ORANGE BEACH -- With a 124-inch, 746.2-pound blue marlin boated in the Gulf and hoisted high at The Wharf Marina, Grocery Isle sealed its place in Gulf Coast sportfishing history as the 2025 Blue …
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ORANGE BEACH -- With a 124-inch, 746.2-pound blue marlin boated in the Gulf and hoisted high at The Wharf Marina, Grocery Isle sealed its place in Gulf Coast sportfishing history as the 2025 Blue Marlin Grand Champion on Saturday night.
The catch — with angler Donny Rouse behind the rod — was weighed Saturday afternoon after being reeled in Friday night, pushing Grocery Isle to the top of the leaderboard in a tense weekend showdown. Rouse and his team netted $405,977.80 in prize money.
Meanwhile, Devotion, led by captain Jason Hallmark, clinched the Gulf Coast Triple Crown title for the second time — their first win coming in 2021 — and took home $188,950.
Country music star Brian Kelley — one half of Florida/Georgia Line — represented team Lifeline. The team’s angler reeled in a 581-pound marlin and brought some Nashville flair to the dockside action.
Sixty-six boats, 411 anglers and more than $1.8 million in prize money made the 2025 edition live up to its billing as “The Greatest Show in Sportfishing.” Tournament officials reported a total catch count of 82. That haul included 49 blue marlins, five white marlins, five sailfish, four dolphin, 17 yellowfin tuna and two blue wahoos. In keeping with the tournament’s tradition of giving back, the meat was donated to the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo in Gulf Shores to help feed the animals.
What happens off the water is just as much a part of the story. Each evening, The Wharf transformed into a full-fledged fan experience. The weigh-in stage became a theater of flaming marlins and pounding music. Fans crowded Marlin Circle, sponsor tents surrounded the action, and each boat arrival brought new energy to the dockside party. If you weren’t there for the fishing, you were there for a good time.
Beyond the spectacle, the event’s heart remained in the right place. Once again, proceeds from the Blue Marlin Grand Championship benefited St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, with more than $220,000 raised.
Notable stats:
For full standings and stats, visit BlueMarlinGrandChampionship.com or CatchStat.com.
