InTheBite

The California Captain

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crew with marlin on boat

Photo courtesy Peter Groesbeck

By Elliott Stark

When it comes to fishing, Southern California is a kingdom all its own. It boasts the US West Coast’s only billfish fishery and its richly abundant waters have been attracting anglers since the days of Zane Grey. The physical dynamics of the oceans and current in many ways define the approach of the anglers and captains who ply its waters. The culture of fishing runs deep—what happened here in the formative days of sportfishing was, in its time, as impactful and profound as any place in the United States.

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Relief Support for Fishing Guides Affected by Hurricane Ida

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SANTA ANA, Ca., September 7 – 8, 2021—AFTCO and Marsh Wear partner with the IGFA Worldwide Anglers Relief Fund (WARF) and Costa Sunglasses to support fishing guides affected by Hurricane Ida in coastal Louisiana.

On September 7th, 2021, 100% of profits from all purchases made on marshwearclothing.com will be donated to WARF and on September 8th, 2021, 100% of profits from all purchases made on aftco.com will be donated to WARF.

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In The Weeds—Dealing with Sargassum

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Seaweed-2

ITB Staff

It’s become an recurring theme each year to hear about the best parts of the Caribbean and Gulf being overrun with weed. Not the “puff puff give” kind, but the pain in the butt kind. Sargassum. It can be everywhere. And not just in neat lines along the rips but in mats and globs and clumps as far as the eye can see. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported that since 2011, large accumulations of Sargassum have become a remerging problem in the Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico and tropical Atlantic.

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Grander-sized Pacific Blue Marlin Caught off Coast of Oahu

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Photo courtesy Boom Boom Sportfishing

On June 22, Captain Tony Brown with Boom Boom Sportfishing and his crew caught an impressive 1,040-pound Pacific blue marlin four miles off the coast of Oahu, Hawaii. The experience was especially memorable for Tony and his crew because their deckhand’s family was the charter group that day.

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A Bahamas Crossing for Cystic Fibrosis

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If you would like to donate to our team “Team Inlet” Click Here 

two paddle boarders with oars crossed

(L to R) Chris and Casey Pranckun in the middle of the Gulfstream

By Dale Wills

Paddle boarding from the Bahamas to Florida may sound like a crazy idea. Keep reading and you’ll understand why this trip made sense. A friend of mine asked if I could help co-captain his boat for the fundraiser, The Crossing for Cystic Fibrosis, as he and his family volunteered to be a support boat for 3 paddlers attempting to cross 80 miles of open ocean from Bimini, Bahamas to Lake Worth, Florida. What I witnessed as a result of taking part in the crossing was a heroic effort by everyone involved. The main goal was to increase awareness and money for the foundation and that they did. Over $600K was raised.

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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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