for someone. He wanted his body donated to a nice wall where people young and old alike could admire him for years to come.

So you see, its what the big guy wanted! You have to respect that. Now a moment of silence, please.


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## Calmday (Jul 7, 2005)

Only in my dreams. Congrats Mechanical Man.


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## Tom Hilton (May 24, 2004)

*Marlin*

Howdy,
To my knowledge, a Grander (1,000 lb+ fish) has never been brought to the docks of any Texas Port. The state record is 876 lbs +_, and the biggest I've seen brought to the docks is the 743 lbr brought in at the Watermelon about 9 years ago.

The Sea Wolff, a boat out of Destin, Florida brought in the Gulf of Mexico record 2-3 years ago at the Mississppi Billfish Classic in Biloxi - 1,054.6 lbs.

Poco is setup where your $1,000 entry fee automatically ensures you 50% of the fishing rights to your boat. The calcutta auctions off the remaining 50% to the highest bidder. The crew of the Smooth Finish were bidding up most of the boats this year, and ended up buying 15 or so boats, paying well over $100,000.00 I think! Don't know if they bought Mechanical Man, but do know they're playing some high stakes poker here.

All the best,
Tom Hilton


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## sigmanu723 (Jun 22, 2005)

what a fish !!! nice work !!


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## gater (May 25, 2004)

*Smooth Finish*

Just heard that the Smooth Finish has a 100+ on board. Gater


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## Kauffballs (Jun 2, 2004)

what other boats had fish?


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## Freshwaterman (May 21, 2004)

CHARLIE said:


> Calcutta is when every boat in the tournament is auctioned off. Example when your boat comes up you bid on it and the highest bidder gets the boat. If that boat wins then he gets the money in the calcutta. Will be lots of money when all the boat money adds up.
> You (of course) always try to buy your own boat cuz you are so shure you are going to win. Some times another bidder runs the price of your boat up its kinda a never ending price run on if your boat is well known and catches fish and has done well in the tournaments before. Does this make sense?
> 
> Charlie


Yes it does. Thanks a bunch.
Billy


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## jaredchasteen (Jun 15, 2005)

Where are the pics, If you catch it you can kill it.(assuming it is legal) I have never caught a Blue but i would release it if it were not in a tournament. But if it would win the tournament it will die.


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## Sixtoe (Jul 8, 2004)

I would agree with that.


jaredchasteen said:


> Where are the pics, If you catch it you can kill it.(assuming it is legal) I have never caught a Blue but i would release it if it were not in a tournament. But if it would win the tournament it will die.


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## Argo (May 21, 2004)

I would guess that second place for OTE will get him some cash prize also?


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## Jackson Yacht Sales (May 21, 2004)

Yes, the pot is split five ways.


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## Argo (May 21, 2004)

That should pay down some of the loan on that brand spankin new boat and make momma happy. And daddy.


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## kingkatcher (Aug 31, 2004)

*Marlin Pic*

Finally got a couple of pics of Mr. 700 via email. Not good quality though.


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## Charles Helm (Oct 22, 2004)

kingkatcher said:


> Finally got a couple of pics of Mr. 700 via email. Not good quality though.


Thanks for posting the pictures.


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## Fowlhooked (Apr 4, 2005)

*Pics*

I fished the inshore division and snapped a couple of pics when the big girl came in. These pics don't do justice of how wide that marlin was.


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## Charles Helm (Oct 22, 2004)

Fowlhooked said:


> I fished the inshore division and snapped a couple of pics when the big girl came in. These pics don't do justice of how wide that marlin was.


Very nice pictures. Thanks.


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## InfamousJ (May 21, 2004)

This was the first year in like 20 yrs I heard that Ben did not buy himself in the calcutta. He usually pays 3K or so for himself but I heard Mechanical Man went to like 10K this year and he did not want to go that high. Man, even if true, awesome fish and awesome win. He has been fishing this tourney a long time, and kept getting bigger and bigger boats to play the big pond game.


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## bevo/fishing/hunting (May 10, 2005)

I heard that he bought half the boat.


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## Dutch Treat (May 21, 2004)

*Calcutta*



bevo/fishing/hunting said:


> I heard that he bought half the boat.


Your entry fee gets you half of your boats winnings. You get to bid on the other half at the calcutta.

The owner does not always stick with the auction to get the other half of his/her own boat.


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## bevo/fishing/hunting (May 10, 2005)

Thanks Dutch.. didn't know how that worked!


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## Hang Time (Jun 14, 2004)

I wasn't there Wednesday night (Calcutta night) but my wife was and she took notes for me. Mechanical Man was bought for $11,000 and I heard that Ben stopped bidding at $8,000. Rumour is that Brenda Carter bought half (one quarter of the whole purse) of the calcutta for Ben's boat.


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## Redfishr (Jul 26, 2004)

Fowlhooked said:


> I fished the inshore division and snapped a couple of pics when the big girl came in. These pics don't do justice of how wide that marlin was.


Looks like a fish to me, not a girl.


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## Dutch Treat (May 21, 2004)

*Sounds like a troll..............*



Redfishr said:


> Looks like a fish to me, not a girl.


but I will answer anyway. All marlin that size are female. Hence, Big Girl. Get it?

Bob


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## Freshwaterman (May 21, 2004)

I was there.. Mechanical man started at $3000. Next bid was $4000, then $10,000 that was beat by a $10500 bid. Ben said let him have it. He was offered half back but turned it down. The crew were glad to just win after 20 years of trying.


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## Argo (May 21, 2004)

so he only gets 250k+, dangit, that stinks. LOL


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## ReefDonkey (Jul 1, 2004)

Who is Ben?


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## Argo (May 21, 2004)

Ben Dover


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## bevo/fishing/hunting (May 10, 2005)

Rotflmao


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## KingFisher (Jul 14, 2005)

Nice thread. Once again I have learned alot from this forum. Calcutta, Girl, Ben, etc...


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