Posted on June 2nd, 2017
Today was just the kind of weather that all of us that live in Ocean City will take all summer long. It is also really conducive to having a great fishing tournament. Today marked the start of the 21st Annual Mako Mania Tournament and scales action did not disappoint. There are a record 77 boats fishing this year’s event with a little over $100,000 in total prize money to be awarded. The first place mako is looking at over $64,000 and the first place thresher shark is looking to cash over $12,000. 64 of the 77 boats that are entered in the tournament fished today and there were some nice fish brought to the scales. Here’s what the leaderboard looks like currently.
The big fish of the day is also the first place fish in the thresher category. Kevin Rohe of Mills Creek Builders and Kitchen Fancy was fishing on the Get Reel with Captain Brian Arne when he reeled in this massive 501 pound thresher to grab first place in the category so far. Kevin fought the fish stand up for over 2 hours and was all smiles when it hit scale. Thanks to Dave Messick of Hooked on OC for the killer shots!
Third Place in the mako category currently belongs to Fish in OC charter My Cin who caught a 156.4 pounder.
Second place in the mako category is held by the crew of the Sea Ya with a mako of 158 pounds.
First place in the mako category was the first fish to the scales and is a 191.1 pound mako caught by the crew of the Jenny Poo. Thanks to Captain Bobby Pastorius for the pic!
Captain Joe Drosey and the crew of Rhonda’s Osprey are currently in the lead for the WM Harman release category. Rhonda’s Osprey released six bluesharks and three makos up to 110 pounds.
Spring Mix II is also fishing the Mako Mania and today they released 10 blue sharks and two brown sharks.
Away from the tournament Captain Marc Spagnola of Dusk to Dawn Bowfishing was in the ocean last night with Captain Chase Eberle on the Chasin’ Tides and he was lucky enough to catch this 127 pound mako at the sausages.
Some boats not fishing the Mako Mania went in search of tuna, mahi and the first white marlin of the season today. The first white is still out there and so is the check that might be worth more than $15,000. The Boss Hogg traveled to the deep today at a distance of 120 miles and although they did not find the #firstwhitemarlinoc they did find six yellowfin tuna and two mahi. Thanks to Sunset Marina for the photo!
Inshore Captain John Prather of Ocean City Guide Service was flounder fishing and had some luck putting two keepers in the box for his party.
Captain Marc Spagnola has been having some good shooting in the back bays when he’s not mako fishing. Captain Marc has put shooters on some nice cow nosed rays in the south bay.
The Tortuga flounder fishing party boat is ready to get you on the water after some flounder. Here’s a nice keeper for this young angler from today’s trip.
