Tuna time at the White Marlin Open? Thanks Charlie
Weather conditions were a big boost after a rough opening day, but the fish of choice sent only its children to play.
The 53rd annual White Marlin Open out of Ocean City, Md., saw just one billfish recorded on Monday, when only 17 of the 334 teams opted to battle rough seas.
Things were very different on Tuesday, when 255 teams hit flatter waters and billfish hit baits with post-storm gusto.
Problem was, they were all too small to qualify for the tournament’s 70-inch, 70-pound minimums.
Of the 295 whites hooked, only one came to the scales and it didn’t qualify.
That left the the tuna to again steal the show.
On the first day, three yellowfins each weighing more than 80 pounds tipped the scales in a battle for the event’s $9.9 million total payout.
Even in tuna circles, bigger versions can easily take over and that’s what happened on the second day, when bigeye and bluefin joined the mix.
When the weigh station at Harbour Island closed late last night, Pottstown, Pa., angler Anthony Rubino - fishing on the Fenwick Island, Pa.-based See Legs - had jumped to the top of the tuna division and prize list with a 110.5-pound bigeye.
If nothing changes - oh, but it will - that fish that took 4.5 hours to boat would be worth $2,428,991.
Filling in the second spot was Jordy Mitchell of Forest Hill, Md., on the hometown vessel Reel Blessed. His 91.5-pound bluefin could earn the team $195,223.
Rounding out the leaderboard was an 85-pound tuna caught by Steve de Brabander of Newark, Del. That fish, caught on Ocean City boat Marli, could bring the team $1,870,161.
Calmer waters charged up hungry dolphin, with local angler Russell Armstrong’s 31.5-pounder potentially worth $209,929. It was caught on the Ocean City vessel Sidepiece.
Heading into today’s angling - teams can fish three of the six days - 296 white marlin, 11 blue marlin, 25 tuna, five dolphin and one spearfish have been caught.
There are no entries for sailfish, swordfish or wahoo.
Ocean City’s Pachanga and Pompano Beach, Fla.’s Inconclusive are tied for the lead in the release race with 630 points each.
Chances are likely that these players will either drop off the board or move around as the next four days sail on.
So, as usual, there’s more to come.
