Ocean City’s second name is “White Marlin Capital of the World” and we’re proud of it.

It’s the most exciting fishing tournament of the year in our resort town, and arguably for the entire mid-Atlantic region. Boat crews up and down the East Coast are anticipating the start of the 41^st White Marlin Open.  Of course spectators, like us, can’t wait… hello Reel Inn orange crushes and afternoons at the marina! Starting August 4^th the White Marlin Open will begin; weigh-ins will take place at Harbor Island in Ocean City, MD on 14^th Street. The tournament will go until Friday, August 8^th.

The first tournament took place in 1974 with only 54 boats registered and $20,000 in prize money. Boy how things have changed in 40-plus years. This year, there are over 300 boats coming from as far as Florida and New England. Prizes are huge, totaling more than $2 million dollars. The boats can fish anywhere within 100 miles offshore of Ocean City’s inlet and inside sources tell us that some of the popular places to fish are Poor Man’s, Baltimore, Washington and Norfolk Canyons.

The most exciting part of the tournament is easily the weigh-ins. They take place each day of the tournament from 4:00 to 9:15 PM and are open to the public and free.  Each boat must stop fishing by 3:30PM so usually the best time to head to the scales is around 5:30 after the boats have had time to dock, but if you’re like us and love watching the boats come in then head down there early and check out the boats as they arrive with flags up showing what they caught that day. The boats don’t have to catch white marlins though, in fact they can catch blue marlin, tuna, wahoo, dolphin, and shark; but the white marlin category is definitely the most coveted.

If you’re not familiar with a white marlin, they are large fish (approximately 65 pounds) that live in deep blue water. They have a large upper jaw that looks like a spear. They are dark blue to brown in color and are considered to be rare and fairly difficult to catch – after all, reeling in a live, 65-pound beast is no easy feat.

Tips for White Marlin Open… from locals, for tourists:

• Eat before! Don’t plan to eat at the Reel Inn, it’s literally packed to the gills. Eat dinner before so you don’t have to worry about waiting in the long lines and you can focus on the scales. **Although those fresh tuna sandwiches are worth nabbing at least once throughout the week**
• Don’t try and find a parking spot on 14^th Street. #pointless. Park either at the Presbyterian Church or Holy Savior Church. There will also be a “Park and Ride Shuttle Service” offered from the OC Convention Center, which would be really convenient!
• As the week goes on, the tournament gets even more exciting! If you can’t make it the first day… don’t stress. We find it more exciting when it gets closer to the end.
• Bring some cash! There are vendors set up around the scales that sell sunglasses, tee shirts and more. Definitely pick up a souvenir while you’re there.