Guy Harvey Magazine — Spring 2017 by Rowland Publishing, Inc.

SOUTH CAROLINA S P E C I A L E D I T I O N

Perfect Match

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CONTENTS

SPRING 2017

CAROLINA BLUE

TAG LIFE

From trout fishing in the Blue Ridge Mountains to stalking big game

One of our own—a proud South Carolinian—has long served

in the blue waters of the Gulf Stream, South Carolina does fishing

in one of the oldest and most effective citizen-based tagging

like few other states.

programs in the country.

BY FRANK SARGEANT

BY JEFF DENNIS

SPAWNING THE FUTURE

Every year, DNR hatcheries supply millions of game fish for South

SAVE THE REDEYE We’re not talking about adult beverages, but something far more

Carolina waters. The process and the results are simply amazing.

intoxicating...bass fishing! Native redeye bass need our help.

BY FRED GARTH

BY DARYL CARSON

THE STRUCTURE OF SUCCESS

THE PERFECT MATCH There are great rods and great reels to be had for every kind

Anglers know good fishing requires good habitat, and

of fishing, but combining the two is best done with a little

the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources uses

professional help.

every tool it can to enhance an already rich environment.

BY GHM STAFF

BY MICHAEL CONNER

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PHOTO PORTFOLIO

DEPARTMENTS

GUY TALK

The Hard Work of Conservation Pays Off

MEET THE CHEF

Lowcountry Eats We tap into the serious food vibe of Charleston and

The hard work of fisheries science pays big dividends—

discover two chefs with a passion for seafood.

just ask the anglers of South Carolina.

BY GHM STAFF

BY DR. GUY HARVEY

THE BITE

News, Notes & Gear

LAST CAST

Hooked on Lake Hartwell If only our Freditor had realized the bounty of Lake

Find some of the coolest gear to hit the market and

Hartwell when he frolicked on her shores long ago.

catch up on the latest fishing and conservation news.

BY FRED GARTH

BY GHM STAFF

PHOTO PORTFOLIO

Jason Stemple Wildlife photographer turned fishing freak Jason Stemple adds a great visual punch to our South Carolina-themed issue.

On the Cover: Striped Bass V by Guy Harvey www.GuyHarvey.com

www.GuyHarveyMagazine.com | 9

CONTENTS

SPRING 2017

Jamaican Family Legacy

DOCK BUZZ

Slot Limits

FEATURED PRODUCTS

The Complete Inshore Angler

In more than one fishery, data collection is a real

Don’t fish the skinny water without the tools for

challenge, but when that happens, slot limits offer an

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effective way to conserve fish, and in some cases, the

companies in the industry.

jobs they support.

BY CA STAFF

BY NICK HONACHEFSKY

BACKLASH

Young Gun

FEATURE

Jamaican Family Legacy

Captain Mike Venezia is only 24 years old, but he’s

One of the longest running billfish tournaments in the

making a name for himself in one of Florida’s most

Caribbean can be found in Montego Bay, and after 55 years,

famous fishing towns.

the fishing—and the camaraderie—are as good as ever.

BY NICK HONACHEFSKY

BY WILLIAM BOYCE

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GUY HARVEY MAGAZINE OFFICES: PENSACOLA, FLORIDA Fred Garth, Editor-in-Chief NEW YORK, NEW YORK Merrill Squires, Partner SHREVEPORT, LOUISIANA Scott Smith, Partner

CREDITS TO: PUBLISHER Lost Key Publishing Managing Editor Daryl Carson Art Director Carly Stone Circulation Director Penny Jones Director of Sales & Marketing JJ Waters Ad Sales Director Justin Gaudin Editor, Complete Angler Nick Honachefsky Social Media Consultant David Wilkinson Social Media Coordinator Nathan Merritt Accounting Karen Belser Copy Editor Kerrie Allen Contributing Editors Dr. Guy Harvey, Danny Thornton Contributors William Boyce, Michael Conner, Jeff Dennis, Capt. Jordan Pate, Frank Sargeant, Jason Stemple, Capt. Mike Venezia Editorial Advisory Board Dr. Guy Harvey, Chad Henderson, Bill Shedd, Dr. Mahmood Shivji, Harvey Taulien, John Guidroz, David Wilkinson

Made in USA

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WE’RE GREEN:

Finding an environmentally-friendly printer is important to us. That’s why

this magazine is printed at Publishers Press in Shepherdsville, Kentucky. Publishers Press recycles more than 50 million pounds of paper products each year, which saves 10 million gallons of oil, 35,000 trees and 14 million gallons of water. Publishers Press also recycles more than 300,000 pounds of aluminum printing plates annually and no hazardous wastes are ever sent to a landfill, but are recycled and reused.

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they own to be used for conservation and recreation. GUY HARVEY MAGAZINE, Issue 27, Spring 2017. GHM is published four times per year (quarterly) for $24.95 per year by Lost Key Publishing, LLC, 7166 Sharp Reef Road, Pensacola, Florida 32507. Application to mail at periodicals postage prices is approved at Pensacola, Florida and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Guy Harvey Magazine, PO Box 13274, Pensacola, FL 32591-3274. No part of this magazine can be reproduced without express written permission from Lost Key Publishing. Occasionally, we may make all or part of our subscriber list available to carefully screened companies that offer products and/or services that may interest you. To subscribe to Guy Harvey Magazine call our toll-free subscription number, 888.275.2856.

www.GuyHarveyMagazine.com | 15

CONTRIBUTOR’S PROFILE JASON STEMPLE Many of the pages in this issue are dedicated to the incredible diversity and richness of South Carolina fisheries. To accent all of the great stories with some real visual punch, we were fortunate enough to connect with S.C.-based photographer Jason Stemple. Working out of the culturally and visually rich environs of Charleston, Stemple spends most of his time with a camera in one hand and a fly rod or push pole in the other. He works with a wide range of fishing industry clients and, while his work takes him all around the country, he admits that it’s always good to come home. There, you can most often find him chasing redfish on the mud and Spartina flats of the Lowcountry. “I began my photo career as a wildlife photographer, but at the time I was also a flyfishing guide out West,” says Stemple. “When I moved to South Carolina, I began to merge the two and tried to shoot fish as I would a bird or mammal. So much of fishing photography at that time was just about showing a caught fish, but I really liked trying to show their undisturbed behavior. Tailing redfish were

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tailing redfish, and much more. See more of his work at www.jasonstemple.com.

www.GuyHarveyMagazine.com | 17

GUY TALK

THE HARD WORK OF CONSERVATION PAYS OFF As an avid reader of this magazine, you’ve probably noticed our trend of

That is something I understand very well. Many of you know I grew up in

focusing on the fishing and conservation initiatives in various states and marine

Jamaica fishing offshore with my parents and in tournaments. I still spend a lot of

conservation organizations. Over the past few years, we’ve examined the

time chasing sharks and billfish so we can tag and track them. These efforts have

amazing work of the Florida Institute of Oceanography in St. Petersburg. We

gleaned a lot of data about these big animals that help us to understand their travel

highlighted the vital ongoing efforts of the Everglades Foundation as they and

patterns and behavior and thus, we can better protect them. One incident that

other non-profits push forward with restoration of the “River of Grass” and what is

has been highly publicized is a mako shark we tagged in May 2015 off the coast

an absolutely essential nursery for thousands of species of flora and fauna—fish,

of Ocean City, Maryland. Named Hell’s Bay, after the Florida-based company that

reptiles, birds, flowers, sea grasses, and on and on. And, we’ve dived into the

makes those beautiful flats boats, the

fishery work of agencies in states like Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida.

shark traveled more than 13,000 miles

This issue, we turned our spotlight on South Carolina—a state with just about

in two years. That’s significant because

every kind of fishing you could want. From rainbow trout in Smoky Mountain

it’s the farthest anyone has ever tracked

streams to striped bass in dozens of lakes to dolphin, tuna and billfish offshore,

a mako shark. Lots of these animals are

the state truly has one of the most diverse fishing repertoires in the nation.

caught by fishermen, but Hell’s Bay is

As we’ve traveled this exploratory editorial path, we’ve confirmed what we already suspected: maintaining a healthy and vibrant sport fish population does not just happen. It takes cooperation and hard work from fishermen like you,

still going and giving us insight into that highly threatened species. Finally, while most people know me

grassroots conservation organizations, fishing and boating related businesses

primarily as a saltwater fisherman, I’m

and, yes, governmental agencies. In South Carolina, for example, as you’ll read

content with any kind of rod and reel

on page 32, the extraordinary striped bass fishing is the result of scientific

in my hand. That’s why I’m attending

methods that were developed by state biologists in the 1960s. Now, South

the GEICO Bassmaster’s Classic this

GUY HARVEY, PhD

Carolina hatcheries release more than five million stripers into reservoirs each

year in Houston, so maybe I’ll be better

is an internationally-acclaimed

year. So, if and when you try to catch a trophy striped bass in South Carolina (and

prepared to land one of those big South

artist, fisherman, scientist, and

you definitely should), you can thank the hard work of biologists who keep the

Carolina stripers. If you’re in the Houston

world traveler, who devotes

population thriving. This not only helps the natural ecosystem but it supports

area, come see me!

much of his time and money

tackle shops, boat sales, fishing lodges and the list goes on. As a scientist, it makes me proud that the work of my colleagues in South Carolina has had such a

I hope you enjoy this special South Carolina edition of Guy Harvey Magazine!

profound and positive affect on recreational anglers, who simply want to enjoy a day on the water with friends and family and, of course, catch a few fish!

20 | www.GuyHarveyMagazine.com

Fair winds and tight lines!

toward ocean conservation.

www.GuyHarveyMagazine.com | 21

NEWS, NOTES & GEAR South Carolina Governor’s Cup It’s about more than just catching fish. South Carolina anglers are gearing up for this year’s Governor’s Cup—a series

Of course, anglers can keep other species that are common table fare, such as

of five billfish tournaments that will be held May through July. The series, which

dolphin and wahoo. And the Governor’s Cup also awards prizes for the largest fish

will celebrate its 30th anniversary next year, is an official program of the S.C.

in these categories and has special divisions for top youth and lady anglers. But the

Department of Natural Resources and a tremendous example of the conservation

emphasis on catch and release has had a significant impact. Over its history, the

impact that can come from competitive fishing. In fact, the tournament series has

Governor’s Cup is credited with helping change billfish statistics in South Carolina from

been so successful it has inspired similar events in neighboring states and helped

90% mortality to 90% catch-and-release.

spawn a multi-state event called the Carolinas’ Shootout.

