InTheBite

  • Home
  • News
    • All News
    • Featured Stories
    • General News
    • Captain of the Year
    • Tournament Results
    • First Builds
    • Splash Reports
    • Old Salts Rule
    • Tackle Tips
    • Dock Talk
    • Crew Records
    • Conservation
  • Tournaments
    • Calendar
    • Captain of the Year
    • Champion’s Cup
  • Shop
    • All Products
    • Subscriptions
    • Back Issues
    • Shirts
    • Hats & Visors
    • Miscellaneous
    • Release Rulers
  • Classifieds
  • Job Board
  • Contact
    • Contact InTheBite
    • InTheBite Media Kit
  • Log in

Then and Now: Capt. Eddie Wheeler

September 14, 2020 By InTheBite Editor

As told to Ric Burnley

For Capt. Eddie Wheeler, winning InTheBite’s 2004 Captain of the Year title wasn’t just the culmination of a great year of fishing but an acknowledgment of a lifetime of hard work and dedication. Here’s his story.

My dad had a charter boat, the Quetzal, in Pompano Beach. I started out working on the docks, then mating and eventually running the boat. I jumped on a few tournament boats and before I knew it I was trying to balance charter fishing and tournament fishing. That didn’t mix too well so I sold the charter boat and went tournament fishing full time. I liked the travel and the competition.

To be competitive, I have to learn so many types of fishing. We might find ourselves trolling for one tournament then dredge fishing another then kite fishing at a different tournament. Success is about versatility. The year we won Captain of the Year, we started by winning a lot of money at the Ocean City Tuna Tournament. Then we went to Miami and were very successful sailfishing over the winter. On top of that, we took second place at Pirate’s Cove trolling for whites. Being able to use different tactics and do it well gives us an edge over guys who have a more limited skill-set. That comes from years of hard work.

A lot of great charter boat guys started out washing boats, then mating and finally running the boat. Other guys were working a desk job and now they’re running a boat. The captain has to run the boat, fix the motor and even tie rigs as well as find the fish and catch them. That takes a lot of dedication and hard work. I love to fish, but there’s no time clock with this job. The way I figure it, we do what we did growing up. It’s instinctual. Sure, there are little tricks, but everyone is going to the same place and doing the same things.

In the end, may the best man win. For me, 99 percent of my success comes from my crew. Everyone has a positive attitude. We don’t let a bad day get us down–we just get back on it the next day. Everyone has confidence in his crewmate. We make an opportunity out of every bite that we get. The mates have everything at 100 percent all of the time. And they have confidence in me, too. We always say, “Happy boats catch fish.”

Since I won Captain of the Year, I’ve seen a lot of changes in fishing. The biggest change has been electronics. Look at bottom machines with CHIRP sounders, side-scanning sonar – now you can tell what kind of fish you are marking. Of course, the introduction of circle hooks has changed everything. I think they make it easier to hook a marlin, so there is more equality among teams. And look at dredges. Now everyone is using mudflaps. I first saw that in Bermuda six years ago and now they’re everywhere I go.

In recent years, I’ve seen more owners putting together serious teams, not just a bunch of buddies drinking beer and cranking in fish. That can make tournament fishing intimidating for the small boat guys. They might pre-fish half a day and go to the tournament barbeque – their heads will be spinning.

When I’m not tournament fishing, I really like bottom fishing. Its fast action and the fish are good eating. When I’m not on the water I like to go hunting. All my fishing buddies like to hunt when we’re not fishing. It offers the same challenges in a different setting. Hunting gives my brain a chance to chill out. But my true love is fishing. Even after 30 years, I still look forward to the challenge every day. I admire a guy who can do this job for 50 years and still put in 110 percent, never give up and never stop. To me, that’s the true version. That’s what it’s all about.

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email

Do you have any comments or questions for us? We’d love to hear from you.

    Filed Under: Featured Stories Tagged With: Captain, Captain of the Year, COTY, marlin darlin

    Recent News

    The Yamaha X450 overboard engine.

    Yamaha Introduces Upgraded 450-Horsepower XTO Offshore® Outboard

    KENNESAW, Ga., Jan. 17, 2023—Yamaha Marine kicks off 2023 with new product offerings, including an updated XTO Offshore outboard which delivers greater convenience, enhanced technology and 450 horsepower. Featuring the same 5.6-liter of big block d … [Read More...]

