973 lb blue marlin

Californian catches 973-pound fish in Hawaii
By Associated Press
KAILUA-KONA, Hawaii (AP) _ California angler Robert Dudley has landed a 973-pound Pacific blue marlin -- the second largest fish ever caught in the 49-year history of the Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament.

Dudley is a member of the Laguna Niguel Billfish Club Number Two.

It took him two hours and 20 minutes using 50-pound test line to catch the fish yesterday while aboard the ``Marlin Magic Two.''

It was the largest fish caught during the tournament since the record 1,062-and-a-half-pound Pacific blue marlin was caught in 1986. That fish also was landed by a Laguna Niguel Billfish Club angler.

The tournament draws teams from as far away as New Zealand, Portugal, South Africa, Papua New Guinea and Japan. This year 26 teams are competing in the five-day competition that continues through Friday.