Posted on August 10th, 2024
Hit the vid for the Daily Catch at Sunset Marina!
The 2024 White Marlin Open is in the books and it was another terrific event! The week started with uncertainty as Hurricane Debby was moving toward the U.S. and was forecast to move up the coast during the week of the tournament and bring strong seas and high winds to the area. Tournament Directors decided early to add Saturday to the end of the event making it a fish 3 of 6 day tournament. That decision proved to be a very good one.
The weather blew in on Thursday night and no-one fished on Friday and zero fish were brought to the scales.
There were qualifying fish in every category this year with the top prize going to the first place white marlin caught by the crew of Waste Knot that weighed in at 77.5 pounds. Billfisher finished in second place by just 1.5 pounds and will win over $1.8 Million.
The other big story of the tournament were the huge blue marlin brought in this week. There were three qualifying blue marlin this year and all of them were bigger than 780 pounds!
Throw in some big tunas, a couple of mahi and a wahoo that was caught on the last day and you’ve got a full board of fish. Congratulations to all of the winners in the 51st Annual White Marlin Open! Here’s who’s winning what.
White Marlin
1st Place Waste Knot 77.5 Lbs $3,699,630
2nd Place Billfisher 76 Lbs $1,797,119
Blue Marlin
1st Place Stone Cutter 897.5 Lbs $520,374
2nd Place Moore Bills 894 Lbs $410,936
3rd Place Bobojo 789.5 Lbs $112,704
Tuna
1st Place Blue Runner 220.5 Lbs $1,007,012
2nd Place Tie Warden Pass 193.5 $147,046
2nd Place Tie MJ’s $154,046
Mahi
1st Place Catch 23 32.5 Lbs $64,594
2nd Place Double Nickel 31 Lbs $2,409
Wahoo
1st Place American Lady 70 Lbs $68,594
Away from the tournament, Captain Dave Caffrey of On the Run had a great day for his anglers putting them on two keeper flounder of 17 3/4″ and 23″ that was 4.6 pounds.
Chase Neumayer caught a 17.5″ flounder on a live spot and Patrick Saltzgiver landed a bi 24.5″ flounder on a live bunker. Both fish were caught on the Deadly Tackle Live Bait Rig.
Captain Marc Spagnola of Dusk to Dawn Bowfishing had a great day and night for his shooters putting them on some really nice rays. It was cow nosed and southerns during the day and then a huge butterfly ray at night.
