Billfish · 35th Annual

MidAtlantic Tournament

Dual-port mega billfish week—Canyon Club Resort Marina (Cape May) and Sunset Marina (Ocean City). $3,500 entry, fish 3 of 5 days, 11 Calcuttas, and 2025 payouts above $3.2 million.

Aug 16 registration · Aug 17–21 fishing (any 3 of 5 days) · dual port Cape May + Ocean City

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Confirm entry fees, lines-out times, and public weigh-in access with organizers before you travel. Status uses US Eastern calendar dates.

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About this tournament

The MidAtlantic (35th annual) is sportfishing’s dual-port “main event” for the Mid-Atlantic canyons: August 16–21, 2026, with home bases at Canyon Club Resort Marina in Cape May, New Jersey (signature venue since 1992) and Sunset Marina in Ocean City, Maryland. Boats designate an official inlet, sail from and return to that inlet, and weigh only at the matching host marina.

Sunday, August 16: late registration, Calcutta entries, and welcome cocktail party 1:00–4:30 p.m.; captains’ meeting 3:30 p.m. at each port. Available fish days Monday–Friday, August 17–21, 8:00 a.m.–3:30 p.m. Teams select three of those five days. Weigh-ins 5:00–9:00 p.m. at Canyon Club and Sunset on each available fish day. Friday evening: dockside dining, entertainment, and awards (7:30 p.m. listed). Future years published: August 15–20, 2027 and August 20–25, 2028.

Entry fee is $3,500 and covers dockside dining and hospitality. Cash purses come from optional Calcuttas—about 11 levels from roughly $1,000 to $35,000. Payouts go to heaviest white marlin, blue marlin, tuna, wahoo, and dolphin (top three) plus top three billfish-point boats at each port. Published qualifying mins: white marlin 69 inches and 65 pounds; blue marlin 102 inches and 400 pounds; tuna (bigeye, yellowfin, true albacore) 50 pounds; wahoo and dolphin 20 pounds. Points also reward releases.

All boats must fish within 125 miles of the Cape May Sea Buoy regardless of which inlet they sail from. Tournament Director Aaron Hoffman (609-884-0177) has noted 2026 registration pacing ahead of 2025 after Hurricane Erin disruptions; transient dockage at South Jersey Marina, Canyon Club, and Sunset fills early—book slips when you enter.

2025 scale: 114 boats, 768 white marlin caught with 761 released (third-highest totals in event history), more than $3.20 million paid to 19 winners including seven six-figure checks. Top published payouts included ~$863K for a 75 lb white marlin (Canyon Lady), ~$706K for an 804 lb blue (Reel Toy), and ~$330K for a 185 lb bigeye (Torta). Weather limited many boats to two or three fish days—format flexibility matters.

Ocean City visitors still feel Sunset Avenue congestion even if many boats fish from Cape May. Distinct from the one-day July Mid-Atlantic Cup. Pair with White Marlin Open, marinas, and lodging. Site: themidatlantic.com.

At a glance

  • Host: MidAtlantic / Sunset Marina (OC) & Canyon Club (Cape May)
  • Venue: Sunset Marina (Ocean City) & Canyon Club Resort Marina (Cape May)
  • Address: Sunset Ave, West Ocean City MD — Cape May alternate port
  • Format: $3,500 entry (hospitality included); fish any 3 of 5 days Aug 17–21; designate OC or Cape May; weigh 5–9 p.m. at your port; 11 optional Calcuttas $1k–$35k; fish within 125 mi of Cape May Sea Buoy.
  • Target species: White marlin, Blue marlin, Tuna (bigeye / yellowfin / albacore), Dolphin, Wahoo
  • Phone: 609-884-0177

For spectators

  • Sunset Marina weigh-ins (5–9 p.m.) draw crowds on fishing evenings—confirm public viewing with the marina.
  • Cape May and Ocean City are separate logistics plans; do not assume you can hop ports mid-event.
  • Awards and dockside dining Friday night are primarily for participants—ask about guest tickets.

For anglers & crews

  • Budget $3,500 plus only the Calcutta rungs your crew can support—top levels reach $35,000.
  • Attend the Sunday 3:30 p.m. captains’ meeting at your designated port; finish late registration 1:00–4:30 p.m.
  • Verify 2026 minimum lengths/weights and release-point scoring in the rules / e-brochure before lines out.
  • Reserve transient dockage when you enter—Hoffman notes Cape May and Sunset fill early in August.

Planning tips

  • Pad marina and Route 50 minutes—tournament weeks compress West Ocean City and inlet corridors.
  • Book lodging early; billfish and tuna weeks stack with summer beach demand.
  • Confirm weigh-in windows and public viewing rules with the host marina before you promise kids a “scale night.”
  • Pick your three fish days with a weather hedge—2025 showed how storms compress the field into fewer boat-days.
  • Do not confuse this week with the July 4 Mid-Atlantic Cup (different event, different scale).

Map (approximate)

Open larger map (OpenStreetMap) — Approximate location; confirm exact gate or venue with organizers.

Tickets, registration & official links

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FAQs

Does OCEANCITY.MD sell entries for the MidAtlantic Tournament?
No—register only through the official tournament or host marina channels linked on this page. We publish planning context, not entry desks.
Will this tournament affect my recreational charter day?
Often yes near host docks—weigh-in crowds, trailer traffic, and reserved slips can slow staging. Ask your captain, and keep a non-tournament backup window. See charter trip picker and marinas.
How many days do teams fish?
Boats fish any three of the five available fish days, Monday August 17 through Friday August 21, 2026 (8:00 a.m.–3:30 p.m.).
Can I sail from Ocean City and weigh in Cape May?
No—designate one official inlet and weigh only at that port’s host marina. You must still fish within 125 miles of the Cape May Sea Buoy.
What did 2025 pay out?
Organizers reported more than $3.20 million paid across the fleet, with top individual checks above $800,000 for white marlin and $700,000 for blue marlin. 2026 purses depend on participation.

Sources

OCEANCITY.MD does not operate these tournaments. Always verify rules, fees, and public access with organizers.

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