First round results of Governor’s Cup Billfishing Series The South Carolina Governor’s Cup Billfishing Series opened its 18th season with the Edisto Marina
Billfish Tournament over the weekend. The Series features five tournaments along the coast beginning May 3rd at Edisto Island and ending July 1 at the Charleston City Marina’s HMY/Viking MegaDock Billfishing Tournament.
“The first tournament in this year’s Series went very well, with good weather and relatively calm seas. Tournament Coordinator Deidre Menefee and marina owner Buddy Smith assembled an extremely helpful and accommodating tournament staff and put on a first class event,” said Tom DuPré of the S.C. Department of Natural Resources, who coordinates the tournament series.
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 blue marlin at 11:03 a.m. on Thursday to take the first place award and garner 300 points. “Cookie Monster” also won the Conservation Award by being the first to catch and release a marlin.
Finishing in second place at the Edisto Marina Billfish Tournament for 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 for “Hatta Dream’s” 300 points.
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
du****@dn*.gov
.
Remaining tournament dates and contacts for the upcoming 2006 18th Annual South Carolina Governor’s Cup Billfishing Series are:
May 17-20 39th Annual Georgetown Blue Marlin Tournament (contact: Ricky Ferdon, PO Box 1704, Georgetown, SC 29442, (843) 546-1776, Fax 546-7832,
gl******@sc.com
, www.georgetownlandingmarina.com)
May 31-June 3 Charleston Harbor Resort and Marina Billfish Tournament (contact: Deidre Menefee, 19 Forde Row, Charleston, SC 29412, (843) 345-0369, Fax 406-4813,
dp*******@ao*.com
)
June 14-17 Bohicket Marina Invitational Billfish Tournament (contact Deidre Menefee, 19 Forde Row, Charleston, SC 29412, (843) 345-0369, Fax 406-4813,
dp*******@ao*.com
)
June 28-July1 HMY/Viking Megadock Billfishing Tournament (contact: KC Rennie, PO Box 759, Charleston, SC 29402, (843) 577-7702, Fax 577-7704,
kc******@ch******************.com
).
Boats participating in the 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.
First round results of Governor’s Cup Billfishing Series
The South Carolina Governor’s Cup Billfishing Series opened its 18th season with the Edisto Marina
Billfish Tournament over the weekend. The Series features five tournaments along the coast beginning May 3rd at Edisto Island and ending July 1 at the Charleston City Marina’s HMY/Viking MegaDock Billfishing Tournament.
“The first tournament in this year’s Series went very well, with good weather and relatively calm seas. Tournament Coordinator Deidre Menefee and marina owner Buddy Smith assembled an extremely helpful and accommodating tournament staff and put on a first class event,” said Tom DuPré of the S.C. Department of Natural Resources, who coordinates the tournament series.
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 blue marlin at 11:03 a.m. on Thursday to take the first place award and garner 300 points. “Cookie Monster” also won the Conservation Award by being the first to catch and release a marlin.
Finishing in second place at the Edisto Marina Billfish Tournament for 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 for “Hatta Dream’s” 300 points.
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
du****@dn*.gov
.
Remaining tournament dates and contacts for the upcoming 2006 18th Annual South Carolina Governor’s Cup Billfishing Series are:
May 17-20 39th Annual Georgetown Blue Marlin Tournament (contact: Ricky Ferdon, PO Box 1704, Georgetown, SC 29442, (843) 546-1776, Fax 546-7832,
gl******@sc.com
, www.georgetownlandingmarina.com)
May 31-June 3 Charleston Harbor Resort and Marina Billfish Tournament (contact: Deidre Menefee, 19 Forde Row, Charleston, SC 29412, (843) 345-0369, Fax 406-4813,
dp*******@ao*.com
)
June 14-17 Bohicket Marina Invitational Billfish Tournament (contact Deidre Menefee, 19 Forde Row, Charleston, SC 29412, (843) 345-0369, Fax 406-4813,
dp*******@ao*.com
)
June 28-July1 HMY/Viking Megadock Billfishing Tournament (contact: KC Rennie, PO Box 759, Charleston, SC 29402, (843) 577-7702, Fax 577-7704,
kc******@ch******************.com
).
Boats participating in the 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.