Pat McDonough of Kennewick, Wash., writes: I just read [about the White Marlin Open] and am wondering how a smaller fish earns more money than a larger fish. We used to bet on rabbit hunting: the most cottontails, the first black cottontail and the most black "wabbits" harvested. Does the Open work like that? That $800,000 purse is attractive. What sort of entry fees are we talking for a tournament such as this one?
Outdoors Girl replies: Tournament fishing has a payout system that takes a little getting used to. For example, after paying the registration fee of $950 (early bird) or $1,050, White Marlin competitors this year were eligible for a shot at a guaranteed prize of $50,000. But anglers can shell out more money ($300 to $5,000) to enter additional "skill levels," also known as Calcuttas, which boost the payout. In other sports, that would be called, "betting."
That's why an angler with an 800-pound fish who only paid the registration fee can win less money than an angler who caught a 500-pound fish but entered additional skill levels.
