2011 South Carolina Governor's Cup Billfishing Series

Bill Ingram has a "For Sale" sign hanging on Reel Passion, his 48-foot Richie Howell-designed boat. But he and his crew had to be rethinking the decision to sell after this week's Bohicket Marina Invitational Billfish Tournament.

Reel Passion, captained by Gary Richardson with Thomas Garmany serving as first mate, had a billfish grand slam Friday, releasing a blue marlin, two white marlin and a sailfish. On Saturday's final day of fishing, Reel Passion released two more white marlin, scoring an easy victory in the opening leg of the 2011 South Carolina Governor's Cup Billfishing Series.

Reel Passion, which fishes locally out of Toler's Cove in Mount Pleasant, won $22,255.

Blue marlin releases score 600 points in Governor's Cup events; white marlin releases earn 300 points; and sailfish releases are valued at 200 points.

The reason for Ingram's "For Sale" sign is that he has another boat in Florida that was a day or so away from being ready to fish the Bohicket tournament. And he said he and his crew members have been asking themselves throughout the tournament if they needed to remove the sign.

"This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I can't begin to describe how it feels," said Ingram, an investment banker from Charlotte. "And we could have been in position for another grand slam today. We jumped a sailfish and Daymaker caught their blue marlin right in the same area."