Innehållsförteckning för October 2019 från Marlin

• As part of the generation that grew up without cellphones or the internet, I’m always bemused by the myriad technical advances that seem to spring up in our society like weeds after a summer rain. We’ve progressed from the days where if you had a phone in your car, you were either a corporate CEO or James Bond, to a time where just about everyone on the planet has a cellphone, harnessing way more computing power in the palms of our hands than we used to put a man on the moon. And fishing is certainly no different. Technology is akin to a never-ending arms race: Something new comes along and suddenly, everyone has to have it. Here’s an example: Although it’s been out for some time now, the…

• Usually comprised of five tournaments, the Gulf Coast Triple Crown Championship series was cut short this year when Hurricane Barry set its sights on the fishing grounds. As a result, the Blue Marlin Grand Championship was canceled because of unsafe conditions. Going into the last leg, the three-time GCTC champion team, Done Deal, and 2015 series winner, Relentless Pursuit, were tied with 625 points, but series rules state ties are broken based on the largest blue marlin landed in any of the tournament legs. This gave Relentless Pursuit a one-up on Done Deal and a second championship win for the team. Relentless Pursuit’s Dennis Pastentine and Capt. Robbie Doggett also won the largest blue marlin prize with a 658.2-pound fish that was hooked within the first 45 minutes of…

• Two rates govern how long fish live: natural mortality and fishing mortality. Natural mortality is defined as death from predation or unfavorable environmental conditions and is especially high for juvenile fish. Fishing mortality is death from commercial and recreational exploitation of a stock. Most fisheries’ management measures involve output control measures that try to limit or control fishing mortality on various stocks. For example, in the Atlantic Ocean, the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas limits the total Atlantic catch of blue marlin to 2,000 metric tons and 400 metric tons of white marlin, annually. So, it’s clear to most anglers that carefully monitoring and controlling the amount of fishing mortality that a stock experiences is fundamental to managing it sustainably. This is the typical single-stock approach,…

• The fighting chair is one of the most commonly misused pieces of equipment in the cockpit. And in some circles, just sitting in one merely for leisure is bad luck. Every person is different, and there is no one-size-fits-all method for using a fighting chair, so it is very important that the footrest, the bucket harness and the straps be fitted to the angler before you have a fish on—because once that drag is engaged, it’s game on. THE FOOTREST Every modern, quality fighting chair should be equipped with an adjustable, removeable footrest. It should be adjusted so that when you are hooked up to a fish at full drag or you have reached the top of your reeling stance, you are standing with a straight leg. Your body…

It’s a very competitive time in sport fishing these days, with a crop of big-game lure makers taking their craft to perhaps the highest level of precision, customization and quality that we have ever seen. These makers are so passionate and dedicated that they continue to raise the bar and serve up high-dollar, fish-raising products to their customers with a level of commitment that is a model for any cottage industry. As a fisherman, I know their effectiveness in helping us complete our pursuit; as a collector, I liken them to folk art, similar to hand-carved duck decoys. Like the carver, the lure maker has a signature lure, shape, insert or combination that signifies that lure as his own. And if it hits the water and gets bit, it has…

• SiriusXM Marine’s Fish Mapping is a new service that displays all the SiriusXM weather products on your chart plotter, then adds eight fishing features—including the analysis of professional oceanographers—to crunch all that satellite telemetry and show forecasted fishing hotspots directly on your multifunction display. Even better, SiriusXM Marine can do that anywhere in its range, including U.S. coastal oceans up to 250 miles offshore. If you are accustomed to charting your own course after analyzing the various layers of telemetry, SiriusXM Fish Mapping allows you to analyze individual layers such as sea surface temperatures, sea surface height, plankton and weed lines on your chart plotter one at a time; you also will be able to see these sea-surface anomalies while at sea and out of cellular range. The new…

With more than 100 boats delivered since 1986, it’s no wonder Beaufort, North Carolina’s Jarrett Bay Boatworks founder Randy Ramsey lives by the belief, “If you want it, we can build it—and service it—anywhere, anytime,” when it comes to his company’s truly custom products. And with a family of customers spanning the globe, one in particular knew exactly what he wanted, and where he could get it. Armed with a picture of an old trunk-cabin Rybovich, the owner of Privateer, a 67-foot Jarrett Bay, embarked on a journey that began with a simple meeting and ended with the boat of his dreams. The throwback trunk-cabin design is rarely utilized by a Carolina boatbuilder, but when it is, it not only becomes personal but also very memorable. At the Palm Beach…

