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Dredge Pulling Tricks from the Pros

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angler with dredge

Photo courtesy Pepper Ailor

By Ric Burnley

The first time I saw a marlin dredge I had two thoughts. First: that looks ridiculous. Second: that looks awesome! At first, 40 rigged mullet dangling from a web-work of bars and leader looks like a cluster FUBAR waiting to happen. Put the dredge in the water, and dozens of swirling and flashing baits look like a school of bait on the run. Fish cannot resist.

Many anglers had the same experience when they first saw a dredge. We caught up with five pros to find out how they use dredges now, and how they plan to use them in the future.

[Read more…]

A Mate’s Pay

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mates on boat

New Lines

By Ric Burnley

A good mate is worth his weight in gold. From wiring a blue marlin to serving cocktails, the second in command on a professional sportfishing boat has many jobs to master and many people to please.

So, how do you quantify the value of excellence? How do you compensate a person for unwavering dedication, extensive technical knowledge, a crushing physical toil and a winning attitude? Paying a mate what he’s worth would quickly run most operations out of financial resources. With all the adventure, excitement, drama and sheer fun of professional fishing, at the end of the day, it all comes down to a wad of cash passed from the fisherman to his best friend on the water. [Read more…]

The Evolution of the Captain of the Year—The Championship of Sportfishing

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The InTheBite Captain of the Year Cup is the championship of sportfishing. The Cup is the world’s only quantifiable way to recognize the tournament success of professional sportfishermen. Comprised of 90-sanctioned events that span the world, there is nothing else like it. Winning an InTheBite Captain of the Year Award is a major achievement. From the winners to the Cup’s origin, it is an interesting tale.

[Read more…]

Florida’s unDOCKumented Dock Records & Notable Catches

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sailfish thrashing around the surface

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.*

map of florida

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.

STUART

December 1997

Boneshaker caught 22 sailfish trolling.

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

Vice Versa boat crew with 76 release flags

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

March 11 & 12, 2021 the Vaquero crew established a new proclaimed one day Pacific Sailfish release record totaling 164.

  • Captain Lance Hightower

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.

 

The Championship of Sportfishing: The Evolution of the Captain of the Year

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inthebite captain of the year trophy

Captain of the Year

The InTheBite Captain of the Year Cup, presented by Hatteras, is the championship of sportfishing. The Cup is the world’s only quantifiable way to recognize the tournament success of professional sportfishermen. Comprised of 90-sanctioned events that span the world, there is nothing else like it. Winning an InTheBite Captain of the Year Award is a major achievement. From the winners to the Cup’s origin, it is an interesting tale.

boat Tranquilo crew holding Captain of the Year plaques in the back of the boat

Tranquilo crew COTY pic. Photo courtesy Pepper Ailor

Origins of the Cup

InTheBite Magazine started in 2003. Since its conception, the magazine [Read more…]

Florida Division Captain of the Year Award Presentation: Scotty Fawcett

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InTheBite’s Dale Wills and Elliott Stark were on hand at the awards ceremony of the Fish Heads Invitational Tournament in Stuart, Florida to present the 2016 Contender Florida Division Captain of the Year Award to Capt. Scotty Fawcett. Fawcett, who runs a 31′ Contender Off the Chain based out of Stuart, had a remarkable 2016 season. His 1,300 points were tallied on two different private boats on which he was hired to fish tournaments.

The event was a festive affair, full of many distinguished captains and crews. Just how distinguished? On hand were six InTheBite Captains of the Year. Joining Fawcett were Capt. Rob Moore of the Fa La Me, Capt. VJ Bell — the first Captain of the Year, Capt. Mike Brady of the Cowpoke, Capt. Glenn Cameron of the Floridian, and Capt. Wink Doerzbacher of the Showtime.

Congratulations to Capt. Fawcett on the award. For the up to date tally on this year’s highly competitive Florida Division, see the results.

2003 Captain of the Year

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InTheBite 2003 Captain of the Year, Capt. VJ Bell

InTheBite Magazine salutes Capt. VJ Bell, the 2003 Captain of the Year!

InTheBite Magazine salutes Capt. VJ Bell, the 2003 Captain of the Year!

The award was given to Captain VJ Bell, based on online voting by you–our loyal sportfishing community. Capt. Bell received 2,988 votes out of 8,133 during the two-month voting window. In 2003, Bell won several prestigious sportfishing tournaments including the 2003 Treasure Coast Sailfish Championship.

IGFA Expands Release-Based Record Category

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Photo courtesy IGFA

DANIA BEACH, FL – July 26, 2021—The International Game Fish Association (IGFA)announced the addition of a fly-fishing category for its All-Tackle Length record program; a record program that requires the potential record catch to be released alive.

The IGFA All-Tackle Length record program was launched a decade ago in 2011 and there are currently 117 eligible species for this program in both fresh and saltwater, chosen specifically for their ability to be safely handled and released alive.

[Read more…]