Ocean City White Marlin fishing has developed legendary status among deep sea anglers around the globe. Known as the “White Marlin Capital of the World”, Ocean City is Maryland’s only access point to the open ocean, and fishing charters run as far as the continental shelf in search of the biggest fish. While this is by no means the town's only big game species (or even the only billfish), it does show up in larger numbers and larger sizes than anything you’re likely to have seen before
An important feather in the city’s cap is the Ocean City White Marlin Open, which has been running since 1974 and now boasts almost 5 million dollars in prize money. This five-day event draws the largest participating fleet of any tournament in the world, with over 300 boats taking part every August. If you are looking for the ultimate billfishing experience, this is serious high-stakes high seas action. If you actually want to find somewhere to stay and a boat to fish on, however, you may be better off waiting a week for the crowds to subside.
Fishing Spots
The best and most reliable place to target White Marlin is out at the canyons which cut their way into the side of the continental shelf. The steep drop-offs and strong currents make these waters a dream hunting ground for big Marlin, as well as other pelagic species like Sharks, Tuna, Mahi Mahi, and Wahoo. You will also find Swordfish lurking in their deepest reaches, where the water plummets a hundred fathoms or more into the dark.
Baltimore Canyon is the most famous in the area, known for its sheer North and South Walls, where the water drops and rises 200 feet in seconds when trolling at speed. Baltimore Canyon is by no means unique. The edge of the continent is scored with the scars of ancient rivers across much of the east coast. It is the skill and tradition of the local charter captains which makes Ocean City such a great base for fishing them.
Fishing Techniques
The most common technique for targeting big White (and Blue) Marlin is trolling. You will mainly be trolling surface teasers, with whole Ballyhoo or fresh belly strips as bait. Daisy chains of Mold Craft squid or Ilander Express lures tightly rigged with fresh bait are common go-tos, with 20-30-pound tackle coaxing the fish into their famous acrobatics as they try to throw the hook.
How much will it cost?
Deep sea fishing trips start at around $1,600 for a 10-hour charter – the shortest you’re going to want with a 60-mile journey to the fishing grounds. 12-hour charters cost a couple hundred bucks more and are a sound investment if you want to get the most out of your trip. Overnight charters are also commonplace in this part of the country and make for the ultimate adventure for serious big game anglers. You can spend the day trolling for Marlin, then fish into the night, dropping lines for Swordfish or chunking the water to drive big Tuna and Sharks into a feeding frenzy.
