White Marlin Open is ready for business

The 52nd annual White Marlin Open kicked off this morning with half of the 282 registered boats pounding the water.

They’ll be the first to pay for their efforts.

The National Weather Service weather buoy system is calling for windy conditions and rough seas the entire event off of Ocean City, Md., where the event is based.

Today’s forecast is calling for northeasterly winds of 15-20 miles per hour, with seas up to 8 feet.

Things don’t get much better the rest of the week. Forecasts for Thursday call for seas up to 10 feet.

Such rough conditions prompted tournament officials to add Saturday and Sunday to the usual five-day mix.

Teams are allowed to fish three days.

Billed as the “world’s largest and richest billfish tournament,” the WMO over the years has paid out more than $113 million in prize money.

This year’s tournament features a total payout of a little more than $7.2 million.

Despite the chances of some rough rides, the opportunity to have a big payday make it seem worth it.

I mean, the basic entry fee was only $1,700.

Ah, but that only comes with a $50,000 overall payout.

You want the big money? It’s gonna cost you.

Similar in many ways to Las Vegas-style gambling, teams have to catch the biggest fish in each division while hoping nobody else beats it.

In the main event, winning checks like last year’s $3.7 million won by the Raleigh, N.C.-registered Waste Knot on Ben Poole’s 77.5-pound white marlin are – well – one in 282.

Better than the lottery, but no less difficult to win.

Especially for what it costs to have a chance.

After the initial registration, teams could spend $116,500 to enter a total of 25 “levels.”

Oh, we’re not done yet.

Out of town teams must find a slip to moor their vessels, plus fuel and bait costs. If the team isn’t “roughing it” on their 75-foot fishing yacht, members have to find a place to stay. Many choose condos close to the Harbour Island Marina and that’s not cheap. Neither are hotel rooms or rental houses.

Remember, Ocean City is a big vacation spot and much of the availability is locked up months in advance.

You wanna eat and have drinks? There’s more money. Daily ice for the boat isn’t cheap during the summer.

It can be a lot.

In fact, one captain fishing on an 80-foot vessel several years ago estimated his team had close to $250,000 invested. He said certain team members paid in for a percentage of anything won.

Sure, there are other benefits aside from winning – great camaraderie, sometimes outstanding fishing, parties and overall good times.

Then there is that chance to turn your investment into a few million bucks.

It’s no wonder the WMO annually gets loads of attention from both the fishing and overall media.

Big money turns heads.

Stayed tuned for more, ‘cause it could get really interesting.