The Ins-and-Outs of Tournament Fishing
by Capt. Woody Woods

At some point in your fishing career, you might be drawn to the glitz, the glamour, and the fat paychecks that constitute tournament billfishing. While it is easy to sit on the sides lines and wish you could be the next guy up on the leader board, there are a few things which must be recognized before it’s your turn in the limelight.
    
First, tournament fishing is not for everyone. It is a very expensive sport, and is a way for many individuals to not only showcase their wealth, but also to engage in competition with other like-minded people. But fear not Mr. Hard Working Blue Collar American!

Below: Pelagic Pro Team Captain J.C. Cleare's 60' Spencer TAGLINE at Miami Marina

Never going to have the money to afford a 64’ Viking? Have no fear! Many of these boat owners want nothing more than to walk onto their battlewagons 30 minutes before a tournament starts, and have everything prepared and ready for them. That’s where special skill sets come into play, and you can find yourself on these regal machines very quickly.

A good video camera operator is worth his weight in gold. I cannot tell you how many times in tournament history that a fish has not been documented due to failure on the cameraman’s part. Biggest mistake while operating a video camera is to zoom in on a jumping fish or boatside fish; oftentimes the operator doesn’t realize he is “too” zoomed in, and there is nothing but blue water in the picture. Stay zoomed out! Get the angler fighting the fish, the mate grabbing the leader (or swivel reaching the rod tip), make SURE to get the tournament designator, then (while still rolling) pan out from the cockpit, go straight to the GPS and record the time and date, and make sure they are clearly visible. While seemingly miniscule in job description, this job is CRUCIAL especially in tag and release tournaments.

Below: View of the platform before a Sailfish tournament aboard TAGLINE.

    
Second way onto a boat is just by being an excellent angler. Again, I’ve seen a lot of lost fish (which means lost big money paycheques) due to angler error. Anything from trying to crank with two hands, knocking the reel in free spool, going too heavy on drag, jerking the rod tip like a bass rod, etc. Knowing how to properly execute a drop back to a “swing and miss” strike, as well as pitching a dead bait to a feeding fish will get you invited back time and time again.
    

Below: Pelagic Pro Team Captains Woody Woods (angler) and Nick Carullo (wireman) put the finishing touches on a successful Sailfish release // Capt. Elvis of The Zancudo Lodge, Costa Rica leaders a sail for release this past January during the Pelagic Triple Crown of Fishing Tournament.

Third way to find your way onto a team is by contributing in some way or the other, aside from the aforementioned ways-this may be fuel money, calcutta money, offering to drive the boat at night, maybe even footing the bill for all of the food and handling cooking duties for the weekend. Every little bit helps.
    
Regarding the Calcutta - the calcutta is the side pot with which the “big money” is won in these tournaments. It should be discussed amongst the crew, all contributing members, and the owner, BEFORE THE BOAT LEAVES THE DOCK, how winnings are to be distributed, if they are to be distributed. Some teams like to cover their expenses first, then distribute appropriately. Some owners feel that if they assume all the financial risk, that nobody else is entitled to a single dollar. Some teams give the captain 10-15%, and the mates 3-10%. Some teams award money based on the percentage that you as an individual contributed. There are good arguments for all scenarios. Know that the cheque is written to the boat, and most often the owner, NOT the angler who caught the winning fish, and that you are in no way entitled to a single dollar, regardless if you caught the fish or not.

Below: It takes a team effort - captain, crew, and anglers - to win a tournament, as shown here by Team Pelagic aboard TAGLINE.

    
Let it also be known that within the best tournament teams, there is complete mobility amongst the crew. Every crewmember and do his job and someone else’s effectively. Almost every good captain I know was a mate at some time. Almost every good mate I know started out as an angler. On the Iona Louise, at our very basic skeleton crew, we have a wireman, a gaffman, a captain on the bridge, at least two registered anglers (in addition to the two mates who are also registered as anglers), and the owner. Our wireman can gaff; our gaffman can wire, our captain can get down in the pit and wire or sink a flying gaff in a big fish, and our mates can get up in the tower and drive on hooked fish. Every crewmember is basically interchangeable with the other, which is a great asset to have in the event that someone gets hurt or otherwise knocked out of the game. Our two mates are also licensed captains, so in the event that our normal captain becomes ill or otherwise incapacitated, there is more than one able body that can get us home safely.

Below: Team GET LIT celebrates a couple recent tournament victories.

    
One of the most fun and important parts of tournament fishing is practicing. If you never practice as a team, you’re not going to know each other’s strengths and weaknesses. If you don’t pre-fish an area before a tournament, how can you expect to really know where to go and have a leg up on the competition? Relying on locals and other teams for knowledge is sketchy at best. If you don’t practice feeding fish with circle hooks, you’re going to be made to look like a rookie when a fish comes up and swings and misses at a ballyhoo and you don’t know what to do next. Lastly, if you’re lucky enough to be invited on a boat for a tournament and not quite sure what your role is, ask the captain or owner what you can do. It may be to help clear lines in the cockpit once a fish is hooked and taking drag. It may be to help keep the inside clean; choppy seas can wreck havoc on a salon with stuff falling out of cabinets, drawers coming open, etc. When in doubt, get up in the tower or bridge and either watch the spread or look for busting fish, riplines, color changes, etc. Know that when you’re yelling down to the cockpit to notify of a fish in the spread, that RIGHT actually refers to the port side of the boat, and LEFT actually refers to the starboard side of the boat. Know which rod leads to which bait, and what they are called on that particular boat (corner, flat, short rigger, long rigger, center flat, shotgun, mousetrap, etc.) so the mate/angler knows exactly which rod to grab so he can feed a fish that’s behind the bait.

Below: Capt. Woody Woods and team aboard IONA LOUISE had great success in 2011.

    
Last but not least, make sure you and everyone on board has a valid fishing license for the state (port) which you are leaving from! Also know that the crew works extremely hard before, during, and after a tournament. If time allows, help wash the boat. A good sized boat 55’ and over can take hours to wash and chamois, and that time can be cut in half with several people helping.

For more information on fishing with Captains Hunter Caballero and Woody Woods of Paradise Outfitters, please visit www.paradise-outfitters.com or check out “Paradise Outfitters” on facebook!

Record Puerto Vallarta Swordfish: Amen!

by Capt. Josh Temple

Dan and Dave Bedell returned yet again to the hallowed grounds of Puerto Vallarta on February 24th in hopes of cashing in on some of the fantastic giant yellowfin tuna fishing that we’ve been enjoying down here since November. They’ve fished with me in Puerto Vallarta, and beyond, countless times over the last decade, and each and every time they come back I intuitively know that something special is going to happen. Together we’ve bested countless giant tunas over the 200# mark over the years, caught enough 300#ers to rub elbows with the best of them, released black and blue marlin of epic proportions, and traveled to far off places like Panama and Clarion Island, to name but a few.

We all know the saying that it’s better to be lucky than good, well in Dan and Dave’s case I like to add something to the old cliché. I tell them that sure, it’s always better to be lucky than good, but if you’re both, then watch-out amigos, cause then you are DANGEROUS!

As the mountain of tackle and equipment that they routinely travel with piled up in the back of my truck while I picked them up at the airport I couldn’t help but ponder just what kind of havoc the boys would unleash upon the fish with their arsenal of top quality gear. Dangerous is right, I thought to myself, those fish had better be prepared for what’s coming!

After picking up the boys we ran around town stocking up on food, beer, and wine – the essentials for any offshore fishing trip in my opinion. After loading the boat and assembling their gear we made a quick stop at Margaritas in Punta de Mita for some dinner, and our now patented pre-trip blessing of the fleet a la tequila from Don Hector himself. With the last of the shots drained and some much needed warmth in our bellies we returned to the marina, fired up the 35 Cabo, loaded up on bait, and pointed our bow for Maria Madre Island nearly 100 miles away.

A cheeky, 15 – 20 knot nor-westerly seemed determined to dash our hopes of an enjoyable journey that evening. You get very spoiled driving around 60’ custom sportsfishermen and while I do love my Cabo’s, 35 feet is no comfortable match in six foot seas. As I took the first watch at the helm, and my crew and clients struggled to keep themselves from falling out of their bunks, I silently prayed to the weather gods for benevolence. The last thing I wanted was another 48 hour washing machine session like last trip. Ooohhhhhmmmmm….dear all-powerful gods of wind and sea….ooooohhhhhmmmmmmm….take pity on them and me….oooohhhhmmmmmmmmmmm.

It was a long night of bucking and rolling but when the sun finally climbed up and over the Sierra Madre mountains astern, and the silhouettes of the Marias came into view to starboard, and the first few signs of boiling tunas leapt into view, all beefs with the weatherman were all but forgotten. We had arrived in the ZONE and for the next 48 hours we were living and breathing giant tuna. To hell with the weather amigos, it was time to go fishing.

Dave and Dan immediately set to work fine-tuning their gear for the onslaught ahead. It took all of five minutes to locate a school of tunas in the gyro binoculars, the tell tale signs of birds diving in the distance gave the location of mayhem away. I steered for the boiling mass of fish and told the boys to bait-up and get ready.

Within seconds of deploying the baits both brothers were bendo and what proved to be an excellent day of tuna fishing began with a bang. The kite, fly line, and top water poppers were all on fire, all hail the fish gods when the action is like this.

After a few hours we had our fill of the legions of 40 – 100 pound tunas, and left the school we had been working in search of bigger fish. We spent the remainder of the day trying to locate the larger 200 – 300 pounders, but despite our best efforts we came up short.

