Sea Birds Flying High With Day 1 Lead at SFC’s Carrier Cup, Presented by HUK

The Atlantic Division has reached its midway point as the seven angling clubs converged on Charleston for the 2026 SFC Carrier Cup. With the iconic USS Yorktown serving as a backdrop at Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum, day one of the tournament did not disappoint.

Following an agreement reached prior to Thursday night's captains meeting, competition hours were adjusted to accommodate Charleston's expansive 125-mile fishing range. Lines officially went in at 8:30 AM and out at 3:00 PM.

East Coast Remix wasted little time making an impact, becoming the first team on the board just 20 minutes after lines-in. Angler Aimar Hernandez released a sailfish worth 75 points at 8:50 AM, giving Remix the early lead.

Lights Out Boston quickly matched the pace when Ross Nasin added a sailfish release of his own, while North Carolina Flare joined the early leaderboard thanks to Thurman Humphreys. Fishing with a three-man crew due to a family wedding commitment, Flare's “Three Amigos” lineup of Worth Farrington, Croft Upchurch, and Humphreys proved they were more than capable of competing with the division's best.

The first major swing of the tournament came shortly after 11 AM when East Coast Remix connected with a blue marlin. Angler Brent Feder completed the release, earning 450 points and pushing Remix to 525 total points. 

“That blue marlin was very important,” said angler Sarah Melia-Cleare of East Coast Remix Angling Club. “We didn’t really see much after that.” 

What they did see was issues with the water pump that helps cool their gryo stablizer system. Rougher than expected conditions making a gyro very important for a comfortable ride.

“And also our boat started smoking up,” Melia-Cleare said.  “And I was the one that figured out where the smoke was coming from, so now we’re fixing it.”

North Carolina Flare continued to build momentum later in the day when Croft Upchurch released another sailfish, moving the team into second place at the time.

However, the biggest challenge to Remix's lead arrived just before 1:00 PM

The New Jersey Sea Birds finally got on the board when Steve Melchiorre released a blue marlin for 450 points. The catch vaulted the Sea Birds into second place.

South Florida Sails recorded a sailfish double, with Paul Spencer and Lee Albarty each contributing releases to bring their team into contention. Hometown favorite South Carolina Outcast thrilled local fans with a pair of sailfish releases from Stratton Lackey and Trey Kemmerlin, finishing the day with 150 points.

Rhode Island Breakers endured a frustrating opening day despite multiple opportunities. The team suffered a key break-off after an early hookup and later brought a tuna to the boat, but neither effort resulted in tournament points.

Sea Birds Take Control Late

The defining moment of Day 1 came just before lines out. At 2:02 PM, the New Jersey Sea Birds hooked a second blue marlin. Jay Brower completed the release, adding another 450 points and catapulting the team into first place with 900 total points.

The late marlin release transformed the leaderboard and gave the Sea Birds some confidence after a frustrating day with all the seaweed.

“The grass was atrocious,” Sea Birds Captain Blaine Birch said. “It was one of the worst days we had ever seen; [We] made some adjustments, made a move, put some different stuff out and was able to bring a couple up.”

DAY 1 LEADERBOARD
New Jersey Sea Birds – 900 Points
East Coast Remix – 525 Points
North Carolina Flare – 150 Points
South Florida Sails – 150 Points
South Carolina Outcast – 150 Points
Lights Out Boston – 75 Points
Rhode Island Breakers – 0 Points