Article by Larry Jock
Ocean Pines Anglers Club holds Youth Fishing Contest
The Ocean Pines Anglers Club will host its 13th annual Art Hansen Memorial Youth Fishing Contest on Saturday, July 25th at the South Gate Pond near the Sports Core Pool in Ocean Pines. Registration will be from 8:30am to 10:00am. Contests will be from 9:00am-10:45am. There willl be three age groups: 4-7, 8-11 & 12-16. Anglers need to bring their own fishing rod and gear. Bait is provided. A trophy will be awarded for the biggest fish caught in each age group as well as awards for the top three fish. Children younger than age 4 can register and will receive a prize but will not be eligible for a trophy. All participants will receive a prize compliments of the Ocean City/Berlin Optimist Club.
For more information call Walt Boge at 410-208-2855.
Mid-Atlantic $500,000 set for August 16th-21st
This year marks the 18th edition of the Mid-Atlantic $500,000 scheduled for August 16-21 with Canyon Club Resort Marina in Cape May, New Jersey serving as tournament headquarters. Sunset Marina in Ocean City, Maryland has again been enlisted as the event’s only satellite host from that popular port. Boats may choose either port to sail from during tournament week and those who sail from Ocean City will once again be afforded full weigh-in services at Sunset Marina.
In an effort to help control fuel costs this year, the Mid-Atlantic $500,000 is offering a fuel price guarantee with fuel not to exceed $2.50 per gallon. This price guarantee is regardless of the prevailing pump price and applies for all participants fishing out of Cape May.
With a total cash purse that approaches $2 million each year, the Mid-Atlantic $500,000 always attracts one of the strongest fields in the sport as crews hailing from New England to Florida set a course for Cape May and Ocean City, MD every August with hopes of scoring a prestigious win. Cash prizes include $100,000, $50,000 and $25,000 for the three heaviest white marlin and blue marlin over minimum weights of 60 and 400 pounds respectively. The three heaviest tuna over the tournament’s 50-pound minimum weight win $75,000, $35,000 and $20,000 while the single heaviest wahoo and dolphin (mahi-mahi) each win $10,000. A field of at least 125 boats assures a payout of $500,000 in tournament proceeds and tournament-sanctioned calcuttas add significantly to the total purse. Last year’s event saw 141 boats battle for over $1.8 million with Susan McCart’s Reel Joy the top winner with a tournament-record tying 92-pound white marlin that earned $699,307!
The 2009 event kicks off with the Tournament Registration and Welcome Cocktail Party followed by a Captain’s Meeting at Canyon Club and Sunset Marina on Sunday, August 16th. Boats will then select three of the next five days to fish and there is no weather day or weather committee in this event. The decision to fish or not is solely Captain’s Choice. The Mid-Atlantic $500,000 is a trolling only event and there is no limit to the number of anglers, lines or teasers on any boat. Participants must comply with IGFA rules except that anyone may hook a fish provided the rod is immediately passed to the angler who will then fight the fish until it is boated, released or lost. Live bait, greensticks, dart gaffs and harpoons are not permitted. To insure a level playing field all tournament participants must fish within 125 miles of the Cape May Sea Buoy whether they sail from Cape May or Ocean City. Boats may not pass their inlet’s sea buoy prior to 4:30 a.m. each day and fishing begins at 8:30 a.m. Lines out is 3:30 p.m. and any fish to be weighed must be at the scales of their respective marina by 9 p.m.
For more information call Tournament Director Bob Glover at 609-884-2400 or log on to the tournament’s official web site at www.ma500.com.
