We’re a little over a month away from the 2025 MidAtlantic and the offshore season is off to a great start! The first white marlin and blue marlin have been encountered all across the canyons off the Mid-Atlantic coast that lie within the tournament’s 125 mile fishing boundary. A number of both billfish species have already been caught and released by Cape May and Ocean City boats while many crews are reporting hook-ups with marlin that were fought and lost. Some big tuna have also been decked including big eyes of well over 200 pounds. Yellowfin tuna have filled the gaps between billfish and big eye bites and the first wahoo and dolphin have also been decked as well. Additionally, along the inshore grounds yellowfin tuna have made a good showing already as well. All in all it’s been an encouraging start to the summer season for those who love chasing pelagics and the action should only get better as the summer progresses.

Set for the week of August 17 – 22, the 34th edition of sportfishing’s “Main Event” on the tournament calendar is shaping up to be a dandy. Early registration for this year’s MidAtlantic has been brisk and is encouraged by the tournament to be sure a spot in the lineup is secured as port caps of 125 boats in Cape May and Ocean City have once again been put in place. Entry fee is set at $3,500 and covers all dockside hospitality and entertainment for a crew of six. Prize money for the tournament is tallied from 11 calcuttas, also known as side bets, and payout at various levels. Some are winner-take-all while others payout a given percentage to the three heaviest white marlin, blue marlin, tuna, dolphin and wahoo. Port specific calcuttas have separate payouts to participants who sail from Cape May and Ocean City. Worthy of note is participants may enter any, one or none of the calcuttas. But, the higher the risk, the bigger the reward. As they say, ya gotta be in it to win it! Last year the tournament’s cash purse topped $5.75 million and of the 198 boats, 32 separate winners took home a piece of the pie.

As the name states, The 34th Annual Mega Marlin Calcutta has a $34,000 entry fee and pays out to the two heaviest white marlin and blue marlin, each at 38% and 12% respectively. The four Overall Calcuttas have various fees and payout to the three heaviest of all five tournament eligible species. The Jupiter 50’ and Under Calcutta has a $2,000 fee and is only available for boats 50 feet and under based on the vessels model name. For example, a Viking 50 Convertible could enter this calcutta even though the LOA is 51’ 8”. The In Deep Overall Calcutta and Volvo Penta MidAtlantic Overall Calcutta have entry fees of $6,000 and $3,000 respectively. The United Rental Home Port Calcutta has a $4,000 fee and is port specific with separate total pots for both ports. In other words, Cape May participants compete against each other for one pot and Ocean City boats compete against each other for another. All four Overall calcuttas payout 20%, 10%, 5% for the three heaviest white marlin and 15%, 10%, 5% for the three heaviest blue marlin and tuna respectively. The heaviest wahoo and dolphin are each worth 2.5%. The Atlantic Tackle Billfish Points Calcutta is also port specific for Cape May and Ocean City and is for total billfish points (white marlin and blue marlin combined) and pays 50%, 30% and 20% to each port. The Roff’s White Marlin Pro Jackpot has a $5,000 fee while the Blue Marlin Pro Jackpot and Canyon Runner Tuna Pro Jackpot both have a $3,000 fee. All three are winner-take-all for the single heaviest of each species. Hank’s Sauce sponsors the Tuna, Dolphin and Wahoo Calcutta which has a $2,500 fee. The three heaviest tuna are worth 25%, 15% and 10% of the total pot while the three heaviest dolphin and wahoo each earn 13%, 8% and 4%. Finally, the Christi Insurance On the Board Reward has a $3,000 fee and pays out to the top three white marlin, blue marlin and tuna on the leaderboard at the close of each weigh-in session. In other words, the total pot is divided by five days for the five fishing days available. The total of each day is then divided evenly by every winner who is on the board at the close of the weigh-in each day.

In order to win cash all fish must meet the tournament’s minimum weights. Those minimums include 69 inches AND 65 pounds for white marlin and 102 inches AND 400 pounds for blue marlin. Any tuna, including big eye, yellowfin and albacore (longfin) must weigh at least 50 pounds. Wahoo and dolphin minimum weights are both 20 pounds. Billfish released and those weighed receive points. Tuna weighed also receive points. Valuable trophies are presented to the top three point winners of both billfish and the tuna categories as well as most points overall.

For those who haven’t yet registered you are encouraged to visit the tournament’s web site at www.themidatlantic.com where all fees for registration and calcutta payments can be completed easily, quickly and securely. It is also strongly advised to contact the tournament’s host marinas including Canyon Club Resort Marina (609-884-0199) and South Jersey Marina (609-884-2400) in Cape May and Sunset Marina (410-213-9600) in Ocean City to secure dockage for the event.

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.