Thursday, Feb. 2, 02 47 p.m.
Held last weekend at the Charleston Area Convention Center in North Charleston, the annual assembling of boat and accessory dealers drew 11,228 people during its three-day run.
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Rig wire for razor-tooth torpedoes
Friday, Jan. 6, 02 27 p.m.
Moving at up to 50 mph, wahoo rank among the fastest fish in the ocean. Their range circles the globe, sticking mostly to the warm-water currents of tropical and sub-tropical open ocean zones.
Even in winter, the water temperature off Charleston can hang in the 70s. So get out there — the wahoo are waiting.
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Friday, Jan. 6, 12 00 p.m.
The annual Charleston Boat Show plays out like a big family reunion as boaters, fishermen and women and thousands of other marine-life enthusiasts return each year for the largest maritime event in the Lowcountry.
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Friday, Jan. 6, 12 00 p.m.
David Sneddon of Bluffton donated his 31-foot center console Pursuit 310C to the college last summer. After months of working out registration paperwork to finalize the gift, a team of professors and researchers took their new ride (nicely powered by two Yamaha 250-hp four-stroke engines) out for a shakedown cruise.
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Load up on live baits and hit the ledge
Wednesday, Nov. 2, 03 21 p.m.
“Two trips in a row. Forty-five minutes and we’re done, limited out,” says veteran commercial and recreational angler Paul Godbout. “These big grouper, they’re almost too easy now.”
That’s right, grouper is in, and the fishing is phenomenal. But you’ve got to get them while the getting’s good. Grouper fishing shuts downs for a spawning season closure from Jan. 1 through the end of April.
The keys to success, Godbout says, are nice live baits, the right equipment and dropping in the right spot.
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Tuesday, Nov. 1, 12 00 a.m.
The bottom-fishing saga continues for Southeastern anglers, with black sea bass off the menu for the second time in a year.
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Tuesday, July 5, 10 00 a.m.
Where’s The Grillage? Where’s Dynamite Hole?
Those questions have been asked so many times by so many anglers that the actual location of these “secret” fishing holes has become a bit of a running joke among the Lowcountry’s cadre of longtime anglers and charter captains. You may not be able to see behind those Costa lenses, but trust me — those eyes are rollin’ faster than the tide.
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Go one-on-one with Charleston’s biggest and baddest fish
Tuesday, July 5, 09 55 a.m.
Beginning on the beach at Morris Island to the south and Sullivan’s Island to the north, Charleston’s two jetties jut out to sea for about 3 miles. The massive structures were built in the late 19th century to protect the port city’s shipping channel.
The jetties’ 6 miles of rock form one of the state’s most impressive and oldest artificial reef systems, a popular angling destination that features not only structure, but also dramatic depth changes and dynamic currents.
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Monday, June 20, 05 27 p.m.
The ruling had been expected for months; it comes three weeks after the season was re-opened and just after offshore anglers reported some of the best fishing and biggest fish.
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Friday, May 13, 11 33 a.m.
The dolphin bite is heating up off Charleston! Check out these picks from a recent trip.
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Fishing clubs are all about family, friends and fun.
Tuesday, May 3, 01 39 p.m.
A new Summerville club joins a long list of Lowcountry fishing associations, some decades old. Many fishing clubs are open to all, but some offer memberships by invitation only. Many clubs organize fishing tournaments, from informal members-only competitions to larger multi-day tourneys with open entries, corporate sponsorships and cash payouts.
Here’s a look at some of the well-known Lowcountry fishing clubs.
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Early summer marks the return of huge schools of spadefish to nearshore reefs
Tuesday, May 3, 01 24 p.m.
A good day of spade fishing will leave your forearms burning, your line twisted and your body dehydrated because the action is so fast you never even stop to drink. This fast-paced fishery is a blast, not only for expert anglers but also for kids and beginners looking to rack up some serious saltwater experience.
