White Marlin Open To Stay In Federal Suit, Judge Rules

OCEAN CITY — There was some movement on Friday in the federal suit involving the alleged rules violation in the 2016 White Marlin Open (WMO), including a ruling by the judge the tournament will remain a party in the case and another ruling that it will not be afforded a “grossly disproportionate” amount of the $2.8 million at stake in attorney fees and costs.

About two weeks after the tournament’s conclusion, WMO officials reported a potential rules infraction that could disqualify the winner in the white marlin division, a 76.5-pounder caught by angler Phillip Heasley on the Kallianassa out of Naples, Fla. Heasley’s 76.5-pound white marlin was awarded a tournament-record $2.8 million in prize money because the Kallianassa was entered across the board in all added entry levels and was the lone qualifier.

The timing of the catch has been brought into question as has the assertion that Heasley and the captain and two mates on the Kallianassa were deceptive in their answers to some of the questions during the requisite post-tournament polygraph examinations for the winners in major categories.

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