Murrells Inlet flounder tournaments move to release format to assist the area stock
In response to unprecedented fishing pressure on flounder in South Carolina waters and a recent stock assessment that showed dwindling stocks of the species in the Southeast from North Carolina to Florida, the South Carolina Legislature clamped down on flounder limits in the Palmetto State in June 2021.
The new limits, which went into effect July 1, 2021, are five flounder per person per day with a boat limit of 10 per day and a 16-inch minimum size limit.
Two flounder tournaments held annually in Murrells Inlet, the little estuary that straddles the Horry-Georgetown county line, are doing their part to help boost stocks of the highly-sought after flatfish.
Last June, at the same time the new limits on flounder were approved by Gov. Henry McMaster, the Murrells Inlet Rotary Flounder Tournament took the lead in changing the tournament format to live release.
Ed Skowysz, a founding member of the Grand Strand Saltwater Anglers Association, competed in the Rotary Flounder Tournament and observed the new format in action.
“I thought it went pretty smoothly,” said Skowysz. “I sort of took notes and incorporated it into our tournament.”
So, the 19th annual Lou Mikula Memorial Flounder Tournament, staged by the anglers association, will also go to a live-release format for the first time in its history.
After a two-year hiatus mainly thanks to COVID-19, the tournament is on again, set for April 30, but there will be some more changes.
“The weigh-in will not be in the (Murrells Inlet) boat ramp parking lot like we have the last 18 tournaments,” said Skowysz. “All that will be done at the waterfront at Crazy Sister Marina.”
South Carolina Department of Natural Resources biologists and staff will be on hand to handle the weigh-in and release of the flounder for the tournament, as they were last year for the Rotary Flounder Tournament.
“They are going to put the fish in an oxygenated tank, and later they will be released in another part of the inlet,” said Skowysz.
Male flounder grow slower and don’t live as long as the egg-bearing female flounder, and the clear majority of fish that reach the 16-inch minimum size limit are females.
Any flounder weighed in during the tournament must be released, allowing the biggest females caught to survive and provide a boost to the species spawning stock.
One of the main goals of our club’s corporate charter is to preserve the fisheries in the Grand Strand area and make people aware of being conservative with the resource,” said Skowysz.
Entry fee is $50 for adults, $25 for youth. Each registered angler must attend the Captains Meeting, set for April 29, 5:30 p.m. at the Beaver Bar in Murrells Inlet.
The tournament will pay $1,500 for the largest flounder weighed in, $700 for second largest and $400 for third largest.
There will be 10 hourly weigh-in periods during the tournament, starting at 7 a.m. The angler that weighs in the largest flounder during each hour period will win $100. All anglers who weigh in a flounder during the tournament will be entered in a $500 drawing.
Other prize divisions include Youth Division, Heroes Flounder Contest (for active or retired military and first responders), Bluefish Contest and Tagged Flounder Contest.
The tournament has been named in honor of Lou Mikula, a club member who passed away on Nov. 13, 2020.
“Lou was instrumental in our flounder tournament, getting sponsorships and organizing it,” said Skowysz. “We’re also going to mount a plaque in his honor on the (Murrells Inlet) Marsh Walk.”
For more information, call Skowysz at 843-450-8218.
Meatfish Slam begins
Flounder numbers are increasing in local estuaries, Spanish mackerel have shown up in the near-shore waters and action for tuna, wahoo and dolphin is heating up in the offshore waters – all sure signs the month of April has arrived.
Georgetown Landing Marina’s annual Meatfish Slam targets tuna, wahoo and dolphin and is set for this weekend out of the marina, with boats able to fish out of Charleston, Georgetown or Murrells Inlet. All fish must be weighed in by the boat they were caught from at Georgetown Landing Marina.
The mandatory Captains Meeting will be held Thursday, 6 p.m., at the marina with two fishing days set for Friday and Saturday.
The boat weighing in the heaviest combined aggregate of one tuna (blackfin or yellowfin), one dolphin and one wahoo will win first prize.
For more information, call Georgetown Landing Marina at 843-546-1776.
This story was originally published April 14, 2022 at 6:00 AM.