InTheBite

IGY Marinas Finishes Revamp of Maximo Marina

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IGY Marinas Completes $25 Million Dollar Redevelopment of Maximo Marina, St. Petersburg, FL

Maximo Marina continues to be the largest covered boat slip marina in Florida, boasting covered wet slips for vessels up to 100 feet in length.

October 6th, 2018 – Fort Lauderdale, Fla. – IGY Marinas, announced today the $25 million renovation at Maximo Marina in St. Petersburg, Florida is complete. IGY has overseen all aspects of design, redevelopment and operations of the marina since 2015, on behalf of the owner, Bixby Bridge Capital, a private real estate investor and lender. The marina was completely redeveloped over the last 18 months, with ORION Construction serving as the general contractor for the project. The marina continues to be the largest covered boat slip marina in Florida, boasting covered wet slips for vessels up to 100 feet in length.

“This was a complex project from a design, permitting and execution standpoint. The marina was over 50 years old and IGY took great care to ensure that this marina was redesigned to be responsive to the market and the evolving sizes of vessels both for today and for the next 50 years. IGY worked with us to ensure that all the critical customer touchpoints were addressed and that the uniqueness of the marina was maintained, all while making sound cost-benefit recommendations. IGY was able to institute a phasing plan that allowed a portion of the marina to stay open throughout construction which was very important to our customers. We are very pleased that IGY and ORION were able to deliver this project on time and under budget,” said Steven Fass, a principal at Bixby.

Maximo Marina’s transformation now provides world-class amenities such as floating concrete docks, state of the art fuel dock, covered slips for vessels up to 100 feet, boat lifts for vessels up to 36 feet (24K lbs.), complimentary Wi-Fi on gigabit enabled fiber network around the marina basin, renovated support facilities, and the opening of Getaway Maximo Restaurant (the largest restaurant opening in south St. Petersburg in more than a decade).

With all major phases of construction complete, Maximo Marina has the ability to welcome more than 200 vessels in wet slips, 142, of which, are covered and 58 equipped with boat lifts. The facility can also accommodate an additional 88 vessels within inside storage racks and another 200 vessels in outside dry storage racks. The covered boat lift slips are a product offering that enhances our existing dry stack marina product because customers can use their boats on their own schedules, independent of the lift-well hours of operation, while still having a protecting environment for the boat. “It’s a very unique product,” says general manager Lee Hicks. Maximo Marina also features a full-service facility offering haul outs for vessels up to 50 tons giving it the ability to service any and all boats in the marina.

IGY Marinas is well known in the industry as a leading marina operator. A lesser known fact is that IGY Marinas also features an in-house development and construction services team that has undertaken marina projects all over the world. This combination of development and operating experience positions IGY Marinas at the leading edge of the marina management industry. “We are pleased to have the opportunity to work with Bixby and provide third-party development and operational management services on this very unique project. Boaters are seeking innovative marina amenities and services combined with added-value destination offerings and we were pleased that the marina owners called on us to help them achieve their goal,” said Tom Mukamal, CEO of IGY Marinas.

The Maximo Marina redevelopment is a critical component to the revitalization of the Skyway Marina District, one of five special commercial districts in the City of St. Petersburg – the marina is open with plans to participate in the block party celebrating the fifth anniversary of the Skyway Marina District on October 6th .

Hatteras Yachts Announces New GT65 Carolina Debut in Fall 2019

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Hatteras_Logo_CMYKBlack 2
HATTERAS YACHTS UNVEILS THE DETAILS OF THE 
ALL-NEW GT65 CAROLINA 

NEW BERN, NC– Sept. 24, 2018 – Hatteras/CABO Yachts LLC (“Hatteras Yachts”), a world leader in the construction of convertible sportfishing and luxury motor yachts from 45 to 105 feet, today released more details about the all-new Hatteras GT65 Carolina. This is the newest addition to its proven GT Series tournament-ready sportfishing boats, which includes the GT70, GT63, GT59, GT54 and GT45X. The new GT65 Carolina will replace the GT63 and signals a new design direction, enhanced performance and custom features for clients seeking an alternative to either a custom builder or other competitors’ ordinary off-the-shelf boats. The new GT65 Carolina is scheduled to debut in Fall 2019.

