Posted on July 25th, 2021
Click the vid to check out the Daily Catch at Sunset Marina
I just got back from the awards ceremony at the 8th Annual Huk Big Fish Classic Tournament and it was awesome! I helped hand out checks totaling over $1 Million and more than 1/2 of that went to one boat. That boat caught the first place BIG FISH and it was a true sea monster and will most likely be the first ever state record for swordfish in Maryland. The MD DNR made swordfish a state record consideration just a few years ago thanks to an expanding fishery off of our coast with a qualifying minimum weight of 350 pounds originally that was dropped to 300 pounds in December 0f 2020. Several swordfish have been caught over 300 pounds since it became available for state record consideration, but all were caught on electric or hydraulic reels. In order for any fish to be considered for a record it must be caught by rod and reel and that’s exactly what happened this weekend. The crew of the Real One fishing out of Sunset Marina caught a 301 pound swordfish weighed on day two of the Big Fish Classic and that fish was verified by Erik Zlokovitz of the MD DNR last night (Thanks for driving down E!). The big swordfish will be “pending” until all of the paperwork is completed. Once that happens it will go down in the Maryland record books for angler Pete Schultz and the crew of the Real One.
The state record is cool and all, but I’m certain that the crew is also happy that they won 1st place Big Fish and a few other added entry levels and collected a check for over $500,000!! Congratulations to the crew of Real One and all of the winners in this year’s Huk Big Fish Classic!! Here are the top money winners.
1st Place Tuna / 1st Place Tuna Stringer. Chaser. 111 Pound Yellowfin / 339.5 Pound Stringer. $203,232
3rd Place Big Fish. Restless Lady II 184 Pound Swordfish. $65, 760
2nd Place Big Fish. FFMD. 239.5 Pound Swordfish. $72, 125
1st Place Big Fish. Real One. 301 Pound Swordfish. $542,648
Away from the tournament it wasn’t a terribly busy fishing day thanks to the strong southerly winds, but those that did venture to the tuna grounds absolutely crushed them. Captain Chris Little and his crew on Talkin’ Trash had a limit of stud yellowfin tuna and a couple of bonus mahi today.
Captain Joe Drosey and his crew on Rhonda’s Osprey had a short day of it today when they put the hurt on their limit of yellowfin tuna and were back to the dock by lunch.
