The One That Got Away: Not The Fish, But The $2.8M Prize

OCEAN CITY, Md. (AP) — A Florida man is fighting a protracted battle with a fishing tournament over $2.8 million in prize money.

Phil Heasley caught a 6-foot fish at the White Marlin Open off the coast of Ocean City, Maryland, last year. But he was denied the winnings because he and his crew failed to pass lie detector tests about whether they followed tournament rules.

A federal judge ruled against Heasley in June after a nine-day trial. The judge said Heasley agreed to the tournament's rules, which included possibly taking a polygraph.

Heasley, who lives in Naples, is appealing the ruling. In a statement to The Associated Press, he said, "I am not the kind of person to lay down and let anyone run over us with lies and junk science."

Follow @CBSBaltimore on Twitter and like WJZ-TV | CBS Baltimore on Facebook

(© Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)