GT65 Running lores

“Hatteras caters to customers who expect the most from their boats,” said Hatteras/CABO President and CEO Kelly T. Grindle. “The GT65 Carolina will exceed the demands of the most avid angler. The boat will feature a cockpit, mezzanine and interior with greater volume, as well as higher performance in real-world conditions.”

GT65 Running Profile_w_rods

The first renderings of the new Hatteras GT65 reveal a sleek profile that refreshes the look of the GT Series while still maintaining its core Hatteras DNA. Its new flybridge arrangement features an ergonomically designed console that puts all the controls within easy reach. It also incorporates the latest and largest navigation and fishfinding electronics in a non-glare, flush-mounted, “glass cockpit” helm array.

GT65 Cockpit 2

The GT65 Carolina’s added volume is evident in its class-leading 194-square foot cockpit, which is designed for ultimate fishability. The mezzanine incorporates optional integrated seatback air conditioning for all-day comfort, and large stainless steel built-in storage boxes.

GT65C_arrangementThe GT65 Carolina’s four-stateroom, three-head interior layout maximizes the boat’s additional volume in both living and storage space. The ensuite master stateroom is the largest in its class, but guests billeted in the forward VIP will not feel slighted in the least. Two big bunk rooms allow owners to bring along a big team of anglers and crew.

But the GT65 Carolina’s key advantage over the competition lies in its new hull and tunnel design. Utilizing high-tech Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis, Hatteras’ team of engineers optimized hull form to ensure superior performance, handling and seaworthiness. In addition, the hull and stringer system will be infused as a single part, an industry first, to reduce weight and increase strength. The GT65 Carolina incorporates an all-new layout of the engine room for ease of maintenance and serviceability. For owners seeking additional comfort, there is also an optional twin Seakeeper 9 installation, without compromising fuel capacity.

Hatteras Yachts is building the first GT65 Carolina, due in Fall 2019, for tournament-winning sportfishing couple Chris and Laura Jessen, owners of Fish Tank Sportfishing. The Jessens have had tremendous success campaigning their Hatteras GT63 Fish Tank since 2012. Chris and Laura, along with Fish Tank’s award-winning captain, Ben Horning, are collaborating with Hatteras on the new Fish Tank, and the builder has given them the opportunity to customize it to meet their competitive needs. The result is the GT65 Carolina, a tournament-ready sportfishing boat that embodies the best boatbuilding traditions of the brand and state that spawned it, along with features forged by the Jessens’ years of tournament-angling experience.

Additional features available on the GT65 Carolina include:

  • Sealed cockpit and additional fuel in lieu of fish boxes
  • Hull side vents with Delta -T system
  • Premium finish throughout engine room
  • Single-level controls with bow thrusters incorporated
  • Tackle room in lieu of fourth stateroom.

The first GT65 Carolina, Fish Tank owned by Chris and Laura Jessen, also will incorporate custom features such as: tower with carbon fiber hardtop and buggy top, tuna tubes, and a custom wood interior.

“We’re thrilled to partner with the team of seasoned engineers and boat builders at Hatteras to ensure the GT65 Carolina will continue to enhance our competitive sportfishing lifestyle,” said Chris Jessen .

“I’m thrilled with the collaborative results of the project team, including: Hatteras engineers and designers, Chris and Laura Jessen, Capt. Ben Horning, Scott Roberton and Pete Havens,” said Kelly T. Grindle. “The GT65 Carolina will be second-to-none.”

