The Week Ocean City Belongs to the Sea: White Marlin Open
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For 53 years, the White Marlin Open has brought anglers, families, and spectators together for one unforgettable week each August. Here's what's new for 2026 and why one of Ocean City's biggest traditions continues to thrive.
The White Marlin Open is already getting under way long before the sun rises over Ocean City. Around 3:30 a.m., the glow of navigation lights begins to stretch across the inlet as hundreds of boats idle toward the open Atlantic. Captains exchange final words with their crews, spectators line the railings with coffee in hand, and a quiet excitement settles over the water. For many locals, watching the fleet leave the inlet is as much a part of summer as salt air and boardwalk fries. It is the unofficial start to one of Ocean City's most anticipated weeks of the year.
By late afternoon, that same anticipation has shifted to Harbour Island, where crowds gather around the scales waiting to see what the day has produced offshore. Conversations pause as another fish is hoisted into the air. Cameras rise above the crowd. Every weight has the potential to change the leaderboard, and for a few moments, everyone is watching the same thing.
That shared excitement has been bringing people together since 1974.
What began with just 57 boats and the vision of founder Jim Motsko has grown into the world's largest and richest billfish tournament. Today, the White Marlin Open welcomes anglers from around the globe while remaining one of Ocean City's most beloved traditions. Every August, fishing stories are written alongside family memories, friendly rivalries, and unforgettable moments on the docks.
This year, the White Marlin Open introduces a new Daily Big Fish optional entry benefiting three local organizations: Believe in Tomorrow Children's Foundation, Coastal Hospice, and the Seaside Athletic Center. The tournament has also added a Non-Sonar Division, expanded the Small Boat Division to include boats up to 40 feet, and moved to a six-day format. Marlin Fest will follow the same schedule, giving visitors an extra day to enjoy the festivities.
For Tournament Director Sasha Motsko, every improvement begins with the people who have supported the tournament for generations.
"Our father and founder of the White Marlin Open, Jim Motsko, instilled in us many great values that we've applied to the business, such as having integrity, being fair, hard work, and grit," she says. "From the very beginning, he listened to his customers, the captains, mates, and anglers, and valued their input. We continue to value all our participants and welcome their feedback and suggestions. It motivates us to work harder, do better, and strive to produce an event even better than the year before."
Those improvements are easy to see throughout tournament week.
Marlin Fest has become a destination all its own, blending the excitement of the tournament with the laid-back atmosphere of a beach festival. Families spend the afternoon browsing local vendors, enjoying live music, grabbing dinner, and watching the daily weigh-ins on the giant beach screen. As the boats begin returning from offshore, tournament flags flutter in the breeze, and the excitement builds with every boat that enters the marina.
Just a short walk away, Harbour Island delivers the moments that have made the White Marlin Open famous.
Whether it is a massive tuna, a record-worthy marlin, or a surprise catch that shakes up the standings, every fish tells a story. Even visitors with little knowledge of tournament fishing quickly find themselves caught up in the suspense as the announcer calls out each weight and the leaderboard shifts before their eyes. For those experiencing the tournament for the first time, Sasha has one piece of advice.
"For those that have never experienced the White Marlin Open, I would encourage them to wake up early to watch the boat parade as they make their way out of the Ocean City Inlet," she says. "Marlin Fest is a great venue to watch the boats as they return at the end of the day with their flags flying on the way to the scales. There is really something for everyone at Marlin Fest, from watching the weigh-ins on the big screen on the beach to shopping from the many vendor tents, listening to music, and sampling some of our tasty cocktails. The weigh-ins at Harbour Island are always fun, and spectators can watch the fish being weighed and feel the suspense of the constantly changing leaderboard."
While the tournament is known for its record-breaking payouts, conservation remains one of its defining priorities.
"We pride ourselves on our tournament minimums for billfish," Sasha says. "They are well above the federal limit because conservation is incredibly important to us."
That commitment has resulted in an impressive 98.9 percent billfish release rate, setting a benchmark throughout the sportfishing industry. Anglers can also donate eligible meatfish to the Maryland Food Bank, providing fresh seafood to local families throughout the region. During tournament week, marine scientists collect biological samples that contribute to fisheries research and education, helping protect the species that make events like this possible for future generations.
It is easy to focus on the prize money, the trophies, and the fish that make headlines. Spend a day at the White Marlin Open, though, and something else becomes clear. The tournament is just as much about the people. It is about captains who have fished these waters for decades, children seeing their first marlin at the scales, volunteers who return every year, and families who have built traditions around tournament week.
That spirit is what Jim Motsko envisioned more than 50 years ago, and it continues to shape the tournament today.
Whether you find yourself watching the fleet head out before dawn, spending the afternoon at Marlin Fest, or standing shoulder to shoulder at Harbour Island as another fish reaches the scales, you'll quickly understand why the White Marlin Open has become such an important part of Ocean City's story.
If You Go
53rd Annual White Marlin Open
August 3 through August 8, 2026
Harbour Island, Ocean City, Maryland
Watch the Boat Parade
Set your alarm early and head to the Ocean City Inlet before sunrise. Beginning around 4 a.m. on Monday, August 3, hundreds of boats make their way offshore, creating one of the most memorable sights of the week.
Start the Day at The Wedge
On Monday, August 3, The Wedge kicks off tournament week with its annual White Marlin Open Watch Party. Ocean 98 will broadcast live from 4 to 10 a.m., with coffee, donuts from Quickies, pizzas from Touch of Italy, giveaways, tournament prizes, and a front-row view of the fleet heading out to sea.
Spend an Afternoon at Marlin Fest
Located at the Inlet, Marlin Fest features live music, food, cocktails, local vendors, and a giant beach screen broadcasting the daily weigh-ins.
Grab a Crush at Reel Inn Dock Bar
Just steps from the Harbour Island scales, Reel Inn is one of the best places to catch the tournament atmosphere. Enjoy fresh dockside food, Orange Crushes, and live entertainment throughout the week featuring local favorites including Johnny Cardo, Sketchbook with Gavin Hades and Nic Hitchens, Beats By Wax, and more while watching the day's biggest catches come to the scales.
For schedules, registration, Marlin Cam, and complete tournament information, visit www.whitemarlinopen.com.