Big Leaderboard Changes On Day 3 of the 50th Annual White Marlin Open

By Scott Lenox

Posted on August 9th, 2023

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I just got home from a very busy hump day at the 50th Annual White Marlin Open and there were lots and lots of tuna weighed in. It was fitting that today’s broadcast sponsor was Yellowfin, because we saw about two tons of them. We also saw some more big bigeye tuna including a few that jumped on to the leaderboard. Here’s who’s winning what after three days of fishing.

Tuna

1st Place – Fishlik – 247.5 Lb Bigeye – $1.2 Million

2nd Place – Full Service – 203.5 Lb Bigeye – $95,000

3rd Place – Instigator – 199 Lb Bigeye – $38,000

Wahoo

1st Place – Shooting Star – 57 Lbs – $2,000

2nd Place – Captain Deadly – 55 Lbs – $32,000

3rd Place – Seafix – 40 Lbs – $32,000

Mahi

1st Place – Maverick – 31 Lbs – $32,000

2nd Place – Under Taker – 26 Lbs – $2,000

3rd Place – Hey Buddy – 21 Lbs – $32,000

Away from the tournament there was some pretty good bottom fishing over ocean structure today. Randy and Louden Swain headed out looking for some bigger flounder and found them. Louden upped his personal best from 6.4 to 7.4 in just a week, but he didn’t top dear old dad with his 7.65 pounder.

Captain Chris Mizurak of the Angler reported a slow start, but things improved and sea bass and flounder ended up in coolers all afternoon.

Captain Monty Hawkins of the Morning Star saw some good fishing on his rig today with some big sea bass and some very nice flounder.

With no easterly winds helping push bluewater inshore, I’ve elected to again cancel my mahi trips this week. Water’s the same algae-laden dark green 20-some miles off as 2 miles. I had scheduled 2 mahi trips a week when we saw our first tiny ones in July – and then they were gone. That leaves opportunity for a Friday cbass/fluke trip.. Lots of room I expect. With a front forecast early afternoon on the 10th, I’m making tomorrow another inshore flounder trip from 6:30 to 12:30 for $100.00 – sells out at 12 people – gets us in before possible big winds. (See morningstarfishing.com “Fish Report” for trip & reservation info.)

Today Colton from WV dropped blocks before we took a long paddle. Fishing was slow but productive at first, then died altogether when the current quit. Screen after screen of sea bass scrolled by as we slowly drifted; very nearly none of which bit.

Hate when that happens, but August is when it happens the most.

Ahhh, thankfully slack water is always a temporary thing. Besides, fish always bite better when it’s time to go home. And they did.

Mr. Tyler GoGators took today’s sea bass only pool. (sure have some odd names down south these days..) He’d have also won had flounder been included!

Cheers,

Monty