InTheBite

Boat Driver OR Captain?

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By Capt. Scott “Fraz” Murie 

It seems like everyone wants to drive the boat these days. The mentality of a lot of crews these days is that the captain has the easy job. So why not get a captain’s license and be the captain?

A captain’s license is an easy piece of paper to obtain in the USA. Necessary experience? None to speak of. The easiest way to obtain a captain’s license – just enroll in a local captain’s license sea school. This school is basically a cram course that lasts about a week. It is pretty idiot-proof. All you have to do is pass some questions on rules of the road, a couple of navigation questions, a little safety and CPR and you can call yourself the big skipper.

Thankfully to obtain a bigger license such as a 200 ton or a 500 ton, you must show documented proof of sea time on that particular vessel. Still, no experience in boat handling is necessary. I have friends who have obtained a captain’s license from England where the requirements are much more stringent. If your sea time comes from a ski boat, that’s the kind of license you get: a bay license. To get a basic captain’s license in England, through the Royal Yachting Association, requires a certain amount of sea time on the tonnage you want to be licensed for.

So, what does it take to get a captain’s license in England? The requirement is one week of classroom theory and navigation law. Then a week spent at sea, one on one, with an instructor. You must prove to the instructor that you can properly operate all systems of said vessel. You must also prove that you can navigate in inland and international water, prove that you can navigate in the fog, at night, calculate fuel burn from port to port, use charts, dividers and parallel rules, and calculate your sea drift with no electronic navigational assistance.

You must prove that you are able to maneuver and dock the boat, then you receive the license only if you are considered qualified by the instructor. A much better system in my opinion. With all that said, I believe a minimum of five years on the deck and proof of knowing how to operate all systems as well as navigation is a must before thinking about climbing the ladder.

To all the owners out there looking to hire a captain to take care of your bazillion dollar investment, the old saying, “You get what you pay for” doesn’t necessarily apply these days. I’ve seen plenty of clueless boat drivers out there making top dollar. So, before you hire a captain, be sure to take the time to get character references and background checks. See if they have experience in things such as trip planning, customs, immigrations, ZARPES, crew lists, insurances, maintenance, safety, navigation, logs and financial records…the list goes on.

So, to all of those who think the captain’s job is easy – there is much more to it than driving the boat!

—That’s my two-minute warning. Fraz

So You Want to be a Captain? The Trip up the Ladder Takes Many Twists and Turns

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By Dave Ferrell

Taking the helm of a sportfishing boat, traveling the world’s oceans in pursuit of billfish, represents a “dream job” for a whole lot of people…many of which have never spent much time offshore. The image of a tanned captain, beard wagging in the sea breeze, steering the boat over the horizon with nothing but freedom and fishing on the calendar for the days ahead, fuels a lot of daydreams in corporate boardrooms all across America. It’s like being a quarterback for the Dolphins (Give me a break, I’m from Florida!) or photo editor for Playboy magazine…you just can’t imagine having a bad day at the office!

Well, you all know that while that there are some incredible perks that may come along with the job – travel to foreign hotspots; extra tournament money; insane bites; and making incredible memories. The captain’s chair, however, also comes with a whole host of pitfalls and enormous responsibilities – not the least of which is having the lives of your crew and guests in the palm of your hand.

Along with all the life-and-death stuff, a captain also takes care of a state-of-the-art piece of functional artwork that may cost many millions of dollars. You almost need to be a museum curator and an industrial engineer rolled into one to care of one of these machines, and we haven’t even started fishing yet! If all of this weren’t enough, a captain must also skillfully navigate a whole host of egos and character flaws that find their way onboard. You know the type – the psychotic mates that seemed just fine back on the dock or an owner’s guests that can drink more liquor in one day than an entire frat house consumes on homecoming weekend!

 

Factor in the competitive fishing aspect, whether that means tournament success or just keeping up with the rest of the dock every day, and the captain’s chair turns into a hot seat rather quickly if your boat doesn’t live up to the owner’s expectations. As dream jobs go, it’s one of the toughest ones there is. Amazingly enough, there’s no one route to the captain’s chair. If there ever was one single path, it’s no doubt changed dramatically over the last 25 years or so, just as certain aspects and responsibilities of the job have as well.

