The 42nd Annual White Marlin Open will take place on August 8-12 at the Harbor Island Marina in Ocean City, Maryland. Fin & Field is excited to be a sponsor for the event, which is the Worlds Largest Billfish Tournament. All of Ocean City buzzes with excitement before and during the White Marlin Open.
Last year 308 boats competed and 1500 anglers participated. Two marlin were worth more than $1M! Cheryl McLeskey caught the top prize fish, a 94 lb white marlin worth $1.18M. Cheryl was fishing on the Backlash and is the fist female angler to win this event! The second place fish went to Bill Haugland who caught a 79lb white marlin that won him an even $1M. A total of $3.9M in prize money was awarded. Check out our blog post and video recap from last years event!
The 2016 White Marlin Open will be even bigger! The tournament, after 42 years, continues to gain in popularity because of the well-liked format and the Motsko family who runs the event with integrity and professionalism. You can enter the tournament for as little as $1,300 for a chance at $50,000. There are additional entries for those with their eye set on larger prizes. Anglers come from all over the world to compete. The tournament that runs for a full 5 days of fishing, but each boat must select 3 days to fish and 2 lay days. It is not to late to fish the White Marlin Open, registration takes place all the way up until August 7th.
Thousands of people, young and old, will kick off the week by watching the boats leave the inlet early on Monday the 8th. Watching the fleet make a mad dash for the canyons has become a tradition for both the hardcore fans and 1st time spectators. Monday evening is the first of 5 straight days of weigh-ins. The weigh-ins are from 4:00pm – 9:15pm and are open to the public and free of charge. Lucky spectators may get to see a million dollar marlin brought to the scales. Every day grows in excitement as the week goes on and the leaderboards take shape.
For the crowds of anglers and fans that gather in Ocean City the weigh-in is just the tip of the iceberg. The dock life during the tournament is exciting to say the least. Every day boats are preparing to fish, rigging bait, and telling fish stories on the dock. At night the boats all light up, flags waving, and make a picturesque backdrop to the one-of-a-kind nightlife. Fans and fishermen alike gather to discuss the leader board, how much each fish is worth, and chances for fortunes to change in the blink of an eye. You don’t want to miss the great food and off-day action at OC hot spots like Sunset Grille, M.R. Ducks, Micky Fins, and Harborside. Camaraderie and competition continues on land all week at Teasers Dockside Bar, as boat crews drink their way towards winning the Teaser’s Cup.
The White Marlin Open has always been at the forefront of conservation. Their tournament format allows boats to release the vast majority of fish. In fact, last year 687 out of 695 billfish were released alive for a 99.8% release rate. The billfish that are brought to the scales do NOT go to waste. After being measured, sampled, and studied, each fish is cleaned, packaged, and donated to the Maryland Food Bank. Thousands of families are able to enjoy fresh fish as a result of the tournament.
Planning a trip to Ocean City? You can learn more about Ocean City on its Destination Page and in this article: 5 Family Friendly Vacation Spots With Dynamite Fishing! Make sure to do some fishing while you’re there and book a trip on one of these boats.
- Foolish Pleasures
- No Quarter Sportfishing
- Husevo Offshore Sport Fishing
- Rhonda’s Osprey Charter Fishing
- Game Changer Sportfishing
- Restless Lady Charters
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