Post by Steve Sutton on May 21, 2010 9:54:06 GMT -5
The first tournament in the 22nd season of the South Carolina Governor's Cup Billfishing Series took place over the last weekend at Bohicket Marina on Seabrook Island. The Series features five tournaments along the coast and began May 12th with the Bohicket Marian Invitational Billfish Tournament and ends July 28th at the Edisto Marina Billfish Tournament.
Wally Jenkins, Series Program Director for the S.C. Department of Natural Resources (DNR), said, "We were very excited to have Bohicket return to the Series this year! The weather cooperated and we had three beautiful days for offshore fishing." The billfish bite was good, with 5 blue marlin, 2 white marlin, and 4 sailfish releases, plus one blue marlin landed. She weighed in at 515 pounds, and was 112 inches straight line measured from the tip of the lower jaw to the fork of the tail. "As usual, the Bohicket Marina Staff was very hospitable, Red's Ice House was a perfect venue, and a great time was had by all."
Points for Governor's Cup tournaments are awarded as follows: 600 points for a released blue marlin, 300 points for a released white marlin, and 200 points for a released sailfish. In addition, boats are awarded 25 participation points for each Series tournament entered up to a maximum of three events.
The tournament's Outstanding Billfish Boat and the Outstanding Billfish Conservationist were awarded to Game On owned by Sea Hunt Boats, of Lexington, SC and captained by Victor (Bubba) Roof. The winning boat earned 800 points for the catch and release of one blue marlin and one sailfish.
My Time Out III owned by Frank Gibson of Beaufort, SC and captained by Ty Cordray earned second place Outstanding Billfish Boat, with 600 points, for the catch and release of one blue marlin.
Third place honors for Outstanding Billfish Boat went to Rascal owned by Norman Pulliam of Spartanburg, SC and captained by Mark Rodgers. The Rascal caught and released one blue marlin to garner 600 points.
Petrel, owned by Harry Johnson of Mt. Pleasant, SC and captained by Thomas Wynne was the Blue Water Conservation winner with the tag and release of 8 dolphin over the course of the tournament.
Outstanding Billfish was awarded to Blue Sky owned by Greg Smith of Pawley's Island, SC and captained by Steve Crammer. Bill Dial was the angler that landed the 515-pound blue marlin, which was the only billfish landed during the tournament.
Trust Me owned by Jim Foulke of Doylestown, PA and captain Bob Ogden earned honors for the Outstanding Dolphin. David Petterson was the angler that caught the 44.8-pound dolphin.
Small Change took the Outstanding Tuna award. Owned and captained by Mike Albenetios of Johns Island, SC, the 21.0-pound Blackfin tuna was caught by Frazier Wilson.
The Outstanding Wahoo award was earned by Miss Magnolia, owned and captained by Tram Colket of Hilton Head, SC. Angler Zach Lyman caught a 35.0-pound wahoo.
Outstanding Youth Angler was awarded to Caleb Teske, age 13. Teske was fishing aboard the Middleton 58, owned by Frank Middleton of Johns Island, SC and captained by Thomas Rivers, and caught a 36.2-pound dolphin.
Kelli Ann Roof of Lexington, SC earned top honors as Outstanding Female Angler for the release of one blue marlin and one sailfish aboard Game On, owned by Sea Hunt Boats and captained by Victor (Bubba) Roof.
Overall standings for the 22nd Annual South Carolina Governor's Cup Billfishing Series after the first tournament are as follows: Game On (825), My Time Out (625), Rascal (625), Trust Me (625), Mary Agnus (625), Blue Sky (540), Reel Passion (425), Major Motion (325), 5 o'clock Somewhere (325), Caramba (225).
For more information on the South Carolina Governor's Cup Billfishing Series contact Amy Dukes, Tournament Coordinator for the Series and with the S.C. Department of Natural Resources by e-mail at DukesA@dnr.sc.gov, or by phone at 843-953-9365.
Remaining tournament dates and contacts for the upcoming 2010 South Carolina Governor's Cup Billfishing Series are:
* May 26-29, 43rd Annual Georgetown Blue Marlin Tournament, contact John Horton, PO Box 1704, Georgetown, SC 29442, (843) 546-1776, fax (843) 546-7832, jhorton@georgetownlandingmarina.com.
* June 23-26, Carolina Billfish Classic, contact Deidre Menefee, 1625 Savannah Hwy., Charleston, SC 29407, (843) 345-0369, fax (888) 758-3950, dm@fishCBC.com.
* July 7-10, HMY/Viking MEGADOCK Billfishing Tournament, contact McKenzie Estes, PO Box 759, Charleston, SC, 29402, (843) 278-4920, fax (843) 577-7704, mestes@megadock.com.
* July 28-31, Edisto Marina Billfish Tournament, contact Becca Smith, 3702 Docksite Road Edisto Beach, SC, 29438, (407) 463-2082, fax (843) 869-3738, smithbeccae@gmail.com.
Boats participating in the Series amass points for billfish either landed or caught and released. Tagging is optional and not required for Series points. 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.