Run Before You Fly

One of the few things you can get captains to agree on is that you have to be a good mate before you can be a good captain. I first met Capt. Newt Cagle while he was working the deck for the legendary Capt. Butch Cox at Marlin U in the Dominican Republic. He instantly impressed me with his teak-side manner, treating my students like royalty and patiently answering all their questions as politely as possible…even the most absurd ones. He was an excellent mate and has since become a successful captain on the tournament trail. That’s not a coincidence. “A captain is only as good as his mate. A good mate really makes the captain shine. No matter how good the guy upstairs is, if you don’t have a good mate things aren’t going to go well.”

Legendary Capt. Randy Baker came to fame as one of the best mates in the world, not as a captain. He’s since made quite a name for himself upstairs as well. Baker got his start on his father’s charterboat and on the docks in Destin, Florida. He began working on private boats in his teens and soon found himself working on the most prestigious fishing team in the world, Dunaway’s fabulous Madam and Hooker operation. “I preferred the mating part in my early days. But in my opinion you can’t be a good captain unless you’ve been a good mate for a while…you really need to know both sides of it,” says Baker. “It’s very important to get on a good boat that travels and fishes a lot. You have to get some good time on the water. You definitely need to be a mate before you step up to the wheel. That way, you know what the guy’s going through down in the pit.”

Baker’s first day as a captain was on the Hooker, a pretty sweet first captain’s gig. “I mated on the boat for several years, and after a while, I became like the second captain. Whenever Trevor [Cockle] had to leave or take care of something, I’d run the boat. My first full-time captain’s job was with Jerry Dunaway when we built the 43-foot Hooker that was sent to Madeira. Fishing and working on boats is all I’ve ever done…I’ve never had a job on land.”

When it comes to fishing, Capt. Bill Harrison has done it. When he speaks of perspective, it is best to listen.

Capt. Bill Harrison got his start on Miami’s legendary Pier 5 in the early 50s. He went from working the decks of full-time charter boats to chasing blue marlin all over the Caribbean with Ralph Christianson. He agrees with Baker and Cagle and thinks it’s imperative that a captain starts out as mate.

“I like those guys who are doing the same things at 60 that they were doing at six,” says Harrison. “A lot of guys never even cared about becoming a captain. They were good mates and they enjoyed doing that. It was a 9 to 5 job for those guys back then. They were in it to make a day’s pay. They’d get off the boat and didn’t want to talk about fishing or anything like that. It was just a job. Sometimes these guys would be 30, 40 or 50 years old.”

Harrison says that the reason the mates and captains at Pier Five were so good was that they pursued a wide variety of different species. “We learned how to catch everything because we would sell it. We could catch sharks, groupers, mackerels, whatever was running we were fishing for it. This translated to learning a lot of different fishing techniques,” says Harrison.

On that first trip, Newt told me that he wanted to be the captain of a sportfishing boat for as long as he could remember…he never wanted to do anything else.

“I was very lucky to grow up around boats and fishing, so it’s all I really ever knew. My father was an owner-operator and my uncle owned a charterboat. I started out by washing boats for free, just so I could ride out and be a part of the team. I’d help the mate out, watch the baits and do anything just to learn from those guys. That’s something that’s changed quite a bit. There’s no longer any kids coming around these days with the burning desire to work on the boat or get the chance to be around the boat. Nowadays when a kid wants to go fishing, he wants to know exactly what he’s going to get paid and he already has a list of demands for me! I would do anything just to get to go fishing. I’d drive on the ride out or in, let the captain take a nap, do anything just for the chance to go. Kids today won’t even do that now. Everybody you talk to is going to give you the same story,” says Cagle.

