As is typical for South Carolina’s coastline in late July, afternoon and evening thunderstorms passed through the Edisto Invitational Billfish Tournament, igniting the seaside sky above the Marina at Edisto Beach in sudden, roaring flashes of violet and indigo. The electricity cascading across the heavens however paled in comparison to what stirred amongst the team aboard one particular boat. The crew aboard Buddy Rowe had unlocked an unparalleled chemistry, an electric dynamic that made them an indomitable force throughout the summer.

It’s extremely satisfying when the last event in the Series closes out with great fishing, and the Edisto tournament did not disappoint. The fleet of 36 boats competing released a total of 29 blue marlin and 114 sailfish, setting a new billfish release record for the beloved, beach-side tournament.

Having just come off of back-to-back tournament victories at the Carolina Billfish Classic and the HMY Lowcountry Cup, Capt. Cordes Lucas and Buddy Rowe, a 57’ Sunny Briggs owned by friends Todd Wigfield and Matt Byrd, went into Edisto ready to compete for not only the tournament’s title, but the overall Series win as well. Buddy Rowe was already in the lead, but with the Outlier right on their heels, Lucas would have to find the fish early and consistently. 

All but one boat opted to lay on the first day of the tournament. Trash Man braved the heavy winds and rough seas, ultimately releasing one blue marlin and two sailfish. The rest of the fleet would head offshore the next morning, eager to get back on the great bite that boats had experienced in the days ahead of the tournament. 

Just 17 minutes after lines hit the water on Day 2, Buddy Rowe had already released a triple header of sails, setting the tone early. Outlier and others answered back with their own releases, but none could catch Buddy Rowe’s growing lead. By the time the committee boat officially called for lines out on Day 2, Lucas and his team had released two blue marlin and eight sailfish. 

As boats set out for the Gulf Stream on the final day of the tournament, Buddy Rowe sat in first place. That said, a few blue marlin bites could easily change the leaderboard. To safely secure a tournament and Series win, Buddy Rowe would need to continue racking up points.

A handful of teams called in sailfish releases almost immediately after lines went in the water on Day 3 and Buddy Rowe was one of them. Shortly afterward, Lucas and his team added another blue marlin release to their tally. Much like their first day of the tournament, the crew aboard Buddy Rowe remained busy until lines came out of the water. By 3:00 p.m., they had released two blue marlin and six sailfish.

In their two days of fishing during the Edisto Invitational Billfish Tournament, Buddy Rowe released a total of four blue marlin and 14 sailfish, tallying nearly 2,000 points more than the next highest scoring boat. Capt. John Thomas and Sea Fix finished in second with three blue marlin and eight sailfish releases. Bench Mark, with Capt. Jordan Parker at the helm, took third place after releasing two blue marlin and 10 sailfish. 

Buddy Rowe not only won the Edisto tournament, but they also decidedly earned the unofficial top spot in the 2024 Series. The Gov Cup’s Advisory Board of Directors will review Series results in the coming weeks. Official winners will be announced shortly after the board’s approval. Stay tuned!

The Teaser is a series dedicated to showcasing the stories of the South Carolina Governor’s Cup Billfishing Series and its lively community. The Gov Cup was created several decades ago to encourage the conservation of ocean resources through the tagging and release of billfish. Learn more here.