A new record for blue marlin released in one year by a single boat has been established, according to Capt. Josh Temple, and within just five months.
Reporting from home port of Los Suenos, Costa Rica, Temple tells Sport Fishing that anglers aboard the 60-foot Carol Libby — a Spencer and American Custom Yachts hybrid — on June 26 released billfish number 430.
That breaks the record of 422 releases previously set by Capt. Bobby McGuinness on the Cazador out of Golfito in 2010.
Temple, with boat owner Greg Brandner and team, set out to nail down a new record for billfish releases this past February. In total 765 blue marlin were raised in 61 days of fishing (blacks, stripes and sails were not counted), with 614 bites and 430 releases of fish to an estimated 475 pounds. Most of the fish were caught by angler Keith Brandner. Also, Temple says, the team placed The Billfish Foundation tags in 310 of the fish released. “We also broke The Billfish Foundation’s record for the most blues tagged in one season, the most tagged in one cay and the most released in one day by a single anger (Keith Brandner single-handedly released 19 on two different days).”
He cites some amazing numbers for three consecutive days, going 10 for 13 on June 25, 12 for 21 on the 26th and seven for 10 on the 27th. Temple tells SF that on June 21, the boat enjoyed a one-day total of 21 blues released out of 25 strikes and went 21 for 26 on June 17. April 11 offered the highest one-day tally of all, with 22 released for 37 bites.
Though the record is broken, Temple says, the quest continues and these numbers will keep climbing. “We expect to set a whole lot more records before this is through!”
Breaking New Ground with 430 Billfish Releases
Happy Anglers and Crew
War Whoop of Victory
High Fives Well Earned
