The following was originally presented as a speech during the 2023 South Carolina Governor’s Cup Billfishing Series Awards Reception held on the evening of September 29, 2023 at Founder’s Hall at Charles Towne Landing.

The Mate of the Year Award, which comes with a prize sponsored by Palmetto State Armory, recognizes exceptional mates who leave a lasting impression on their peers, as well as captains, owners, and tournament staff. The hardworking men and women we see in the cockpit are critical cornerstones in our sport fishing community. Their preparation and skills serve as the bedrock of any stellar fishing performance. Recipients of the Mate of the Year Award don’t just showcase integrity, sportsmanship, reliability, leadership, and skill. They’re also active members of the community, setting an example for up-and-coming mates still learning the ropes.

This year’s recipient is woven so intricately into the fabric of the sport fishing program that he works for that it’s hard to imagine the team without him. He’s been with the boat for over a decade and in that time got married and became a father. He’s seen captains come and go and ownership change across generations, and yet he’s remained the steady force in the cockpit, the reliable mate who is more like kin than a hired hand.

He’s great with kids, offering clear and patient guidance when youth anglers battle billfish or fat red snapper. And he’s got an incontrovertible sense of humor, able to roll with the punches and dish them out too. This is indeed a required trait for this particular crew, a group of talented anglers who love each other like brothers.

This year, on the final day of competition, he and the rest of his team clawed their way, fish for fish, to re-clinch the overall win in the Series. It was a nail biter through to the very end, a fitting finish for what he and others on the boat call, “a day two team”. While many are responsible for that success, it goes without saying that his contributions to the Trash Man program have helped pave the way to a long list of triumphs, both on and off the water. Since he wholly embodies what it means to be an exceptional mate, we are proud to announce that our 2023 Mate of the Year is Kyle Clark.