Busy Tournament Week Starts With 65 Boats and $118,000 In the OCMC Heels & Reels

By Scott Lenox

Posted on July 29th, 2026

Starting tomorrow, there will be boats fishing some tournament every day through next Saturday, August 8! The Ocean City Marlin Club Heels & Reels Tournament starts tomorrow with 65 boats vying for over $118,000 in prize money, Friday starts both the Flounder Royale and Marlins for Mason Tournaments, and then Monday is the first of six fishing days for the 53rd Annual White Marlin Open…..it’s going to be a busy couple of weeks!! LET’S GO!!!

The Ocean Princess with Captain Victor Bunting recently ran a special 22 hour fishing trip to the deep and it was very, very successful. Anglers caught blueline and golden tilefish and sea bass and flounder with some very big fish in the mix. Chris Bailey caught the largest golden tilefish at 34 pounds, and Bobby Todd caught a 25.5″, 6 pound flounder.

Captain Tony Battista of Saltwater Adventures had two good trips today with two keeper flounder on each for his anglers.

Anglers fishing on board the Angler with Captain Chris Mizurak had to deal with bumpy conditions to start, but fishing was good with sea bass, flounder and some mahi along the rail.

Captain Monty Hawkins of the Morning Star almost called today’s trip early, but his anglers were glad that he stuck it out

Weatherman sure luvs his fun n games.. Dogone if it didn’t breeze up good this morning. At first 10 to 15 as forecast; wasn’t long before it was blowing NW 20/25 though. Coleen & Renee did today’s reef drop – By 9 I was thinking hard about pulling the pin on this day. Though nicking a few, the rocking and rolling was getting out of hand; wind was supposed to pick up -increase!- about 11 too.

Wasn’t a gale. Dern sure got right nautical.

Hmmm…

I’m wondering, “How bad is this going to get?”

Then, come 9:30 it fell right out.

Being a NW wind, sea height fell out at once too. Rest of the day was pleasant.

And fruitful.

Not a bad bite at all, especially compared to last year. I do enjoy a school of mahi in our baits. David won the pool (makes a habit of that) while Big Jon was high hook with nine.

I tried to make it ten–a limit. Mahi were having none of it. Then, with seas almost glassed, he fooled one more.

First limit of 26.

Works.

Try again tomorrow.

Have a few spots for cbass/fluke Fri/Sat.

Cheers,

Monty