Article Courtesy: themidatlantic.com | Originally Published: 8/24/2024 | Click here for original article.

The weather couldn’t have been any better for the final fishing day of the 33rd Annual MidAtlantic. The midweek breeze that created sporty sea conditions on Tuesday and Wednesday dissipated and Day Five dawned sunny with a light wind and flat ocean. On the day the entire fleet of 198 boats were eligible to fish and while the last day of the tournament didn’t produce its traditional “Moving Day” massive shake-up to the leaderboard, there was indeed plenty of excitement and a nail-biting finish.

At “Lines Out” on Day Five the word began to spread of not one, but two big blue marlin boated, but the question was how big? Text messages with length measurements and photos of both billfish began to circulate and it wasn’t long before estimates of weight were running rampant across the tournament. It was shortly after 6 PM when Captain Reid Bost pulled Tommy Hancock’s Isle of Palms, South Carolina-based Dem Boys to the weigh station at Sunset Marina in Ocean City and it was clear the blue marlin stretched across the cockpit of Dem Boys which Hancock had battled would be a serious challenger to Gret’s Three J’s 638-pounder which until Day Five was the only qualifying blue marlin weighed. The weigh station crew had their hands full getting the big marlin from the cockpit to the dock where it measured out at an impressive 125-inches and had plenty of girth as well. Moments later as the crowd got quiet, Weighmaster Frank Ingram announced the weight of 760 pounds to put Dem Boys atop the leaderboard in the category. But there was indeed that second blue marlin boated and headed to Cape May which Dem Boys had to sweat out. As Dem Boys were celebrating their impressive catch, Captain Bryan Boyle backed Matt Asplundh’s Mantoloking, New Jersey-based Deadicated down the chute at Canyon Club Resort Marina in Cape May to weigh their blue marlin which angler Chris Carr fought for a little over an hour before it was boated. The size of the blue marlin quickly raised eyebrows from the crowd as it took the entire weigh station crew with some additional help to lift the huge billfish from the boat. Once on the dock it taped out at 126½-inches and it took some strategic maneuvering to hoist the massive marlin to the scale. The crowd at Canyon Club Resort Marina had grown considerably and condominium owners even lined the deck of the homes overlooking the weigh station. As the scale settled Weighmaster Chris Booth announced the weight of 795 pounds putting Deadicated in first place in the category for which they received an impressive $1,139,248! Dem Boys finished in second place and received $497,714 while Gret’s Three J’s finished in third place and won $134,577.

In the white marlin category, Bill Haugland’s leading 81-pounder caught on Day Four aboard his Bishopville, Maryland-based Lights Out was not challenged on the final fishing day. Haugland was the highest money winner in the tournament and received $1,416,891, a tournament record payout for the category winner. Anthony Alves of Millstone, New Jersey finished in second place with his Kaarmaa and received $346,692. Third place went to Par Five and Charles Rodriguez of Camden-Wyoming, Delaware for his 75-pounder and he received $107,474.

Though numerous yellowfin tuna were weighed during the tournament big eyes were noticeably absent and tuna pros were scratching their heads trying to catch one that could challenge the two on the board. In the end the 180-pound big eye caught on Day One aboard the Reel Tight of Steven Pilipauskis of Harwood, Maryland was the heaviest and good for $720,442. Val Fichera Cape May, New Jersey-based Warden Pass held on for second place and won $299,082 for his 174-pound big eye, also caught on Day One. There was a change in third place after Rich Lucas and his Team SI Yachts of Staten Island, New York weighed a yellowfin tuna of 81 pounds on Day Five for angler Eric Faust which was good enough to win $137,571.

In the dolphin category, John Gudelsky’s Reel Joy from Singer Island, Florida weighed a 32-pounder on Day Five for angler Mike Peet to move into a tie for the lead with Paul Crampton of Hagerstown, Maryland and his C-Boys with his 32-pounder weighed on Day Four. For their efforts Reel Joy won $66,654 and C-Boys received $57,270. Note the difference in payouts is due to calcutta level participation. Finishing in third place JC Cleare of Miami, Florida and his Remix Main Stage won $15,640 for the 28-pounder weighed on Day Four.

