51st Annual White Marlin Open Ends; 2 White & 3 Blue Marlins at the Scales
The 51st Annual White Marlin Open has come to an end. 318 boats fished 3 out of 6 days hoping to bring their catches to the scales at Harbor Island Marina in Ocean City. A 77 and a half pound white marlin caught on the second day of the tournament held the top spot for Ven Poole of Raleigh, North Carolina. That white marlin – brought in on the Waste Knot now worth a cool nearly $3.7-million dollars! A second white marlin – at 76 pounds brought in on the Billfisher out of Ocean City by Noah McVicker was worth nearly $1.8-million and a 220 and a half pound tuna caught by Ohio’s Rob Jones on the Blue Runner is worth just over a million dollars! The one open division Saturday was filled after a 70 pound wahoo was brought to the scales – that worth over $68,000. Planning for the 52nd Annual White Marlin Open – August 4th through 8th of next year is already underway.
Additional information from the WMO:
 1st Place White Marlin caught by Ven Poole on the Waste Knot / Image courtesy WMO
After day 6 of the 51st White Marlin Open, the big-money winners remained the same. The wahoo division finally had a qualifier as Ian Horowitz from North Wales, PA brought in a 70-pounder, caught off the American Lady out of Indian River, DE good for first place, and $68,500 in winnings. The other categories remained unchanged.
The white marlin division has the Waste Knot out of Raleigh, NC in first with a 77.5-pound white winning nearly $3.7 million. The local boat Billfisher from OC, MD, holds 2nd and $1,797,119 for Noah McVicker from Ocean City, MD.
1st place blue marlin caught by Lance Blakemore on the Stone Cutter / Image courtesy WMO
The blue marlin were huge this year with the Stone Cutter out of St Augustine, FL, landing a monster 897.5-pounder and holding over $520,000 for angler Lance Blakemore from Horseheads, NY. The Moore Bills out of OC, MD, weighed a 894-pounder, grabbing 2nd and $410,900 for angler Phil Key from Millers Island, MD. Third place was claimed by the Bobojo from Manteo, NC. They weighed a 789.5-pound blue earning Hershel Martin from Montross, VA, $112,700.
The tuna were equally impressive as the bigeye showed up for the tournament. Leading the charge was a 220.5-pound bigeye landed off the Blue Runner out of Pt. Pleasant, NJ, making Rob Jones from Cincinnati, OH $1,007,000 richer. There was a tie for 2nd place between two Cape May, NJ boats, both landing 193.5-pound bigeyes. Jeff Green from Cape May took $154,046 fishing off the Warden Pass. That fish was followed by the MJ and earned Dante Soriente from Little Egg Harbor $147,046 for his catch.
1st place dolphin caught by Patrick Field on the Catch 23 / Image courtesy WMO
The dolphin remained the same as the Catch 23 out of Jupiter, FL took first place and $64,500 for angler Patrick Fields from Stuart, FL. Second place was filled by Andy Geldmacher from Westminster, MD with a 31-pound dolphin taken off the Double Nickel out of Solomons, MD. The fish is worth $2,400.
While the weather deterred many small boats from entering this year, the Covered Up out of Ocean City, MD was glad they entered. Their 164-pound tuna won most of the small boat money and will take home over $200,000 for their efforts.
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