OCEAN CITY- The Maryland Saltwater Sportsfishing Association (MSSA) last weekend hosted its 28th Annual Mid-Atlantic Tuna Tournament in and around the resort area with great results in all divisions.
For 28 years, the MSSA has hosted the Mid-Atlantic “Tuna-Ment” with boats fishing out of Ocean City, Indian River and Chincoteague targeting tuna and dolphin. For the first time ever this year, the tournament was divided into two divisions including a division for boats over 31 feet long and a second division for boats under 31 feet long in order to level the playing field for some of the smaller boats.
In the boats over 31 feet division, captain Paul Robertson and his crew took first place with a 173-pound big-eye, while captain Josh Schreiber was second with a 107-pound big-eye and Todd Dickerson was third with an 83-pound yellowfin. In the $100 two tuna stringer category, Robertson was first with 218 total pounds, while Dickerson was second with 161 total pounds.
In the $300 three tuna stringer, Robertson was first with 260 total pounds, while Dickerson was second with 218 total pounds. Robertson also took first place in the $500 single heaviest tuna division. George Hall swept the single heaviest dolphin division, taking first place with a 12.8-pounder and second-place with a 12.4-pounder. Dickerson took first place in the three heaviest dolphin division with 30.8 pounds, while Hall was second with 25.2 pounds.
In the boats under 31 feet division, captain Dave Paugh was first with a 112-pound Bluefin, while Darren Wroten was second with a 57-pounder and Charles Carter was third with a 54-pounder. In the $200 two-tuna stringer, Paugh was first with 155 total pounds, while Wroten was second with 142 total pounds.
In the $300 single heaviest yellowfin tuna division, Charles Carter was first with a 54-pounder, while Steve Wagner was second with a 50-pounder. In the $500 single heaviest category, Paugh was first with his 112-pound Bluefin. Paugh also swept the single heaviest dolphin category with a 14.9-pounder taking first and a 14.2-pounder taking second. In the three heaviest dolphin category, Paugh was first with 29 total pounds, while Carter was second with 21 total pounds.
The MSSA was founded in 1981 and its roots are traced back to a small band of fishermen advocating for dwindling species in the Chesapeake and the coastal areas in Maryland including in and around the resort areas. It now boasts several thousand members whose mission is to promote a healthy, sustainable, vibrant marine habitat and leaving is better than they found it for the benefit of future generations.
