OCEAN CITY – Thousands of anglers and tens of thousands of spectators will gather in Ocean City next week as the White Marlin Open kicks off its 50th year.
The White Marlin Open, the world’s largest offshore billfish tournament, will return to Ocean City next week for its 50th anniversary tournament. Held Aug. 7-11, anglers will have a chance to reel in record-breaking white and blue marlin, tuna, wahoo, swordfish or dolphin and secure some of the $10 million in estimated prize money.
“What makes the White Marlin Open so unique is obviously the participants are excited, but so are the spectators and the fanbase,” said Madelyne Motsko, tournament director. “People time their whole vacation around the White Marlin Open, to come and watch the festivities. And the town really gets involved. To have that excitement behind us is neat.”
The action kicks off early Monday morning, when hundreds of spectators will gather at the Inlet to watch the parade of boats head out to sea for the first of five fishing days in the tournament. Last year, more than 3,500 anglers aboard 408 boats competed for $8.6 million in prize money, and tournament organizers expect the event to grow in its 50th year.
“I know when my dad started it, he never anticipated it being what it is today,” Motsko said. “It’s the culmination of a lot of hard work and dedication. It’s just me, my dad and my sister, and to see what we’ve been able to pull off ever year is exciting. It shows we’re doing something right.”
Didn’t a scrappy competitor from Delaware, a former football star, truck driver and gang subduer win one of the early Marlins?
IIRC, he’d just recently served as the model for Hemingway’s fishing story and came to the contest with his two sons. They came south by train as far as Amtrak operated and walked the rest of the way to OC where they rented a row boat. The boys took turns rowing as he scanned the ocean for an elusive but legendary marlin. Using ice cream and pudding for bait they lured the wily fish alongside where an epic struggle ensued as he wrestled the monster onboard. With the frothy ocean mere inches from swamping their boat they turned back to the harbor, arriving just minutes before the scales closed. You could cut the assembled crowd’s suspense with a filet knife as he grasped the fish like Jordan would palm a basketball and hefted it to the dock where 3 grown men struggled to secure it and weigh it. I won’t leave you mystified; ever since his younger son Fredo has just called him The Big Guy as a token of respect. And that’s no malarkey; it’s just as he told me before hopping astride his bike and heading back to Lower, Slower.
How’s that for a fishing story? Best luck anglers!
Reading that was a waste of 30 minutes of my life. Thanks for your contribution 11:05
Have no idea why you had a problem with this. Just nasty. I enjoyed it!
Break out the TRUMP FLAGS !!!!!!
Only a Rich Man’s Sport !!!! The whole thing
Waist of alot of Fuel !!!