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Tuesday, May 3, 01 22 p.m.
Sure, fishing for a living sounds like a fine thing. But would-be charter captains should look before they leap. It’s hard work, there are plenty of hoops to jump through and the fish aren’t always biting.
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Tuesday, May 3, 01 14 p.m.
Believe me when I tell you that the tips we garner from local experts are usually spot-on. They’ll help you catch more fish. So much so, in fact, that I sometimes find myself wondering if we’re encouraging anglers to head out there and “wear ’em out.”
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Monday, May 2, 06 00 a.m.
The key to healthy oceans isn’t so different from keeping a fit body: It’s a lot easier to avert damage than to fix it. Preventing harm from overfishing – taking species faster than they can reproduce – is the best way to ensure a future of bountiful fish for anglers, the ocean ecosystem, seafood eaters and tourists.
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Public hearing April 12 in North Charleston
Friday, March 25, 03 34 p.m.
Proposal would leave daily bag limits unchanged for king mackerel, but lower for Spanish mackerel. Cobia limits would remain unchanged, but a spawning season closure is on the table.
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Monday, March 21, 02 44 p.m.
I was pretty fired up after writing Tideline magazine's latest cover story on blackfin tuna, and jumped at the first chance I got to give the new tuna techniques a try.
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Tuesday, March 1, 02 13 p.m.
Don’t you dare look down your nose at blackfin tuna. These furious fighters are fun to catch and fantastic on the plate. Best of all? Unlike the long-lost yellowfin tuna, blackfin are still plentiful off our coast.
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Tuesday, March 1, 02 04 p.m.
Our world-class cobia fishery cranks up in April. Don’t miss the early action.
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Guest column by Capt. Mark Brown
Tuesday, March 1, 01 56 p.m.
Charleston commercial fisherman Capt. Mark Brown says that because so little evidence is needed to declare that a fishery is undergoing overfishing, the nation's top fisheries law has become a monster that is now devouring the freedom to fish.
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Guest Column by Jason Ward
Tuesday, March 1, 01 32 p.m.
Jason Ward is an avid offshore fisherman and experienced diver well known in the Lowcountry’s angling community. Ward, a software developer by trade, fishes on his 26-foot Glacier Bay, Banshee. Ward leads off this edition’s “Scuttlebutt” with a guest column on recent changes to federal rules governing bottom fishing off the Southeast.
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Monday, Jan. 31, 01 58 p.m.
The popular recreational fishery for black sea bass will close until June starting Feb. 12, according to federal fishery managers.
Tom Swatzel, a member of the South Atlantic Fisheries Management Council, said a regional administrator with the National Fisheries Management Service provided that closure start date.
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Wednesday, Jan. 26, 05 57 p.m.
Dozens of angry anglers, charter boat captains and commercial fishermen confronted federal regulators Wednesday in North Charleston during a public comment period on new bottom-fishing regulations and potential new restrictions for popular open-water species such as dolphin and wahoo.
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Friday, Jan. 21, 06 40 p.m.
This year's Charleston Boat Show drew larger crowds than last year, and by most accounts, boat show visitors had a much more positive outlook on the local maritime industry. Here are some images from the show, itself, and from a vendor appreciation event hosted by The Post and Courier and Tideline magazine, the Lowcountry's premier maritime publication.
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Friday, Jan. 7, 11 17 a.m.
Massive red drum swirl just under the surface in a school 300 strong. You stand there stunned, mouth agape, as hundreds of bright orange monsters crush baitfish in the clear blue-green water off your bow. The best thing? Almost nobody else knows these fish are here.
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Friday, Jan. 7, 10 59 a.m.
There’s a new hot spot for Lowcountry shore-based anglers, and from the looks of photographs taken there over the past few months, the fishing is very good, indeed. Flounder, seatrout, red drum and lots of big sheepshead — what more could you want?
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Friday, Jan. 7, 10 34 a.m.
