We’ve heard some wild tag recapture stories over the years, but this one might take the cake. 

In May 2025, a 22-inch yellowfin tuna was tagged off Venice, Louisiana, by our longtime friends at the LA-Tex Tournament. Just a couple of months later, that same fish was reported as recapture, but not in a way we imagined.

While sampling the landed fish during the Cajun Canyons Billfish Classic (another fantastic event that supports TBF’s work), the science team from the University of Southern Mississippi’s Gulf Coast Research Laboratory made a surprising discovery. Within a 594.6-pound blue marlin, which was landed by the boat Nikki Bella, they found a tagged yellowfin tuna. 

Yes, inside the stomach of a sampled blue marlin was a TBF-tagged yellowfin tuna.

This marks the first time TBF has documented a recapture of a tagged fish from inside another fish; a fascinating, once-in-a-lifetime moment that highlights the value of every tag deployed and how much we can learn through our collective community – across science, sportfishing, and conservation.

This incredible story was made possible through the collaboration of anglers, tournaments, and researchers, with a special thanks to the ongoing support of our Tag & Release Program sponsors: Casa Vieja Lodge, Costa Sunglasses, Garmin, King Sailfish Mounts, YETI, Boater’s List, and the International Game Fish Tournament Observers (IGFTO). Their support and commitment to conservation help to make these stories/discoveries possible. 

Moments like these remind us that every tag tells a story, and sometimes, those stories are more amazing than we could imagine.