The White Marlin Open is the world’s largest and richest billfish tournament — 53 years old, $121 million in total prize money awarded since 1974, and still growing. The 2026 edition runs August 3–8 in Ocean City, Maryland, introducing a new six-day format that lets competitors fish three of the six days. The projected payout exceeds $10 million.
2026 White Marlin Open — Fast Facts
- Dates: August 3–8, 2026 (fish any 3 of the 6 days)
- Location: Ocean City, Maryland — Harbour Island Marina
- Projected Prize Money: $10 million+
- Base Entry Fee: $1,500 per boat (before June 1); $1,800 after June 1
- Species: White marlin, blue marlin, yellowfin tuna, dolphin (mahi), wahoo, swordfish
- Registration: whitemarlinopen.com
History and Scale
The White Marlin Open was founded in 1974 by the Motsko family and has been held in Ocean City every year since. The inaugural tournament had 57 boats, 150 anglers, and $20,000 in prize money. The 2025 event drew 282 boats and over 3,000 contestants, paying out over $7.24 million — including a top individual prize of $3.9 million for a 72-pound white marlin caught by Dan Gough aboard the Billfisher. A 929.5-pound blue marlin caught by the Barbara B was also among the headline fish of 2025.
The 2026 Format Change
New for 2026: the tournament extends to six full days (Monday–Saturday, August 3–8), with competitors choosing any three fishing days from the six-day window. This is a significant departure from the traditional five-day, fish-every-day format and gives teams greater flexibility around weather windows and scheduling. A new non-sonar division has also been added for 2026.
How the Prize Structure Works
The WMO uses an added-entry level system — teams pay a base fee and then opt into additional prize levels at increasing entry costs. The more added entries you purchase, the more prize money you compete for. Over 45 different added entry levels are offered, from $500 for Level A up to $10,000 for the ultimate winner-take-all white marlin level. Tuna categories have separate entry levels where winnings can exceed $1 million. Smaller boats under 40 feet have their own competitive divisions.
Key Species and Divisions
- White Marlin: The marquee species — the heaviest qualifying fish wins the largest single prize
- Blue Marlin: Separate heavy division — the 2025 blue topped out at 929.5 lbs
- Yellowfin Tuna: Multiple tuna divisions with potential payouts exceeding $1M
- Dolphin (Mahi-Mahi): Consistently popular division with solid payouts
- Wahoo: Fast-growing division at the WMO
- Swordfish: Overnight swordfish division added in recent years
- Release Division: Top 3 release-only boats have exceeded $100,000 in payout
- Outboard Division: Added in 2025, open to outboard-powered boats competing among themselves
How to Enter the White Marlin Open
Registration opens well in advance and the tournament fills quickly. Any angler may enter — you must either register a boat or register as an angler on a registered boat before fishing. Base entry: $1,500 before June 1, $1,800 after. Added entry levels from $500–$100,000+ depending on how many optional divisions you enter. Full details and registration at whitemarlinopen.com/entry-info.
Spectating the White Marlin Open
You don’t need to fish to be part of the action. The weigh-in at Harbour Island Marina draws massive crowds daily. Fish come across the scale from mid-afternoon into the evening — arriving early gets you a prime viewing spot. The drama of the leaderboard changing throughout the week is what makes the WMO unlike any other fishing event. Notable attendees have included Michael Jordan, a regular WMO competitor whose arrival at the scales regularly draws crowds.
Tackle and Preparation
The White Marlin Open fishes the Mid-Atlantic canyons — Washington, Baltimore, Norfolk, and Wilmington are the primary grounds. Captains target white marlin on rigged ballyhoo and kite-fished live baits, with the Gulf Stream’s position relative to the canyons being the dominant fish-finding factor each day. Tuna teams chunk butterfish and run spreader bars. Non-offset circle hooks are required for white and blue marlin in federal waters.
See our complete How to Catch White Marlin guide for full tackle, rigging, and technique information.
Getting to Ocean City for Tournament Week
Ocean City is accessible from Baltimore (2.5 hrs), Washington DC (3 hrs), and Philadelphia (3 hrs). Tournament week fills every hotel room in town — book accommodations 6–12 months in advance. The Harbour Island Marina area is the center of tournament activity. The boardwalk, restaurants, and entertainment are within easy walking distance of the scales.