Seminars, meetings and expos of interest to local anglers
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Friday, Jan. 7, 10 00 a.m.
We boaters have an insatiable passion for the water, but most would rather clip a wild Bohemian’s toenails than spend more time than they need to at a public boat ramp. Fact is, boat ramp antics can be a royal pain in the aft.
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Friday, Jan. 7, 09 47 a.m.
Who gave you the gift of fishing? Was it your dad? Your mom? A neighbor or a friend? Maybe you can remember the exact moment you picked up a rod and reel for the first time, or the exhilaration you felt from that first sharp tug of a fish. Maybe you best remember sharing time on the water with a best friend or relative.
Over the holiday season, Tideline magazine and Costa Del Mar sunglasses invited readers to share their stories about who gave them the gift of fishing, or to whom they have given the gift of fishing. The editorial staff chose the top three authors, who each will receive a pair of Costa Del Mar sunglasses: Scott Gordon, Lisa Giuliani and Kevin Kalman.
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Tuesday, Nov. 2, 02 54 p.m.
We’re planning a change for 2011. Starting with the January-February edition, we will give you space to voice your opinions about local maritime matters.
We hope that this new feature will become a place for civil discourse, away from the din and darts of online forums, where anonymity often breeds contempt and ultimately stifles constructive dialogue. We will publish a variety of remarks and commentary in every issue, from a one-paragraph retort to guest columns (in all cases, we will edit for space and content, and we will identify the author).
So! Have something to say about new fishing regulations? Are no-wake zones a boon or boondoggle? Something on the water get your goat? Know of someone who deserves recognition? Got a great fishing tip?
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Tuesday, Nov. 2, 02 41 p.m.
You’ve got to love November and December in the Lowcountry.
Whitetail deer season is still in full swing, redfish and trout still crowd our inshore waters, shrimp-baiting season is wrapping up and waterfowlers are gearing up for a strong duck season. It just couldn’t get any better, right? Well, it can.
The next time you see a forecast for light winds this fall, consider putting off that deer or duck hunt. Put the boat in and take the short trip out to one of the many fantastic, nearshore artificial reefs dotting the South Carolina coast. Spend a few hours enjoying the non-stop action at these hot spots, and you might just find a new favorite fall pastime.
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Tell us your "gift of Fishing" story
Friday, Sept. 17, 12 50 p.m.
Tideline magazine invites you to inspire others by sharing your story about who gave you the gift of fishing, or to whom you have given the gift of fishing. Send us your story, along with a photo and brief caption. The editorial staff at Tideline will review the entries and select the top three most inspirational stories to feature in our January/February 2011 issue.
The three winning entrants will receive a complimentary pair of Costa Del Mar sunglasses!
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Tuesday, Sept. 14, 07 25 a.m.
High tide or low tide. In 60 feet or 6 inches of water. Winter, spring, summer or fall. However you look at it, the spottail bass reigns supreme in Lowcountry waters.
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Tuesday, Sept. 14, 07 20 a.m.
Where would we be without redfish?
Boat dealers, tackle shop owners, lure manufacturers, charter captains, tens of thousands of recreational anglers: We all owe an enormous debt of gratitude to this remarkable fish.
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Monday, Sept. 13, 06 00 a.m.
There are thousands of different baits out there to choose from, and a person could spend a small fortune buying them. I have always been told that lures are made to catch us fishermen, not the fish. But I have a couple of favorites that are always in the boat when I go out during the fall months. During this time of year, the bait will start to leave our creeks and the water will clear up. This is prime time to trick fish into biting artificials.
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Wednesday, July 7, 12 46 p.m.
It’s 2 a.m., muggy and mighty dark as we ease up to a bank off the Intracoastal Waterway north of Mount Pleasant.
Capt. Darryl Graham cuts the motor on the aluminum jonboat, and Andy Gianelli hops up on the bow, a 15-foot pole in hand.
