A group of anglers got a 350-pound surprise when a marlin ended its battle on a fishing line by leaping into their boat.
The billfish came aboard the 62-foot Marlin Darlin off the coast of the Dominican Republic and managed to take down the fisherman who hooked it in the process. Nobody was hurt, however.
The Marlin Darlin calls Clearwater its home port, and it is operated by Bobby Jacobsen, who shot dramatic video of the big fish’s jump and posted it to YouTube.
The marlin was snagged by Wahoo Barfield, of Fort Lauderdale, one of two guests on the boat. According to Jacobsen, a mate usually cuts the leader and releases a caught marlin, which is a threatened species.
That wasn’t possible in this case.
“It happened so fast,” Jacobsen said Friday from the Marlin Darlin as the group finished the three-day trip.
After the huge fish launched bill-first into Barfield and landed, it thrashed on deck, creating a safety concern. The marlin died from injuries in the leap and from being subdued by the crew.
To see the original video visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLHondgBoII
