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In the most dramatic finish in the 48- year history of the White Marlin Open, over $6 million dollars changed hands in the final hour of weigh-ins at Harbour Island Marina on Friday.

Mike Atkinson off the “Fender Bender” (both from Virginia Beach, VA), weighed the first fish of the tournament. Until the last 30-minutes, his 82.5-pound white marlin was winning $5,000,000! As the line of boats with fish to weigh dwindled to the final three, there was one boat flying a white marlin flag. It was the “Sushi” out of Ocean City, MD with angler Butch Wright from Arnold, MD aboard. Wight’s white marlin tipped the scales at 85.5 pounds, taking $3,200,000 from the “Fender Bender,” leaving them a very respectable $1,800,000. Rounding out the white marlin division the “Billfisher”, also out of Ocean City, MD weighed a 78.5-pound white caught by Billy Gerlach from Jupiter, FL worth to take third and$105,000.00.

The blue marlin division saw the same...

When the 48th annual White Marlin Open ended their 5-day event on Friday night, August 6th, there were many big claims on the world record fishing tournament purse of $9.2 million dollars.  Out of the 444 registered boats, one boat proved the class of the tournament.  The “Seven” out of Jupiter, Florida netted the top blue marlin (worth $1,100,000) and the top tuna, (good for $1,220,000) with a total winnings of just under $2,400,000.  In addition to their final achievements, it needs to be added that, until the final hour of the event, they also held the 3rd place white marlin.
No boat in the half century history of the White Marlin Open has achieved such a mastery of fishing prowess.  
Where their bigger money winners?  Yes. Butch Wright, from Arnold MD, fishing abord the "Sushi" out of Ocean City, MD took the top white marlin at the last minute and the $3,200,000 prize that came with it. Wright’s fish may turn out to be a world record for catching a...