2nd Annual Bluefish Tourney Underway

OCEAN CITY- The second annual Ocean City Marlin Club Memorial Day Bluefish Tournament gets underway today in part as a tribute to the men and women of the armed services past and present.

The second annual Memorial Day Bluefish Tournament gets underway today with registration and a captain’s meeting, but the real action starts tomorrow, the first of two fishing days in the event. Participating anglers and boat captains must choose to fish one of the two days, and as the name suggests, the target species is bluefish.

Anglers can fish from boats, docks, piers or the shore during the tournament, making it event wide open to all anglers. Cash prizes will be awarded for the top three fish caught during the two-day event. Weigh-ins will be held each day at Sunset Marina each of the two fishing days from 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., creating a fun atmosphere at the marina for participants.

In the spirit of the Memorial Day holiday, proceeds from the event will be dedicated to the Catherine and Charles Kratz Memorial Park and Scholarship Fund. Catherine and Charles Kratz are long-time members of the Ocean City Marlin Club who recently started a foundation to provide support, encouragement and a better way of life for the men and women who served in the armed forces.

Incidentally, local fishing enthusiasts will recall Kratz was the skipper on the “Five C’s,” the fishing boat that landed the largest white marlin ever caught in the state of Maryland. The whopping 135-pounder was caught by angler George Pierson aboard the “Five C’s” back in 1980 with Kratz at the helm. It is now permanently displayed at the foot of the Boardwalk after Kratz donated it to the town in 2008.