InTheBite

  • Home
  • News
    • All News
    • Featured Stories
    • General News
    • Captain of the Year
    • Tournament Results
    • First Builds
    • Splash Reports
    • Old Salts Rule
    • Tackle Tips
    • Dock Talk
    • Crew Records
    • Conservation
  • Tournaments
    • Calendar
    • Captain of the Year
    • Champion’s Cup
  • Shop
    • All Products
    • Subscriptions
    • Back Issues
    • Shirts
    • Hats & Visors
    • Miscellaneous
    • Release Rulers
  • Classifieds
  • Job Board
  • Contact
    • Contact InTheBite
    • InTheBite Media Kit
  • Log in

Strong Competition for 2020 Captain of the Year Title

August 25, 2020 By InTheBite Editor

Photo courtesy Teddy Hoogs

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Captain of the Year, Featured Stories, News, Tournament Results Tagged With: big island marlin tournament, COTY, East Coast Division, midatlantic

Captain Alan Neiford: A Life on the Water

August 24, 2020 By InTheBite Editor

Photo courtesy Cameron J Rhodes & SC Governor’s Cup

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Captain of the Year, Featured Stories Tagged With: capt. alan neiford, COTY, East Coast Division, mister pete

Captain of the Year: The Most Prestigious Award in the History of Tournament Sportfishing

June 3, 2020 By InTheBite Editor

captain of the year trophy and plaques

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Captain of the Year, Crew, Featured Stories, General News, News, People, Tournaments Tagged With: captain, Captain of the Year, COTY, East Coast Division, ryan knapp

White Marlin Open to Host 47th Annual Offshore Fishing Tournament this August

May 27, 2020 By InTheBite Editor

marlin jumping out of the ocean

OCEAN CITY, MARYLAND – May 27, 2020 — The White Marlin Open, an offshore billfish tournament held in Ocean City, today announces plans for its upcoming 47th annual tournament to be held August 3 through August 7. The tournament will follow local and state guidelines for crowd size, which have yet to be determined.

Awarding more than $77 million in prizes to date, The White Marlin Open expects to give out more than $6.5 million to this year’s tournament winners, topping not only the record $6.1 million payout from 2019 but also almost every other professional sports payout in the world. Prizes are awarded for catches of white marlin, blue marlin, tuna, wahoo, dolphin, and shark, as well as most release points by boat and daily catches of wahoo, tuna wand dolphin.

“We are excited to announce that the White Marlin Open will go on this year. A record boat turnout is expected, as people are ready for sports to return and anglers are anxious to get back out on the water, especially as fuel prices are drastically lower than last year,” said Jim Motsko, Founder of the White Marlin Open tournament.

“The main impact we’ll see due to state and local guidelines for social distancing is around spectators viewing the weigh-ins, however nothing about the fishing experience will be altered,” added Tournament Directors. “Our goal is to share the tournament experience as best we can–especially the weigh-ins–in the safest manner possible so that families can continue to enjoy Tournament Week here in Ocean City.”

The 2020 White Marlin Open will feature a new category, Level Pay Day:

  • The total purse will be divided by five days. Each day’s purse will be split evenly among those winning first, second or third place white marlin, blue marlin and tuna that day. If there are no winners for a particular day, the un-won prize money will be split evenly among the purses of the other days.

Boats can save $350 on the basic entry fee by registering before June 1. Participating boats can depart from anywhere within the 100 nautical mile limit fishing boundary. As a result, boats do not have to leave from the Ocean City Inlet to participate and can depart from as north as Barnegat, NJ and Cape May Inlet, all the way south to Rudee Inlet in Virginia Beach at the Virginia Beach Fishing Center. Additionally, smaller boats may compete against the whole fleet or enter categories limited to boats under 40 feet.

The White Marlin Open 2020 tournament is presented by Pure Lure. Sponsors include Rick Bogert Marine Art, Park Place Jewelers, Pelagic, Maryland Live Casino, Bank of Ocean City, Okiaya Chesapeake Urology, Boston Scientific, Under Armour, HUK, Yacht World, South Jersey Yacht Sales, Miller Lite, Mid Shore Electronics, Clarion, Viking, Ocean Ready, Garmin, Sunset Marina, Jarrett Bay, Chesapeake Whalertowne,

Travelers Insurance, Christi Insurance, WB Diesel/Johnson & Towers, Big Game Fishing Journal, Fish Unlimited, Bevanda, Bayliss Boatworks, Spencer Yacht Brokerage/Spencer Yacht Sales, Fin & Field, Atlantic Tackle, Phillips Seafood Restaurants, Phillips Beach Plaza Hotel, Harborside Bar & Grill, Baitmasters of South Florida Cummins Power Systems, Seacrets, and Bad Monkey.

