Record bigeye day at Mid-Atlantic $500,000

Jeff Merrill called Tuesday the best bigeye tuna day in the 21-year history of the Mid-Atlantic $500,000 Tournament. The Canyon Runner from Point Pleasant, fresh off a big money second place tuna performance in the White Marlin Open at Ocean City, Md. did it again with bigeyes as they weighed two of 162 and 181 pounds -- good enough to win the tuna division some years, but not enough to even get in the money this time.

Reel Chaos boated bigeyes of 144 and 233 pounds, with the latter taking over first that could be worth $182,346 if it stands up. Barry Wishnak's Miss Annie moved into second with a 224-pound bigeye. Walt Harmstead's Tra Sea Ann from Brielle stands third in tuna with a 213-pounder, and also boated others of 155 and 195 pounds.

The biggest money goes to white marlin, and the top three spots already have leaders. Reelentless brought a 79-pound white into the satelitte port of Ocean City Md. to take the lead for $766,733. Lighten Up returned to the same port with a 70-pounder that could be worth $239,193 for second. Motivation sailed out of Cape May for their 67-pound white that sits in third and could be worth $190,213.

No blue marlin or wahoo were weighed, but Moore Bills took a big lead in dolphin with a 43-pounder.  

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