12th annual D.O.A. Outdoors Writer's Event / Video

Captain Mark Nichols of D.O.A Fishing lures hosted the 12th annual D.O.A. Outdoor Writer's Festival in Jensen Beach at River Palms Cottages. The entire D.O.A. staff turned up to make the guest writers and fishing guides feel like a part of the D.O.A. extended family. The normally scorching Florida weather was tempered by a steady week of afternoon thunderstorms that served to keep anglers underneath the tiki hut during the welcome reception. Sponsors from Flambeau, Hummingbird, Shimano, Eagle Claw, Costa, Hobie and more were on hand to demonstrate their latest gear before the ICAST trade show coming up in July. Captain Blair Wiggins and his S-curve rods were on hand to teach others how to use a D.O.A. terror eyes lure to catch a permit. Basically, you cast it to the fish and then you 'dead stick' the rod so that the lure does not produce any unnatural motion to spook the permit. After a day of fishing anglers reported large trout, pretty redfish, sneaky snook, feisty bluefish and even a tarpon in the Indian River and St. Lucie Rivers. The happy hour after fishing affords everyone a chance to download and show off their fish photos and / or tell their stories about D.O.A. lures success, which was followed by a butterfly shrimp dinner. I've always said that a good fishing trip is best enjoyed with a good meal, and the D.O.A. camp director Jerry McBride deserves credit for making sure everyone ate well. New faces were welcomed into D.O.A. camp while old friendships were renewed among past participants, and all of them can appreciate a 'boss man' like Mark Nichols to lovingly teach them how to be a better angler!!!

For blog coverage from the 11th annual DOA camp click here.

To read my feature article in the Charleston Mercury click here.

PhotoByJeffDennis: Capt. Willy Le of Native Fly Charters shows off his redfish caught on a D.O.A. baitbuster. Le likes his Wang Anchor system which carries a motto of 'hang out with your wang out.' Needless to say I mainly kept to the bow of his Maverick boat!!

PhotoByJeffDennis: The new D.O.A. Denali shirt with spf 50 is the shizzy and Capt. Willy Le is all set to make a cast that is Deadly On Anything!!

PhotoByCapt.WillyLe: Jeff with a beast of a blue fish that blew up his baitbuster lure!!

PhotoByCapt.DonMooney: A nice Indian River trout caught from a grass bed on a D.O.A. Cal

VideoByJeffDennis: Capt. Willy Le of Cocoa Beach reels in a redfish with authority

Caramba wins back-to-back CBC's

The final day at the Carolina Billfish Classic saw a battle royalle develop for the prized top spot of best billfish boat. After a see-saw points battle between Sportin' Life and Caramba, it was the latter that was able to celebrate with a fiesta. Owner Bob Faith was still excited when I spoke with him on the docks about the action that had taken place offshore, and the fact that a rare title defense had been delivered by his captain and crew.

To view blog coverage from Day Two of the CBC click here.

PhotosByJeffDennis: Cordes Johnson was 'the man' with his 3.8-pound mahi; Lenny Cannon with his 52.2-pound mahi that took the outstanding dolphin division; These two youth are holding the 11.4-pound skipjack tuna caught by Jeff Boggus from the Double Eagle

2011 Carolina Billfish Classic - S.C. Memorial Reef

Day Two at the Carolina Billfish Classic saw nine boats go fishing. Eight out of Toler's Cove, one from Charleston and none from Georgetown. The fleet released eleven billfish with Caramba taking the lead in the tourney with their four fish day consisting of one blue marlin and three sailfish. Sportin' Life also released a blue marlin and one sailfish. After fishing the annual S.C. Memorial Reef auction was held to continue raising funds to establish the 'DeepReef' off of Charleston, and it was a classy event that was very well attended. Lots of dollars were raised and everyone received a free S.C. Memorial Reef T-shirt!

To view blog coverage from Day One at the CBC click here.

To view blog from the 2009 SC Memorial Reef auction click here.

