OCEAN CITY- The Ocean City Marlin Club’s 35th Annual Canyon Kick-Off Tournament last weekend was once again a huge success with hundreds of anglers filling out the leaderboard in several categories and collecting thousands in prize money.
The Canyon Kick-Off, held each year on or near the Fourth of July weekend, is the first major event of the season each year for the Ocean City Marlin Club and serves as a prelude to the more high profile tournaments including the Ocean City Tuna Tournament next weekend, the Big Fish Classic later this month and, of course the White Marlin Open next month. With plenty of billfish releases and tuna and dolphin weighed at the scales at Sunset Marina all weekend, the Canyon Kick-Off lived up to its name was the first significant offshore fishing event of the season.
In the billfish release division, it was the crew on the Maverick taking first place with 150 release points worth $12,150. The Maverick also was awarded a $2,500 bonus for catching and releasing the first blue marlin of the season by a Marlin Club member boat. The Haulin N’ Ballin took second with 100 release points and earned $1,620, while the Griffin also scored 100 release points and earned $1,080.
In the yellowfin or bigeye tuna division, the Absolut Pleasure took first with a 60-pound yellowfin worth $15,772. The Stalker was second with a 59-pound yellowfin worth $2,443, while the Maverick was third with a 56-pounder worth $1,629. The Canyon Blues took first in the Bluefin tuna division, while Carol’s Teakettle was second and Gret’s Three J’s was third.
In the dolphin division, Grande Pez took first with a 21-pounder worth $15,772. The Last Call swept second and third place with a 15-pounder worth $2,443 and a 13-pounder worth $1,629.
