OCEAN CITY- Local anglers hoping to avoid the crowds and holiday shopping next weekend and perhaps win some money instead of spending it are participating in the 4th Annual Black Friday 550 Rockfish Tournament, which got underway this morning out of the Ocean City Fishing Center.
For the next three days, local fishing enthusiasts looking for an alternative to holiday shopping are hitting the waters in and around the resort area for the fourth annual Black Friday 550 tournament. As the name of the event implies, the only species targeted during the annual tournament will be rockfish, or striped bass.
Each boat will be able to weigh four rockfish on each day of the tournament and the designated captains will be responsible for determining which of a boat’s four largest rockfish should be weighed. Of course, all rockfish brought to the scale must adhere to state and federal retention limits and any fish weighed that does not meet the minimum keeper limits will result in the disqualification of a boat and its anglers.
Cash prizes for the largest rockfish weighed will be awarded at different intervals during the two-day event with a winner-take-all prize for the largest single rockfish weighed during the tournament. The tournament got underway this morning at 6 a.m. and anglers can fish until 5 p.m. on each of the three fishing days. Weigh-ins will be held each fishing day at the Ocean City Fishing Center from 11 a.m. to noon, and again from 5-6 p.m. Silent auctions and raffles will be held throughout the tournament with the proceeds benefiting the Worcester County Autistic Children’s Support Group.