Sustained by the pride of his calling, the only pride he has left, a broken old fisherman ventures far out into the Gulf Stream and there hooks the biggest marlin ever seen in those waters.

故事讲到一个精神沮丧的老渔人，在他对职业的自豪感(他留下的唯一自豪感)的支持之下，冒险远航至墨西哥湾流并在那里钓住了一条该水域中从未见过的最大的马林鱼。