“The Governor’s Cup participants are really conservation-minded,” says

The five tournaments in the Governor’s Cup all offer their own prizes and cash

Jenkins, who also points out that a number of big research and conservation

payouts, and awards reach into the tens of thousands of dollars based on participation

projects have been made possible through the cooperation—and generous

and “tournament-within-the-tournament” money. But the Governor’s Cup awards are

contributions—of the anglers. In the mid-2000s, many Governor’s Cup

focused on a different goal. “Back in the late 1980s, the Governor’s Cup was started as

participants hosted SCDNR biologists on their boats as part of the tagging project. In all, more than 100 billfish were tagged with satellite tracking tags. “Having researchers on those boats was a tremendous cost savings to us,”

an effort to reduce the number

says Jenkins, “and it produced an incredible amount of data that we’re still in the

of fish that were being landed,”

process of fully analyzing.”

says program coordinator Wally

One marlin tagged from those events was recaptured off Brazil. It had

Jenkins. “People were bringing

traveled 4,320 nautical miles and provided the first known evidence of a trans-

small sailfish and white marlin

equatorial crossing by a billfish.

to the dock. But to encourage

In more recent years, the Governor’s Cup has funded the deployment of

catch and release, we award a

deepwater reefs. In 2014, two massive barges, loaded with other materials such

prize to the boat for the most

as truck chassis and shipping containers, were sunk in about 350 ft. of water

release points over all the events.

some 50 miles offshore from Charleston. The structure is in a Type 2 Marine

All white marlin and sailfish are

Protected Area, which means it’s closed to bottom fishing, and it was placed

released, and we have a minimum size of 105 inches for blue marlin.” Jenkins says the minimum size for blue marlin—which is six inches longer than the federal limit—means only one or two fish are landed each year, but also allows anglers

in an effort to help the recovery of a number of imperiled deepwater grouper species. It’s already producing results. “After two years, ROVs have gone down and documented warsaw grouper, misty

an opportunity to land a record fish. The current state record was landed during the

grouper and other species,” says Jenkins. “And higher up in the water column, we’re

Governor’s Cup aboard the Rascal, fishing out of Georgetown. It weighed 881 lbs. and

seeing an increase in pelagic species. Many of the tournament fish caught last year

measured 134 in. Of course, any blue marlin that is landed is examined by researchers,

were in the same area as the reef.”

who sample its DNA, stomach contents and collect other data. Unlike most other

The deepwater reef project cost $450,000 dollars, all private money and the

tournaments, the Governor’s Cup also requires any marlin that is landed be processed

bulk of that coming from the Governor’s Cup and donations from the anglers who

within three hours of inspection and be used for food.

participate in it. This year, a bridge structure is going to be added to the sight and

“That’s part of our conservation message,” says Tournament Director Amy Dukes. “We want people to respect these fish. They are cooled down by the teams as they

will provide nearly 50 ft. of relief. More than half of the $180,000 needed is already committed to the project.

come back to the dock and then we display the fish on ice. It’s pretty amazing to see one of these fish and we want people to have that experience, but we also want to

For information on the South Carolina Governor’s Cup and to find event links, visit

communicate that they are a valuable resource.”

http://govcup.dnr.sc.gov/.

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2017 South Carolina Governor’s Cup Events Bohicket Marina Invitational Billfish Tournament May 10-13

50th Annual Georgetown Blue Marlin Tournament May 24-27

Carolina Billfish Classic June 21-24

MEGADOCK Billfishing Tournament July 5-8 Left: Fish not released at the Georgetown Blue Marlin Tournament are displayed on ice.

Edisto Invitational Billfish Tournament

Above: Boats line up for the 2016 Carolina Billifish Classic. Photos: Carolina Billfish Classic.

July 19-22

INTRODUCING THE NEW RAPALA COASTAL CATEGORY. A LINE-UP OF NEW INSHORE, NEAR-SHORE AND OFFSHORE LURES.

www.GuyHarveyMagazine.com | 23

Galapagos Photo Safari If you’ve ever wanted to visit the Galapagos Islands, but with the freedom to really explore and perhaps capture images of the amazing wildlife, the folks at Guy Harvey Outpost Resorts are offering a chance to do just that. Their Galapagos Photo Safari is May 4-12, and Sports Illustrated photographer Ron Modra will serve as both guide and photo pro. Modra will highlight photo opportunities during the five-island itinerary and will also be available to help edit photos and provide feedback and tips for capturing the best images. There will be opportunities to photo bird life, such as the red- and blue-footed boobies, frigates and albatross. There will also be a chance to swim or snorkel and see turtles, penguins and iguanas in their natural habitat. One night will be spent “glamping” under the stars, and there is also an optional fishing trip to target marlin, wahoo and tuna. For more information or to book a trip, visit www.guyharveyoutpost.com.

24 | www.GuyHarveyMagazine.com

Don’t Miss What You Can’t See! Like radar, thermal imaging provides a way for boaters to “see” when their vision is obscured by darkness, fog or other barriers. And in the modern world of highpowered electronics, the ability to integrate systems means even small boat

“Nothing renews your spirit like a sunset over the water.”

operators can have the benefit of electronic vision both above and below the waves. FLIR Marine has just upped the ante in this field with the introduction of their M100 and M200 thermal cameras—their most compact pan and tilt marine thermal cameras to-date. The cameras offers superior image quality and artificial intelligence features to help detect and warn boaters about potential hazards. When combined with a Raymarine Axiom multifunction display, the system delivers lifelike imagery and an intuitive, easy-to-use navigate interface. $649.99 to $3,349.99, Raymarine Axiom MFD Series $2,499.99 and up, FLIR M-series cameras flir.com/marine

Get a Grip, and Keep It Anglers are always looking to hook a fish, but sometimes it’s the fisherman that gets stuck. From a thrashing fish just brought into the boat to the tackle itself, there are plenty of dangers to avoid. Lindy fishing gloves are built to fend off

handling live bait or cleaning your catch. They combine extreme fabrics and proprietary technology to deflect teeth, fins, wire leaders, sharp tackle, filet knives and other hazards. Available in three sizes, they are machine washable, slip on easily and have a Velcro wrist strap for a secure fit. $28.09 lindyfishingtackle.com

Explore the shore on the award-winning white sands of St. Pete Beach. Master the art of paddleboarding, go fishing or on a diving adventure. At the end of the day, find topical cocktails, live music and campfire s’mores beside the Gulf of Mexico. It’s a resort experience like no other. Get more for your beach getaway with our value packages!

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Y HARV

puncture wounds and cuts and also provide excellent grip when landing fish,

OUTPOST www.GuyHarveyMagazine.com | 25

Carolina Blue

BY FRANK SARGEANT

From trout fishing in the Blue Ridge Mountains to hunting billfish in the blue waters of the Gulf Stream, South Carolina delivers fishing like few southern states. Clapper rails, salt marsh and redfish go together. The cryptic “ik-ik-ik” of the strange little game birds seems an inevitable soundtrack, in perfect harmony with the soft rustle of cord grass swept aside by an ocellated tail, and with the slide of a push pole between calloused palms, scraping here an oyster, there a rock—but mostly easing silently into the deep, rich chocolate mud of the estuary. Across the nearly half-million acres of chartreuse Spartina marsh that cloak the coast of South Carolina— more than any other Atlantic state—there are a whole lot of rails and redfish for much of the year. The conditions that make life perfect for both are here in abundance, to say nothing of the countless sea trout, sheepshead, black drum and so much more. If this were the only fishery in the Palmetto State, it would assuredly be worth a pilgrimage for every serious angler. But it’s only a small piece of a fishing pie that sprawls from many miles offshore into the inky blue of the Gulf Stream inland to some 3,500 ft. up the Blue Ridge Mountains. Here’s a brief look at some of the many fishy spots around the state.

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The creeks, ponds and sloughs of South Carolina’s vast estuaries provide calm water ideal for navigating with a flats skiff on most days. Photo: Capt. Jordan Pate, www.carolinaguideservice.com.

www.GuyHarveyMagazine.com | 27

Tarpon are among the summer visitors here inshore, along with lots of bluewater gamefish offshore. Photo: Capt. Jordan Pate, www.carolinaguideservice.com.

Inshore Basically, from Hilton Head north to Charleston, it’s a low-country archipelago

there are a lot of 24-inchers in the inshore waters. At 30 in. or so, the fish

of winding marsh creeks, rivers, flats and oyster bars where both redfish and

move out to the inlets and offshore as adults.

sea trout thrive, particularly in spring and fall. Redfish, known as “spottail

Sea trout are also abundant here, with some of the best winter spots

bass” in South Carolina, are the favorite inshore target for many, mostly

around oyster bars on points and creek mouths in the winding maze of

because they can be caught in such interesting ways, including sight-casting

islands. Live shrimp or mud minnows (killifish) do the job, drifted under a

lures or flies for tailers when temperature and tides are right. The marshes

popping cork. Shrimp-tail jigs and plastic shrimp are also effective—fish

clear in winter as algae dies out and sight fishing opportunities present

everything slow in cold weather. Trout remain very active down to about

themselves for those expert in local geography and timing. St. Helena and

50 degrees, locals report.

Port Royal sounds, among others, cover thousands of acres of prime, shallow water, easily accessible from dozens of public landings. When the bite is not on in the marsh grass, it’s likely to be gangbusters

Flounder are also a major recreational target here, with good reason—the southern flounder gets big, with four- to five-pounders not uncommon. One good way to get them is to drift live mud minnows along bottom in the inlets

at creek mouths, oyster bars and potholes just outside. The bottle-nosed

and around jetty rocks. SCDNR suggests, in particular, the Cape Romain area.

dolphin in this area have learned to feed on reds by trapping them in shallow

In general, any of the deeper tidal creeks close to the beach can get loaded

pockets, so the reds are frequently found in water that’s not deep enough to

up with these fish at times, particularly in late October and November after

float the big mammals. Locals say you can often see the fish, but if not, you

a cold front, when masses of them move through the passes on their way

look for “nervous” water. The red drum size limit is 15-23 in., which means

offshore to spawn.

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Just one of many passes along the South Carolina coast, Drayton Inlet not only provides easy access from the inside waters to the beach, but is also a fish highway for reds, flounder, trout and more. Photo: Capt. Jordan Pate, www.carolinaguideservice.com.

On the Beaches There are numerous small inlets passing through the barrier islands that have

area is often gamefish junction. By the time the stream goes past Morehead City, it’s

formed along much of the South Carolina coast, and September through

about 35 miles out, just an hour’s run for a fast boat on a calm day.

November, these often hold schools of XL redfish. They’re too big to keep—most

Sailfish are a favorite July-August target here, with good numbers showing

are well over 30 in., and some over 30 lbs.—but they’re the right size to make for

up in 120 to 300 ft. Head on out to the stream and troll high-speed heads with

fast, fun fishing. Chunks of cut mullet or blue crab are usually the ticket in these

patience and you may hook up with a blue marlin during the same period.

often murky waters, and you’ll need a big surf rod to get your bait well out in the

They’re not giants, averaging about 200 lbs., but any billfish of that size is well

flow from the beaches.

worth the wait. Dolphin and wahoo are also common here at depths of 180 to

All the usual nearshore species are found here seasonally, as well—Spanish,

600 ft., according to SCDNR, with most caught along color breaks and weedlines

bluefish, bonito and more—a kayak launched off the beach can get you to this

on trolling plain or skirted ballyhoo. King mackerel live closer to shore, with the

action when the surf permits, or you can take a center console out of many of the

largest females, 30 lbs. and up, usually hanging around the larger inlets where

inlets in calm weather.

a slow-trolled live mullet or pinfish will do the job. The entire pelagic fishery is seasonal, getting into gear in April, ending in October most years as the fish

Offshore

head for Florida waters.

The Charleston Bump is not, as you might think, a hip dance, but a rise in the sea

literally dozens of the reefs sitting at depths from 30 to more than 120 ft.

floor more or less east of Charleston about 50 to 55 miles, which actually diverts the

on the continental shelf. These areas all provide good fishing for grouper,

Gulf Stream to the east from its northward course. North of the bump, the current

snapper and other reef fish, and are also prime trolling areas for locating

swings back inshore, creating a huge eddy, according to Richard Legeckis of NOAA’s

kings, Spanish and other species. See a list of the reef locations and depths

National Environmental Satellite, Data and Information Service. Not surprisingly, the

here: http://dnr.sc.gov/artificialreefs.

South Carolina also has a well-developed artificial reef program, with

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Lake Jocassee is no doubt one of the most beautiful lakes in the state and in the southeast, surrounded by mountains, forests and waterfalls and with water clear as glass at times. Of course, this can make it a challenge to fool the big bass—most anglers use trout-imitating swimbaits to catch bigger bass because the big guys feed on the stocked trout here. Lake Jocassee is unique in holding five state records, including marks for both warm-water and cold-water species. The record smallmouth, spotted bass, redeye bass, brown trout and rainbow trout were all caught here. The water is usually Bahamas’ clear, which means it’s finesse country where 6-lb. test fluorocarbon may be called for at times. Senko-type worms, shaky heads and drop-shot rigs do a lot of damage, and there’s an early topwater bite for zig-zag lures in spring around points and humps. It’s not a large lake at 7,500 acres, and gets very crowded once the swimming/skiing/wakeboard season arrives. Devil’s Fork State Park near Salem has pretty waterfront cabins, ramps and more. Lakes Marion and Moultrie on the Santee Cooper rivers near the coast form a nationally-known bass fishery, as well, a full 180° from Jocassee. The lakes are loaded with stumps and dead trees, cypress and hydrilla as well as snakes and gators—you won’t be troubled by water skiers in these lakes, but you may need a spare prop to get you home after you hit submerged timber. Soft plastics, spinnerbaits and topwaters all do well, and are best fished on stout tackle because the fish run large, with five-pounders common, seven and more not rare. Santee State Park is one of the favorite places to stay here: http://southcarolinaparks.com/santee/introduction.aspx.