• From the International Game Fish Association’s World Record Game Fishes: “The following angling rules have been formulated by the IGFA to promote ethical and sporting angling practices, to establish uniform regulations for the compilation of world game fish records, and to provide basic angling guidelines for use in fishing tournaments and any other group angling activities. The word ‘angling’ is defined as catching or attempting to catch fish with a rod, reel, line, and hook as outlined in the international angling rules.” I heard an expression from an old-timer who asked me if I knew the difference between a recreational angler and a commercial fisherman. He said, “A commercial fisherman does not take pictures of his fish.” That was long before everyone had an iPhone with a built-in camera,…

How did you get started on the high-stakes billfish tournament circuit? I was with my mom when Done Deal won the Emerald Coast Blue Marlin Classic several years ago. I loved the whole atmosphere and thought, ‘I really want to do that.’ I caught my first billfish when I was about 15 and once I finished high school, my dad let me start competing in tournaments with him. That was in the summer of 2017. What is your most memorable catch? It’s kind of a tie. The 502-pound bluefin tuna we caught a couple of years ago stands out. It was crazy and my dad was so excited. He hadn’t seen one in years, so he was just over the moon. I didn’t realize how special it was until he…

CAPT. GLENN CLYATT HMY YACHTS NORTH KEY LARGO, FLORIDA The misuse of social media. Young men and women are running multimillion-dollar operations and the responsibility is much greater than perhaps they realize. Research finds that 70 percent of owners use social media to screen candidates, and up to 40 percent check up on current employees. Posting accomplishments are worth celebrating, but filling the cockpit with water or posting another’s misfortune diminishes credibility. Many young skippers are accomplished fishermen, but their responsibility also includes the safety of their owners and guests. Act accordingly, and the possibilities are endless. CAPT. DWIGHT “MOON” MOONEY VIKING YACHT SERVICE CENTER RIVIERA BEACH, FLORIDA I was very fortunate to work for some of the finest in the industry when I was starting out. I had to…

IN THE HIGHLY COMPETITIVE BOATBUILDING WORLD, ONE BRAND STANDS ABOVE ALL OTHERS. THE RESILIENCE OF THE RYBOVICH NAME HAS BEEN SPOTLIGHTED, STRIPPED, REHASHED AND REBORN MANY TIMES THROUGHOUT THE DECADES, BUT THE TRUE STORY HAS NEVER BEEN SPOKEN. FROM THE INSIDE, I DISCOVERED THAT TRUTH IS USUALLY STRANGER THAN FICTION. FOR THOSE WHO EVER WONDERED: “WHAT’S THE REAL STORY?” I PUT ON A HAT I NEVER THOUGHT I’D WEAR, AND BRACED MYSELF FOR THE FALLOUT. TURNS OUT, MICHAEL RYBOVICH APPRECIATED THE JOURNALISTIC EFFORT AND ANSWERED EVERY ONE OF MY QUESTIONS WITHOUT OBJECTION. Considering the difficulties boatbuilders go through, you can’t help but appreciate the superior craftmanship that makes up a Rybovich; no wonder they are the epitome of what we imagine a Palm Beach 10 to be. I have been…

EVEN JUST A HANDFUL OF YEARS AGO, IF YOU WANTED A CUSTOM SPORT-FISHER IN THE 35-TO 55-FOOT RANGE, THE LIKELY OPTION WAS INBOARD POWER. BUT TODAY’S NEW BREED OF HIGH-HORSEPOWER OUTBOARD ENGINES, WITH THEIR GREATLY IMPROVED EFFICIENCY AND OVERALL RELIABILITY, MEANS THAT OUTBOARDS ARE NOW A SERIOUS CONSIDERATION. LET’S TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT A FEW CUSTOM BOATBUILDERS WHO ARE LEADING THE SHIFT IN POWER. THE TARGET AUDIENCE Gamefisherman has always been on the leading edge of technology, so it’s no surprise that the popular Florida builder has joined the fray with outboard-powered models, in addition to its existing lineup of inboard boats. The company is building two models—a 46- and a 50-footer—and both are walkaround designs with quad outboard power. “There are really three types of buyers who come…

• You’re putting together your boat’s safety equipment: life jackets, EPIRB, life rafts, flares—check. But another important item to consider when outfitting your boat is a marine medical kit, and the training to go with it. What many boaters don’t realize is that there is a huge difference between a first-aid kit and a true medical-emergency kit. Sure, you can grab a Band-Aid for a cut, and a first-aid kit could probably handle seasickness or even a minor injury or wound long enough until you hit the next port. But when you’re miles offshore, a short amount of time could be the difference between life and death in a real medical emergency. As the master of the vessel, the captain is responsible for everyone on board. So, it is up…

