UPDATED: Day 1 at 51st Annual White Marlin Open Underway
UPDATED – 9:25pm – It was a day for tuna at the White Marlin Open! That was all that was brought in to the scales at Harbor Island. However WMO Tournament coordinator Andy Motsko said there were white marlin release flags flying and at least two blue marlin that were not boated. A 178.5 pound tuna currently tops the leaderboard – caught on the CtrlAltDelete by Bart Marchant of LaPlata, MD.
There are 5 more fishing days in the tournament and 318 boats registered in this year’s 51st Annual White Marlin Open.
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ORIGINAL STORY – 08/05/24 – The 51st Annual White Marlin Open is underway. There are 318 boats registered – and competing for an $8.5-million in prize money. With Tropical Storm Debby looming to our south – she could impact fishing conditions later in the week, and tournament officials have added a 6th day of fishing – Saturday, August 10th for boats to fish. Boats still fish 3 of the now 6 days.
Of the 318 boats that are registered – 199 headed off to the ocean canyons early this morning in search of white and blue marlin, tuna, dolphin, wahoo, swordfish and other billfish.
The Harbor Island Marina scales open at 4pm and will remain open until 9:15 for catches to be weighed. Marlin Fest takes place at the Ocean City Inlet each day from 11am to 9pm and events from Harbor Island will be streamed on a Jumbo-tron screen. Marlin Fest offers food, games, live entertainment – and a front row view of the boats returning for weigh-in – or their berth for the night.
