Three Fish Caught At 2026 ‘White Marlin Open’ Earned Over $1M Each With 80-Pounder Worth $3.5M Top Prize

The 2026 White Marlin Open did not disappoint with nonstop action at the scales and three fishing earning over $1 million for their respective teams. This year’s top fish was an 80-pound white marlin landed by the Mister Pete with angler Bill Sharpe from Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina on the rod.

That fish was worth a whopping $3,503,891.54 for the Mister Pete crew and spectators went wild for the catch at the White Marlin Open scales in Ocean City, MD as it was being weighed. Billfish tournament fishing is an extremely expensive sport that can often involve millions spent on equipment, boats, travel, salaries, and entry fees. To catch a single fish worth $3.5 million is EVERY billfish tournament angler’s dream.

2026 White Marlin Open Results: Which Fish Earned The Most Money?

This year three spots in the White Marlin division earned money. Some years there are zero qualifying white marlin that make it to the scales. In order for a fish to be brought to the scales it must measure at least 70 inches long from the the lower jaw to the fork of the tail.

Last year, the winning fish in the White Marlin Open was a 929.5-pound blue marlin as no qualifying white marlin were ever weighed. That blue marlin was worth a FORTUNE and earned the team $4.485 million after capturing multiple prizes.

This year was different! Angler James Hood aboard the Bull Pen out of Charleston, SC weighed a 70.00 pound white marlin which was good for 3rd place and earned $1,818,546.84 due to capturing bonuses. In second place was the Reel Hunter and angler Kevin Howell from Queenstown, Maryland with a 71.50 pound white marlin that earned $360,721.49.

And the grand prize winner, which was also in this category, was the 80.00 pound white marlin caught by angler Bill Sharpe aboard the Mister Pete that took home $3,503,891.54.

Lots Of Money For Blue Marlin and Tuna

White marlin are the top species in this tournament. They are the eponymous species and that’s where the bulk of the $$$ goes with anglers seeking to catch the larges one. But fortunes can also be won in the other categories.

Case in point, angler Kelly Webber aboard the MaxBet out of Vero Beach, Florida weighed a 607.50 pound blue marlin that earned that team $1,271,797.04. Pretty, pretty nice.

Then in the tuna category angler John Wardlaw from Brielle, New Jersey fishing aboard the Gray Fox caught and weighed a 179.00 pound yellowfin tuna that earned that team $1,018,653.29. Wardlaw and the Gray Fox crew didn’t stop there though. They also weighed a 69.50 pound wahoo which won that category and earned them an additional $72,380.50.

Winners must all submit to polygraph tests to prove that every fish was caught according to the rules. Rules such as only one angler can battle the fish once it is hooked up are strictly enforced, as are the start/end times for fishing.

This year once again proved that while other fishing tournaments around the world have gravitas and large purses the White Marlin Open remains the gold standard when it comes to tournament fishing.