As the sun began to dip below the horizon I set us up on a drift through the area that had produced remarkable giant tuna fishing for us on our previous trip, hoping that there were still a few big fish lurking below and that they would rise up with the squid under the lights at night. Sure enough, as the first few squid attacked our squid jigs, one of the rods went off in an explosive bite that can only mean one thing around here – BIG TUNA!!!

Dan jumped the rod and the signs were abundantly clear – deep, pulsating tail beats and long, sustained runs. Dan smiled and patiently went to work on the fish, thirty minutes later it was high-fives all around as a beautiful 200 pound cow slid through the transom door to bid us goodnight.

After an excellent NY steak BBQ dinner, complete with all the fixings and a couple of excellent wines that Dave had brought down with him from California, we settled into our squid catching for the duration of the evening, hooking another big tuna almost immediately after dinner, but losing it shortly thereafter thanks to pulled hook. By morning a livewell full of 18 – 24” squid kept me giddy as I climbed up to the helm and fired up the gyros.
Once again, tunas boiled 360 degrees around the boat for as far as I could see in the binoculars. Quite simply, it was difficult to tell which bird school promised the chance at the largest fish as frigates, boobies, terns, and gulls wheeled and pelted the water with aggression in all directions. Eeeny, meenie, miney, mo…pick a bird school, here we go.

We spent the better part of the morning weeding through the same mid-sized fish, and a nice striped marlin, in hopes of coming across a pack of monsters. Sigh…it’s a good problem to have I suppose. Around noon I repositioned the boat in an area with four solid schools of fish feeding voraciously in cycles. The wind had finally abated and the seas became eerily calm. The bite began to wane as the piercing mid-day sun penetrated the water column, forcing the fish to seek refuge in the depths.

Figuring we were going to have to go deeper to illicit a mid-afternoon bite, we reached for the leads and sent two large, live squids down deep, one at 100’ and the other at 200’, cracked a few beers and hoped for the best. Almost immediately a school of tunas popped up off the stern, as the boys scrambled for their spinning and popping gear the 100’ rod bucked once and then exploded as an obviously big fish engulfed the squid and tore off for the deep. Dave, who happened to be closest to the rod literally tossed his spinning gear to the deckhand and wrenched the now screaming 50W from the rod holder. The fish tore under the boat in an instant, so the boys cleared the remaining lines and I raced to the helm and fired up the engines, spinning the Cabo on it’s axis and positioning Dave in the starboard corner astern, so far standard procedure.

Obviously we’re all thinking Dave is firmly imbedded in another giant yellowfin, so after the first few blistering runs Dave pushes the drag up to full and proceeds to really hump on the fish. Dave is a master angler with a veritable lifetime of experience pulling on big fish, so when I say he is reallypulling, I definitely mean it.

Sometime after the first thirty minutes we begin to realize that this fish is acting a bit different than say your average 200 – 300 pound tuna. The tail beats that regularly transmit from fish to rod tip during the fight are nearly non-existent, and after the first few heated runs the fish has now settled down and behaves almost nonchalantly. Hmmmmm…

At the forty-five minute mark the line starts angling upwards, and sure enough the fish rises to within viewing distance of the surface. From my vantage point at the helm of the Cabo I get a glimpse of the tail end of the fish about 75 yards astern of the boat. The tail is huge, the beasts girth obvious even at that distance. Something doesn’t seem right about the color of the tuna, it’s glowing a radiant blue, my mind tells me that it’s nevertheless one hell of a monster yellowfin, likely well over 300 pounds, but that little man on my shoulder pipes up and encourages me to take another look. I kick up the throttles a notch in pursuit of the fish in reverse but as we get closer the fish sinks out again and vanishes from sight.

A good half-hour later the line screams towards the surface and as the fish rises everyone on board searches astern for a glimpse of the fish. I see the shadow materialize first from the helm and yell “THERE HE IS!” pointing 30 or so yards astern. As the fish continues to bully it’s way to the surface the little man on my shoulder is now fully alert and screaming past the adrenaline now pumping through my head. “HEY YOU DUMB SONOFABITCHH DOES THAT LOOK LIKE A 300# TUNA?!?!?”

The giant “tuna” has an obvious deformation in the form of a very large, sword-like bill attached to it’s face, which it has now decided to swing violently side to side mere yards off the back of the boat. I take a minute to ponder this recent development, the familiar rushing sound growing louder in my ears as all six collective mouths and twelve sets of lungs aboard the boat take in a giant gulp of air. Silence for a split second then follows, before an explosive simultaneous scream erupts from the boat – “FAAAAAKKKIIINGGGGG SWWOOOOOOOOORRRRDDDDFFFIIIIIIISSSSHHHHH!!!!!!”

And with that the boat springs into frantic action as flying gaffs and ropes and daggers and shields and spears are ripped from the deep recesses of the Cabo and brought henceforth into action. Panic erupts as we realize we have been pulling on this beast, this rare glimpse of our most beloved and feared opponent, like it was a tuna, with heavy drag, and the realization that we have hooked this fish on what would surely be considered very light 150# leader now sinks in. CHIT CHIT CHIIIIIT!!!!

The broadbill, obviously sensing our lack of readiness, savagely charges at us in an attempt to prove it’s considerable advantage. We retreat, backing off the drag and taking stock of the situation. OK, I offer to the crew and anglers below, we have him on a large circle hook, hopefully in the right location, and we’ve pulled on him this hard for this long, so I can only assume that the hook has found proper purchase, but what does worry me, nay, scare the living piss out of me, is that 150# leader is no match for that terrifying appendage on the business end of this beast. We huddle and contemplate our next move.

After brief consultation we decide to push the drag up to strike, roughly 25#’s, offer a few hushed prayers and Hail-Mary’s to whichever gods we are privy to at the time, and hope for the best. The little man on my shoulder reaches out with his wrist and show’s me his watch, the clock is indefinitely ticking.

A very tense and slow hour passes. The swordfish is in complete control, all we can do is follow it around like pathetic, whimpering puppies on a cold and rainy day. We are scared of it’s power, and more importantly it’s advantage. The sonofabitch has us physically and psychologically beaten at the moment, and it seems to relish in this knowledge, often rising to the surface behind the boat, vehemently slashing it’s bill in nasty directions, taunting us, giddily playing with our fragile emotional state. Each and every savage headshake sends convulsions throughout the crew, our pleading prayers sent skyward, please, dear gods, let the leader hold!

Another hour passes, and we enter what proves to be the most gut wrenching hour of the fight, the fourth and most grueling round of all. The broadbill once again races for the surface, settles in just inches below the stern of the boat and swims menacingly away from us at a strong and steady clip. Dave is a testament to patience and determination as he expertly maintains composure and keeps steady pressure on the fish. Suddenly, as the leader nears the rod tip the beast seems to sense danger and tears off in a blistering three hundred yard run that all but sends the lot of us into near epileptic seizure. How can it be? Nearly four hours into the fight and this thing, this mythical creature, has yet to show a mere sign of weakness. Oh, say it is not so dear gods, I do not know how much more of this our psyches can endure.

I hammer the throttles in reverse in attempt to gain line as the fish races for the horizon, my face twisted and snarled behind my Costa’s, an image of outright disregard for our predicament, a façade of courage despite my most secretive fears. Oh you will be ours you nasty BASTERD!!! I hammer the throttles again, enjoying the groan of the gears. For once we feel like we have harnessed the advantage, ONWARD MY FRIENDS!!! COURAGE!!! STAND FAST!!!

Over and over we trade blows, the will of this beast!!! And then, suddenly, an opportunity. The broadbill slashes to the surface, we scream after it in reverse, the boys ready with all manner of devious equipment, but it once again senses the seriousness of the situation and turns on us, charging the boat with it’s terrible weapon. It’s all guts and glory now as in a froth of propwash and danger the boys reach out and strike, strike, STRIKE!!! The beast is impaled but it’s far from over, Largo takes a savage blow to the hand from the fish, but refuses to let go of the gaff. Mayhem!!!

Umberto reaches for the bat and deals a series of crushing blows to the head while Phillipe and Largo bravely endure the last ferocious advances of that terrible bill. Oh the bravery! The endurance! These are not men, they are gods, standing shoulder to shoulder against the hideous advances of a most fearsome Titan!

And then, once again, it is quiet.

The deep breathing ensues after those final moments of battle. Exhaustion descends for a minute, and then the realization sinks in and our valiant crew erupts in triumphant celebration – WE’VE WON!!! WE’VE WON!!! WE’VE WON!!!!! OH GOD WE HAVE WON!!!!!

And so it was written, the now legendary tale of the largest swordfish to have come from Puerto Vallarta waters. A tale of perseverance, persistence, determination, and most of all LUCK! Amen.....

 Visit Pelagic Pro Team Captain Josh Temple on the web and follow his reports and updates on PRIME TIME ADVENTURES.

1st Annual Pelagic Triple Crown of Fishing Tournament - The Zancudo Lodge, Costa Rica
by Colin Sarfeh

Every adventure has to start somewhere.  Take Indiana Jones, for example.  His quests took him globetrotting in search of treasures – historical artifacts like the Cup of Christ or The Ark of the Covenant that would lead him on adventures of epic proportions.  Indy’s treks always began with an image of a worldwide map and a simple red line following his plane’s various routes, as depicted by Steven Spielberg, until reaching the final destination marked by a large “X”. 

We define adventure as an exciting or remarkable experience, with the possibility of undertaking danger and unknown risks.  And like Indiana Jones, The Pelagic Triple Crown of Fishing Tournament, hosted by the Zancudo Lodge in Costa Rica, while fairly low on the “danger and risk” scale, was an adventure of its own. 

Below: Your chariot awaits - "Stewardess, can I have a cocktail?"

