With Hurricane Erin moving up the coast there was concern seas would build today and for many it was “flip a coin” to decide whether to fish or not. On the day 73 boats gave it a go today, Day Three of the tournament, and the white marlin continued to chew while a few blue marlin were caught as well. The evening’s weigh-in session got off to a fast start as Captain Danny Jones had already wheeled the Reel Toy of Joppa, Maryland’s Chad Meeks into position at Sunset Marina in Ocean City, Maryland when the scales opened at 5 p.m. with a blue marlin to weigh for angler Mike Kokosinski. It was very impressive in size when viewed from the dock as it was stretched across the cockpit. Tournament staff hefted the huge blue marlin to the dock where it was lowered and measured out at 132” from the tip of the lower jaw to the fork of the tail, well over the tournament minimum length of 102”. Once the tail rope was in place up the scales she went and moments later Weighmaster Frank Ingram verified the weight at 804 pounds! Reel Toy sits alone on the leaderboard in the category as no other blues have been weighed.

In other big news on Day Three there was a major change in the white marlin category as Jamie Diller of Stone Harbor, New Jersey aboard his Canyon Lady pulled into the scale at Canyon Club Resort Marina in Cape May, New Jersey with a white marlin to weigh for angler Ronnie Davis. Once on the dock the billfish measured out at 70½” and Weighmaster Chris Booth yelled out the weight at 75 pounds to put Canyon Lady in the lead in the white marlin category. The 71-pounder weighed by Pocomoke, Maryland’s Jimmy Hahn on his Tail Chaser on Day One is now in second place. Third place remains vacant.

Nick Neary’s Curtis Bay, Maryland-based Lit Up is still atop the leaderboard in the tuna category thanks to a 103-pound big eye. Matt Weber’s Vero Beach, Florida-based Max Bet is in second place with his 97-pound yellowfin while Joe Miele and his Blue Runner from Manasquan, New Jersey is in third place with a 96-pound yellowfin.

We have a new leader in the wahoo category after Day Three as Scott Abeel of Stuart, Florida aboard his Luna Sea weighed a 94-pounder which Abeel was also the angler. Bobby Pastorius Ocean City, Maryland-based Jenny Poo is now in second place with the 60-pounder weighed on Day One. Glenelg, Maryland’s Darrin Brown and his Catchin’ Grief currently sit in third place with his 23-pounder, also weighed on Day One.

There’s a new leader in the dolphin category today after Charley Pereira of Nags Head, North Carolina aboard his Sushi weighed a 35-pounder for angler Mario Marisa. John Gudelsky’s Singer Island-based Reel Joy moved into second place today after weighing a 26-pound dolphin. Fanwood New Jersey’s John Schwab on his Pegasus is now in third place with his 22-pounder.

Some of the boats with notable billfish catches on Day Three include Matt Weber’s Max Bet with 15 white marlin released. Alan Sadler’s Intents released eight white marlin while Austin Ensor’s Primary Search and TJ Ely’s Irish Twin each released seven white marlin. Pat Healey’s Viking 68, Michael Jordan’s Catch 23, Nick Neary’s Lit Up, and Phil Blevin’s Barbara B each released six white marlin.

Dave Anderson’s Krazy Salts released seven white marlin and a blue marlin while Ken Hager’s Taylor Jean released six white marlin and a blue marlin. Nick Eubank’s Double Barrel released four white marlin and one blue marlin. Bill Haugand’s Lights Out released two blue marlin and two white marlin. Charley Duerr’s Sea Hag released two white marlin and a blue marlin. Charley Pereira’s Sushi, Cody Melton’s Jersey Nutz and Brian Keith’s Luci Bri each released a blue marlin.

Please note the MidAtlantic tournament is a private event. Nightly weigh-in sessions at Canyon Club Resort Marina and Sunset Marina as well as other tournament venues and sponsor displays are not open to the public and require credentials and/or prior arrangement for tour or entry.

For more information 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 2025 MidAtlantic including a complete breakdown of calcuttas, rules, points, and a Tournament Week schedule. You can also follow the tournament on Facebook at The MidAtlantic Tournament, on Twitter @midatl and on Instagram @themidatlantictournament.