By Scott Lenox

Potential New MD State Record Swordfish, 775 Pound Blue Marlin and $3.5 Million Dollar White Marlin

Posted on August 7th, 2021

Hit the vid for the largest tackle shop in the Mid-Atlantic!

WOW!! I just got back from what Andy Motsko referred to as, “the busiest Friday night I can remember in the history of the White Marlin Open!” I haven’t been covering the White Marlin Open as long as Andy has, but it was definitely the busiest that I’ve ever seen. We had tons of tuna including a new 2nd place fish, a mako shark, a new 1st place mahi, a new 1st place wahoo, a potential New Maryland state record swordfish, a 775 pound blue marlin and an 85.5 pound white marlin that will win over $3.5 Million. It was an insane night at the scales and some big money changed hands over the course of over six hours of weighing fish. Many thanks to everyone that helped with the 48th Annual White Marlin Open….it was definitely another one for the record books. Here are your place winners with approximate payouts. Thanks to Dave Messick for some of the pics!

Small Boat Big Fish.

Jersey Boys. Swordfish 318.5 Pounds (Potential New Maryland State Record). $120,000

Shark

2nd and 1st Place. Go Fish. 131 Pounds and 132.5 Pounds. $3,500

Mahi

3rd Place. Due Course 31 Pounds. $2,000

2nd Place. Kilo Charlie. 31.5 Pounds. $20,000

1st Place. Dropped Call. 34 Pounds. $20,000

Wahoo

3rd Place. Oysta Gangsta. 46.5 Pounds. $90,000

2nd Place. Island Hopper. 48.5 Pounds $2,000

1st Place. El Azul. 84 Pounds. $2,000

Tuna

3rd Place. Afishianado. 96 Pounds. $1,500

2nd Place. Blood Money. 102 Pounds. $1,500

1st Place. Seven. 137 Pounds. $1.12 Million

Blue Marlin

3rd Place. Canyon Lady. 511 Pounds. $95,000

2nd Place. Mama C. 559.5 Pounds. $240,000

1st Place. Seven. 775 Pounds. $1.1 Million

White Marlin

3rd Place. Billfisher. 78.5 Pounds. $105,000

2nd Place. Fender Bender. 82.5 Pounds $1.8 Million

1st Place. Sushi. 85.5 Pounds. $3.2 Million

Away from the tournament it was another good day of bottom fishing for the ocean going fleet. Captain Chris Mizurak of the Angler reported flat calm seas and a good bite on sea bass with a couple of mahi mixed in.

Captain Monty Hawkins of the Morning Star enjoyed the good weather and fishing today as well.

Had my Amish friends aboard today—two regulars also – Mark & Terry F. Slick smooth calm with an underlying swell, it was a fantastic day to be on the ocean.
We dropped off a few markers along the edge of an artificial reef. It can be hard to discern where the reef starts/stops in high summer. Any mahi reef users might catch in coming weeks is purely a coincidence.
Sea bass were plenty fussy, but if you worked em it was OK. Even caught a handful on jigs today. Three of the fellows limited including Terry..
Netted two fluke as well.
No fish pool – no reef raffle. Not many pics. Tomorrow maybe!
Cheers!

Capitan Marc Spagnola of Dusk to Dawn Bowfishing has been burning the midnight oil lately with trips both day and night with good shooting for cow nosed and southern rays for his folks.