SPECIFICATIONS

OVERALL LENGTH                                       65’2″               19.86 M
OVERALL LENGTH W/BOW PULPIT           68’2″               12.80 M
BEAM                                                             20’0″               6.10 M
WEIGHT DISPLACEMENT                           103,000 LB     46,270 KG
DRAFT                                                           5’0″                 1.53 M
FUEL CAPACITY                                           1,900 GAL      7,192 L
FRESHWATER CAPACTIY                           270 GAL         1,022 L
HOLDING TANK                                           150 GAL          568 L
DIESEL GENERATOR                                  21.5 KW
TWIN CAT C-32A DIESEL ENGINES           1,600 BHP      1,622 MHP

The specifications measurements are approximate and subject to variance.


For more information on Hatteras sportfish yachts, visit www.hatterasyachts.com/sportfish.

New Legislation Allows Large Yachts to Fly US Flag

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U.S. Superyacht Association Applauds Long Overdue Change Brought on With Bipartisan Support

With the stroke of President Trump’s pen on Monday, August 13, 2018, patriotic yacht owners are now able to fly an American flag and register their yachts – over 300 GT – in the United States. This new legislation modernizes outdated laws and brings the United States in line with current times. “This has been a significant issue that the U.S. Superyacht Association (USSA) has spent nearly a decade working to correct,” said Kate Pearson, USSA Chair and vice president of business development of Safe Harbor Marinas. “We are thrilled to have been an integral part of helping to finally make it a reality and are pleased that yacht owners will no longer be chased from American shores to other countries to flag their vessels.”

 

M/Y Freedom on the New River. One of only two superyachts currently flying the U.S. flag.

Until now, U.S. law defined a yacht as a vessel whose volume was a maximum of 300 GT. That law was written in 1920, but was never updated. Americans owning yachts exceeding the 300-GT limit were only able to fly the U.S. flag if they registered their yacht as a commercial vessel. However, commercial vessels such as cargo ships were, and are, held to different operational and construction standards than recreational ones. Therefore, many owners and their advisors did not find this to be a reasonable solution. While a handful of owners in recent decades did pursue acts of Congress for their personal vessels as exemptions, this route is both arduous and expensive and not the right solution for most superyacht owners.

The legislation, an amendment included on the bill that was signed by the President, received bipartisan support in Congress during its development. “I am very pleased that the President has signed legislation that will increase the

number of large recreational vessels which fly the U.S. flag,” remarked Congressman Duncan Hunter, representing California’s 50th District and chair of the subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation. “This will lead to more U.S. jobs in the ship repair and supporting industries.”

“The economic impact of more large yachts flagging U.S. could be significant, as these large vessels would now provide more high-profile opportunities for American crew, keep yachts traveling in U.S. waters, and spend more time in our repair and refit yards,” stated Kitty McGowan, president of the USSA.

American superyacht owners are delighted to see the outdated law receive an overhaul as well. “For at least a half century, ridiculous regulations prohibited American citizens from displaying their patriotism by flying an American flag on their yacht,” remarked Tilman J. Fertitta, a longtime passionate yacht owner, star of the TV show Billion Dollar Buyer and sole owner of Landry’s Restaurants and the Houston Rockets. “With the new legislation, that ends. American yacht owners can now proudly proclaim their citizenship on their yachts. Thank you to all those that made this possible and to President Trump for eliminating over 50 years of bureaucratic red tape. This is truly an historic day for American yacht owners and the yachting industry.”

“Getting this accomplished wouldn’t have been possible without the vision and support of Mr. Fertitta, an American yachtsman now building his fifth yacht, and his team, who wanted nothing more than to register his yacht in the United States,” continued McGowan. “Mr. Fertitta could have gotten an exemption for his yacht individually, but he chose to help the entire U.S. industry and for that, we are extremely grateful. This legislative action, spearheaded by Congressman Rob Bishop of Utah, is the icing on the cake that dozens of volunteers from our organization have been working on for years and is evidence that cooperative work between both the private and public sectors can truly effect positive change for our industry in the United States.”

While a specific U.S. Large Yacht Code is now being developed by the U.S. Coast Guard to go into effect in 2020, in the interim, a private yacht over 300 GT that is MCA compliant, will now be able to fly the U.S. flag. “We look forward to continuing our efforts with the U.S. Coast Guard to help develop and establish the new U.S. flag registry as the best in the world, said Jay Dayton, USSA Advocacy Co-Chair.”

