ATLANTIC

DAY 8 RECAP — 2026 Montauk Canyon Challenge: Yellowfin Triples From Team O.H.M. and Fish Stock Keep the Scales Busy on the Penultimate Day

July 17, 2026

Atlantic

Science of Fishing Editorial

Team O.H.M. anglers hold yellowfin tuna on the Montauk Canyon Challenge weigh stage, whiteboard dated 7/17/26

The 2026 Montauk Canyon Challenge settled into a steady yellowfin grind on Friday, the tournament's penultimate day. There were no record-breakers this time — the marquee boards that took shape earlier in the week held firm — but the scale back at Star Island Yacht Club stayed busy as the Captain's Choice fleet added another day's worth of tuna.

The day belonged to the mid-water yellowfin bite. Team O.H.M. stacked a clean triple of 62.6, 62.4 and 60.0-pound yellowfin, while Fish Stock answered with three of its own at 61.8, 58.6 and 56.8 pounds. Rumblefish weighed the heaviest single fish of the day, an 83.0-pound yellowfin (plus a 57.4), and Emmie Ray chipped in a 60.4 and a 56.0. The lone break from the yellowfin theme came from Futhur, which put a 46.0-pound bluefin on the boards.

Fish Stock team holds yellowfin tuna on the Montauk Canyon Challenge weigh stage, whiteboard noting a 61.8-lb yellowfin — Fish Stock hangs a trio of yellowfin on the Montauk Canyon Challenge stage, topped by a 61.8-pounder. Photo: Montauk Canyon Challenge (Facebook).

At the top, the big money has not moved. Freedom remains the boat of the tournament, still holding the marquee MCC Stringer — two bigeyes and a yellowfin totaling 435.8 pounds — along with the Heaviest Albacore (47.8) and Heaviest Trifecta (135.6) boards. The tournament's heaviest fish is still the 210-pound bigeye leading the Sonar division, and Alexa Ann continues to own the Sonar yellowfin categories at 103.6 pounds single and 218.8 pounds for three. In the other divisions, Three G's (179.8-lb No-Sonar tuna) and Click Bait (157-lb Outboard tuna, plus the mahi and wahoo boards) hold their leads.

Cumulative species leaders

Heaviest Bluefin: JC's Mate — 74.2 lb
Heaviest Swordfish: Sexy Fish — 59.6 lb
Heaviest Mahi: Click Bait — 28.6 lb
Heaviest Tilefish: Finisterra — 6.2 lb
Heaviest Tuna (Female): Joli Lady — 90.0 lb

Tournament-wide, the catch count has climbed to 183, still driven overwhelmingly by yellowfin (134 of them), with 27 bigeye, eight mahi, three tilefish and a scattering of bluefin, wahoo, swordfish and albacore filling out the scales. The release board shows four blue marlin and one white marlin let go across the week.

The sportfisher Fish Stock tied up at the Montauk dock beside the tournament weigh station — Fish Stock tied up at the Montauk dock beside the weigh station on a hazy Friday. Photo: Montauk Canyon Challenge (Facebook).

One day left

The MCC stays a Captain's Choice event through Saturday, July 18, when Reel Fest and the awards dinner at Gosman's Dock close out the week. With the marquee tuna boards tightening by the pound, any boat still hunting Freedom and that 210-pound bigeye has one last window to answer.

Standings are cumulative and unofficial, drawn from the tournament's live Reel Time leaderboard (reeltime.app) as of Friday, July 17. Results may shift as catches are reviewed; contact tournament organizers for official results.