2025 Huk Charleston Cobia Cup at Saltwater Cowboys

Capt. Ryan Howard (right) holds the 
first place cobia on 6/21

The inaugural Huk Gear Charleston Cobia Cup presented by Penn was held at Saltwater Cowboys Restaurant on Shem Creek from June 19 - 21. A Captain's Meeting and social hour began at 5 PM on Thursday in the courtyard at the restaurant, and the tournament registration tallied 38 entries. Huk Gear's Scott Smith greeted attendees at the
makeshift Huk store with shirts, shorts, dresses and even rubber boots ready for sale. Tournament organizer Brian Roberts conducted the Captain's Meeting and went over the rules for the daily weigh-in from 3 to 7 PM on both Friday and Saturday. The legal length for a keeper cobia in this tourney was set for 38-inches, which is 2 inches longer than the SCNDR legal length for a keeper cobia. In addition, this tournament is donating proceeds to support Cobia restocking efforts at the Waddell mariculture center, plus SCDNR techs were present to collect cobia DNA and otoliths each day for research.

Captain Ryan Howard's team took first and second place in the tournament. They fished in flat calm conditions at the Charleston 60 reef and while they did see a larger cobia too, it would not bite. Both their cobia exceeded the minimum length of the Cobia Cup tourney and were weighed in. First place weighed 31.6-pounds and second place weighed 26.2-pounds. Third place went to Capt. Justin Carter with a 23.7-pound cobia, and Carter also won the two-cobia aggregate weight award. First, Second and Third places were awarded a Penn Authority reel and a glass trophy to take home. First Place also received two custom Cobia Cup belt buckles and a metal trophy to take home. An annual metal trophy with the names of past winners will reside at Saltwater Cowboys for future tourneys. Both days the tournament served to raise awareness with the customers and tourists at the restaurant, and they were allowed to take pictures with the fish for fun souvenirs.

Capt. J.R. Waits and crew with winning Amberjack

To view the feature article in the Post and Courier click on Tideline.

To view past blog entries on cobia click on 2019 Cobia Migration visa Satellite - 2016 South Lowcountry Management Zone - 2016 Edisto Cobia Tourney - 2013 Cobia in Broad River - 2012 Cobia received gamefish status - 2009 State Record Cobia - 2008 Fly Right Charters

2025 Carolina Billfish Classic - Man Cave Wins

Man Cave at the CBC Awards with 
tourney director Loyd Weston (right)

The 2025 Carolina Billfish Classic fished out of the Charleston Harbor Resort and Marina June 19 - 21. Only one boat elected to fish on Day One due to rough oceanic conditions, leaving the remainder of the 49-boat Gov Cup fleet to fish back-to-back days. Conditions on Friday were still sporty, especially on the morning ride to the fishing grounds, but the fleet enjoyed a good day for sailfish releases. But with only 4 blue marlin releases overall on Day Two, it was still a wide open competition on Day Three. Man Cave released two sails on Friday but surged to the Top Spot by releasing six Sailfish on Saturday, with 5 sailfish releases overall by Julia Gressette, thus claiming the 2025 CBC at the awards dinner on the beach Saturday evening.

Legal Holiday finished in 2nd place at the CBC and BullPen finished in Third place. Heaviest meat fish awards went to Sea Scaper with a 51.9-pound mahi, June with a 27-pound tuna and Optimum with a 49.3-pound wahoo. It's worth noting that Man Cave actually reeled in the heaviest meat fish weighed in with a 116.4-pound yellowfin tuna, but since the rod was passed from the daughter to the father during the 2-hour fight, in violation of Governor's Cup rules, they notified the weigh master that their tuna was disqualified. This type of honesty and sportsmanship is not uncommon in sports where money is wagered, and while they did miss out on a payday for heaviest tuna, but they set a good example for all the anglers.

Father and daughter teamed up to reel in
this 116.4-pound yellowfin tuna on 6/20

To view blog entries form the 2025 Offshore Season click on HMY Cup - SC Blue Marlin - Chas. Invitational - 2025 SC Mahi Series

To view blog entries from the 2025 Inshore Season click on SC Coastal Fishing Guides - June Saltwater Forecast

To view past blog entries from the CBC click on 2025 CLBC - 2024 CLBC -  2015 - 2013 - 2012 - 2011 - 2010

2025 Boone Hall - Oyster Reef Project

Volunteers move oyster shells to the creek

On Thursday June 12 at Boone Hall Plantation volunteers gathered to construct a new oyster bed by using recycled shell from the Lowcountry Oyster Festival. The Charleston Restaurant Association puts on the Oyster Festival, and they also came to Boone Hall this day, and awarded donations to several local organizations that they work with like the Ronald McDonal House and the Coastal Conservation
Association. Grey skies and the threat of rain did not deter the 1 PM festivities as Jim Westerhold, director at Boone Hall made some remarks. He stressed that he had planned for several years in advance for this new oyster bed to come to fruition and that he is grateful from Team SCDNR for bringing the shell. 