For a moment, it’s quiet as we slip downstream with the falling tide.
When a small generator roars to life, halogen lamps lining the boat’s bow and side erupt in intense yellow light.
It’s night and day. Camera in hand, I stare over the side, fascinated by a scene relatively few people ever see. So this is what’s going on down there, under our hulls!
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Wednesday, July 7, 12 36 p.m.
Back when I was a fish-crazy teenager, I had a buddy whose father would take us out flounder gigging every once in a while, usually behind Kiawah Island. The few times we tried it, we had a blast — gigging can be big fun, especially if you head out when the conditions are right.
I remember we once put 13 fish in the cooler, a feat that remains a personal best when it comes to flounder (as sad as that is to admit). I also recall a few decent doormats in the bunch, but you know how that goes: Fish generally get bigger, not smaller, each time you remember them.
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Wednesday, July 7, 12 31 p.m.
I’ll never forget the first spot-tail bass I caught on a fly.
I was 14 years old and had caught plenty of largemouth bass and bream in freshwater ponds, but never a spot-tail.
I grew up in McClellanville, just down the street from the boat landing, and knew my way around the creeks pretty well. Ellison Smith, a friend of my parents and the only person I knew who fly fished in saltwater, had recently taught me proper casting technique and had given me a ratty box of flies.
None of my other friends or family were into it, so I didn’t have a whole lot of support. But I was determined.
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Diving off Charleston is better than you think
Thursday, May 6, 06 04 a.m.
So what’s the coolest thing you’ve seen down there?
Pose that question to veteran Charleston scuba diver Sally Robinson, and just sit back and enjoy. She’ll fire off story after story about incredible underwater encounters with spotted dolphins, other-wordly views of shipwrecks, and run-ins with unbelievably big Goliath grouper — all in waters off Charleston.
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Offshore anglers dive into unknown chasing bottom fish and lobsters
Thursday, May 6, 06 03 a.m.
It’s a guessing game, trying to catch fish with hook and line.
Anglers can use the latest in GPS and sonar technology to anchor right over what they hope is a reef or wreck loaded with fish, but when it comes right down to it, most fishermen really don’t know what’s down there, 60 or 80 feet below their boat.
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Thursday, May 6, 06 02 a.m.
The rod tip bounced once, like a good-natured slap to get our attention. A second later, the rod bent violently and the reel’s drag started singing its raspy song.
Our first cobia of the morning was buttoned up!
I wrenched the rod out of the holder and handed it to one of my buddies, the one who had not, until that very second, ever tangled with one of these big, brown beasts.
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Hanahan native pounds out works of art and runs the family hitch business
Thursday, May 6, 06 01 a.m.
Every fisherman has a story or two. Steve Corbin can certainly weave some interesting tales of fishing and trailering mishaps, some his own and some he’s heard from others along the way.
Born and bred in Hanahan, the popular business owner is well-known as the local go-to guy to perform the impossible hitch installment. He’s been doing them since high school.
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Thursday, May 6, 06 00 a.m.
Some folks say tournaments take the fun out of fishing. They say you can’t relax and enjoy your time on the water whenever money’s on the line.
I’m not so sure.
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Thursday, March 11, 11 42 a.m.
Good for them.
Good for the thousands of anglers who traveled to our nation’s capital to have their say. Good for the Lowcountry fishermen who organized a local contingent of protesters, rented buses and raised money to fund the trip in late February.
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West Ashley family launches home-spun study of commercial crab fishery
Thursday, March 11, 11 37 a.m.
Marty Spivey may have developed the best science class around.
The 49-year-old West Ashley dad and his three children — Sarah, 8, Annah Bethel, 10, and Josiah, 11 — have founded a research team known as the “Stone Crab Kids.” The Spivey gang’s goal? To help the state’s Department of Natural Resources determine if Lowcountry waters can support a commercial fishery for tasty stone crab claws.
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Mammals off Georgia show high PCB levels
Thursday, March 11, 11 30 a.m.
