OCEAN CITY- The Ocean City Marlin Club’s 40th Annual Canyon Kick-off tournament got underway today with the first of three official fishing days.
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. Each year, dozens of boats and hundreds of anglers compete in the annual event.
There should be plenty of action in this year’s Canyon Kick-off. Cash prizes will also be awarded for first-, second-and third-place in the heaviest fish division. Points will accumulate for each fish brought to the scales including the heaviest tuna (minimum 30 pounds), the heaviest wahoo (minimum 20 pounds) and the heaviest dolphin (minimum 10 pounds).
In the points division, fish will be caught and released, while in the heaviest fish division, potential winners will be brought to the scales for weighing. The tournament got underway on Friday, the first official fishing day. The action will continue on Saturday and Sunday with weigh-ins each day from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Sunset Marina. The awards ceremony will be held at the Marlin Club on Sunday.
Last year in the billfish release division, it was the crew on the Big Stick/#trappequeens taking first with 400 release points worth $5,886. The Fish On was second with 150 release points and earned $1,224, while the Brenda Lou was third with 100 release points.
In the tuna division, first place went to the Loose Knot with a 51-pounder worth $6,615. The Gret’s Three J’s took second with a 45-pounder worth $999, and third with a 43-pounder worth $666. The Kilo Charlie took first place in the dolphin division with 14-pounder worth a tournament-high $8,280.
