Innehållsförteckning för August/September 2021 från Marlin

I’ve always loved travel. It’s fun to have great fishing at home, but chasing a new species in unfamiliar waters always offers an interesting challenge for any fisherman. Along the way, we often meet a lot of new people, some of whom might become good friends, while also experiencing different cultures and cuisine. From a fishing perspective, it seems that everyone has a slightly different approach or an unusual technique—there’s always something new to learn. As we celebrate our annual international issue, we dive into several unique fisheries. First up: Capt. Ricky Wheeler takes us on a guided tour of Grenada, one of the jewels of the Caribbean, located at the southern end of the Grenadines. From the mountainous interior to the stunning white-sand beaches and the deep blue waters…

For the past two and a half decades, Capt. Marty Bates has roamed the four corners of the sport-fishing world in search of the next thousand-pound marlin, the next world record, the next thrilling experience. The son of a commercial fisherman, the wanderlust still runs strong, although he’s recently settled down in one of the most exceptional locations on the planet: Cape Verde. He fell in love with these remote islands off the western coast of Africa when he first visited in 2006, and now he’s making it a permanent home as well as a base from which to continue his fishing adventures throughout the region and beyond. Bates knows only one speed to live his life: wide open. You won the Blue Marlin World Cup on July 4, 2020,…

Just eight minutes after lines in, Rosalie Apostoleres released a sailfish on the 50-foot Viking Roenick, the first release of the Viking Key West Challenge. A minute later, Capt. Casey Hunt called in a sail for her husband, Nick. That began a torrid two days of fishing for the team, who tallied an amazing 24 sailfish releases during the tournament to sweep nearly every position on the leaderboard: Top Boat, Top Angler, Top Lady Angler and Top Sailfish Boat, among many others. In addition to their tableful of trophies, the Apostoleres also won a Spot Zero mobile unit and Switlik Coastal Passage raft. Game Changer, Robert Boyce’s Viking 80, had a strong Day Two with 10 sailfish releases, taking home second place in the sailfish division with a total of…

For anyone who targets bluefin in state and federal waters on the East Coast of the United States, a tremendous number of them—from schoolies (27 to less than 47 inches curved-fork length) to commercial-size bluefin (greater than 73 inches curved-fork length)—are observed there. Yet, the proposal of total-allowable-catch reductions, reduced seasons and bag limits set by governing authorities are not consistent with real-world observations. To provide some clarity behind those observations and the perceived data gaps to address what is behind those who are recommending a bluefin tuna TAC reduction, we must note that bluefin are managed as two separate stocks (western Atlantic and eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean) by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas. ICCAT manages bluefins and other select pelagics that migrate across international boundaries,…

Pure gold is discovered every day in coolers and fish boxes around the world. While people have been catching tasty tuna forever, there is something of an awakening taking place. And yes, the sashimi revolution is absolutely transforming our collective approach to bluefin, yellowfin and bigeye tuna preparation. Led by chef-fishermen and hybrid watermen of other ilk, recreational sport fishermen are also discovering what world-class restaurants have known for a while: Fresh-caught tuna—the ones you catch, harvest and process yourself—is a delicacy that rivals dry-aged wagyu, caviar or any other vision of savory perfection. To help you transform your next tuna loin into the perfect plate of sashimi, we have profiled two of the best in the business. The secrets they share do not involve any covert ingredients or specialized…

If you’re old enough to remember when goggle-eyes once cost a dollar each, you might also recall the old advertising adage that claimed: “The sun never sets on the Bertram Empire.” A zillion goggle-eyes, countless tournaments, and a scattering of company owners later, the Bertram brand continues to thrive. Now based in Tampa, Florida, and under the tutelage of Italian superyacht builder Beniamino Gavio, the company’s new Bertram 50 Express combines bluewater style and practicality with an oh-so-solid connection to its past. This Bertram is the ideal boat for the owner-operator to run in air-conditioned comfort while still remaining close to the cockpit. The custom PipeWelders tuna tower transforms the 50 Express into a fishing machine, ready to rumble and make noise on the offshore-tournament circuit. The stepped sheer and…

This past season, I attended two notable marine industry events: the Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach International boat shows. The number of boats and displays was truly amazing, as usual, but I can’t recall ever seeing that many vendors during past shows. What really stuck out to me was how many new boatbuilders there were. I’ve been in and around the boating industry my entire life, and I have never heard of many of these companies. Seeing 50-plus-foot center-consoles, 90-foot sport-fishermen and 200-foot motherships, I had to wonder, Where is all this excess cash coming from? NEW OR USED? I’ve been toying with the idea of purchasing a new boat because my current one is several years old—and I was recently offered more money for it now than what I…