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Far Left: Largemouth bass are everywhere in the Palmetto state, but it’s hard to beat the action on Lowcountry lakes like Marion and Moultrie. Left: The many coldwater rivers flowing out of the Appalachians provide excellent trout fishing, often in secluded surroundings, and anglers benefit from ongoing stocking programs. Photos: Jason Stemple.

Coldwater Trout Action Lake Jocassee is hands-down the best place to catch quality trout in the state (the minimum size is 15 in.), and lots of shad to feed on means the fish are fat. It’s not classic trout fishing, by a long shot; downriggers or lead-core lines are used to get spoons and plugs deep to fish usually pre-spotted on sonar. There’s also a good night fishery using commercial minnows, night crawlers or cut herring. Again, sonar lets you know where to fish. If you want more traditional fly-rod fishing, go to the head of the lake and fish the Whitewater River tributary. The fish are smaller, but are stocked regularly and usually cooperate. For much more abundant—but not giant— trout, the Chattooga (yep, the Deliverance river) is by far the best choice. It’s a designated Wild and Scenic River with few access points, but if you don’t mind a bit of walking in most areas, both stocked browns and rainbows, as well as brook trout, are abundant. Some of the upstream areas have wild trout as well. The lower sections are covered up with tubers, rafters and kayakers in summer, but the colder months give a classic trout fishing experience. Locals say fly patterns don’t matter a whole lot here—make a quiet approach, stay well back from the pools you’re fishing, and make a drag-free presentation, and all the classic patterns including dries, nymphs and streamers will do the job. The state offers an excellent trout fishing guide here: http://dnr.sc.gov/fish/pdf/TroutBook.pdf.

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Spawning the Future

Stokes shows off a nice trout—and prime table fare. The Waddell Mariculture Center he oversees stocks multiple game species, including spotted sea trout in South Carolina waters.

If you catch a game fish in South Carolina, there’s a good chance it is the product of one of the state’s long-term stocking programs. In fact, some 50 years ago, fishery biologists in South Carolina pioneered techniques to artificially spawn and raise striped bass. Today, the state is releasing millions of fish—of multiple species—into both fresh and saltwater habitats for recreational anglers to try their luck at catching. We spoke with two gentlemen with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources who are carrying the torch into the future. Their work is impacting both sport fishing and the market for sustainable seafood.

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Interview with Al Stokes Manager, Waddell Mariculture Center

GHM: First off, what’s the difference between mariculture and aquaculture?

identify and develop seafood production technology and also restock

AS: For our discussion, aquaculture is the culture or production of seafood in fresh

recreationally important marine finfish populations. This year, we will produce

or saltwater while mariculture is the culture or production of seafood in seawater.

cobia, red drum and spotted sea trout for our stocking program and will track these populations using their DNA. We will also produce some marine shrimp

GHM: With seafood getting more and more popular, is the future of seafood

in one of our research production units to demonstrate shrimp production

consumption going more toward farmed fish?

techniques for people who want to see a shrimp production unit and learn more

AS: With a rapidly growing world population, seafood farming will be the only

about it.

way to meet the increased demand for seafood. In 2014, farm-produced seafood exceeded wild-caught product. It is suggested that by 2030, aquaculture will

GHM: We’ve written articles about the cobia they’re raising in Panama. Is that

account for two-thirds of all seafood.

something we could duplicate here in U.S. waters? AS: The primary reason growers in Panama are successful is that they have year-

GHM: And how much of the seafood that Americans eat is imported?

round growout temperatures. Our temperate climate would not be optimal for

AS: Ninety-one percent of the U.S. seafood is imported and most of these

outdoor cobia culture. There are other secondary concerns, but water temperature

products are imported from Asia.

is our primary reason.

GHM: Why do you think we’re lagging so far behind Asia in fish farming?

GHM: What’s the greatest challenge in the future of hatcheries?

AS: In my opinion, the best managed seafood production systems have been

AS: I believe it is the lack of funding support to upgrade hatchery and production

developed in the U.S. We lag behind Asia because they have lower labor costs,

facilities so that they can be more efficient and address recreational fishery

they are less regulated and, depending on the species, they may have a longer

production needs. Overfishing is real, and stocking and monitoring hatchery-

production period. The bottom line is that it is cheaper to produce seafood in Asia

reared fish is important to help answer important fishery management questions.

compared to the U.S.

In addition, recreational fishing is important to the economy of any state. I would strongly suggest that those in the private sector who benefit from spending by

GHM: How did the mariculture center get started?

millions of fishermen take an interest in the success of their local fish hatcheries.

AS: The coast of South Carolina has nearly 100,000 acres of saltwater impoundments and old rice fields. Owners routinely flooded these ponds and recruited wild populations of fish and shrimp to be harvested and sold to local markets. These units are generally quite large and difficult to manage and provide no control of the types of seafood that are recruited when the inlet gates were opened. It works, but is not efficient. In 1979, there was some strong interest in the state to invest in and to build a research center that could develop methods to produce a single seafood species—like fish or shrimp—in high-ground-built ponds designed specifically for seafood production. It was thought that the research information and production technology developed at the mariculture center might offer coastal farmers an opportunity to produce a more profitable crop. The center officially opened in 1984. GHM: What are the primary species you’re working with? AS: The Waddell Mariculture Center is a research and development platform for

Above: A researcher demonstrates good technique while releasing a red drum. Keeping

the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. The center’s researchers

the fish’s body in the water helps reduce stress during the catch and release process.

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Forrest Sessions squeezes the belly of a large female striped bass to release eggs for fertilization. Photo: Courtesy of Forrest Sessions.

Interview with FORREST SESSIONS Project Leader, Bayless Fish Hatchery and Dennis Wildlife Center GHM: Striped bass are seriously loving life in South Carolina. Can you give us a

30 hours later, an egg sample is obtained and observed under a microscope to

little history?

predict when they’ll spawn. We will check the female at the predicted time and

FS: When the Santee and Cooper rivers were dammed back in the 1940s, it

see if she’s ready. We do this by squeezing her belly. If eggs flow freely then she’s

essentially trapped striped bass within the reservoir system. After a number

ready to spawn. If we don’t see any eggs, we will usually give her another two

of years, young striped bass were still being captured in the lakes, and it was

hours then check again. The critical part of the spawning process is to spawn

determined that natural reproduction was occurring within the lake system.

the female at the appropriate time. Once the eggs are ripe, they will stay ripe

Most people think striped bass need to go to the ocean to complete their life

for about 30 minutes and then they will go overripe and won’t fertilize. Once

cycle, but these fish don’t need the saltwater phase—they grow and mature

eggs are flowing freely, we will anesthetize the fish and then squeeze her belly,

in freshwater. Our stripers are not truly anadromous—needing saltwater to

allowing the eggs to flow into a pan. At that point, we use three male striped

spawn—they stay in freshwater and go upstream into the rivers to spawn.

bass to fertilize the eggs by squeezing their bellies to expel milt into the egg pan. Water is added and the eggs begin fertilizing. After one minute, the water

GHM: Are they the same species as the saltwater stripers?

is drained from the pan and the eggs are poured into incubation jars where they

FS: Yes, it’s the same species.

incubate for 48 hours and begin to hatch.

GHM: Can you enlighten us about the hormone techniques that were developed in S.C.?

GHM: How many striped bass do you raise annually?

FS: Maybe your everyday fisherman is unaware, but in fishery circles, most

FS: At Bayless, we produce about 11 to 12 million larvae. Then we stock our

people who work with striped bass know that hormone induction techniques

55 ponds and others hatcheries in the state. Stocking that many larvae into

originated in S.C. in the 1960s. HCG is injected in female striped bass and about

rearing ponds usually produces about five million striped bass fingerlings.

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GHM: Wow, that’s a lot of stripers! What about the fish that spawn in the wild?

GHM: If you’re raising most of the fish, why are their size limits on striped bass?

FS: Most fishermen don’t realize that Santee Cooper is the only lake in the state

FS: In Santee Cooper reservoirs, we are encouraging natural reproduction. It takes

with significant natural reproduction.

a female striped bass four to five years to become sexually mature. So a 26-in. size limit is enforced to allow those females to get to a size they are sexually mature

GHM: So what percentage of striped bass come from hatcheries?

and have an opportunity to spawn before being harvested. Size limits vary in

FS: In every reservoir except Santee Cooper, 100% of the stripers come from

different reservoir systems. In those areas where there isn’t natural reproduction,

us. When someone catches a striped bass, we probably raised it. Even in Santee

the size limit is usually lower because the fish don’t need protection to become

Cooper, where there is natural reproduction, in most years, 70-80% of the fish are

sexually mature. However, because of the growth potential of striped bass, a size

hatchery raised.

limit may be present to allow those fish to reach trophy sizes.

GHM: So, you’re saying, without the hatchery system, there would be virtually no

GHM: What’s is the tackle of choice for catching stripers?

striped bass fishing in South Carolina lakes with the exception of Santee Cooper

FS: Spinning and baitcasting. Some use live bait. Some troll. Some use topwater

reservoirs?

lures. Others use depth finders to locate fish and use jigs. So, I guess people try a

FS: Yes, that’s correct.

lot of different methods, just like any other fishing.

GHM: Can you explain how you identify fish that anglers catch?

GHM: Would you say South Carolina has the best striper fishing in the U.S.?

FS: We clip a fin from all male and female striped bass at the hatchery and store

FS: I can say that we’re one of the most aggressive states for managing striper

each fin clip for genetic analysis. We record which males we cross with each

fishing. A number of states have really good striped bass fishing. Habitat is key for

female and from the genetic analysis we know what the genetic fingerprint of

striped bass. Those states that have deep, cooler reservoirs can produce some big

those crosses will be. Years after stocking, a fin clip can be taken from a striped

stripers.

bass captured in the wild and we can tell you if it’s a hatchery fish, and if it is, which female and male were used to make the cross.

GHM: We’ve heard that you’re an expert on robust redhorse. What is it? Sounds like a Bluegrass band.

GHM: What’s going on in the Congaree River?

FS: Ha! No, it’s a fish. The robust redhorse was first described by the early

FS: The Congaree and Wateree rivers are rivers that flow into the upper Santee

Naturalist Edward Cope in the 1800s. There hadn’t been a documented sighting

Cooper reservoir system. Adult striped bass leave the lakes in the spring and

of these fish for over 100 years when fisheries biologists in Georgia collected

migrate into these lengthy headwaters. When striped bass spawn, their fertilized

specimens in the Oconee River. Once biologists knew what to look for and what

eggs will float down these rivers and hatch before they get to the lakes. In other

type of habitat these fish utilized, searches for robust redhorse in other systems

reservoirs in S.C. the headwaters aren’t long enough for the eggs to hatch before

located remnant populations in the Savannah and Pee Dee rivers. These fish

they get to lakes, where they settle to the bottom and don’t hatch.

can reach 18 lbs. and have molar teeth on their gill arches that are used to crush freshwater clams. It’s not a gamefish, but there are historical anecdotes of early settlers using pitchforks to collect these fish on their spawning grounds and carting them off to market. And, it’s very likely native Americans ate them, as robust redhorse molar teeth have been found in archeological mounds. It’s a highly imperiled species that at one time flourished from North Carolina to Georgia. We embarked on a stocking program back in 2004 and have now stocked over 70,000 fingerlings in South Carolina. We recently documented natural reproduction in areas we’ve stocked, so it’s a good success story.

