47th White Marlin Open Pays World Record Purse
The 2020 White Marlin Open wrapped up Sunday night with 2 new tournament record fish, 3 newly minted millionaires and a world record tournament payout. The 433 registered boats braved a world pandemic and a menacing hurricane to haul in fish that were collectively worth $6.8 million dollars during the weeklong event – it represents the most tournament money ever awarded in fishing.
The top prize of $1.85 million went to the “Canyon Blues” out of Ocean City, MD for the huge 97-pound white marlin caught by Brandon Golueke from Chester, MD on Saturday. That fish stands as the 3rd largest white marlin weighed in the 47-year White Marlin Open history. The “Drillin & Billin” out of Hatteras, NC weighed a 77-pound white marlin caught Friday by Taylor Fields from Baltimore, MD. That fish was good for second place and $1.76 million in prize money. Rounding out the white marlin division was the "Crisdel" out of Islamorada, FL with a 77-pound white on Saturday...
Huge White Grabs $1.5 Million From Friday's Winner
Easy come, easy go. That is the way it works in the White Marlin Open and the 2020 edition is no exception. (Actually, there is nothing easy about winning money during the tournament, but I digress.) As the week unfolds and fish are weighed, the bar is set on the weights needed to crack into the prize money. In the white marlin division, the “Drillin & Billin” out of Hatteras, NC weighed a 77-pound white marlin on Friday to take first place and the $2.9 million that came with being in all the white marlin added entry levels. Within 24 hours, that jackpot was cut in half as the “Canyon Blues” out of Ocean City, MD weighed a monster 97-pound white marlin on Saturday that vaulted into 1st place and took $1.5 million from the now 2nd place 77-pound white. The fish was caught by Brandon Golueke from Chester, MD and stands as the 3rd largest white marlin weighed in the 47-year White Marlin Open history. Not too disheartening, the “Drillin & Billin” is...