Starting from the United States, your “red line” takes you first to San Jose International Airport, the main tourism hub of Costa Rica, and the first “X” on your Spielberg map, where you spend a night in the big city.  From there, the journey continues on a rickety forty-minute flight, a little ten-seater that lands you at a barren air strip in the middle of the jungle next to the tiny town of Puerto Jimenez.  You then load up a transfer truck to take you to your boat escort for the last leg of the trip to Zancudo Lodge, a couple miles across El Gulfo de Dulce to your final destination and last “X” on the map.

Below: The view from above - Costa Rica's gorgeous Pacific coastline

Below: Load up the truck! Cabbin' it to the local marina to meet the boat escort.

For the anglers making the journey to Zancudo, the adventure was the unknown – the treasure: over $15,000 in cash and prizes, and the grand title of Triple Crown Champion.  The only thing that stood in the way on the road to glory was the ocean’s adversaries.  Gargantuan Pacific Sailfish to 140-pounds, rod-breaking Yellowfin Tuna (literally), and the bruisers of the beach – Roosterfish – paved the way for an exciting three-day tournament.

Below: A Costa Rican sunset welcomes tournament participants on the eve of day one.

But, all Spielberg analogies aside.  Once at The Zancudo Lodge, you are treated to all the luxuries as expected of a tropical paradise.  A refreshing piña colada or cerveza with friends and new comrades, a swim in the pool, an enticing seafood dinner, or simply listening to the rain forest come to life as the sun sets over another day on the Pacific, can easily make one forget about the main reason for embarking on such a voyage in the first place.  After all, we were there for the great fishing offered by Costa Rica’s Pacific Coast.  Incredible underwater photography from renowned marine-life photographer, Tony Ludovico, as well as gorgeous fish mounts from Gray Taxidermy bring you down to earth as you set your sights on the spectacluar sport fishing that waits just a few miles outside outside the bay. 

Below: Settling in at the bar after a good day's fishing // Drinks by the pool anyone? // Sit back, relax, you're in Costa Rica.

Teams from California, Costa Rica, Florida, Mexico, Mississippi, Texas, and Washington were vying for the win and bragging rights as overall Triple Crown Champion.  And with over $15,000 in cash and prizes up for grabs, things got very interesting.

Below: Tournament giveaways and Triple Crown trophies on display.

The Pelagic Triple Crown of Fishing Tournament consisted of three divisions – Billfish Release, Gamefish, and Inshore – and teams scored points by taking 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place finishes in any or all of the three days of fishing.  The Billfish division was a release only division where teams scored points by number of releases each day.  Photographic evidence was required and teams were expected to prove their official release by photo or video that showed hand on leader or bill of black, blue, or striped marlin, or sailfish.  The same rules applied for the Inshore Division, which was a Roosterfish release only division, with the only difference being that evidence was proven by photo/video of fish in hand.  Finally, the Gamefish Division was determined by the single heaviest tuna, wahoo, or dorado weighed each day.

Each day started with a 5 AM wake-up call for a hot breakfast and a cup of genuine Costa Rican coffee.  With a 6 AM “shotgun” start fishing, there was just enough time to take in the morning and prep yourself for the day’s tournament fishing.

The Zancudo Lodge hosts a large fleet of 28’ center consoles manned by savvy captains who grew up fishing these local waters and know the area like the back of their hands.  These guys will customize any fishing excursion to your liking and can provide valuable insight as to your best options to have a good time and simply do what you are there to do – to catch fish.

Below: The Zancudo Lodge's fleet high-powered of 28-foot center consoles.

Once loaded up for the day, a quick stop was in order on the way out of the bay to make bait.  Having a full tank of lively Sardinas and Blue Runners was a crucial part of the equation and could possibly make the difference in tournament results.  These baits are like candy to Sailfish, Tuna, Dorado, and Roosterfish, as well as other inshore species such as Amberjack, Cubera Snapper, and Grouper.

After bait was made, the offshore waters beckoned.  Finding the right water was another key piece of the equation.  During the run offshore, teams would come across a series of current breaks indicated by churning waters.  On the outside of that “right” break, the water went from turquoise-green to deep, cobalt blue, almost purple.  This is the water everyone wanted to see in the offshore grounds and the beacon to start trolling skirted lures and pre-rigged baits.

Below: A large Pacific Sailfish comes to leader in the clear, blue offshore waters.

For the tournament, these offshore waters proved to be vital in terms of scoring points.  At any moment a Sailfish, Marlin, Wahoo, or Dorado could cause havoc in your spread – or, as a few teams found out, coming across a nice pod of Spinner Dolphin, signaled from afar by Frigate Birds, could be holding Yellowfin Tuna to well over one-hundred pounds. 

Below: Spinner Dolphins tag along and surf the wake - a welcomed sight for tuna fishermen.

One team found out the hard way just how tough these tuna can be as Elliot Stark battled an estimated two-hundred pound Yellowfin Tuna for hours, bringing the beast to just out of gaffing range.  The fish made one final surge, taking Elliot’s tackle to the breaking point and snapped his stout eighty-pound-class rod in two. 

Below: Team Bad Habit scores with a healthy Dorado // Colin Sarfeh of Team Long Rangers breaching the century mark // Capt. Elvis readies a sail for release.

By spending more time offshore, teams could potentially score big points in both the Billfish Release and Gamefish Divisions.  However, to win the overall Triple Crown of Fishing Championship, teams needed to score well in all divisions, including Inshore.

Since the run offshore can range from 10-30 miles or more, depending on the water temperature and current breaks, the day usually either started or ended with an hour or two spent inshore.  Slow trolling a live bait along the beach or rocks could provide outstanding action on Roosterfish, with the potential to also stir up a grumpy Amberjack or Cubera Snapper.  The visual shows put on by a frenzied rooster is simply incredible.  They will slash the surface at your panicked baitfish with their distinguished “comb” ripping through the water before dashing off with 50-yards of your line.  This author witnessed an unforgettable aerial display put on by a feisty 40-pound Roosterfish, before it sounded and dogged the wary angler for the better part of twenty minutes.

Below: Capt. Javier and Elliot Stark hoist a trophy Roosterfish // Stark and Colin Sarfeh conclude a successful double hook-up on Amberjack // Just on fire! Team TBF with a toothy Cubera Snapper.

Going into the final day of the tournament, there were five or six teams within striking distance of taking home the Triple Crown Championship.  Coming in from behind and taking 3rd place overall was Team TBF with a last minute surge landing the heaviest gamefish of the tournament – a 120-pound Yellowfin Tuna – and by also claiming 2nd in the Inshore Division.  Elliot Stark redeemed himself after losing the heartbreaker the day before, an estimated 200-pound-class tuna that snapped his rod at color, and landed the tournament’s single heaviest gamefish. 

Below:  Third Place - Team TBF >> Posing with their monster Yellowfin before weigh-in // All smiles at the scales // Captain Alex Edwards and Elliot Stark bring home third.

Placing 2nd overall in the Pelagic Triple Crown of Fishing were the tournament’s darkhorses, Team Long Rangers.  Ironically, the tuna masters of Southern California took 1st place in the Billfish Division with the most sailfish releases throughout the tournament, and also podium placed in the Gamefish Division. 

Below:  Second Place - Team Long Rangers >> Jason Noah bendo on a Sailfish // 100# tuna at day 3 weigh-in // Scoring points for the Inshore Division // Colin Sarfeh and Jason Noah (middle) show off the bling with Tournament Director/Master of Ceremonies Tony Berkowitz (left) and Ron Kawaja.

And taking it all home, with their dominating 1st place finishes in both the Inshore and Gamefish Divisions, was Team Blackhawk.  These guys fished hard and went the distance to consistently catch (or release) at least one billfish, gamefish, and roosterfish every day of the tournament, and were ultimately crowned champion.

Below:  First Place - Team Blackhawk >> Another century marker made for some fine sushi // Inshore Division winners // Showing off the hardware - Greg Muffson, Robert Lee, and Sloan Gurney (middle) pose with Tony Berkowitz and Ron Kawaja // Good times - Celebrating the Triple Crown victory.

An awards banquet was held that night following the completion of the tournament.  All division winners were presented with a commemorative plaque, while 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place Triple Crown winners were honored with a trophy for their accomplishments.  The hosts at Zancudo Lodge put on a great reception with cocktails, a five-course meal, and live music for entertainment.  What a backdrop for a tournament, and what an exceptional resort Zancudo Lodge truly is.  The place is 5-star style, but boasts a very personal feel that can make any angler feel at-home in Costa Rica.

Below:  All Division and Overall winners

After dinner, anglers partied into the late hours of the night, sharing stories of their successes and failures during the tournament.  The night was capped with a quick montage video, put together by Captain Alex Edwards, highlighting the three-days of fishing. 

Below: Sloan Gurney enjoying the sweet taste of victory.

The next morning, we bid “goodbye for now” to The Zancudo Lodge.  Loading the boats we became so familiar with as our fishing platforms for the past few days and making the ride across the bay was a fitting end to a journey that began only a week earlier.  Another flight on a small, single engine commuter plane brought us back to reality as we soaked in scenery of the coast and the vast canopy of the Costa Rican Rainforest.

Below: One last photo opp before departing The Zancudo Lodge (for now) // Costa Rica - We hate to see you go, but love to watch you leave.

The Pelagic Triple Crown of Fishing Tournament was filled with a solid mix of friendship, camaraderie, and competition.  The adventure was simply this: a group of passionate anglers from all reaches of the United States, joining forces in a tropical paradise that most had never experienced for a week of good times and fun fishing.

Pelagic would like to give a big THANK YOU to The Zancudo Lodge for their incredible hospitality, service, and friendship.  Owners Greg and Goldine have done an incredible job establishing the lodge as a top-notch fishing resort.  We simply can't wait for next year!