The 76-pound wahoo weighed on Day Two by Mary Naylor on her Jupiter, Florida-based Lil’ Crum held on to take heaviest in the category and won $85,974. On the final day of the tournament Ed “Cookie” Murray wheeled Joe Posillico’s Torta to the scale and weighed a 71-pound wahoo for Posillico, who was also the angler, to finish in second place and was good for $42,596. Ocean City, Maryland’s Jennifer Pastorius on her Jenny Poo and Hank Draper of Milton, Delaware aboard his Prime Hook each weighed 54-pound wahoo on Day Four and finished tied for third heaviest. Jenny Poo received $17,204 and Prime Catch won $7,280. Again, the difference in prize money reflects calcutta participation and days on the leaderboard.

Some of the boats with notable billfish releases on the final day of the tournament include Geno Sauers Trash Man with seven white marlin released. Bill Haugland’s Lights Out released five white marlin. Ed Dunn’s D.A. Sea, Paul Spencer’s Secotan, Matt Weber’s Max Bet and Jon Duffie’s Billfisher each released four white marlin on Day Five. Martin Judge’s Judge, Gina Addeo’s Gina Lisa and Chris Kubik’s Sweet Spot each released three white marlin. David Reeves’ Pachanga released two blue marlin and one white marlin, George Robinson’s Polarizer released two blue marlin, Jamie Diller’s Canyon Lady released one blue marlin and two white marlin and Chad Moss’ Sandbob released one white marlin and one blue marlin. Ken Hager’s Taylor Jean, Tommy Hancock’s Dem Boys and Michael Tickle’s Waste Knot each released a blue marlin on the final day of the tournament.

At award ceremonies held simultaneously at Canyon Club Resort Marina in Cape May and Sunset Marina in Ocean City, Maryland a total cash purse of $5,752,760, third highest in the tournament’s 33-year history was distributed to over 30 different winners. Among the winners, two received checks of over $1 million while four others received payouts of over $200,000. Additionally, five other winners received checks of $100,000 or more and six winners received checks over $50,000!

Cash Prize Winners

Note that cash payouts vary by the level of calcuttas a participant enters and the number of days on the leaderboard.

Heaviest White Marlin – 81 lbs. – Lights Out – Bill Haugland – Bishopville, MD – $1,416,891*
2nd Heaviest White Marlin – 77 lbs. – Kaarmaa – Anthony Alves – Millstone, NJ – $346,692
3rd Heaviest White Marlin – 75 lbs. – Par Five – Charles Rodriguez – Camden-Wyoming, DE – $107,474
*Tournament record payout for white marlin winner.

Heaviest Blue Marlin – 795 lbs. – Deadicated – Matt Asplundh – Mantoloking, NJ – $1,139,248
2nd Heaviest Blue Marlin – 760 lbs. – Dem Boys – Tommy Hancock – Isle of Palms, SC – $497,714
3rd Heaviest Blue Marlin – 638 lbs. – Gret’s Three J’s – John Conrad – Lititz, PA – $134,576

Heaviest Tuna – 180 lbs. – Reel Tight – Stephen Pilipauskis – Harwood, MD – $720,442
2nd Heaviest Tuna – 174 lbs. – Warden Pass – Val Fichera – Cape May, NJ – $299,082
3rd Heaviest Tuna – 81 lbs. – Team SI Yachts – Rich Lucas – Staten Island, NY – $137,571

Heaviest Wahoo – 76 lbs. – Lil’ Crum – Mary Naylor – Jupiter, FL – $85,974
2nd Heaviest Wahoo – 71 lbs. – Torta – Joseph Posillico – Jupiter, FL – $42,596
3rd Heaviest Wahoo (tie) – 54 lbs. – Jenny Poo – Jennifer Pastorious – Ocean City, Maryland – $17,204
Prime Hook – Hank Draper – Milton, DE – $7,820

