Edisto hosting Governor's Cup Billfishing Tournament

Governor's Cup event starts on time - sort of
GREGG HOLSHOUSER

The official start of hurricane season, June 1, is still three weeks away and we're already learning our ABCs. A is for Andrea.

The 19th annual South Carolina Governor's Cup Billfishing Series opened on Thursday with the first day of the Edisto Marina Billfish Tournament. However, there was no fishing.

Tournament officials and competing boats were eyeing rough seas churned up by the subtropical storm, which received the name Andrea Wednesday afternoon.

Boats are allowed to fish two of three days, Thursday through Saturday, captain's choice. All 35 boats entered in the tournament passed on Thursday and planned to fish today and Saturday.

The tournament beginning as planned seemed unlikely just a few days ago.

The storm had been spinning off the Carolinas coast since Sunday, creating consistent winds of 25knots to 35 knots, with gusts over 50, and seas up to the 30-foot range over the Gulf Stream.

The Weather Channel's Jim Cantore was reporting live on the storm Wednesday from Folly Beach, located about 15 miles northeast of the marina.

A forecast for quickly calming seas, according to the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) marine forecast, kept the tournament on track. The offshore forecast Thursday morning called for south to southwest winds of 10 knots to 15 knots for today and Saturday with seas 4feet to 7 feet today and only 3feet to 4 feet on Saturday.

Steve Wallace, manager of Edisto Marina, says the storm may have a positive impact on fishing in the tournament.

"I think [fishing is] going to be better," Wallace said. "I think it's going to bring [the fish] in - the northeast wind [prevalent through the week] is going to help bring in some of that warm water [from the Gulf Stream]."

Wallace said billfish activity has been observed by boats fishing from Edisto Marina in the last few weeks when weather has permitted offshore trolling.

"Just about everybody that goes out there, they see [billfish] or hook up with them," Wallace said. "They're out there."

Wallace said a 107-pound wahoo was landed and plenty of dolphin were available before the storm made the scene.

Governor's Cup Conservation

Last October, the South Carolina Governor's Cup Advisory Board and the Tournament Committee unanimously approved a 110-inch minimum size limit for blue marlin being weighed in.

The Cup's minimum size is well above the current federal minimum size limit (99 inches).

The points system used in the series has been revamped by the board to reward fishing teams for releasing billfish.

Points earned for blue marlin releases will increase from 300 to 600 points, while points for white marlin releases increase from 150 to 200. Sailfish releases remain the same at 100 points.

Also, a NOAA regulation established on Jan. 1 requires billfish tournament participants in the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico and U.S. Caribbean fishing with natural bait or natural bait and artificial lure combinations to use only circle hooks.

Tournament participants who use artificial baits not in combination with natural baits may continue using the traditional J-style fishing hooks.