Juvenile blue marlin caught off of Charleston by Capt. Richard Brackett
By Captain Kevin Deerman
It’s always been amazing to me to see what kind of creatures show up in the lights around the boat at night when tuna fishing off the Texas coast. Over the years we’ve encountered many different types of fish. These nocturnal visitors are welcome entertainment for the crew on the long nights in the Gulf of Mexico. We are always on the lookout for flying fish to use for live bait.
On May 2, the Supreme Court of Colombia ruled that recreational fishing was unconstitutional. As a result, Colombians expect a ban on recreational fishing to take effect within one year.
The decision comes after the Court’s 2019 ban on recreational hunting. Then, the Court held that recreational hunting was animal cruelty and a threat to the environment. It has made the same decision about recreational fishing.
Modern dredge fishing has evolved tremendously, with multi-tiered teasers complementing intricate pulley systems mounted to towering outriggers. Mono has been a reliable choice for dredge line and outrigger halyards for years and is still popular today, but woven superlines comprising ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fibers provide significant benefits including high strength, low tretch and resistance to flex-fatigue and abrasion. Here’s how superlines are in use for outrigger halyards, dredge leashes and bridge teasers on the 90-
foot Jarrett Bay, Jaruco.
Rod Hayes Lures
By Peter B Wright
How important is the color of a lure to a billfish, a tuna or any other large pelagic game fish?
For many fish, including everything from small bait fish to giant marlin and tuna, color vision can be hugely important.
Consider mahi-mahi. Almost certainly, they would never have developed their outstanding coloration if they were not also gifted with color vision. This is a part of what makes them, and other tropical fish often found in tanks and aquariums, so special.
Photo: EFSA European Championship Big Game Fishing Tournament
By Toine van Ierland, Tournament Director
In both 2020 and 2021, we were forced to postpone the tournament thanks to COVID-19, but on the night of April 24, 2022, we finally kicked off the 2022 EFSA European Championship Big Game Fishing Tournament, AKA The PENN Challenge.
And what a tournament it was.
James Roberts of Midway landed the 68-pound, 1.6-ounce dolphin on April 26. He was fishing over Deli Ledge approximately 80 miles east of St. Catherines Island, according to DNR’s Coastal Resources Division, which administers the Georgia Saltwater Game Fish Records Program.
By Dave Powell, Captain Patrick Price Reef Project Manager
On Sept. 6, 2021, Capt. Patrick Price passed away from COVID-19. Soon thereafter, a group of about 100 boat owners, captains, and fishermen, all friends of Pat’s, got together for afternoon beer in front of Fish Heads Tackle Shop. Their goal was to come up with a memorial to honor their good friend.
An artificial reef project was at the top of their list in addition to a boat parade. A couple of these friends of Pat contacted me, knowing I have a long history of managing artificial reef projects and am Vice President of the Mac Reef Fund.
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…]
Photo courtesy Gary Graham
A long-time west coast secret, the incredible fishery that is Mexico’s Magdalena Bay is attracting ever increasing international attention. With ever more traveling operations exploring the fishery, we’ve turned to Baja expert and longtime Mag Bay angler Gary Graham to provide a full report on the fishery, how to get there and what to expect.
By Gary Graham
Located on the Pacific side of the Baja Peninsula – approximately 800 miles south of the California border – Magdalena Bay is protected by five barrier islands. Spanning some 131 miles, with most of its shore lined with mangroves, this is the largest bay on the West Coast of the peninsula. An extraordinary habitat, the plankton-rich environment attracts sardine and shrimp with other baitfish which in turn attracts a diversity of sea life. The astonishing offshore fishery stretches approximately 100 miles out in front of Magdalena Bay, from the Thetis Bank north of Cabo San Lázaro, down to below Punta Tosca at the southern end of Santa Margarita Island.
Photo courtesy © Los Sueños Resort & Marina | Pepper Ailor
“I had no idea I was going to win,” says Maria Magalhaes, who was named Top Angler Overall for the second year in a row at the 2022 Triple Crown Series. Magalhaes also took home Top Female Angler Overall.
