OCEAN CITY, Md.- The White Marlin Open celebrates 50 years of competition, after it's start in 1974. The tournament's president Jim Motsko says the event has grown exponentially.
"It was called Ships Café Marina and we had a record. We had $20,000 in prize money... fast forward to 2023 we’re expecting over 400 boats in this one and we hope to hit $10 million in pay offs," said Motsko.
Motsko says the possibility for anyone to win is what makes this competition so special.
"You don’t have to have a big boat to catch a white marlin, you don’t have to be a professional angler, you don’t have to be a professional mate. You just have to be lucky enough to have that big fish come by and bite your line," said Motsko.
Fishing begins from 8:00 until 3:30 Monday through Friday. Weigh-ins begin from 4:00 to 9:15. Anglers can choose any of the three days to fish. More information on the event can be found here.