Dolphins are getting sick from eating the same fish we do.
That’s the disturbing conclusion of the latest round of federal research at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration offices at Fort Johnson, among other sites. Studies of dolphins in coastal Georgia discovered some of the highest levels of PCBs ever found in the fat of a marine mammal, 30 years after the use of the toxic industrial insulating compound was banned.
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Thursday, March 11, 11 28 a.m.
The Beach Co. plans to spend $5 million to extend the Charleston City Marina by 150 feet into the Ashley River — cutting the river’s navigational channel in half as a result.
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Fishermen take cue from farmers
Tuesday, Jan. 5, 05 04 p.m.
With fewer fish to be had, Captain Mark Marhefka decided it was time to do business differently.
Dave Belanger came to the same conclusion when the recession socked the New York restaurant industry and affected demand for his clams.
Now, both men are appealing directly to the public. They are selling shares in their fish catch and seafood harvest like small farmers are doing through Community Supported Agriculture programs, or CSAs.
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Tuesday, Jan. 5, 05 02 p.m.
Want to learn to cast a fly rod or throw a cast net? Want to see what new hunting and fishing gadgets are on the market? Want to learn how to make a pickled shrimp salad?
Or do you just want to finally pick up that bronze marlin statue you know in your heart you deserve?
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Tuesday, Jan. 5, 05 01 p.m.
One of the most popular marine artists ever, Guy Harvey’s distinctive paintings of fish and fishing have become a part of the angling culture worldwide.
In addition to being an artist, Harvey is an accomplished diver and photographer who holds a doctorate in fisheries management. A 10th generation Jamaican of English ancestry, Harvey, who now lives in Cayman, was a recent inductee into the International Game Fish Hall of Fame.
Harvey was in town recently for a signing at Palmetto Moon, and The Post and Courier’s Tommy Braswell caught up with the iconic artist for a one-on-one conversation.
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Sight-casting in the flats: ‘It’s the easiest way to catch redfish all year long’
Tuesday, Jan. 5, 04 56 p.m.
It’s cold. Get over it.
Bundle up, back that boat down and head out on the water. Stay home and you’ll be warm — but you’ll also miss some of the best inshore fishing the Lowcountry has to offer.
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Tuesday, Jan. 5, 04 15 p.m.
It doesn’t take a marine biologist to figure out that fishermen, wake boarders and pleasure-cruise fans want to spend their free time on the water. Land? The stuff is serviceable, at least as a route to and from the ocean, lake or river. But occasionally, water lovers get excited on terra firma as well. Nothing gets them going like a good boat show – an arena filled with new-model center consoles and cruisers, sleek flats boats and and home-sized yachts.
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SAFMC plan must still be reviewed; future clouded by stock assessment, legal action, push for catch shares
Tuesday, Jan. 5, 04 07 p.m.
A huge swath of offshore waters from Georgetown to the middle of Florida would be closed to bottom-fishing under a plan tentatively approved last month by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council.
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Tuesday, Jan. 5, 03 59 p.m.
I’m sure going to miss fresh grouper filets.
Never mind that I’ve never really been that good at loading up a fishbox with big gags and scamps, that I’ve always had more luck with black seabass (the world’s easiest fish to catch). Every once in a while, we’d wind up over a nice piece of live bottom and manage to hook a 15-pound gag. Landing a keeper grouper has always been cause for great celebration on my boat — high fives, whooping and hollering, lots of pictures.
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Friday, Dec. 11, 02 15 p.m.
The offshore bottom along the Continental Shelf would be closed to fishing from Charleston to south Florida under a plan tentatively approved by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council today.
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Charleston Boat Show producer predicts great deals, great fun at January event
Thursday, Dec. 10, 09 52 a.m.
Would-be boat buyers, mark your calendars.
The 30th annual Charleston Boat Show, the Lowcountry’s largest boat show and sale, will be held Jan. 22–24 at the North Charleston Convention Center.
