OCEAN CITY, MARYLAND – The White Marlin Open (WMO), the world’s largest offshore billfish tournament held annually in Ocean City, proudly announces plans for its 51st anniversary tournament week, presented by Pure Lure. Held from August 5 through August 9, anglers will compete to catch record-breaking white and blue marlin, tuna, wahoo, swordfish, or dolphin. Building on the excitement of last year’s milestone 50th-anniversary event, the $50,000 white marlin ‘Winner Take All’ entry category will return as well as Marlin Fest, a free family-friendly event held in conjunction with the tournament on the Inlet beach.
“We’re honored to host one of the most exciting and competitive fishing experiences in the world, right here in Ocean City, Maryland,” said Madelyne Motsko, Tournament Director. “Heading into our 51st year, our momentum remains strong following $10.5 million dollars in prize money last year, including a world record individual payout of $6.23 million.”
Presented by the Maryland Army National Guard, Marlin Fest is held at the Inlet from 11:00 am to 9:00 pm each day of the tournament. Families, fishing enthusiasts, and anglers alike are invited to bring beach chairs and blankets to spread out and enjoy music, live streams of the tournament weigh-ins, and views of the boats as they bring in their daily catches to nearby Harbour Island. Vendors will be onsite selling a variety of items including official Marlin Fest merchandise and White Marlin Open gear, as well as food and alcohol.
Supporting the Community
Each year, the White Marlin Open invites anglers to donate their catches, making WMO one of the largest suppliers of protein to food pantries in Maryland. Partnering with Catch N Carry and the Maryland Food Bank, the tournament ensures donated fish are cleaned, portioned, flash-frozen, and distributed to local food pantries throughout the Eastern Shore of Maryland.
Marlin Fest will again partner with the Ocean City Reef Foundation, an organization dedicated to sustained Improvement of Recreational Fishing and Diving in Maryland's Coastal Waters. By enhancing and restoring Maryland’s seafloor through reef substrate deployment and coral coverage monitoring, the organization aims to rebuild living reefs, supporting the return of species like fish, lobsters, crab, and shrimp closer to shore.
Sponsors and Partners
"It's the ongoing support from our fishing community, enduring sponsors, partners, and our enthusiastic fans that transforms this event into something unforgettable every year," said Sasha Motsko, Tournament Director.
White Marlin Open tournament sponsors include Pure Lure (presenting), Nautica OTF (participant shirt sponsor), Mercedes – Benz of Salisbury, Pelagic, PNC Bank, Bluewater Desalination, Jarrett Bay Boatworks, Park Place Jewelers, Rick Bogert, Bank of Ocean City, Chesapeake Urology, Duffie Boatworks, Hook Optics, Okiaya, SORD Products, 92-7 & 98-5 The Talk of Delmarva, Miller Lite, Mack Boring, Mid Shore Electronics, Nautica OTF, Old Town Wind Bells, South Jersey Yacht Sales, Sue Hudson with The Land Group, Sunset Marina, The Mortgage Link, The Wild Blue Films, Vessl Media, Viking Yachts, Atlantic Tackle, Awlgip, Bayliss Boatworks, Big Game Fishing Journal, Brown Dog Marine, Cannon Property Management, Catch N Carry, East Coast IV, Garmin, Hook’Em Right Coffee, Johnson & Towers, Macky’s Bayside, Parker Water Purification, Phenom Yachts, Rice, Murtha & Psoras Trial Lawyers, Risk Strategies, SeaMark, Sun Cruiser, RTD, OluKai, Annapolis Boat Shows, Bad Monkey, Baitmasters of South Florida, Blue Water Chairs, Carter Machinery, Christi Insurance Group/Travelers, Cummins Power Systems, Delaware Business Systems, Kent Island Resort, Reel Inn, Spencer Yachts Brokerage and Spot Zero Reverse Osmosis.
Marlin Fest sponsors include presenting sponsor Maryland Army National Guard, Ocean City Reef Foundation, Deep Eddy Vodka, Makers Mark, Patron, The Long Drink, Evolution Craft Brewing, Hook Optics, Bad Monkey, The Street Kitchen, The Blue Scoop, Kona-Ice of Worcester County, East Coast IV, Trolling Mate Offshore, Soul Surf Creations, Lighthouse Guns and Gear, Bob Marlin USA, Traci’s Treasures, Wanderlust.srv, SORD Fishing Products, Parking Lot Pirates, Modern Graze, Salty Dog & Sweet P’s Swag, Thirsty Jerky, Carefree Boat Club of Ocean City, Maryland Lottery and Gaming, George Kalwa Fine Art, SML Footwear, Old Town Wind Bells, Made Plus, Reel Girl Clothing Company, Brown Dog Marine, Radio Ocean City, Bay Life Apparel, Shore Boy Fishing, SoCo Swings, Katherine Ruskey, Local Author, The Moonlit Shell, Kanga Koolers, Yacht Armor, Believe In Tomorrow, Meyer’s Bay RV, Grander Custom Tackle, Fueled by Monster Energy, Hook Em Right Coffee, and Pamela Montague Photography.
Marlin Fest is a free event, no ticket or registration is needed. Sponsorship and vendor opportunities are available—for more information contact sashawhitemarlinopen@comcast.net. To register to participate in the White Marlin Open tournament, visit https://whitemarlinopen.com/.
About White Marlin Open
The White Marlin Open is a 51-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 swordfish. Long known as “World’s Largest Billfishing Tournament,” the White Marlin Open (WMO) has awarded over $105 million 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 fishing tournament. To learn more, please visit https://whitemarlinopen.com.
Media Contact:
Caitlin Wolf (on behalf of White Marlin Open)
phone: 410.935.2363
email: caitlinrwolf@gmail.com