 

“Off Duty” Wins 2018 Alice Kelly Memorial Ladies Only Billfish Tournament

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Off Duty Wins the 29th Annual Alice Kelly Memorial Ladies Only Billfish Tournament, Tops Record Fleet of 108 Boats
Manteo, North Carolina:
A last minute decision to compete in the 29th annual Alice Kelly Memorial Ladies Only Billfish Tournament paid off for Off Duty, a 80 Viking run by Capt. Mike Everly. The all-female angler team released two white marlin, a sailfish and finally a blue marlin at 2:37 Sunday afternoon to add an extra 50 points, earning the Top Boat honors for the tournament. The Alice Kelly format is release only and based on time. The team consisted of Kristina Shields, Deb Mears and Kristen Constantineau, with mates Rob Constantineau and Daniel Longstreet. Off Duty is based in Stuart, Florida and is owned by Paul Mears.

[Read more…]

2018 Texas Billfish Classic: “Draggin’ Up” Takes the Win

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Draggin’ Up wins the 2018 Texas Billfish Classic!

The 3rd Annual Texas Billfish Billfish Classic (TBC), for the third year in a row, saw growth in participation and a substantial increase in prize money. The TBC fleet released eight Blue Marlin, one White Marlin and six Sailfish while weighing one Blue Marlin. The TBC is one of the fastest growing billfish tournaments in Texas and the only event to allow participants to leave at noon on Thursday and begin fishing right away the same day.

Draggin’ Up, a 74′ Viking from Houston, TX was the only boat to weigh a Blue Marlin on Saturday to claim top honors in the Blue Marlin division. Angler Sam Rasberry 119.5 inch Blue Marlin topped the scales at 514 pounds. “We were having a slow first day with no bites so decided to make a move for second day. We got the bite shortly after 9am,” said Draggin’ Up Captain Kevin Deerman. “We definitely knew the fish was a keeper after second set of jumps and got the gaffs ready. Great tournament and worked out for us betting heavy in the Blue Marlin kill pots!”

In the Catch and Release Division, Bimini Babe a 74’ Viking, took home top honors with three Blue Marlin Releases and one Sailfish, while Tico Time, a 65’ Hatteras released one Blue Marlin and two sailfish finishing in second place. Over-Ride, a 64’ Titan finished in third place releasing one Blue Marlin and edging out High Noon on time. The Bimini Babe Team were also crowned Champions of the Billfish Classic Cup. This new event was developed to reward competitive teams fishing in both the Mississippi Gulf Coast Billfish Classic and the Texas Billfish Classic. Owner Babe Appling, Captain Robert Jones and Team left with an extra $10,000 and custom art to commemorate the big win!


The Tuna category was won by Clark Miller aboard Smoker II with a 93 pound Yellowfin. No stranger to the podium, Kurt Pantle on $ea Dollar$ came in second at 90 pounds followed by Lee Bull on the REHAB at 50 pounds. A nice summer Wahoo raised the bar pretty high as Jasen Gast and the REHAB crew pulled up his 51 pound fish, barely topping the second place fish brought in by Tiger Neal on the Smoker II. Brian Wood, Draggin’ Up, came in third at 29 pounds. The Dolphin category was taken with the only qualifying fish at 23 pounds by Chris Gavlick aboard the REHAB.

The Top Lady Angler was Emma Griffith on Over-Ride and the Top Junior Angler Award was presented to Ethan Middleton on the Change Order.