Keeping Up Electronically

One of the greatest challenges that today’s captains face is the rapid pace at which ship’s systems evolve. From the complex navigation and communication suites on the flybridge to the electronic engine controls down below and the high-tech A/V equipment in the salon, the race to keep up with the latest and greatest, or just to keep things working properly, can run a crew ragged. Experience with how boats are put together and how all these systems operate and interact goes a long way these days.

“My Dad built several boats and I was always very involved in the build. My Dad was a very hands-on guy, so it was a sad day around here if he had to call a mechanic or someone to fix something. I try to fix everything on the boat by myself, but I also realize that a man has to realize his limitations,” says Cagle. “You can screw something up worse if you try to fix it without knowing what you are doing.”

“Nowadays you really can’t do anything with the motors. If you get a problem and try and tackle it yourself you can make it worse or mess up your warranties,” says Cagle. “One thing that has really changed things for me has been the internet. Instead of calling my Dad or other people, I can just look online. I hate to say it, but if I have a problem or project, I have no problem going online to read other people’s advice on how to go about fixing it. This is especially helpful with my electronics. Instead of pushing buttons for hours on end, I can Google the problem and find several ways to do what I need to do.”

Baker grew up around boats so maintenance and mechanicals are second nature to him, but even he takes pause when it comes to messing around too much with the today’s new engines. “I can do all the maintenance and troubleshooting to a degree, but there’s so much computer stuff going on it’s better to just have the guys hook it up to the laptop,” says Baker. “I’m kind of old school that way. It’s been a little hard keeping up with all that stuff…I’m not that computer literate myself.”

“Unfortunately, there’s no textbook to live by,” says Cagle. “There’s no standard operating procedure on how to be a boat captain or how to be a mate. It’s all about what you learned from the guys you worked for in the past. How they did things is normally how you do things. You just have to use your best judgment. There’s no manual you can refer to. The only thing you can do is hope you had a good teacher along the way.”

First Time Out

“The first time I got to run a boat by myself and take people fishing, I was 16-years-old fishing out of Oregon Inlet at Pirates Cove Marina a couple of days before the Pirate’s Cove tournament,” says Capt. Newt Cagle. We had a group of people who were going to pre-fish the tournament. My father had come down with a case of food poisoning, and he came down to the boat in the morning and asked me if I could take the party out. I said, ‘Sure, I’d love to.’ At first I was a little bit nervous, but soon I said, ‘Screw It, I’ve been watching him do this my whole life.’ I pulled her out of the slip, followed a charterboat out and went fishing.”

Cagle’s first day at the helm proved to be a prophetic one. “My Dad always told me to never fish in the fleet…always fish on the outskirts. John Bayliss was running the Ultra at the time and was having some real good fishing in the middle of the fleet. I was staying on the outskirts getting bite after bite, but I got sucked into the fleet and went in there for a couple of hours and didn’t catch much. Once I moved back outside, we started getting bit again. We quit early at 2:30 p.m. and caught nine white marlin. Bayliss stayed until dark and caught 11. Then as now, John Bayliss is considered one of the best in the world. So not only was I happy to get in and out of the slip, but we had a really good day of fishing following my Dad’s advice…which was pretty special.”

Cagle’s first full-time captain’s job came in a more round-about way. Cagle started running the Sea Angel a 59-Weaver. “The owner was walking up and down the dock trying to hire a captain because his one captain was leaving and a hurricane was coming,” says Cagle. “He talked to me briefly and they moved the boat to the Dominican Republic. After two or three days, I was on a plane to the DR fresh after a hurricane to step onto a boat I had never driven in my life. We went fishing the next day – my first day in the DR – and we caught two blues and sail.”

Captain Greg Eklund and Cloud Nine team take first at IFC Captain’s Cup Sailfish Tournament

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Photo courtesy Pete Pehrson

The Islamorada Fishing Club welcomed 48 anglers fishing on 16 boats for the Islamorada Fishing Club Captain’s Cup Sailfish Tournament. Northwest winds at 15kts greeted the fisherman with lines in at 8 a.m.

Captain Greg Eklund aboard his charter boat Cloud Nine called in a doubleheader of sailfish at 8:24. Mate Eric Ehlers would get the release on both fish putting the Cloud Nine in first place with two fish.