Striped bass eggs are checked under a microscope to verify they are ready for fertilization before they are introduced to milt from the male fish. Photo: Courtesy of Forrest Sessions.

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Success

Volunteers help move recycled oyster shell to build up a shallow-water reef. Photo: SCDNR.

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BY MICHAEL CONNER

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outh Carolina boasts diverse topography, with waters ranging from low altitude mountain streams to nearshore ocean hard-bottom. That’s quite a range of options, and through the years, resident anglers—along with a slew of annual visitors—have made the most of all this habitat. More importantly, the state has been serious about managing its fishing resources, and one of its most successful tools has been making its wide range of natural environments even more fish-friendly through habitat enhancement programs. While the materials and methods are diverse, the results are all the same—healthier fishing.

South Carolina was once widely considered the epicenter of the nation’s largemouth bass fishing, and today, it still boasts ever-improving bass fishing opportunities, not to mention a wide array of other freshwater species. But this kind of excellence doesn’t happen on its own. Much of the state’s fine freshwater fishing can be directly attributed to the state’s efforts toward habitat improvements in its lakes and reservoirs. Amy Chastain, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Fisheries biologist for Region 1 in the western part of the state, oversees habitat restoration in the popular, 55-year-old Lake Hartwell, located southwest of Greenville on the South Carolina/Georgia border. Much of the structure that was left in place when Lake Hartwell was impounded has been lost as the lake aged. A settlement from a Natural Resources Damage

These big bass (above) are an example of the productive fishing that comes from

Assessment has provided funding to restore Lake Hartwell fish habitat.

habitat enhancing structure. Right: This “spider hump” is part of a Lake Hartwell

During the 1950s and 60s, PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) were released

Restoration Project. Photos: SCDNR.

into drainages impounded by the Lake Hartwell. Schlumberger Limited acquired the liability for the contamination through acquisition of a smaller

Chastain. “And we now have completed three such sites, using about 100 tree

electrical components company. In the 1990s, Schlumberger entered into

trunks per mile. The results have been nothing short of phenomenal.”

agreements with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to clean up the contamination in the system. Following the EPA agreement, a group of natural resource agencies, including the DNR, started a natural

Chastain also lauds the use of 12-ft. bamboo stalks anchored by cement in plastic buckets, placed in 30-40 ft. of water farther off the banks. “We are hoping to provide anglers an online listing of the locations of the

resource damage assessment, and in 2006, a settlement was reached with

bamboo attractors, which we discovered are far superior to Christmas trees,”

Schlumberger. The settlement included removal of two dams on a Lake

she adds. “Local anglers have used bamboo on their own for some time, and

Hartwell tributary, stream restoration of the affected reach, funds to enhance

it is locally sourced.”

public access and $2.8 million for fish habitat enhancement in Lake Hartwell. “With the funding available, DNR undertook various fish habitat

The first of the bamboo fish attractors were placed in 2014 and the results are promising. Other attractors include more typical brush structures, stump

restoration projects,” says Chastain, “including the construction of gravel beds

fields and spider humps, which are a mixture of logs and boulders. The Lake’s

and artificial (and natural material) fish attractors.”

largemouth bass, various panfish, and introduced striped bass and hybrids

Chastain says the project goals include improved spawning success, an increase in refuge and the forage base. “Perhaps the most effective of the fish attractors are cut and cabled trees that were originally on the shoreline,” says

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(striper/white bass cross) all seem to be benefiting from the structures. Closer to the coast, various fisheries habitat restoration efforts are underway in the Santee Cooper lake system. The body of water was formed in 1941 when

the Santee River and Cooper River were impounded to form lakes Moultrie and

control water hyacinth, hydrilla and a more recent infestation, the crested floating

Marion. Connected by the seven-mile-long Diversion Canal, the lakes have a

heart, which first got a foothold in Florida in the mid-90s.”

combined area of about 170,000 acres and shoreline of over 760 miles. “As far as habitat enhancement efforts, we are currently concentrating

Lamprecht says the invasive floating heart requires herbicide control, though triploid carp have been introduced to keep a check on hydrilla, as

on augmenting our existing brush attractors with harder, more durable

is done in other Southeastern states. “The carp are extremely effective, and

materials,” says Lamprecht. Fish attractors are a big part of the program on

create a limited, no-take fishery as a plus,” says Lamprecht. “We also plant

the lakes, with cedar trees and Christmas trees the common natural materials.

vegetation, such as water willow, that is ‘carp-resistant’ to establish good

“We maintain over 35 such sites, and they have been very successful,” says

cover and also forage for gamefish. The submerged portion provides the

Lamprecht. To improve these sites, DNR entered into a cooperative effort

cover, and it also helps to control shoreline erosion.”

with the Santee Cooper Country tourism board and the South Carolina

Fish-stocking efforts are also ongoing, and Lamprecht reports that several

Public Service Authority (Santee Cooper). Through this effort, hard materials

million juvenile stripers are stocked annually. Managers are now introducing

including concrete culverts and junction boxes are being added to existing

larger, Phase 2 fish that are six to eight inches long (70,000) and the larger fish

fish attractors. “This combination of brush and hard structure will provide

have better survival rates.

more long-lasting and diverse habitat than brush alone. “There are more ‘angler-friendly’ lakes in South Carolina,” says Lamprecht, who notes the submerged timber can be a hazard for boaters, but he says

On the saltwater side, artificial reefs nearshore and offshore, and inshore

economically, this lake system is the most significant in the state. “We have the

oyster reef creation are central to the state’s habitat restoration strategy.

biggest largemouth bass in the state, a naturally occurring Florida-strain bass.

Bob Martore, coordinator of the state’s artificial reef program, says reef-

One section of the waterway, the Diversion Canal that connects lakes Marion and

building is essential due to the lack of natural hard bottom on the state’s

Moultrie, sees the most fishing pressure day and night by anglers fishing for the

continental shelf, which is 90% sand.

catfish and striped bass that prefer to feed in the current in that canal.” Management of non-native aquatic vegetation is also a major part in habitat work ongoing in the Santee Cooper lake system. “We work with Santee Cooper to

“At present, we have 47 reef sites and most are about a half-nautical-milesquare in size,” said Martore. “We place multiple and varied structures on each site, to create complexity, from the North Carolina to Georgia state line. We have

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two types of reef sites, public fishing reefs and Type 2 MPAs (Marine Preserve Areas). The fishing reefs are placed in waters up to 120 ft., and the MPAs range out to 50 miles offshore, in about 300 ft.” Two years ago, the Charleston Deep Reef was deployed, and is comprised of what Martore calls “big stuff.” “We built two barges to sink, and added truck chassis, a derrick crane and steel container boxes to extend relief up to 100 ft. off the bottom. That’s pretty impressive relief, and it is a great fish attractor. NOAA monitors this one, and in short order, the reef has attracted warsaw and misty groupers, which are protected from harvest. We plan to add a 180-ft. drawbridge to add to the site’s productivity.” Closer to shore there are 47 sub-tidal reefs, the shallowest of which is in 10 ft. of water just a couple miles from the beach. There are also estuarine reefs inshore, such as the Stono River site, which is comprised of 300, two-foot-tall concrete habitat modules encrusted in oyster shell. It will simulate a natural intertidal oyster reef. Anglers can expect the structure to draw croaker, spot, spotted seatrout and red drum. Even at low tide, the reef is low profile enough to not pose a navigational hazard. All state water reefs are marked with buoys, and locations are listed at www.dnr.sc.gov/artificialreefs. “All funding for our reef program comes from recreational fishing monies,” said Martore. “There is also some private funding, and CCA South Carolina donates funds as well.”

Whether you savor “raw ones” on the half shell, or one of dozens of cooked preparations, oysters are a mainstay in South Carolina eateries and oyster roasts are a social tradition in the state. Oysters, of course, are also the backbone of inshore estuarine habitat and recreational fishing productivity. The state’s prolific salt marshes and creeks are full of the intertidal (exposed at low tide) local Eastern oyster. They provide food and shelter for game fish and battle erosion. Suffice to say, there is a vested and multi-dimensional interest in ensuring a bountiful oyster population. But, as is the case along much of the U.S. coastline, the abundance of oysters in South Carolina has fallen off due to human activities. According to Nancy Hadley, manager of the Shellfish Program in the

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Top Left: A wide range of materials are suitable for freshwater fish habitat. The Santee Cooper Power Authority placed a decommissioned steel boat lock door in 55 ft. of water to create a fish attractor with nearly 20 ft. of relief, and (bottom left) culvert pipes have been used at other sites. Top: Volunteers pose with a newly completed oyster reef at the Memorial Waterfront Park in Mount Pleasant. Photos: SCDNR.

S.C. Department of Natural Resources, the number one threat to the state’s intertidal oyster reefs is coastal development. “Boat wakes are a leading cause of oyster habitat destruction, along with

The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) also operates a statewide shell recycling program. Citizens or restaurant owners are encouraged to drop off shells at one of several shell recycling centers along the

declining water quality and harvesting,” said Hadley. “Storm runoff carries

coast, and a pickup service is also available for bigger loads. All donated shells

sediment, nutrients from agriculture and residential lawns, pesticides, and

are quarantined for months to ensure they can’t introduce invasive species, or

pet waste, and all of these things impact oysters. In addition to providing

introduce other contaminants to the water before being used in restoration

valuable fishery habitat, oyster reefs are also natural barriers protecting salt

projects. “The thing about oyster harvesting is that you are removing habitat

marsh from erosion. When oyster reefs are damaged, a line of defense for the

at the same time,” said Hadley. “Juvenile oysters, or spat, need oyster shells for

salt marsh and its inhabitants is weakened.”

attachment and growth. It is important to return those shells to the water to

Oyster shell recycling and restoration in state waters is growing every year, as the community becomes more educated about the importance of oyster

provide habitat for the next generation of oysters.” More information can be found at www.saltwaterfishing.sc.gov/oyster.html.

habitat. In 2000, Hadley helped establish the South Carolina Oyster Restoration and Enhancement program (SCORE). The popular, community-based restoration program involves residents and students in hands-on habitat restoration.

It’s not hard to understand that great fishing requires great habitat, and

Volunteers bag recycled shells in spring and summer and then place them in

South Carolina continues to dig deep in its efforts to put the right structures

carefully chosen shoreline sites that are off limits to commercial harvest.

in the right places. From Christmas trees to oyster shells to truck chassis, it’s

“Through hands-on activities, these students and community volunteers gain a vested interest in the habitat. It becomes theirs,” said Hadley.

all being put to effective use. For both the fish and the fishermen, if you build it, they will come.

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“

For some, the joy of fishing isn’t found in what they take from the water, but in what they give back.

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“

hen South Carolina began its volunteer tagging program for recreational anglers— way back in 1974—it was on the bleeding edge of conservation. The program was the first such state-sponsored study on the East Coast, and since its debut, it has used citizen scientists to help amass a wealth of data on red drum. Just as importantly, it’s credited with helping to cultivate a greater conservation ethic among the state’s anglers and foster the acceptance of catch and release fishing. And I am one of those anglers. Growing up on a tidal creek that ebbs into Charleston Harbor, I was immersed in a saltwater doctrine that is still as valuable as any education I learned in grade school. Tidal flows do vary from Hilton Head Island up to Myrtle Beach, but in Charleston they are roughly six-foot tides that crest and fall twice daily and affect a rich stretch of marshland. These, and similar areas throughout South Carolina, offer an ample nursery for baitfish and popluar gamefish, and thus, became the focus of the tagging efforts for juvenile red drum. BY JEFF DENIIS GHM INSIDER

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Actually, when I started tagging red drum in the 1980s, there was a whole

John Archambault is a longtime fisheries biologist at the S.C. DNR Marine

host of fish that were targeted. Casting out a shrimp or minnow on a hook for

Resources Division facility in Charleston. He is a part of the larger presence at

red drum may sometimes yield other species like speckled trout, flounder or

the Marine Resources Research Institute (MRRI), which is focused on keeping

black drum. The S.C. Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) would take

tabs on the red drum fishery via hard data. Archambault has been tracking

any data they could in order to extrapolate the health of any one species.

red drum stocks as long as I have been tagging them, and he exudes the

But over the years, the program evolved. Speckled trout are susceptible

temperament most of us associate with a great scientific mind.

to prolonged cold water spells in winter, and tag and release tactics were

“On days when we work in the field, we conduct trammel net surveys

applied in hopes of tracking their life cycle. However, in a short time, it was

in our bays and sounds and electrofishing surveys upriver, in the brackish

clear that speckled seatrout did not tolerate handling very well, sometimes

zone,” said Archambault. “We spend seven days trammeling and five days

causing post-release mortality, so they were removed from tagging efforts.

electrofishing per month.”

