Page 27 - wmo-51st-magazine

GAMEFISH

of the White Marlin Open

BIG EYE TUNA
TUNA World Record: 392.4 lbs | Dieter Vogel - 1996
MD State Record: 375.5 lbs | Cecil Browne - 1977
WMO Record: 326 lbs | Jim Freitas - 1992

Tuna are found in waters all over the world and are prized for their delicious meat and fantastic fight. The tunas
most commonly caught during the White Marlin Open are the yellowfin, bigeye and bluefin tuna. While billfish can be
finicky and move from bait to bait, tuna often crash baits with little warning. They tend to dive deep when hooked with
incredible speed and strength. Unlike most fish, tuna are warm blooded which allow them to efficiently engage in highly
aerobic activities such as long migrations and incredible fights. Tuna often travel in schools which can often bring two to
three hookups at once along with chaos in the cockpit.

World Record: 184 lbs | Sara Hayward - 2005
WAHOO
MD State Record: 131 lbs | John Schaar - 2014
WMO Record: 110.5 lbs | Kevin Wayson - 1992

The wahoo is a sleek, slender, incredibly strong fighter with a pointed mouth and triangular serrated teeth. It is one of
the fastest fish in the ocean reaching estimated speeds of 50-60 mph. Often caught while trolling for marlin, these fish
hit hard and can peel off hundreds of yards of line in a matter of seconds. Occasionally the wahoo will take a spectacular
leap on the strike in an effort to dislodge the hook.

DOLPHIN
World Record: 87 lbs | Manuel Salazar - 1976
MD State Record: 74.5 lbs | Kristy Frashure - 2019
WMO Record: 73.5 lbs | Matt Wagner - 1980

The dolphin (also known as dolphinfish or mahi-mahi) is one of the most beautiful of all the fish in the ocean. Its irides-
cent blue, green and yellow color are amazing to see in the bright blue waters of the Gulf Stream. Dolphin are often
found hiding under logs, boards or weeds and anglers will often troll near these floating objects or pitch baits to these
areas in an effort to snag the dolphin. Dolphin are among the fastest (50+ mph) and most maneuverable fish and when
Illustrations by: Kevin Brant
hooked often produce flashy runs and spectacular jumps. They are known to have caught flying fish in midair. Mahi-mahi
means ‘strong’ in the Hawaiian language and is one of the best tasting fish in all of the ocean.

26 visit us online at www.WhiteMarlinOpen.com