Photo courtesy Pete Pehrson

The team would sit on pins and needles throughout the day searching for more sailfish. Other teams would slowly catch up to them, first Crisdel then Hell Reyzer followed by Remix, Conetagious and Relentless all with two releases.

When the committee boat called lines out at 4 p.m. anglers Josh Jackson from Temple, TX along with Cory Nelson and Jake Turek from Islamorada, Fl, would breathe a sigh of relief as the early morning double landed them in first place on time. Centennial Bank would present the team with beautiful Tim Rahn Photography prints and a check for $16,000. Winning Captain Greg Eklund was awarded the Captain’s Cup full of gift certificates from local establishments.

Photo courtesy Pete Pehrson

Second Place went to Crisdel with anglers Frank and Tony Criscola from Fairhills, NJ along with Joe Prestiffillpo also from NJ. Captain George Stellar along with mates Brad Goodrich and Jeff Dickman were all awarded Caribee Boat Sales and Yamaha Outboard sponsored second place trophies for the team’s two releases.

Captain Ryan Alexander of the Hell Reyzer took third place with two fish on time. Anglers Victor Paneda, Eric Darvill and Johnny Vilorio along with Mate Cap Hinkley all from Miami would take home the third-place awards sponsored by Baker Mitchell Plumbing and Tackle Center of Islamorada.

“The Islamorada Fishing Club put on another great event”, stated tournament director Dianne Harbaugh. “The great food and service the club provides makes it a fun place to have a party.”

In total 17 fish were released in the one-day event. The Islamorada Fishing Clubs Captains Cup Dolphin tournament will be held June 25, 2020. More information can be found on the web site theislamoradafishingclub.com

A Captain’s Medical Guide

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A perfectly timed redfish attack illustrates the many dangers of fishing. Photo courtesy Jason Buck Photography

Wrangling sea monsters on the high seas brings its share of medical risks. From the power of the fish and the excitement involved to the millions of bacteria that live in the bait that pokes your hands, there are lots of potentially bad things that can happen. This captain’s medical guide provides an introduction to handling a cross-section of potential injuries and medical conditions than can occur offshore.

It is written by an expert of imminent qualification (our words, not his) – a heart surgeon with a passion for blue water. Dr. David “Doc” Conkle has a medical degree from Yale University and medical career that spans decades. He is also a wonderfully nice man and avid fisherman based in Pensacola. As an owner/ operator, Conkle has taken boats throughout the Gulf Coast, Bahamas, DR, Turks and Caicos, and St. Thomas.

By Dr. David M. “Doc” Conkle

All of us that fish offshore should be prepared to initiate treatment of acute injuries and medical emergencies. The boat should have a first aid manual, basic medical supplies and a crew member that has working knowledge to treat medical problems and administer CPR. Basic supplies should include: sterile bandage material (gauze, steri-strips, band aids, surgical tape), ace wraps, sterile gloves, a tourniquet, malleable splints, and a pin cutter. Medications include: an Epi pen, aspirin, ibuprofen, Tylenol, meclizine, transdermal patches, antiseptic solution, and Benadryl. A portable defibrillator should be considered on travelling boats and for those that spend extended periods offshore.

Injuries

The most prevalent injuries that can occur involve the hands, legs and arms. The treatment of hook injuries depends upon the location of the barb. If buried, the hook should be stabilized, ice applied and medical help sought. If the barb is outside of the skin or can be advanced outside of the skin, the shank can be cut with pin cutters and the hook removed. The wound should then be washed with an antiseptic solution and wrapped with a sterile bandage. Ice should be applied and medical help sought.

For puncture wounds involving a hook, old fillet knife or other potentially rusted metal object, you may consider getting a tetanus shot. Most everyone gets a tetanus shot when they are vaccinated as children. While recommendations on frequency of tetanus booster shots vary, a good rule of thumb is every ten years or so. The doctor who exams your wound or removes the hook may prescribe a tetanus shot if he deems it necessary. If you remove a rusty hook and do not seek medical attention, while there hasn’t been a case of tetanus in the US for many years, consider the date of your last tetanus shot.

