Photo from The Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament Facebook page.

In an impressive feat, a team with ties from Kinston has made headlines at the Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament by securing a remarkable prize. The boat "Release," captained by Rom Whitaker with angler Kirk Pugh, won the Fabulous Fisherman’s Division, earning a substantial $1,729,750.

The Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament shared the exciting news on Facebook, stating, "RELEASE has WON the FABULOUS FISHERMAN’S DIVISION worth $1️⃣,7️⃣2️⃣9️⃣,7️⃣5️⃣0️⃣ ‼️ Congratulations Capt. Rom Whitaker and angler Kirk Pugh 🏆." If they maintain their position, the team could win an additional $2,806,625, bringing their total potential earnings to over $4.5 million. The Fabulous Fisherman’s Division is powered by Johnson Towers + MTU Sportfish.

Captain Rom Whitaker, a native of Kinston, has an extensive background in the fishing industry. After attending college at ECU, he worked at Neuse Sport Shop and ran the Coca-Cola plant in Kinston for five years. For the past 36 years, Whitaker has been a full-time charter and commercial fisherman in Hatteras.