Thursday’s biggest money fish was already waiting at Harbour Island Marina when the scales opened at 4 p.m. Mister Pete of Charleston, South Carolina, arrived flying a boated white marlin flag. As the fish was lifted onto the scale, the crowd erupted when the Jumbo Screen flashed 80 pounds.
The white marlin was caught by Bill Sharpe of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. It displaced Bull Pen from first place and shifted approximately $3.6 million in projected prize money. Mister Pete now leads the division with projected winnings of $3,598,443.40.
Wednesday’s leader, Bull Pen, also of Charleston, began the day with approximately $5.6 million in projected winnings for James Hood’s 70-pound white marlin. The fish dropped to second place Thursday, reducing the boat’s projected payout to $2,038,872.60. Despite losing the lead, Bull Pen remains in position for a substantial payday because each Added Entry Level operates as a separate competition.
The blue marlin division remained unchanged. Kelly Weber’s 607.5-pound fish aboard MaxBet of Vero Beach, Florida, continues to lead with projected winnings of approximately $1.26 million.
Gray Fox of Mantoloking, New Jersey, became the first boat in this year’s tournament to lead two weighed-fish divisions simultaneously. John Wardlaw of Brielle, New Jersey, followed Wednesday’s first-place 179-pound tuna with a 69.5-pound wahoo on Thursday.
The wahoo is provisionally worth $130,992.25, while the tuna remains worth approximately $1.04 million, bringing Gray Fox’s combined projected payout to $1,169,090.25.
Thursday’s tuna catches did not alter the overall top three, but two fish again demonstrated how a catch outside the main leaderboard can still produce a major payday through the Added Entry Levels.
Catchin or Cussin of Ocean City weighed an 85-pound tuna caught by Ryan Cutsail. Although the fish did not enter the overall top three, it currently leads several Small Boat and Non-Sonar entry levels and is projected to earn $236,740.
Skeets of Berlin, Maryland, added an 89.5-pound tuna caught by Larry Blosky. The fish is provisionally worth $132,610, including money from Daily and Small Boat tuna entries. Although the Skeets tuna was heavier, Catchin or Cussin currently stands to earn more because the two boats entered different Added Entry Levels.
The overall tuna leaders remain Gray Fox at 179 pounds, Speculator at 146.5 pounds and See Legs at 110.5 pounds.
The dolphin division also changed when Bill Collector of Crownsville, Maryland, weighed a 37-pound dolphin caught by Andrew Somerville IV of Great Falls, Virginia. The fish moved into second place behind the 45-pound dolphin aboard Today’s The Dayand ahead of Sidepiece’s 31.5-pounder. Bill Collector is currently projected to earn $33,828.67.
The billfishing remains red hot. The most prestigious awards are by definition, not seen by spectators; Billfish Releases Points. Tuesday had 307 white releases, and 16 blue marlin releases. Wednesday saw anglers boat 2 white, and release 309 whites and 23 blue marlin.
After Thursday’s $3.6 million change at the top of the white marlin standings, none of the leaders can feel secure. The 334 boat field still holds an estimated 305 combined fishing days for Friday and Saturday.
Friday’s offshore forecast calls for southwest winds of 10 to 15 knots and seas of 3 to 4 feet—conditions that should keep boats throughout the fleet in play for another potentially active day at the Harbour Island scales.
All standings and projected payouts are unofficial and subject to change.
