28th Poor Girl’s Open Gets Underway

OCEAN CITY- With the drama of the White Marlin Open subsided, the resort area’s lady anglers get their turn in the spotlight this weekend with the return of the Poor Girl’s Open for the 28th year.

The Poor Girl’s Open, which typically falls on the weekend after the White Marlin Open, was founded in 1994 by the late Captain Steve Harman and his wife Pam to provide a ladies-only fishing event with the proceeds donated to a local charity. In recent years, the American Cancer Society has been the recipient of choice in conjunction with other “pink ribbon” events held in and around the resort all year long.

In the last few years, the Poor Girl’s Open has raised well over $100,000 for the American Cancer Society’s breast cancer research and awareness programs. Despite its charitable overtones, the tournament is all about the fishing and the dozens of boats and hundreds of competitors take it very seriously. The tournament is a catch-and-release event with points awarded for billfish releases. There are also added entry levels for tuna and dolphin with potential winning fish weighed each day of the tournament at host Bahia Marina.

The event got started this week with the Pink Party, including registration and a captain’s meeting along with vendors, food and drinks at host Bahia Marina. Weigh-ins will be held each day at Bahia Marina. The awards banquet will be held on Sunday at the Roland E. Powell Convention Center.

About The Author: Shawn Soper

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Shawn Soper has been with The Dispatch since 2000. He began as a staff writer covering various local government beats and general stories. His current positions include managing editor and sports editor. Growing up in Baltimore before moving to Ocean City full time three decades ago, Soper graduated from Loch Raven High School in 1981 and from Towson University in 1985 with degrees in mass communications with a journalism concentration and history.