[caption id="attachment_23272" align="alignright" width="192"]<a href="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/DSC0006.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-23272" src="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/DSC0006-192x300.jpg" alt="Amy Banks with her 23-inch, 4-pound Red Drum." width="192" height="300" /></a> Amy Banks with her 23-inch, 4-pound Red Drum.[/caption]

By Bob Sofaly

It was all smiles as anglers weighed and measured their potentially trophy winning fish at the conclusion of the 60th annual Beaufort Water Festival Fishing Tournament last Saturday.

“We had 40 boats in the competition this year,” according to Henri Madlinger, the Festival’s Fishing Tournament chairman. “That’s up seven boats from last year.”

The Tournament allows up to 10 different species to be caught and weighed. Everything from Flounder and Blue Fish to Red and Black Drum were caught and recorded with the Red Drum or Spot Tail Bass, as they are called in the Lowcountry, being the most unlucky fish of the Tournament.

Some of the anglers said the weather was perfect for fishing in creeks that feed into the Broad River. Some said it was bit choppy first thing in the morning but nothing of consequence. Men and women of all ages, including nine-year-old Brody Crider, were on hand to weigh their catch. Brody entered his Flounder caught near Laurel Bay which, when we left, was a contender!

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