LIVE UPDATES: ATLANTIC DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP, PRESENTED BY HUK
The Atlantic Division caps off its regular season in Ocean City
Atlantic Division Championship weekend is here, and it has been quite a week before the boats made it through the inlet. Day one of this SFC tournament overlaps with the final day of The MidAtlantic. The tournament also uses the same 125 nautical mile boundary as The MidAtlantic.
For more information on what’s at stake this weekend, refer back to the tournament preview and power rankings I published earlier this week.
THURSDAY, AUG. 20: MIDATLANTIC UPDATE
*All Times Eastern Standard (ET)
6:00 PM: POTENTIAL $1.47 MILLION DOLLAR FISH! The New Jersey Sea Birds, competing as Taylor Jean in th MidAtlantic boat a 680 lb. blue marlin, reeled in by Dave McKendrick. If it holds through Friday, they will win the top prize of the MidAtlantic.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 21: DAY 1
3:50 AM: SOUTH FLORIDA SAILS CLINCH A ZANE GREY CHAMPIONSHIP PLAYOFF BERTH. Leaving the Ocean City Sea Buoy is all Captain Mike King and the sails needed to punch their ticket.
4:55 AM: NEW JERSEY SEA BIRDS CLINCH A ZANE GREY CHAMPIONSHIP PLAYOFF BERTH. Captain Blaine Birch head out, and now it is officially a two-boat fight for the division title. The other five boats are fishing for money and pride.
8:00 AM: LINES IN.
11:25 AM: NORTH CAROLINA FLARE GET THE FIRST RELEASE OF THE DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP. Mark Dressler releases a white marlin and the early hot starts continue for Flare AC.
11:38 AM: LIGHTS OUT BOSTON RELEASE A BLUE MARLIN. We have a new leader! The 2025 Atlantic Division champs are on top early thanks to Spencer Talbot. Captain Rob Carmichael made sure to raise the point with me that Lights Out won this tournament last year, taking issue with their spot in my pre-tournament power rankings.
12:18 PM: SOUTH CAROLINA OUTCAST RELEASE A DOUBLE. White marlin for Steven Lackey and Capt. Stuart Lackey’s brother Dale Lackey get the releases in Stuart’s final tournament at the helm of the Outcast.
DAY 1 LEADERBOARD AT 12:30 PM:
Lights Out Boston - 450 Points
South Carolina Outcast - 200 Points
North Carolina Flare -100 Points
South Florida Sails
New Jersey Sea Birds
East Coast Remix
Rhode Island Breakers
12:31 PM: WHITE MARLIN DOUBLE FOR LIGHTS OUT: Casey Carmichael and Matteo Scena add 200 Points
DAY 1 LEADERBOARD AT 12:45 PM:
Lights Out Boston - 650 Points
South Carolina Outcast - 200 Points
North Carolina Flare -100 Points
South Florida Sails
New Jersey Sea Birds
East Coast Remix
Rhode Island Breakers
12:59 PM: RHODE ISLAND BREAKERS RELEASE A WHITE MARLIN and slide into fourth place. George Barrett lands the fish for the Breakers, coming off a great showing in the Beach Haven White Marlin Invitational and also competing in the MidAtlantic.
1:20 PM: Outcast are hooked up! Looking for a species confirmation.
1:45 PM: It’s a yellowfin tuna. Delicious, but no points in this tournament.
1:50 PM: We’re seeing North Carolina Flare AC trying to pitch what they think is a blue marlin.
1:54 PM: East Coast Remix are hooked up! Sarah Melia-Cleare is in the chair and winding down.
1:57 PM: EAST COAST REMIX RELEASE A WHITE MARLIN. Sarah Melia-Cleare gets hr squad onto the leaderboard in fifth place to start, even on points with the Rhode Island Breakers.
That means the only two angling clubs without a release so far are the New Jersey Sea Birds and South Florida Sails, the two clubs contending for the division title.
DAY 1 LEADERBOARD AT 2:30 PM:
Lights Out Boston - 650 Points
South Carolina Outcast - 200 Points
North Carolina Flare -100 Points
Rhode Island Breakers - 100 Points
East Coast Remix - 100 Points
South Florida Sails
New Jersey Sea Birds
3:03 PM: Lights Out add another 100 points to their lead with a white marlin released by Ross Nasin.
DAY 1 LEADERBOARD AT 3:15 PM:
Lights Out Boston - 750 Points
South Carolina Outcast - 200 Points
North Carolina Flare -100 Points
Rhode Island Breakers - 100 Points
East Coast Remix - 100 Points
South Florida Sails
New Jersey Sea Birds
3:24 PM: Mark Dressler releases a white Marlin to get even with South Carolina Outcast in second place on points, but their Lowcountry neighbors have the advantage on time.
3:30 PM: LINES OUT
DAY 1 LEADERBOARD AT LINES OUT:
Lights Out Boston - 750 Points
South Carolina Outcast - 200 Points
North Carolina Flare -200 Points
Rhode Island Breakers - 100 Points
East Coast Remix - 100 Points
South Florida Sails
New Jersey Sea Birds