Questions About First-Place Billfish In White Marlin Open

[Hotrod]

Questions About First-Place Billfish Lead To White Marlin Open’s Top Prize Of $2.8M Being Withheld

OCEAN CITY — Exactly two weeks to the day since the one and only qualifying white marlin caught during the 43rd Annual White Marlin Open was hauled up the scale and ultimately awarded $2.8 million, shattering the tournament payout record and potentially setting a world record payout, tournament officials late Tuesday announced there was a potential violation of tournament rules with the big winner and the prize money was being held pending a determination of the proper recipient................

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[SHARKBITE]

Doesn't look like they disclosed what the violation of rules was unless I missed it. Wondering if it was an intentional or unintentional situation.

[Hotrod]

The Rummer is it had a J hook hanging out of its mouth

[fluke - u]

 

[Hunter 2]

Wow.

[Fishin Dude]

Ouch, but rules be the rules, 2.8 million dollars worth.

[IKAT]

WOW it took me an hour to find this

All-tackle I.G.F.A. rules apply unless otherwise noted.
Federal law mandates that all anglers participating in a tournament which bestows points, prizes, or awards for Atlantic billfish (blue & white marlin, sailfish, spearfish or swordfish) must deploy only non-offset circle hooks when using natural bait and/or natural/artificial lure combinations. Anglers in these tournaments may use J-hooks only in artificial lures.

[Hotrod]

There still not making public, what rule they broke.  but..  I got my info from a good source.  who is upset that the blue Marlin was even aloud to be entered because it was mangled..  Now they look to get the 2.8 Million..   wow if some way this goes to Rich and his crew..  they would be next inline..

[IKAT]

Yea I saw that about the tail on the Blue--But I think we will have to wait and see--If they take the blue down (which I don't think will happen ) it should go to Rich--We have to see what the polygraf says about live bait or artificial??

 

[Reel Time]

 WMO decided the blue marlin was mangled after it was boated, while being towed back, which would not disqualify it.

 Either way, hope some monies does go to biggest tuna,,,

[SHARKBITE]

My shore neighbor is a Capt and good friends with this Capt from FLA, hoping he's back from the Mid Atlantic tourney to hear the reel deal......

[IKAT]

A 76.5 pound white marlin, the one and only qualifying catch for the white marlin division, was caught by Phil Heasley on August 9. It would eventually be worth more than 2.8 million dollars for the Florida-based crew onboard the Kallianassa.

Late Tuesday, tournament officials announced they were withholding the prize pending an investigation citing only a "possible violation"; however, it is not clear exactly what the alleged violation was.

In response, a statement sent Thursday states the crew "adamantly" followed all tournament rules and regulations and "committed no wrongdoing".

"The Kallianassa's excellent crew and superb captain have always maintained the highest levels of integrity; they will be vindicated and walking tall in the fishing community," says Heasley.
Tournament officials say no comments will made beyond the statement posted on their official website at this time.

[Takes Prizoners]

read pages 7-10 unless you want to be bored. lol. It does list the potential payouts after that though

http://whitemarlinopen.com/media/files/Interpleader.pdf

[fellinger]

There has since been legal proceedings started. The crew of the winning boat failed 2 lie detector tests and apparently submitted an altered catch log. Seems like they may have went out too early.

According to the court records Rich is now in the running for $2.3 million!

[IKAT]

OCEAN CITY, Md. (WBOC) -- The organizers of the White Marlin Open filed a lawsuit against this year's tournament winner Friday afternoon.

According to legal records, the organizers of the tournament claim that winner Philip Heasley and three other members of the Kallianassa's crew failed post-tournament polygraph tests regarding following the rules and regulations of the competition. Specifically in the fishing boat's "Catch Report," tournament officials say in the claim that a time of 8:15 a.m. was originally written down and later changed to 9:05 a.m. The tournament's rules state that you cannot start fishing until 8:30 a.m.

The organizers of the tournament announced earlier this week via the White Marlin Open official website that the cash prize of $2.8 million would be withheld due to an alleged violation.


If found by a judge that there was in fact a violation of the tournament's rules and regulations, the tournament's organizers say that the judge will make an official call on how the prize money is distributed. Heasley and his crew aboard the Kallianassa were named the 2016 White Marlin Open winners, bringing in a 76 and 1/2 pound white marlin on August 9th.

[BigAl13]

15 minutes could save you 2.8 million in car insurance 

[IKAT]

15 minutes could save you 2.8 million in car insurance 

Expensive watch--Time is money --look in the clock

[Takes Prizoners]

http://www.app.com/story/sports/outdoors/fishing/hook-line-and-sinker/2017/06/14/judge-rule-today-if-n-j-fishermen-get-2-3-million/395920001/

[Hotrod]

 

[fellinger]

Now they wait to see how the judge rules on distribution of money. If they go the way the tournament intends that fish might be the largest money winning tuna ever.