PhotosByJeffDennis: The welcome sign at Tolers' Cover; two teak marlin that were on the S.C. Memorial Reef auction; This prints depicts Wallace Jenkins in a dream-state as he uses a hand line to pull in the Governor's Cup winner!!

2011 Carolina Billfish Classic - Day One

Let's see.... where to begin.....

This is the SECOND Annual Carolina Billfish Classic.

It is the FIRST billfish tourney in S.C. to use multiple ports for weigh-ins.

This is the FIRST time it is being hosted and held at Toler's Cover Marina and Gold Bug Island.

The event is the SECOND coming of what used to be the Chas. Harbor Marina tourney.

A wednesday night Captain's Meeting was held at Gold Bug Island for entrants to pick up their t-shirts and to go over the tournament's rules. Fishing got underway on Thursday when 23 of 31 boats went offshore looking for the man in the blue suit!

To view blog coverage form the 2010 CBC click here.

To view blog coverage from other 2011 Gov. Cup events click here.

PhotosByJeffDennis: Pookie Ragsdale with his mahi mahi; the Sportsman banner is at Toler's Cove; a nice mess 'o fish from El Tejano; Deidre Menefee is the SOLE organizer for the CBC and addresses the Captain's Meeting

Capt. Von Kolnitz / Adventure Outdoors

Fishing out of Isle of Palms is made easy when you look up Capt. Fritz Vol Kolnitz and his Adventure Outdoors Charters. A Mount Pleasant native, Fritz has never left his home waters and that compiled knowledge can make a real difference when fishing conditions require changing tactics in order to get on the fish. His reputation for taking families on the water and finding the sharks that they love to catch is well deserved. Lowcountry Outdoors would like to attest that Adventure Outdoors is setting the type of positive example for fishing and conservation that everyone should appreciate.

PhotosByJeffDennis: Just soak in the action on this redfish coming to the net photo; Amber with the preferred display of a redfish with shoulders; blue crabs were the only bait utilized this day and no fish were kept; Amber with a small bonethead shark

BIG fish Round Up

PhotoProvidedBySCDNR: Hunter Woodberry with his state-record Queen Triggerfish that weighed 9-pounds 7-ounces

To view past blog entries on state record fish click here.

PhotoByJeffDennis: Tink Wallace with her 41.7-pound bull dolphin caught on 6/18 in the SCSSA Oceanic Tournament from Gage Blue's boat Sadie Beth

PhotoByEricTuttle: Daniel Martin with his 6/15 wahoo that was weighed at 93-pounds at Haddrell's Point West by Scott Hammond

PhotoByNoWorriesCharters.net: Ross Holmquist with his state-record scamp grouper that weighed 26.98-pounds

PhotoByNicole Culler: The 470-pound Edisto Hammerhead shark that needs no introduction!

2011 Lowcountry Anglers Tourney

PhotosByJeffDennis: Lonnie East III with his 7.26-pound sheepshead which was good for second place; youth angler Trey Baker with his 1.16-pound black sea bass which earned him the Outstanding Youth Angler award; Russel Green of Summerville with his 2.68-pound Spanish mackerel that took third place; The final names on the Lowcountry Anglers scoreboard

June Fishing Challenge at Folly Pier

The initial fishing challenge tournament was fished Saturday June 18 at the Folly Beach Pier. An overcast morning led to a great black drum bite before the sun came out and warmed the pier full of tournament competitors angling to catch the bragging rights until the next fihsing challenge in July. No king mackerel were caught in the king category and the heaviest three fish category were all black drum caught about he same time that morning.

To view past blog entries about Folly Pier click here.

