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Splash Report: A Closer Look at Hull 25 from Winter Yachts

February 4, 2020 By InTheBite Editor

winter boat running

The 46-foot walkaround launch from Winter Custom Yachts has been one for the books. Hull no. 25 was designed with a contoured deck that matches the sheer line offering 25 inches of freeboard from stem to stern.

In the cockpit, this boat features teak covering boards, decking, furniture and toe rail. The typical transom kill box was plumbed for baitwell and insulated fish box. An in-deck fish box offers fish storage when using the transom bait well.

bridge of the 49'

The large helm station offers room for two 19″ displays and accompanying equipment. The teak helm pod houses the palm beach controls. The interior has a large galley, Subzero refrigeration, and abundant storage throughout. Twin bunks forward offer sleeping arrangments for overnight trips.

engine room

The boat’s twin Caterpillar C12.9 1,000 horsepower engines will push the boat to a cruise speed of 34 knots and a top end of 42 knots. Power generation is supplied from a single 17kw Northern Lights generator to the vessel’s systems including water marker, ice machine, refrigeration, and Seakeeper Gyro.

Specifications:

LOA: 46’1″

Beam: 14’11”

Draft: 38″

Fuel: 850 gal.

Water: 150 gal.

Weight fully loaded: 35,000 lb

 

v berth

interior image of boat

 

Filed Under: Boats, Builders, Featured Stories, News, Splash Reports Tagged With: 2019, 49' walkaround, CAT Engines, hull 25, Splash report, walkaround boat, winter custom yachts, winter yachts

Surviving Dorian: A Story from the Abacos

January 17, 2020 By InTheBite Editor

By Margaret Cross Rice

Woody and Margaret Rice rode out Hurricane Dorian in their home in Sugar Loaf Cay in the Abacos. It was a hellacious ordeal. For more on Hurricane Dorian, its impact on the Bahamas, the state of the Abacos today and the response to the storm, read the January/February issue of InTheBite magazine.  

In 2008 Margaret Cross Rice and her husband, Kenneth L Rice, Jr.(Woody), retired to Sugarloaf Cay in the Abacos. On September 1, 2019, Margaret and Woody and their two friends, Simon and Melay, survived one of the worst hurricane disasters in recorded history. 

Friday night, August 30, we were 90-percent ready for the storm.

I still needed to plan a couple of meals and get all the plants off the porch and inside the upstairs house.  I began taking items such as clothes and our all-weather jackets with the life vests to our downstairs bunker. Melay, one of our Sugarloaf helpers, wanted to stay across the pond at the house he usually occupies during a hurricane.  Eleven property owners share this pond on the horseshoe-shaped 62-acre island off the Eastern Shore of Marsh Harbour.

No one else was on the island. Most of the residents leave right before or sometime during the summer months. Simon, our neighbor to the east of the pond, was on the island for a few weeks and came to stay with us on Saturday morning at about 11 a.m. He had his little Chihuahua Peanut in tow.  We had our less than three-pound Papillon that we rescued 12 years ago. I thought that I should charge my Nook and bring some playing cards.

The weather reports at this point were rather grim, but no one said that Dorian would be 200 plus miles an hour. Weather reports indicated that we could expect a slow-moving category 4 or 5. Since my husband and I had been through many hurricanes such as Hurricane Donna in the early 60’s, etc., and my mom was pregnant with me during the 1949 hurricane, my husband Woody and I thought we would be fine. After many preparations, we focused on the water situation. Having enough water was vital.

Photo courtesy Ron Methot

The electric would go out and we would switch to our generator before the hurricane started. If the generator stopped, we needed extra water, and of course, we ran out of diesel because Dorian lasted so long. With the food and water we had, a hurricane of this magnitude would be survivable for us. My husband had built our Bahama home beyond the International or Dade County building code which became mandatory for all new homes built in Florida after Hurricane Andrew.

All four of us believed, according to slightly different weather reports, that Dorian would come in at 8 p.m. Saturday after some tropical storm business. Well, the next report on Saturday was that Dorian would now hit us about 8 a.m. Sunday morning after the opening tropical storm winds.

Woody and I knew that our downstairs was a concrete bunker as safe or almost as safe as our being in the President’s underground bunker in Washington, D.C. And that’s what I told my sister who thought Woody, Simon, and I were akin to the Three Stooges. That became the moniker Anne used when she called Simon’s family who could not understand why Simon did not get out of Abaco while he could. Woody and I did not leave because our house is a large investment and Woody is also the island’s best friend.

I tried to explain to my sister and brother and friends why we were staying, and only my brother seemed to understand that my house would be incredibly safe. Early Sunday morning, after about an hour’s sleep, my husband said, “the winds are increasing, we need to get downstairs while we can.” We took quick showers, the last ones we would take for three days.

At four in the morning, we went downstairs to the bunker where Simon and Peanut had already spent the night. Our little dog Papi stayed in his carrier most of the time because he is so old, but he and Peanut eventually worked things out, as animals usually do.

The tropical storm, Act I, began picking up speed at about 11 a.m. and Dorian was soon upon us. Upstairs we have Pella hurricane impact windows that are supposed to last through a 140 miles an hour. At 200 miles an hour plus, the upstairs windows held. In our bunker downstairs we have double glazed windows and the aluminum shutters on top of the windows. Nothing blew out.