About White Marlin Open

The White Marlin Open is a 47-year-old offshore fishing tournament held annually in Ocean City, Maryland. The tournament awards prize money for catches of white marlin, blue marlin, tuna, wahoo, dolphin, and shark. Long known as “World’s Largest Billfishing Tournament,” the White Marlin Open (WMO) has awarded over $77 million dollars since 1974 to the lucky winners among more than 105,000 anglers aboard over 14,000 registered boats.  Along the way, the WMO became the largest billfish tournament and holds the world record for prize money payouts for any type of fishing tournament. To learn more, please visit https://whitemarlinopen.com.

Do you have any comments or questions for us? We’d love to hear from you.

Filed Under: Featured Stories, Fishing, General News, News, North America, Press Releases, Tournaments Tagged With: billfish tournament, East Coast Division, fishing tournament, Maryland, Ocean City, White Marlin Open

North Carolina Gears up for Hatteras Village Offshore Open

February 5, 2020 By InTheBite Editor

861 blue marlin on scale

1998 – Instigator (861-pounds)

If you’re looking for world-class blue marlin fishing along the East Coast, you need to be in Hatteras, North Carolina May 12 – 16, 2020 for the Hatteras Village Offshore, an InTheBite Captain of the Year sanctioned event. Hatteras Village offers a laidback atmosphere for the opening tournament in the North Carolina Governor’s Cup Series, where year after year quality blue marlin are brought to the dock.

In addition to the great fishing, fun evening activities are scheduled giving you an opportunity to hang out with your fellow competitors and friends and to enjoy all that Hatteras has to offer. Hatteras has been known as the Blue Marlin Capital of the World for years. The Hatteras Village Offshore Open exemplifies this designation. May is peak blue marlin time in Hatteras, and the catch per boat effort is higher than any other tournament in the U.S.

sea toy blue marlin at scale

2018 – Sea Toy (690.4-pounds)

Since its inaugural year in 1995, there have been six blue marlin over 600 pounds that won the biggest blue marlin category, with an 861-pound giant in 1998. Over the last five years, the biggest blue marlin have ranged in size from 531-pounds to 690-pounds. Last year, four blue marlin were brought to the dock with the largest a 656-pounder.

The Hatteras Village Offshore Open has a three out of four-day fishing format and offers seven different levels in which to win money. Levels include heaviest blue marlin, daily release points and game fish (tuna, dolphin and wahoo), with the overall winner scoring the most release points.

blue marlin on scale

2019 – Piracy (655.9-pounds)

There is a safe and well-marked channel from the docks to the fishing waters, easily accommodating larger boats. There are four marinas – Oden’s Dock, Hatteras Harbor Marina, Village Marina and Teach’s Lair – to handle any size boat, or pull up to the Hatteras Marlin Club.

The Hatteras Village Offshore Open could not happen without the support of our sponsors, some of them have been with us since the very first tournament. We give special thanks to our Grand Slam Sponsor, the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau, and Blue Marlin Sponsor, Atlantic Packaging. Other sponsors include Western Branch, Spencer Yachts, Gregory Poole, Bayliss Boatworks, Bonze Lures, Bray’s House Moving, Flying Fish and Jernigan Oil.

boats running offshore

Heading Out

Proceeds from the tournament support the Hatteras Village Civic Association in their mission to continue providing scholarships to college-bound village residents as well as supporting charitable
causes within the community. Come and experience the world-class fishing and local hospitality in Hatteras Village all while supporting a great cause.

getting ready to weigh a blue marlin

Sea Toy Removing Chair

For more information visit hvoo.org or emailhvoo.nc@gmail.com

Filed Under: Featured Stories, Fishing, General News, News, North America, Places, Press Releases, Tournaments Tagged With: Captain of the Year, East Coast Division, hatteras fishing tournament, hatteras village, north carolina tournament, offshore open

Desperado Wins Pirate’s Cove

August 21, 2019 By InTheBite Editor

Desperado ain’t out riding fences no more. The Manteo-based charter boat, a 56-foot Taylor Harrison run by Capt. Rob Barker, went wire to wire to win the 36th annual Pirate’s Cove Billfish Tournament. The team added a confirmed blue marlin and sailfish on Friday to accrue 1,000 points overall, good for a payout of $198,519. Jeff James and Braxton Rigsbee are the mates and the anglers included Mickey Carter, Jeff Craven, Craig Sudbrink, Billy Carter, Andy Gay and Ron Wade.

