The MidAtlantic paid out a record $4,074,430, organizers of the 29th annual big-game fishing tournament said Saturday.
The tournament, based at Canyon Club Resort Marina in Cape May and at Sunset Marina in Ocean City, Maryland, started last Monday, and the final weigh-in ended at 9 p.m. Friday.
Competitors got to choose three of the five tournament days to compete, and 163 of the 181 boats headed out on the final day.
John Adams, of Juno Beach, Florida, aboard his boat Griffin, brought in to Sunset Marina an 815-pound blue marlin angler Wes Swandt IV had battled. The marlin was 126.5 inches long and easily surpassed the 489-pounder that had been the only qualifying blue caught during the first four days of the tournament.
The winning blue marlin brought $692,764 payout — but just barely. Three hours after Adams' boat brought its monster blue into Sunset Marina, captain Mike Adkins brought another huge blue to Canyon Club aboard Is That So for owner Ryan Putman, of Doylestown, Pennsylvania. Weigh master Chris Booth announced it weighed 803 pounds, good for second place and a payout of $177,352. Putman was the angler who fought the fish for more than four hours.
Just a quarter-inch and 12 pounds separated the top two blue marlin. And in the tournament's nearly three decades, only one blue marlin more than 800 pounds had ever been caught -- an 847-pounder caught aboard Wade Lober's Why Knot in 2014.
This year's third-place catch was the 489-pounder that Joe Kelly, of Holland, Pennsylvania, brought in Thursday. The catch was good for a $110,772 payout.
Third heaviest blue marlin went to Joe Kelly of Holland, Pennsylvania with the 489-pounder he weighed on Day Four, and he won $110,772.
White marlin
The white marlin category also produced a lot of terrific catches and excitement this year.
The final day began with a 91-pounder atop the leaderboard. It was only the fifth over 90 pounds caught in tournament history, so the expectation was it would hold up as the winner, while second and third places remained up for grabs with catches of 77 and 70 pounds holding down those spots.
Bill Keller, of Ellicott City, Maryland, earned $267,085 for that winning 91-pounder caught aboard his Blood Money on Thursday.
Finishing tied for second place at 77 pounds were Doug Allen, of North Cape May, aboard his Big Oil, and Todd Willard, of Greenville, Delaware, aboard his Fish On with captain Andrew Dotterweich and angler Josh Jasper.
Allen's Big Oil received $538,557, while Willard’s Fish On won $523,987 for its catch on the last day. That catch knocked Brooks Smith, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, aboard his Uno Mass, and its 76-pounder caught by Eric Rojas off the leaderboard.
Mike Yocco, of Jupiter, Florida, aboard his MJ's, took second place with a 189-pound bigeye tuna caught Tuesday and weighed at Canyon Club.
However, his crew, with angler Brandon Kape, surpassed that on the final day with a 195-pound big eye good for $655,986. Taking the top two places brought a combined payout of $913,883, a tournament record for tuna.
Finishing third was Bob Hugin, of Summit, aboard his The Right Place, with a 168-pound big eye tuna caught Wednesday. The catch brought $147,235.
Judith Duffie, of Gaithersburg, Maryland, aboard Billfisher, took first place with a 46-pounder and received $100,345.
Steve Summers, of Potomac, Maryland, aboard his Christine Marie, and Joe Ward, of West Chester, Pennsylvania, aboard his Fishbone tied for second place with 33-pounders. Each earned $22,983.
Only one wahoo was weighed during this year's tournament, but it brought Deane Lambros, of Marlboro, aboard Canyon Runner, $135,736 for places first through third. The 42-pounder was caught Wednesday.
Other catches
Day 5 of the tournament included several notable billfish releases, too.
Alan Sadler’s Intents released two blue marlin and two white marlin. Ed “Cookie” Murray’s Auspicious released three white marlin and one blue marlin. Pat Healey’s Viking 80 released a blue marlin and a white marlin.
Bobby Rick’s El Cazador released a blue marlin. Peter Cherasia’s Shark Byte released six white marlin. Dave Anderson’s Krazy Salts, Brook’s Smith’s Uno Mas, Adam Youschak’s Reelin’ Feelin’ and Rob Rowe’s Free Spool each released five white marlin.