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Trout on the Fly
Thursday, Dec. 10, 09 47 a.m.
Staying home because you think cool-weather fishing is too slow? Think again. Wintertime is the right time to bust out your fly rod and hit the creeks. The crowds are gone, the water is clear and the seatrout are ready to eat.
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Snags aplenty for offshore bottom-fishing: Widespread bans still on the table; closed seasons for grouper, snapper taking effect
Thursday, Dec. 10, 09 40 a.m.
The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is set to vote this month on measures that would severely curtail virtually all forms of offshore bottom-fishing throughout huge areas of ocean off the Southeast coast.
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Winds of fortune: Grant for N. Charleston turbine lab could propel S.C. to forefront of race for reneweable energy
Thursday, Dec. 10, 09 37 a.m.
The U.S. Energy Department announced late last month that a site on the former Charleston Naval Base in North Charleston would become a test-bed for the world’s largest offshore wind turbines, a move that lawmakers said may turn out to be a Boeing-size economic development prize.
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Thursday, Dec. 10, 09 34 a.m.
As we stick a fork in 2009, I think most of us would agree that this has not been a particularly kind year for Lowcountry anglers. This year’s been enough to make anyone crusty, cranky and cynical. … But we’re fishermen. Our passion and the nature of our pursuit compel us toward optimism.
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Eagle swoops in during a surf fishing trip, adding dramatic turn to special memorial
Thursday, Dec. 10, 08 55 a.m.
Matthew Montgomery, president of Montgomery Level Company, will always hold special memories of his stepfather Robert Register, but one in particular will stand out forever.
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Anglers can weigh in on plans to restrict offshore bottom fishing
Wednesday, Nov. 4, 06 04 a.m.
The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold a series of public hearings this month, including one in Charleston, regarding proposed management measures meant to end overfishing of red snapper and other bottom species.
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After facing treacherous icebergs at the top of the world, the Ocean Watch makes a much-needed stop in Charleston
Wednesday, Nov. 4, 06 03 a.m.
A 64-foot, steel-hulled sailboat cleared the jetties at dawn Oct. 13 and made its way into Charleston Harbor. It’s hard to say what’s more amazing — where the yacht came from or the fact that it could.
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Wednesday, Nov. 4, 06 00 a.m.
I’m no bottom fishing expert. I’ve caught a few nice grouper and snapper over the years, and have certainly fileted my fair share of black seabass (I love those little rascals. So easy to catch, so good to eat!). But I still have a lot to learn.
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Environmental group wants Atlantic sturgeon listed as an endangered species
Tuesday, Nov. 3, 04 28 p.m.
The monster is a living fossil. It has bonelike plates instead of skin that are sharp enough to cut. It roots along like a feral hog, nosing a snout that has whiskery barbels like a catfish. It sucks food into a tubelike, toothless mouth.
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Lowcountry restaurants to join oyster shell recycling efforts
Tuesday, Nov. 3, 04 27 p.m.
Everybody knows what the secret ingredient is to a good cocktail sauce — fresh oysters. The season began last month.
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Tuesday, Nov. 3, 04 26 p.m.
They’re out there, swarms of them, robbing bottom-fishing anglers blind. But with just a few tips and simple tackle adjustments, just about anyone can load up the coolers with tasty but tough triggerfish.
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Coast Guard plans temporary closing of ICW so Ben Sawyer Bridge can be repaired
Tuesday, Nov. 3, 04 25 p.m.
The Coast Guard plans to shut down a section of the Intracoastal Waterway for 10 days this month so a new swing span can be installed on the Ben Sawyer Bridge.
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Wednesday, Oct. 7, 06 10 a.m.
I’m one of the slackers. I admit it.
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Wednesday, Oct. 7, 06 09 a.m.
Seven thousand days at sea. Twenty-nine years fishing for a living.
