Article by Larry Jock
The summer season is always an action packed couple of months and no time is more exciting than the week of the White Marlin Open. This little local tournament has grown into the premier fishing event that has turned Ocean City into the mecca of offshore fishing in early August.
I had an opportunity to interview founder, Jim Motsko about the tournament and gained some insight on how this event has turned into “The Largest and Richest Billfish Tournament in the World”.
The first White Marlin Open was in held in 1974. Where did you get the idea?
I got the idea when I was on my honeymoon in Andros Island, Bahamas. I thought I would like to be a "professional angler" after working six summers and one winter on charter boats in Ocean City and Florida. Golf had been offering cash prizes and tennis was just starting to offer guaranteed prize money. I thought if there was a fishing tournament that offered guaranteed prize money by paying a basic entry fee, I would enter to fish the tournament and hopefully win some money and possibly earn a living being a professional angler.
What was the impetus behind starting the tournament and who was involved?
The impetus was to try to set up a venue that would establish marlin fishing as a way to earn a living doing what people loved to do and possibly earn prize money by doing so. Myself, my wife, Marianne, and one of my cousins, Chuck Motsko were the main people who started the White Marlin Open.
Prize money has really grown over the years. How much did the top white marlin win in the 1974 tournament?
The winner, Vince Sorenson caught a 68.5 lb. white marlin and won $10,000.
How many boats entered that first tournament?
There were 57 boats entered in the 1974 tournament.
What was the total prize money?
Total prize money was $20,000.
Has the White Marlin Open always been a 5-day tournament?
Yes, but originally it was four straight days, with three "weather boats" to make decisions about whether the boats fish or not fish each day because of the offshore weather forecast.
Were there many 5-day fishing tournaments when you first started out?
No, not at the time we started the tournament.
What year did the tournament really take off with boats coming in from outside Ocean City?
We started seeing non-local boats coming in for the tournament beginning in 1998 when Marsh Harbor opened up and more so in 1999 when Sunset Marina opened.
What drove this to happen?
We had more room to dock in the Ocean City area for out of town boats.
How many people are involved in putting on the White Marlin Open, both paid and volunteer?
Basically, 3 full-timers and about 10 to 15 total during the week of the tournament.
I know you all get to catch your breath right after the tournament, but when do you begin working on next year’s tournament?
Usually, about 4-5 weeks after the close of the tournament towards the end of September.
What are the biggest challenges in pulling together a tournament of the magnitude of the White Marlin Open?
A lot of the final details can't be done until the last minute and with a 3 person operation that can get crazy!
Also, getting as many boats to enter the tournament as possible. The more boats, the more prize money. Keeping the release points scoring up-to-date is a lot harder than folks think and we are always challenged with any computer glitches or problems on our website.
When did you know that the tournament could become “special” and what made you feel that way?
When we were declared "The World's Largest Billfish Tournament” the year we had 257 boats. We surpassed a tournament in Australia to claim that title.
I know studies have been done regarding the financial impact of the tournament on our local economy.
What do those studies show?
That over $20,000,000 per year is spent because of the White Marlin Open and that study is close to 10 years old so I’m sure it is even more currently. The White Marlin Open is a huge economic impact engine for Ocean City, Worcester County and the states of Maryland and Delaware.
Did you have much support from the Town of Ocean City when the tournament began?
Unfortunately, no.
How much support do you get from the Town of Ocean City currently?
Some city services such as police directing traffic at the corner of St. Louis and 14th Street, trash containers for refuse left at Harbour Island each day of weigh-ins and a $5,000 advertising budget.
We also pay the Town of Ocean City to have banners displayed on the Route 50 Bridge and at the base of the Route 90 Bridge during the tournament.
One of the questions I get asked the most is what does it cost for a boat to fish in the tournament?
The basic entry fee is $1,000 per boat if entered by June 1st and $1,350 after that time. This enables each boat to be eligible to win the guaranteed $50,000 in prize money. After that, anglers can spend an additional $50 to $10,000 for various "added entry levels".
If a boat wants to get “Across the Board” it would cost $27,450 for big boats and $29,450 for smaller boats since there are added entries only for smaller boats. Next year, we will add a “Small Boat/Big Fish added entry for smaller boats. Any boat under 40-feet and under is eligible to enter.
What is the largest number of boats ever entered in the tournament and in what year did it happen?
The most boats we ever had entered was in 2006 when 449 registered.
What has been the biggest change fishing-wise, that you have seen in the tournament since it’s inception?
I think one is the size of the boats have been getting larger and faster. As far as actually fishing is concerned, the use of circle hooks and conservation awareness have both had significant impacts.
Conservation is a big part of the White Marlin Open with divisions set-up for Billfish Releases.
How does the tournament view it’s role in billfish conservation and are there any plans to expand conservation efforts in future tournaments?
