InTheBite

Travel Alert: Paradise Awaits—Club Pelagic’s Private Escape in Quepos, Costa Rica

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By Dave Ferrell

I’ve just recently returned from a little piece of paradise that was the result of one man’s dream over 20 years in the making. But first, a little back story. I first met Ron Kawaja, owner of the Pelagic clothing brand, in a crappy Miami hotel room during the Miami Boat Show in the late-90s. Ron was getting ready to launch a new company that meant to capitalize on the surf style boardshorts that were popular with a lot of mates in the sportfishing world. I was the editor of Marlin at the time and told the crew that I thought it was a great idea and supplied them with as many names of well-regarded fishermen as I could. Now, 20 years later, Pelagic is a world-wide brand bringing the West Coast style and much more to the sportfishing community. [Read more…]

Recognizing Excellence in the Gulf and Beyond

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By Captain Kevin Deerman

We had a fairly slow start to our 2021 season here on the Texas coast, but it seems things are looking up. In January and February there were a few decent weather windows that allowed for some great catches early on, but lately we can’t seem to catch a break.

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Destinations: Bermuda Blues

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Bermuda blue 700-lbs

By Captain Scott “Fraz” Murie

When I say, “There’s nothing like it,” I’m specifically talking about Bermuda. In my experience, everything about this mid-Atlantic archipelago is great. Exuding elegance and old-world charm, this British overseas territory boasts five-star accommodations of hotels, marinas, golf courses, restaurants and more. The people are friendly, and the atmosphere is virtually crime free. On top of all this, the fishing is decidedly world-class. Every day you have the chance of catching the fish of a lifetime.

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Returning to Normal in Marsh Harbour Bahamas

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Abaco Beach Resort Marina

By Dale Wills

I recently returned from a visit to Marsh Harbour, Bahamas for the Production vs. Custom Shootout run by legend Skip Smith. This was my first time returning to the islands since Dorian devastated the Abacos in September 2019. I stayed at the Abaco Beach Resort and the marina looks better today than it ever did. The new tournament scale is awesome and I’d bet a giant sea monster couldn’t tear it down as it is now made from steel beams. If only that precious ground under the scale could talk. I have fond memories of big marlin and boats backing under it to celebrate.

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New Bahamas Customs Reporting System

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The Bahamas Customs & Excise Department has launched its electronic submission portal for cruising permit applications on the Click2Clear platform. Visitors traveling by boat can now complete and submit declaration forms and make a cashless payment in advance of arrival. “This is all a part of our digital transformation agenda. It addresses a long-standing pain point for boaters who have been clamoring for a fully digital process. It also minimizes the opportunity for revenue leakage,” says Minister of State for Finance Kwasi Thompson. While we love living on island time, the new Cruising Permit module is expected to dramatically improve the processing time for boaters when clearing customs at the various ports of entry across the archipelago.

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2021 Los Sueños Tournament Photo Gallery

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By Dale Wills

The 2021 Los Sueños Tournament Series has come and gone and I’d like to share a few more images from the series before they are tucked away on our server until who knows when. Congratulations to all the winners and a big thank you to the Jaruco operation for hosting me during the series. Needless to say, the boat is amazing and the entire program is like no other. Captain Jimmy definitely put us In The Bite. Congratulations to Team Galati on an unprecedented sweep during Leg 3. I’d like to also congratulate a few of our Champion’s Cup teams including Fish Tank, Uno Mas and Eight Eight’s who each found a spot on the leaderboard throughout the series. Till next time, safe travels and tight lines.

Caribbean Daydream: Journey to the Greatest Escapes of the Dominican Republic

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casa de campo harbor

Photo courtesy Casa de Campo

By Steve Dougherty

Encompassing two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, the Dominican Republic is the Caribbean’s greatest escape and currently the best place in the world to catch a blue marlin. Renowned worldwide for premium cigars and major league talent, the D.R. attracts adventurous owners and captains searching for outstanding fishing amid magical settings accommodating both tournament teams and families that fish together.