But on the other end of the spectrum, scientists learned that red drum are more than hardy enough to withstand handling, and that they comprised the majority of catch by inshore anglers, so the program’s focus was narrowed.

According to Archambault, the majority of redfish encountered in S.C. waters today are released, whether the fish is tagged or not. “Angler ethics are much improved over say 20 years ago. During the

The program has evolved in other ways, too. In the early days, tagging

three years from 1990–1992 roughly 80% of the fish reported as recaptured

efforts were dependent on outside funding, especially from the U.S. Fish and

were harvested. But from 2014–2016, less than 15% of the recaptures were

Wildlife Service, as well as donations from local fishing clubs. But with time

reported killed. It’s true that increased management regulations have made

came a permanent funding solution in the form of state saltwater fishing

it harder to legally keep redfish, but I sense that public appreciation of our

license fees. Today, that investment is producing valuable returns.

natural resources in general has been a dividend of this program.”

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Far Left: Capt. Todd Stamps casts for redfish in a slough, where redfish are often found at low tide. Left: The SCDNR trammel net crew haul in some finfish during a survey operation. Right: The SCDNR tagging logo. Bottom: Biologist John Archambault shows off a beautiful bull red drum. Photos: Jeff Dennis.

One of the unique parts of participating in the program as a tagger is

rivers of the Ashepoo, Combahee and Edisto,” said Archambault, as we prepped

receiving angler reports. Whenever you catch a tagged fish and report the

for the day. “This area south of Charleston is also under federal designation as a

tag number, you receive a report detailing when and where the fish was

National Estuarine Research Reserve. The other large protected area is the Cape

first tagged, plus subsequent catch and release information that includes

Romain National Wildlife Refuge just north of Charleston.”

the length of the fish and a general location. This information also goes out to the original tagging angler so they can learn the fate of a fish they handled in the past. Having spent more than a few years in the program, I can say getting these reports is kind of a buzz. On June 23, 2006, I tagged and released a red drum that measured 24 in. That same fish was recaptured and re-released a total of six times over the next seven years. The last report on September 29, 2013, revealed that the red drum reached 44 in. in length, well beyond the legal limit to keep. The reports clearly document how a juvenile red drum from a local creek reached breeding status, surviving multiple encounters with conservationminded anglers. I recently had the privilege of joining Archambault for a SCDNR trammel net survey near Edisto Island. In addition to angler reports, these surveys help track tagged fish and provide excellent data on the health of the population. “It’s really great that we have two, large-scale protected areas in South Carolina, and the ACE Basin encompasses the

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Our trammel net plans were, of course, to intercept red drum, but

Bottom Left: The author’s citation, received from the

the day began with a surprise when a green sea turtle showed up in

SCDNR, recognizing 31 tags deployed in a single year. A

the net. It was a reminder of how the ACE Basin ecosystem is home

number of those fish were caught around structure (right),

to all sorts of marine life. We kept at it and I learned that successful

such as docks and piers. Photo: Jeff Dennis.

trammel netting—at least here—involves some important techniques. Each deployment of the net was followed by members of the team slapping the surface of the water in order to drive fish toward the net before retrieval. It worked like a charm, and at the end of the day, we cataloged multiple redfish, plus an array of other finfish. While not everyone has the opportunity to join a trammel survey, the tagging program is open to all, though it does require a modest investment and only a limited number of taggers can participate in a given year. “We were sending out vast numbers of tagging kits, and some would just sit idle in tackle boxes,” explains Robert Wiggers, a fisheries biologist and SCDNR public information director. “We changed the program by limiting the number of participants, but also by requiring them to purchase a tagging tool to apply the tags that we supply. Anglers willing to make a small investment in the program are usually well-motivated to tag and release red drum.” SCDNR also gives out a conservation certificate for anglers who tag and release 30 or more fish per year, and last year, 30 anglers released enough fish to receive that honor. Anglers who catch and report a tagged fish are also eligible for a free SCDNR hat or T-shirt. Each year, one of the top recreational taggers is Captain Mike Waller, who has been tagging red drum as an inshore fishing guide since 2002. For him, tagging is a personal conviction and it offers a professional benefit. “I fish near Kiawah Island, which is already a nature-based area, so I don’t get many customers who are looking to keep a red drum,” said Waller. “These fish are homebodies, and we only have so many fishing spots to target them, so it doesn’t make sense to kill them.” Waller refers to each fish as one of his “business partners.”

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“Tourism brings a lot of anglers here, and it’s great when we recapture a

fish. On November 15, 1998, I tagged a red drum that was quickly recaptured

tagged fish because we get an instant ecology lesson for everyone onboard,”

three times in three years, twice by Archambault (captured in the trammel net

said Waller. “A lot of customers come back the next year and report that the

survey) and once by me. On my angler report, Wiggers wrote this note:

free SCDNR T-shirt was a big hit for them back home, and they hope to catch another tagged fish.” It’s no coincidence that Waller won the Outstanding Charter Boat award

“Jeff you get an A+ for tagging! None of these length measurements are estimated so we get a good size progression over the life history of the fish.” The note put a grin on my face, and reminded me the folks at the SCDNR

at the recent 50th anniversary of the Charleston Trident Fishing Tournament,

are just as serious about the sport as the rest of us. It feels good to be a part

which is based partly on releasing fish.

of the team through the tagging program, and I’m looking forward to what

My own efforts aren’t that prolific, but I reached out to the SCDNR and asked Wiggers to pull up some of my tagging data. His report states that I’ve tagged

data the program will come up with next. More than that, I can’t wait to catch my next fish.

a total of 235 fish, of which 83% were red drum. Of those tagged fish, 60 were recaptured at least once, and I reported nine recoveries of recreationally tagged

Read Jeff’s blog at www.LowcountryOutdoors.com.

The dawn light throws a warm glow on the author and a healthy, 31-in. red drum, successfully tagged and released. Photo: Jeff Dennis.

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Top Photo: Researchers at Little River use backpack devices to go electrofishing. The device stuns the fish, which float to the surface where a fin clip is taken for DNA testing. The fish soon revive and are released unharmed. Left: The redeye (Bartram’s) bass has a slender, bronze-olive body that fades into white on the belly. It has dark lateral blotches along the side and horizontal rows of spots on the lower side and distinguishing white edges along the upper and lower edges of the caudal fin, which similar species don’t have. An orange margin is also often present on the caudal and anal fins. The mouth is large and extends to the rear edge of the eye, but not beyond. Middle: This is a hybrid between Bartram’s and Alabama Bass, and potentially a first-generation hybrid. Testing shows this fish has approximately 50% genes from each species. Right: This is a higher order hybrid, with a much higher proportion of Alabama Bass genes. All three fish were collected from the same site on Little River.

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Not the whiskey...the bass!

BY DARYL CARSON

here are plenty of headliners when it comes to stories about invasive

into lakes of the Savannah and the two species have been sharing genes ever

species. Depending on your home turf, the fight against invasives

since. Today, river and stream habitats represent those areas where true redeye

might be focused on lionfish, asian carp or zebra mussels. Like other

bass can still be found. Studies by the S.C. Department of Natural Resources are

states, South Carolina has its battles, too. Lionfish and tiger shrimp are affecting offshore waters, and on the freshwater side, invasive aquatic plants are pushing out the native flora. From a layman’s perspective, it’s easy to see that invasive species are a bad

documenting the change. Since 2004, DNR biologists and partners at University of South Carolina have been using DNA analysis to follow the population dynamics. The work has documented the near total loss of redeye bass in some Savannah lakes where

deal. In many, if not most, of these cases, the invasive species is either changing

they once thrived, including Lakes Keowee and Russell. Dramatic declines have

the natural habitat to make it less suitable for natives or they are consuming

also been seen in Lakes Jocassee and Hartwell. Study efforts are now focused

a particular food source that native species need. But sometimes an invasive

on streams in the redeye’s native range, as Alabama bass and their hybrids have

species takes a different approach—one known both to ancient world empires

been found in some stream sites as well.

and futuristic cyborgs. In a word, it’s assimilation. And that’s the threat faced by South Carolina’s redeye bass. If you’re not familiar with it, the redeye bass (sometimes called Bartram’s bass)

“Hybrids, or at least their genes, are spreading from the reservoirs into the stream populations,” says DNR biologist Jean Leitner. “We have, at this point, some waterways that are heavily impacted, some where there are hybrids closer

is a feisty game fish and top tier predator that can be found in the Northeast part

to the reservoirs, but further upstream, the population of Bartram’s bass is still

of the state, specifically in the middle to upper Savannah basin as well as some

pure, and somewhere we have not found hybrids at all.”

tributaries of the upper Saluda and the Broad rivers in the Santee basin. Redeye are a black bass, related to largemouth, and average around a pound in the river systems, perhaps two pounds in the reservoirs. The state record is a whopping

The goal for the immediate future, says Leitner, is to clearly identify how far hybridization has spread and then look at a possible response. “I think it’s inevitable that we will have to take some conservation actions to

5 lbs., 2.5 oz., caught in Lake Jocassee. But don’t let the size of those river bass

protect Bartram’s bass. Conservation of those habitats that are shown to support

fool you. Pound for pound these fish put up a ferocious fight and are worthy

pure populations will certainly be important,” she says. “Another vital point is

adversaries on light tackle and especially on fly.

education to protect the populations that are not impacted.”

They also offer a unique twist on bass fishing because they prefer moving

By protecting current populations, Leitner means making sure anglers

water and occur naturally in rivers and streams with a lot of structure, such as

understand that releasing non-native species into any body of water is

undercut banks, vegetation, boulders and submerged logs. Pursuing them often

detrimental, and according to South Carolina law, it’s also illegal. Anglers can

means wading or paddling the upper parts of some of South Carolina’s most scenic

only release back into a body of water what originally came out of it. That goes

rivers. Flyfishing for redeye has become especially popular on the Chattooga.

for mature fish as well as live bait.

But the redeye are in danger of being wiped out, and it’s not from

“I also want to encourage our anglers to go out and fish for this bass,” says

overfishing, disease or habitat loss. They are being assimilated! Okay, actually

Leitner. “Sometimes the only way for us to collect samples is to catch them on

the term is hybridization. Not as dramatic sounding but just as sinister. It seems

a rod and reel, and I can tell you it’s a great experience. The more people know

back in the 1980s, some unwitting fisherman released non-native Alabama bass

about these unique fish, the more they are likely to want to protect them.”

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You can spend a lifetime exploring each creek and flat of the Lowcountry, but a quick flight will greatly enhance your learning curve.

JASON STEMPLE a photo portfolio

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Below: Captain John Irwin of Fly Right Charters and wife Caroline enjoying a sunset while searching for tailing redfish. Top Right: The sun sets on a small hummock island where water and land meet at high tide. Bottom Right: A redfish’s tail catches a little air and light as the fish roots around on a Spartina flat for fiddler crabs.

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Top Left: Big redfish can be found in deeper water just offshore of the beaches of South Carolina. In the winter, they can be seen in large schools chasing bait to the surface. Bottom Left: Cobia reflecting in the sunlight. Right: The estuaries of South Carolina support an amazing array of wildlife year-round. Here, a bald eagle takes off from an exposed oyster bar after catching a wintering bufflehead.