    Shifting Course: New Sonar Tactics

    By Steve Katz It seems that most everyone either has a scanning sonar or is getting a new scanning sonar. The upsurge in installations, along with a variety of brands and models, requires captains and ping jockeys to develop their technical skill … [Read More...]

    New Year, New Gear – A Few Items to Check Out for 2023

    Numerous fishing gear companies have kicked off 2023 with revolutionary new products. Here are a few items of interest early on in 2023. Links to each company's website provided in the heading. … [Read More...]

    Hiring a Captain For Your Center Console?

    By Adam Peeples As a current owner or prospective owner of a high-performance center console, hiring a captain may not be something that has been a consideration for the term of your boat ownership. After all, one of the main benefits of owning a … [Read More...]

    Blue Water Desalination Introduces the Fully Automatic Explorer XT Watermaker

    Signal Hill, California (January 5, 2023)—Blue Water Desalination (BWD) revealed its latest innovation in water purification during the recent Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. The all-new Explorer XT is a robust, expandable system designed to … [Read More...]

    Leave a Reply

    Connect With InTheBite

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    Subscribe to InTheBite Magazine Today!

    InTheBite current cover image

    Our latest issue is hitting the docks now! Be sure to subscribe to the hottest bluewater mag on the market. Purchase or Subscribe »

    InTheBite Champion’s Cup

    InTheBite Champions Cup Logo

    New for 2022, the Champion’s Cup is an optional paid entry with a winner-takes-all prize format for teams who want to up the stakes in each division utilizing our longstanding tournament scoring formula.

    Captain of the Year Cup Standings

    COTY / ITB Cup Logo

    News

    • Old Salt: Capt. Eddie Herbert

      Old Salt: Capt. Eddie Herbert

      By Carol M. Bareuther, RD The moon and stars shone brightly in the pre-dawn night as Capt. Eddie Herbert started the engines on the 80-foot Merritt Reel Tight. His destination, the Virgin Islands’ North Drop. Reel Tight owner Jim Lambert Sr. took his passion for fishing seriously. He wanted to be first off the dock so he could catch and... [Read More...]

    • Splash Report: Bayliss Boatworks' Overtime

      Splash Report: Bayliss Boatworks' Overtime

      Every boat built by Bayliss Boatworks is a truly custom project. In the case of Overtime, the newest 67’ 6’’ build to hit the water, the sportfisher is the weapon of choice for a Cabo-San-Lucas-based program. With the help of the experienced captain and owner team, Bayliss Boatworks designed a sportfishing yacht unique enough to meet the demands of conquering... [Read More...]

    • First Build: Jarrett Bay's Sensation

      First Build: Jarrett Bay's Sensation

      By Nichole Osinski "If you’d asked me when I was 16 years old if I was going to build a boat, I would have told you you’re crazy," says Jarrett Bay Founder and President Randy Ramsey when recalling his 30-plus year career in the boat building industry. But to understand how the company has risen to where it is today,... [Read More...]

    • InTheBite Christmas Gift Offers

      InTheBite Christmas Gift Offers

      In addition to the other products listed below, InTheBite is offering two amazing holiday gift deals: a free gift subscription and a hat, shirt and sticker bundle. Act now before the offer ends on December 24th at midnight! Christmas Special: Hat, Shirt & Sticker Bundle (While Supplies Last) Looking for the perfect holiday gift for the fisherman in your life?... [Read More...]

    • Tackle Tips: L-Bar Bottom Rig

      Tackle Tips: L-Bar Bottom Rig

      Capt. Bill Buckland, Fisherman’s Center Supplies Needed: L-Bar, 250 lb mono, 11/0 circle hooks, three-way swivel, deep drop gang rig and sash weight. The L-Bar is an excellent accessory to utilize when deep dropping for bottom fish. It is especially effective for catching tilefish. With a traditional five-hook gang rig, the hooks are suspended in the water column. Utilizing the... [Read More...]

    Search InTheBite

    Copyright © 2023 InTheBite, LLC · All Rights Reserved.