As Capt. Robert Johnson sat in a Charleston hotel conference room in September, the charter boat operator from St. Augustine, Fla., seemed to see it all slipping away.
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Do yacht owners get a pass on boat taxes?
Wednesday, Oct. 7, 06 06 a.m.
Those enormous yachts that populate Charleston-area marinas sure look nice, but guess how high the tax bills must be.
Now guess lower. Much lower.
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Lowcountry fishing gets better and better as the water cools
Wednesday, Oct. 7, 06 06 a.m.
It is an early weekday morning, the water is glassy and the sun is just arriving as we pole to the back of a large mud flat. I have been watching the fish move in the shallows for some time. The gulls riding their backs make them easy to spot from a great distance as we slowly make our way across the flat toward them. Fall is in the air.
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MUSC program offers recreational water sports to people with disabilities
Wednesday, Oct. 7, 06 03 a.m.
A lively group sits in beach chairs in the shade while watching the waves gently lap the sand. Smiles can be seen — roaring boat engines, music and laughter heard.
A relaxing, good time is being had by all on a sunny afternoon at Lion’s Beach on Lake Moultrie.
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A Passion for Fishing
Wednesday, Oct. 7, 06 02 a.m.
Venezuela, Hawaii, Costa Rica, Panama, Australia — Gail Kennedy-McManus has chased fish around some of the world’s premier angling destinations.
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Fresh water helps preserve ancient iron; underwater history trail grows with each new find
Wednesday, Oct. 7, 06 00 a.m.
Last spring, a Department of Natural Resources research vessel trawling the waters off Georgetown snagged a most unusual catch: an eight-foot, early 19th century ship’s anchor.
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Fight over fishing ban headed to Charleston
Thursday, Sept. 10, 06 00 a.m.
The battle over offshore bottom fishing comes home to Charleston this month when the South Atlantic Fisheries Management Council meets Sept. 14-18 in Charleston.
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Thursday, Sept. 10, 06 00 a.m.
Mark Hocutt rarely says “no” to his son – at least when fishing is concerned.
Four-year-old Graham caught the fishing bug early last year after landing his first 15-inch flounder, just big enough to take home and eat for dinner.
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Turning the tide
Thursday, Sept. 10, 06 00 a.m.
The report is as chilling as ice: 85 percent of the world’s oyster beds present 100 years ago are gone, and the rest are in severe decline. Even in the shell-rich Lowcountry, about half the beds are gone.
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Thursday, Sept. 10, 06 00 a.m.
To tournament director Rob Donlan, the folks at Key West Boats, the Coastal Conservation Association and the rest of the volunteer crew and sponsors: Thank you for another great running of the Key West Boats Fishing for Miracles King Mackerel Tournament!
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Power Squadron builds better boaters
Thursday, Sept. 10, 06 00 a.m.
Whether you are an experienced sailor or just getting your sea legs, members of the Charleston Sail and Power Squadron can help ensure that a boat owner’s nautical endeavors are safe and fun.
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Deep-sea treasure off our coast
Thursday, Sept. 3, 06 00 a.m.
Deep beneath the crystalline blue surface of the Atlantic Ocean off the southeastern United States lies a virtual rain forest of coral reefs so expansive the network is believed to be the world’s largest.
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Tuesday, Aug. 18, 09 20 a.m.
It was only a matter of time.
Sooner or later, someone was going to have to crack down on the shenanigans out on Morris Island.
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Good wine, good food, good fishing
Monday, Aug. 17, 01 17 p.m.
When he’s not fishing, surfing or kiteboarding, Mount Pleasant native Jimmy Purcell enjoys sipping a good Chardonnay.
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Get Up Early for Topwater Bite
Monday, Aug. 17, 01 15 p.m.
On July 5, I took a day off from my inshore guiding business to take my dad out for a morning of topwater fishing.
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Trashed
Monday, Aug. 17, 12 38 p.m.