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VOLUME 6, ISSUE 22 SPRING 2017

| 57 SLOT LIMITS • YOUNG GUN: CAPT. MIKE VENEZIA • INSHORE GEAR www.GuyHarveyMagazine.com • MONTEGO BAY

BY NICK HONACHEFSKY

SLOT LIMITS SAVE FISH...AND JOBS Fisheries management is a prickly situation. Like anything affected by politics, or

ecosystem, it inevitably will skew the age population. If you set regulations

when you must balance the conclusions of science with the realities of business,

that only allow anglers to harvest breeding-class fish, there will not only

there are many viewpoints. Some fall on the far left or the far right, and as always,

be fewer breeders but also fewer young fish to replenish the population.

the answer usually lies somewhere in the middle. When it comes to fisheries

Conversely, if regulations allow for the taking of small, sexually immature

regulations, I believe “the middle” is often the implementation of slot limits on

fish, fewer will have the opportunity to reach sexual maturity and, therefore,

recreational fish. It offers an effective and more balanced management approach

stocks decline. Slot limits, in theory, work well to spread the harvest out

than more restrictive size and catch regulations.

among the entire population.

This can be true in many situations, but one that is going on right now in

In the case of summer flounder, a fish over 19 in. is generally considered a

my region of the country is the regulation of summer flounder. A three-fish

female breeding fish. Rather than target these breeders, a more sensible answer

limit of 19 in. is being proposed in New Jersey, but this new rule is likely to

would be to spread out a slot, say three fish between 15 and 18 in. and one fish

wreak havoc on the local charter industry and I don’t think it’s necessary.

over 18 in., so you can keep a trophy fish if you catch that fish of a lifetime.

Before I get into the particulars of why slot limits can be a better option in

There are plenty of examples of slot limits being used successfully. In my

this and other situations, I want to offer a disclaimer. I propose the following

opinion, the finest regs for striped bass were when New Jersey had a two-fish

viewpoint with the understanding that the scientific data currently collected

limit with one fish between 24-28 in. and one fish over 28 in. That kept the

by NOAA is, by their own admission, “fatally flawed.” This means they aren’t

killing of breeders to a minimum while allowing the take of a mature, smaller

really sure their data is correct, as the mechanisms of data collection are

fish for the grill, too. (Now the N.J. rules stand at two bass: one fish between

sloppy and inconsistent at best. Once sound and accepted scientific data

28-43 in., and one over 43 in.) Down south, to rebuild declining redfish stocks,

is established, then you can confidently justify hard-nosed regulations

Florida allowed a single fish to be taken between 18 and 27 inches, and that

to protect a species. Otherwise, knee-jerk regulations can not only be

fishery has rebounded nicely in the past six years.

detrimental to the fish stocks but local economies as well. Okay, first, we should consider the impact of the proposed regulations on fish stocks. Any time you focus on taking one size class fish out of an

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Now to the business of business. Though protecting the future of fish populations and stocks are of primary importance when determining regulations, another concern is how regulations affect the local economy and the jobs

The author shows off a fat summer flounder, a fish attached to the fishing industry. Case in point, a three-fish bag limit at a 19-

facing tighter regulations in

in. minimum for summer flounder could devastate fishing tourism during the

the Northeast.

summer for the Jersey Shore and N.Y. bight areas. And summer is when many in these seaside communities make the bulk of their income for the year. Understand that the majority of summer flounder caught in this area are in the 12- to 18-in. range. The cost/reward ratio created by a 19-in. minimum is likely to be a business killer. For example, a fisherman or tourist drives 45 minutes to fish a head boat. Gas $30, food $15 and fare $55. One person is already spending $100 to fish. And then to come home with perhaps one fish to keep? That person is much less likely to come back. The flounder fishery is really the only daytime operation available to those head boats, so the effect will be severe, not to mention the impact on tackle shops and other businesses. Now, if the same angler had a chance at catching a four-fish bag with fish between 15 and 18 in., plus one over 18 in., it’s a completely different story. And it’s one that still allows the flounder fishery to improve. It’s truly a fine line we walk when implementing regulations, as the repercussions can be monumental both to fish populations and to local economies. However, until we have solid data to justify more stringent regulations, somewhere, a happy medium needs to exist to protect not only the fish stocks, but also the business of recreational fishing. I believe slot limits can help ensure both the fish and the fishermen survive.

The RipCharts mobile app allows you to download satellite imagery to your device and navigate offshore.

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Young Gun Mike Venezia BY NICK HONACHEFSKY

Captain Mike Venezia, at 24 years old, is the youngest captain in the famed Florida Keys fishing fleet out of Bud n’ Mary’s marina in Islamorada. He’s known by the pink boat at Boned Up Charters. Don’t confuse youth with inexperience, though, because Mike knows his game, and he’s knowledgeable, ambitious and motivated.

CA: How does a young guide earn respect in a demanding place like Islamorada? MV: I’ve found that respect is given when it is earned. Guys have been here for decades building their name. I do my best to not get cocky or boast about anything. I basically just talk to people with ultimate respect. Slowly, over time, the local guides warmed up to me. And that’s a main thing— always listen. I always sat at the dock and listened to what the captains were talking about. I can’t stress that enough. I had to put in my time, and still do, and I learn every day.

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CA: As the youngest guide out of Bud n’ Mary’s, you’ve got some big shoes to fill. What’s your story?

CA: If you could give some advice to young guides, what would it be?

MV: I never planned to be a guide. I’ve been coming down

MV: When you are on the water, study your

here since I was three. My family was in Ft. Lauderdale. My

surroundings. Adjust to your conditions. Don’t fish the

dad had a flats boat in Islamorada when I was a kid and

fish, fish the conditions. You also have to know what

we’d come down and take it tarpon fishing, seeing the

kind of guide you want to be. Do you want to be a pole

backcountry and all the life, and then I was hooked. When I

fisherman? A sight fisherman? Offshore guy? You have

was a teenager, I mated on the Redfish as a second mate—

to be well-grounded. [Also] open your mind to a new

it was my first job—and then I knew I loved this way of life.

way of thinking. Always have a backup plan. Listen to

It’s challenging to be the young guy here, but I got it.

the seasoned guides telling you what to do, where to

go on a certain tide or time of day. Always talk at the dock with the guys that have been here for so long. Adjust your game plan accordingly.

CA: From which captain do you think you’ve learned the most? backcountry and offshore, but more importantly,

CA: Your wife Karly is the marketing director for the Islander Resort, a Guy Harvey Outpost—a pretty sweet gig. Tell us how you tied the knot.

he showed me how to do business here. Jared has

MV: I asked Karly to marry me in Little Palm Island.

done a lot and I learned from him and I am thankful

We had friends there for a birthday lunch, then I

for that.

figured I could kill two birds with one stone. We went

MV: I would have to say that Jared Raskob was a big

CA: How about your advice for older guides toward younger guides? MV: We younger guides are not here to step on your

influence. He took me fishing and showed me the

toes. We are where you were when you were young. It’s a business, whether you are 24 or 76 years old. We all have the same goals, to catch fish, to make a living, to come home safe and for the customers to have fun. We all have to start somewhere.

CA: Why Islamorada? What kind of opportunities are here?

for a walk on the private deck there, I went down

CA: Any words of wisdom to the average guy wanting to charter the Islamorada area? MV: I guess just ask me what you want to do during a

on one knee and asked her to marry me. She nearly pushed me into the water off the dock! And luckily she said yes. We went to Paris to tie the knot in the Garden in Notre Dame.

before you come down, and the conditions dictate

CA: Final question. Why the pink boat?

day. Let’s figure out what species you want to target

what we can do while you’re here. If you wanted to

MV: That’s a funny question, and I hear it all the time.

MV: I located here because there is unbelievable

go strictly sailfish, we may not have that option, so

There’s no real story behind it. It started as a joke.

access to so many fishing conditions. You can fish

I’ll run you back to the backcountry and catch reds

I painted the boat pink to do something different,

the Atlantic for sailfish, then go into Florida Bay for

or snook. You have to be able to adapt as a tourist

something out of the norm here, something over the

snook and redfish, or sit in the inshore waters for

charter.

top. I’m not afraid to be different, and it kind of stuck

tarpon or bump off for tuna and swordfish, or go to the Gulf of Mexico for cobia and mackerel, all within

with me. I hear it a lot that I have a pink boat, but I guess it’s working if people are talking about it.

of the World. You can adjust to the conditions and

CA: The guiding business is tough. What’s your ultimate goal?

tailor-make a trip any day and catch a ton of fish.

MV: I want to fish hard as a guide for the next

bonedupcharters.com or book Captain Mike out of

10 years and then do an investment property or

the Islander Resort, a Guy Harvey Outpost at www.

something. If I can develop my life around fishing, I

guyharveyoutpostislamorada.com.

an hour’s ride. It’s really everything you could ask for here. Islamorada really is the Sportfishing Capital

CA: With all the opportunity around in the Keys, what is your ideal busman’s holiday?

Contact Captain Mike Venezia at www.

would do it. I hope I have that opportunity.

MV: That’s a tough question, because there is so much to do here. I love tarpon fishing. To toss a live bait out and see a tarpon blow up on it is really what I love to do.

Capt. Mike is well-known for his pink boat, which lands him both some good-natured ribbing and plenty of fish.

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You’ve braved the howling winds and pounding waves offshore. Now you’re ready to hit the calm, knee-saving, inshore waters. So, what does it take to outfit yourself to hunt for snook, tarpon, redfish, sea trout and their slippery cousins? We’ve put it all here for your easy digestion. Next issue, we’re covering the ‘Complete Fly Angler.’ To watch a behind-the-scenes video of this photo shoot, go to www.guyharveymagazine.com.

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11. Ranger Nets Tour Series Features a clear rubber net and a heavy-duty, black anodized hoop. An octagon handle telescopes and slides into the hoop for easy storage. $59.99 RangerNets.com

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JAMAICAN FAMILY

LEGACY

Fish the annual tournament out of Montego Bay and you’ll experience both fierce competition and a taste of fishing’s golden age. BY WILLIAM BOYCE

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Montego Bay Yacht Club, Montego Bay, Jamaica. Photo: William Boyce.

ho’s 55 years old, loves to fish with international friends, enjoys Appleton Rum, throws a party every night of the weekend and organizes a massive “raft up” extravaganza just to say goodbye? Hint: It’s not Guy Harvey, but they know each other pretty well. Answer: It’s the Montego Bay Yacht Club Tournament. The blockbuster annual event, put on by the namesake Montego Bay Yacht Club, celebrated its 55th year in 2016. One of the oldest established billfish tournaments in the Caribbean, it began in 1961 and assembled all the best charter captains and teams that fished billfish in Jamaica. From Kingston to Port Antonio, from Negril to Montego Bay, no one knew in its infancy what a long-lasting legacy the event was to bestow. In succeeding years, the Montego Bay Yacht Club Tournament (MBYCT) has attracted boats from all over the Caribbean and anglers from all over the world. With several ports of call on the island of Jamaica for marlin fishing aficionados, Montego Bay has several things going in its favor. A smaller town than Kingston, but serviced by an international airport, the charm of “MoBay” is not lost in the hustle and bustle of a large city experience. Montego Bay also sits in an extremely fishy area in the northwest corner of the island, marked geographically by the steep “drop-off” terrain similar to that seen in Kona, Hawaii. Several MBYCT winners have caught their fish literally minutes from the harbor entrance. Several species of pelagic gamefish are available in the Montego Bay region; wahoo, yellowfin and blackfin tuna, mahi, sailfish, white marlin and blue marlin are all considered prime target species. And though the tournament highlights blue marlin, many prizes are awarded for other species, as well as women anglers and

