OCEAN CITY — The nine-day, 3rd Annual Ocean City Marlin Club Rockfish Tournament gets underway on Friday, Dec. 4, with a captain’s meeting and registration with the fishing action set to start on Saturday, Dec. 5.
The Marlin Club’s third annual rockfish tournament will run from Dec. 5 to Dec. 13. Boats and teams of anglers will decide to fish five of the nine days. As the name of the tournament implies, rockfish will be the primary species targeted along with red drum and bluefish. The top three heaviest fish in each category will win awards and federal minimum sizes apply for each species. A portion of the proceeds from the event will be donated to the Jimmy Fund.
Participating boats and anglers can leave from either Indian River Inlet or the Ocean City Inlet. Lines can go 5 p.m. Anglers can leave at any time on a dedicated fishing day, but must observe the prescribed fishing times. All fish must be weighed at Sunset Marina, but fish can be brought to the scale by any means including by boat, truck or car.
Weigh-ins will be held at Sunset Marina each day of the tournament from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. All catch reports must be turned in to the Marlin Club weigh master at Sunset Marina by 5 p.m. each fishing day. An awards banquet will be held at the Marlin Club on Sunday, Dec. 13 from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The boat entry fee is $250, while the shore entry fee is $100. For more information, contact [email protected].
Last year, a persistent Nor’easter hung around the area through much of the first week. By the tournament’s end, however, the weather cleared and the seas calmed, setting up a fantastic finish in the second annual event. When the dust settled, it was the crew on the “Fish Frenzi” taking first place with a 28.6-pounder worth $2,295. The crew on the “Aubree Lynn” took second with a 28.4-pounder worth $1,134, while the “Wrecker” took third with a 28.2-pounder worth $999.