Dorian’s first slam lasted about five hours; then came the eye of calm. All three of us went outside and surveyed the damage, stunned that the next-door neighbor’s house was gone and the neighbor’s cottage to the south was gone. His main house, however, appeared to be standing. The other houses to the east, including Simon’s, appeared to be intact. Our house had some water damage upstairs because the house to the north of us must have hit the edge of our roof. After about an hour of total calm in the eye, the monster winds began again for phase two.

This was the real horror. Our home of poured concrete shook so badly that the bed we were sitting on began vibrating. The deafening rain and wind were hitting the aluminum shutters with no relief. The three of us had evacuated to the bedroom after the living room sliding glass doors, protected by shutters, appeared to be coming apart. Simon and Woody put wood in the bottom tracks, preventing the glass slider from ripping and
exploding inside.

While we huddled in the bedroom with the two dogs, Simon saw the back door begin opening. He raced over and shut the door. Then Woody and Simon attached a piece of covered wire to a new nail in the door casing. Problem solved. This second Dorian slamming lasted hours and hours.

On Monday afternoon the hurricane moved its huge bloated self slowly away as another tropical storm came in to take Dorian’s place. About 5 p.m. Monday afternoon we surveyed the damage again. Because of the heavy rain, we could not see much, so the three of us assumed that everything looked as it had during the eye on Sunday. Not exactly. The main house of our neighbor to the south was standing but gutted and the entire Eastern Shore of Marsh Harbour looked like the aftermath of a bombing.

Photo courtesy Ron Methot

Our house had another leak, probably due to a neighbor’s shed blowing over us. Woody, Simon, and I began working to dry everything, including the tile floor downstairs. Our double-hung windows were good downstairs in our bunker, but the 200 plus winds had pushed the rain through the windows. During Dorian, I had used every towel but three to mop up the water that just kept coming in. We knew the water was not rising, just raining, no flooding.

The tide did come up but not near the house and not near the front door. Meanwhile, our friend Melay was stuck without a radio at the only surviving house next to Simon’s. All four of us had forgotten to make sure he had a radio.  When the generator blew over at this surviving house, Melay lost power during the second phase of the storm.

On Tuesday afternoon the tropical storm was still raging, but not the worst we had experienced.  Woody and Simon walked the island to rescue Melay, who was fine but out of food, although he had plenty of water. All three of them came back to our bunker after a quick survey of Simon’s house. He had some roof and gutter damage and a small hole in one of his walls due to another house’s debris slamming into his place.

Going and coming around the island was another nightmare for the men. They had to climb over the island jungle that had now collapsed; bits and pieces of houses and boats and smaller personal items were blocking the way.
By Wednesday, September 4, Woody was able to get the water flowing from our cistern, and we had quick showers. We get our water or did get our water from a pipe running from Marsh Harbour’s Eastern Shore. No more water pipes thanks to Dorian.

Photo courtesy Ron Methot

We stored the city water in our three thousand tank cistern, but before the storm hit, we were down to 1200 gallons. The one pump broke. Unfortunately, the hurricane also caused a leak, and the day we thought all was well was the beginning of the end for both the cistern and then the generator. They failed us early Friday morning.

September 6: We had been using the generator only at night, which meant the generator worked for 12 hours on and 12 hours off, but I suppose it too became traumatized by the storm. So…Friday morning Woody was able to get our neighbor’s Boston Whaler working. This is the only working boat on the island.

The rest are destroyed. Three houses out of 12 on the island made it through Dorian. Saturday morning.

September 7: Melay, Woody and I motored to Simon’s house to take showers and have coffee. Four hours earlier, Woody, Melay and Simon had taken the generator from another neighbor’s demolished house. They hooked it up to Simon’s electric panel and changed his burned-out water pump.

We were now able to have showers, do laundry, and charge our phones and VHF radios. Woody and I bought a Satellite phone years ago which we have been using to call the U.S. No cell service yet since the top fifty feet of the main cell phone tower was blown away. On Sunday afternoon friends came by in their boat from Florida with food and water and diesel.

Although our experience has been and is awful, we are really blessed that Melay, Simon, Woody, and I are alive. Melay no longer has a home in Marsh Harbour, so he will be living with us. One of my friends almost drowned in her house during Dorian and lost everything. Other friends also lost their homes or parts of them, while clinging to each other for hours and praying to survive.

My U.S. family and friends keep asking why Woody and I don’t leave. The answer: looters will take over our home. This is not the U.S., and we need Martial Law established in Marsh Harbour. As homeowners on Sugarloaf Cay, Woody and I must stand our ground.

https://assets.inthebite.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/dorianfootage.mp4

 

Thank you, everyone, for your thoughts and prayers. Please help the Bahamians survive and rebuild. If this 200-plus storm had hit Florida, the same horror would have happened there.

