The crew on the Big Stick took first place in the heaviest stringer category of last weekend’s Ocean City Tuna Tournament and earned $305,880 in prize money.
Submitted photo
The crew on the Hydrosphere took first in the single heaviest tuna category with a 233-pounder and earned $93, 787 in prize money.
Submitted photo
OCEAN CITY- The 33rd annual Ocean City Tuna Tournament last weekend was a big success with over 100 boats participating and over $1 million in prize money awarded to the winners in several categories.
The Ocean City Tuna Tournament is one of the highlights of the summer offshore fishing season each summer, perhaps second only to the White Marlin Open next month. Thousands of spectators crammed into the host Ocean City Fishing Center last weekend for the three-day event, which was left uncertain with Tropical Storm Elsa blowing through late Thursday night.
The tropical storm passed and the tournament went off as planned, essentially reduced to a Saturday and Sunday event. Nonetheless, there was no shortage of action for the two days of fishing with plenty of big tuna brought to the scales at the fishing center. The event drew 106 boats with over $1 million in prize money doled out to the winners.
In the single heaviest tuna category, the crew on the Hydrosphere took first with a 233-pounder worth $93,787. The Tara Jessica was second with a 199-pounder worth $30,802, while the Instigator was third with a 170-pounder worth $59,865.
In the heaviest stringer category, the Big Stick took first with a total of 638 pounds and earned a tournament-high $305,880 in prize money. The Big Stick continued its early season winning ways after finishing first in the previous weekend’s Canyon Kickoff tournament. The Bar South crew took second in the heaviest stringer category with 562 pounds and earned $64,395 in prize money, while the Hydrosphere crew was third in the heaviest stringer category.
In the heaviest dolphin category, the Christine Marie took first with a 20-pounder worth $27,070. Robert Warden took first and second in the junior angler category, while Jackson Morgan took third. Kristin Quinn was the top lady angler, while J.L. Cropper was second and Danielle Robertson and Janine Samuel tied for third.