Official 2019 Texas Billfish Classic Results

Blue Marlin
1st- 514.0 lbs. Draggin’ Up – Angler Sam Rasberry

Catch and Release
1st – 2,000 pts – Bimini Babe – Captain Robert Jones

2nd – 1,000 pts – Tico Time – Captain Mike Hester

3rd – 600 pts – Over-Ride – Captain Jacob Dawson

Tuna
1st – 93 lbs – Smoker II – Clark Miller

2nd – 90 lbs – $ea Dollar$ – Kurt Pantle

3rd – 50 lbs – REHAB – Lee Bull

Wahoo
1st – 51 lbs – REHAB – Jasen Gast

2nd – 47 lbs – Smoker II – Tiger Neal

3rd – 29 lbs – Draggin’ Up – Brian Wood

Dolphin
1st – 23 lbs – REHAB – Chris Gavlick

Top Lady Angler
Emma Griffith on the Over-Ride

Top Junior Angler
Ethan Middleton on the Change Order

Maverick Yachts of Costa Rica and Saunders Yachtworks Collaborate Building Sportfishing Yachts

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Maverick Yachts of Costa Rica, Saunders Yachtworks Announce Joint Boat Building Venture

 

Costa Rica-based boat builder and U.S.-based refit yard to collaborate on new sportfish line

Gulf Shores, Ala. – July 10, 2018 – Saunders Yachtworks and Maverick Yachts of Costa Rica have entered into an agreement to build sportfishing yachts for the U.S. market. Maverick will construct the cold-molded hulls and vessel superstructure at the company’s facility in Herradura, Costa Rica. Saunders will outfit the yacht at its boatyard in Gulf Shores, Ala.

According to Saunders CEO John Fitzgerald, the company intends to offer the full model line of 36- to 50-foot Maverick sportfishing yachts for sale in the U.S., starting with the first 40-foot triple outboard walkaround in spring 2019.

“Maverick brings exceptional boatbuilding skills to the table, and we bring expertise in equipment installation, outfitting and after-sales service,” Fitzgerald said. “Once I toured the Maverick facility and saw their craftsmen at work, I knew we had a great opportunity to build something together.

“Everyone who visits Costa Rica to sportfish knows the reputation of Maverick Yachts. Their track record for durability, craftsmanship, and attention to detail speaks for itself. These boats have been raising fish off the Pacific Coast for years, and we are excited to make them more accessible to customers in the United States.”

“People love our yachts because they raise fish and have unmatched durability,” Maverick Yachts CEO Larry Drivon said. “We are thrilled to find a U.S. partner like Saunders who has an excellent reputation in the yacht service industry and whose insight can be adapted into our production process.”

Maverick Yachts in Costa Rica custom builds cold-molded yachts that are carefully designed by dedicated fishermen and constructed by some of the finest craftsmen found anywhere in the world. The complete boat is finished to a standard comparable to the most prestigious custom manufacturers in the United States. For more information, please visit www.maverickcostarica.com.

The Saunders family has been in the marine service business in coastal Alabama since 1959. With skilled technicians and craftsmen in all areas, Saunders manages projects ranging from routine maintenance to major refits and repowers. The company operates a full-service yacht yard in Gulf Shores that accommodates vessels up to 130 feet with a 165-ton lift. Saunders has a second location in Orange Beach with a 60-ton lift capacity and an outboard sales and service center. For more information, please visit www.saundersyacht.com.

ICAST 2018 “Best of Show” Awarded to Garmin with Panoptix LiveScope

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Garmin® Panoptix LiveScope wins Best of Show at ICAST 2018

New sonar technology wins top honors at industry’s most prestigious trade show

OLATHE, Kan./July 16, 2018/Business Wire – Garmin International, Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ:GRMN), today announced it earned the coveted “Best of Show” award for its new Panoptix LiveScope™ at the world’s largest sportfishing trade show, the International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades (ICAST), presented by the American Sportfishing Association (ASA) and held last week in Orlando, Fla. Prior to being selected as the Best of Show, Panoptix LiveScope was first voted by media and buyers in attendance as the “Best Electronics” in the ICAST New Product Showcase where 974 products were entered by 331 companies, all vying for the ICAST 2018 Best of Show award.

“To not only win the ICAST Best Electronics award, but the Best of Show award, too – it’s an honor we’re incredibly proud of,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin vice president of global consumer sales. “Panoptix LiveScope delivers the best of both scanning and live sonar technologies and there’s nothing out there even close to it. These awards solidify our commitment to giving anglers and mariners the most innovative technology on the water, and they further strengthen our desire to be the top marine electronics brand in the world.”

