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The White Marlin Open’s biggest catches held their ground Friday, and Michael Jordan’s Catch 23 ran out of fishing days without bringing a qualifying fish to the scales.
Another scorching day sent 237 boats offshore in search of marlin, tuna and other gamefish. Friday produced several catches worth big money through optional prize pools, but none moved into first place.
Catch 23, Jordan’s 80-foot custom sportfishing boat, recorded no catch Friday, its third and final fishing day. The crew had released five white marlin and one blue marlin Wednesday and Thursday, according to tournament records.
Last year, Trey “Cricket” McMillan caught a 71-pound white marlin aboard Catch 23 that finished second and earned nearly $405,000. In 2024, Patrick Field won the dolphin division aboard the boat with a 32.5-pound fish.
Whether Jordan himself was aboard this week remained unconfirmed. Reported sightings fueled local rumors and a stream of social-media memes, but Catch 23 finished the tournament without appearing at the weigh-in.
The Charleston, South Carolina-based boat Mister Pete held position for the top prize with an 80-pound white marlin caught Thursday by Bill Sharpe of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. The catch was projected to pay $3.5 million as of Friday night.
Reel Hunter of St. Michaels moved into second place Friday after Kevin Howell of Queenstown brought a 71.5-pound white marlin to the scales. The fish carried an estimated payout of $355,000.
Ocean City-based MaxBet held the blue marlin lead with the tournament’s only qualifier in that category, a 607.5-pound fish projected to earn nearly $1.27 million.
Gray Fox of Mantoloking, New Jersey, held the tuna and wahoo leads with John Wardlaw’s 179-pound tuna and 69.5-pound wahoo. Together, the catches were projected to earn just over $1.1 million. Today’s The Day of La Plata remained atop the dolphin category with a 45-pound fish.
The tournament has delivered a visible jolt to Ocean City’s summer tourism season after a slow start. Crowds packed the Harbour Island scales, Marlin Fest at the inlet and watch parties throughout the resort.
Mayor Rick Meehan said the White Marlin Open continues to have a huge effect on tourism.
“It is one of our legacy events and the majority of our local businesses will tell you that WMO week is typically their busiest week of the year,” Meehan said.
Meehan said the tournament’s expansion this year meant one more day of massive crowds.
“Now with the addition of Marlin Fest at the inlet and an extra day of fishing the impact has become even greater,” he said. “It is truly a family event with all ages gathered around the docks hoping to see that next big fish reach the scales.”
Seventy-nine boats remained eligible to fish Saturday, the tournament’s final day, and officials said those crews now have five days of catch reports to study.
“By now, they know where the fish have been caught, giving them a small edge in their luck,” tournament officials said in a Friday update. “There have been many dramatic finishes over 52 years, and the 53rd [White Marlin Open] could produce another. Both the crowd and current winners will be watching the scales until the end.”
Have a news tip? Contact Eastern Shore bureau chief Josh Davis at [email protected] or on X as @JoshDavis4Shore.
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Another scorching day sent 237 boats offshore in search of marlin, tuna and other gamefish. Friday produced several catches worth big money through optional prize pools, but none moved into first place.
Catch 23, Jordan’s 80-foot custom sportfishing boat, recorded no catch Friday, its third and final fishing day. The crew had released five white marlin and one blue marlin Wednesday and Thursday, according to tournament records.
Last year, Trey “Cricket” McMillan caught a 71-pound white marlin aboard Catch 23 that finished second and earned nearly $405,000. In 2024, Patrick Field won the dolphin division aboard the boat with a 32.5-pound fish.
Whether Jordan himself was aboard this week remained unconfirmed. Reported sightings fueled local rumors and a stream of social-media memes, but Catch 23 finished the tournament without appearing at the weigh-in.
The Charleston, South Carolina-based boat Mister Pete held position for the top prize with an 80-pound white marlin caught Thursday by Bill Sharpe of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. The catch was projected to pay $3.5 million as of Friday night.
Reel Hunter of St. Michaels moved into second place Friday after Kevin Howell of Queenstown brought a 71.5-pound white marlin to the scales. The fish carried an estimated payout of $355,000.
Ocean City-based MaxBet held the blue marlin lead with the tournament’s only qualifier in that category, a 607.5-pound fish projected to earn nearly $1.27 million.
Gray Fox of Mantoloking, New Jersey, held the tuna and wahoo leads with John Wardlaw’s 179-pound tuna and 69.5-pound wahoo. Together, the catches were projected to earn just over $1.1 million. Today’s The Day of La Plata remained atop the dolphin category with a 45-pound fish.
The tournament has delivered a visible jolt to Ocean City’s summer tourism season after a slow start. Crowds packed the Harbour Island scales, Marlin Fest at the inlet and watch parties throughout the resort.
Mayor Rick Meehan said the White Marlin Open continues to have a huge effect on tourism.
“It is one of our legacy events and the majority of our local businesses will tell you that WMO week is typically their busiest week of the year,” Meehan said.
Meehan said the tournament’s expansion this year meant one more day of massive crowds.
“Now with the addition of Marlin Fest at the inlet and an extra day of fishing the impact has become even greater,” he said. “It is truly a family event with all ages gathered around the docks hoping to see that next big fish reach the scales.”
Seventy-nine boats remained eligible to fish Saturday, the tournament’s final day, and officials said those crews now have five days of catch reports to study.
“By now, they know where the fish have been caught, giving them a small edge in their luck,” tournament officials said in a Friday update. “There have been many dramatic finishes over 52 years, and the 53rd [White Marlin Open] could produce another. Both the crowd and current winners will be watching the scales until the end.”
Have a news tip? Contact Eastern Shore bureau chief Josh Davis at [email protected] or on X as @JoshDavis4Shore.
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