The popular Custom Shootout triumphantly returned to the beautifully rebuilt and fully remodeled Abaco Beach Resort and Boat Harbour Marina May 12-15, 2021, with 51 registered custom boats and a perfect weather forecast for the participants. On Day One, the 61-foot B&D Turn It Blue released two blue marlin and a sailfish to tally 1,300 points and the clubhouse lead, although the 64-foot Jarrett Bay Builder’s Choice was right behind them with one blue marlin and one sailfish release and 700 points. The fleet released eight blue marlin, eight white marlin and 14 sailfish for the day. Day Two belonged to Jr. Davis’ Wave Paver, a 77-foot Bayliss. They scored one blue marlin, three white marlin and a sailfish, earning additional points for the grand slam—enough to move into first place. Bobby…

CAPT. MICK AIXALA BRISA KEY BISCAYNE, FLORIDA That’s a loaded question. For me, it’s almost like asking a parent who their favorite child is, and the Bahamas really has so much to offer. But to narrow it down, I’d have to say Chub Cay. Its proximity to the United States, private airstrip, and recently renovated marina and resort help to make logistics uncomplicated. Chub is a great place to base a summer trip for all members of the family. However, when the conditions are right—November through May, during the full moon cycles—you can set out and catch just about every species that makes the Bahamas home. MIKE SAMUELS PRINCESS LILY PALM BEACH, FLORIDA Clarence Town’s Flying Fish Marina on Long Island in the southern Bahamas has really transformed over the…

NEW DESTINATIONS always have a high probability of creating some amazing memories, and some even suggest the opportunity to provide you with the excursion of a lifetime. With an open mind and a plan, it’s hard to mess up a trip like this, and traveling is one of the greatest ways to experience what I call the new-new: a fishery, a foreign land, a skill, a people. And you also might check a particular fish or location off your bucket list. I have been fortunate to fish in many big-game locations as captain, mate and, on a few occasions, charter customer. While I really have enjoyed every place I’ve traveled, there is one that just keeps me coming back year after year, and that Caribbean jewel is none other than…

For continental US-based anglers (or from anywhere else for that matter), it’s a long haul to the Hawaiian Islands. Based on your departure destination, you might need to fly into Honolulu on the island of Oahu, then over to Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keahole. We were fortunate to have a direct flight to Kona from Florida by way of Denver, but it’s a long one: four hours on the first leg and seven hours on the second. The good news is that because you’re flying west, many flights arrive in the midafternoon. The town of Kailua-Kona is a short 15-minute drive down the coast, along which you’ll pass Honokohau Small Boat Harbor on your right—this is where the majority of the island’s charter fleet is docked. There are…

Those who fish are well-acquainted with the rhythm of battle: Gently lift up the rod, reel down. Lift, reel, lift, reel. It’s a motion as measured and natural as the rolling swells of the Pacific Ocean. This up-and-down, give-and-take exists in most other efforts in our lives too: business, conversation, music, romance. So why do we always seem to resist the resting and feel as though we have to fight so hard for our trophies? The fear of missing the reward, perhaps? Humans are impatient, no doubt, and we sometimes neglect the balance, but if fishing teaches us anything, it’s that the action is hardly ever nonstop, and scattered showers of euphoria are intermingled with long periods of waiting and, sometimes, loss. FAMILY AND FRIENDS, OLD AND NEW Sharon Miller…

Brian Turner has been a fixture in the Tampa Bay offshore-fishing community for many years, most recently at the helm of Haulin’ Grass, his customized 42-foot Yellowfin. Turner founded the Florida West Coast Bluewater Series more than six years ago, and fishes in nearly every pelagic and multispecies event in the region, often in less-than-favorable weather conditions. This boat is his third 42 from the Sarasota, Florida-based boatbuilder, and it has some unique features to make it one of the most competitive sport-fishers in the area, starting with its construction. “This is the first all-carbon-fiber 42,” he says. “The cap, liner, hull and stringers are all vacuum-bagged carbon fiber, which saves more than 3,000 pounds of weight. This boat is 20 percent lighter, 20 percent faster and 20 percent more…

“Skip, are you going to ban the sonar boats from your events? They seem to be winning quite a few tournaments recently.” That’s one of the questions I have been asked a lot lately. Like most electronics, sonar is usually only as good as the operator, and you also must be in the right area. In the words of a seasoned veteran who really knows how to use his gear, “When it’s calm, I’ll kick your butt, but when it’s rough, all I mark is the bottom and 747s.” I remember when dredges first came along. I heard the same question: Will we ban them in tournaments? It all started with fishing a simple dredge on a hand line, then it progressed to huge electric reels that can easily retrieve…

