Records Broken In The 56Th White Marlin Invitational

Various records were set during the 56th annual White Marlin Invitational, which was held Aug. 11-16 and sponsored by the Beach Haven Marlin and Tuna Club.

Event chair David Wittenborn said the tournament drew 58 boats with a record purse of $575K. There were also more than 200 marlins caught and released, the most ever recorded. Shark Byte, which was the overall winner, caught and released a record 30 white marlins.

Shark Byte came in second in cash winnings with $114,478. The top cash prize went to Jersey Nutz, which earned a $138,616 payday. Jersey Nutz also hauled in the biggest tuna, a 167-pound big-eye.

“The tournament record is 270 pounds,” said Wittenborn.

Rounding out the top 10 were Lovin’ Life, $48,667; One Shot, $43,367; Crazy Tuna, $35,000; Bam Bam, $26,280; Gray Fox, $24,000; Char Co, $20,306; Morning Practice, $13,000; and Cape Escape, $9,862.

(Above) ‘Shark Byte’ was the overall winner.

“The tournament format allows teams to fish for two out of four days, at the captain’s discretion,” said Wittenborn. “Prize structures are open across the board, offering many ways to win and place. Tuna, blue marlin, dolphin and wahoo are all qualifying species, but the focus remains on the striking white marlin.”

He said a great feature of the festivities is that the weigh-ins are open to the public.

“In partnership with the borough of Beach Haven, the club blocks off the end of the town square in front of Bird and Betty’s in a festive style called Dock Road Marlin Fest, complete with tents and vendors offering excellent viewing for spectators to celebrate the boats, crews and fish being weighed in. This generates excitement and visibility for the tournament, as well as for local businesses, sponsors and participants. Everyone is welcome to join the fun and excitement in Beach Haven … and compete against some of the best in the country’s oldest white marlin tournament.

“We’re already in the planning stages for next year’s tournament, which will be held from Aug. 10 to 15,” said Wittenborn.
By Eric Englund The SandPaper.