Breaking down the White Marlin Open rules
Maybe you’ve been to Ocean City’s annual White Marlin Open, the largest billfish tournament in the world. Maybe you’ve seen the massive fish that anglers have hauled in. Maybe you’ve heard the high-dollar amount of prize money that is given out each year.
But do you know the rules of the tournament that has been going on for 43 years?
For spectators, the White Marlin Open is fun and exciting. It can be for the anglers too, but they still have to operate under a plethora of rules.
Here’s a quick breakdown of the rules that answers questions that a first-time - or long-time - spectator might have about Ocean City’s annual fishing tradition:
How big does a boat have to be to enter?
There is no minimum or maximum boat size to enter the White Marlin Open. Fishermen could be on a johnboat or a yacht.
How many anglers can be on one boat?
There’s no limit on that either. A boat could have one angler or 37.
The boats can go out and fish on any day of the tournament, right?
Actually, no. Out of the five-day tournament, boats may only fish for three of those days and designate two days as non-fishing days. Boats must declare their non-fishing day before 8:30 a.m.
Do all of the boats leave out of Ocean City?
No, but Maryland’s beach town serves as the headquarters for the tournament. Boats can leave from any inlet between Barnegat Inlet in New Jersey to Rudee Inlet in Virginia. Boats cannot leave the inlet of their choice earlier than 4 a.m.
All fish must be weighed at Harbour Island Marina in Ocean City.
When can fish be weighed in?
Between 4 p.m. and 9:15 p.m., Monday through Friday. All fish must be accompanied by a signed catch report.
So, when does the actual fishing take place?
Fishing cannot start before 8:30 a.m., Monday through Friday. No boat may place lines or teasers in the water prior to that time. All lines and teasers must be removed from the water at 3:30 p.m.
What happens if an angler has a fish on the line at 3:30 p.m., but hasn’t pulled it into the boat?
Yes, the tournament has rules for this scenario:
Any boat still fighting a blue marlin after the 3:30 p.m. deadline will be permitted to fight that fish until boated, released or lost – except that in order to be eligible for prize money, the blue marlin must be made available for weighing no later than 12:15 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 13, regardless of which fishing day the hookup occurred.
If that boat has any other fish on board intended for weighing, it must report to another registered tournament boat, tournament directors or another boat that can verify by 3:30 p.m. the species of boated fish, the exact length and girth, estimated weight and when the fish was boated. Only fish that match the reported length and girth will be weighed.
If that boat does not return inside the sea buoy by 4:00 a.m. on the day after the hookup, that boat cannot return outside the sea buoy and fish that day.
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If an angler hooks a fish, can he have help bringing it in?
Sort of, but not really.
A fish may be hooked by anyone other than the angler, but the fishing rod must be transferred immediately to the angler after hookup. The angler, from that time on, shall fight the fish alone until it is boated or released.
No help, in either manpower or equipment, can be given by another boat. Anglers from another boat cannot help in any aspect of fighting, boating or releasing the fish.
In the event of a boat disability while fighting a fish, the angler may not switch to another boat and anglers from another boat cannot help with either manpower or equipment in any aspect of fighting, boating or releasing the fish.
What can anglers not use in the tournament?
The use of dart gaffs, lance gaffs, harpoons and green sticks are prohibited. The line class is limited to 130 pounds.
What kind of hooks will be used to catch the fish?
Federal law states that in these types of tournaments anglers may only deploy non-offset circle hooks when using natural bait and/or natural/artificial lure combinations. J-hooks may only be used with artificial lures.
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How far can the boats go out to catch fish?
Tournament rules state that the fishing distance limit is 100 nautical miles from Ocean City.
What are the prize categories?
Anglers who catch and weigh-in white marlins, blue Marlins, spearfish, sailfish, tuna, dolphin, wahoo and shark will be eligible to win prize money.
What if there is a tie in weight for the biggest fish?
In the event of a tie in the weight of a white marlin, the fish that is not gaffed will be considered the winner of the two.
Are there minimum length and weight requirements for fish to be eligible for prize money?
Yes. A white marlin must weigh a minimum of 70 pounds and be at least 67 inches long. Blue marlin’s don’t have a minimum weight requirement, but cannot be shorter than 114 inches. A tuna must weigh at least 50 pounds, a dolphin has to hit at least 20 pounds, wahoos have to weigh 40 pounds and a shark must weigh in at no less than 100 pounds.
For a complete guide to the rules of the tournament, visit whitemarlinopen.com/rules.
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