Records were set in several categories in the 30th MidAtlantic tournament out of Cape May and Ocean City, MD including two before the first day of fishing when a tournament record field of 203 were entered breaking the previous record of 183 set last year. Additionally, the total purse of $5,929,050 eclipsed the previous tournament record purse of just over $4 million set last year as well!
While the 2020 MidAtlantic created quite a stir when two 800-pound-plus blue marlin were weighed minutes apart on the final day of the tournament, this year’s event saw the tournament record for that species broken and then broken again a day later!
Day five of the tournament saw rain cover both tournament venues for most of the day and crews reported offshore conditions were pretty much the same conditions as they dodged squalls and showers for most of the day. A total of 176 boats had day five left to fish and while some of the categories may have seemed out of reach, there is always that chance because it only takes one bite!
This year it couldn’t have been scripted any better as Jon Duffie’s Billfisher of Ocean City, MD was at the scale at 5 p.m. with a monster blue marlin that left jaws dropped at the scales when the weight of 1,135 pounds was announced. Angler Billy Gurlach battled the huge marlin for 3-1/2 hours on an 80-pound outfit and Duffie reported they had the leader in hand over two dozen times before they were able to sink the gaff.
Not only did it break the tournament record set the previous day with team Wolverine’s 958-pounder, the Billfisher’s grander was certified as a Maryland state record on August 24, eclipsing the previous Maryland record of 1,062 pounds caught by Robert Farris in 2009.
As one would expect, Billfisher’s blue marlin took the top prize in the category and netted the crew $1,167,762. Rocky Hardison of Beaufort, NC aboard his Wolverine finished in second place with his 958-pounder caught on day four worth $198,716 while Larry Hesse’s Goin’ in Deep out of Manasquan finished in third place with his 681-pounder caught on day one earning $412,237. Worthy of note is the prize money differential is based on the level of tournament sanctioned calcuttas – also known as side bets – the participant enters.
Anthony Martina’s Sea Wolf from Middletown, DE took the top white marlin prize of $1,017,127 for his 82-pounder weighed on day three. Art Boykin’s Berlin, MD-based Lucky Duck II finished in second place with an 80-pounder weighed on day one for 162,604, while Andrew Dotterweich of Jupiter, FL aboard his Fish On finished in third place with a 75-pounder for $680,387.
The tuna division saw nearly two dozen bigeye weighed during the tournament as well as dozens of yellowfin tuna including one of 172 pounds caught by Nicole Scotti on Gina Addeo’s Gina Lisa from Staten Island, NY. Bigeye would dominate the tuna leaderboard with Chip Caruso from Colts Neck aboard his Pipe Dreamer sweeping the top two places with bigeye of 235 and 227 pounds for total of $1,000,065. New Jersey’s Bob Hugin of Summit aboard his The Right Place finished in third place with a 188-pounder weighed on day one worth $244,556.
Danny Veid’s Amarula Sun from Tarpon Springs, FL took the top dolphin prize of $98,441 for his 45-pounder followed by Tinton Falls,’ Ken Hager on his Taylor Jean with a 36-pounder that was worth $36,707. Randy Gibbs of Houston, TX aboard his Picasso Moon finished in third place and won $16,826 for his 33-pounder.
In the wahoo division Tom Perry of Pasadena, MD aboard his Just One More weighed a 58-pounder on day five worth $63,614. Amarula Sun’s wahoo of 57 pounds weighed on day three took second place and $68,614. Kevin Moore’s Pasadena, MD-based Reel Moore finished in third place and received $3,055 for his 50-pounder caught on Day Four.
Always a tournament that spreads the wealth to multiple winners, this year’s MidAtlantic saw record payouts for the heaviest white marlin and blue marlin as well as a combined record payout for the top two tuna as each received well over $1 million. In addition to the three $1 million payouts, six others received checks of $100,000 or more and five more received checks of $50,000 or more. Additionally, a record for tuna points was set by Bob Hugin’s The Right Place. For a complete tournament rundown go to TheMidAtlantic.com.
– Jeff Merrill