The Zancudo Lodge has established itself as the leading exclusive Costa Rican fishing lodge with over 70 I.G.F.A. world records. For the past 20 years, the Zancudo Lodge has advocated catch and release of all billfish which is now a common practice among Costa Rican fisherman.

The Zancudo Lodge is surrounded by the beauty of Costa Rican wildlife and foliage. Stretching for miles and miles, our private Zancudo beach offers the perfect setting for a massage or pure tranquil relaxation.

Guests can also enjoy the picturesque scenery from their own beachfront pool and hot tub. Their 16 spacious rooms and suites are fully air-conditioned and equipped with amenities such as fine linens and complementary wi-fi and international phone service.
The lodge is located on the scenic pacific coast of Costa Rica, on the bay of Golfo Dulce 4-miles from Golfito. The Golfito bay area of the Pacific Ocean is world renowned for its excellent saltwater fishing. The property is ideally bordered by the Pacific Ocean on the west and the Sabalo River on the east.
 
On the grounds, you will find an array of tropical fruits, such as mango, pineapple, star fruit, coconut and papaya, which is served fresh daily at our restaurant and bar. The chef prepares delicious culinary meals, catering to all preferences, and they pride themselves on the use of the finest and freshest local ingredients to satisfy the most discriminating palate.

The complete fleet consists of 12 modern 28-foot center consoles powered by twin Suzuki four stroke engines. Each boat, custom built for fishing, is equipped with the latest electronics, live bait wells, and outriggers. Guests will fish with first class equipment, second to none. The newly built dock house hosts an I.G.F.A. certified scale for those guests on the quest of breaking that world record.

For more information, please visit www.ZancudoLodge.com, or call toll free 1-800-854-8791.

We'd like to thank these great sponsors and partners for their donations and overall support of the Pelagic Triple Crown of Fishing Tournament.  We look forward to working on future projects with these companies and many more to create a tournament series that is full of friendship, comaraderie, and competition.

Photo Gallery:

Below: Blake Wuth with a sailfish before release // Captains Javier and Elvis with Colin Sarfeh // Extreme low tide in the river.

Below: Team Biloxi - Landon Rhodes and Joel Williams // Ron Kawaja cleans up a lost sea turtle - this little guy was tangled in a net offshore // Mike Curtius and a solid Roosterfish.

 Below: Imperial - La Cerveza de Costa Rica // Capt. Tony Berkowitz, Capt. Parker Bankston, Ron Kawaja, and Mike Curtius // The Billfish Foundation's Elliot Stark with a jumbo-sized Amberjack.

Below:  A croc stalks some scavenger birds on the bank // Team Long Ranger's bendo on a sailfish // Captain Elvis leaders a sail.

Below: Jason Noah of Team Long Rangers with a nice Yellowfin Tuna // A coconut palm at Zancudo Lodge // "Bienvenidos a Puerto Jimenez".

Below: Triggerfish! // Slow-trolling for Roosters // Captain Raffa and Blake Wuth - Roosterfish

Below: Magroves reflect off the river // Thumbs up at dinner // Showing off a rooster's comb.

Below: Tournament Director Tony Berkowitz gives a mid-day update to the fleet // A beautiful sunset on Zancudo Beach // Team 4-2-0 scores a nice Sailfish release.

Below: I need more cowbell! // "Why not build a beach shelter?" - Tony Berkowitz // Roosterfish for Team Long Ranger's Colin Sarfeh

Below: Team TBF with a solid hook-up on the Butterfly Jig // Jason Noah - gin and tonic from the cup // A sail puts on an aerial display.

Below: Looking for herds of tuna with Spinner Dolphin // A quick stop at Arch Rock at the mouth of Golfo de Dulce

Below: The "airport" in Puerto Jimenez // Team Bad Habit weighs-in // Toasting to a great trip.

Below: A sailfish boatside // Javier and Elliot with a lit-up AJ // One last photo opp in front of the banner.

Below: Team 4-2-0 // Another sunset in Costa Rica // Jason Noah's Amberjack

Below: Cruisin' for roosters // Beach path from The Zancudo Lodge // Tony Berkowitz meets with a few team captains pre-tournament.

Below: Impressive scenery at Zancudo Lodge - Thick canopy trees // Meanering stone paths // Zancudo Beach.

Below: Arch Rock // School-sized Yellowfin Tuna // Taxi truck loaded to the brim.

Below: Dinner at the lodge // The Costa Rican Rainforest canopy // Close-up of a Sail ready for release!

Below: Center Consoles all in a row // Colin Sarfeh poses with an Amberjack // The Jungle...

Below: Team Long Rangers celebrate a successful tournament // Captain Elvis bids the troops farewell // Good times all around

by Capt. Josh Temple

It’s very difficult to sit here at the computer right now and ticker tap away at this keyboard.  It’s not the writing that bores me, I love to talk about fishing; what’s hard to stomach is the fact that while I’m sitting here banging out this article, there’s a massive school of tuna that stretches over 70 miles offshore right now along the Maria Island chain.  A school of yellowfin that is producing catches of BIBLICAL PROPORTIONS, fish in the magical 400# range, cows at will, hand-feeds at the side of the boat, 200# fish crashing on top-water poppers – you name it.  It’s as epic as it gets out there folks, and quite frankly it’s beginning to drive me crazy.

Below: It's not just a day job - big Yellowfin Tuna, like this one, bite well into the night and morning hours.

The mayhem started in early November, when the first few boats began venturing further offshore in search of more consistent big-fish action.  When spots like Corbetania and El Banco begin to slow down we naturally expand our search horizons and begin to take a closer look at one of our most coveted destinations here in PV – the Maria Islands. 

Below: Tuna in the mid-100 range put up a fight way beyond expectation

The Maria archipelago 60 – 120 miles off of the coast of Puerto Vallarta is comprised of four large islands, Cleopha, Magdalena, Maria Madre, and San Juanito and several smaller rocky outcroppings, most notably Roca Cumbre, Blanco, and El Morro.  The islands are part of the UNESCO Biosphere reserves and, thanks to the fact that the Mexican Federal Government elected to build a maximum security prison on Maria Madre, no boats are allowed within twelve miles of any of the islands.  But that doesn’t stop us from enjoying the fantastic fishing outside the restricted zone.

Below: Outside THE RESTRICTED ZONE // Note the island well behind them

The Marias are a natural fish haven, providing structure, protection, and a veritable playground of feeding habitats to all manner of fish, most notably big game fish like yellowfin tuna, wahoo, and marlin.  Thanks to their relative remoteness, the islands receive very light fishing pressure and as such, the fish out there are both plentiful and aggressive. 

Below: Wahoo and Marlin often join the party when trolling for tuna.

We’ve been fishing the Marias for years, but the last few seasons we’ve definitely seen an increase in the amount of yellowfin tuna out there.  Thanks to favorable ocean conditions, and non-existent commercial pressure, hordes of tuna have taken up residence at the islands and appear to be flourishing.  The past five years have offered incredible fishing out there, but this season has been exceptionally good. 

Below: Steve D. poses with his 240-pound Yellowfin caught on a live squid outside the Cleopha Island buffer zone.

Our first trip into the zone in mid-November produced the kind of non-stop giant tuna action that gives hardened big game enthusiasts the world over the chills.  Day and night saw us in the midst of hordes of tunas from 150 – 250#’s that piled on lures and baits with reckless abandon.  Shooting fish in a barrel comes to mind when anglers can simply troll marauders through boiling fish schools and enjoy triple and quadruple hookups on lures time and time again. 

Below: A nice brace of Yellowfin taken on the troll during a double hook-up // A Puerto Vallarta "smaller" model YFT

One of my good friends, Graham Weiss, took a trip with us on the Maximo during this time and quite literally wore himself out on the action.  At one point he looked over at me and asked what his chances were at catching a fish over 200#’s when it seemed impossible to get through the sheer numbers of fish in the 100 – 150# range.  I told him if he wanted to target the largest fish out there then we needed to use the biggest baits we could find, so we jigged up a bait tank full of 24” squid that night and proceeded to put them out under the lights.

Below: Big bait for big fish - fly-lining a jumbo squid at night can result in a fish of a lifetime.

For the next three hours in the middle of the night we had giant yellowfin up to 250#’s crashing the squids at the side of the boat, and Graham went home with several trophy Cows to his credit.  And that’s only one example of the kind of action we’ve been enjoying out there on a daily basis.

Below: Can't get enough! Fatty Yellowfin like these provide battles that can last for hours...

With this kind of incredible fishing just offshore here in PV, we have all been running non-stop this season.  After three months of this kind of action and counting, we are all hoping that this kind of fishing will continue well into the spring.  Time will tell of course, but I don’t see any reason for this bite to start slowing down out there.  If you haven’t come down here to experience this tuna bite first hand yet, then I STRONGLY encourage you to hop on a plane as soon as you can.  Because, my friends, it truly does not get any better than this!!!!

Capt Josh Temple
www.primetimeadv.com

by Capt. Brad Philipps

When it comes to fishing, anglers look for the biggest species that put on the most aerial of shows once hooked. The Pacific Sailfish has long been recognized by anglers as being a perfect species. Sailfish grow big, are aggressive and persistent on the bite, and they put on a spectacularly acrobatic display once hooked. Nowhere are there bigger numbers of sailfish than off the Pacific Coast of Guatemala, giving anglers multiple opportunities at making for the most memorable of fishing experiences. Boats operating out of Marina Pez Vela, in Porto Quetzal, which is an easy one hour drive South of Guatemala City, hold many a world fishing record.  With as many as 124 sailfish releases in a single day on conventional trolling tackle, 57 on fly fishing gear in a day, and close to 3000 releases in a single year by a single boat, not to mention up to 6 blue marlin releases in a day and countless dorado and tuna to ensure any angler is treated to an angling trip of a lifetime.

