OCEAN CITY- The 6th annual Ocean City Marlin Club Memorial Day Bluefish Tournament gets underway today in part as a tribute to the men and women of the armed services past and present.
The 6th annual Memorial Day Bluefish Tournament gets underway today with registration and a captain’s meeting, but the real action starts tomorrow, the first of two fishing days in the event. Participating anglers and boat captains must choose to fish one of the two days, and as the name suggests, the target species is bluefish.
Anglers can fish from boats, docks, piers or the shore during the tournament, making it event wide open to all anglers. Cash prizes will be awarded for the top three fish caught during the two-day event. Weigh-ins will be held each day at Sunset Marina each of the two fishing days from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., creating a fun atmosphere at the marina for participants.
Last year, Robin Ritter and Ron Vito, fishing aboard the “Sea Hunt 26,” captured first, second and third place in the tournament with bluefish of various sizes and were awarded $495 in prize money. However, angler Chris Evans on the “Last Call” finished fourth and was awarded $3,735 in prize money because of added entry levels.
More importantly, the tournament raised a significant amount of money for the Catherine and Charles Kratz Foundation to support veterans. Through the first five years, the tournament has now raised over $8,800 for the foundation.
In the spirit of the Memorial Day holiday, proceeds from the event will be dedicated to the Catherine and Charles Kratz Memorial Park and Scholarship Fund. Catherine and Charles Kratz are long-time members of the Ocean City Marlin Club who recently started a foundation to provide support, encouragement and a better way of life for the men and women who served in the armed forces.
Incidentally, local fishing enthusiasts will recall Kratz was the skipper on the “Five C’s,” the fishing boat that landed the largest white marlin ever caught in the state of Maryland. The whopping 135-pounder was caught by angler George Pierson aboard the “Five C’s” back in 1980 with Kratz at the helm. It is now permanently displayed at the foot of the Boardwalk after Kratz donated it to the town in 2008.