Desperado was the top boat with seven billfish releases (two confirmed blue marlin and five sailfish). The boat also won additional jackpots for points and the Day 1 billfish daily.

2019 Pirates Cove Winners. Desperado.

“This is the most memorable win for me since the Pirate’s Cove is our local tournament,” Barker said after the awards banquet Friday night. “It really means a lot. My mates and crew did a great job. I’ve been fishing with some of these guys since I was a mate.”

The General, a 55 Buddy Cannady based in Morehead City, NC and run by Capt. Wade Fickling, earned second place boat honors with its last day rally of a verified blue marlin and two sailfish. The General won $104,542.50 by releasing six billfish overall, good for 900 points. Alberto Ramos and Trey Sadler are the mates and the anglers included Brandon Barham, Andrew Farrar, Brad Schendt, Thomas Eller, Adam Johnson and Zack Schuch.

Skirt Chaser, another Buddy Cannady (53 foot) with local Barry Daniels at the helm also earned some serious coin for the week—$136,343–for releasing four billfish. John Elvers, Justin Huntley, Lanier Riddick, Dennis Fitzgerald, and Dillon Jones manned the rods, while mates Billy Dickerson and Gunner Jones worked the ‘pit.

Natural, a 56 Ricky Scarborough (Capt. Carl Beale) was named the fourth place boat with four billfish releases, while Sea Toy, a 59 Spencer Yachts (Capt. Bull Tolson) was fifth with seven releases. Dan Stephano earned the Top Angler Trophy with three sailfish released while fishing on Sea Toy.

Since nearly the entire fleet chose to lay on Day Two, the two-place daily jackpots were split over the three remaining fish days. In addition to Desperado NC and Skirt Chaser, the payouts went to Uno Mas as the top boat for Day 3. Second place prizes ($17,085) went to Fender Bender, Goombay and Pelican. Fin Planner was the top boat in the blue marlin release points, winning $83,300, while Sandra D, Skirt Chaser and Bi-Op-Sea earned money for releasing the first billfish each fishing day.

Owen Maxwell and his team on Ann Warwick, a 76 Paul Mann, are taking home $9,775 for boating the largest tuna in the winner-take-all jackpot. Maxwell’s bigeye tipped the scales at 114.6 pounds. J&B, a 55 Wanchese, scored the largest dolphin of the week, a bull at 45.6 pounds, also worth $9,775, while Triple “S”, a 60 Viking, boated the top wahoo at 54.8 pounds.

Sheree Leach, fishing on Dropped Call, a 61 Viking, was named the Top Lady Angler for releasing one verified blue marlin. Clay Horton, manning the rod on Trophy, a 50 Viking, earned Top Junior Angler honors after releasing a white marlin and sailfish.

A total of 71 boats competed in the 36th annual event, with $702,400 in prize money on the line. A total of 124 billfish were released during the three days of fishing, including 82 sailfish, 31 blue marlin and 11 white marlin. Twenty-eight game fish were brought to the scales.

“It’s been a fun week,” said Tournament Director Heather Maxwell. “Except for some rain, the seas cooperated and it was great to see that many blue ones caught. I’d like to thank all the teams for fishing with us again, my board of directors, all the wonderful sponsors and our hard-working staff and volunteers. I look forward to seeing everyone again next August here on the Outer Banks.”

The 37th Annual Pirate’s Cove Billfish Tournament is scheduled for August 10-14, 2020.

Filed Under: Boats, Captain of the Year, Featured Stories, Fishing, General News, News, Tournament Results, Tournaments Tagged With: Captain of the Year, desperado, East Coast Division, north carolina, Pirates Cove Billfish Tournament, results

46th Annual White Marlin Open: Final Results

August 16, 2019 By InTheBite Editor

Fish Whistle team with winning check for 1.3 million

The 46th White Marlin Open can be considered the most successful tournament yet for a number of reasons: 404 boats fishing for a World Record $6,186,870 in prize money is a good start.  The red hot billfishing set a tournament record for the number of billfish caught and released.  The prize money paid included two anglers that each won over $1,500,000, a blue marlin won $962,165, a tuna that took $935,915, a dolphin that won $74,900, and a shark that won $231,300. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Featured Stories, Fishing, General News, News, Tournament Results, Tournaments Tagged With: East Coast Division, Maryland, Ocean City, results, White Marlin Open