Heaviest Dolphin (tie) – 32 lbs. – Reel Joy – John Gudelsky – Singer Island, FL – $66,654
C Boys – Paul Crampton – Hagerstown, MD – $57,720
3rd Heaviest Dolphin – 28 lbs. – Remix Main Stage – JC Cleare – Miami, FL – $15,640

Salt Life Billfish Points Calcutta – Cape May

Most Points – 900 – Judge – Martin Judge, Jr. – Wayne, PA – $12,420
2nd Most Points – 825 – Trash Man – Geno Sauers – Savannah, GA – $7,452
3rd Most Points – 750 – Viking 82 – Pat Healey – New Gretna, NJ – $4,968

Atlantic Tackle Billfish Points Calcutta – Ocean City

Most Points – 1275 – Max Bet – Matthew Weber – Vero Beach, FL – $23,920
2nd Most Points – 1125 – Pachanga – David Reeves – Harleysville, PA – $14,352
3rd Most Points – 1050 – D.A. Se – Edward Dunn – Grasonville, MD – $9,568

The following participants received calcutta winnings for various positions on the leaderboard during the tournament. Cash payouts vary by the level of calcuttas a participant enters and the number of days on the leaderboard.

White Marlin

74 lbs. – Leslie Ann – Mark Murphy – Trappe, MD – $158,902
73 lbs. – JuJu – Andrew Weber – Mount Pleasant, SC – $60,996
67 lbs. – Wayne’s World – Wayne Franks – Royersford, PA – $131,670

Tuna

67 lbs. – Canyon Lady – Jamie Diller – Stone Harbor, NJ – $25,287
57 lbs. – El Jefe – Dan Fabbri – Cape May, NJ – $51,814
57 lbs. – Catch 23 – Michael Jordan – Jupiter, FL – $37,536
54 lbs. – Nina – Ross Hammer – Cape May, NJ – $38,456
53 lbs. – Catch 23 – Michael Jordan – Jupiter, FL – $18,768
52 lbs. – Got Game – Sean O’Donnell – Cape May, NJ – $33,212
51 lbs. – Risky Business – Daniel McCarthy – Newtown, PA – $27,968

Dolphin

21 lbs. – Allison – James Messina – Annapolis, MD – $2,622

Point Winners (Trophies)

Note ties are broken based on time of catch.

Most Points Overall – 1275 – Max Bet – Matthew Weber – Vero Beach, FL
Most Points White Marlin – 1275 – Max Bet – Matthew Weber – Vero Beach, FL
2nd Most Points White Marlin – 900 – Judge – Martin Judge, Jr. – Wayne, PA
3rd Most Points White Marlin – 900 – Pipe Down – Jeff Crabtree – New Smyrna Beach, FL
Most Points Blue Marlin – 750 – Reel Joy – John Guldelsky – Singer Island, FL
2nd Most Points Blue Marlin – 450 – Pachanga – David Reeves – Harleysville, PA
3rd Most Points Blue Marlin – 340 – Dem Boys – Tommy Hancock – Isle of Palms, SC
Most Points Tuna – 90 – Reel Tight – Steven Pilipauskis – Harwood, MD
2nd Most Points Tuna – 87 – Warden Pass – Val Fichera – Cape May, NJ
3rd Most Points Tuna – 55 – Catch 23 – Michael Jordan – Jupiter, FL

Catch Report

White marlin released – 450
White marlin boated – 12
Blue marlin released – 50
Blue marlin boated – 4
Tuna weighed – 24
Wahoo weighed – 8
Dolphin weighed – 6

For more information on the 2024 MidAtlantic contact Tournament Director Aaron Hoffman at 609-884-0177 or visit the tournament’s web site at www.themidatlantic.com where you’ll find all the facts, figures and information about the event including a complete breakdown of calcuttas, rules, points and tournament photos. You can also follow along on social media Facebook at The MidAtlantic Tournament; on Twitter @midatl and on Instagram @themidatlantictournament.