PHOTOS: 2019 White Marlin Open in Ocean City

August 9, 2019

WTOP/Kristi King

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July 16, 2024 | (Teta Alim)

The 46th annual White Marlin Open drew crowds — and even an NBA legend — to Ocean City, Maryland, this week.

Michael Jordan’s 80-foot yacht was also in the water among the many boats seen this year.

The White Marlin Open is the biggest and richest billfish tournament in the world. A winning white marlin, for example, can be worth $1.5 million. The estimated total prize money for all the fish categories this year is more than $6 million.

At the end of each fishing day, boats return from off shore to have their catches recorded and weighed, and spectators gather to watch the procession at the weigh-in dock.

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Tommy Hinkle, who won the top prize with a 79.5-pound White Marlin, is the tournament’s first two-time winner. (WTOP/Kristi King)

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Brenda Rudnicky holds up an otolith, which is a small fingernail-like growth found in tuna that can be used to calculate the age of a fish. (WTOP/Kristi King)

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It’s Day 5 of the White Marlin Open on Friday, Aug. 9, 2019, in Ocean City, Maryland. (WTOP/Kristi King)

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A boat is seen on Friday, Aug. 9, 2019 in Ocean City, Maryland. (WTOP/Kristi King)

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Crew from “Chasin Tail” pose with their 74-pound White Marlin caught on Day 1 of the White Marlin Open. (Courtesy Town of Ocean City)

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The Hellsea caught at 22.5-pound dolphin on Day 1 of the White Marlin Open. (Courtesy Town of Ocean City)

Not all the White Marlin Open qualifiers are going to a Maryland food bank, but most are. (Courtesy Town of Ocean City)

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Here’s a poster for this year’s White Marlin Open. (WTOP/Kristi King)

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It’s the last day of the White Marlin Open on Friday, Aug. 9, 2019. (WTOP/Kristi King)

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First Presbyterian Church of Ocean City accepts donations from people who want to park in the church during the fishing tournament. (WTOP/Kristi King)

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Michael Jordan’s boat the Catch 23 is heading to the #WhiteMarlinOpen weigh-in dock ⁦@TownofOceanCity⁩ @WTOP pic.twitter.com/EofCpHwN77
— Kristi King (@kingWTOP) August 8, 2019

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A drone captures footage of Ocean City and broadcasts back to a large screen at the weigh-in dock.

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A big screen at the weigh-in dock depicts images captured by a drone. (WTOP/Kristi King)

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Crowds standing around for hours at the weigh in scales were occasionally entertained by the chance to catch thrown souvenirs. (WTOP/Kristi King)

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Brenda Rudnicky, from the Gulf of Maine Research Institute studies some of the marlin caught during the contest to determine their ages and diet. (WTOP/Kristi King)

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Brenda Rudnicky holds up an otolith, which is a fingernail-like growth found in the ears of fish that can be used to calculate the age of a fish. (WTOP/Kristi King)

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A Marlin is weighed for the competition. (WTOP/Kristi King)

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As fish are being lifted for weighing, before they become completely still on the line, the scale readings can vary by many pounds as fish swing or are touched by handlers. That makes for anxious moments for anglers and spectators. (WTOP/Kristi King)

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Most of the qualifying fish are donated to the Md Food Bank. (WTOP/Kristi King)

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The Green Turtle of Annapolis, Md. had one of the tournament’s heaviest tunas. (WTOP/Kristi King)

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Anne Aramendia caught a 91 pound wahoo on the final day of the White Marlin Open; the third largest in tournament history. (WTOP/Kristi King)

Kristi King

Kristi King is a veteran reporter who has been working in the WTOP newsroom since 1990. She covers everything from breaking news to consumer concerns and the latest medical developments.