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kid’s divisions. And few locals know more about the fishery in this area or have a longer history of fishing the tournament than native Jamaican artist, scientist and conservationist, Dr. Guy Harvey. When asking Guy Harvey for his recollections and family history of the tournament, he merely smiles and says it goes back, “as early as I can remember.” A native Jamaican son with an upbringing richly steeped in fishing, both his father and mother, as well as uncles and aunts were all anglers. Guy’s mother Josephine Harvey won the MBYCT in 1967, catching two blue marlin in one day aboard her brother, James Williams’s boat, the Pelamis. Just being avid anglers competing against the best captains on the island was a notable feat. A few years later in 1969, Guy’s father Philip Harvey, got the best wedding present a man could ask for, a 32-ft. wooden-hulled sportfisher named Pat, which didn’t take long to gain its rightful place in Montego Bay Yacht Club history. It took top honors with three blue marlin in 1973. For Guy, then a young man of 18 years, it was a victory that clearly cemented his love of the ocean and the spirit of teamwork needed to win a big blue water event. Guy’s father was joined by close friends Gordon and Betty Langdon and all three of them caught a marlin. Gordon got a much-needed assist from young Guy who hooked and fought two oceanic white tips just to keep them from eating Gordon’s marlin. This team effort win gave them all a boost of confidence, and one month later they all won the Port Antonio Tournament with four blue marlin. Two of those fish were Guy’s first and second blue marlin ever caught. With success like this, 1973 was a year the Harvey clan will never forget. Fast forward to 1978, a time when the entire Jamaican offshore tournament circuit had all but disappeared—all except the Montego Bay Yacht Club event, though by the next year it, too, had dwindled to only 12 boats. This was a time when Guy had returned to Jamaica to begin his PhD work and decided to participate in that year’s MBYCT in a 17-ft. Aquasport center console. But it wasn’t just any 17-ft. skiff—this one happened to belong to the Discovery Bay Marine Lab where Guy was employed! Fishing against his dad and the Pat for the first time, the luck that always seems

Left: A young Guy Harvey, no stranger to tournament fishing at a young age, poses with a 145 lb. blue caught as part of a local Jamaican tournament in 1973. Right: Guy (left) helps check the gear while out fishing with the family. Inset: The Harvey family boat, Pat.

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to be in Guy’s corner didn’t let him down. Hooking a big blue marlin just outside the shipping channel on the first day of the event—and fighting it long into the night on a “badly behaving” PENN 9/0—the fish ended up being the first and the biggest marlin in the tournament where only three marlin were caught, thus giving Guy top honors. Not every MBYCT was a fond memory for Guy and the Harvey family. In 1983, brother Piers Harvey was fishing on the Pat when Guy’s father suddenly passed away. It was September 16th, which was also Guy’s birthday. But things got brighter the very next year while fishing on the Bye Pass with Tony Myers when they won the MBYCT with three blues on 30-lb. tackle. It was Guy’s hope that his father was somehow there in spirit for that victory.

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MOBAY

TACTICS

Successful fishing is often a matter of good timing, as well as finding the right location or conditions. Mahi are more plentiful January to April, whereas the black fin and yellow fin tuna season picks up in April and extends until August. The best marlin season is from August to December, though it’s not uncommon to catch these species year-round. With Jamaica’s vast variety of underwater landscapes, it attracts a wide diversity of gamefish. The waters around the Cayman Trench sustain a regular one- to two-knot current, which helps aggregate clumps of seaweed into substantial weed lines. Jamaica’s heavy seasonal rainfall also erodes riverbanks and washes trees and other debris out to sea. These floating structures then attract baitfish, which becomes forage for bigger fish. With typical flat seas during the summer months, these weed lines grow even larger and attract greater activity with improved fishing for mahi mahi, tuna, wahoo, triple tail and rainbow runners. While Jamaica’s northern coast is favorable for deep water fishing for mahi mahi, wahoo, tuna, sailfish, and marlin, the Buckner Bank is located just 15 miles from Montego Bay. Here, you’ll also find yellowtail, mutton and red tail snapper. In contrast, the southern coast has more shallow water regions, banks and cays that are home to a number of bottom fish, such as snapper and grouper, and inshore fish like jack crevalle, barracuda and even bonefish. Pedro Bank, which follows the south coast, is a large offshore structure where you’ll also find yellowtail, mutton and red tail snapper.

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Guy (blue hat) and the crew of the Oh Reely salute the cameras during the most recent MoBay Tournament.

With this unparalleled string of success, Guy made it a point to fish the tournament every year after the passing of his father. In 1996, he was awarded Top Outboard Boat aboard his 26’ Dusky, the Makaira, having landed two blue marlin. In 1998, his last year in Jamaica, Guy enjoyed the tournament with family and friends. As it happens, I was invited to fish as part of Team SUZIE Q with Guy’s long-time friend, Rickie Wates. It was my first trip to Jamaica, and after the fun, food and libations I enjoyed, I vowed to one day return. Eighteen long years later I received a last-minute invite from the 2016 MBYCT Tournament Director Bobby Stewart, to attend and film all the festivities. Instantly in the groove of the island’s “ONE LOVE” ambiance, I was quickly immersed in Jamaican island hospitality and the camaraderie of the local anglers. It reminded me what a laid back, and friendly tournament the MBYCT was, and I realized that had not changed. Guy, as a special guest, presented an informative fish I.D. and tagging discussion while Bobby Stewart greeted the international boats and anglers with Jamaican-style warmth and appreciation. A veteran of many international marlin tournaments—from the Canary Islands, to Australia, Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Panama and all over the Caribbean—I can say none of these other venues share the dockside communion and sense of kinship found here. The genuine expressions of “thanks for coming,” “good luck offshore,” and “join us for a rum when we get back to the dock” are just a part of the generosity that is shown by the Montego Bay and other Jamaican competitors. This year’s MBYCT had a total of 38 boats fishing the event in slick-calm seas under brilliant blue skies. As previously mentioned,

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Attendees say what separates the MoBay Tournament from so many others is the unprecedented nightly gatherings and real camaraderie among the competing anglers.

the fishing commences merely a good golf drive shot away from the marina,

display of genuine Jamaican style hospitality. There was an open bar where

where steep oceanic topography puts the 1,000-fathom curve within reach

sponsored party spirits were constantly flowing and the air was filled with

in minutes. Lines out at 8am and let the games begin! The international fleet

reggae and rock tunes that had everyone’s hips swinging and other body

consisted of several large Vikings, Bertrams, and Hatteras sportfishers with

parts swaying.

a smattering of smaller convertibles, express boats and center consoles that

I left the MBYC full of terrific memories of one of the most fun

know these waters well. But it was the Trading Time, a 47’ Viking Express that

international tournaments I’ve fished in years. The competition was

made the open ocean run from Grand Cayman and took home top honors

formidable, but the attitudes of the anglers and the hometown hospitality

along with a pile of SWAG.

of the Montego Bay hosts are a throwback to an earlier age. If you’re in the

Tournament dates fell close to the full moon and the bite was a bit off.

area or in need of a fun family vacation, pen this tournament in your 2017

But over 30 marlin were hooked, 16 were caught, with all but one released,

calendar. You might even find yourself following in the footsteps of the

which scaled 372 lbs.—a very respectable blue marlin for these waters. With

Harvey family and starting a great tradition of your own.

a long list of other prizes, it seems everyone took home something from this tournament, including awards for biggest tuna, wahoo, and non-billfish,

Special thanks to Sandals resorts for hosting the author during his stay. They

sportsmanship, best female angler, best captain, best angler, best overseas

offer three properties in the Montego Bay area: Sandals Royal Caribbean,

boat, best dockside lighting, heaviest marlin and best Viking boat overall.

Sandals Montego Bay and Sandals Inn. Visit them at www.sandals.com. For

To cap off the event, a huge raft-up party was thrown on Sunday following

more information on the Montego Bay Yacht Club Tournament, visit www.

the last day of the tournament. Once again, there was a mind-blowing

mobayyachtclub.com.

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THe perfect Match GEARHEADS : BY GHM STAFF

There is no shortage of great fishing reels out there, nor of rods to which they can be attached. The real trick is to find a rod and reel that work flawlessly together. For casting, you want great balance, and in any combination you want to match the brawn of the reel with the right amount of backbone in the rod. Sometimes this is a pretty easy process, other times it takes a bit of trial and error. In this issue, we seek to remove all guesswork and solicit hand-picked pairings by the people who know their gear the best—the makers. In each category, we offer both an entry level pairing and a second match of top-shelf gear. We hope you find something you like and will take it for a test drive yourself.

Sage Salt rod & 6200 reel The Salt is a fast loading, high line-speed rod that offers delicate precision for casting and real backbone for bruiser fish. The 6200 reel’s drag settings are numbered and dented, making it easy to set and accurately repeat. MSRP: $850 (rod), $459-499 (reel)

Sage Pulse rod & 2200 reel This fast action, graphite rod is a workhorse that will handle a wide range of duties and is well suited to the 2200, with its large arbor for fast line pick-up and silky-smooth drag. MSRP $450 (rod), $149-159 (reel) www.sageflyfish.com

Fin Nor Surge (FNTS761MH) rod & LT60 reel Composite E-glass and graphite blanks give Surge rods both performance and bang-around-the-boat durability. The aluminum-bodied LT60 matches it in lightweight power for smoker kings. MSRP: $179.94 (rod & reel)

Fin Nor Tidal (FNTC61025) rod & Marquesa MA16 reel The 2-speed Marquesa (6.1:1 and 3.1:1 ratios) is well-suited to thinner braided superlines, and melds perfectly with the custom-tuned Tidal rods, featuring Alps guides and reel seats. MSRP: $519.94 (rod & reel) www.finnorfishing.com

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Okuma Longitude rod & Avenger B reel Available in lengths 9- to 12-ft. lengths and sporting graphite blanks, the Longitude rods will get your bait well into the surf, while the Avenger B reels offer affordable performance with a multi-disc drag system and smooth, 6-bearing drive. MSRP: $49-$84 (rod), $39-$59 (reel)

Okuma Cedros CSX rod & TXS-60 reel Get longer casts with a guide system designed specifically for braided line in the Cedros CSX rod and Trio- Rex Arena reel, which features a shallow, large diameter, long-cast spool design. MSRP: $149-$169 (rod), $149 (reel) www.okumafishingusa.com

Daiwa Deep Drop rod (SA-B56MHF-DD) & Saltiga 50, 2-speed Lever Drag reel An aluminum curved butt and reel seat and fiberglass construction delivers raw power in the Deep Drop rod while the 2-speed Saltiga lets anglers choose the best gear for the job. MSRP: $179.95 (rod), $349.95 (reel)

Daiwa Saltiga G Deep Drop rod (SAG66XXHR-DD) & Tanacom 1000 reel This combination gets fish to the surface with less effort. The Deep Drop rod blends fiberglass and carbon for lightweight strength and the Tanacom electric reel turns up 48 lbs. of strength at 140 m. per minute. MSRP: $479.95 (rod), $599.95 (reel) www.daiwa.com

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PENN Squall 30VSW reel & Ally Boat Casting (ALLBW2050C66) rod The Squall is a lightweight graphite version of the International reel with PENN’s DuraDrag system and 2-speed performance. Ally boat rods have solid tip fiberglass blanks for years of durability. MSRP: $119 (rod), $299 (reel)

PENN International 30VSW reel & International V IGFA rod This reel is designed for high-line capacity typically desired by anglers using monofilament and has the beefiest 2-speed stainless gear train out there. Pair it with an International V IGFA chair rod for applying maximum pressure to trophy fish. MSRP: $399 (rod), $599 (reel) www.pennfishing.com

Shimano Ultegra C3000HG reel & G. Loomis E6X rod The new Ultegra reels include Shimano’s X-Ship technology for silky-smooth and efficient retrieval. Equally impressive casts from the precise flex of the G. Loomis E6X spinning rod and its Multi-Taper Technology. MSRP: $149 (reel), $179-219 (rod)

Shimano Tranx 300 reel & G. Loomis E6X rod The Tranx 300 delivers up to 40 inches of line per crank in a near bullet-proof package, complimented by the G. Loomis E6X casting rod, available in lengths and tapers to fit any situation. MSRP $279 (reel), $179-219 (rod) fish.shimano.com, www.gloomis.com

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13Fishing Fate Black rod & Inception reel The Fate Black’s HTC 3 blank and seamless reel seat deliver incredible sensitivity, while the lightweight Inception reel delivers all-day comfort and 18 lbs. of drag. MSRP: $100 (rod), $120 (reel)

13Fishing Muse Black rod and Creed GT reel When you fish all day, every ounce and handle turn count. The Creed GT employs lightweight carbon construction and boasts a 6.2:1 retrieve. The Muse Black’s sensitive performance is a perfect fit. MSRP: $175-$195 (rod), $90 (reel) www.13fishing.com

Orvis Encounter 5-weight, 9’ rod & Encounter reel This rod can handle bigger water but is built with all-around qualities perfect for those just exploring the sport. Breaks into four pieces for easy travel. MSRP: $169 (rod & reel)

Orvis Helios 2 5-weight 9’ rod & Mirage II reel The Helios 2 makes easy work of long leaders and light tippets and helps you deliver perfect offerings to the most stubborn fish. MSRP: $1319 (rod & reel) www.orvis.com

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MEET THE CHEF

LOWCOUNTRY EATS BY GHM STAFF

Yes, there is much more to South Carolina fishing than what you can find in and around Charleston, but when it comes to seafood, it’s hard not to recognize this city as the culinary soul of the state. With that in mind, we met up with two respected chefs willing to share some of their best eats, along with a few personal insights on how to treat seafood right.