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On This Day: First Ever Albino Marlin Released off Costa Rica

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This was originally published March 12, 2014

Capt. Daniel Espinoza doesn’t take many days off during the charter season but on March 12, 2014 he turned over the Spanish Fly to his backup captain, Juan Carlos Fallas. In the cockpit were mates Carlos Espinoza and Robert Salinas along with clients Bob and Karen Weaver.

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Updated Freshwater Sportfishing Regulations

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california fishing

California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Monday, March 8, 2021—New freshwater sportfishing regulations which take effect on March 1, 2021, aim to simplify and streamline the laws regulating inland fishing while maintaining and protecting California’s fisheries. The package of updated regulations was adopted by the California Fish and Game Commission in October 2020. It was the largest regulatory inland sportfishing package in the Commission’s history.

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New Updates on COVID Vaccine Requirements in Hawaii

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vaccine

Hawaii-Guide.com recently provided a new update to requirements and changes in regards to Hawaii travel and the COVID vaccine parameters. Read the excerpt below or click here for the full article.

The Vaccine in Relation to Hawaii Travel

Presently, proof of vaccination is not a recognized exemption to the Hawaii travel quarantine. The state continues to evaluate the latest science and will inform travelers of any new exemptions as those decisions are made. Please see the Hawaii Travel Restrictions page for more information.

A potential Spring/Summer 2021 timeline has been proposed for Hawaii vaccination “passport” travel to begin. There is also a March-April timeline for Inter-Island Travel, potentially early May for trans-Pacific travel.

In mid-December 2020, word was received that Lieutenant Governor Josh Green, who is both a physician and is in charge of Hawaii’s Safe Travels program, had said that he would ask the governor to approve travel both trans-Pacific and interisland for anyone who has had a COVID vaccination without further requirements starting in early 2021. For travelers who choose not to get vaccinated, we believe the current restrictions, testing requirements, and quarantine policy are likely to remain in effect for most, if not all, of 2021 and potentially beyond.

Initially, it was proposed to start at the beginning of February 2021, but this has since been postponed until sometime in the Spring of 2021. After approaching the Governor about the update, the Lt. Governor has now indicated that Governor Ige is more inclined to make this change sometime in the Spring or early Summer, not in February as originally proposed. The latest news suggests, as of mid-February 2021, that vaccine/health passport travel will begin in three phases; which is outlined below.

Phases to Hawaii Vaccine/Health Passport Travel

  1. First, essential workers who have been vaccinated will be permitted to travel without additional conditions. This could begin imminently; we are awaiting an announcement from Governor Ige.
  2. Second, inter-island travel will be permitted for vaccinated travelers, pending the Governor’s approval. This could begin as soon as March 1, 2021 – but may not happen until sometime in April.
  3. Finally, trans-pacific travel from the U.S. mainland and potentially abroad will be permitted. This, according to the Lt. Governor, could begin sometime at the beginning of May 2021.

The Lt. Governor has indicated that the state of Hawaii is currently awaiting results of a CDC report to confirm that those who have been vaccinated are not carriers.  According to Beat of Hawaii, recently Dr. Green said, “This demonstrates that they’re not worried about people, once they’ve been vaccinated, they’re not worried that they’re going to catch COVID, they’re not worried that they’re really going to spread COVID.” At this time, it remains uncertain whether the latest update from the CDC is adequate confirmation or not.

CDC Guidelines

The CDC has recently said that quarantine should be avoidable for those who have been vaccinated at least two weeks prior, remain within a three (3) month window following receipt of the last vaccination dose, and remain asymptomatic. There was no additional travel guidance, as the information was only related to COVID exposure. However, the CDC said, “Individual and societal benefits of avoiding unnecessary quarantine may outweigh the potential but unknown risk of transmission (among vaccinated individuals).”

The Bottom Line Currently…

Ultimately, the decisions regarding the future of vaccine travel are now in Hawaii Governor David Ige’s hands. As things look now, after receiving the vaccine, you’d need to travel within three months of your last dose. This timeline will potentially be extended as more information is available.