If you see a pack of enthusiastic kids ranging from ages three to 15 making their way down Charleston’s various docks, it’s very likely they’ll stop behind the sleek, mahogany-hued transom of a 57’ Sunny Briggs with classic, curvy Carolina lines. Although the boat herself has a long history of sport fishing success, the glossy, silver name now etched across the stern represents a program that is relatively new to the game. That said, the family-focused operation has wasted no time establishing a sterling reputation here in the Palmetto State. 

Buddy Rowe, owned by longtime friends Todd Wigfield and Matt Byrd, first competed in the Series in 2022. With Capt. Cordes Lucas at the helm, the boat would go on to win second place that season after racking up consistent billfish points throughout the summer. Since their start, the team has experienced several close finishes, but until recently had yet to capture an overall tournament win. That would all change at last month’s Carolina Billfish Classic.

For yet another year, the tournament was plagued by challenging weather conditions and was ultimately reduced to a one-day shootout. Teams took advantage of the Charleston Harbor Resort’s many amenities, including the beloved Tiki Bar and several swimming pools, while strong winds and rough seas kept the fleet of 40 boats tied up at the dock. After several days of poolside cocktails and hangouts, competitors eagerly set out for their first and final day of the tournament early on Saturday morning.

One day shootouts are tough. There’s a lot riding on a single day of fishing, so it’s critical to land on the fish early. The Buddy Rowe, however, was able to approach the day with some confidence. “We had just come off of a really good final day at Big Rock, so we felt like we could be competitive,” Wigfield explains. “The fishing had been good the previous week and we had been seeing a lot of fish. But, there were a lot of good boats fishing the tournament too, so we knew it would have to be our day for us to win it.”

Fortunately, Buddy Rowe got a fast start, releasing a blue marlin just 45 minutes after lines went in the water. “That blue marlin kind of set the vibe for the day,” says Wigfield. “Everyone was in a good mood. Then the sailfish bite started, and we just didn’t miss. Cordes found some great water and we took advantage of the bites we had. In this sport, there are so many times when it’s just not your day and no matter what you do, you can’t hook fish, or they don’t bite. They sure bit for us on Saturday.”

The team fishing aboard Buddy Rowe, which included Wigfield, Byrd, Jamie Hood and mates Cordes Johnson, Chip Byrd, Evin Hamilton and Ryan Sullivan, fully capitalized on the bite Lucas led them to that day. They released one blue marlin and seven sailfish for a total of 2,000 points. Since the team elected to put their phones away and Lucas opted to keep the standings quiet, the crew was surprised to learn of their win as lines finally came out of the water. As it would turn out, they hadn’t just won the tournament. The Buddy Rowe had frankly dominated it, accumulating double the points of the next highest scoring boat. 

“It was awesome,” Wigfield says. “Matt and I were so happy because we have come close so many times, but we hadn’t ever won. You have to put a lot of work in to put yourself in a position to win. It’s hard. You just have to stay positive and that’s all we ever talk about. I was probably more happy for Cordes and little Cordes. They’ve put a ton of work in and they finally got their day. Matt and I are extremely proud and happy for them.”

Prior to this welcome win at home in Charleston, Lucas and Johnson had been working together as a team for years. In fact, they were initially presented to Wigfield and Byrd as a package deal when they first began their search for a captain. “When we set out to find a captain, we knew it wouldn’t be easy,” says Wigfield. “We were not only a new program, but we had no track record of owning a big boat, and we were a dual owner operation. This wasn’t exactly exciting to captains that had run fishing programs for a long time. We both reached out to people who we knew and respected, and we got a lot of good advice. Capt. Ryan Riggs was awesome and helped us think through how to come up with an annual budget and various other things to think about. Harry and Fran Johnson are close friends and have been big supporters of ours as well. One day I called Harry Johnson and asked him if he had any thoughts on someone that could be a good fit for us as a captain. He called me back a day later and said, ‘I have someone you need to talk to, but there is catch. Cordes Lucas, who is running a boat part-time and mating on another, wants to run a program. My son, Cordes, is his mate, and he will need to find something too!’ I think we met with them the next day and knew that they were exactly the guys we were looking for. So, we got a captain and a mate – Big Cordes and Little Cordes.”

