2015: The 24th Annual MidAtlantic tournament concluded last night in true MidAtlantic fashion with awards presentations and celebration parties at both venues. Earlier, as is always the case a large crowd gathered in the late afternoon at the tournament's weigh stations at Canyon Club Resort Marina in Cape May, New Jersey and Sunset Marina in Ocean City, Maryland eagerly awaiting the arrival of the fleet of gorgeous sportfishing boats. While most of the major prize categories remained unchanged, the white marlin category was shaken up a bit in true “Moving Day” tradition on Day Five. The final day of this tournament has historically seen several key prize category changes and this year would be no different!

Recapping the fish report it's worth noting that although not a tournament record, the 543 total billfish caught by 139 boats with each fishing three days is indeed significant at these numbers translate to an average of nearly four billfish per boat for the tournament and over one billfish per boat per day for the event. Of the total number of billfish caught, 523 were let go for a release rate of well over 96%!

Heaviest White Marlin - 77 lbs. - Texas Tea - Michael Savino  Brooklyn, NY - $714,259 

2nd Heaviest White Marlin - 72 lbs. - Lights Out - Bill Haugland  Coral Gables, FL - $137,287 

3rd Heaviest White Marlin - 71 lbs. - Naps V - Joe Napolitan  Holland, PA - $74,213 

Heaviest Blue Marlin - 566 lbs. - Makara - Thomas McMurray  Ocean City, MD - $196,836 

2nd Heaviest Blue Marlin - 543 lbs. - Ringleader - Ryan Carroll  Dallas, TX - $420,998 

3rd Heaviest Blue Marlin - 437 lbs. - Fish On - Rob Kathery  Ft. Lauderdale, FL - $91,885 

Heaviest Tuna - 214 lbs. - Plane Simple - Jim Jensen  Satellite Beach, FL - $452,822 

2nd Heaviest Tuna - 199 lbs. - Canyon Runner - Adam LaRosa  Point Pleasant, FL - $223,496 

3rd Heaviest Tuna - 198 lbs. - Operating Room - Thomas Mackell  Gwyneed Valley, PA - $154,758 

Heaviest Wahoo - 73 lbs. - Blue Runner - Jackson Hseih  New York, NY - $46,506 

Heaviest Dolphin - 38 lbs. - Bar South - Rob Gothier  Champ Hill, PA - $48,199 

The following received calcutta winning for various positions on the leaderboard during the tournament:

65 lbs. - Lady Luck - Steve Ramsey - Ocean City, MD - $34,705

65 lbs. - Reel Toy - Danny Jones - Joppa, MD - $16,920

146 lbs. - MJ's - Michael Yocco - New Providence, NJ - $ 78,036

141 lbs. - Goin' in Deep - Larry Hesse, Jr. - Ft. Lauderdale, FL - $9588

137 lbs. - Lizanne - Bob Mormile - Wallingford, PA - $33,088

132 lbs. - Placid C's - George Conway, Jr. - Riviera Beach, FL - $9701

57 lbs. - Reel Desire III - Robert Lafferty - Pipersville, PA - $15,886

57 lbs. - Triple Bypass - Gary Damore - Berlin MD - $19,317

27 lbs. - G-Force - Tony Diesel - Selbyville, DE - $14,523

27 lbs. - Sea Hag - Charlie Duerr - Tinton Falls, NJ - $14,523

24 lbs. - Nasty Habit - Walt Koller - West New York, NJ - $3,102

20 lbs. - Reel Direct - Richard Osborne - Islamorada, FL - $1,363

Awards $1000 each day of the tournament to the high billfish point boat sailing from Canyon Club Resort Marina or South Jersey Marina in Cape May.

Day One - Judge - Marty Judge, Jr. - West Conshohocken, PA - $1,000

Day Two - Canyon Lady - Jamie Diller - Stone Harbor, NJ - $1,000

Day Three - Everglades 43 - Tom Russell - Stone Harbor, NJ - $1,000

Day Four - Canyon Lady - Jamie Diller - Stone Harbor, NJ - $1,000

Day Five - Wish You Were Here - Ed Katzainer - Cape May, NJ - $1,000

Most Points White Marlin - 1125 - Reel Joy - John Gudelsky  Ocean City, MD 

2nd Most Points White Marlin - 1050 - Bar South - Rob Gothier  Champ Hill, PA 

3rd Most Points White Marlin - 900 - Rhonda's Osprey - Joe Drosey  West Ocean City, MD 

Most Points Blue Marlin - 450 - The Boomer - William Gardin  Minocqua, WY 

2nd Most Points Blue Marlin - 421.5 - Ringleader - Ryan Carroll  Dallas, TX 

3rd Most Points Blue Marlin - 368.5 - Fish On - Rob Kathery  Ft. Lauderdale, FL 

Most Points Tuna - 383.5 - Goin' in Deep - Larry Hesse, Jr.  Ft. Lauderdale, FL 

2nd Most Points Tuna - 131 - Lizanne - Bob Mormile  Wallingford, PA 

3rd Most Points Tuna - 124.5 - Placid C's - George Conway, Jr.  Riviera Beach, FL 

Most Points Overall - 1125 - Reel Joy - John Gudelsky  Ocean City, MD 

White Marlin released - 467

White Marlin boated - 19

Blue Marlin released - 34

Blue Marlin boated - 4

Tuna boated - 15

Wahoo boated - 20

Dolphin boated - 24

Sailfish released - 3

Longbill Spearfish released - 16