PhotosByJeffDennis: A lady angler on the king mackerel portion of the pier casts out her line; Click on the fishing challenge flier to read more about these tournaments; fishing coolers an fishing rods lined the Folly pier on Saturday; the leaderboard from the Folly Pier carries the results form the June fishing challenge

S.C. Waterfowl Association - 2011 Update

Dear SCWA Supporters, I hope everyone is having a great start to the Summer. I wanted to take a moment to provide you with an update the programs of the South Carolina Waterfowl Association. Sincerely, David J Wielicki - Executive Director

To view past blog entries on SCWA / Camp Woodie click here.

Camp Woodie Is Of To A Great Start! Despite the high heat the kids at Camp Woodie are having a great time. Camp WoodieDirector Ed Paul and his staff are doing an outstanding job getting kids excited about the outdoors and wildlife conservation. Each day of camp, Ed is posting photos on Facebook. You can follow Camp Woodie on Facebook by clicking the Camp Woodie Logo. Seeing the smiling faces of the next generation of waterfowl conservationists gives me great hope for the future of our wildlife resources. If you have a child you would like to sign up for Camp Woodie there are still spaces left. Give Ed Paul a call at 803-600-8977 or email him at epaul@scwa.org.

Wood Duck Production Project The nest box checking season is underway. SCWA waterfowl biologist Stuart Cochran and field technician Matt Huggins have started checking nest boxes. The nesting season was off to a great start with good Spring wetland conditions across the state. However, the recent high heat and dry spell could have a negative effect on late nesting and brood survival. We will keep you posted on nesting results. If you are interested in starting a wood duck nest box project give Stuart Cochran a call at 803-600-0742 or email him at scochran@scwa.org.

Waterfowl Population and Habitat Update Despite our dry conditions the Prairie duck factory is enjoying near record water levels, especially in North Dakota, Southern Manitoba and Saskatchewan. In late July the US Fish and Wildife Service will publish their waterfowl breeding population and habitat survey results. I expect this year to be one of the best since the surveys began. This should result in large Fall flight of waterfowl with a liberal waterfowl season for all four flyways. The final season dates will be set in late August. I look forward to keeping you posted. The waterfowl habitat at our Wildlife Education Center is in great shape thanks to the installation of a new irrigation system. We also installed hog proof fencing to keep wild hogs from damaging our waterfowl crops in our major habitat areas. Three weeks ago we released 3,000 mallards at the Center. We are working hard with Frost Waterfowl and project cooperators across the state to release over 40,000 mallards this summer.

Chapter Banquets Chapter Banquets are right around the corner. Our first banquet is in Columbia on Saturday, August 13 at the Medallion Center. Chairman David Stanley welcomes anyone who would like to attend or make a contribution to the event. He is always looking for more chapter committee members. David and his committee of dedicated volunteers are working hard to achieve number one chapter status for 2011. The Summerville banquet is set for Saturday, August 27 at the Dorchester Senior Center. Larry Wells and his committee are looking forward to a great event. For more information about upcoming events or tobecome a part of one of our committees, please visit our website!

2011 CLA - Fishing For The Cure

The 2011 Carolina Lady Anglers tournament was fished June 4th out of the Maritime Center. This was the 14th annual Fishing for the Cure event, which is always a good draw and a fun time. Check the news page at their website at Carolina Lady Anglers and watch as these good folks support the fight against breast cancer. CLA also plays a role in fostering the Trident Fishing Tourney system.

To view past blog coverage from CLA tourneys click here.

PhotosByLowcountryFishScales: CLA V.P. and VIP Christel Newton with a portion of a king mackerel after a shark took a chomp on it; The Ladies of CLA

Inlet Sports Lodge Opens in Murrells Inlet

A new outdoors-themed lodge has recently opened in Murrells Inlet and sportsman should be aiming to pay them a visit. With a logo consisting of a golf club laying across a fishing rod, it seems the Inlet Sports Lodge has their sights set on those who like to golf and fish. A visit to their shop counter will reveal that they also are interested in travelers who like to hunt, as they have a relationship with Maidendown Bay shooting preserve. The Inlet Sports Lodge is an all new facility with three floors of comfortable lodging, plus a fourth-floor widow's walk with a view of the water. The spacious foyer area is well appointed with sporting mounts, duck decoys and antique golf and fishing equipment, with an especially nice touch being the Gray's Sporting Journal cookbook which graces the lounge coffee table. Bliss is a restaurant on the grounds of the lodge which is also brand new, but has a reputation for tasty food. Less time spent finding a bite to eat, means more time on the water looking for a fish!