Margaret Cross Rice
Sugarloaf Cay
Marsh Harbour
Abaco, Bahamas

Filed Under: Caribbean, Featured Stories, News, Places Tagged With: 2019, abacos, hurricane dorian, surviving dorian

2019 Texas Billfish Classic Final Results

August 5, 2019 By InTheBite Editor

Texas Billfish Classic
July 17-20, 2019
Freeport, Texas
 
28 boats, 22 blue marlin, 4 white marlin, 7 sailfish 
Release Division:
1st Place: Done Deal, Captain Jason Buck
6 blues, 1 white
2nd Place: Bali Ha’i, Captain Anthony Lopez
4 blues

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Featured Stories, Fishing, General News, News, Tournament Results, Tournaments Tagged With: 2019, amigo, Blue Marlin, Captain, Captain of the Year, Done Deal, freeport, gulf coast division, heaviest marlin, texas, texas billfish classic

InTheBite Dock Talk: 2019 Yamaha Helm Master Upgrade

June 17, 2019 By InTheBite Editor

InTheBite was on site for the unveiling of the latest upgrade to  the Yamaha XTO Offshore. Checkout this video with Captain Shannon Pickens explaining the latest version of the Yamaha Helm Master and fine tuning your position with the upgraded SetPoint modes.

Filed Under: Dock Talk, Featured Stories, General News, News Tagged With: 2019, 425hp, bluewater, boat engine, boating, Captain, center consoles, crews, demonstration, DriftPoint, electric, fine-tuning, FishPoint, helm master, InTheBite, Joystick, master, Mates, motors, new engines, offshore, outboards, release, SetPoint, sportfishing, technology, unveil, XTO Offshore, Yamaha, Yamaha Outboards

Relentless Pursuit Wins 2019 Mississippi Gulf Coast Billfish Classic

June 12, 2019 By InTheBite Editor

June 11, 2019; Biloxi, Mississippi:
Relentless Pursuit, a 95 Jim Smith owned by Dennis Pastentine, won the top honors in the 2019 Mississippi Gulf Coast Billfish Classic, which concluded Sunday evening at the Point Cadet Marina. Led by Capt. Robert Doggett, anglers Josh Jones and Mike Akue and the team scored 1,800 points in the billfish catch and release division to take the overall tournament award. They also won optional prize money in the tuna and dolphin divisions for an overall payout of $116,675. Relentless Pursuit calls Venice, Louisiana, its home port.
No blue marlin were weighed during the tournament, which convened during inclement weather offshore. The original field included 115 boats, but only 25 opted to compete in the heavy seas. Conditions were compounded by massive amounts of flood water pouring out the Mississippi River and floating debris, which made navigation difficult. Several impressive game fish catches were tallied, nonetheless.
Easy Rider II, a 61 Buddy Davis based in Galveston, Texas and skippered by Capt. Leslie Van Norman, was the second place catch and release team. The 1,200 points accrued, plus optional entries, earned the Texas anglers $28,382 in prize money. Pullin Wire, another 61 Davis from Panama City, Florida, also scored 1,200 points, good for the third place tournament award. Brennen Moore is at the helm of Pullin Wire. Sancha, a 68 Viking from Port Aransas, Texas, and Fleur de Lis, a 72 Viking from Grand Isle, Louisiana, won optional money for releasing marlin.
The game fish categories were tightly contested with the leaderboard changing several times during the weigh-ins. Owner/angler Robert Burroughs on Quick Time, a 70 Viking from Orange Beach, Alabama, took home $44,474 with the top tuna, optional dolphin and wahoo. The 142.87-pound yellowfin was the biggest fish weighed. Capt. Shelby Johnson is Quick Time’s skipper.
Deb Hebert, fishing aboard her 57 Gillman, Doctors Orders, took second-place tuna honors with a 137.16 yellowfin. Angler Toby Berthelot whipped the third-largest tuna at 128.49 pounds on Get Reel, a 60 Hatteras. The team also added optional dolphin and tuna for a $35,559 payout.
In the tournament dolphin category, Andre Feucht on Split Decision, a 37 Freeman (Capt. Scott Robichaux), wound in the biggest bull, tipping the scales at 35.8 pounds, worth $10,535. Iona Louise (68 Hatteras), with Tami Hudson in the chair, scored the second heaviest dolphin at 35.72 pounds. Combined with an optional wahoo, owner Joe Hudson, Capt. Clip Hopkins and the team earned $26,816. Angler Abbigal Weidenharf and Team Snafu, a 74 Viking, were third place in the dolphin division with a 35.44-pound entry.
Josh Collier and Intense owner Neal Foster captured the first- and second-place wahoo aboard a 39 Contender center console. Their fish weighed 89.83 and 59.68 pounds, respectively, good for a $53,056 payout.
“It was a very tough week due to circumstances beyond our control,” says Tournament Director Bobby Carter. “I’d like to thank everyone who participated and I’d also like to thank my team for pulling this one off.”
The 2020 Mississippi Gulf Coast Billfish Classic, hosted by Golden Nugget Biloxi, is scheduled for June 1-7, 2020. For more information, please visit: www.mgcbc.com

Filed Under: Featured Stories, General News, News, Tournament Results Tagged With: 2019, billfish, final results, Florida, InTheBite, Louisiana, magazine, marlin, mgcbc, Mississippi Gulf Coast Billfish Classic, Relentless Pursuit, sportfish, sportfishing, tournament updates, venice, winner, wins

Hitting the Docks Now! – June 2019 Issue

June 10, 2019 By InTheBite Editor

June means summer. Summer means tournaments. Nothing says tournaments quite like InTheBite.

Grab a copy of the latest June Issue, hitting the docks now!

Subscribe Here!

