Big blue marlin locks up the grand prize at the 68th annual Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament

While the staff tried their best to keep the crowd focused, spectators at the 68th annual Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament out of Morehead City were growing restless.

It was getting late - past 9 p.m. - and one more boat was yet to hit the scales.

Officials knew the blue marlin on Haphazard wasn’t going to win, but big prize money awarded to second and third places was a stake.

But things were getting close. A wide screen monitor showed the vessel following in a water patrol boat near the scales and the crowd irrupted.

Then, right at 10, Haphazard - a Pirate’ Cove-based vessel captained by Joey Belton - pulled up and tournament staff quickly went about weighing its large blue marlin.

The fish came in at 635.6 pounds to capture third place and a little more than $300,000. One report has Belton catching the fish after a 6.5-hour battle, but officials as yet haven’t listed the “official” angler in their standings.

Haphazard’s blue bumped Free Ranger at its 597.4-pounder out of third.

Second went to Fender Bender with its 644.1-pounder caught by Chris Scerri. The catch was good for $467,963.

As exciting as all that was, it paled in comparison to the excitement started Tuesday when Wilson, N.C.,-based Marlin Fever brought in a 919.9-pounder that set the record for the biggest blue every weighed in during the event.

Caught by Connor Daniel on the Capt. Cameron Guthrie-led vessel, the fish took the overall title and captured $871,250 by winning the Fabulous Fisherman’s award for the first blue marlin topping 500 pounds. It also took $3,978,000 for winning the Super 20 Division.

All told - coupled with $1.5 million rolled over from last year - the team pockets a grand prize of $6,513,188.

Doc Fees took the dolphin division with a 66.1-pounder caught by Keaton Gileece that was good for $568,500.

Winning $15,000 each in other top categories was Cullen Sharpe’s 53.4-pound wahoo caught on Magic Moment and Nick Gallagher’s 70.8-pound tuna on Watertight.

The 278 registered teams battled for prize money totaling more than $9 million - also a tournament record.

The fleet released a total of 331 billfish. Eight blue marlin were brought to the scales.

Released billfish included 122 blues, 120 white marlin, 84 sailfish and five unverified species.

Officials deemed eights and prize money as “unofficial” until Sundays awards banquet.