Jamie Diller’s Canyon Lady, Ed Dunn’s DA Sea and Christopher Kinsley’s Kilo Charlie each released four white marlin. Fletcher Creamer’s Ditch Digger, Chris Kubik’s Point Runner and Burke Wall’s Trash Man each released three white marlin.
Awards ceremony
The awards presentation Friday night was held in compliance with all local, state and federal pandemic-related guidelines, tournament organizers said in a release.
From the record cash purse of 4,074,430, 11 winners received checks of six figures or more, including Yocco's MJ tourney record $913,883. Eight other winners received payouts of $20,000 or more.
Other payouts
Atlantic Tackle Billfish Points Calcutta
Most points: 825 – Sharee – Buell Polk - Brandon, Miss., $10,810
Second: 675 – Krazy Salts, Dave Anderson - Moorestown, $6,486
Third: 523 – Canyon Lady, Jamie Diller - Stone Harbor, $4,324
Ocean City
Most points: 1725 – Wave Paver – James Davis – Kissimmee, Fla., $27,260
Second: 1340 – Point Runner – Chris Kubic – Kill Devil Hills, N.C., $16,356
Third: 1050 – Big Stick – David Bowen – Suwanee, Ga., $10,904
Calcutta winnings
The following received calcutta winnings for various positions on the leaderboard during the tournament:
White marlin
76 pounds – Uno Mas – Brooks Smith – Fort Lauderdale, Fla., $39,339
68 pounds – The Zipper – Ed Zajdel – Ocean City, Md., $22,560
74 pounds – American Beauty – Michael Posillico, Farmingdale, N.Y., $21,432
65 pounds – Effie Mae – Russell Garufi – Bishopville, Md., $15,792
68 pounds – Wish You Were Here – Rick Wheeler, Pleasantville, $13,160
66 pounds – Kilo Charlie – Christopher Kinsley – Seven Valleys, Pa., $13,160
70 pounds – Lucky Fin – Paul Cabeda – Hughsville, Maryland, $11,280
73 pounds – Canyon Lady – Jamie Diller – Stone Harbor, $10,716
129 pounds – Gret’s 3 J’s – John Conrad, Lititz, Pa., $65,424
73 pounds – Wave Paver – James Davis - Kissimmee, Fla, $36,096
71 pounds – King’s Blue – Travis Waits – Mt. Pleasant, S.C, $18,048
63 pounds – Wrecker – Jeremy Blunt – Ocean City, Md., $15,792
62 pounds – Meraki – Jay Mascaro – Jamison, Pa., $15,792
67 pounds – Three’s Enough – Justin Branning – Belmar, $13,160
64 pounds – First Draw – Dan Fabbri – Vineland, $12,690
62 pounds – Artemis – Charles Moore – Charleston, S.C., $8,460
61 pounds – Top Shot – Michael Scagnelli – Holmdel, $2,115
61 pounds – Capt’n Reub – Michael Ratigan – Chalfont, Pa., $2,115
24 pounds – Big Deal – Ed Russo – Carlstadt, $5,358
31 pounds – High Seas – Christopher Hisey – Glenmoore, Pa., $2,115
Point winners (trophies)
White marlin
Most points: 1575 – Wave Paver – James Davis – Kissimmee, Fla.
Second: – 1340 – Point Runner – Chris Kubic – Kill Devil Hills, N.C.
Third: 1276 – Uno Mas – Brooks Smith – Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Blue marlin
Most points: 450 – Impulse V – Kate VanValkenberg – Avon, Conn.
Second: 350.75 – Is That So – Ryan Putman – Doylestown, Pa.
Third: 300 – Big Stick – David Bowen – Suwanee, Ga.
Most points: 285 – Caitlyn – Mike Murray – Barnegat
Second: 252.5 – First Draw – Dan Fabbri – Vineland
Third: 247.5 – MJ’s – Mike Yocco – Jupiter, Fla.
Most points overall
1761.5 - Wave Paver – James Davis, Kissimmee, Fla.
SEEN at the Ocean City Fishing Club's 2017 Boys and Girls Tournament
The Ocean City Fishing Club’s 42nd annual Boys and Girls Fishing Tournament was held Saturday, Aug. 19 at the beach adjacent to the Longport Bridge.
August 24, 2020 at 10:00AM
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815-pound blue marlin, big tuna dominate finale of record-setting MidAtlantic tourney - Press of Atlantic City
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