Laff-A-Lot wins Edisto Governor’s Cup

By Jeff Dennis with www.LowcountryOutdoors.com | Photo By Jeff Dennis

Thursday, July 26  was the first day of fishing at Edisto for the 28-boat fleet of offshore fishing teams. Anglers choose two out of three days to fish and with the weather being the best on Thursday, all the boats elected to fish. Not surprisingly, the bite was the best on Thursday too, with 52 sailfish releases tallied by the fleet and a mess of meatfish brought back to the scales.
   
Leading the way on Thursday was Micabe from Hilton Head with five sailfish releases, Home Run from Edisto with five sailfish releases and Trash Man from Savannah with five sailfish releases. Laff-A-Lot had four sailfish releases on Day One. The biggest wahoo on Thursday weighed 41.0-pounds and was caught by Tom Blanchard aboard the Reel Hooker.
   
The heaviest tuna on Thursday weighed 25.8-pounds and was reeled in by lady angler Joanna Strickland, fishing from the Wildlife. Strickland also released three sailfish at Edisto and was given the Lady Angler award. The heaviest dolphin on Thursday was reeled in by 10-year old E.J. Nettles fishing from Short People. The Youth Angler award went to Rance Jennings for releasing four sailfish from Caramba.
   
Day Two of fishing at Edisto saw only three boats go fishing. Crystal Blue, Sportin’ Life and Caramba found rough ocean conditions but a pretty good billfish bite, releasing seven sailfish between them.
   
Six blue marlin were released on Saturday, with Laff-A-Lot from Charleston adding one blue marlin and two sailfish to their Day One total to deliver a victory for owner Frank Thornhill. Second place at Edisto went to Micabe for releasing eight sailfish during the competition, with third place gong to Sportin’ Life for seven sailfish releases.