Below: Capt. Brad Philipps poses with a Pacific Sailfish

Pelagic Pro Team Captain Brad Philipps has been guiding anglers on these prolific waters for over a decade and is widely acclaimed as one of the top sportsfishing captains in the world. Philipps’s story is an interesting one – he is a South African who has fished the world, gaining experience and building his considerable reputation in the most recognizable of big gamefishing hotspots. He came to Guatemala from Brazil wishing to explore first hand the amazing reports emerging from these prolific waters back in 2000. While validating the unbelievable reports of record numbers of fish and enjoying a spectacular season on the water, he met and married Cindy Ramirez, the current Miss Guatemala, making Guatemala home. A few years latter, they went on to open, Guatemalan Billfishing Adventures. This highly successful operation has now been operating for over 6 years, providing the very best of billfishing to their guests.

Below: An aptly named Sailfish shows off its distinguishing feature

While on the water their anglers, whether experienced tournament clients or first time fishermen, are treated to the worlds most special of billfishing experiences aboard one of the worlds most recognized boats, the Decisive, a 40ft Gamefishermen. With Brad at the helm, two highly experienced local mates working the cockpit,  top rate tackle and all the facilities one would expect aboard a first class boat, anglers have averaged around 15 sailfish releases a day over the last 11 seasons with Brad. Sailfish average 80lb in size and can get as big as 150lb in these waters. The blue marlin average between 250lbs and 400lbs with much larger fish being caught each year. The fishing season coincides with this area’s dry months of October through July, giving anglers the added advantage of magnificent weather, flats seas and breathtaking views as they ply these blue waters, rich with ocean life such as Humpbacked whales, Spinner and Bottle-nosed dolphins and Ridley Turtles.

Below: Renowned marine-life photographer Tony Ludovico snapped this incredible photo of a sailfish swarming a bait ball

With anticipations approaching fever pitch, boats usually leave the marina around 7am in the morning to make their run out to the fish. Bait, water quality and a variety of different reasons will depict where the bite might be found for that particular day, but experience and a bounty of other information will have top captains putting their anglers on the action in no time. A combination of circle hooked ballyhoo baits (a small 7-9 inch long fish) and teasers (hook-less lures) are trolled behind the boat in order to attract the sailfish, marlin or any predatory fish’s attention. If a fish bites the hooked ballyhoo it is allowed to eat the bait and then hooked in the corner of the mouth, game on!! Fish that come up on a hook-less teaser are coaxed in towards the boat and hooked bait is then presented to it. This switch-baiting method of angling gets anglers much more involved in the experience and also gives crews a choice of tackle to which to feed depending on the size and species of fish that shows up on the teaser.

Below: A healthy sail puts on a show for the camera

It’s not unusual for multiple sailfish to show up at the same time, as they regularly feed in small groups co-operating in their feeding behavior. Good crews capitalize on this and seeing two, three or even as many as five sailfish jumping in all directions with every angler hooked up is a spectacle to behold. The reels drags have been carefully set and are silky smooth. Even though the line is relatively light at either 20 or 30 pound breaking strain, and sometimes much lighter, the angler plays the fish with the captain giving chase with the boat  in order to release the fish in fairly quick order allowing for a speedy and healthy release. A big marlin could pounce on one of the bigger teasers at any moment with a mackerel being tossed to it on a 50lb test outfit. The marlin bite is often savage, and the ensuing fight a spectacular show of powerful jumps, long runs and dogged strength, often making a marlin release an angler’s lifetime highlight. With hot lunches, ice cold drinks, and all the amenities on board its an extremely satisfied group that hits the dock later that afternoon.  Anglers then enjoy the wonderful lodge environment where the relaxing swimming pool is more often than not the first of gathering spots where fishermen congregate to tell their big stories and share memories that will last a lifetime.

Below: Capt. Brad Philipps with his record-breaking release in '04

Sailfish are a protected species in Guatemala and the use of the highly successful circle hook a legal requirement. Guatemala’s ecologically minded approach ensures that all sailfish and marlin are released in the healthiest of conditions thus strengthening the future of this country’s unique resource and allowing for the continued growth in this tourism related sector.  

The fish, experienced crews, boats and lodges are all here. Guatemala’s sailfishing paradise awaits the adventurous. It’s a must-do experience for everyone and it’s only an easy flight away.

Capt. Brad Philipps hosts an array of records including amassing an incredible career total of over 20,000 billfish releases, as well as being named Marlin Magazine’s ‘Captain of the Year’ in 2008.  To book your next fishing trip to Guatemala – visit Capt. Brad on the web at www.GuatBillAdv.com

by Capt. Josh Temple

My good friend Manfred had just climbed up the tower on the 57' Dean Johnson MAXIMO that I run out of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico to bring me an ice cold gatorade.  The late summer humidity was sweltering and the cold drink was a welcome relief from the heat.  As i chugged down the beverage, Manfred asked me what I thought our chances were at catching a marlin that day.  I pointed to a few closely grouped waypoints on the GPS chart plotter that we were trolling around and told Manfred that over the years those few waypoints had produced incredible numbers of black and blue marlin.  I explained that since we had the right water temperature, color, current, and had already seen several schools of baitfish working the area, that conditions definitely looked promising for marlin.  No sooner had the words escaped my lips when a 500 pound black marlin annihilated one of our lures and tore off for the horizon at a rate of unimaginable speed. 

Below: A hungry marlin slashes at a trolled lure.

Manfred, who by now was yelling encouragement at the top of his lungs as his uncle strapped into the chair and went to work on the fish, had just learned perhaps the most important facet to catching marlin on a consistent basis - whenever possible, fish in places where you've caught them before. 

Below: Airborn! A nice black marlin tries to throw the hook.

Marlin, despite their inherent wanderlust, are simple creatures of habit and necessity.  They require certain water temperatures and an ample baitfish supply in order to survive, and that is pretty much it.  If you look at the oceans of the world on a globe, and then eliminate the portions of those oceans where the water temperatures are too cold to support marlin, you are left with a remarkable swath of water in which to target marlin world-wide.  Out of that massive global range certain consistencies arise and locations like Cairns, Australia and Kona, Hawaii (amongst countless others) have proven that large concentrations of marlin will return to the same areas year after year. 

Below: Rain or shine, marlin inhabit tropical and sub-tropical waters year-round. 

As fishermen, we seem attuned to this general knowledge.  But what many fail to realize is that just because you are fishing in a well-known marlin hot-spot doesn't mean you are fishing it effectively.  To become a better marlin fisherman you must first understand that each of these locations harbors hot-spots within the area that are going to produce marlin more consistently than others.  It's finding these areas and keeping track of them that is going to make you a more successful marlin fishermen, and one of the best ways to do that is mark every location you raise a marlin with a waypoint on your GPS chart plotter. 

Below: Two blue marlin put on an aerial display.

It's simple science, but it's often surprising just how few fishermen take the time or think to do this, particularly when you consider how important it is in marlin fishing.  For some crews, trolling around without any thought or care to where they've caught fish before might account for enough success over the season to keep them happy, but I can guarantee you one thing - when it comes time for adding up the numbers at the end of the season the crews that have put the extra effort into keeping catch records are going to boast better marlin numbers every time.

Below: Pelagic Pro Team Captain Josh Temple wires a solid black boatside.

A very good example of a hot-spot within a hot-spot is the particular area I mentioned fishing with Manfred earlier.  After countless hours of trolling up and down the 1,000 fathom curve off of Puerto Vallarta over the years I realized that a certain stretch of the edge was consistently producing more marlin than any other spot along the curve. Thanks to the simple fact that I always create a waypoint when i hook a marlin, it only took a few seasons to prove that over a 50 mile stretch of the 1,000 fathom curve that i regularly troll, one scant 5 mile area produced over 75% of the fish.  Think about how much time I save in my day to day marlin fishing now that i know where the most consistent concentrations of marlin are going to be found in my area.  All it took was simply punching in a waypoint every time I hooked a marlin and allowing time to pass and patterns to appear.

Below: A blue marlin ready for release.

Of course this is a very simple way of keeping track of marlin migration and feeding zones in your local area, but it's perhaps the most effective tool in your log.  Just like real estate, productive marlin grounds are all about location-location-location!  Start by keeping track of locations where you raise marlin, and then add further information like stage of the tide, moon phase, water temperature, and so on.  Over time you are going to see patterns develop in your local area and you'll be able to reference these consistencies to maximize precious daylight efficiently during your fishing day.  I've learned that blue marlin in our local area particularly prefer the last few hours of the incoming tide, and will often bite best right at the high slack.  This information lets me structure my day to include hitting some of my favorite marlin grounds at precisely the right stage of the tide, ensuring that I am fishing in the best possible location to catch a blue marlin, at the best possible time. 

Below: 3-2-1 Blast off! A chunky black marlin launches in front of the camera of Josh Temple.

Start using your GPS to keep track of marlin bites in your area, and it won't be long before you develop your own hot-spots to maximize your time and effort in search of marlin.  Good luck out there!!!

Pelagic Pro Team Captain Josh Temple is from Tofino, B.C., but spends most of his days running charters in the fertile waters of Puerto Vallarta and Panama. Visit Capt. Josh on the web and follow his blog at www.PrimeTimeAdv.com

by Colin Sarfeh

Twenty-six anglers stood on the back deck of Qualifier 105 on September 8th, 2011, exhausted and confounded by what took place during the previous hours.  No one on the boat, not even the captain, had ever seen or even heard of anything like the bite these lucky anglers had just experienced.   Some held beers, toasting to the gift Higher Beings just gave to us.  Some swapped stories with fellow awe-struck anglers of their battles that just occurred.  Up in the wheelhouse, as we motored north, Captain Joe Crisci was just as in shock as I.  He looked at me with a smirk – his eyes said it all – the savvy long-range captain summed up our morning in a single statement: “We just had a historic bite.”