Now in his thirties, Lucas has had an extremely successful career here in South Carolina. Sharp witted and somewhat sparing with a smile, he grew up fishing with many of the state’s most prominent fishermen. His talents at the helm are a true testament to those formative experiences. “Cordes Lucas is the best,” says Wigfield. “He learned under Capt. Mike Glaesner, one of the best captains in Charleston, and he took a chance on us. In turn we promised him we would do whatever we needed to do to be successful. Cordes is smart, great with our kids, an amazing fisherman and is a perfectionist. He is as passionate about his work as anyone I have ever been around, and he has taught me and Matt so much. Our entire relationship is built out of trust and respect. Cordes has become part of our families, and we wouldn’t be doing what we are today without him.”

And while Lucas mans the helm and leads up the program, Johnson keeps things running in the cockpit and provides some welcome entertainment for the Buddy Rowe crew. “Cordes Johnson is like our second son,” says Wigfield. “He’s a bright, respectful kid who grew up in a fishing family and has learned the ropes of being a mate under Big Cordes. He’s extremely knowledgeable and a hard worker. And he is really funny too. We laugh all day at him.” 

Adopting Lucas and Johnson as family aligns nicely with the kind of program Wigfield and Byrd had always hoped to build. “Matt and I always agreed that we wanted our program to be fun and family oriented,” says Wigfield. “That mattered more to us than anything. Matt and his wife Claire have two nine-year-old boys, Bear and Levi. Meanwhile, my wife Heather and I have four kids: 15-year-old Hayes, 12-year-old Merritt, five-year-old Rowe and three-year-old Pendon. They are getting to the age where we wanted them to be able to learn how to fish. And selfishly, we wanted to spend as much time with them as possible. Family boat cruises are never a dull moment on the Buddy Rowe!”

It’s only fitting that even the name of the boat is born from that same family first sentiment. While fishing together one day, Byrd and Wigfield toyed with different ideas for a name. Wigfield listened as Byrd called his two young boys to fill them in on the day the two friends had shared on the water. “When he hung up, he said ‘alright buddyro, I will call you later,’” recalls Wigfield. “I looked at Matt and said, ‘that’s it’! My dad had called me that growing up too and since my 5-year-old son’s name is Rowe, we finally had our name – Buddy Rowe.

With a big win at the Carolina Billfish Classic now freshly tied to their name, the Buddy Rowe team will next fish this week’s HMY Lowcountry Cup hosted at Toler’s Cove Marina. They currently sit in second place in the Series standings. “Hopefully we can perform well at the next two Gov Cup tournaments and keep the win streak going,” says Wigfield. “We aren’t far behind Ryan Riggs and the Outlier team for the overall title. They are good friends and it’s fun to be chasing them, so we will see what happens.”

As they prepare for the competition ahead, Wigfield and Byrd fully recognize that it takes a village to make programs like the Buddy Rowe a possibility. They’re measurably grateful for how far they’ve come as a team in such a short time. “First, we’d like to thank our wives, Heather and Claire, for putting up with us during tournament season and listening to us talk about fishing all the time,” says Wigfield with a laugh. “Second, we would just like to thank all the tournament organizers this year. They do a great job and we appreciate it. And finally, thank you to everyone who has helped the Buddy Rowe team along the way over the last few years! The fishing community is pretty special. We have made some really great friends, and we are very thankful for that.”

All of us at the Gov Cup are looking forward to seeing folks at this week’s HMY Lowcountry Cup, the fourth leg of the 2024 Series! It will be a great way to celebrate Independence Day here in Charleston. Good luck to everyone fishing it!