• We are often asked about the specifics of donating a vessel, whether it be for legitimate charitable reasons or because the owner wants a tax write-off. Donations can be a useful option in certain situations, but the appropriate conditions must be present and the proper professionals should be involved. ADVANTAGES OF DONATIONS It can sometimes be difficult and timeconsuming to sell a boat, whether it’s because of a slow economy or perhaps a lack of demand for a particular model. Donations often provide an opportunity to avoid the lengthy process of locating buyers, and the transactions are typically quicker than sales. Boats are also money pits, so a donation might provide an opportunity for an owner to quickly end expenses for insurance, dockage, maintenance, etc. Additionally, the donor might…

BLUE REVIVAL It’s no secret Cape Verde is home to excellent marlin fishing. Fabrizio Macchia released this extra-large blue, estimated to be more than 800 pounds, while fishing with Capt. Steven John Webb. Here, Mandy Monteiro and Sarney Bernardo Costa Neves revive the fish before its release from La Onda Emma, as photographer Hannes Ribbner shoots the action from another boat. LOCATION The blue marlin was caught off the island of Santo Antão in Cape Verde.…

[a] WEST MARINE COASTAL 200 7X50 KEY FEATURE: Waterproof The Coastal 200 series from West Marine is an excellent value, with a lightweight polycarbonate housing filled with dry nitrogen to prevent fogging; light transmission efficiency is 85 percent. MSRP: $199. [b] FRASER OPTICS S250 KEY FEATURE: Full gyro-stabilization An excellent choice for serious offshore work, these binoculars have magnesium fluoride-coated optics and up to 98 percent image motion reduction. Another plus: They are submersible, waterproof and buoyant. The S250 is made in the U.S. with a limited lifetime warranty. MSRP: $3,995. [c] NIKON MONARCH HG 8X42 KEY FEATURE: Extremely durable magnesium-alloy body Best described as the all-terrain vehicle of binoculars, the Monarch HG’s optical system is designed around Nikon’s extra-low dispersion glass and multi-layer lens and prism coatings for brighter,…

• I had met a young man from California named Josh Shields during the second leg of the 2019 Los Sueños Signature Triple Crown in Costa Rica. His grandfather, Bill Royster, introduced us, and told Josh about Freedom Alliance and our work with America’s veterans. Shields revealed his familiarity with the military subculture, saying that an old roommate of his might be a good candidate for our program. “He fought in Fallujah,” he said with a grim recollection. In late March 2004, Iraqi insurgents in the city of Fallujah ambushed four U.S. contractors. The world watched revolting video footage of those men being murdered, their bodies dragged through the city’s streets, set on fire, and strung from a bridge. It was the impetus for Operations Vigilant Resolve and Phantom Fury…

• Fraser Island is the world’s largest sand island, nestled on the southeast Queensland coastline off Hervey Bay, Australia. It has made headlines in recent years because of its outstanding yet still developing blue marlin fishery. But in 2019, the annual arrival of the juvenile black marlin to its plentiful bait grounds stole the attention of captains and anglers throughout the region—simply by the sheer numbers of fish being caught—by producing many double-figure days. At the very southern tip of the Great Barrier Reef, spanning close to 75 miles of the coastline, the East Australian Current funnels warm and nutrient-rich water from the North Queensland tropics to the south. These conversions produce a vibrant, year-round fishery. And in the mild Queensland winter, with the current, comes the baby black marlin.…

• Titan Yachts has Hull No. 9 under construction, a 63-foot custom sportfisher that will be equipped with some innovative new features as the company continues its long-standing relationship with Roop Yacht of Virginia Beach, Virginia, for the boat’s design. The 63 introduces a Seakeeper 20HD tuned down to Titan’s specifications. A Furuno CSH-8LMK2 360-degree sonar and 24-inch TZtouch multifunction display will offer the captain unprecedented awareness above and below the waterline, and a Side-Power hydraulic positioning system with joystick assists in maneuverability in tight areas. The cockpit will have two 40-gallon, in-deck livewells, with a third in the transom, as well as a huge refrigerated fish box. A pair of 1,900 horsepower MAN engines will power the new 63, and with 2,300 gallons of fuel, long-range travel is no…

• In 1990, my father, Joe Kelly, died of a massive heart attack while fishing in the Poor Man’s Canyon, off Ocean City, Maryland. He was 49 years old. In 1994, Chris Bowie was pulled overboard and disappeared while wiring a blue marlin off North Carolina, leaving behind a pregnant wife. He was 29. In 2018, 36-year-old William “Willbilly” Hathaway, star of National Geographic’s Wicked Tuna, died unexpectedly, leaving behind a wife and young daughter. Soon after Hathaway’s death, a fundraising page was started on social media to benefit his wife and infant daughter. While I have no knowledge of their financial situation, it did make me wonder if he had a life insurance policy that could have provided for them in his absence. The untimely death of a loved…