Let’s back up a few days to September 3rd.  That Saturday morning, Point Loma Sportfishing, based out of San Diego, was busy, bustling with passengers returning from a previous trip and anxious anglers on the verge of their long-awaited departure.  The crew helped load our arsenals of rods and reels, as well as everyone’s personal belongings onto the 105’ long-range sport fishing vessel Qualifier 105.  Pelagic Pro Team Captain Joe Crisci was at the helm and steered ‘The Q’ to the San Diego Harbor bait receivers where Everingham Bros. Bait Co. supplied us with a beautiful grade of sardine bait.

Below: Pelagic Pro Team Captain Joe Crisci looks on at the action aboard the Q

This 7-day adventure was a co-sponsored trip, chartermastered by Gary Schall of the Long Beach Fire Department, Colin Sarfeh and Jason Noah of Pelagic Gear, and Gary “Cowboy” Vander Lyke of Tuna Round-Up Charters.  All passengers received a Pelagic Gear gift pack consisting of a variety of High Performance Offshore Gear and Gary Schall hosted an “everybody wins” raffle that included Seeker Rods, Sportsman’s Seafood Fish Processing gift certificates, T-shirts, shorts, and duffle bags from Pelagic Gear, and Hennessey’s Tavern gift certificates. 

Below: Captain Joe loads the boat with hundreds of scoops of sardine bait.

Locked and loaded for our trip, Capt. Joe briefed us on the tentative game plan for the coming week.  Our first fishing would commence bright and early the next morning, where we would start trolling in the offshore zone hoping and looking for sonar marks, flocks of birds, floating kelp paddies, porpoise schools, or blind jig strikes.  The fleet had been reporting decent scores of mixed Bluefin and Yellowfin Tuna, both of which ranged from between 15 to 30-pounds with a smattering of 40-pound fish here and there. 

Our morning started slow with quick stops that would produce one or two fish stopping the boat on the troll, with a couple of fish quickly biting on bait thereafter.  At around 10:45AM Captain Joe halted the boat after three of our five trolling rods screamed, signaling a hook-up.  Our slow morning soon turned into a full-speed bite for about ten-minutes on mixed species tuna.  Calamity ensued as almost all anglers were bit instantly the moment their baits hit the water. 

Below: Six anglers hooked-up on tuna in the stern starboard corner

Yes, there were casualties (or fish lost due to tangles, light line, etc.), but at the end of an hour drift, we had a decent score of these coveted offshore gamefish.  Overall, our first day of fishing ended up being a great one. The action continued through the afternoon, and when all was said and done, all anglers were able to put a few mixed tuna in the refrigerated saltwater fish hold. Deckhands Brendan, Rusty, Armando, and second-skipper Eric did an incredible job keeping anglers out of tangles and ultimately bolstered our fish count by avoiding the sometimes unavoidable losses due to the squirrely nature of these school-sized tuna.

Below: Darrel Strickroth with a tuna at color.

After a spectacular tri-tip and artichoke dinner prepared by Chef Brett and assistant Nadine, Captain Joe made the call on our next move. 

“We’re going to Benitos (Island).  We have been catching big Yellowtail in the early morning hours there and we’re going to give it a shot again tomorrow.  We’ll be there around 04:00.  Get your rest…you’re going to need it.”

At 03:30 the next morning, the boat shut down and slid to a stop, thereafter the unmistakable clattering of the anchor line being dropped over the bow of the Qualifer resonated throughout the boat.  Rising from staterooms, geared in deck boots, one by one anglers filtered on to the stern of The Q.  The air was warm for being so early in the morning with little need for the long-sleeve shirts most of us put on. 

I pinned a live mackerel on my 60# outfit and sank it to the bottom via dropper loop.  Looking over the side of the boat, you could see small baitfish (mostly sardines and sauries) skirting near or even across the surface.  From out of the darkness, 10-inch squid would dart into view, attracted by the luminescence created by the ship’s deck lights.

As the sun started to make its morning appearance to the east, Benitos’ silhouette came with it, reminding me of the task at hand and the mossback Yellowtail that call this island home.  These “homeguards” don’t take kindly to invaders (AKA bait) that find their way into the rocky bottom structure an island like Isla San Benitos creates, and will attack a bait on instinct if presented the opportunity.

The first fish bit at roughly 04:15 and a nice 30-pound Yellow came on board, a quality grade fish.  These hard-fighting-members-of-the-jack-family typically will come through in groups, so my senses kicked in as I prepared myself for action.  Another angler gets slammed, and I watched the battle ensue as his rod was doubled over and pinned to the rail while he tried to force the brute off the bottom.

I felt a sudden “tick” on my line, then the distinctive pull a Yellowtail makes as he heads home with your bait.  With my reel in gear, I wound down and the line came tight, the 5/0 circle hook implanting itself in the fish’ mouth.  Even with my drag set to nearly full, this fish beat me up, taking line and racing me up and down the port-side rail.  A ten-minute fight ended in the starboard-stern corner as second-skipper Eric sunk a gaff in my fish and brought a nice, high-thirty-pound class Yellow on board.

Below: Team Pelagic's Colin Sarfeh with a quality California Yellowtail caught at San Benitos Island.

Before 06:00 and the sun became visible in the sky, all anglers aboard had their chance to land a quality 30-40 pound fish.  Tom Crewse (great name) appeared to have the biggest fish of the morning with an estimated 45-pound California Yellowtail that he also caught with a mackerel sunk to the bottom on a dropper loop.

Once the sun pierced the sky, tactics changed for fishing.  The fish weren’t biting bait as well, so many employed the Yo-Yo method of sinking a heavy Salas 6X or Tady 4/0 iron jig to the bottom and fast-grinding it through the bottom half of the water column.  At any time during your retrieve, your jig could be stopped by an 18-30 pound Yellow.  These fish bit full-speed from time to time throughout our drifts.  I can recall twice where fellow angler, Landon Yacobucci, and I, standing right next to each other at the rail, simultaneously hooked bruiser fish while cranking in our jigs.  Twice these battles ended tragically as we both lost fish due to pesky sea lions.  In fact, many anglers were fooled into thinking that they were finally connected with that monster 50-pound yellow they have been waiting for their whole life, only to find the island’s “sea dog” screaming off with 300-yards of your line and expensive spectra. 

Below: Sarfeh and Landon Yacobucci try to determine the bigger yellow...you make the call!

These seals became a problem and once we had our fill on Yellowtail, Capt. Joe decided to make the move offshore and south to head for “The Ridge” in search of Dorado, Tuna, and more action on Yellowtail.  At 10:30 AM we left Benitos Island in our wake, all smiles and grateful for the excellent morning of fishing experienced.  We caught a handful of small tuna and Dorado offshore while in transit to our destination lying south of us.  Most of these smaller-grade fish were released to fight another day.

“The Ridge” is a 55-mile stretch of underwater banks and high-spots off the mid-Baja coast.  Known to host an array of Pelagic gamefish species such as Tuna, Dorado, Wahoo, and Yellowtail, this area also gives anglers the opportunity to catch great eating Pargo and Grouper, the latter of which can exceed 100-pounds.

Day four started by trolling around the north end of The Ridge looking for Porpoise schools that hold tuna, and kelp paddies that attract Dorado.  The weather was hot, and we noticed it much more while motoring around looking for fish, but catching few. 

As guys reddened under the scorching midday sun, Capt. Joe found what he was looking for.  We anchored up on an area known as the 13-spot.  Once the anchor came tight, the action started.  Yellowtail to 30-pounds bit every bait and lure that hit the water.  West Coast fishermen have long favored casting the surface iron on lengthy 8-10’ “jig stick” rods for schooling fish – we were not disappointed by the show put on by these frenzied Yellows.

Below: Co-Chartermaster Gary Schall puts the hurt on a nice yellow  // Second Skipper Eric bendo with the 10-footer

Cast your favorite color – or any color iron, for that matter – and you could see four or five fish chase down your jig before one outdueled the others and inhaled it.  The fishing was full-speed, wide-open for two hours. 

Below: Deckhand Armando Palifax and Landon Yacobucci display a typical "Ridge" Yellowtail.

At that point we had to leave them biting and we trolled away from The Ridge as the sun sank into the Pacific – we had near limits of Yellowtail for all on board.

Below: The sun sinks into the Pacific after another solid day aboard the Q

After a great dinner of chicken and asparagus, Capt. Joe set the hook (the anchor) down on another high-spot on The Ridge.  Most went to bed, but a few hardcore anglers stayed up for some fishing and cocktails.  A handful of Yellowtail were caught, as well as a couple small Smoothound Sharks and a 6’ Mako, released by Gary Schall.  The real action ensued when a $200 bottle of scotch was brought out on the back deck.  Intricately designed pranks and daredevil stunts began coming out of the woodworks, most of which will remain in secrecy.  Around midnight, the newly deemed “Ridge Rager” was over and everyone went to bed.

Below: An exhausted "Ridge Rager".

The next day, Wednesday, was spent heading north.  Up top in the wheelhouse, Captain Joe received a call from one of his “code” boats, letting him know that they had just found a dead whale holding a massive school of Dorado.  Once they had their limits, the mates stuck a flag in it and their captain relayed the coordinates to Joe.  Deckhand Armando spent the better part of the day up in the crows nest, bathing in the sweltering heat.  He was in search of the marker, glassing the sprawling sea with binoculars.

Below: The flagged whale and host for a school of frenzied dorado.

