A Massachusetts fisherman pulled in an 881-pound tuna this week only to have the federal authorities take it away. It sounds like a libertarian twist on the classic novella by Ernest Hemingway, The Old Man and the Sea, but for Carlos Rafael, the saga is completely true.

Rafael and his crew were using nets to catch bottom-dwellers when they inadvertently snagged the giant tuna. However, federal fishery enforcement agents took control of the behemoth when the boat returned to port. The reason for the seizure was procedural: While Rafael had the appropriate permits, fishermen are only allowed to catch tuna with a rod and reel. 

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Oakdale New York - Today's contest will go down for having the best weather since the inception of the tournament, the only issue was the fishing was very slow from what I could see while patrolling from the lighthouse to the inlet multiple times.

1st Place Jeff Wilkens caught his fish in West Channel
2nd Place Ron Adamo caught his fish at the Inlet
3rd Place Jon Enokson caught his fish off of Gilgo 

First there was American Chopper, now there is Babylon Boat Works!

There is a new reality show on the Internet for any boater that was ever interested in restoring their classic sport fishing beauty back into pristine condition.  

Babylon Boat Works is a unique operation that came together after Captain Al Lorenzetti, with the help of many friends, completely restored his 1979 23 foot Mako fishing boat. The restoration went so well, that soon boat owners wanted their own beloved boats to be restored and rebuilt.

Today, Babylon Boat Works is not only a working shop specializing in classic restoration and marine fabrication, it is also the hottest new reality show on the web. Each day, viewers can watch the live action on the BBW webcam as the crew faces challenges arising as they restore boats to their former glory. Daily updates from Capt. Al and crew highlight the day's progress and struggles.  Viewers will find Babylon Boat Works entertaining as well as educational.

www.BabylonBoatWorks.com

The votes have been counted and Canadians have swept both the consumer and partner categories of the 2011 Mercury Films Festival. 

Mercury Marine announced Oct. 27 during a media event in Fort Lauderdale that Lonnie King and Cody Graham have won the Mercury Films Festival promotion for their consumer and partner videos. 

Mercury invited consumers, partners and employees to submit their own on-the-water videos this summer for a chance to win a free engine, fishing trips and more. 

King, a resident of Orleans, Ontario, won the consumer category for his “Merky Dreams” video that starred his two sons, 9-year-old Kelsey and 7-year-old Kalen. The video tells the story of a young boy’s nightmare and how Mercury comes to the rescue. 

The family won a Mercury engine of their choice for being voted the top consumer video. 

“Our entry was inspired by the fact that we were having troubles with our current non-Mercury motor and to win this contest could not come at a better time,” King said. “Having a dependable motor would certainly provide my family peace of mind.” 

The King family accepted the award at an event on Oct. 27 at the International Game Fish Association headquarters in Fort Lauderdale. 

Graham of Victoria, British Columbia, won the Mercury partner category for his “Mercury Arctic Adventure” documentary detailing Shockwave Seats President David Smith and Discovery Channel adventurer Bear Grylls’ 8,000-mile record run from the North Atlantic, through the Northwest Passage, to the Pacific Northwest in a RIB equipped with triple Mercury Verado engines. 

"Winning the Merc Film contest is a testament to the hard work David Smith has put in over the years living on the leading edge of marine innovation, which includes crazy adventures,” said Graham. “Filming during the arctic mission will be an experience I keep with me for the rest of my life and I'd like to thank Mercury for the opportunity to showcase the journey and David Smith's story." 

Graham, the director of Media One Multimedia which produced the video, won a VIP trip for two to the 2012 Bassmaster Classic. 

More than 300 videos were submitted during the Mercury Films Festival and tens of thousands of people visited the contest website during the four-month promotion. 

You can view “Merky Dreams” online at
www.mercfilms.com/contests/showentry/828447
and “Mercury Arctic Adventure” at 
www.mercfilms.com/contests/showentry/884980.