The White Marlin Open at Ocean City, Maryland was exiting to watch yesterday as the white marlin standings kept changing, but this last day has been a dud with relatively few weigh-ins by 249 boats fishing. The only real excitement was when Mojito arrived with the first blue marlin of the contest before it was measured at less than the 144 inches required and not even weighed. All scoring places seem to be the same with little time left before the 9:15 close of the scale. I’ll add a blog later if there’s a change — and publish final results tomorrow.

The morning inshore forecast is for southwest winds at 5-10 knots before increasing to 10-15 with gusts to 20 in the afternoon,

The Jamaica from Brielle reported lots of chub mackerel yesterday along with some blues and sea bass. Carlos Robles of Philadelphia won the pool with a 6-pound bonito. All mid-range tuna trips this week are sold out.

There was big excitement after my blog went in about the WMO as Jersey Boys took advantage of a change that allows ceep-droping for swordfish in a trolling tournament. After a 3 1/2-hour battle they boated a 273.5-pound sword that leads for about $375,000 in the Big Fish Calcutta. More about this as the WMO concludes Sunday,

Capt. George Steller brought Frank Criscola’s Crisdel from Brielle Yacht Club to the White Marlin Open scales at Ocean City, Md. shortly after they opened at 4 p.m. with a white marlin that had some heft to it. That white tipped the scale at 77 pounds to tie for first with yesterday’s 77-pounder on Drillin & Billin that had them in place for a payoff well over a million dollars. However, there was much more excitement to come as Canyon Blues blew that tie to the rear with a 97-pounder — the third largest in WMO history!

Though there have been many other fish weighed in, there is still no blue marlin , and there have been no other significant changes so far by the 343 boats that fished today. The scales remain open until 9:15, and I’ll add a blog then if anything changes before tomorrow’s last day.

The offshore weather forecast remains remarkable. Today it was for variable winds less than 10 knots. On Sunday it “calms” to variable at less than 5 knots!

As noted in the previous blog, there were major changes in the big money white marlin division of the WMO today — and I suspect there will be more to come as the contest wraps up with the two days added on due to the uncertainty as to how long the tropical storm would last.

Drillin & Billin was the big winner today as their 77-pound white pushed Hook & Settle’s 74-pounder out of first and sets up a $2.9 million payoff if they can hold on. The latter won’t be hurting either with a $2.5 million check. Mama C. tied them at 74 pounds and is in line for $130;000. However, Sea Toy’s millions for their 72.5-pounder yesterday dropped to $30,000 along with another 72.5 on Reel Estate for the same money.

There were no significant changes after the early blog before the scales closed. I’ll have more details in the morning.

It’s long before the scales close at the White Marlin Open in Ocean City, Maryland, but the white marlin category is already filled with eight entries from 70.5 pounds up to the new leader of 77 pounds by Drillin & Billin,

There still hasn’t been a blue marlin weighed, and there have been no large tuna today, but the one leader I thought might last to the end on Sunday was blown out as yesterday’s 54-pound dolphin was bested by a WMO record 73 1/2-pounder on Backlash.

I’ll bring everything up to date in another blog after the scales close.

Very light east winds are predicted for Saturday both inshore and offshore.

There was some wild canyon fishing during yesterday’s White Marlin Open competition at Ocean City, Maryland. My late night Word Press report transmission got screwed up, so I’ll try to get it straightened out as the competition continues through Sunday.

With no bottom line established in the white marlin category, there was a flood of barely eligible by length whites brought in for weighing that didn’t make the 70-pound minimum. While 360 boats out of 433 entered released 207 whites, there were 24 boated for a total of 231. However, there were enough qualifying whites to fill that big money category.

John Morton’s Reel Estate from Ocean City started it off with a 72-pound white, but ended the day in a tie for third. Adam Fye of Pasadena, Md. brought in a 74-pounder on Hook and Settle that’s in line for a $1.1 million payoff, but another Md. angler, Timmy Collins, is in more Calcuttas and his 72.5-pounder on Sea Toy can win $1.7 million. Reel Estate and John Verzalena’s Reel Steel from Mountain Lakes, N.J. each can earn $115,000 for third place 72-pounders.

Though the blue marlin category remains unfilled with a 114-inch minimum, but there was finally some sign of them as 17 were released. There were also two releases each of spearfish and sailfish.

The tuna category got a new leader as Sentient boated a 121-pounder in Norfolk Canyon. Five big dolphin were weighed, and the last was the most likely leader to survive as Ian West of Hershey, Pa. boated a 54-pound bull on Security.

With 270 boats out today, there are bound to be many changes by tonight. I’d be surprised if all leaders except that dolphin aren’t knocked back as long as the weather holds through Sunday.

Canyon fishing exploded today at the Ocean City, Md. White Marlin Open. Lots of whites were released and many weighed as the previously vacant category was filled.

Ocean City boats dominated on their home turf. Hook and Settle ended up the day on top at 74 pounds for a potential $1.1 million, but Sea Toy at 72.5 pounds could make $1.7million. Reel Estate is tied for third at 72 pounds with Reel Steel from Mountain Lakes, N.J.

The new tuna leader is a 121-pounder on Sentient from Slaughter Beach, Md. There are still no blue marlin. Wrecker had a 40-pound dolphin, but Security weighed a 54. Weigh-ins continued to about 10. I’ll have details in the morning.

Today was the start of a dramatic finish to the 47th annual White Marlin Open at Ocean City, Maryland since it’s down to the last four days and there have been only two marginable days fished so far by a very small portion of the 433 boats entered in the $6.7 million event.

The big money white marlin and blue marlin divisions didn’t have an entry, and the other leaders are well within reach by historical WMO standards. Just before 8 p.m. I can tell you that’s changed, and will bring everything up to date in a blog after the scales close at 9:15.

The post-storm fishing yesterday wasn’t very impressive as the 35 boats came up with a species count of 20 white marlin (all released except two that made the 68-inch minimum for weighing, but not the 70 pounds needed to get on the leaderboard), one tuna, one wahoo and two dolphin — not even one eligible fish per boat.

At least that tuna is in position to win $395,000 as the 106-pound bluefin boated on Blue Runner from Manasquan, N.J. moved into second place behind the 114.5-pounder by Restless Lady 2. Bluefin used to be ineligible, but are included now.

The other categories got impressive entries as a 35.5-pound dolphin on Salt Lick beat a 27-pounder on Bar South, while the first wahoo was a 60.5-pounder by Magic Moment. Bar South also led in white marlin releases with five — ahead of Taylor Jean and Ohana with three each.

The Golden Eagle from Belmar got into some unexpected rain this morning, but ended up with calm seas and loads of chub mackerel. There were also blues, sea bass, some fluke and the first cutlassfish reported so far.