![\"Boat-at-White-Marlin-Open-day-one\"](\"https:\/\/www.oceanbluefishing.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/IMG_9100-985x1024.jpg\")
Challenges and Winners at the 48th White Marlin Open<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nOn the first day of the tournament one of the participating boats\u2014a 30-foot pleasure craft\u2014encountered engine trouble, causing it to fill with water. Luckily for the anglers, the \u2018Fishbone\u2019 was nearby. The crew from the \u2018Fishbone\u2019 responded and all the anglers escaped into the life raft from the semi-submerged vessel were safely brought aboard. The \u2018Fishbone\u2019 crew even salvaged the beers from the pleasure craft. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The organisers of the White Marlin Open also saw a weigh-in by the end of day 1 as Mike Atkinson of Virginia Beach, landed a 82.5-pound white marlin while fishing on \u2018Fender Bender\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n![\"Leading-Boat-in-Competition\"](\"https:\/\/www.oceanbluefishing.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/IMG_9101-881x1024.jpg\")
White Marlin Open Leader. Photo from cindyelliott75<\/a>.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nBy Wednesday night, Mostko<\/a> reported that the participants had landed a total of 376 billfish\u2014326 white, 39 blue, eight spearfish and three sailfish. Five whites and only one blue marlin were boated, while all the spearfish and sailfish were released.<\/p>\n\n\n\nUnfortunately for Atkinson, angler Butch Wright appeared at the scales with an 85.5-pound white marlin in the last hour on the final day. He not only knocked Atkinson off first place, but he also secured $3.2 million for landing the heaviest white marlin of the tournament. Despite being knocked off first place, Atkinson still netted a healthy $1.8 million prize for his second place.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n![\"Blue-Marlin-Seven\"](\"https:\/\/www.oceanbluefishing.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/IMG_9106-704x1024.jpg\")
The Blue Marlin Seven. Photo from chrisrabil<\/a>.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nAlthough the white marlin is the drawcard for the biggest prize pool in the tournament, five other categories\u2014blue marlin, tuna, dolphinfish, wahoo and sharks\u2014also generated massive payouts. These subcategories lined several teams’ pockets. Among them were David Cash from team Seven, who weighed in a huge 775-pound blue marlin, netting his team a whopping $1.1 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Winners for the different categories include: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
White marlin <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n1st – Angler Butch wright, 85.5-pound – $3,200,000<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2nd – Mike Atkinson, 82.5-pound – $1,800,000<\/p>\n\n\n\n
3rd – Billy Gerlach, 78.5-pound – $106,216<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Blue marlin<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n1st – David Cash, 775-pound – $1,100,000<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2nd – Chris Perry, 559-pound – $249,914<\/p>\n\n\n\n
3rd – Scott Zurawaski, 511-pound – $105.216<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tuna<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n1st – Lawrence Morejon, 137-pound – $1,251,230<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2nd – Zak Smith, 102-pound – $12,720<\/p>\n\n\n\n
3rd – Ron Kawaja, 96-pound – $1000<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dolphin fish<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n1st – Charles Disham, 34-pound – $22,090<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2nd – Andrew Kinsley, 31.5-pound – $21,090<\/p>\n\n\n\n
3rd -Ricky Petroceli, 31-pound – $1000 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Wahoo<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n1st Time Richardson, 46.5-pound – $92,450<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Shark<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n1st – Anthony Sapenero, 132-pound – $4500<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2nd – Michael Lupacchini, 131-pound – $3500<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Officials from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR)<\/a> also announced that one of the participants\u2014Jacob Bertonazzi of New Jersey\u2014broke the state record landing a 318.5-pound swordfish<\/a> out of \u201cPoor Man\u2019s Canyon.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\nRELATED:<\/strong><\/mark> <\/mark>2021 Swordfish Cup. New Zealand claim 2nd Consecutive Win!<\/mark><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nThe History of the White Marlin Open<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nSince the tournament’s inception in 1974, the beach town of Maryland has been invaded by hundreds of game boats every August. Anglers from all over the US are attracted by the lure of landing the biggest white marlin and big prize pool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Although white marlin aren’t as prestige as the blue or black marlin, it is known to be a quite elusive billfish species to land. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
RELATED:<\/strong> <\/span>Sailfish: Are These Sought After Billfish the Fastest Fish in the Sea?<\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nJoining the White Marlin Open<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n
By Wednesday night, Mostko<\/a> reported that the participants had landed a total of 376 billfish\u2014326 white, 39 blue, eight spearfish and three sailfish. Five whites and only one blue marlin were boated, while all the spearfish and sailfish were released.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Unfortunately for Atkinson, angler Butch Wright appeared at the scales with an 85.5-pound white marlin in the last hour on the final day. He not only knocked Atkinson off first place, but he also secured $3.2 million for landing the heaviest white marlin of the tournament. Despite being knocked off first place, Atkinson still netted a healthy $1.8 million prize for his second place.<\/p>\n\n\n Although the white marlin is the drawcard for the biggest prize pool in the tournament, five other categories\u2014blue marlin, tuna, dolphinfish, wahoo and sharks\u2014also generated massive payouts. These subcategories lined several teams’ pockets. Among them were David Cash from team Seven, who weighed in a huge 775-pound blue marlin, netting his team a whopping $1.1 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Winners for the different categories include: <\/p>\n\n\n\n 1st – Angler Butch wright, 85.5-pound – $3,200,000<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2nd – Mike Atkinson, 82.5-pound – $1,800,000<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3rd – Billy Gerlach, 78.5-pound – $106,216<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1st – David Cash, 775-pound – $1,100,000<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2nd – Chris Perry, 559-pound – $249,914<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3rd – Scott Zurawaski, 511-pound – $105.216<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1st – Lawrence Morejon, 137-pound – $1,251,230<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2nd – Zak Smith, 102-pound – $12,720<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3rd – Ron Kawaja, 96-pound – $1000<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1st – Charles Disham, 34-pound – $22,090<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2nd – Andrew Kinsley, 31.5-pound – $21,090<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3rd -Ricky Petroceli, 31-pound – $1000 <\/p>\n\n\n\n 1st Time Richardson, 46.5-pound – $92,450<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1st – Anthony Sapenero, 132-pound – $4500<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2nd – Michael Lupacchini, 131-pound – $3500<\/p>\n\n\n\n Officials from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR)<\/a> also announced that one of the participants\u2014Jacob Bertonazzi of New Jersey\u2014broke the state record landing a 318.5-pound swordfish<\/a> out of \u201cPoor Man\u2019s Canyon.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n RELATED:<\/strong><\/mark> <\/mark>2021 Swordfish Cup. New Zealand claim 2nd Consecutive Win!<\/mark><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Since the tournament’s inception in 1974, the beach town of Maryland has been invaded by hundreds of game boats every August. Anglers from all over the US are attracted by the lure of landing the biggest white marlin and big prize pool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Although white marlin aren’t as prestige as the blue or black marlin, it is known to be a quite elusive billfish species to land. <\/p>\n\n\n\n RELATED:<\/strong> <\/span>Sailfish: Are These Sought After Billfish the Fastest Fish in the Sea?<\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nWhite marlin <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Blue marlin<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Tuna<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Dolphin fish<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Wahoo<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Shark<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The History of the White Marlin Open<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Joining the White Marlin Open<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n
![\"Winning-Team-in-White-Marlin-Open\"](\"https:\/\/www.oceanbluefishing.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Screen-Shot-2021-08-13-at-11.09.34-am.png\")