Lacerations should be cared for by controlling the bleeding with pressure (sterile gauze and an ace bandage) or a tourniquet. If you use a tourniquet, it should be removed as soon as bleeding is controlled. The wound should then be flooded with antiseptic solution. If the wound is gaping, steri-strips should be used to reapproximate (close) and then the wound should be dressed with a sterile bandage. If the wound is significant, the person should be taken to the emergency room for closure.

Photo courtesy Matthew Spivey

Fish bites (not the appetizer, but what happens when you get bitten by a fish) should be washed with bleach and antiseptic solution and covered in a sterile bandage. An ice pack should then be applied. Serious fish bites should be evaluated by a doctor. Stingray injuries usually involve a barb injury to the heel area. The barb should be left as found. Apply antiseptic solution, a sterile bandage and an ice pack to the injury site. The person should be taken to the emergency room for further evaluation and treatment.

Infections usually occur in a fisherman’s hand. They are best treated by prevention. A 50/50 bleach to fresh water solution kept in a five gallon bucket should be used by crew to wash their hands, knives and tools after handling bait and fish. Bleach will kill all bacteria. If infection does occur, seek medical evaluation. How can you spot the onset of an infection? Symptoms such as redness, skin being hot to the touch, swelling and tenderness might indicate a potential infection. An infection should be treated with antibiotics, which will be prescribed by a doctor if necessary.

Puncture wounds should be treated with antiseptic solution, a sterile dressing and an ice pack to keep swelling down. If a crew member is impaled with a bill, he should be evacuated to the hospital with the bill left as found (if the bill breaks off, do not remove it). If the bill strikes a person but does not break off, treat the wound as you would a puncture wound. Bill rash should be treated as you would a fish bite.

Sprains or suspected fractures should be stabilized with an ace bandage or malleable splint. Apply ice and seek medical attention. Ibuprofen and Tylenol together work well for pain.

Derek Escalara caught a 40-pound dolphin that introduced the hook to his foot – but he stayed out fishing!

Illnesses and Serious Health Conditions

Medical illnesses and emergencies can occur offshore. Seasickness is the most common malady that can ruin the day for a fisherman. In a susceptible person, seasickness is best treated the night before with a transdermal patch. If symptoms occur after you are underway – fresh air (keep the person from staying in the cabin), eyes on the horizon and meclizine (a motion sickness drug) are the first line of defense. If nausea and vomiting occur, the person should be returned to the bank. The smell of pine trees cures seasickness. Vomiting is serious when it becomes frequent. These people should be returned to shore as quickly as possible.

Overheating is the first symptom of heatstroke. This is best treated with prevention – appropriate clothing and hydration with nonalcoholic and noncaffeinated fluids. Alcohol and caffeine cause dehydration which contributes to heatstroke. Heatstroke can be difficult to diagnose, but if someone is sweating heavily and begins to act strangely they need to be cooled down as quickly as possible. The person should drink cold fluids (avoid beer and caffeine) and get out of the heat. Move into air conditioning if possible and apply ice packs to neck, beneath arms and the groin area (that is where the major arteries carry blood to the legs). You may also apply cold towels to the neck and head.

A 12/0 to the top of the foot is never fun. Photo courtesy Mike Garofalo

Cardiovascular events are unusual but can occur. They require prompt recognition, treatment and rapid evacuation to an emergency room. If a person experiences the acute onset of chest pain, sweating, pallor (losing color in someone’s face) and nausea, treatment for a potential heart attack should be initiated. He or she should be given two aspirin pills to chew (so that it enters the bloodstream faster) and swallow with a sip of water. The person should then placed at rest with his or her feet elevated and monitored continuously. Evacuation should be started immediately. If the person loses consciousness and pulse, CPR should be started immediately and defibrillator attached if available. The defibrillator’s artificial intelligence will talk you through the defibrillation.

