The 68th Annual Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament runs June 5 through 14, 2026, in Morehead City, North Carolina. Black Book Charters has a 62' Winter positioned for the week with a slip secured and the crew ready to compete.
Big Rock is one of the largest and oldest billfish tournaments in the country and was named Marlin Magazine's 2025 Tournament of the Year. The 2025 field drew 272 boats, released a record 420 billfish including 238 blue marlin, and paid out more than $6.3 million. The 2026 edition carries $1.42 million rolling over in the Super 20 Division alone, with an estimated $3 million payout for the winning fish in Level VI and a potential world-record payout approaching $6.2 million if the fish wins Levels I through VI.
This is the tournament that draws the most competitive blue marlin fleet on the East Coast, and chartering a proven vessel is how serious anglers get in the field without the overhead of owning and positioning a boat for a single week.
The 62' Winter
The 62' Winter is a cold-molded Carolina boat built for exactly this fishery. Privately owned, captain-maintained, and tournament-rigged with advanced sonar, Seakeeper stabilization, Starlink, a teak cockpit, and mezzanine seating. The boat runs a split-season program between South Florida and the Northeast, with Morehead City falling directly on the route north.
Carolina boats were designed for this water. The hull shape, the ride, the cockpit layout. The 62' Winter is built by the same tradition that produced the fishery's most respected platforms, and the crew knows how to run a competitive program in the North Carolina blue water.
Big Rock Week
The week opens with the Keli Wagner Lady Angler Tournament on June 5, a standalone event that kicks off the full Big Rock schedule. Black Book Charters had guests aboard the 62' Winter for the 2025 KWLA, and charter availability is open for both the main tournament in 2026.
Six fishing days follow, with required lay days built into the schedule. Target species include blue marlin, white marlin, and sailfish, with weigh-ins at Big Rock Landing each afternoon. The format rewards both weight and release, with divisions structured across multiple levels and calcuttas.
Tournament Details
Dates: June 5 through 14, 2026
Fishing Days: Six days of competition with required lay days
Location: Big Rock Landing, Morehead City, North Carolina
Target Species: Blue marlin, white marlin, sailfish
Format: Weight and release divisions
Super 20 Division Rollover: $1.42 million carried from 2025
Official Site: thebigrock.com
The Morehead City Season
Big Rock is the centerpiece, but it is part of a larger North Carolina tournament season. The Christopher Perri Memorial Billfish Tournament and the Hatteras Village Offshore Open run in May, leading into Big Rock week in June. After Big Rock, the Big Rock Kids Billfish Tournament and the NC Ducks Unlimited Band the Billfish follow in July. All of them fish the same North Carolina blue water, and the 62' Winter will be positioned in the Carolinas through the summer season.
Inquire
The 62' Winter has a slip secured in Morehead City for Big Rock week. Availability is limited. Whether you are entering the main tournament, the KWLA, or booking a private charter during the North Carolina marlin season, the boat and crew are set up to compete.
View the full tournament calendar or explore charter options across the Carolinas.
