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Millions at stake during last day of WMO

With 324 boats fishing the final day, there’s likely to be some changes in the distribution of  the millions involved in the White Marlin Open out of Ocean City, Maryland. I’ll have the final results later tonight after the weigh-ins have been completed.

Though the tuna fishing has been way below expectations so far, billfishing has been good with 568 marlin caught during the first four days — and 559 of them released.

The big winners at this point would be the 83-pound white marlin that took over first place yesterday for Gregory Giron on Underdog for a projected $2.6 million — and the 881-pound blue marlin boated by Joe Rahman of Wanaque, N.J, on his Auspicious for a projected $700.000. Actually, the tuna winner could be in  the same area, depending on how many Calcuttas the eventual winner has entered. Gary Sansburry took the lead yesterday at just 75.5 pounds on Buck Shot .

Inshore anglers were treated to another fine day. The Golden Eagle from Belmar reported a real variety as they started off with small blues, then had some Spanish mackerel before going back to blues plus chub mackerel, sea bass, ling and two 5-pound fluke. On  Thursday they also had a bonito over 5 pounds and a pollock, The Ocean Explorer at that port had good fluke fishing with many limits for those jigging Gulp baits.

Capt. Dave De Gennaro has been catching tuna on offshore trips and sharks at Barnegat Ridge with his Hi Flier from Barnegat. He’s open over the weekend, and I’ll have more about his fishing tomorrow.

Allen Riley and John Mazzeo went from South Plainfield to Sandy Hook this morning along with Duke Matero of Piscataway. They found calm seas with so many rainfish in the wash that the small waves were dumping some on the beach as they tried to evade snappers. in the 78 degree waters.  John caught a couple of short fluke on Gulp, and Allen lost a keeper fluke in the wash when it  gave up its hold on a live snapper.  Duke caught a mystery fish which they thought might be a pilotfish. It’s pretty hard to identify from the photo, but it might be a banded rudderfish.

 

At Atlantic Highlands,, Capt. Ron Santee said he finally had another banner day on the Fisherman as the Columbia Bank charter had both fluke action and quality. Marty Herrman of Branchburg took the pool with an 8.22-pound fluke as he limited and added the two sea bass allowed. Capt. Rob Semkewyc of the Sea Hunter  had a similar report of good fluking.

The Elaine B. II from Bahrs in Highlands has also had good fluke fishing this week — as shown below.

Elaine B II winning fluke

Capt. Vinny Vetere of Katfish Charters in Great Kills continues to do well with stripers. A father and son team caught bass up to 26 pounds today among lots of  big smooth dogfish. He’s open for Saturday.

Vinny D’Anton fished north of Manasquan Inlet this morning, and came across a spot where stripers were rolling in schools of rainfish. He managed to release a 27-incher and a small bass on a Chug Bug before it was over.

 

Capt. Jim Freda of Shore Catch Charter from Point Pleasant has been catching yellowfin tuna at the mid-range grounds with his Shore Catch from Point Pleasant as illustrated by this shot of Rich Brunger of the Salt Water Anglers of Bergen County party.

DDDRich Brunger yellowfin.jpg

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White Marlin & Tuna leads change inWMO

There were almost bound to be changes with 213 boats fishing in the White Marlin Open out of Ocean City, Maryland — and that’s what happened.

The 75-pound white marlin which was a 2.4 million dollar fish for Lights Out fell to a “mere”   $130,000 after Gregory Giron on Under Dog weighed an 83-pounder that is in line for $2.6 million. The tuna lead shifted to Gary Sansburry on Buckshot with a 75.5-pounder that could be worth $900,000.  There was also another huge dolphin boated as George Mess on Rigged Up weighed a 41-pounder to take over second in that species. Instigator had a 43-pound wahoo which ranks fourth in that category.

The event concludes Friday with 335 boats eligible to fish. Many will be looking for a bigeye blast that could wipe out the tuna leaderboard.  Check Friday’s blogs for more info.

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New tuna leader at WMO

There weren’t many weigh-ins by the 129 boats fishing today at the White Marlin Open in Ocean City. Md., but one of the big money categories had an upheaval as Charles Matattal on Blinky IV from Pt. Lookout. N.Y. took over first in tuna with a 72.5-pounder that’s in line for $520.000. That moved Brass Monkey to second at 71 pounds, and Dialed In to third at 69 pounds. Needless to say, all of those tuna are relatively small and would be pushed back by almost any bigeye tuna,

There was also a change in wahoo, as Charles Dawson on Canyon Hunter boated a 55-pounder to take the lead from The Right Place with a 47-pounder caught yesterday.

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2.6-million dollar white weighed at WMO

Though several white marlin have been weighed at the White Marlin Open in Ocean City, Md. that made the minimum length but not the 70-pound minimum weight, all that changed today when Bill Haughland brought in a 75-pounder on Lights Out to take the lead for a payout of $2,600,000.

That’s a large white marlin, but very beatable. On the other hand, the 881-pound blue marlin boated on Auspicious yesterday is going to be hard to beat. The same applies to the 50-pound dolphin weighed today by Louis Genello  on Fin-Nominal to blow the 36-pounder on Moxie Boys out of first for $17,000.

There was also the first wahoo entry, and it was a good one at 47 pounds for Leo Cantillo on The Right Place.

The tuna category looked ready for an assault by the 150 boats fishing today, but the only movement was by a 62-pounder for Bob Howes on Game Changer to move into third place. Where are all the bigeyes that had been so abundant?

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Auspicious off to a great start in WMO with 881-lb blue marlin

Nothing is set in stone at fishing tournaments until the final whistle blows, but Joe Rahman’s Auspicious from Palm Beach is going to be hard to beat in blue marlin at the White Marlin Open in Ocean City, Md. after bringing in an 881-pounder to take the lead for $900,000.

There were relatively few landings on the first day, with only five tuna coming to the scales. A 71-pounder on Brass Monkey leads for $960,000, but that’s not likely to last. David Rose’s Dialed-in from Spring Lake, N.J. is second with a 69-pounder. Makai had a 61-pounder for third followed by Rhonda’s Osprey at 54.5 pounds, and Uno Mas at 52.5 pounds.

Halycon was leading in dolphin with a 30-pounder before Doxie Boys arrived near the last minute with a 36-pounder. Two white marlin that made the tournament minimum length were weighed, but both were short of the tournament minimum weight of 70 pounds.

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Back from Pesca Panama

Just got back from Pesca Panama after joining my nephews, Bobby Correll of Bay Head, N.J. and Todd Correll from Fort Lauderdale on a charter for family and friends. Bobby and I got off to a great start as we released six roosterfish up to an estimated 45 pounds on live blue runners we had caught on Sabicki rigs last Sunday morning on the way out with one of the Oceanmaster center consoles from David to the barge.
The next morning we got into some yellowfin tuna at famed Hannibal Bank. God must have been looking out for me as I caught two tuna suitable for an old man on stand-up conventional tackle (about 45 and 80 pounds), but Bobby had no luck casting poppers. The following morning we were into tuna in very deep waters off Jicaron where I got involved with a 100-pounder that hit a live blue runner on a relatively light Shimano spinning tackle. It went straight down and tied me up for 1 1/2 hours before I could stop the runs down by holding on to the braid and turning the tuna. Later in the morning, Bobby and Todd made short work of an exciting double of 60-to-70-pounders on poppers. The most unusual catch was yet to come. I’ll post that tomorrow.