South Carolina's natural resources are essential for economic development and contribute nearly $30 billion and 230,000 jobs to the state's economy overall. Find out more at: www.dnr.sc.gov/green/index.html.
Wally Jenkins, Series Program Director for the S.C. Department of Natural Resources (DNR), said, "We were very excited to have Bohicket return to the Series this year! The weather cooperated and we had three beautiful days for offshore fishing." The billfish bite was good, with 5 blue marlin, 2 white marlin, and 4 sailfish releases, plus one blue marlin landed. She weighed in at 515 pounds, and was 112 inches straight line measured from the tip of the lower jaw to the fork of the tail. "As usual, the Bohicket Marina Staff was very hospitable, Red's Ice House was a perfect venue, and a great time was had by all."
Points for Governor's Cup tournaments are awarded as follows: 600 points for a released blue marlin, 300 points for a released white marlin, and 200 points for a released sailfish. In addition, boats are awarded 25 participation points for each Series tournament entered up to a maximum of three events.
The tournament's Outstanding Billfish Boat and the Outstanding Billfish Conservationist were awarded to Game On owned by Sea Hunt Boats, of Lexington, SC and captained by Victor (Bubba) Roof. The winning boat earned 800 points for the catch and release of one blue marlin and one sailfish.
My Time Out III owned by Frank Gibson of Beaufort, SC and captained by Ty Cordray earned second place Outstanding Billfish Boat, with 600 points, for the catch and release of one blue marlin.
Third place honors for Outstanding Billfish Boat went to Rascal owned by Norman Pulliam of Spartanburg, SC and captained by Mark Rodgers. The Rascal caught and released one blue marlin to garner 600 points.
Petrel, owned by Harry Johnson of Mt. Pleasant, SC and captained by Thomas Wynne was the Blue Water Conservation winner with the tag and release of 8 dolphin over the course of the tournament.
Outstanding Billfish was awarded to Blue Sky owned by Greg Smith of Pawley's Island, SC and captained by Steve Crammer. Bill Dial was the angler that landed the 515-pound blue marlin, which was the only billfish landed during the tournament.
Trust Me owned by Jim Foulke of Doylestown, PA and captain Bob Ogden earned honors for the Outstanding Dolphin. David Petterson was the angler that caught the 44.8-pound dolphin.
Small Change took the Outstanding Tuna award. Owned and captained by Mike Albenetios of Johns Island, SC, the 21.0-pound Blackfin tuna was caught by Frazier Wilson.
The Outstanding Wahoo award was earned by Miss Magnolia, owned and captained by Tram Colket of Hilton Head, SC. Angler Zach Lyman caught a 35.0-pound wahoo.
Outstanding Youth Angler was awarded to Caleb Teske, age 13. Teske was fishing aboard the Middleton 58, owned by Frank Middleton of Johns Island, SC and captained by Thomas Rivers, and caught a 36.2-pound dolphin.
Kelli Ann Roof of Lexington, SC earned top honors as Outstanding Female Angler for the release of one blue marlin and one sailfish aboard Game On, owned by Sea Hunt Boats and captained by Victor (Bubba) Roof.
Overall standings for the 22nd Annual South Carolina Governor's Cup Billfishing Series after the first tournament are as follows: Game On (825), My Time Out (625), Rascal (625), Trust Me (625), Mary Agnus (625), Blue Sky (540), Reel Passion (425), Major Motion (325), 5 o'clock Somewhere (325), Caramba (225).
For more information on the South Carolina Governor's Cup Billfishing Series contact Amy Dukes, Tournament Coordinator for the Series and with the S.C. Department of Natural Resources by e-mail at DukesA@dnr.sc.gov, or by phone at 843-953-9365.
Remaining tournament dates and contacts for the upcoming 2010 South Carolina Governor's Cup Billfishing Series are:
* May 26-29, 43rd Annual Georgetown Blue Marlin Tournament, contact John Horton, PO Box 1704, Georgetown, SC 29442, (843) 546-1776, fax (843) 546-7832, jhorton@georgetownlandingmarina.com.
* June 23-26, Carolina Billfish Classic, contact Deidre Menefee, 1625 Savannah Hwy., Charleston, SC 29407, (843) 345-0369, fax (888) 758-3950, dm@fishCBC.com.
* July 7-10, HMY/Viking MEGADOCK Billfishing Tournament, contact McKenzie Estes, PO Box 759, Charleston, SC, 29402, (843) 278-4920, fax (843) 577-7704, mestes@megadock.com.
* July 28-31, Edisto Marina Billfish Tournament, contact Becca Smith, 3702 Docksite Road Edisto Beach, SC, 29438, (407) 463-2082, fax (843) 869-3738, smithbeccae@gmail.com.
Boats participating in the Series amass points for billfish either landed or caught and released. Tagging is optional and not required for Series points. 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.
South Carolina's natural resources are essential for economic development and contribute nearly $30 billion and 230,000 jobs to the state's economy overall. Find out more at: www.dnr.sc.gov/green/index.html.