WRITTEN BY: Rob Bowman
Apr 18, 2019 
The best fishing tournament in the Northeast is now open for registration! The Montauk Canyon Challenge has the distinct reputation as the most fun, most accommodating, and fastest growing tournament around. "Anglers love this tournament for a lot of different reasons, but mostly because of the timeframe we give our competitors to fish," said Rich Lucas, SI Yachts broker and MCC Tournament Director. "Every team gets to pick what day they fish between July 12th and 20th which means they can go any day they want depending on weather and schedules."
You can register here: http://www.montaukcanyonchallenge.com/register-1.html
Seen below: The crew from Team Blondie looking organized and ready. They won second place Trifecta in 2018.
When does the MCC tournament start? : For the 2019 Montauk Canyon Challenge, boats may begin fishing at 6:30pm on Friday, July 12th through Saturday, July 20th at 2:00pm. Teams can choose to fish either one over-night trip that can last up to 38 hours or can fish two 19-hour segments during the day. All boats must return directly to Montauk.
Boats can depart from Montauk Lake, Shinnecock Inlet, or Niantic, CT.
When is the Captain's Meeting? : The MCC Captain's Meeting will take place at Gurney's Yacht Club in Montauk on July 12th from 6:00 - 8:00pm. There is an additional captain's meeting at White Water Outfitters in Shinnecock in July 11th from 6:00 - 8:00pm. Attendance at the captain's meeting is not required, but it is a great time to meet the other captains and crews!
What are the prizes for the 2019 Montauk Canyon Challenge? :
Over $250,000 will be awarded in cash and prizes this year!
$25,000 - 1st Place Top Tuna
$5,000 - 1st Place Yellowfin Tuna
$1,000 - 2nd Place Yellowfin Tuna
$2,500 - 1st Place Albacore Tuna
$1,000 - 2nd Place Albacore Tuna
$2,500 - 1st Place Top Three Yellowfin
$1,000 - 2nd Place Top Three Yellowfin
$1,000 - 1st Place Mahi Mahi
$1,000 - 1st Place Mako Shark
$1,000 - 1st Place Swordfish
$1,000 - 1st Place Wahoo
$500 - Top Female Angler
?$500 - Top Junior Angler (14)
What are the Calcutta payouts for the 2019 MCC?:
You can find details about the payout structure and the Calcutta rules here: http://www.montaukcanyonchallenge.com/prizes---calcutta.html
$5,000 & $1,000 - Heaviest Tuna
$1,000 & $500 - Canyon Trifecta
$1,000 & $500 - Heaviest Yellowfin
$1,000 & $500 - 3 Yellowfin Stringer
$500 - Heaviest Albacore
$500 - Heaviest Bluefin
$500 - Heaviest Mahi Mahi
$500 - Heaviest Swordfish
$500 - Heaviest Mako
$500 - Heaviest Wahoo
$500 - Most Marlin Points
$200 - Dave O'Halloran Grand Champion Charity 50/50
Seen below: Team Persuasion and the winning fish for "Heaviest Yellowfin" at 99.5 Lbs.
When and where is the weigh-in? :
With so many days to fish during the tournament, there will be one weigh-in station with two on-duty tournament officials to review your catch. The official weigh-in station is Gurney's Yacht Club in Montauk. It will be open daily between 7:00am and 9:00pm.
How many boats are expected to fish? :
The 2018 Montauk Canyon Challenge had 44 boats fish the tournament and more than 50 are expected this year! "We think the word has gotten out about the MCC." said Frank Bongiorno, Owner of SIYachts who is the main sponsor of the tournament. "We've grown each year, the prizes are big, the after-party was a huge hit, and the feedback we got is that more boats are wanting to enter this year." Viking Yacht fans won't be disappointed either as many of the local Viking owners plan to fish again this year.
Last year's tournament was a tremendous success with an unprecedented number of fish caught by everyone!
When is the after-party? :
There will be an epic tournament after-party on Saturday, July 20th from 6:30pm to 10:30pm at Gurney's Yacht Club. This is also where we will award the cash and prizes to the winners.
Is the MCC hooked up with a charity this year?
Yes, the Montauk Canyon Challenge will go to benefit Maggie's Mission which focuses on raising awareness for rare pediatric cancers. Maggie's Mission helps to fund research for cancer treatment and also provides help to families and children affected by this terrible disease.
For a complete list of rules and regulations, visit the Montauk Canyon Challenge website here: http://www.montaukcanyonchallenge.com/rules.html
