Big fish ... bigger money. The White Marlin Open is underway

Hey, isn’t this thing supposed to be about white marlin?

You wouldn’t think so after the first day of competition in the 53rd annual White Marlin Open.

Taking place off of the home port of Ocean City, Md., is was more like tuna town as 17 out of the fleet of 334 teams braved nasty conditions that are forecast to improve as the week goes on.

This year’s event has been extended to six days - with teams allowed a total of three days of angling. That chose follows last year’s event that was brutalized by weather.

This year’s fleet is battling it out for a total payout of $9.9 million.

In Monday’s opener, Ocean City boats got into the yellowfin tuna in the big way.

And if everything was to stay how it is right now, they’d take a majority of the cash.

But if you’ve followed this tournament more than a minute, you know that first-day results rarely hold up.

As it currently stands, all of the money is in the tuna division, with big yellowfin exciting the weigh-in crowd.

Leading the pack is Full Service with an 84-pounder caught by Fallston, Md., angler Mike Freiji. That fish could be worth $1.227 million.

Not as big, but even better for the bank account, is second-place Talkin’ Trash with an 81.5-pounder caught by Dan Caiola of Frederick, Md.

And just for good measure, the Talkin’ Trash showed that it wasn’t just tune by taking the lead in the billfish release points division.

Because of entry levels, that fish could pocket the team $3.917 million.

And in third with an 80.5-pounder caught by Middletown, Del., is angler John Friedman. He was fishing on the Game On and his  tuna could be worth $331,309.

All this will change, as waters calm and the marlin action turns back on. Catches prior to the event were good and getting better.

So, as you would expect, there is plenty more to come.