Filed Under: Featured Stories, General News, News Tagged With: 2019, ac, air condition, billfish, boat, Captain, chill out, fishing, hitting the docks now, holy grail, InTheBite, issue, june, law, magazine, marijuana, Marlin Fishing, Mates, navigating the high seas, numbers game, social, splash reports, sportfish, sportfishing, subscribe, Tackle Tips, tournament granders, young guns

Cayman Islands’ First-Ever Billfish Rundown Awards Over $260,000 in Cash Prizes

May 28, 2019 By InTheBite Editor

Team ‘Uno Mas’ presented with their winning check of U$100,000 by Pilar Bush, Executive Vice President for Marketing at Dart Enterprises

(George Town, Cayman Islands) The Cayman Islands’ first-ever Cayman Billfish Rundown awarded more than US$260,000 in cash prizes to 14 teams hailing from both local and international shores. Held May 14-17 on Grand Cayman, 41 teams registered in the sportfishing tournament, presented by Hurley’s Media Ltd., Dart Enterprises and The Residences at Seafire.

Managing Director of Hurley’s Media Ltd. Randy Merren said he was pleased with the outcome of the tournament. “It’s incredible to see Cayman Billfish Rundown come to life after a year of planning and preparations. We are grateful for the support from the local and international participants, and based on the feedback received, we expect even higher numbers next year,” Mr. Merren said.

Carey Chen brought his experience and expertise as the Official Artist and Tournament Ambassador, taking news of the tournament to global waters. “I’ve been fishing the Cayman Islands since Million Dollar month in the 80s. The offshore fishing is less than a mile from land in the clearest water you can imagine,” Mr. Chen said. “Cayman Billfish Rundown in its debut is one of the most organized tournaments I have been to and this will only get better,” he said.

Tournament Ambassador: Carey Chen and Hall of Famer: Warren Sapp, fished the Cayman Billfish Rundown

The winning team, ‘Uno Mas’ from Florida, captained by Brooks Smith, released three billfish to win the top prize of US$100,000 for the Most Billfish Release Points and the Captain’s Award of US$10,000 presented to the Captain of the Boat with the Most Release Points. The team also entered seven additional categories that flexed its billfish skills and rewarded Uno Mas with additional payouts of more than US$16,000, making its total winnings for the tournament close to US$130,000.

In second place, ‘Happy Days’ from the Cayman Islands, took home US$35,000 for the second most billfish releases, as well as an additional US$2,250 for the smallest boat with the most billfish releases. Small boats were considered under 36 feet Length Over All (LOA).

Third place for most billfish release was tied, with seven teams earning equal points through catching and releasing a Blue Marlin. Down to time stamps, ‘Suntide’ took home third place and US$20,000, inching ahead of ‘Lazy Lady’ and ‘Trading Time’ by releasing their Marlin 10 and 20 minutes earlier respectively.

Angler Shaun Bodden from ‘Cool Change’ hooked the heaviest yellowfin tuna, weighing 77.2 lbs., which awarded his team US$10,000 from the guaranteed payout and an additional US$10,000 for entering and winning the ‘Tuna Doubler’ category.

Team ‘Cool Change’, including angler Shaun Bodden celebrating their category winning Tuna at 77.2lbs

The heaviest wahoo was caught by Baron Jacob from ‘Ecks-Change’ weighing 39.2 lbs. The heaviest dolphinfish was caught by Nathan Ebanks from ‘Reeladdiction’. Both teams won US$10,000 and each team kindly donated U$1,500 to the Alex Panton Foundation, the charity the tournament chose to support. Anglers were encouraged to donate a portion of their winnings to the Alex Panton Foundation. The foundation’s mission is to improve the mental health of the Cayman Islands’ children and young adults.

Forty-one boats entered the tournament with 230 registered anglers, including 41 international anglers and 28 females. Between them, they released twelve Blue Marlins, one White Marlin and one sailfish. A total of 14 yellowfin tuna, five wahoo and six dolphinfish were brought to the scale.

“The Cayman Islands as a jurisdiction of choice has so much to offer, and this tournament is no different as it highlights the high professional standard of sport fishing,” said Mr. Merren. “Billfish in particular hold a special place in Cayman Islands sportfishing and for me personally, it was great to bring the action so close to our shores,” he continued.

Carey Chen creating a masterpiece to be auctioned at the Cayman Billfish Rundown

The tournament also supports responsible fishing and teamed up with Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation, the School of Marine Sciences at University of Maine, and The Gulf of Maine Research Institute in a Tag and Release Program. Mr. Chen said, “Of all the islands I have travelled to, Cayman takes the most pride in its reefs and ocean by protecting it from pollution and overfishing.” The tag and release programme encourages participants to tag and release undersized dolphinfish, yellowfin tuna, skipjack and bigeye tuna, and ocean whitetip sharks. ‘Conched Out’, captained by Colin Wilson earned the most release points and were awarded with an Ulysse Nardin CI Limited Edition Watch valued at US$10,000.

The awards dinner and closing ceremony took place on Friday evening at The Crescent in Camana Bay and included a live performance and an impressive display of fireworks. Sponsors, including: Dart Enterprises, Esso, Ulysse Nardin and Island Heritage handed out trophies and checks to winning teams. During the closing ceremony other sponsors were also thanked for their involvement in the tournament including: Chivas Regal; Michelob Ultra; Parkers; Automotive Art; Suzuki; Mikes Ice; Ogier; Shipping Registry and Pro Yacht.

