If you listen closely, you can almost hear it. The fee-fi-fo-fum of the sleeping giants of Ocean City’s White Marlin Open. Slowly waking- they hum their diesel engines and vibrate tension of crews chasing one of sportfishing’s ultimate prizes. These Vikings, Spencers, and Hatteras are restless and anxiously waiting for their week to peak.
Giant History
The White Marlin Open, otherwise known as the “world’s largest and richest billfish tournament,” is more than a competition—it’s a high-stakes, deep-sea fairy-tale story that transformed this beach town into the white marlin capital of the world.
A Giant Success
First held in 1974 with just 57 boats, the tournament has grown into an international event, attracting hundreds of boats and millions in prize money. The stakes are high: in 2023, a record $10.5 million was awarded, with a single white marlin weighing in at just over 77 pounds netting $6.2 million. But it’s not just about the money. For captains and crews, the White Marlin Open is the magic bean that if teased just right, will produce golden outcomes.
Giant Loads of Prep Work
Weeks before the first lines are dropped, preparation begins in earnest. Crew triple-check their GPS systems, plotting known hot spots and scanning sea surface temperature charts, looking for the perfect canyon to climb towards. Engines are serviced, reels are re-spooled, and dozens of custom rigs are laid out ready to do their magic.
And then there’s the bait—mackerel and ballyhoo, the jester of the billfish world. But it’s not enough to simply thread them on a hook. Each one must be twisted and rigged with near-obsessive precision. If it doesn’t dance just right, it won’t mimic a fleeing baitfish. And if it doesn’t mimic a fleeing baitfish, it won’t draw in the mega billfish—blue marlin, white marlin, and tuna—that competitors dream of.
“If you twist it even a little off,” one Ocean City mate explained, “you might troll past a million-dollar fish, and it won’t even blink at your bait.”
Not So Giant Drop
Despite slightly lower gas prices this year—hovering around $3.90 per gallon, a notable drop from the summer of 2022—the cost of competing remains steep. A single offshore run can burn hundreds of gallons. Multiply that by three tournament days, and many boats will spend thousands just on fuel. Add in entry fees, tackle, crew wages, and charter costs, and it’s not uncommon for a team to invest well over $20,000 before even catching a fish.
Giant Crowds
Still, the magical docks of Harbour Island fill up early. Families, fans, and fishing hopefuls line the weigh-in station each evening, watching as giant fish are hoisted and crowds hold their breath as the numbers climb higher and higher on the scale. Kids tower on shoulders, phones are aimed at the scales, and cheers erupt when what seems like fishing royalty swings into view around the bend from Assawoman Bay.
Giant Hopes and Dreams
The White Marlin Open isn’t just a tournament—it’s Ocean City’s proudest week. A bewitching celebration of skill, endurance, and the wild, unpredictable ocean. Captains will climb their proverbial beanstalk that is their bridge. They can smell their victories at the scales. Until then, the giants might still be waking from their deep sleep, but soon, every boat, every bait, every twist and troll is a call to wake for this year’s White Marlin Open.