FOR THE WIN Exmouth, in western Australia, is known for its outstanding fishing for a variety of species. During Gamex 2021, the Innkeeper team, led by Capt. Brendon Hawker, tagged and released 19 black marlin, two blues and two sailfish in five days to win the tournament. Photographer Shane Anderson was in the right place to shoot their last fish of the event, this feisty black marlin. LOCATION Exmouth is home to Ningaloo Reef, the world’s largest fringing reef. TECH SPECS CAMERA: Nikon D500 LENS: Nikkor AF-S 80-400mm ISO: 400 APERTURE: f/7.1 SPEED: 1/2500 sec…

The final tournament of the 2021 Quest for the Crest series, Final Sail, returned to the docks of Miami Beach Marina and certainly lived up to the hype: A fleet of 41 boats tallied 402 sailfish releases in two days of fishing. The bite was on and the competition was as fierce as ever in South Florida as the world’s best live-bait teams battled it out within sight of the picturesque Miami Beach skyline. In the end, two teams would emerge as champions. With the final event of the 2020 Quest series canceled, the winner from last year would also be determined at Final Sail. Rob Gothier Jr.’s BAR South released just three sailfish on Day One but rebounded with 11 more on the second day—a strong rally that secured…

Each spring, Marlin hosts a virtual bracket-format tournament called Marlin Madness, where fans can vote for their favorite qualifying team from the previous season. This year’s Marlin Madness, sponsored by BlueWater Desalination, went to Riley Rhodes and Walk West, based in Port Aransas, Texas. The team qualified by winning the 2020 Texas Legends Billfish Tournament, part of the Gulf Coast division (other Marlin Madness regions include the East Coast, International and Florida). “It was a great honor for us to compete in Marlin Madness, and we are very humbled that we were able to pull out a win over so many great competitors,” Rhodes says. “We couldn’t have done it without the support of Viking Yachts, Port Aransas Fisherman’s Wharf, Fox Yacht Sales, the Mississippi Gulf Coast Billfish Classic, Texas…

Four o’clock in the morning, my alarm goes off. Normally I would hit the snooze button, but knowing that in a few hours I’d have the chance to hook a blue marlin gave me that same electric feeling I experienced 25 years ago when my first marlin demolished the right teaser and ate my flat-line bait. From that moment on, I was hooked. For the next two and a half decades, I have been lucky to fish in some of the best and most fertile billfish waters on Earth. Even now, every time a billfish comes up on a bait or teaser, I still get that same feeling, one that can be understood only by those men and women who have spent the time and effort to understand the science…

“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Kona. The local time is 2:30 in the afternoon. Enjoy your stay in Hawaii.” With that announcement, the flight attendants cracked open the forward- and rear-entry doors, flooding the aircraft with the warm floral scent of plumeria mixed with a hint of saltiness carried on the ever-present trade winds. As I made my way down the stairs and across the tarmac to the open-air terminal—old school, no jet bridges here—I couldn’t help but smile in the bright sun. Welcome, indeed. I’d come to Kona with several different goals in mind. Because it was my first trip here, I wanted to check out what is undoubtedly one of the most historic blue marlin fisheries anywhere in the world. This is where it all started, going back…

Each spring, the pristine grounds along the northern Great Barrier Reef experience one of the world’s greatest natural wonders. The nutrient-rich Coral Sea currents trigger all kinds of resident and pelagic species to gather and spawn in this part of the world, and it is here where we can witness some truly astonishing sights. Thousands of giant trevally travel in a spawning aggregation so tightly packed that they appear to be a detached part of the reef, causing some skippers to panic when approaching such a ball of huge fish that they quickly turn away until they’ve worked out what they’re actually seeing. Giant 1,000-plus-pound female black marlin tail down-sea in the company of several smaller males in their own spawning dance. During the 2018 season, one vessel caught 144…

Over the past several years, marine insurance has become more expensive and increasingly more difficult to bind, primarily for owner-operators. Insurance is all about risk assessment, so as more inexperienced individuals have become interested in vessel ownership, and because boats have become more valuable and powerful, the carriers have responded with more-stringent conditions and higher premiums. Insurance has now become an important part of the purchase process for owner-operators because it is no longer a foregone conclusion a policy will exist that fits a buyer’s budget or allows for their desired use of the vessel. BOATING RÉSUMÉ From a buyer’s standpoint, it is important to understand what an underwriter analyzes when quoting insurance. A marine-insurance agent will typically ask a prospective buyer or owner to provide a boating résumé, information…