Helping with the presentation of awards, Nicole Spenc, a sportfishing icon from Florida, also thanked sponsors and tournament organizers for welcoming her to the Cayman Islands. “The people, the island, everything is so welcoming and I am just blown away! I can’t wait to come back!” she said. Nicole writes an adventure blog and is popular across YouTube and Instagram.

Nicole Spenc, fishing icon and social influencer, with her team ‘Ricochet’ in the Cayman Billfish Rundown

Reflecting on the tournament, Mr. Merren expressed gratitude to participants and sponsors. “Thank you to those who participated and to the team at Hurley’s Media, Dart Enterprises and The Residences at Seafire for a successful inaugural event. My hope is that next year we have even more participants, increase the prize pools, and perhaps even can break the Blue Marlin record,” he said.

Mr. Chen also said he’s excited for next year’s event. “Looking forward to next year with more boats and even bigger jackpots. I am proud to call Cayman my second home.”

Filed Under: Featured Stories, General News, News, Tournament Results Tagged With: 2019, artwork, awards, billfish, Blue Marlin, bluewater, Camana Bay, carey chen, cash prizes, catch and release, Cayman Billfish Rundown, final results, InTheBite, jackpots, magazine, offshore, sportfish, sportfishing, suntide, tournament update, Tuna, Uno Mas, Video, Wahoo, winners

Final Results: 2019 Orange Beach Billfish Classic

May 24, 2019 By InTheBite Editor

The 23rd Annual Orange Beach Billfish Classic (OBBC), kicked off the 2019 Gulf Coast Tournament Season with 48 boats chasing Blue Marlin and more than a $1M in prize money.

Relentless Pursuit, a 95′ Jim Smith, caught the winning fish shortly after the fleet departed Orange Beach on Thursday, May 16th. “We didn’t have a chance to do any pre-fishing before the tournament,” said Captain Robbie Doggett. “But we hadn’t been on the troll all that long when we got the bite we needed. What a way to start the season!”

Angler Dennis Pasentine, Jr. brought the fish to the boat in less than two hours and the crew started heading for Orange Beach to weigh their fish early the next morning. The team celebrated both the 116″ fish that weighed 658.2 pounds and team owner Dennis Pasentine’s birthday before a nice early morning crowd at The Wharf. The Blue Marlin would still be atop the leaderboard when the scales closed on Saturday night.

No other fish were weighed on Friday, but Saturday night saw two more Blue Marlin come to scales. Double J, a 42′ Freeman, saw their fish measure 107″ and 399.4 pounds. Current Alabama State Record holder for Blue Marlin, Chris Ferrara on the 70′ Viking Reel Fire, claimed third place with his 376 pound Blue Marlin which measured 108″.

Mollie the 66′ G & S from Destin, won Catch and Release and will have their name added to the Johnny Johnson Memorial Trophy, by releasing three Blue Marlin. Reel Fire also placed in the Catch and Release category with a second place finish by releasing two Blue Marlin.


Born 2 Run, a 72′ Viking from Pensacola finished in third place in Catch and Release by also releasing two Blue Marlin.

One of the highlights of this year’s tournament was the weighing in of two giant Bluefin Tuna. Hot Rod, a 56′ Viking from Sasser, GA, brought their 107″ fish in early on Saturday night to the delight of the crowd as the scale read 735 pounds. That fish was bumped to second place as the final fish of the night brought huge roars from the fans in attendance and those watching online.

Crawgator, a 61′ Viking from Venice, LA, caught their 110″ Bluefin late on Saturday and just missed setting a new Alabama state record with an 825-pound giant tuna. Tireless, a 44′ Cabo from Orange Beach, finished third with a 172.4-pound Yellowfin Tuna.

CE, a 65′ Hatteras from Point Clear, AL won the Wahoo division with a 58.0-pound fish. Crawgator also placed in the Wahoo division with a second place fish that weighed 45.2 lbs. and Relentless Pursuit also placed in multiple categories with a third-place finish in Wahoo at 40.2 lbs.

It was good to again see big Dolphin coming to the scales as a new tournament year begins. Lucky Dog, a 57 Bayliss from Destin, took first place with a 46.2 lbs. Mahi-Mahi. Second place went to A Team, a 43′ Viking from Galveston, Texas and third place was won by Breathe Reel Deep, a 52 Ocean from Orange Beach. Both fish weighed an identical 36.6 lbs.

The Top Lady Angler was Katie Gonsoulin on Done Deal as she released two Blue Marlin.

Thirty-Six Blue Marlin and three White Marlin were released in the 2019 Orange Beach Billfish Classic.