To read my 2025 Oyster Fest article in the Post and Courier click on Tideline.

Jenny Peppler presents a check to 
Caroline Roach 

2025 Carolina Ladies Billfish Classic Benefits Save Our Suzy

In 2024, the Carolina Billfish Classic (CBC) cast its line looking for

enough female fishing enthusiasts to hold a one-day tournament just for lady anglers. The well-established CBC, run by Tournament Director Loyd Weston out of the Charleston Harbor Resort & Marina in Mount Pleasant, sees strong participation since it started 27 years ago.

Now that the concept of a Carolina Ladies Billfish Classic (CLBC) has been tested, the hope is that the number of lady angler teams will increase this year, along with the funds raised for a local charity.

Team Buddy Rowe won the inaugural CLBC last year. While 13 teams were fielded and $27,000 were raised to benefit Share Our Suzy, the weather last year postponed the event a few days.

To read the entire feature article in the Post and Courier click Tideline. 

To view past blog entries in Tideline click on Release Over 20 - June Saltwater Forecast - SC Blue Marlin Invitational - Veterans Catfishing - Mother's Day Gift Guide - SCDNR Director - May '25 Outdoors Calendar -  Shorebird Stewards   April Saltwater Fishing -  Turkey Season Gear - Spring Conservation Calendar -  Edisto Flora and Fauna -  Horseshoe Crab Research -  Bird Banding Conference - ACE Basin Refuge -  2025 SE Wildlife Expo - S.C. Master Naturalist 

2025 S.C. Coastal Fishing Guides support Release Over 20

The South Carolina Coastal Fishing Guides Association (SCCFGA) held a fundraiser on Monday June 9 at Bowens Island to benefit Release Over 20. Fishing guides arrived and paid their dues and purchased raffle tickets, with a portion of the proceeds going to the popular movement calling to release all fish over 20-inches in length. Release Over 20 founder David Fladd was present to represent the organization he founded, plus R20 Treasurer Adam Fahrer. They have lots of biological information to share regarding fish species, but one of the best dividends form their cause is that Release Over 20 is catching on in other Southeastern states now too. The local fishery is under strain, and the regional fishery likely is too, so the more folks releasing mature fish so that they can spawn, the better!

To view my photo gallery in the Post and Courier, click on Tideline. 

To view past blog entries from Tideline click on June Saltwater Forecast - SC Blue Marlin Invitational - Veterans Catfishing - Mother's Day Gift Guide - SCDNR Director - May '25 Outdoors Calendar -  Shorebird Stewards   April Saltwater Fishing -  Turkey Season Gear - Spring Conservation Calendar -  Edisto Flora and Fauna -  Horseshoe Crab Research -  Bird Banding Conference - ACE Basin Refuge -  2025 SE Wildlife Expo - S.C. Master Naturalist

2025 June Saltwater Fishing Forecast for Charleston

Spunky weather in May brought record rainfall to some in the Lowcountry, but the bad weather days for fishing are likely in the rearview as summer settles in along the coast.

Baitfish are plentiful and so are the many species of fish that can be caught both inshore and nearshore. June fishing is the time to cast your line in search of everything from flounder to cobia.

Captain Mark Phelps of Shore Thang Charters in Mount Pleasant is a longtime inshore, fly-fishing and bottom fishing specialist. “If you had to describe June in one word it would be variety,” said Phelps. “Inshore fishing during June in Charleston offers one of the biggest variety of species available. Don’t get locked into chasing only one species this month, and don’t wait for the Dog Days heat in July, go early and often right now. The morning topwater bite for redfish, trout and flounder is excellent, then spend the rest of your day looking for Spanish mackerel, jack crevalle and bonnethead sharks.”

To view the feature article in the Post and Courier click on Tideline.

To view past blog entries in Tideline click on SC Blue Marlin Invitational - Veterans Catfishing - Mother's Day Gift Guide - SCDNR Director - May '25 Outdoors Calendar -  Shorebird Stewards   April Saltwater Fishing -  Turkey Season Gear - Spring Conservation Calendar -  Edisto Flora and Fauna -  Horseshoe Crab Research -  Bird Banding Conference - ACE Basin Refuge -  2025 SE Wildlife Expo - S.C. Master Naturalist - CHS Outdoor Adventures - CCA oyster recycling -  SEWE / DU conservation -  Search for Shed Antlers -  Save The Light - Christmas Wish List - 2025 Christmas Bird Count -  December Saltwater Forecast - Fall Hunting Seasons -  2024 Red Trout tourney -  Sullivan's Island Bird Banding Station -  Beidler BioBlitz