PhotosByJeffDennis: Sailfish mount in the foyer of the Inlet Sports Lodge; Sign on the front ofthe lodge; Try the flounder at Bliss that is so good it surely is a sin; the courtyard at the lodge is sharp just like the rest of the facility

Spade Fishing with Capt. E, filming Reelin' Up The Coast

Recently in Murrells Inlet for the filming of Reelin' Up The Coast television show with host Captain Englis Glover, the star of the show was youth angler Blake Hodge, part of Team Wrecking Crew waterfowl guide service of Lancaster, S.C. and this was his first attempt to fish for spadefish. Captain J Baisch of Fishfull Thinking guide service out of Murrell's Inlet put the film crew on the fish and Blake was able to catch several spadefish, and a few black sea bass too. Serving as cameraman was Michael Broach of Fishizzle Tackle and Capt. Chip Wolfe and son Jackson used their watercraft as the camera boat. The weather was fine for fishing, and the television filming was completed in short order, in time to meet back at M.I. for lunch at the Dead Dog grill with Wrecking Crew founder Daryl Hodge.

VideoByJeffDennis: Capt. J Baisch releases a hoss spadefish caught by Blake Hodge

PhotosByJeffDennis: Blake Hodge signals that this is his FIRST ever spadefish; Check out the cool wrap on Capt. E's Tundra truck; Blake displays the jellyball teaser before it is deployed into the water to attract the attention of the spades; Daryl Hodge (in blue) and Englis Glover are good buddies whether in the field, on the water, or at the feed table!

Edisto Shark Tourney yields 470-pound Hammerhead

The Inaugural EWT Thirsty Fish Shark Tournament at the dock on Big Bay Creek got off to a slammin' start when a Walterboro crew hoisted a 470-pound hammerhead shark to grab first place. Tournament Sponsor Freddy Avant of Freddy's Taxidermy in Walterboro was on the 27-foot boat when the shark was landed and said everything went right for them that morning. They got hooked up early, had a young buck on the rod, and were able to get a circle hook right in the corner of the shark's mouth. The second place went to a 220-pound Tiger shark reeled in by Barry Fontaine of Edisto Beach, who used a homemade harpoon to get the shark onboard.

To see past blog coverage of the state record lemon shark click here.

PhotosByJeffDennis: Cameron Rhodes is an undergrad student who took tissue samples and measurements for scientific studies

Captured Sea Turtle is a past Aquarium patient

The Sea Turtle was caught off of Kiawah nearly one year after it was released back into the sea, just days after another sea turtle release in the same area (view video). The S.C. Aquarium had rehabilitated the very same juvenile loggerhead sea turtle at its turtle hospital, and had named it Scute! The loggerhead was found stranded in Myrtle Beach on August 24, 2009 with a rope around its neck and in an anemic state. After 8 months of care, Scute was released back into the Atlantic in a healthy state on May 1, 2010. Then in early June 2011 the SCDNR's was conducting a routine turtle trawl when the vessel Lady Lisa picked Scute up out of the open ocean. The loggerhead turtle was weighed and measured, and the comparative data revealed some positive results. Namely that Scute had gained 25-pounds and increased in length by 1.25-inches, which is equivalent to normal growth for a healthy sea turtle. Scute's data suggests that the Sea Turtle Hospital at the S.C. Aquarium is quietly compiling a record of successes that may be an important cog in the recovery and survival of the world's sea turtles.

To view past blog entries about sea turtle releases click here.

PhotoByJeffDennis: Dawsey the Loggerhead Sea Turtle returning to the ocean after rehab