Once found and Skipper Joe had set up on the flagged whale, it did not take long for hungry Dorado to find our baits.  For about five-minutes it was pure chaos, with everyone on Qualifier 105 bit.  Hooked Dorado jumped everywhere, tangling and infusing many different lines at once.  The deckhands did an incredible job during the havoc, gaffing “green” (lively) fish and keeping as many passengers possible out of brutal tangles that typically occur during a full-speed Dorado bite.  We were able to fill up on these 12 to 20-pound acrobatic flapjacks, giving everyone some tasty morsels for the dinner table.

Below: A lit up "DoDo" slashes at the surface // Deckhand Brendan and Chuck Herron with a quality Dorado at sunset.

With our quota made for Yellowtail and Dorado, we went out looking for more tuna on porpoise schools to no avail.  Captain Joe got on the loudspeaker:

“Not much going on around us for tuna, for us or any of the other boats…No signs of wahoo either.  The Rocks (Alijos) are sharked out.  Excel is there right now and the few big tuna they do hook are mangled by the sharks – so that option is out.  Since we are limited out on Yellowtail, that counts out any of the islands up north, unless we decide to drift for Halibut or something.  That leaves us with little option.  Tonight I’m going to anchor up on one of my spots off the coast and hopefully find us a grouper or two…we should be there in a few hours.”

At around 7:30 that evening, we arrived at Joe’s “honey hole”.  After dinner was when the bite began – a mere preview of the main course to come.  There was a strong current, and it took about 16 oz. of weight to get a bait to the bottom for a good chance at an assortment of Rockfish, Red Snapper, or the target species: Grouper. Most sardines or mackerel that hit the bottom were eventually bit by any of the aforementioned bottom dwellers.  A few 20-pound-class Groupers hit the deck that night, a pleasant surprise to see come up from the depths.  But, the omen was officially sent when Mike Heib coaxed up a whopping 45-pound Tan Grouper.  That catch bolstered our adrenaline-high and kept most at the rail fishing into the dwindling hours of that Wednesday night.  As the hours faded, so did the fishing and most ventured to their staterooms for a good night sleep below.

Below: Landon Yacobucci and Mike Heib showcase their night-caught Tan Grouper.

At roughly 04:00 that next Thursday morning, I was awakened from my “quick nap” as Captain Joe burst through my door.

“Get up! They’re biting full-speed!”

As I slinked up from a short slumber onto the deck of the Q, there was a lone angler, Ron Shalvis, fishing solo with a slew of Grouper scattered around him.

“I stayed up fishing all night,” recalled the exuberant Shalvis.  “At 03:30 the current changed and the boat swung around on the anchor…Once we settled in again with the shift, my line went tight and I was bit.  A couple deckhands were the only ones awake, but they were attending to their nightly checklists.  I had to gaff my own fish!”

When the captain was rustled awake by a crewmember and saw the back deck of his ship, Joe grabbed a rod, baited up, and dropped to the bottom to see if he couldn’t hook a fish himself.  His sardine was instantly inhaled and his stout 80-pound class rod bent over from a hungry grouper.  That’s when he handed the rod to Rusty and ran downstairs to wake everyone up – he knew it was game on.

Below: Gary Schall hoists a hefty grouper.

These fish bit everything…I mean EVERYTHING: sardine, mackerel, slabs, heavy jigs, breakfast sausage…wait, did somebody just say BREAKFAST SAUSAGE?!?  Brett and Nadine had prepared a morning meal of hotcakes and sausage.  After catching a couple fish myself, I stepped away for a brief minute to enjoy a hot breakfast. 

When I had finished my quick bite to eat, I thought: What the hell? – and asked Nadine for a couple sausage links.  She obliged and I pinned on to a waiting hook one of the tasty pork pieces.  No more than five seconds after the succulent Jimmy Dean hit the bottom, I felt the distinct “tap, tap” of a Grouper hammering my “bait”.

Below: Colin Sarfeh and Mike Heib display twin bottom-dwellers.

No one had ever seen or even heard of anything like the bite we experienced before, not even the salty long-range captain.  Deckhand Armando has fished up and down the Baja coast for the better part of four decades and cannot recall ever seeing Grouper bite with such reckless abandon.

Everyone had their chance to pull on and land a few of these incredible fish before we took off.  Once again, we had to leave the fish biting.  This day was truly a once in a lifetime experience with all anglers extremely happy and thankful to be a part of it.  Captain Crisci explained our morning as a “Historical Bite” and “something that has never and might not ever happen again in long-range fishing”. 

Joe continued modestly, “It was luck really.  Just a place to throw the anchor for the evening.  Did you see all those red crab on the deck?  Those fish were stacked to 15-fathoms on that mass of Pelagic Red Crabs.  Simply incredible.  What a way to end our trip!” 

Below: An incredible shot of the mass of Grouper as seen on Qualifier's sonar.

On that note, Captain Joe Crisci pointed the bow of Qualifier 105 towards Point Loma.  Twenty-six exhausted anglers sat on the back deck mesmerized by the morning’s bite – a stroke of fate, if you will – and reveled in the experience just shared.  Some were in disbelief of the fact that we had just written a page in sport fishing history. 

The Qualifier has had a long-standing tradition that the last dinner before arriving back in San Diego be a traditional turkey dinner, complete with stuffing, mashed potatoes, and gravy.  That changed on this special trip as Chef Bret prepared and served a sensational grilled grouper feast during our last meal on board together.

Back at the docks on Saturday, September 10th, the jackpot fish were weighed.  Tom Crewse and Rick Bierman took first and second place for their heavy 42.2 and 40-pound Benitos Island Yellowtail.  We had returned with a quality catch of tuna, yellowtail, and dorado – but, what drew the most attention was the unprecedented catch of Grouper brought home by the anglers and crew of Qualifier 105.  They were the heaviest fish caught, but being non-pelagic gamefish (residing bottom-dwellers) granted the heaviest of the lot an automatic third place in the jackpot lineup.  That honor went to Darrell Strickroth with his 50-pound tan grouper.

Below: The Jackpot winners

Above Point Loma Sportfishing in the Qualifier’s office, I met with the boat’s owner, John Klein.

“What do you say, John?” I asked him.

“I’m speechless.  In all my years at sea and in this business, never have I seen such a thing…how about we try this again next year?”

We both laughed knowing that a bite like we experienced on grouper might never happen again.  But, out on the open ocean, you never know what to expect…stranger things have happened.  Until that day comes again when all the stars align and the conditions present themselves properly, the twenty-six passengers aboard Qualifier 105 on that “historic” seven-day voyage can lay claim as the only long-range anglers to experience that special bite: Wide. Open. Grouper.

Most long range trips are known for targeting four gamefish species: Yellowfin Tuna, Wahoo, Dorado, and Yellowtail.  What made this trip so special was the fact that usually Grouper are a rare target or an incedental catch with typically 1-5 taken during autumn trips.  On this "special" trip, the 26 anglers on board had their fill of quality Yellowtail, Tuna, and Dorado - giving the captain a tough call to make for the last day's fishing.  Skipper Joe Crisci put us on spectacular fishing all trip long, and it was only fitting that taking a chance at his "honey hole" produced some of the most memorable fishing any of us aboard can remember.

Big thanks to John Klein and Joe Crisci for having us on board Qualifier 105 for this epic trip.  The captain and crew did an incredible job of not only putting us on fish, but giving every passenger on board a lasting impression of top-notch service as expected on these long range charters.  To book your next long range fishing trip or to learn more about the wide variety of long range fishing options, visit the Qualifier 105's website at www.Qualifier105.com

Photo Gallery 

Below: Chef Bret and Deckhand Rusty

Below: Pelagic Gear's Colin Sarfeh and Gary Schall battle yellowtail on "The Ridge".

Below: Travel mode - beers on the back deck of The Q.

Below: Cowboy and Erik

Below: Landon Yacobucci with grouper caught "the night before".

Below: Hoping for one last troll stop.

Below: Chuck Herron and his grouper.

Below: Bounty of The Ridge - Colin Sarfeh with a surface-iron yellow.

Below: Ron Radsick with a Tan Grouper // Radsick with a San Benitos Island Yellowtail

Below: Another killer Pacific Ocean sunset.

Below: Long-time Q105 Chartermaster Gary van der Lyke at San Benitos Island.

Below: Mike Heib and Landon Yacobucci hold up a gaffed Tan Grouper.

by Kelly Dalling Fallon

The Cairns Heavy Tackle Marlin season runs every year from late September to early December as the giant black marlin congregate in the warm waters of the Great Barrier Reef in far North Queensland, Australia. The giant females (up to and over 13 foot long and more than 1000lbs) come here from all over the pacific, attracting in the process smaller male fish (up to 350lb) and the keenest of local and international anglers.

Below: Jarad "Dingo" Boshammer wires a leaping black marlin boatside

This Cairns aggregation is one of just a few locations around the world where giant black marlin are known to be present in numbers. And since the charter industry was established here in the early 1970’s, more big black marlin have been caught in this area of the Australian coast than anywhere else in the world.

Below: Epic photography from Kelly Dalling Fallon aboard KEKOA of Australia's world-class black marlin fishery.

These days, the professional marlin charter fleet numbers close to 30 boats, many of whom operate out of this area of the country for only these two-three months each year. Most trips on the reef run between a 4-10 days live-aboard duration, with guests joining the boats in Cairns, Cooktown and Lizard Island.

Below: Lizard Island beach

In most cases the exact departure and return location will remain flexible giving the captains the best chance to put their guests on the fish as the main body moves up and down the reef at different times of the season. Mothershipping is also an option as are day trips out of Cairns at the very start and end of the season.

