OCEAN CITY- Several large fish, caught both inshore and offshore, highlighted the Ocean City Marlin Club’s 28th Annual Small Boat tournament in the waters in and around the resort area.
The Marlin Club’s annual Small Boat Tournament provides an opportunity for smaller boats to compete in a tournament before the bigger events such as the Ocean City Tuna Tournament and the White Marlin Open arrive on the summer fishing calendar. The annual tournament was held last Saturday and Sunday and was open to all boats under 35-feet in length. The event is divided into two divisions; the Offshore Division and the Inshore Division. The tournament provided many winners in both the inshore and offshore categories.
For example, in the Offshore Division, angler Jay Zimmerman fishing aboard the “Offshore Outlaw” took first place in the tuna category with a 87.5-pounder worth $1,782. The “Notorious” swept second and third place in the tuna category with a 78.5-pounder caught by angler Greg Clarence taking second and a check for $769, and angler Robby Doran taking third with a 61-pound tuna worth $513.
In the dolphin category, it was angler Matt Kealy fishing aboard the “Parga Marine” taking first place with a 23.5-pounder worth $1,282. Angler John Adams on the “Blackjack” took second with a 19-pounder worth $769, while angler Dennis King on the “Tide Up” took third place with an 18.5-pound dolphin worth $513.
The action was no less exciting inshore with several large fish caught in many different categories. Angler Dawson Fields, fishing aboard the “Git-R-Done” took the top spot and a check for $500 in the flounder division with a five-pounder. The “Sea Hunt” swept the other top three places in the flounder division with a four pounder caught by Clay Goff worth $333 and a pair of flounder caught by Raymond Blevins to take third and fourth place.
In the sea bass division, angler Quinn Houser on the “Dear John” took first place with a 2.5-pounder worth $382. Three anglers caught 1.5 pound sea bass during the tournament and were awarded $126 each.
Four anglers on three different boats shared the lead in the tog division with each landing a 5.5-pounder worth $188. Cullen Farnsworth and Dylan Hagins, both on the “Jezebel,” Sharon Rittmeyer on the “2-Far-Out” and Leon Houser on the “Dear John” all tied for the top spot in the tog division.
In the bluefish division, angler Shawn Vitale on the “Hydro” took first place with an 11-pounder worth $382 and tied for second-place with a 10-pounder worth $172. Angler Terry McGean on the “Pole Cat” shared second place with a 10-pound bluefish worth $172. Finally, angler Brody Fields on the “Git-R-Done” took the top spot in the rockfish division with a 10-pounder. Forty-three boats participated in the Small Boat Tournament this year.