Being successful on the basketball court, on the golf course, and now conquering the deep sea. Michael Jordan is reeling in big fish with the same competitive spirit that fueled his six NBA championships. His fishing stint hasn’t been successful compared to basketball, but a recent result did fall in His Airness’ favor.

During the 51st White Marlin Open Tournament, Michael Jordan and his crew made it onto the leaderboard in the Dolphin category. The Catch 23 team, aboard an 84-foot, custom-made luxury Viking Yacht worth $8 million, navigated the challenges of participating in the world’s largest billfish tournament. Typically a five-day event, the tournament was extended by an additional day this year due to poor weather conditions on day one.

“Hurricane Debby tried to put a damper on things, but the quality of fish and the competition was outstanding this year,” tournament coordinator Andy Motsko said in a live video announcing the final results Saturday night. Michael Jordan’s Catch 23 would top the Dolphin category, with a 32.5-pound catch. As per the website, it was angler Patrick Fields who caught the Mahi and earned his team $64,594.09.

A total of $8.5 million was on the line, Angler Ven Poole reeled in the 77.5-pound white marlin worth nearly $3.7 million. In the Blue Marlin division, Lance Blakemore is at the top, with a massive 897.5-pound marlin on the Stone Cutter, estimated at $520,374.07. In the Tuna category, Rob Jones aboard Blue Runner has taken the lead with a 220.5-pound bigeye tuna, with an estimate of $1,007,012.32.

More than 400 boats were registered this year and 11 boats were awarded the prize money. Just 2% of the participants earned their prize money. Rest had to return home empty-handed, a sight Michael Jordan had faced before.

Previous failures of Michael Jordan

In June, the Chicago Bulls legend’s crew participated in the Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament and were aboard the Catch 23. The 6x NBA champion reeled in a 25-pound dolphin. While the total of the team was about 400 pounds for the weekend. They were reasonably shot off the winning team’s 516-pound, and the total prize pool was set at $7,562,700 among 302 boats.

Michael Jordan has participated in similar events since 2019 but has yet to secure a win, which only seems to fuel his determination. Last year, at the 50th White Marlin Open, a Montgomery County resident, John Ols from Laytonsville, caught a 640.5 lb blue marlin. This remarkable catch earned him a world-record payout of $6.2 million.

From early challenges and close calls to leading the Dolphin category with a 32.5-pound mahi mahi, Michael Jordan continues to cement his reputation as a formidable contender on the high seas. The 51st White Marlin Open Tournament may have added just $64,594.09 to his winnings, but it could be the boost that propels him to even greater victories in the future.

“Stay tuned for more such updates and join us for the exciting second episode of the ‘Dual Threat Show’ as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger.”