The SC Blue Marlin Invitational Awards Four Winners

The 2nd Annual South Carolina Blue Marlin Invitational (SCBMI) celebrated four winners this year, but not quite for the reasons you might expect. The tournament, which hosted 21 participating boats, allows competitors to select three fish days from May 1st through May 23rd, an opportunity to work around busy schedules and bad weather days. In addition, participants are allowed to fish other tournaments in South Carolina that overlap with the SCBMI’s dates.

Chasing the Jackpot

Fishing over the course of the 23-day event was excellent. A total of 52 blue marlin were released by the fleet. Several boats reported fish that fell just an inch or so short of the tournament’s minimum length requirement of 105 inches to land a blue marlin and clinch the $184,000 prize in the Duffie Boatworks Blue Marlin Jackpot.

As the last boat finished their final day of this year’s tournament, no blue marlin made it back to the scales at Toler’s Cove Marina or Georgetown Landing Marina. However, the fleet was encouraged to see so many blue marlin fall just short of the length requirement, and looks forward to seeing those fish return to South Carolina next year.

Although the Jackpot remained unclaimed, the KryptoQuiet Daily Release Division was highly competitive. With the exceptional fishing seen off South Carolina this spring, teams vied for each daily title, a prize of $24,600 and a set of KryptoQuiet cutlass bearings.

Stephen Davis’ Bench Mark with Capt. Jordan Parker ultimately won the Day 1 Daily with two blue marlin releases. Capt. Chris Kubik led Sweet Spot, owned by Sweet Spot Marine, to win the Day 2 Daily after releasing three blue marlin. Sportin’ Life, owned by Graham Eubank and captained by Capt. Mike Glaesner, topped the fleet with three blue marlin releases to win the Day 3 Daily.

To Charity Go the Spoils

The winners were later celebrated during an awards reception in Charleston, South Carolina. That said, arguably the greatest award winners of the SCBMI didn’t even necessarily compete in the event. Following the tournament, the SCBMI donated $15,000 to the South Carolina Memorial Reef, an initiative which creates life after life to honor sportsmen that have passed. This year’s donation, made in honor of Fred Glaesner (Capt. Mike Glaesner’s father) and Manly Eubank (Graham Eubank’s father) should help support future South Carolina Memorial Reef projects, benefiting the broader sportfishing community along the East coast of the U.S. – a win for us all.