Big Rock to give back to local charities with money raised at tournament
MOREHEAD CITY, N.C. (WNCT) — The Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament isn't just about fishing, but also about helping to raise money for local charities.
Every year, the tournament brings in a huge economic impact, raising over $3 million to give back in just the last two years alone.
The money raised goes to places like the Carteret Health Care Cancer Center, Carteret County Schools, Carteret Community Theater, Salvation Army, and much more. 'I would hope that people would kind of revel in the excitement of tournament week. Would be inspired perhaps to go online and order a T-shirt or a hat, knowing that in doing so they're contributing to monies that are going to flow out of the big rock tournament into our community,' Chairman of Big Rock Charity Committee Tommy Bennett said. 'You don't have to be a fisherman to participate in the big rock, and all of that just helps build those charitable contributions that we give away every year.'
Official announcements of how much money is being donated this year and to which organizations will be made shortly after the summer.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Big Rock Blue Marlin boaters share their superstitions for luck
MOREHEAD CITY, N.C. (WNCT) — Some boaters in the Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament have their own superstitions to ensure good sailing. Some boaters rules for good luck are: Wearing the same shirt or pair of socks 'Each boat has its own little, little superstition, so to speak. You know, everybody wears colored socks and they may wear white socks and black socks,' weight master Randy Gregory said. 'Who knows? It's just crazy superstition. Yeah. Sometimes they make them bite, sometimes it doesn't.' 'My favorite one is I have a red big blue marlin sure that I love, and I have called striped marlin on the fly in Cabo San Lucas,' Big Rock board member Tommy Bennett said. 'I've called Blue Marlin on the floor in Guatemala wearing that shirt. And it is my my lucky fishing shirt.' Throwing Oreo cookies and beer over the bow of the boat to feed the fish 'You take Oreo cookies over the bar You take them and you present them to the Billfish gods and you come in there like that and then, you know, you shake up some beers and you spray it off the stern,' weight master Randy Gregory said. 'You know, it kind of attracts the fish.' Never bring bananas on the boat 'It's a really old wives tale. Bananas are not really easy, and they cause other fruit around them to rot. I think it dates back to colonial days,' research assistant at NC State Paul Rudershausen said. 'So you should definitely not take bananas on a boat. Especially on Friday the 13th.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Big Rock blog: Still only one blue marlin weighed as day five starts
MOREHEAD CITY, N.C. (WNCT) — It's day five of the Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament. Day four saw all 272 boats out on the water. It was a busy day with 122 billfish being released including 68 blue marlin, 34 sailfish and 20 white marlin. So far in the tournament 256 billfish have been released, compared to last years 268. There are still two days left in the tournament and plenty of ground to cover. We still have 'Bankwalker' in the lead with a 449.7 lbs blue marlin that they brought in on Wednesday. Follow our coverage of the 67th annual Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament on our daily blog and on our Big Rock page. WNCT will provide live coverage of every blue marlin weigh-in throughout the tournament on and the WNCT 9 mobile app. 8:00 AM The day starts with the traditional blessing of the fleet. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Crowds of people from all over fill Big Rock Landing
MOREHEAD CITY, N.C. (WNCT) — The Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament is halfway over but the spirit of those out enjoying the event hasn't diminished. People come from all over to see large blue marlins weighed in at the Big Rock scales. 'It's all the community coming together even like, the locals coming in and hanging out together, just being one team,' Cape Carteret local Alex Wianecki said. Others come into town from much farther away. 'I mean, for somebody like me from an area that doesn't do anything like this, it is so exciting to see this many people and to see everybody have such a good time,' Laura Calfee of Tampa, Fla. said. Others came from the mountainous parts of the state to see the action at the coast. 'I've grown up coming to Morehead and Atlantic Beach. I vacationed every summer at the Oceania Resort and have never been to Big Rock,' Julia Rice of Snow Camp said. 'Enjoying the family and the friendship. This is my son's high school graduation trip and I don't even care if there's any fish, just being with my family and my friends.' In the final days of the Big Rock, more anticipation grows as people wait to see who the winners will be. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
