Big White and Big Blue Marlin Still Hold The Big Money
Because of the weather, there was another slow day at the scales on day 5 of the White Marlin Open, which was extended to a seven-day tournament due to offshore forecasts that called for a rough offshore week. NOAA wasn’t wrong with their predictions, as two of the five original days of the offshore forecast were not fishable for most of the 282 registered boats.
One of the reasons for the growth of WMO was that it did away with the standard “Weather Boat
Committee” in the early 1980s to better accommodate boats of all sizes. They made the decision to let each boat choose its own 3 days to fish based on the boat’s abilities and angler’s schedules. This year’s 52nd annual event extended the fishing days from 5 to 7 to better protect the boats and anglers from the powerful ocean.
What You Don’t See is a Prestigious Part of the Tournament
The fish that are weighed bring excitement to the fans at Harbour Island, as millions can change hands in an afternoon. However, what is unseen represents the most prestigious awards of the event. It is the catch and release of the billfish that brings the highest honors.
With over $5 million riding on billfish catches, you would think that anglers would bring in more billfish in hopes that one would beat the minimum and pull in big money. Yet after four days of fishing, 285 white marlin have been caught, with only two brought in to weigh. The white marlin release rate stands at 99% and is a tribute to the quality of anglers who fish the event.