In light of the recent dock records in the Florida Keys, we’ve dug up some material of notable catches we’ve published through the years.*
Florida
NEW SMYRNA
Heavy Hitter caught 41 sailfish trolling in a single day out of Ponce Inlet.
- David Grubbs was the owner/operator at the time.
FT PIERCE
January 10, 2019, Grand Slam released 38 sailfish trolling dead baits during the Pelican Yacht Club Tournament
- Capt: David Grubbs
Floridian caught 32 sailfish trolling on dead baits in January 2004.
- Capt: Glenn Cameron
- Mate: Kevin Paul
STUART
December 1997
Boneshaker caught 22 sailfish trolling.
- Capt: VJ Bell
- Angler: Joe Lahner
- Mate: Scott Fawcett
WEST PALM BEACH
2006
Get Lit caught 35 sailfish in the Silver Sailfish Derby.
- Capt: Ray Rosher
- Anglers: Kitt Toomey
- Mates: Charmain Rosher and Jon Cooper
Wrenegade caught 26 sails live baiting.
- Capt: Jimmy Fields
- Anglers: Charlie Scippola and Tony Cummings
- Mate: Winston Wren
Feb 3, 1980 Elbow 7 caught 83 sailfish on live bait.
- Capt: Albert Johnston
- Angler: Louis Boski
- Mate: Unknown
No Problem that same day caught 54 in three hours on live bait, the boat had to head in early in order to get someone to the airport.
- Capt: Jack Morrow
- Angler: Dave Dickenson
- Mate: Tim Sperling
FT LAUDERDALE
April 9, 2009 Vitamin Sea Too caught 50 sailfish on live bait.
- Captain: Tim Maddock,
- Anglers/Crew: Mike Dinnen, Mike Reisert, Jon Krieg, Chris Meeks, Chris Zidar
MIAMI
May 1, 2019 Sandman, captained by John Dudas, caught 43 sailfish and one white marlin off Miami.
- Crew: Diomedes Adames, Jeffrey Liederman, Steven Stallings, Sandra MacMillan
Owls Nest, captained by Matt Tambor, caught 36 sailfish on live bait out of Government Cut, a host of local quality mates were the anglers and they believe they would have caught more if they didn’t run out of bait.
March 6, 2019
L&H, captained by Jimmy David, caught 41 sailfish off Miami.
- Mates: James David, Troy Hall
- Anglers: Rick Smith, Matt Bowman
ISLAMORADA
April 23, 2020 Vice Versa, captained by Scott Martin, hold the record with 76 sailfish released in a day on live bait.
April 24, 2020 Shaka, captained by Tim Maddock, released 64 sails on April 24.
Was caught 38 sailfish on live mullet back in the 60’s.
- Capt: Buck Stark
Kalex caught 20 sailfish live baiting (unverified if single-day record).
- Capt: Alex Alder
- Mate: James Allen
January of 2007 Catch 22 caught 7 swordfish without the use of electric reels.
- Capt: Scott Stanczyk,
- Angler: Richard Stanczyk,
- Mate: Kristian Zeher
Marathon (Middle Keys)
April 12, 2020 Captain Marty Lewis and the crew of the Main One, out of Marathon’s Main Attraction charters, broke the record with 70 releases.
May 10, 2005 Main Attraction, captained by Marty Lewis, caught 36 sails on live bait.
April 15, 2003 Main Attraction, captained by Marty Lewis, also caught 25 sailfish on live baits.
Key West (Lower Keys)
2004
Tim Greene was an angler onboard the Beachcomber when it caught 3 blues in one day.
- Capt: Daryl Simeon
- Anglers: Tim Greene and Kurt Kirvan
- Mate: Unknown
The biggest blue marlin caught out of Key West weighs 784 lbs. and is hanging at the Key West airport.
1999
Petticoat II caught 6 blue marlin in a single day.
- Capt: Norman Wood and Wayne Hunt
- Angler: Jim Hardy
- Mate: Unknown
Outside the State
Born2run released 10 blue marlin during the two-and-a-half-day Mississippi Gulf Coast Billfish Classic
- Capt. Myles Colley
- Mates: Tyler Maxwell, Robert Bonifay, Doug Franklin, Alex Pinney and Brian “Beaver” Paul.
- Owners, Dana and Lisa Foster
So that’s what we have so far! We are still working on this eastern region. If any information needs to be corrected, please let us know. Also we really want to give everybody onboard the recognition they deserve so if you see any unknowns or listings that have the captain, angler or mates name missing please fill us in. Once again amy@inthebite.com.
*Records are only used if they can be verified by reputable captains.
Do you have any comments or questions for us? We’d love to hear from you.
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