Official 2019 Orange Beach Billfish Classic Results

Blue Marlin
1st- 658.2 lbs. Relentless Purist- Angler Dennis Pasentine
2nd- 399.4 lbs. Double J- Angler Greg Gaubert
3rd- 376 lbs. Reel Fire- Angler Nathan Neames

Catch and Release 
1st- Mollie
2nd- Reel Fire
3rd- Born 2 Run

Tuna
1st- 825.6 lbs. Crawgator- Angler Bill Butler
2nd- 735 lbs. Hot Rod – Angler Stewart Fickel
3rd- 172.4 lbs. Tireless – Angler Gregg Trenor

Wahoo
1st – 58 lbs. CE – Angler Scott Cooper
2nd- 45.2 lbs. Crawgator – Angler Bill Butler
3rd- 40.2 lbs. Relentless Pursuit- Angler Johnny Pasentine

Dolphin
1st- 46.2 lbs. Lucky Dog – Angler Jarrett Johnson
2nd- 36.6 lbs. A Team – Angler Robert Sanderson
3rd- 36.6 lbs. Breathe Reel Deep – JC Jacobs

Top Lady Angler
Katie Gonsoulin on the Done Deal

Filed Under: Featured Stories, General News, News, Tournament Results Tagged With: 2019, alabama, Blue Marlin, Captain of the Year, COTY, dolphin, event, final results, Florida, furuno, gulf coast, InTheBite, magazine, marine electronics, Orange Beach Billfish Classic, Relentless Pursuit, sanctioned, sportfish, sportfishing, tournament updates, Tuna, Wahoo, winners

Prayers and HOPE for Venezuela

April 23, 2019 By InTheBite Editor

Photo courtesy Richard Gibson

by Elliott Stark

Ask anyone who has ever spent much time fishing in Venezuela and the conversation always goes the same way. It starts with an exclamation. “I love Venezuela. The fishing is…” They then spend the next few minutes spinning outlandish-sounding tales that would seem farfetched were they not similarly repeated by other captains who fished in Venezuela. Stories about having multiple blue marlin, multiple white marlin and a sail or two in the spread at the same time. Stories about weeks filled with multiple double slams.

After talking about the fishing, they then transition to “The people are…” The next few minutes describe the hospitality and friendliness of the Venezuelan people. Most also provide recollections of some of the amazing fishing talent that gathered to fish the La Guaira Bank. The captains who fished there were too many and too influential to mention here.

Next, inevitably comes the expression of regret. “What a shame what has happened there…” After the almost mournful statement of sadness, whoever is doing the talking will usually recount the lead up of events that resulted in their departure. The story usually involves describing a fair bit of back and forth – “The fishing was good and the experience was so great… but it just wasn’t safe any longer…” There is usually an underlying sadness in these recollections – it seems as none of those who spent a lot of time fishing in Venezuela ever actually wanted to leave. Most describe their eventual departure as being forced out by circumstance.

During the popular Grand Slam Tournament, the fleer is seen here returning to the marina just off the coast of Caraballeda – in the late 1990s. Photo courtesy Richard Gibson

After the stories and the expression of sadness at having to leave always comes the same thing – “I sure hope it gets better. I’d go back in a second.” Most anyone who has ever spent time in Venezuela, it seems, dreams of one day returning. With the return of political and economic stability there will be a trail of sportfishers steaming south from all over the United States, the Caribbean and Central America. This stream of boat traffic will be matched in size and franticness of pace by only by the Spanish Armada (Columbus first visited Venezuela in 1498).

What’s Happening in Venezuela

Before going any further we must make one thing clear. While most of those reading this may have only thought of Venezuela as it relates to fishing, everything else pales in comparison to what is happening to the people of the country. Venezuela is in the midst of a crushing economic depression and a humanitarian crisis of historic proportions. There are shortages of food, medicines and other basic necessities. Crime rates have sky rocketed, the country’s public health care system has collapsed. There are reports of mass hunger. By some estimates, 80% of Venezuelan households lack access to sufficient food.

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Economically, the country is gripped by one of the worst economic depressions in the history of Western civilization. The country is experiencing hyper inflation of its currency of disastrous proportions. The International Monetary Fund estimates that inflation will reach 10,000,000 percent in 2019. Yes, that’s 10 million percent. (Inflation is an economic term that describes the increase in prices for goods and services and a decrease in the purchasing power of a currency. To put this into perspective, at 10,000,000 percent inflation it would take $10 million dollars in cash to buy something that costs one dollar.) The result of such hyper inflation makes money near worthless. It is also causing a shortage of cash (because people need to carry a backpack full of cash, and wait for hours in line, to buy a loaf of bread and some eggs).

The situation is so bad that is has caused a mass exodus from the country. The United Nations Refugee Agency estimates that some 3.4 million people have emigrated from Venezuela since 2014. This is the highest rate of fleeing from a country in modern history – higher even than from people leaving Syria.

President Hugo Chavez was elected in 1998. Upon his death in 2013, his hand chosen successor, Nicolas Maduro, took power. Chavez nationalized the oil and gas industry in Venezuela, forcing out private industry. Populist social programs designed to redistribute wealth and corrupt moves to pay for military support lay at the base of the regime’s popularity. Between these programs, state sponsored television and intolerance (jailing and worse) of political dissent, Chavez’ regime was able to maintain control.

With the continued tanking of the Venezuelan economy – now recognized as the world’s worst performing economy, and the shortages of food, medicine, and other necessities, support for Maduro has waned. A challenger – Juan Guiado (a 35-year-old leader of the National Assembly from La Guaira) – has named himself interim president. The Venezuelan Constitution states that the President of the National Assembly has the authority to take power in the absence of a legitimate president. Guaido and his supporters claim that when Maduro changed the elections and the rules last year – invalidating his claim to victory – this mandate was due in 2019. Guaido has consolidated support from the many factions that oppose Chavez/ Maduro’s regime within Venezuela and has been recognized as the legitimate leader of Venezuela by 65 countries – including the US, the European Union and much of Latin America.

