iStockphoto / Kelly Dalling
Catching a marlin is the thrill of a lifetime for most fishermen. I often point to catching my first blue marlin in Costa Rica as the best and most exciting fish I’ve ever caught.
Pulling a several hundred-pound marlin (or a 1,000+ pounder) into the boat while that fish fights like a runaway freight train is difficult enough but sometimes mother nature throws a curveball and makes it more difficult.
A fisherman in Fiji learned this firsthand. He was fighting an estimated 140kg+ marlin in Fiji when pilot whales showed up and devoured his catch.
Pictures of the aftermath and a video of the pilot whales devouring the 300+ pound marlin were shared to Instagram. Just swipe right to see the additional photos and video:
People have left comments in amazement. Some wrote:
“I’ve fished around them lots in my life, never have seen that type of behavior but it does not surprise me.”
“Doesn’t make you want to swim with them…”
“They love finding a long line with plenty of fish on it. They run down the line leaving just a meatless head on the hook.”
Pete Thomas of For The Win writes that pilot whales are found in tropical and temperate waters. Their global range includes pretty much every botter of water except for the Arctic and Antarctic.
This same fisherman, Jaga Crossingham, is no stranger to going viral in the fishing community. He previously caught this wahoo which stunned the fishing world:
@careychenart Massive wahoo caught in Fiji by Jaga Crossingham #wahoo #bigfish #sportfishing #biggamefishing #offshorefishing #careychenart #careychen
And just last week, Crossingham landed this absolutely gargantuan Dogtooth Tuna before losing a marlin to the pilot whales.
Based on his social media feed it sure seems like this fisherman is living the dream out in Fiji.