Below: View from above - the ribbons of The Great Barrier Reef

The reef itself is a spectacular playground – it offers a safe and calm overnight anchorage. We fish the drop off near hard edge of the reef and quite often, the evening’s anchorage is literally minutes from where you are fishing. That means we can fish until quite late in the day (dusk), to enjoy the best fishing.

Below: Coral Trout - one of the many species encountered while fishing on the reef

In the morning, before ‘start fishing’, the options are endless. A typical day on the reef might start with a snorkel/spear fish in the shallows in the protection behind the reef—don’t forget, the Great Barrier Reef is one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World.

Below: It's not always about the marlin - snorkeling is one of many activities available in pre-fishing hours.

Some of the spots along the reef are internationally renowned dive spot—for example, the “Cod Hole” at Number 10 Ribbon, is one of the most famous and most spectacular for fish species.

Below: Map of Australia's Great Barrier Reef.

Then after a swim, perhaps some trolling for Pelagic species for bait and fish for the dinner table, or throwing poppers on the reef edge for GTs (giant trevally) or jigging for dogtooth tuna--just some of the options available.

Below: Giant Trevally and Yellowfin Tuna - common catches while fishing the reef or trolling for bait.

The marlin keep gentleman’s hours and most boats don’t start the marlin fishing until close to 11am daily where trolling with dead-baits is the preferred option. A skipping “Scaley” mackeral or tuna or two as well as swimming “Scad” (like a small American Spanish mackerel) are the most popular baits and to many the baits will seem a pretty grand catch themselves—a 20lb mackerel will make a good skip bait for a giant marlin.

Below: Another big black goes agro boatside.

On this page, Kelly Fallon shares some of her action photos from the 2011 season on the reef on board KEKOA with her husband and Pelagic Pro Team Captain Luke Fallon. Luke grew up in North Queensland and has been fishing the Giant Black Marlin Season for over 25 years. He started out as a deckie (crewman/mate) at 16, and became one of the youngest skippers at only 21 years old just six years later. 25 years later again, he is considered one of the most experienced skippers amongst the fleet. KEKOA, is a 56” O’Brien Boat, and was locally built specifically for marlin fishing in these waters. She was launched in March, 2010.

Below: Another big black comes to leader; great shot of a "greyhounding" black marlin.

2011 was another great season on the reef with over 20 grander class marlin recorded from amongst the fleet. For the team on board KEKOA, 2011 was one of our best seasons in many years with just shy of 80 heavy tackle marlin released for the season including 2 fish over 1000lb and several more giant blacks pretty darn close to the magic number!

Below: A "Smaller" male black marlin leaps boatside.

About the author
Kelly Dalling Fallon, Luke’s wife, has likewise grown up on the waters of far North Queensland and spent several season on board Reel Chase with her father Capt. Jim Dalling until his retirement in 2009. These days she spends the full year on board KEKOA alongside Captain Luke. Kelly is also the owner/author of the Black Marlin Fishing Blog and also contributes articles and photos to several Australian fishing magazines on a regular basis.

Contact Pelagic Pro Team Capt. Luke Fallon to book your trip aboard KEKOA via his website http://www.kekoa.com.au/

by Roy McDennon Jr.

There is no kind way to describe Dogtooth tuna. They are truly a mean, ugly, and brutally strong apex predator. In reality, dogtooth are not a true tuna. They belong to the mackerel family and relate closest to bonito. What makes these fish a prized target for big game spearfisherman are the challenges they present in capturing.

Shooting and landing one of these prehistoric looking beasts requires a lot of time, preparation, skill and of course a little luck. Speak with any fisherman or free diver who has pursued this species and I’ll bet that you’ll hear about more episodes of defeat and heartbreak than with any other fish they have come across.

Below: A close-up of a Doggie's chompers

Doggies are primarily found in the warm tropical waters of the South Pacific and Indian oceans. The biggest always seem to be in the most remote, hard to reach islands with the most extreme conditions. They prefer to cruise along deep drop offs along outer reefs and underwater pinnacles. Finding current is critical for big dogtooth. And lots of it!

These fish aren’t you’re run of the mill reef species that may pull one buoy down and swim around in circles after they’re shot. The moment you stick a shaft into one of these brutes they explode and run for the deep like you’ve never seen before. My gear setup for hunting big dogtooth consists of a 67” Sea Sniper Pro speargun rigged with cable shooting line and an 11/32” shaft with cable slip-tip. I run 100ft of float line and 25ft of bungee to three buoys on the surface separated by 6 feet of bungee between each for shock absorption.

Below: Indonesia's reef beast

With almost 200lbs of buoyancy, one would think it nearly impossible for any creature to submerge all three floats, but over the course of a few weeks, my crew frequently witnessed entire rigs plummet into the deep, beyond visibility, only to resurface (hopefully) many minutes later and hundreds of yards away. The feeling of watching all of your buoys screaming to the bottom, imploding like raisins from the water pressure before you even reach the surface and take a single breath is unbelievable!

Below: Upward bound - surfacing with a prize dogtooth.

Traveling from all over the world, my crew and I have spent many months in remote areas of Indonesia searching for big doggies, and this past trip was pure insanity! After 3 months of being out of the water, working on a ship at sea, a 21-hour plane flight landed me in Bali. A few hour taxi ride and another overnight ferry ride to an outer island I finally stepped foot on the beach just in time to witness my buddies returning with the days catch. They lifted two Dogtooth out of the boats that were the largest I had ever seen!

“I hope you’re in good shape Roy” my buddy Troy said, because we dove our asses off today. The fish have been deep and cruising in the strongest current you’ve ever seen. There were some really scary down currents today”. Oh great, I think to myself, perfect!

Over the next couple weeks I got back into diving shape and we really scored some epic fish. Each of us shot our personal largest Dogtooth, including a couple upwards of 180lbs. We were very selective with our fish consumption and came home many times without ever pulling the trigger. Little is known about the dogtooth tuna species but they are thought to have a relatively small migration pattern. They also tend to reside near the same general areas, so it is important to protect the fish stocks. None of our fish was ever wasted; they were eaten or given away to appreciative locals.

Below: Locals showin' some swag and reppin' the P.

Consisting of more than 1700 islands in the archipelago, Indonesia has the second largest biodiversity of any country in the world, making it a sportfisherman's paradise. After spending many months there, I feel as if I’ve only just begun to unveil what magical places the country has to offer. Until my next dogtooth adventure, I’ll continue to dream about the moment I pull the trigger on a monster doggie at 80ft in 6 knots of current and all hell breaks loose!

Photos Courtesy of Brandon Wahlers

Mayhem Behind the Mullet

Every year in the late fall the Mullet migration takes an uncanny amount of Mullet on a journey along Florida's southeast coast. Many predators are not far behind including Tarpon . Some of the other species that hunt and absolutely thrive on this multitude of bait are Red Drum, Speckled Sea Trout, Jack Crevalle, Mackerel, Cobia, and Sharks. Just like Shrimp, everything in the ocean that is big enough pretty much will eat a Mullet. This time of the year is a blessing for anglers as well for they have the opportunity to target many of these inshore game fish.

Just like the Cobia migration earlier in the year, this same pattern brings forth schools of Silver King Tarpon of all sizes to feed on the chaos. Tarpon which run up to 6-7' are often caught and released within this mayhem. It is a great time for anglers from novice to experienced to take part in their desired action. Whether chasing the schools of Reds and Snook or targetting the largest inshore gamefish in the world, the Tarpon, you will not be disappointed with the late fall Mullet Run along Florida's coast.

The Waterman's Journal is happy to present a quick report of the Mullet run by Josh Jorgensen ..

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Well, the mullet schools are now few and far between, but the memories of the last few months will last a lifetime! I caught many fish, set personal records, and caught fish I have never caught before. I filmed most of the fish that I caught, I hope you enjoy the report.

My first small tarpon this year. I caught him on a chunk of mullet that I kayaked out 100yds.

The same day my buddy Matt caught this nice snook...<

We hooked another big tarpon that day and he straightened out the hook. Matt also caught another snook that was smaller than the one above. We didn't get a photo or video of the fish. The following day started great! In the morning, Matt hooked up with this beautiful tarpon.

Later that day I hooked another tarpon. It was a big fish and I was by myself. Hurricane Irene created a huge sandbar near shore and you really had to walk out to get to deep water. I didn't walk out after the fish and I pulled the hook out of his mouth, a mistake I won't make again. The next day I caught a really nice tarpon, must have been around 70-80lbs, maybe more.

The following day I caught my biggest Tarpon ever, this fish weighed around 100lbs.

The winds started to pick up and fishing became tough. The following week the waves were massive (7-8 footers), but the mullet were so thick! Sharks, tarpons, snook, jacks, bluefish, everything was smashing them. I caught a small tarpon (probably 30lbs) that day. The video came out horrible (the salts spray blurred the lens) and I didn't get a photo. We also caught snook and jacks on spoons and live mullet (no photos). About a week later, I caught my biggest snook ever, 40 inches! He fought very hard. I saw him in the surf and threw a 10" mullet at him and he slurped the mullet in like 3 seconds. It was raining when I caught the snook and a drop got on the lens, which sucks!

Later that evening I caught this massive jack crevalle on a live mullet...

Later that week I caught this really nice blacktip. I wasn't fishing for sharks, but he took the bait.

I also caught this small snook on the same day with Surfrat. He left the beach an hour before I caught the shark.

I started school in Orlando at the end of September, so my fishing time became very limited. I met up with William Fundora of the South Florida Shark Club at Sebastian Inlet in October on two occasions. I caught my very first redfish, which was over 30".

I previously caught a smaller Redfish

Will and my friend Damon caught these big reds at Sebastian as well. Over 20 redfish were caught on the pier in a matter of several hours.

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