Gretchen and Hank Manley, owners of the escapade, show off flags for a fantasy slam. Left to right: Capt. Rob Moore, Gretchen & Hank Manley, Antonio “Tono” Ferrera. Photo courtesy Richard Gibson

While the outcome of all of this is far from certain, it could well be a watershed moment in the political history of the country. Guaido has also provided something that has been in short supply in Venezuela for a long time. A vehicle for hope.

How Did Venezuela Get Here  

Venezuela was once, not too long ago, the richest economy in Latin America. The country is blessed by an incredible base of natural resources – including the world’s largest oil reserve. It was this bounty that was central to the stories of boats buying fuel for three cents per liter in Venezuela. Oil – its price fluctuation and misguided economic policies surrounding it – is also at the heart of the Venezuelan economic meltdown.

Hugo Chavez was elected president of Venezuela in 1998. Chavez’ “Bolivarian Revolution” was marked by increasingly populist foreign and economic policies. Much of his emphasis was on distribution of wealth downward – something that resulted in mass popularity. In 2001, Chavez passed laws designed to redistribute land and wealth. In 2005, large ranches and estates were taken by the government. In 2006, Venezuela forcibly nationalized oil and gas, banking and most large industry. With the government owning most large industry, the country lost a majority of its private employment options.

Hyper inflation and the devaluing of Venezuelan currency have led the government to print new money–lots of it, in ever increasing denominations. These are 100,000 Bolivar notes.

At the time of Chavez’ election in 1998, the price of oil was $7 to $9 per barrel. By 2004, prices soared to upwards of $100 per barrel. With oil producing more and more money, the government of Venezuela (which owned the economy) became less diversified and more and more dependent on the high price of oil for economic health. The country bet its entire stake on oil – nationalization of (government-owned) industry killed manufacturing and productivity fell sharply. Venezuela exported oil and imported nearly everything else – becoming virtually entirely dependent on high oil prices for economic health. By 2012, oil accounted for 95% of all of Venezuelan exports.

Despite the amount of money pouring into the country from high oil prices, the Venezuelan government borrowed heavily from 2004 to 2014. The public debt increased six-fold during this period. In spite of all of the oil money and the funds borrowed, the government did not create a sovereign capital fund or other savings mechanism to hedge against a fall in oil prices.

In 2014, oil prices fell. Because of the country’s high rate of borrowing (and because much of its collateral for loans is tied to the price of oil), capital markets for Venezuela tightened and the country no longer had access to loans. Debt sets in shortly thereafter and cash was soon in short supply. Because Venezuela relied on imports of most everything except for oil, it needed to import food, medicine and other necessities.

Without access to loans, the country did not have the cash to purchase these things. With fewer imports coming in, prices on basic goods began to rise. To combat rising costs, the government established price controls (mandating the price of what goods could be sold for). This cycle led to inflation, the devaluing of the Venezuelan Bolivar (the nation’s currency), and longer and longer lines for increasingly scare necessities. The recession that began in Venezuela in 2013 continues unabated – it is recognized as the largest recession in the history of the western world.

A 30lb line class record yellowfin tuna caught on the La Guiara Bank aboard the Gotcha. Pictured is Buddy Shultz (right), Capt. Mike Canino (standing), and Taylor Norris. Photo courtesy Richard Gibson

The Political State of Venezuela Right Now

Hugo Chavez died of cancer in 2013. Nicolas Maduro, Chavez’ vice president, was his hand-selected successor. He inherited a corrupt government, a pile of failed economic policies and a situation that was spiraling out of control on many levels. Maduro’s presidency is largely an extension of the Chavez regime. As economic and social problems continued to pile up, hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans took to the streets to protest against Maduro in 2016. In the lead up to the 2018 election, Maduro jailed leaders the National Assembly (Venezuela’s legislative body) and appointed a new governmental body to administer the election.

While Maduro claimed victory, widespread claims of vote rigging and voter coercion opened the door for Juan Guaido – the leader of the National Assembly – to question the validity of the election results and proclaim himself interim president until a new, fair election can be held (something which the Venezuelan constitution grants him authority to do). Guaido, who favors a market economy, was immediately recognized by some 65 countries around the world as the acting leader of Venezuela. The United States and others have made it imminently clear that Guaido should face no harm from the Maduro regime.

While the outcome of all of this is far from certain, Guaido provides hope for a people and a nation who have long suffered. While the economic and social problems and the political turmoil of Venezuela will not be something that can be overcome tomorrow – how Guaido’s challenge to Maduro’s regime will play out is far from certain – there is for the first time in a long time a tangible vehicle of hope.

Adjacent to the Caraballeda Yacht Club, Marina Portofino was the epicenter of activity. Here, the sportfishing fleet was docked “Med Style.” Photo courtesy Richard Gibson

The eyes of the world are watching. Many displaced Venezuelans around the world are watching. And the sportfishing world is watching too… In addition to the prayers coming from around the world, there is hope for Venezuela.

