2015 Carolina Billfish Classic - Day One

Youth angler E.J. Nettle (navy shirt) and his leading wahoo

A week-long stretch of scorching and near record heat draped over the Lowcountry leading up to the third leg of the Governor's Cup Billfishing Series. The Carolina Billfish Classic is based out of Toler's Cove Marina which is in Mt. Pleasant on the causeway to Sullivan's Island. The format for the 2015 tourney was modified to utilize only two back-to-back days of fishing on Friday and Saturday. A total of 28 boats went fishing on Friday and found a nice ocean with very little chop and the fishing was very good with nine blue marlin released, one white marlin released and six sailfish released.

Harry Hood and his mahi from Compromise

The Reel Passion released two blue marlin to charge into the Day One lead with a total of 1200 release points. Second and third place are tied on released points, so it is the time of release that determines who is ahead. Caramba is in second place with one blue marlin release and one sailfish release, while the third place boat is the Pertrel. It is worth noting that there were many more blue marlin seen in the bait spreads today, and multiple boats reported close encounters that did not result in a hook up or a lengthy fight. At least one grown blue marlin was spotted, along with a good number of smaller blue marlin.

The Carolina Billfish Classic allows for boats to fish out of their home ports, so several boats are fishing out of Georgetown Landing Marina. One of the Georgetown boats is the Mirage, and they ended up weighing in the leading dolphin after Day One with a 40.1-pound mahi caught by Carroll Campbell. Back at Toler's Cove it was the Bad Becky from Edisto that weighed in a 39.6-pound mahi, finishing under a half-pound behind the dolphin reeled in by the Mirage.

Crew from Russell Hat with a nice HOO

In the wahoo category it was 13-year old E.J. Nettles weighing in the heaviest wahoo at 34.0-pounds caught from the Solid Surface. E.J. Nettles is also leading the Outstanding Youth Angler category with the same wahoo. Second place youth angler is 11-year old Harry Hood with a 9.0-pound mahi. The Outstanding Lady Angler after Day One is Jean Hood, fishing aboard Compromise, for releasing one blue marlin worth 600 release points. Congrats!

Day 1 Unofficial Results for the CAROLINA BILLFISH CLASSIC:

First Place Billfish Boat:
Reel Passion - 2 blue marlin released - 1200 pts
Owner: Bill Ingram
Captain: Gary Richardson

Sea Tiger's 28.2-pound wahoo

Second Place Billfish Boat:
Caramba - 1 sailfish and 1 blue marlin released - 800 pts
Owner: Bob Faith
Captain: Dale Lackey

Third Place Billfish Boat:
Petrel - 1 sailfish and 1 blue marlin released - 800 points
Owner: Harry Johnson Jr.
Captain: Thomas Wynne

Outstanding Dolphin:
Carroll Campbell - 40.1 pounds
Boat: Mirage

The 40.1-pound dolphin brought in by Mirage

Owner: Bill Monckton
Captain: Homer Rachels

Outstanding Wahoo:
EJ Nettles - 34.0 pounds
Boat: Solid Surface
Owner: Aaron Nettles
Captain: Andy Nettles

No tuna landed

Outstanding Lady Angler:
Jean Hood - 1 blue marlin released - 600 pts
Boat: Compromise
Owner: Robert Hood
Captain: Larry Branham

Outstanding Youth Angler:
EJ Nettles, age 13 - 34.0 pound dolphin
Boat: Solid Surface
Owner: Aaron Nettles
Captain: Andy Nettles

Second Place Youth Angler:
Harry Hood, age 11 - 9.0 pound dolphin
Boat: Compromise
Owner: Robert Hood
Captain: Larry Branham

To view past blog entries from the Carolina Billfish Classic click 2013 - 2012 - 2011 - 2010