Pulling up to spend the day at boat-only beaches is a fun Lowcountry tradition. But over the years, the parties have grown wilder.
Now, after a crowd of Fourth of July revelers trashed Morris Island, many wonder if it’s time to crack down.
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Tuesday, July 7, 06 12 a.m.
Ahh, yes. Summertime on Charleston Harbor.
Blowboats tacking every which way. Wake-jumping Jet Skis buzzing like gnats. Container ships bearing down. Sportfishers in a hurry. A conga line of center consoles heading back from the jetties.
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Summer schoolers
Tuesday, July 7, 06 11 a.m.
Pulling up to a wreck or reef off Charleston is always an exciting moment, especially when you're fishing for spadefish in the summer. It's not uncommon to find a school of 500 or more silvery fish circling, feeding, flashing, and chasing each other around just below the surface.
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Ahh, the surf life
Tuesday, July 7, 06 10 a.m.
His style is new-school. His aerodynamics on the water earned him a reputation as a mathematical genius. He's unofficially the best surfer in South Carolina. And according to local, veteran pro-surfer Gregg Elliot, Kyle Busey has the moves to battle the waves with internationally known pros such as Kelly Slater.
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Oyster building boom Bags of recycled shells placed on the coastline help sustain estuary
Tuesday, July 7, 06 05 a.m.
As an ash-gray sky threatened rain over the Intracoastal Waterway, a 45-foot catamaran pulled up to a muddy shoreline of the Coosaw-Ashepoo Cut, dropped off about 50 people and chugged away.
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AJs Time to give 'reef donkeys' a little respect
Tuesday, July 7, 06 00 a.m.
When Capt. Tony Strickland of Murrell's Inlet piloted his 34-foot boat Kill'n Time out to the Gulf Stream last summer, he and angler Lee Frederick just wanted to enjoy some weekend fun fishing.
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Slow-troll live baits for hot June action
Friday, June 5, 02 10 p.m.
Want to catch a ton of different game fish in June?
Go kingfishing.
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Friday, June 5, 10 04 a.m.
Where's the outrage, I wonder.
Over the past few years, government scientists and fisheries managers have inched toward tighter restrictions on a number of popular sport fish. They've slowly but surely chipped away at when and where recreational and commercial anglers can fish, and how much they can keep.
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No Boat? No Problem!
Friday, June 5, 10 02 a.m.
You don't need a fat wallet, a big boat or a box full of fancy tackle to catch fish in the Lowcountry. Here's how.
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Of fishing poles and polo shirts
Friday, June 5, 09 53 a.m.
Ross is more of an inshore guy. Jason likes the blue water. But they both share a love of fishing, along with concern for conservation and a passion for polo shirts.
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Living the dream
Monday, May 4, 09 56 a.m.
John Scroggs of Charleston describes his son Cole as an all-around American boy who gets straight A's in school and plays third base, as well as pitches, for his baseball team.
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Stalking reds in the grass
Monday, May 4, 09 52 a.m.
While the Lowcountry offers year-round opportunities to catch redfish, nothing competes with the thrill and excitement of seeing a bluish-orange tail breach the surface, then quietly sink down and disappear in mere inches of water.
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Dolphin Days
Monday, May 4, 09 42 a.m.
May is the month for big fish and big numbers.
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Monday, May 4, 09 28 a.m.
When I'm offshore catching dolphin, it often strikes me just how much these beautiful fish look like something we ought to eat.
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Catch More Fish
Tuesday, April 7, 12 00 p.m.
Tired of getting skunked? Want some bragging rights of your own? Then grab a notebook and head to a fishing seminar, 'cause the experts are spilling the beans.
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Reds in transition
Tuesday, April 7, 11 58 a.m.
This month's "Captain's Choice" article comes courtesy of Capt. Ben Alderman, a full-time inshore guide since 1996 and a pro angler on ESPN's Redfish Cup tournament series since 2003.
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