41st Canyon Kick Off starts June 29

By Hunter Hine Staff Writer

(June 23, 2023) Anglers have a chance to focus their fishing offshore during the Ocean City Marlin Club’s 41st annual Canyon Kick Off, June 30 to July 2.

“Historically, it’s a pretty big tournament,” said Al Rittmeyer, tournament chairman with Bob Althauser.

The tournament boundary is 100 miles in all directions from the Ocean City sea buoy, an area that includes Poor Man’s Canyon about 56 nautical miles from the inlet, Rittmeyer said.

To the south, boats can hit the Washington and Norfolk canyons, then to the north there is the Baltimore and Wilmington canyons.

Final registration is Thursday, June 29, from 6:30-8 p.m., and can be done in-person at the OCMC clubhouse, online or over the phone.

At least one person from each boat must attend the captains meeting, which starts at 7:45 p.m. the night of registration, either in-person at the clubhouse or virtually through a meeting link on the club’s Facebook page.

Boat registration costs $400 for non-marlin club members. It is free to paid-boat members.

The registration includes six anglers and costs an extra $45 for every additional angler.

On each fishing day, lines can go in at 7 a.m. but must be out by 3 p.m.

Calcuttas are split into two divisions; billfish catch-and-release and kept meat fish.

Level A in the billfish division costs $300 and level B costs $500. Both calcuttas pay out 50 percent, 30 percent and 20 percent to first, second and third place winners.

Level C costs $1,000 and has a winner-take-all jackpot.

There is also a $300 winner-take-all daily billfish calcutta and a small boat (34 feet and under) billfish calcutta of the same cost and payout.

“There were some billfish caught this last week. It was quite a bit offshore, 80 miles or so. Potentially, could change. That could all change in two weeks,” Rittmeyer said on Monday.

White marlin, sailfish and spearfish are worth 100 points, while blue marlin and swordfish are worth 150 points. Video and photo evidence of each blue marlin are required to be counted by the weighmasters. Without picture confirmation, the billfish in question will be counted as a white marlin.

Boats who do not have, or choose not to use, sonar systems in the tournament will receive additional points for each billfish, including 50 points for white marlin and 75 for blue marlin.

The meat fish division has three calcutta levels of the same cost and payout as the three levels in the billfish division.

There are also two $300 winnertake-all calcuttas for daily largest tuna and small boat largest tuna.

Catches that count in the meat fish division include yellowfin, bigeye and longfin tuna. Bluefin are not eligible in any category. Minimum tuna size is 30 pounds.

Anglers can also weigh-in mahi, which must be at least 10 pounds.

Weigh-ins are at Sunset Marina every day from 5-7:30 p.m., and boats must be in the marina cut by 7:30 p.m.

The awards banquet is July 2 from 6:30-8 p.m. at the OCMC clubhouse. Six banquet tickets are included with registration, but boats must also be in at least one calcutta.

Last year the tournament was canceled for weather and because the Navy closed part of the area around Wash- ington Canyon (for unknown reasons), Rittmeyer said.

In 2021, 23 boats were entered with over $23,000 in payouts, but that year there was also unfavorable weather that affected turnout.

In years past, 40-50 boats have registered in the Canyon Kick Off, Rittmeyer said.

On Monday, Rittmeyer said it’s too early to judge how the weather will be on tournament weekend.

For more information, visit https://ocmarlinclub.com/tournaments, and to register by phone, call 410-213-1613.