The Venezuelan Perspective

Rafa Martinez Tovar is a displaced Venezuelan currently living the Dominican Republic. Martinez’ family has been intimately involved in Venezuelan sportfishing for generations. “My grandfather was one of the founders of the Playa Grande Yachting Club in La Guaira. I have been fishing since I was six… and I am 43 now. When I was a child, I remember fishing with the greatest light tackle anglers in Venezuela – Aquiles Garcia, Gildo Bellini and Rafael “Pantaleta” Arnal. They won eight ILTTA (International Light Tackle Tournament Anglers) tournaments – still the most in history.”

“We took our boat to the DR four years ago,” Martinez says, describing the Keep Fishing, a 45-foot Rampage convertible that now fishes out of Cap Cana and Casa De Campo, “and we opened the charter service to be able to cover the boat expenses.”

“I was the third generation of my family working in the family business – the ferry company Conferry. The business turned 60 years old last August and for the first time in its history, it is not transporting people and cargo to Margarita. We used to move three million people a year back and forth to the island. Isla Margarita is home to The Margarita Hilton & Suites (once Hilton’s hotel top performer in the Caribbean for more than seven years), a radio station, a newspaper, the ferry terminal and the Margaritas Professional Basketball team Guaiqueries de Margarita. My grandfather founded the team in 1975 – it was one of the best teams in the Venezuelan Professional League. They took everything from us. That’s why I had to come to the DR.”

Rafa Martinez Tovar and his family have deep sportfishing roots in Venezuela. He shares his experience, perspective and optimism graciously.

When describing the situation in Venezuela, Martinez is somber in his analysis. “A cartel has the country kidnapped. It’s not a single dictator, it’s a whole network. It’s a political mixture that is not easy to untangle,” he reflects insightfully. “I think Guaido is the way to go. It’s a matter of time before things change. We are positive that things will change – it’s when, not if. Six months ago, we didn’t have this view. It’s going to take time, but it’s not impossible. Guaido will reestablish the rule of Law and Democracy in our country.”

“We’ll need our people to come back – many of those who would be prepared for the recovery have left. As soon as the rule of law and democracy are reestablished, lots of our people will return.”

The situation for many Venezuelan ex-pats is understandably sensitive. When I asked if it was ok to publish his name along with the article, he didn’t hesitate. “Go ahead buddy… there’s not much more that they can do to me. VAMOS BIEN Y LA VIRGEN DEL VALLE NOS ACOMPAÑA!!!”

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Jose de Veer is another of Venezuela’s displaced sportfishing community. From Puerto La Cruz in eastern Venezuela, de Veer now works as first mate on the 65-foot American Custom Black Gold that fishes out of the Dominican Republic. “All of the problems in Venezuela really effect everyone. I am almost five years living outside of Venezuela – I moved because of all of the problems,” de Veer says.

“I was working as a diesel mechanic. The problems for me started with getting parts through customs. I started to get calls from customs asking for money to get parts out,” Jose describes. “My family owns a 38-foot Bertram, the Doble Linea, that has been fully customized. Our plan was to fish it together as a charter business and live there. Now it sits there idle. My dad doesn’t like to fish without me.”

Native of Puerto La Cruz, Jose de Veer’s perspective on Venezuela’s current state and future trajectory is personal.

“My family is still in Venezuela – my mom, my dad, my sister and grandpa. I visited them in August 2018. I hired a guy to dive my boat and he wouldn’t accept money for payment. He said he no longer took money because it couldn’t buy him anything. He wanted some food. I asked him what he’d charge me and he said, ‘A bag of rice, a can of sardines and a bottle of rum.’ That’s what I gave him. It is really sad – people don’t believe me when I tell them about it.”

“It’s the same way with fuel. It’s less than penny to buy 500 gallons of fuel – the tip is more expensive than the bill. The people are really, really hungry. It is really bad now,” he describes. While fuel may be cheap, the basic necessities are increasingly scarce and expensive. “My dad used to live very well on $150 per week. Now everything is really expensive and it seems like prices are doubling every day. What they air on the news is so sad… and everything is true. The government is trying to get rid of the middle class – they only want rich and poor people.”

“My family just went four days without electricity,” de Veer says, describing the massive country-wide 100 hour black out that occurred mid-March. “They lived on the boat running the generators, with extension cords running to the house (for the freezers). We were lucky to have the boat.”

As for his vision for the future, de Veer shares optimism about Guaido. “I think he’s doing a great job – I hope it works. He’s the only one with the balls to do it. He’s talking to the world,” he reflects. “People are dying without medicine; they are hungry and they are poor. Even if he succeeds, it will need time to change. The situation won’t be solved tomorrow – it will take time, patience. People need a chance to relax.”

Que viva Venezuela.

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April/May Issue 2019: Hitting the Docks Now!

April 16, 2019 By InTheBite Editor

InTheBite’s got another good one coming your way,
April/ May Issue– HITTING THE DOCKS NOW. 

InTheBite – April/May 2019 – Volume 18 Edition 3

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Filed Under: Featured Stories, General News, News Tagged With: 2019, april, buying, Florida, hitting the docks now, hope, InTheBite, issue, mag bay, magazine, marvel, may, New, old salts rule, prayers, pro tips, splash reports, sportfishing, spring, subscribe, used boat, venezuela, young guns

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