Every fall, the island of Martha's Vineyard is seized by fish fever as one of the East Coast’s best known saltwater fishing tournaments gets underway. Started in 1946 as a promotional event and run since 1987 by a non-profit organization composed largely of local fishermen, the Martha's Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby attracts anglers from all over the world.

 

False albacore, bonito and bluefish all had their turn in the spotlight this year at the 77th annual Martha's Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby.
Fly fishing won’t usually land a fisherman at the top of the all-tackle leaderboard in the derby, but it is a category all its own for beauty and bragging rights.
So far approximately 2,800 people have registered for the derby, and organizers expect a final surge for the holiday weekend.
Phil Horton is a shore guy, a surf caster who has been fishing the Derby for 35 years.