A stroke is another event that demands early recognition and prompt evacuation. The acronym FAST is used for diagnosis. F- facial drooping, A- arm weakness, S- slurred speech, T- Time is of the essence. The quicker the person can get to the emergency room, the better the chance is for recovery.

Mac Robinson waiting for a doctor at the Green Turtle Cay Clinic in the Bahamas.

The care of diabetic problems should start by knowing if anyone on board is a diabetic. These people should be well versed in the care of their chronic disease – if not, they should stay on shore. If someone with diabetes travels offshore he or she should do so with medication and a glucometer. Diabetes requires the management of blood sugar to avoid potentially fatal episodes. How do you recognize a potential problem in one of your diabetic boat guests? What should you do?

Nick Rizopoulos’ left foot with an infection caused by a dropped rod butt.

The symptoms of low blood sugar include: nervousness/anxiety, weakness, trembling, sweating, rapid heart rate and decreasing consciousness. The treatment is checking one’s blood sugar. If it is less than 70 mg/dL, treat with sugar – hard candy, sugar water or sugary soft drinks. The symptoms of high blood sugar (ketoacidosis) are: excessive thirst/urination, fatigue, nausea and vomiting, hot, flushed skin, and drowsiness leading to sleep. The treatment is to check one’s blood sugar. If it’s over 300 ml/dL with the above symptoms the person needs to be evacuated ASAP and fluids need to be pushed (drink lots of non-sugar drinks – Gatorade or water).

Mate Andy Hollen’s hand after a 20-hour fight with the 3rd place blue marlin at Poco Bueno.

An allergic reaction can range from swelling and itching of the skin to anaphylactic shock. If a person experiences a minor allergic reaction he or she should be treated with Benadryl and ice packs. If the patient begins to experience significant facial swelling and or difficulty breathing, he or she needs to be injected with an Epi pen and transported to the emergency room as soon as possible.

Options for Medical Evacuation at Sea

No matter how prepared or equipped the boat or the crew is, there could come a time when the only option is to evacuate someone to the hospital. The following is a break down of two options for at sea or international rescue.

United States Coast Guard:

The following are a few tips provided by the US Coast Guard. They provide some background on what to expect should you need assistance offshore:

1. Have a VHF-FM marine-band radio on board at all times. You can use channel 16 to send distress calls.

2. Have a registered electronic position indicating radio beacon or EPIRB onboard. In case of emergency, it can be activated either manually or automatically to send out your position. You can register your EPIRB for free at beaconregistration.noaa.gov.

3. A person locator beacon is also a good tool to have. It can send out emergency distress signals when needed.

4. Download the free Coast Guard app. You can use it to call emergency assistance.

5. You can also file a float plan. A float plan is like a schedule detailing your activities, when you leave and when you get back. You can file it through the Coast Guard app or the Coast Guard Auxiliary website. You should share it with family and friends so for some reason if you don’t show back up when it’s written, the Coast Guard can be notified and help can be sent.

Global Rescue:

Global Rescue is a subscription service that provides medical evacuation or security extraction services to travelers – including those on a boat. Global Rescue offers both individual and family plans ranging from seven-day windows to annual plans. Individual plans start at $119. The service provides great peace of mind when you are traveling internationally or ranging far from shore.

Global Rescue’s Bill McIntyre provides some context about the service. “Global Rescue membership provides members with medical advisory and evacuation services while they are traveling. These services are in effect any time they are more than 100 miles from home while your membership is active, domestically as well as abroad. We will arrange and cover the cost of an emergency evacuation from the point of injury or illness to the nearest well-equipped hospital or facility. If a member requires additional hospitalization, Global Rescue will transport to the member’s home country hospital of choice once he or she is stable and fit-to-fly,” McIntyre relates.

A USCG helicopter crew can be the difference between life and death in the event of an emergency offshore. Photo courtesy U.S. Coast Guard

How does it work? The first step for preparedness is setting up a membership. An annual family medical and security package runs $1,155. Once this is active, if you run into a problem or issue you contact the service. “Global Rescue may be reached 24/7/365 at 617-459-4200 or memberservices@globalrescue.com. Members may contact us at by cell phone, satellite phone, email, or via our mobile application, My Global Rescue,” McIntyre explains.