The past few years, we have averaged about a 98% billfish release ratio. We are extremely proud of our industry leading release ratio for a tournament that offers prize money for boating the heaviest fish of various species, including billfish. We also offer prize money for releases of billfish.
The last couple of years saw a good spike in total prize money, primarily due to the addition of a big money added entry.
What does the new Added Entry level cost and how many boats got in it last year?
The added entry level “WM” costs $10,000 per boat and is awarded to the heaviest white marlin, 70 lbs or over, caught by one of the boats that have entered this specific added entry level.
I know one of your challenges comes from “small” boat fishermen wondering how they can compete against the “big” boat teams. How do you deal with this concern?
We have very reasonable time schedules to allow smaller boats the time to get where they want to fish in time before the "lines in water and out of water".
A few years ago, we initiated "small boat added entry levels" for small boats only. In 2017, the "small boat entry levels" will be for boats that are under 40-feet. We are also adding another entry level, in addition to the heavies tuna and white Marlin small boat added entries. It is the "Small Boat/Big Fish" added entry for small boats.
I’m always amazed where I run into people wearing White Marlin Open t-shirts, whether it is in an airport or just walking around in another city. You sell a lot of White Marlin Open t-shirts each year. I can only imagine how many you sell, but I was wondering what is the farthest country you have ever sent out a t-shirt to? Do you get many orders from outside the USA?
I have seen people wearing White Marlin Open shirts as far away as Australia. I have also seen them in Greece, Mexico, Panama, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Brazil, Canada, Bahamas, Azores, Madera and Venezuela to name a few countries. We get orders from out of the USA, mostly Canada.
Each year, the anglers in the White Marlin Open can donate their fish to the Maryland Food Bank to feed the hungry. Do you know how many pounds of fish have been donated to the Food Bank?
On average, anglers in the White Marlin Open donate an average of 2,000 to 2,500 lbs. of fish to the Maryland Food Bank each year that is distributed to local agencies right in Ocean City and Worcester County. They estimate that it fed over 1,600 people last year alone.
If you aren’t able to attend the White Marlin Open, how can you view it online? Do you have any changes coming in future years making it easier for people to view the action?
We have a live feed web cam that is mobile during the event. It can be accessed by going online to www.whitemarlinopen.com from 4:00 PM to 9:00 PM each fishing day. Many marinas, restaurants and bars live stream the weigh-ins in their establishments.
In 2016, we added a "jumbo tron" type screen for viewers at the event.
I guess we have to address the issue from last year’s tournament where the winning white marlin is under protest right now. I know it has been turned over to the Federal Court. What was the reasoning for turning it over to the courts?
We asked for an "Interpleader" from the Court so a judge can make a ruling as to who is entitled to the prize money in question. That way, we are impartial.
My understanding is that the dispute is based upon them failing the lie detector test for (1) catching the white marlin within legal fishing times, and (2) nobody but the angler touching the rod after hook-up. Are they disputing that these violations took place or are they disputing the results of the lie detector test?
The court ordered a "confidentiality agreement", so I cannot comment at this time.
Can you give us an update on where the case stands?I know there was a move being made by lawyers to bring it back to Worcester County.
It is still in Federal Court in Baltimore
Do you think the case will be resolved before next year’s tournament?
Yes. The court date is scheduled for May 22, 2017
The tournament has been held at Harbour Island since the beginning. When is your current agreement up and do you envision the tournament remaining there? You know a move to West Ocean City is always circulating in the rumor mill.
We have a lease with the Harbour Island Condo Association for the next 4 years. Either entity can cancel with a 2-year notice. We would look at an offer to relocate, if presented, but as it stands now, we will be back at Harbour Island again, for the 44th year.
What changes in the White Marlin Open can we expect to see in upcoming years?
At this moment, we are not planning anything. "If it ain't broken, why try to fix it" is our feeling at this time. But, I am sure we will continue to "tweak" our rules , as needed.
For you, what is the most memorable highlight of the last 43 years?
There are many "highlights". I think some of the main ones are.
1. 449 boats entered in 2016.
2. The first fish over 1,000 lbs. caught on the "No Problem" by Bob Farris, from South Carolina. It weighed 1,062 and is now the Maryland State Record blue marlin. You can see it mounted and displayed at the Ocean City, Convention Center.
3. Having my 2 daughters stepping into being critical parts of the event.
4. The total purse exceeding $4.4 million dollars in 2016.
5. Attaining the recognition of being "The World's Largest and Richest Billfish Tournament.
6. NOT having the White Marlin being declared to be listed as "Endangered".
7. Spearheading the use of circle hooks for billfish tournaments and fishing for billfish in general.
Thanks Jim. It was very interesting to hear about the history of this great tournament and get some behind the scenes insight on what it takes to put the event on every year. Best of luck to you, your family and the tournament in the coming years.