2025 HMY Lowcountry Cup - Bull Pen Wins

Bull Pen at Toler's Cove on May 31

The 2025 HMY Lowcountry Cup began with a Captain's Meeting at Mainland Container in Mount Pleasant on Wednesday, May 28. The weather looked ominous for Saturday, and the dock talk was that the fleet might fish back-to-back days Thursday and Friday, but that proved untrue and the fishing on Saturday afternoon propelled Bull Pen to Victory. With a total of four blue marlin releases and seven sailfish releases, Bull Pen finished ahead of second place team Viking 74C who released three blue marlin and six sailfish. After three 2025 Gov Cup events, Viking 74C and Bull Pen have both finished in first place once and in second place once, racking up overall release points in a race for the 2025 Best Billfish Boat title. 

It's worth noting that Bull Pen overcame boat trouble at the HMY Lowcountry Cup, by switching to their other boat Buddy Rowe, which they won the 2024 Best Billfish Boat title with. So it was Bull Pen, fishing on Buddy Rowe, that came from behind with multiple billfish releases on Saturday afternoon to close out their victory. The Sullivan's Island Fire Dept. boat gave them a fitting saltwater cannon salute as they returned to port at Toler's Cove. 

Heaviest Mahi at HMY Lowcountry Cup

To view past blog entries from the S.C. Governor's Cup Billfishing Series click on 2025 Chas. Billfish Invitational - 2024- 2023-  2022-  2021- 2019- 2018- 2017- 2016- 2015 - 2014 - 2013 - 2012 - 2011 - 2010 

To view past blog entry about the S.C. Blue Marlin Invitational click 2025 - 2024

2025 S.C. Mahi Series - Team YOLO wins

Team YOLO was Lucky # 13 

The month of May was very good for mahi fishing, especially compared to 2024. The wind did blow some, but the SC Mahi Series is designed to let anglers pick which two days they want to fish. Team YOLO from Bluffton with Capt. Delma Lyons at the helm elected to fish on May 18 and 20, and once they took the lead with a 67.1-pound aggregate they never gave it back to the competition. Team Last Chance out of Walterboro was leading before May 18, and they managed to hold on and finish in second place with a 61.4-pound aggregate at the Awards banquet at Pioneer Boats in Walterboro on June 1. Team Henley Grace finished in third place with a 60.5-pound aggregate, and these were the only three teams with a two-fish aggregate weight of 60-pounds or better. 

Team YOLO fishes on a 34T Cape Horn with twin Yamaha 300's and they pre-fished one day before declaring their first fish day on May 18. A late-morning bite saw three rods go down at the same time, and despite the chaos they were able to land two nice mahi. Capt. Lyons reeled in a 34.3-pounder and Cassidy Lane reeled in another that weighed slightly less. On May 20 it was angler David Wilson who reeled in a 32.8-pound mahi. They fish out of Alljoy Landing in Bluffton and weighed in at Hilton Head RV Park. Other crew included Sean Tobul, Bubba Harrell, Todd Stikeleather and D.J. Lyons.

Team YOLO at June 1 Awards in Walterboro

To view past entries from the S.C. Mahi Series click on 2024 - 2023 - 2022 - 2021

To view 2025 offshore tourney results
click on CHS Billfish - SC Blue Marlin - HMY Lowcountry Cup

To view past blog entries about migratory dolphin off the S.C. coast click  2016 - 2015- 2014 - 2013 - 2012 - 2011 - 2010 - 2009 - 2007 

To view past entries about the Edisto Dolphin Slam click on  2023 - 2022 - 2019- 2018 - 2016 

2025 Military Salute Regatta with Veterans On Deck

Veterans aboard the Sceptre

The fifth annual Military Salute Regatta was May 31, 2025 and hosted by the Charleston Yacht Club. A record 35 sailboats with veterans onboard as guests raced in Charleston Harbor from 1 - 3 PM before heading back to the yacht club for live music and a celebratory meal. Organizer Kristen Buckley and her team of Volunteers made sure that all the events from the Skipper's Meeting on Thursday until the end of the regatta work seamlessly for the Vets. Title Sponsor Blackbaud and other sponsors went out not he Schooner Pride for a VIP cruise to view the race, and a host of other spectators went out on the Carolina Belle. The regatta proceeds benefit Veterans On Deck and The Fisher House.

Sailboats racing in Charleston Harbor May 31

To view past blog entries about Veterans groups click on Operation Patriots FOB - Reel Steel Catfishing - Veterans Victory House Car Show - Wounded Nature / Boat Clean Up - Wounded Warrior Deer Hunt / ACE Basin - Wounded Warrior Duck Hunt / Santee Delta - SCI Pathfinder Award

Military Service Branches Flags Flying

Race Committee Boat at Military Salute Regatta