Chef Joe DiMaio THE DARLING OYSTER BAR CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA Chef Joe DiMaio mans the helm of one of Charleston’s latest culinary success stories. The Darling is everything you want in a smart, stylish oyster bar, and its chef—in his first gig at the executive chef level of a seafood restaurant—is determined to do things right. He sources oysters and the rest of his seafood from as close to home as possible, supporting local growers and fishermen. Most of his oysters come from no farther away than Virginia. From the get-go, The Darling dedicated valuable parking space to eight oyster shell trash cans for recycling. Each one holds 200 lbs. of shells and gets filled and emptied every week. Chef DiMaio has also participated in “trash fish” dinners and employed barrel fish and other bycatch species. But in addition to basic practices of sustainability, he is also determined to please the palates of his guests. He says restraint is part of the equation. “I definitely fall in line with the idea of not doing too much to seafood,” says Chef DiMaio. “We’re using things that taste great. My personal philosophy is that you should eat your own food!” The key to preparing a great dish, he says, is using what’s at hand and being flexible. “When we are looking at menus, we look at what is available, and we actually start with the vegetables. I look for good balance: acidity, sweetness, crunch. We want a dish to hit on a lot of cylinders.” It appears The Darling is hitting on all cylinders as well. Guests rave about the seafood and the unique twists on southern classics such as shrimp and grits with crispy brussel sprouts, ham and fennel, or the clam chowder made with local clams, bacon and vegetables, served over house fries. Check out the rest of the menu at www.thedarling.com.

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Chef Joe DiMaio | The Darling Oyster Bar

Creole Shrimp with Carolina Gold Rice Cakes Serves 4 Rice cakes 1 pt

Carolina Gold rice

½C

Onion, diced

½C

San Marzano tomato, drained

1 gal

Bay leaf stock

½C

White wine

4 oz

Rice flour

Sauce 1.5 oz

Worcestershire

1.8 oz

Lemon juice

1.8 oz

Whole grain mustard

1.8 oz

Garlic, microplaned

1.5 oz

Soy sauce

Main dish 20

Shrimp, cut in half lengthwise

Rice cakes

16 T

Butter, unsalted

1/4 C

Radish, julienned

1/4 C

Scallion, sliced

Bacon, diced

Preparation In a medium-sized sauce pot, sweat onion until

Combine all ingredients for Creole sauce in a medium-

translucent. Add rice and toast lightly until a nutty aroma

sized bowl and mix well. Set aside. Next, lightly dredge

forms, then deglaze with white wine making sure to

rice cakes in rice flour and sear on both sides with oil

completely cook it out. While cooking, add tomato to

and butter. Keep warm. In a large skillet, render bacon

break it up throughout the remainder of the cooking

bits until 75% cooked. Stir in shrimp and immediately

process. Season rice with salt and pepper to taste. Add

add Creole sauce. Turn heat to low and slowly add two

hot bay leaf stock three ounces at a time until rice has

tablespoons of butter at a time, only adding the next

cooked thoroughly. Once cooked, spread rice thinly on a

two tablespoons when the others have melted; Repeat

baking sheet and immediately cool in your refrigerator.

this until all butter is incorporated. On a plate, place two

Once the rice has cooled, evenly distribute four ounces

rice cakes down and spoon shrimp and Creole mixture

of rice flour into the rice making sure that the flour gets

over the top. Your goal is to have 10 shrimp halves on

mixed in well. (This will help the cakes stay together.)

each plate. (You may have some sauce left over.) Garnish

Form the rice cakes into 2-oz. disks. Set aside.

each dish with julienned radishes and scallions.

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Chef Drew Hedlund FLEET LANDING RESTAURANT & BAR CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA Chef Hedlund is a Florida native, drawn north (or is it really south?) to the Lowcountry to pursue his culinary career. Hedlund had been working in restaurants since he was 14, and after a brief stint at Florida State decided to enroll in Johnson & Wales to train as a chef. He brought with him a love for the water and a long history of chasing fish with a rod and reel. Today, he heads the kitchen at Fleet Landing, and in addition to creating incredible food, he works closely with the S.C. Aquarium, supporting their sustainable seafood initiatives and winning the Sustainable Seafood Partner of the Year Award in 2011. One of his passions as a cook is to help diners expand their seafood options, and that fits nicely with a broader push among conservation-minded chefs to use a wider array of fish species and help ease the burden on some heavily pressured favorites. “We have this under-utilized bounty of fresh local seafood,” says Hedlund. “We run invasive

Chef Drew Hedlund | Fleet Landing

species, lionfish, porgies. I like to use these products and keep the preparation simple. Then, when people taste these products and say, ‘I never knew…all I ever order is flounder and grouper,’ that’s a great feeling. I think our customers are pleasantly surprised.” When it comes to helping consumers do their part to support sustainable seafood, Hedlund says

Whole Fried Flounder with Apricot Glaze Serves 4

the best thing diners can do is know the source of their fish. “At the restaurant, we identify the boat and know the captain and we can tell customers that story,” says Hedlund.

Flounder 1

“What I would say is knowing your fisherman is a key, but our fisheries in the U.S. are the most

Whole flounder, cleaned Seasoned flour of your choice

regulated in the world. Some fishermen have contention with that, but we do a really good job of

Canola oil

identifying what we need to pull from the ocean and the amounts we need to pull. So really, eating domestic product is a win-win...most of the guesswork is taken out of it.”

Glaze

In addition to some more unusual offerings, Chef Hedlund also delivers a full menu of more

½C

Garlic, minced

traditional southern seafood offerings. Each has its own distinct touch, such as She Crab Soup with

½C

Shallots, minced

Blue Crab Roe and Sherry, or Crispy Whole Fried Southern Flounder with Apricot Glaze. Check them

12.75 oz jars apricot preserves

out at www.fleetlanding.net.

1½ C

Red wine viegar

Soy sauce

Tabasco sauce

1/4 bch

Cilantro, minced

Olive oil

Preparation For the glaze, heat olive oil in a medium pan over moderate heat. Sauté minced garlic and shallots until they are translucent, then add all the remaining ingredients, and simmer for five minutes. Set aside until ready to serve. To prepare the flounder for cooking, simply score it with a knife and dredge in seasoned flour. Heat oil to 375° and fry the fish whole. Once cooked, remove and spoon on the apricot glaze. Serve and eat!

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LAST CAST

HOOKED ON LAKE HARTWELL I grew up in a little northwest Georgia mountain town

plunged toward the fish and/or submarine below. It soon

where the waitresses at the diner called everybody

became clear that the giant thing was definitely a carp rising

Honey and said stuff like, “Ya gits grits with them

to the surface to gulp a bug. When the fish/human collision

scrambled aygs, Honey.” This was proud hillbilly country

occurred, Bubba squealed and somehow the carp slithered

and near the Chattooga River where the famous canoe

away faster than Ricky Bobby at Darlington, yet with one

scenes in the movie Deliverance were filmed. Sidenote:

less dorsal fin spine that was now lodged in the arch of

The banjo player was my neighbor. Not really.

Bubba’s calloused foot. If you’ve never seen a carp’s dorsal

As a young Boy Scout, I visited a stunning place along

fin, it has sharp, serrated spines. And, while Bubba’s foot was

the Chattooga River called Tallula Gorge where I slid

tougher than a bull’s hoof, the arch was marshmallowy soft.

down a giant slimy rock, buck naked. I earned the little

It took a real live doctor to cut the carp part from Bubba’s

known Butt Rash merit badge that day. Nowadays,

FRED GARTH

the Chattooga

For the past 25 years, Fred D.

is wildly popular

foot and months for

Lake Hartwell went on to gain

it to heal. Bubba was

fame as well, as one of the best

thankfulness that he

so overwhelmed with

eventually changed his

bass fishing lakes in the country.

Garth’s articles have appeared in

for whitewater

numerous books, magazines and

kayakers and is the

newspapers around the world.

headwaters for Lake Hartwell, which forms the border

celebrated podiatrist with a thriving practice in Myrtle Beach.

Read his blog at:

between Georgia and South Carolina and offers up some

So some good came from an asinine stunt.

GuyHarveyMagazine.com

of the best freshwater fishing on the planet. Scads of rabid

went on to become a

Lake Hartwell went on to gain fame as well, as one of the

fisherman come to Hartwell to catch crappie and bass of

best bass fishing lakes in the country. In 2008, the Bassmaster

multiple varieties such as largemouth, spotted, hybrid and

Classic was held there and as far back as 1973, another

striped. There is no butt rash bass that I know of.

South Carolina lake just downstream, Clark’s Hill Reservoir,

Back then, when I was young and stupid as opposed to

was host to the Classic. Known as the Super Bowl of Bass

old and ridiculously weird, I was more into jumping off high

Fishing, the tournament returned to Hartwell again 2015,

bridges and climbing crumbling rock cliffs than fishing, but

and it was recently announced that the 2018 event will be

I did get some early and critically vital knowledge of a lowly,

headquartered in Greenville, S.C. From March 16-18, anglers

disrespected lake fish. One day, three of us were hanging

will zoom around the 56,000-acre lake hunting for lunkers. In

out on a rock outcropping when we saw a humongous

the 2015 tourney, homegrown South Carolinian Casey Ashley

golden blur lumbering along below the surface. It appeared

won the first place prize of $300,000. His home lake? Hartwell.

to be a giant carp or quite possibly a yellowish submarine

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name to Nathan and

Little did our tiny brains figure back then that Lake

piloted by tiny subhumans from the Netherworld. My buddy

Hartwell would become bass fishing Shangri La. If only we

Bubba (yes, everyone in Georgia had a best friend named

could have predicted the future, I’d have bought some land

Bubba) jumped up and uttered those now, infamous words,

and built a little fishing lodge with a restaurant where we’d

“Watch this boys.” And with that, he leapt off the ledge and

serve a special sandwich called Bubba’s Carpburgers.

CAPTAINS FOR CLEAN WATER IS FIGHTING TO STOP THE DAMAGING DISCHARGES TO THE CALOOSAHATCHEE AND ST. LUCIE RIVERS & RESTORE AMERICA’S EVERGLADES. BECOME A ‘CAPTAIN’ TODAY & RECEIVE A FREE CFCW HOO-RAG ® AND STICKER PACKAGE.

C A P TA I N S F O R C L E A N WAT E R . O R G / J O I N

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