Team Salt Shaker pours it on with a win at Billfish Classic

Point Cadet in Biloxi saw a packed-out crowd as the final weigh-ins were being tallied and anglers competed for a million-dollar grand prize.

The Mississippi Gulf Coast Billfish Classic came to a close, but not before a winner was crowned Saturday as the 2023 champion.

Team Salt Shaker from Destin, Florida, took home first place, reeling in a 120-inch blue marlin weighing in at 723 pounds.

The marlin alone is worth $239,000.

Boat Captain Dennis Bennett described the catch.

“It took us about an hour and a half and the fish jumped up behind the boat for a good 30 minutes and she just went down sea for about another hour,” Bennett said. “It came back up, my mate wired her up next to the boat and we stuck three gaffs in her and next thing you know, she was in the boat.”

Badonkadonk Sportfishing came in second with a 605-pound blue marlin.