Scott Mutchler pulled off a rare feat in May when he landed a 600-pound black marlin from a kayak while fishing in Panama.
A photo of the huge billfish leaping just beyond its bow was widely circulated and made Mutchler famous in fishing circles.
Now the Jupiter, Florida resident has both the photo and a vivid painting of that epic moment to help immortalize the take.
Scott Mutchler fights a 600 pound black marlin. Photo: Adam Fisk/Los Buzos Fishing Resort
“I’m honored to have painting legend Carey Chen paint this for me,” he wrote on Facebook Friday. “He’s as nice as he looks on the videos.”
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Chen, a marine artist known for his creative use of color, also posted about meeting Mutchler:
“I met kayaking legend who has the most viral fishing photo on the internet Scott Mutchler, who commissioned me to paint his 600 pound black marlin which he dropped on the kayak [at] Los Buzos Panama. Such an incredible feat not only to release a 600 pound black marlin, but from a kayak takes extraordinary skill.
Scot Mutchler (left) poses with renowned artist Carey Chen
After the May 23 catch, at Los Buzos Fishing Resort, Mutchler told FTW Outdoors, “Once I was hooked, I could never have dreamed. I was there for the fight of my life.
Mutchler became the first Los Buzos customer to catch and release a black marlin from a kayak. Adam Fisk, a guide from Los Buzos, had previously released two marlins estimated at 500 pounds and more from his kayak.
Mutchler’s 45-minute fight, during which he was towed for a mile against a strong current, was captured by Fisk on video.
