Sports & outdoors

White Marlin Open — entry & anglers

How to register a boat, pay base vs added levels, which permits you need, and where to dock in Ocean City. Confirm fees on the live WMO packet before you enter.

Aug 1–2 registration · Aug 3–8 fishing (any 3 of 6 days) · Aug 9 polygraph TBA & awards 4 p.m. Marlin Club Free (verify)

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Dates and prices change—confirm with official sources before you book travel. Status uses US Eastern calendar dates for “today.”

OCEANCITY.MD does not sell boat entries. Register only through whitemarlinopen.com . Official entry copy sometimes still labels the edition “52nd” while the homepage brands the 53rd Annual—use the 2026 dates and fee sheet as the source of truth.

334 Entered boats (homepage)

$9.9 million Estimated prize money

Over $121 million Lifetime prizes paid

Published on the official homepage at the start of the Aug 3–8, 2026 window. Numbers move—check leaders and registered boats daily.

How entry works

Anyone may fish if they (a) officially register a boat, and/or (b) are registered as an angler on an officially registered boat before they fish.
Base boat fee: $1,500 on or before June 1 · $1,800 after June 1. No limit on anglers per boat.
Base entry competes for a guaranteed $50,000 purse; optional added skill levels are paid at late registration Aug 1–2.
Mail-in boat registration is allowed before full angler/crew lists; finish details at Harbour Island (or the Aug 1 Cape May desk).
Pay by check, cash, or card (card adds a published 5% surcharge). Prefer two checks: base vs added fees, payable to White Marlin Open.
Permits required per official permits page: HMS Permit (boat) and National Saltwater Registry (each angler). A Maryland fishing license is not required to fish the WMO.
Boats may depart from any inlet between Rudee Inlet, VA and Barnegat Light Inlet, NJ.
Prize money goes to the registered angler unless a Prize Money Distribution Form requests otherwise; SSN/EIN required; checks mailed within 7 business days of awards (per official prize-money page).

Online boat registration Entry info page Rules PDF

Format & divisions to confirm

New for 2026: fish any 3 of 6 days (Mon Aug 3–Sat Aug 8) instead of the old 3-of-5 window—built as a weather hedge.
Daily fishing hours: 8:00 AM–3:30 PM. Official weigh-ins only at Harbour Island, 4:00–9:15 PM.
Two new billfish entry levels for boats competing without omnidirectional sonar (weighed marlin + release)—confirm level codes on the added-entry sheet.
Open to all anglers with no age restrictions; novices and juniors have won major awards. Format and optional skill levels help level purse exposure.
Boats may leave from any inlet between Rudee Inlet, VA and Barnegat Light, NJ.
Follow live leaders, catch counts, registered boats, and MarlinCam on the official site during Tournament Week.

Prior-year context: 2025: 282 boats, 3,000+ contestants, $7.24M+ paid (top white ~$3.9M). First Open: 1974 (57 boats, ~150 anglers, ~$20,000 paid).

Sample added skill levels

Optional levels are paid at late registration Aug 1–2. This is a sample of published tiers—not the full sheet. Download added entry and the highlight PDF before you budget.

Level Fee Summary

A $500 White & blue marlin place money (30/12/8% split pattern per species).

B $1,000 Higher white & blue marlin place pool (same split pattern).

C $1,500 White & blue marlin place pool.

D $2,000 White & blue marlin place pool.

E $5,000 White marlin 1st/2nd/3rd (50/30/20%).

WM $10,000 Heaviest white marlin — winner take all.

P $20,000 Heaviest white marlin — winner take all.

AC $50,000 Heaviest white marlin — winner take all.

F1 / F2 $2,000 / $5,000 Heaviest blue marlin — winner take all tiers.

S $2,500 Heaviest swordfish — winner take all.

Captain / Mate $100 each Heaviest white marlin WTA; captain/mate need not catch the fish.

R $2,000 Most release points by boat (no observer required); 55/30/15%.

DP $1,500 Daily billfish points — winner take all.

T1–T4 / DT $1,000–$3,500+ Tuna place / WTA / daily tuna levels (see full sheet).

Permits

Per the official permits page: the boat needs an HMS Permit, and each angler needs the National Saltwater Angler Registry. A Maryland recreational fishing license is not required to fish the WMO. Details: permits · OC fishing regulations guide.

Prize money distribution

Checks go to the registered angler unless a Prize Money Distribution Form says otherwise; SSN/EIN required; organizers state checks mail within 7 business days of awards. See prize-money distribution.