Alabama Woman Wins 3-Hour Battle with 843-Pound Blue Marlin

Alabama angler Deb Hebert made headlines at the 2014 Mississippi Gulf Coast Billfish Classic by snaring a record-setting catch.

Fishing off the coast of Biloxi, Mississippi, Hebert reeled in an 843.7-pound blue marlin on the morning of June 6. According to GulfLive.com's Al Jones, it was the largest fish that a female had ever caught in the history of the tournament and the third-largest caught by anyone.

Courtesy of mgcbc.com

The marlin was measured at 127.5 inches long and had a 74-inch girth. Of course, catching a fish of that size is no easy task. The angler had to endure a three-hour battle before being rewarded.

The fish put up quite a battle, but Hebert wasn't going to let it win, via Jones:

"

Amazing, just amazing. The fish was hooked at 7 am (Friday) and I really didn't know if I was going to get it in or not. But about two hours into the fight, I decided that I was not going to quit.

I was pumped to say the least. After two hours of going back and forth, I was convinced I would land the fish.

[...]

My arms and legs are bruised, but that was amazing.

"

Hebert walked away with first place in the tournament, which paid out $195,000, according to Jones.

"Not bad for my first blue marlin," Hebert told Jones.

You got that right.

[GulfLive.com, H/T Wide Open Spaces]