The 80th annual derby is off to a busy start with more than 570 fish weighed-in during the first five days.

“Opening night was the busiest opening night that I’ve seen in 40 years...” weigh-master Mike Cassidy said on Wednesday evening. “There was a line all the way down to the yacht club from 7 until 8:35.”

The bonito are plentiful as well as bluefish, but as of Thursday morning shore anglers are having trouble attracting any albies.

Zachary Horrocks had his luck catching an albie on a boat. On Wednesday, he arrived at the weigh-in station with his fingertips still white and puffy from fishing all afternoon in the rain. He had trouble with the zipper on an insulated bag he was carrying, but when he finally opened it and pulled out an albacore, volunteers in the room held their breath.

Calvin, Scarlet and Colton Stedman each earned triple crowns on opening day.

Courtesy Stedman family

Calvin, Scarlet and Colton Stedman each earned triple crowns on opening day.

Courtesy Stedman family

“14.26 pounds,” Mr. Cassidy announced before snipping the back fin.

“We have a new fly rod boat albie leader,” said volunteer Kristy Rose.

Mr. Horrocks said he has caught numerous fish already, even one that was close to beating the fly-rod record. He started fishing the derby when he was two years old. Now 37, he finds the competition just as thrilling.

While warming his hands with a cup of coffee, he told nearby competitors about the catch. He was on a boat with his girlfriend, Sarah Kadison.

“We had a tough day,” he said. “We had some straight hooks and a lot of fish got away. It was just really difficult fly fishing in this type of [weather]. It fought well but there’s been a lot of big fish around so we were ready.”

Among the success stories so far were the Stedman kids. On the first day, cousins Scarlett, Colton and Calvin all earned triple crowns — an award given when an angler weighs-in one of each of the three types of fish.

It’s a running trend for the family.

The kids also earned triple crowns on the first day of the derby last year, which included their cousin Brooke Stedman, who ended up winning first place in the mini junior boat division for her triple crown last year.

Brooke was busy on the first day this year, but opportunities for her will continue as the event unfolds.

Brooke and Calvin’s mom, Katherine Stedman, who is an emergency room doctor at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, said the derby runs deep in their family. While she helps behind the scenes, her husband Matt Stedman, who owns a construction company that sponsors the derby, teaches them the craft.

“I think [Matt] tried to catch fish at the zoo one time when he was a small child,” she said. “It’s a famous story, and Calvin has followed in his footsteps. Every time we go to a hotel or something with a koi pond, he tries to snag fish out of [it].”

Calvin, who is seven years old, recounted this year’s triple crown trip.

“It was really fun reeling in my 13-pound albie,” he said. “The bluefish were really easy to catch and the bonitos were probably the least fun.”

He even revealed where he caught his triple crown.

“We went to Nantucket,” he said.

“You’re supposed to say Ice House Pond,” Ms. Stedman told him.

The two eventually concluded that it was safe to reveal their fishing spot. Calvin said it wasn’t specific enough and most competitors know the fish congregate around Nantucket during the early Derby days.

Calvin said he’s excited for the rest of the competition.

“I just like fishing,” he said. “If I win some stuff like pins, it’s even funner.”