Up until this year, Greg Smith’s Blue Sky had always been the bridesmaid, but never the bride. The team had celebrated several close finishes in the Gov Cup, even taking second place as recently as 2019. A Series title had always seemed just out of reach for the talented crew. This season, all of that changed for the 60-ft Spencer. After a summer performance described by others as lapping the field, the Blue Sky name will now forever be hitched to Series history.

The crew aboard the Blue Sky will celebrate their win of the 34th South Carolina Governor’s Cup Billfishing Series at an awards reception now scheduled for mid-October. They won the 54th Annual Georgetown Blue Marlin Tournament, the Carolina Billfish Classic and finished third in the Edisto Invitational Billfish Tournament, accumulating a total of 6,075 points for releasing five blue marlin and 15 sailfish. 

“20 years ago, I could only have imagined achieving this spot,” says Smith. “It’s all a bit surreal.” Smith, who has been involved in the Gov Cup for decades as a participant, a sponsor, and even the Chair of the Advisory Board of Directors, has been overwhelmed by the immense amount of support he and the Blue Sky team have received . He’s heard kind words of congratulations from countless other captains and crews, as well as many people that, like him, call Pawley’s Island and Georgetown home.

Two decades ago, this achievement may have seemed merely a dream for Smith. But given the team he has assembled, such success was really only a matter of time. Capt. Jay Weaver mans the helm while full-time mate Donnie Todd runs the cockpit. In the last couple summers, mate Matt Murphy has joined the team to fish the tournament season in South Carolina. Weaver, Todd and Murphy each bring their own skills to the operation and work extremely well together.

Smith was aware of Weaver’s many talents well before he hired him to run Blue Sky. “Jay and I have known each other since the old Viking Blue Sky and the Daymaker, a boat he was running at the time, were docked close by each other at Georgetown Landing Marina,” says Smith. “Jay is a very focused individual, not only in fishing but just about anything he undertakes. I always respected his seriousness and his ease. They both complement his personality. Jay is now a great husband to Kelly and a superb father to Quinn. He’s become a central part of our fishing family. Our team owes Jay for the season. He has done a fantastic job.”

Smith has known a long list of mates. Few, if any, have made the kind of impression that he’s seen with Blue Sky’s full-time mate, Donnie Todd. “I have been around plenty more mates than captains over the years and I can say that Donnie really stood out from the first day he came aboard Blue Sky,” says Smith. “Donnie had worked on other boats that I knew, but Jay had a closer relationship and convinced him to come aboard. Donnie is always prepared, ready to go and absolutely loves fishing. Sometimes he’s reserved and into his own thoughts, but you know he’s always thinking about catching the next fish. Donnie’s parents did a great job of raising him. He’s thoughtful, caring and determined. Donnie’s not only a good mate, but he’s also a great friend.”

Smith, Andy Peace, Scooter Harmon, Baker Dawson, Dan Webster, Harry Oxner, and Clay Livingston round out the crew as anglers. There’s certainly ample talent in that cockpit. “Our team is a mix, that’s for sure,” explains Smith. “We all love what we’re doing. We have more, I’ll say, non-practicing ‘captains’ than any team I’ve fished with. We all fish together in the off-season to keep us up to speed and we all have our wives very much involved in Blue Sky adventures.”

Now that the summer fishing season has come to an end, Blue Sky’s next adventure will take them to the boatyard for a fresh paint job and new electronics. Trips to the yard are definitely not the most exciting, but we’re looking forward to seeing the results of the work they’ll be putting into the boat. All other plans are temporarily on hold as Blue Sky prepares to welcome a new member of the team.

 Weaver and his wife Kelly are expecting their second child in January. This is of course wonderful and exciting news for an infinite number of reasons. And what makes this addition of a new Blue Sky crew member even more special is that Greg Smith just recently welcomed a grandchild. The two little ones will have plenty of time to grow up together, right in the cockpit of the Blue Sky.

As Smith reflects on his team’s exceptional season, he’s reminded of many happy memories. Some involve the blue marlin and sailfish bites Blue Sky was able to convert to releases. Others involve happy celebrations with the crew. One such memory was made possible by mate Matt Murphy’s infectious charisma. When staff delivered a Gov Cup flag to the crew, a relatively new tradition to celebrate the Series winner, Murphy paraded it around the cockpit amid cheers. Blue Sky had finally done it. They had finally clinched that coveted title.

“I owe a lot to the Governor’s Cup,” says Smith. “I have been lucky enough to serve as a past Chairman and have thoroughly enjoyed being associated with the employees of this part of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. The Gov Cup has a very special group of owners, captains, mates and families that make up this one-of-a-kind community. It’s truly an honor, and it would be a huge miss not saying something about Amy Dukes here. She has done so much for this group. Hats off to her. Thanks, Amy!”

The crew aboard Blue Sky got as close as you can feasibly get to a full Series sweep without actually getting to fully claim it. They won the first two tournaments and took third in the last one solely based on time. The top three boats during that event had the exact same number of points. A single sail would have made all the difference. Throw the technicalities aside, and Blue Sky did indeed sweep the 2022 Gov Cup. 

Whether or not you choose to concede the sweep, Weaver, Smith, and the rest of the Blue Sky team undoubtedly dominated this year’s Series.  Capt. Cordes Lucas and Buddy Rowe, a 57-ft Sunny Briggs owned by Todd Wigfield and Matt Byrd, took second in the series with 3,275 points. Trashman, a 64-foot Weaver owned by Ben Wall and captained by Geno Sauers, took third with 3,250 points.

Congratulations to the team aboard Blue Sky on lapping the field and being our 2022 South Carolina Governor’s Cup Billfishing Series winners! We’re proud to see your name carved alongside the many others on the Gov Cup’s perpetual trophy and its accompanying plaques.