Marlin magazine is an international billfishing magazine that gives you updates on the world's hottest billfishing destinations, insider tips on live-baiting and trolling, glimpses of people influencing the sport and reviews on the latest equipment.
They’ve got a 115-inch blue, and they’re heading to the scales.” Those words will get a tournament support crew buzzing like a beehive. The rumor of a big fish spreads like wildfire through the rest of the tournament fleet; in the Gulf, that means the satellite phones start ringing. There’s a mix of emotions for those without a fish yet, but at least the scene at the dock will be one heck of a party. The news of a big fish heading to the scales begins to go from cellphone to cellphone back ashore. The local radio and TV stations may even mention it to draw a larger crowd — it could be the only time someone sees a giant marlin in person. The sight of a boat backing down…
editor@marlinmag.com DON’T IGNORE YOUR HEALTH I was chasing billfish in places fisher men dream about — Venezuela, St. Thomas, Dominican Republic, Aruba, Mexico — and I was a picture of good health. I was physically fit, sun-tanned and had no worries. I just got up in the morning and went fishing. I always thought I didn’t need health insurance or even a physical because I felt great and I was in good shape. But then my life insurance agent called and wanted me to get a “good” physical. No problem, I thought. How could anything possibly be wrong with me? I got the call about my results, and my life instantly spun in front of me — I have a very aggressive type of prostate cancer. I thought to myself,…
COMMITMENT To compete with the top sailfish teams in South Florida, you need to be ready to fish in just about any possible weather conditions. The crew aboard Contender One, a 39-foot Contender with Capt. Quinton Dieterle at the helm, seized an opportunity when they hooked a sailfish in sporty seas. LOCATION Austin Coit lined up this shot while riding along aboard HellREYzer, a 60-foot Spencer, during the highly competitive Sailfish 400 off Miami. TECH SPECS CAMERA: Canon EOS 5D Mark III LENS: Canon EF 100-400 mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM ISO: 1,250 APERTURE: f/5.6 SPEED: 1/2,500 sec…
The Georgetown Blue Marlin Tournament will celebrate its 50th anniversary this year in May, and Jim Johnston plans to be there, just like he has for the previous 49 years. He’s won the tournament twice and come close on several other occasions, but what keeps him coming back is the thrill of the chase. And at 72 years young, the retired boat dealer has no intention of slowing down now. Johnston runs his own boat, the 59-foot Spencer Big Sky. Bill Church, Johnston’s longtime deckhand, handles the cockpit duties, his grandson Jackson Stacy is the second mate in the summer, and friends and family man the rods, even in the high-stakes world of the South Carolina Governor’s Cup tournament series. He’s leading a bluewater legacy and passing down those unforgettable…
MARSH TACKY Carbon-fiber construction is the key to the new gaff from Marsh Tacky. It’s amazingly light, super-strong and perfectly balanced — a deckhand’s dream marshtackycarbon.com FATHOM OFFSHORE Ever heard someone say they couldn’t buy a bite? Check out this limited-edition Game Changer Buy-A-Bite lure that features a shredded $100 bill encased in the resin head. It also has custom skirting and proven fish-raising action. fathomoffshore.com LINDGREN-PITMAN The new LP S-2400 is 50 percent faster and pulls 75 percent harder than the company’s popular S-1200 electric reel, making it perfect for deep-dropping or as a dredge reel. It also operates on 24 volts, eliminating voltage drop. lindgren-pitman.com HAYS These stainless needle-eye hooks feature a tip that curves inward more than standard tunastyle hooks for increased holding power. The needle-eye design…
The first leg of the 2017 Los Sueños Signature Triple Crown will go down in the tournament’s history as one of the wildest ever. Highlighting the action off the popular Costa Rican resort and marina was a phenomenal blue and striped marlin bite; in the past, catching a marlin or two during this series was a bonus. Not so this season: Teams needed marlin to even stay in contention. Alexis Chamorro has fished the series every year since its inception, and he won the kickoff leg in 2014. He usually fishes aboard Xta-Sea but found himself between boats this year, so he chartered the 61-foot Viking Reel Doc, captained by veteran skipper Ronnie Riebe. His team of Julio Chamorro, Emilio Munkel and Jake Graves stayed in the hunt throughout the…
