The South Carolina Governor’s Cup (SCGC) Billfishing Series opened its 18th season with the Edisto Marina Billfish Tournament Held May 3-6. “The first tournament in this year’s Series went very well, with good weather and relatively calm seas”, said Tom DuPré of the S.C. Department of Natural Resources, who coordinates the tournament series. “Tournament Coordinator Deidre Menefee and marina owner Buddy Smith assembled an extremely helpful and accommodating tournament staff and put on a first class event.”
A total of five billfish, all blue marlin, were released during the tournament. The thirty-five boats entered fished 2 out of 3 days.
Points for Governor’s Cup tournaments are awarded as follows: 300 points for a tagged or released blue marlin, 150 points for a tagged or released white marlin, and 100 points for a tagged or released sailfish. In addition, boats are awarded 25 participation points for each Series tournament entered up to a maximum of three events.
The Best Billfish Boat was awarded to Cookie Monster, owned by Chris Ravenel of Mt. Pleasant. Ravenel caught and released the first blue marlin of the tournament at 11:03 a.m. on Thursday. This catch (and release) was good for first place in the tournament, the Conservation Awards and garnered 300 SCGC points.
Finishing in second place and also releasing a blue marlin was “Hatta Dream,” owned by Kyle Christiansen of Richmond Hill, Georgia. Christiansen caught the blue marlin at 11:58 a.m. on the opening day of the tournament, but was relegated to second place as the catch was 55 minutes after the Cookie Monster’s catch. The Hatta Dream also scored 300 SCGC points for their catch.
Third place billfish was awarded to Legal Holiday, owned by Fred Bergen of Savannah. Angler Perry Wilson, of Columbia, caught and released the blue marlin, for 300 points, at 1:28 p.m., also on the opening day of the tournament.
Richard Coen of Mt. Pleasant caught a 73.8-pound wahoo aboard his boat, Aggressor, to earn top honors for the Largest Wahoo Award.
The Largest Dolphin Award went to angler Capers Barr of Charleston, who reeled in a 41.9- pound dolphin on Risky Business, owned by Ken Cannon, also of Charleston.
Angler Jim Martin took the Largest Tuna Award for reeling in a 14.4-pound blackfin tuna on Ali L, owned by Jerry Lockwood of Mt. Pleasant.
Outstanding Female Angler Award went to Keegan Kennedy of Hollywood, for reeling in a 53.0-pound wahoo on Sea Trace, owned by A.J. Kennedy, also of Hollywood.
The Outstanding Youth Angler Award went to Brooks Griffin, age 11, from Mt. Pleasant, for a 23.0-pound dolphin aboard Sportsman, owned by Bubba Simmons of Mt.Pleasant.
For more information on the South Carolina Governor’s Cup Billfishing Series contact Tom DuPré of the S.C. Department of Natural Resources by e-mail at dupret@dnr.sc.gov.
The next SCGC tournament will be May 17-20 in Georgetown. Contact Ricky Ferdon at 843-546-1776 for more details.
Boats participating in the SCGC Series amass points for billfish either landed, tagged, or released. Anglers compete for four major awards: Outstanding Billfish (single heaviest billfish), Outstanding Billfish Boat (most accumulated points) and Outstanding Billfish Conservationist (most points for tagged or released fish), and the Blue Water Conservation Award (most accumulated tag and release points for dolphin, wahoo, and yellowfin tuna).
By encouraging live tag and release, the Series has focused attention on the sharp decline of Atlantic billfish and encouraged conservation of all marine resources.
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