Panoptix LiveScope is a live scanning sonar that gives anglers higher resolution and easier-to-interpret images of structure, bait and fish swimming below and around the boat than ever before. Garmin’s revolutionary Panoptix™ all-seeing sonar technology was the first to deliver live sonar images in real-time – forwards, backwards, sideways and below the boat – even while stationary. Now, thanks to the active scanning capabilities of Panoptix LiveScope, anglers can see images and movement so clear and precise that it’s even possible to distinguish between species of fish. See Panoptix LiveScope in action here.

“Panoptix changed the electronics game a couple of years ago,” said Jason Christie, Bassmaster Elite Series and Garmin pro. “Now, LiveScope is even taking it to the next level. The cool thing about it is the simplicity of it. What you see is what is there. The only picture that could be better is if you dive into the water with goggles, and I’m not sure that’s really even better.”

Another Bassmaster Elite Series and Garmin pro, Fred Roumbanis, agrees. “Never before have you been able to tell what species of fish you are looking at like this,” he said. “You can see the movement, you can see the profile. I was snapping a jig on the bottom and I saw a walleye and I could see the fins of the walleye! There’s no way I could have seen that before.”

Like other Garmin Panoptix transducers, LiveScope features two modes in one transducer –LiveScope Down and LiveScope Forward – and can be installed on a trolling motor or the transom (recommended only for LiveScope Forward). Depending on the angler’s fishing preferences and techniques, LiveScope can easily be adjusted to change views. Simply point the LiveScope transducer down to see directly below the boat, or forward to see around the boat. Either view provides incredibly sharp, real-time scanning sonar images up to 200 feet down or away from the boat, even when the boat is stationary.

The Panoptix LiveScope scanning sonar system includes a compact GLS 10 sonar black box with an LVS32 transducer and a simple plug-and-play Garmin Marine Network connector for easy installation and integration with a compatible Garmin chartplotter. A trolling motor barrel and shaft mounting kit and a transom mounting kit are also included. Panoptix LiveScope is compatible with Garmin’s ECHOMAP™ Plus 7Xcv/7Xsv/9Xsv chartplotter/sonar combo series, as well as the GPSMAP® 8400/8600 multifunction displays, GPSMAP 7400/7600, GPSMAP 10X2/12X2, GPSMAP 12X2xsv Touch and GPSMAP 7X2/9X2 series chartplotters.

Available now, the Panoptix LiveScope system has a suggested retail price of $1,499.99.

For more information, videos and images, visit www.garmin.com/panoptix.

 

 

Bermuda Blue Marlin Wins 2017-2018 IGFA Great Marlin Race

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Blue Marlin Tagged in Bermuda Swims 5,089 Nautical Miles to Win 2017-2018 IGFA Great Marlin Race

DANIA BEACH, Fla. – July 9, 2018 – The International Game Fish Association (IGFA) today announced that a blue marlin satellite-tagged on July 21, 2017, during the Bermuda Triple Crown Billfish Championship has won the 2017-2018 IGFA Great Marlin Race (IGMR).

The winning billfish swam an estimated 5,089 nautical miles (nm) in total or 2,658 nm point-to-point from Bermuda to about 600 nm northeast of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. This is the longest distance ever recorded by an IGMR-tagged blue marlin in Bermuda.

“Congratulations to tag sponsor Mike Verzaleno whose generosity allowed us to track the incredible journey of the winning billfish,” said IGFA President Nehl Horton. “Strong support from recreational anglers is the key to the success of this innovative, citizen-science conservation initiative.”

The IGMR is a partnership between IGFA and Stanford University that pairs recreational anglers with cutting-edge science to learn more about the basic biology of marlin and how they utilize the open ocean habitat. The goal of the program is to deploy 50 pop-up archival tags (PAT) in marlin at billfish tournaments around the world each year.

Since 2011, more than 350 satellite tags have been placed on billfish during IGMR tagging events. In the 2017-2018 race season, 58 tags were deployed on 31 blue marlin, 18 black marlin and nine striped marlin in seven countries around the world.

