Black Friday Rock Tourney on Tap

OCEAN CITY- Local anglers hoping to avoid the crowds and holiday shopping next weekend and perhaps win some money instead of spending it will participate next weekend in the 5th Annual Black Friday 550 Rockfish Tournament, which gets underway next Friday out of the Ocean City Fishing Center.

For three days next weekend, local fishing enthusiasts looking for an alternative to holiday shopping will take to the waters in and around the resort area for the 5th annual Black Friday 550 tournament. As the name of the event implies, the only species targeted during the annual tournament will be rockfish, or striped bass.

Each boat will be able to weigh four rockfish on each day of the tournament and the designated captains will be responsible for determining which of a boat’s four largest rockfish should be weighed. Of course, all rockfish brought to the scale must adhere to state and federal retention limits and any fish weighed that does not meet the minimum keeper limits will result in the disqualification of a boat and its anglers.

Cash prizes for the largest rockfish weighed will be awarded at different intervals during the two-day event with a winner-take-all prize for the largest single rockfish weighed during the tournament. The tournament gets underway next Friday at 6 a.m. and anglers can fish until 5 p.m. on each of the three fishing days. Weigh-ins will be held each fishing day at the Ocean City Fishing Center from 11 a.m. to noon, and again from 5-6 p.m. Silent auctions and raffles will be held throughout the tournament with the proceeds benefiting the Worcester County Autistic Children’s Support Group.