InTheBite

The Benefits of Offshore Fishing on Center Console Boats

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By Capt. Adam Peeples

My entire fishing career has revolved around fishing center consoles. One of my earliest memories of saltwater fishing was on the back of an old Mako 258 catching spanish and king mackerel with my granddad and uncle out of Mexico Beach, Florida.

Technological developments in the past 20 or so years, such as the realization of reliable 4-stroke motor technology and significant advances in marine electronics, have turned today’s center console fishing boats into efficient, fast, and reliable fishing platforms that far surpass the abilities of their predecessors.

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Capt. Miguel “Puchi” Sanabria Receives Top Captain Award

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08.19.21, day 1 of the CNSJ 68thIBT – 68th International Billfish Tournament , which runs from August 17 – 21, 2021. Fleet arrival back to the dock.

International Billfish Tournament Club Náutico de San Juan, August 24, 2021—The International Billfish Tournament (IBT) ended with 66 releases and a triumph of First Class-Rocio boat from Arecibo, Puerto Rico, with four releases in this 54-foot Hatteras with captain Manuel “Puchi” Sanabria at the helm.

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30th MidAtlantic Wraps Up with Potential State Record Blue Marlin

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Photo courtesy MidAtlantic Tournament

MidAtlantic Tournament, August 23, 2021—It was indeed a tournament for the ages! The 30th MidAtlantic wrapped up last night and saying it was one for the record books would be an understatement! Records were set in several categories including two before the first day of fishing when a tournament record field of 203 were entered breaking the previous record of 183 set last year.

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50-Pound Wahoo is Only Change as MidAtlantic Tournament Fleet Takes a Breather on Day Four

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The MidAtlantic, August 20, 2021—With all but 20 boats tied to the dock on Day Four of the 30th Annual MidAtlantic tournament there was little change in the leaderboard. Lay Days give crews an opportunity to catch up on maintenance items, rig baits, plan strategy and get some much-needed rest. Tomorrow is the final day of the tournament and well over 150 boats still having another day to give it a go on what is typically a busy day at the MidAtlantic. In what’s become known as “Moving Day” at the MidAtlantic over the years, the leaderboard often takes a beating as changes to many, if not all, of the categories often occur. Will that be the case again tomorrow? Stayed tuned! It could be another photo finish! In the meantime, lets recap the leaders after Day Four at sportfishing’s “Main Event.”

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Charter Boat Confessional—True Tales from the High Seas

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The Bali Hai headed offshore. Photo courtesy Jim Callas

By Jim Callas

As a young deckhand, I had the opportunity to fish with some really awesome guys—one of whom was a fellow by the name of Capt. David Russell. Russell was fishing on a boat called the Bali Hai and was a pretty cool guy. We got to talking one day and he basically hired me on the spot for some reason and soon we were fishing every day. The Bali Hai was what was referred to as a Navy Crash boat or
AVR boat. AVR was an acronym for “air, sea rescue.” These old wooden boats were built for the navy and resembled a PT boat from WWII. Built out of double diagonal mahogany planking, powered by twin Ford Lehman diesels and had a reverse sheer line. The old AVR boats came in two sizes: 44 feet and 63 feet—we had the 44 foot version.

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New White Marlin Leader After Day Two of 30th MidAtlantic

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MidAtlantic Tournament, August 18, 2021—The 2021 MidAtlantic is indeed off to a record-setting start. In addition to a record field of 203 boats the tournament’s total cash purse is now officially set at $5,939,050! Worthy of note is a significant portion of that cash pot this year comes from a special calcutta that was added to commemorate 30 years of MidAtlantic tournaments. The 30th Anniversary Mega Marlin Calcutta, with its $30,000 additional fee to participate, pays out 32 percent and 18 percent to the top two white marlin and top two blue marlin respectively. This calcutta alone has a total payout of nearly $1.6 million! It’s also important to mention that the MidAtlantic tournament is donating 1% of the total proceeds of that specific calcutta evenly to three worthwhile fishing organizations that benefit recreational anglers including the International Game Fish Association, Recreational Fishing Alliance and The Billfish Foundation.

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Team Sushi’s 2021 White Marlin Open Win

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A big win and a handshake with Jimmy Motsko. Photo courtesy Charley Pereira

By Nichole Osinski

You would be hard pressed to find two tournament wins that happened the exact same way. Between crew dynamic, trusted tackle, coveted fishing grounds and everything in between, the team that wrangles in that sweet prize-winning fish has their own unique story. This rings true for the team aboard the Sushi, a 57’ Island Boat Works, after angler Butch Wright reeled in an 85.5-pound white marlin earning them a first place spot and $3.2 million at the 48th White Marlin Open at the beginning of August. 

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Five Stars: How to Make the Most of a Charter Experience

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ITB Staff

A career in the fishing and boating industry means that you will, at some point, be hosting charter guests on your vessel. Whether they be complete strangers or your boss’ best friends, charter guests generally have a few things in common. They are known for having enough money to charter yachts for fun; generally tipping well, and; sometimes they can be quite difficult to please. With guests come a set of rules and regulations that are not taught in your Coast Guard Captain’s License course. Making them happy can mean not only putting the charter on fish, but also catering to their requests. As needy as they may be, making a clear and concerted effort can go a long way. Here are a few pointers on keeping them smiling:

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