Transducer Breakdown and Awards From AIRMAR

May 22, 2019 By InTheBite Editor

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Captain of the Year, Featured Stories, General News, News Tagged With: airmar, alan neiford, bohicket billfish tournament, Captain of the Year, Dock Talk, East Coast Division

2018 InTheBite Captain of the Year Cup: Winners Update

October 3, 2018 By InTheBite Editor

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Captain of the Year, Featured Stories, General News, News Tagged With: airmar, Captain of the Year, COTY, Done Deal, East Coast Division, gulf coast division

60th Annual Labor Day White Marlin Tournament Results

September 4, 2018 By InTheBite Editor

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Captain of the Year, Featured Stories, News, Tournament Results Tagged With: 60th labor day white marlin tournament, airmar, Captain of the Year, East Coast Division, ocean city marlin club

Next Page »

Connect With InTheBite

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Sign Up for the InTheBite Newsletter


Be the first to hear about the latest Sportfishing News, Products, and Services!

Subscribe to InTheBite Magazine Today!

InTheBite Magazine Current Cover

Our latest issue is hitting the docks now! Be sure to subscribe to the hottest bluewater mag on the market. Purchase or Subscribe »

Upcoming Tournaments

Wed 21

Hawk’s Nest White Marlin Shootout

April 18 - April 21
Wed 21

Ed Dwyer’s Otherside Invitational

April 21 - April 25
Thu 22

Cayman Islands International Fishing Tournament

April 22 - April 25
Wed 28

The Shootout: Production vs. Custom

April 28 - May 1
Sat 01

MONGO Offshore Challenge

May 1 - September 30

View More…

InTheBite Champion’s Cup

InTheBite Champions Cup Logo

New for 2021, the Champion’s Cup is an optional paid entry with a winner-takes-all prize format for teams who want to up the stakes in each division utilizing our longstanding tournament scoring formula.

Captain of the Year Cup Standings

Captain of the Year Cup Standings Logo

View the current standings for InTheBite's Captain of the Year Cup... Leaderboard »

News

  • The Evolution of the Captain of the Year—The Championship of Sportfishing

    The Evolution of the Captain of the Year—The Championship of Sportfishing

    The InTheBite Captain of the Year Cup is the championship of sportfishing. The Cup is the world’s only quantifiable way to recognize the tournament success of professional sportfishermen. Comprised of 90-sanctioned events that span the world, there is nothing else like it. Winning an InTheBite Captain of the Year Award is a major achievement. From the winners to the Cup’s... [Read More...]

  • Fish Mapping: Now Available on Simrad & Furuno

    Fish Mapping: Now Available on Simrad & Furuno

    SiriusXM Marine’s Fish Mapping service is now available on Simrad and Furuno displays!  Whether you’re competing in a tournament, out fishing for fun, or taking clients on a charter trip, Fish Mapping provides the information you need to help get you to the spots where fish are most likely to be located, saving you time and fuel.  In addition to all... [Read More...]

  • Champion's Cup & COTY Updates

    Champion's Cup & COTY Updates

    Champion's Cup Update April 19, 2021 Team Lunatico's 63' Titan Effie Mae is moving up in the ranks for both the Champion's Cup and Captain of the Year with their first place win during this weekend's White Marlin Roundup. The win awarded them a full 500 points putting them neck and neck with Uno Mas within the Champion's Cup International Division... [Read More...]

  • New Texas State Record Bluefin Tuna Weighing 876 Pounds

    New Texas State Record Bluefin Tuna Weighing 876 Pounds

    Friday, April 16, 2021, Thomas J. Hilton, www.HiltonsOffshore.com—A week ago last year in early April 2020, 4 Texas boats with Hilton's subscribers aboard each landed a bluefin tuna weighing between 599 pounds to 820 pounds (new Texas state record). They were landed off of surface structures shown on www.HiltonsOffshore.com. Sea surface water temperature is critical this time of year, with fish... [Read More...]

  • NavNet TZtouch from Furuno

    NavNet TZtouch from Furuno

    If you missed the Palm Beach International Boat Show or didn't make it by the Furuno tent then check out the video below to see what was on display and to learn a little more about the Furuno products. Braden Shoemaker, Furuno SE Regional Manager, breaks down the different NavNet TZtouch systems and what they can offer on your next... [Read More...]

Search InTheBite

Copyright © 2021 InTheBite, LLC · All Rights Reserved.