Marlin tagged in Bermuda during the 2015, 2016 and 2017 Triple Crown Billfish Championship tournaments swam a total of 16,464 nm and the winning fish accounts for 16 percent of this distance.

To learn more about the IGFA Great Marlin Race, visit https://igmr.igfa.org/Conserve/IGMR.aspx.

Step Towards Kicking Plastic at Casa Vieja Lodge

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July 9, 2018- MIAMI, FL- Casa Vieja Lodge is entering its third phase of the Kick Plastic Campaign pioneered by Costa del Mar. This fall, Casa Vieja Lodge will become a plastic-free campus by eliminating all single-use plastic bottles both at the lodge, and aboard their 10-boat fleet.

All anglers will receive a YETI 36oz Rambler Bottle upon arrival at Casa Vieja Lodge, their lifeline to water consumption. Two Elkay Water Fountain and Bottle Filling Stations were installed at the lodge, where clients can refill their YETI Ramblers during their stay. This water goes through a 4-stage filtration system, including a UV purification process and the solution to pure, clean drinking water at Casa Vieja Lodge.

“The largest consumption of single-use plastic water bottles is on our fleet. We average about

6 bottles a day/person. That equates to 60,000 a season just on the boats, add the consumption at the lodge and we are at 80,000 plastic bottles. That’s just wrong for the environment we rely so heavily on.” said Captain David Salazar.

Aboard the boats clients can refill their same Ramblers from the YETI Silo, a 6-gallon water cooler that keeps water cold for hours. Tried and true, anglers are able to keep their Rambler in direct Guatemalan sunlight while they are fighting billfish and return to their same ice-cold beverage.

Last season bamboo straws replaced the normal plastic straws in all beverages, which have proven deadly to many marine animal life. “Our fishery here in Guatemala is so amazing and so unique in itself that it’s our responsibility here at Casa Vieja Lodge to kick plastic even where the odds are completely against us. We really don’t see why you can’t do this in your own backyard.” said Kristen Salazar.

To get more information and inspiration on how you can make a difference visit the Casa Vieja Lodge Team at the 2018 ICAST Show in Orlando, FL July 11-13th at Booth #1611.

Hawaii Team “Trouble Maker” Wins 2018 Blue Marlin World Cup

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Trouble Maker out of Kona, HI wins the 2018 Blue Marlin World Cup

148 boats participated in the 2018 blue marlin World Cup. Boats started fishing in Papa New Guinea and the Gold Coast of Australia on the afternoon of July 3rd Eastern Time Zone. As time passed across the globe, boats continued to fish. A fleet of 38 boats in Bermuda catching and releasing 26 blue marlins that did not meet the minimum weight of 500 pounds. The World Cup also had a new record of 25 boats fishing the Gulf of Mexico

Nearly 26 hours after the first boat wet their lines in Australia, The Trouble Maker out of Kona Hawaii called in their hook up at just after 6 PM Eastern time. With many boats catching and releasing small blue Marlin the Trouble Maker continued to fight for over 2 1/2 hours until they boated a blue marlin that measured 120 inches with a 64-inch girth. At approximately 9:30 pm Eastern Time Trouble Maker’s blue marlin weighed in at 760.5 pounds.

Trouble Maker’s blue marlin was the only qualifying blue marlin weighed in this year’s tournament. They won the tournament cash plus the optional Big Blue Challenge, making it just over a $1 million payday and bringing the World Cup title back to Kona, HI

The Blue Marlin World Cup is a one-day shootout held on July 4 each year. Blue marlin are the only eligible species, with a required minimum of 500 pounds, in a winner-take-all format. Teams fish from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. in their respective time zones around the world, producing a very exciting event that has attracted a tremendous following on social media.

Tournament director, Robert “Fly” Navarro, says the World Cup team is already planning for a bigger and better tournament next year. Note the date on your calendar, and sign up early to match your blue marlin fishing skills against the rest of the world.