Final results of 2023 MidAtlantic

Jeff Merrill submitted the following official results of the very successful MidAtlantic:

The final fishing day of the 2023 MidAtlantic saw only 11 boats head offshore into a stiff southerly breeze and sporty sea conditions.  By early afternoon the sun began to peak through high clouds though the gusty wind made for a bumpy afternoon and a rough ride home.  With nearly the entire 181-boat field having wrapped up their eligible days of fishing as of Thursday evening, little change in the standings was expected.  When the scales at Canyon Club Resort Marina in Cape May, New Jersey and Sunset Marina in Ocean City, New Jersey closed officially at 9 p.m. last night the leaderboard remained unchanged and it was time to celebrate as over $5.79 million was handed out to 35 different winners.  Note that payouts to the winners will vary based on their level of calcutta participation.    

In the white marlin category, Clint Clement of Cape May Court House, New Jersey aboard his Common Sense took the Heaviest White Marlin award with his 87-pounder and won $201,388.  The largest payout in the white marlin category went to a 76-pounder taken aboard Howard Berger’s Boss Hogg from Edgewater, Maryland.  Although Boss Hogg finished in second place, the crew still netted $1,406,938!  The Catch 23 of Jupiter, Florida and NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan finished in third place and won $462,318 with a 75-pounder.  All three of the winning white marlin were weighed on Day Four.  Note that the payout for Boss Hogg’s second place white marlin is a tournament record payout for the category.    

The blue marlin division saw Ocean, New Jersey’s Chip Caruso’s aboard his Pipe Dreamer walk away with the Heaviest Blue Marlin award with his 889-pounder which netted $1,180,342!  Shon Craig’s Amarula Sun hailing from Tarpon Springs, Florida held on to second place with his 548-pounder which was good for $494,886.  Mount Airy, Maryland’s Jay Keller aboard his Tighten Up took third place with his 528-pounder and received $112,148.  All three of the winning blue marlin were weighed on Day Three. It’s worth noting the payout for Pipe Dreamer’s payout is a tournament record for a blue marlin.  

Once again big eye tuna showed up just in time at the tournament and while several large yellowfins were brought to the scale of the 58 tuna weighed nearly two dozen were that big eyes.  Christopher Little of Pasadena, Maryland aboard his Talkin’ Trash took the Heaviest Tuna award with his 253-pound big eye and walked off won $361,353.  

Summit, New Jersey’s Bob Hugin on his The Right Place finished in second and received $552,483 for a big eye tuna of 234 pounds.  Ken Hager of Tinton Falls, New Jersey aboard his Taylor Jean pocketed $159,574 for his 216-pound big eye.  All three of the winning tuna were weighed on Day Four.    

Kyle Dougherty of Cape May Court House, New Jersey aboard his Y-Knot took the Heaviest Wahoo award with a 56-pounder caught on Day Three and won $51,129.  Shillington, Pennsylvania’s Jim McCarthy aboard his Covert Mission finished in second place and won $67,666 for his 52-pounder caught on Day Four.  Ocean City, Maryland’s Wayne Odachowski and the crew of his Water Damage weighed a 51-pounder on Day Three and held on to win $17,894 for finishing in third place. 

To be continued