What’s a good day fishing for Marlin? Two, five or maybe 8 marlin? How about 42! That’s not just a good day, that’s off the charts when it comes to billfish. The crew aboard the Backlash out of Rudee Inlet had the day of their lives last Wednesday landing 41 white and 1 blue marlin.

Captain Steve Richardson along with mate Cam Carpinelli, Mike Atkinson and Cory Beisel started catching fish around 9:00 am on the 23rd of September and the fish kept biting until the pulled up their lines around 4:30 that afternoon. At several points during the day they were fighting multiple fish at the same time. Three and four marlin hooked at the same time! Three guys fighting fish on the back of the boat, one guy fighting a fish off the bow.

Amazing fishing compliments of a warm eddy of water jutting off the gulf stream some 67 miles off the coast of Virginia Beach. Richardson called it the perfect storm when it comes to marlin fishing. That warm body of water was loaded with bait fish, tuna and marlin all stacked up on top each other. can you say feeding frenzy!

The Backlash wasn’t the only boat making the most of the conditions. Captain Mike Standing and his crew aboard the Waterman landed 25 marlin on that amazing day. For one magical day, Virginia Beach was the marlin capital of the world.

What’s sad about this story was come Monday most of the charter fleet was back at the dock waiting for work.