Lights Out Boston Runs Out of Time to Catch Up as Conditions Cut Carrier Cup Short
Lights Out Boston Angler Ray Rosher works a sailfish on Day Two of the 2026 SFC Carrier Cup.
The Lights Out Boston Angling Club finished fourth overall at the 2026 Carrier Cup, landing six sailfish across two days of competition at Patriot's Point. The finish only serves to highlight the incredible effort and also the frustration as the team notched more billfish releases than all other teams, a respectable showing that underscored the unpredictability of offshore tournaments, and the scoring of each billfish species.
The Sport Fishing Championship has billed the three-day tournament as the premiere event to kick off the 250th Birthday Celebration for the United States, and combined the South Carolina-based tournament with fan-facing events and watch parties, culminating in a Brian Kelley concert held on the flight deck of the retired aircraft carrier USS Yorktown.
A lit-up sailfish takes to the air right off the transom the Viking 62 Lights Out.
Days One and Two brought a temperamental Atlantic: moderate to heavy seas that peaked at four to six feet, with sustained winds in the 15- to 20-knot range shifting throughout both days. Morning runs out to the continental shelf were choppy but manageable, though several boats reported fuel consumption running 10 to 15 percent higher than anticipated. Adding to the excitement were long swaths of sargassum, otherwise known as grass or gulfweed, which often mass on the surface as a result of the motion of wind and current. As much as they act as naturally occurring fish-attracting devices where dolphin (mahi-mahi) congregate that can draw in hunting billfish, they can interfere with the smooth operation of trolling spreads by hanging up in lines for dredges and baits, changing their motion and turning off sharp-eyed billfish, as well as dragging on lines during the fight.
On Day Two, Capt. Rob Carmichael of Lights Out Boston commented, “The seas are a lot better today, [there’s) still a little swell. Water is looking a little better, we found a spot with a little less grass, so we’re excited. A few fish have been caught here so we’ve got a grind it out and claw our way back up the board.”
Angler Casey Carmichael ties into a fish in sporty conditions for Lights Out Boston.
Built to be one of the most prestigious saltwater competitions in the Southeast, the event was truncated to just two days of actual fishing after tournament organizers made the call to cancel Day Three on account of rough sea conditions. For most teams, that decision meant leaving potential points and prize money swimming offshore. Each sailfish release is worth 75 points, while a white marlin release is 100 points, and a blue marlin counts for 450 points. and the resolve required to compete when conditions turn against you.
For Lights Out Boston, this curtailed schedule was frustrating, since the team was hitting its stride with five of its six sailfish releases coming on Day Two. Since one blue marlin is the equivalent of six sailfish, the species of releases made all the difference today, with Tournament Winner the New Jersey Sea Birds AC, releasing four blue marlin and one sailfish. One blue marlin release each scored the South Florida Sails AC and East Coast Remix AC the second and third podium positions paired with releases of three sailfish and one sailfish respectively.
The 2026 SFC Carrier Cup hosted a FanFest event for fans to meet sponsors, such as Comparion Insurance Agency.
Stay tuned as the eyes of the SFC turn to the Gulf Division, with the Gulfport Mississippi Open and the Baypoint Billfish Open taking place in June.