Whew ... the next-to-the-last day of the 52nd annual White Marlin open gets a little crazy
Despite an near end-of-the-event frenzy, leaders in the 52nd annual White Marlin Open held strong to the top spots.
At the end of Saturday’s fishing, the crew on the Catch 23 - a Jupiter, Fla., custom Scarborough vessel owned by NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan - brought to the Ocean City, Md., scales a white marlin that met the 70-inch length minimum. But the fish, caught by angler Trey McMillan, only weighed 71 pounds.
Good enough for second, but it left a 72-pounder caught by hometown angler Dan Gough on the Billfisher, based in Ocean City, on top of the event’s namesake division.
Entering Saturday’s fishing, Gough’s fish would have been worth approximately $4.2 million. It now could bring in $3.9 million.
The Catch 23’s fish will could be worth approximately $385,000. Coupled with a released white marlin, the catch put the Catch 23 team in the lead in the release division, which could bring in more money.
The event features 282 registered teams vying for a $7.3 million prize purse.
McMillan’s fish wasn’t the final bit of excitement, as two other white marlin meeting the length minimum were brought to the weigh-in dock. But both tipped the scales at only 64.5 pounds - shy of the weight minimum needed to qualify for the leaderboard.
No blue marlin were brought in, leaving a 929.5-pounder caught on Monday by Timonium, Md., angler Drew Osmeyer on the Atlantic Beach, N.C.-based Barbara B in the division lead. That fish was looking at $1.2 million.
The team still stands to pocket another $51,000 for a 32.5-pound dolphin caught by Andrew Schreiber of Essex, Md.
Several yellowfin tuna were weighed in Saturday, but the 95-pounder caught by Tommy Farella of New Smyrna Beach, Fla., on the Mama C out of Virginia Beach, remains on top of the division. That fish could bring in $774cs,000.
Seas are forecast to be slightly better on Sunday for the event’s final round of competition.
So stay tuned, because the final day could cause plenty of commotion.
