OCEAN CITY, Md.- Fish after fish after fish, Day 5 of the White Marlin Open was full of fins and fans at the scale.
Just before 6 p.m. Friday, one lead changed hands in the dolphin category. "Dropped Call" brought in a 34 pound mahi. Charles Dishman is competing in his first White Marlin Open and was stoked about his catch.
"He bit right at 11 o’clock and took off by the time we got the lines cleared," Dishman said. "I started backing down on the fish and he had pulled about 300 yards of line."
As adrenaline runs for the competitors, the same goes for the fans who line the barricades and gather around the scale. Reactions from everyone in attendance as the weight of each fish is revealed.
Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan enjoys his front row seat and describes the big difference between this year’s and last year’s tournament from a spectator perspective.
"Everybody’s smiling as I watch everybody walk in," Meehan said. "Last year we were watching the tournament but it wasn’t the same without the people. It didn’t have the same energy from the spectator standpoint. To see everybody out here, they’re all buying t-shirts, everybody's having a good time and that’s what it’s supposed to be about."
Before Friday, 1,300 to 1,400 pounds of fish was donated to the Maryland Food Bank. Food Resource Manager Butch Langenfelder says there is a great need for fresh fish.
"I can tell you the need is more," Langenfelder said. "You know you can see the unemployment, people aren’t working, more people aren’t coming to work. We’re just trying to meet all of the needs that we can possibly do. It’s a busy year for us just like everybody else. This is a special event for us and you know just us being out in the community is a big thing."
And there were plenty of big fish to hit the scale throughout the week. They made money for competitors, food for those in need, and excitement for thousands of people watching.
48th Annual White Marlin Open Winners
White Marlin: "Sushi" (Ocean City, MD), 85.5 lbs., $3.2 million
Blue Marlin: "SEVEN" (Jupiter, FL), 775 lbs., $1.1 million
Tuna: "SEVEN" (Jupiter, FL), 137 lbs., $1.12 million
Dolphin: "Dropped Call" (Ocean City, MD), 34 lbs., $20,000
Wahoo: "El Azul", 84 lbs., $2,000
To see daily winners, top anglers, and more visit https://whitemarlinopen.com/.