“It is important for captains to be aware of the challenges that offshore trips may present so that they have realistic expectations. Any time a Global Rescue member is more than 100 nautical miles away from the coast, rescue can require the assistance of ships in the area or the local coast guard. While we will exhaust all available resources to provide our services, rescue could involve significant delays. As always, our advisory services would be available 24 hours a day regardless of one’s location,” she says. “In the event of an emergency, we require two-way communication. Once Global Rescue is contacted by a member, our Operations team will remain in constant communication with that member and the medical team treating that member.”

A rescue swimmer from Air Station Elizabeth City drops to rescue a man suffering chest pains and trouble breathing 67 miles northeast of Cape Charles, Va. Photo courtesy U.S. Coast Guard

Conclusion

I hope this information will help you be better prepared to deal with the unexpected. Preparedness is the mainstay of every successful fishing trip. The best case scenario is that your boat includes all the necessary medical supplies, equipment and training and never needs to use any of it.

Ron Rule: John Wayne in a Pair of Tevas

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Boss Man Chronicles: Profiles of Boat Owners

The Boss Man Chronicles tells the story behind boat owners and the operations they make possible. In this, the first installment, we showcase 88-year-old Ron Rule who owns the Fuujin, a 54-foot Viking based in Los Sueños. Rule still catches blue marlin stand up…

By Ric Burnley

Ron Rule got bit by the marlin bug on a trip to Orange Beach, Alabama in the 1980s. “We were buying a boat and figured we’d do some fishing while we were visiting,” Rule remembers. He was living in Michigan at the time and wanted a boat to fish the lake. While in Alabama, Rule entered a Mobile Big Game Fishing Club tournament. He fished three days and almost won top prize. “We never took the boat to Michigan,” he laughs.

Rule named his new boat Fuujin after the Fighting Fuujins – the Fourth Fighter Squadron of the US Airforce. The squadron is named for Fuujin, the Japanese god of the wind. During the Korean War, Rule flew with the Fourth as a rear seater. “My job was to navigate the plane through bad weather or at night.”

After Rule left active duty, he spent 29 years in the Air Force Reserve. When he wasn’t defending the nation, Rule worked his way up the corporate ladder until he was recruited to take over control of United States Playing Card Company, makers of the famous Bicycle and Aviator brands. “I turned the company around and eventually bought control.”

Rule with Captain Immy Kitchell aboard the Fuujin.

Once the business was in the black, he sold it back to the investors and retired. Rule’s golden years didn’t last long. “My son, Brad, suggested I buy a company, so I bought a hamburger restaurant.” He’s built the chain to 75 stores and Brad runs day-to-day operations. Rule laughs, “I get the best of both worlds, my son runs the company and I come in a couple times a month.”

This arrangement leaves Rule with plenty of time for fishing. After a great run in Orange Beach, Rule sold his boat. “I went fishing in Costa Rica and decided I wanted my own boat.” He had a 54-foot Viking built and shipped to Golfito in 2009. “The boat has never known any other water.” In 2012, Rule hired Captain Jimmy Kitchell to run the new Fuujin. The team has fished in some of the biggest tournaments, but these days they focus on smaller events and fun fishing. “Ron has been fishing tournaments for 40 years,” his captain explains.

Kitchell calls Rule his boss and mentor, and stepfather. “I introduced him to my mom and the two got married!” Kitchell laughs. He says Rule is a dedicated angler. “He fishes all day holding the line,” Kitchell marvels.

Rule is tough, too. On one fishing trip, a sailfish charged the boat and jumped into the cockpit. “It hit Ron on the shoulder and bounced off,” Kitchell says. Rule had black slime on his shirt. Kitchell chuckles, “He’s John Wayne in a pair of Tevas.” If that endorsement were not enough, Rule is also 88 years of age.

Ron Rule catching blue marlin stand up at age 88.

The team recently took a trip to the FADs off Costa Rica where they released 22 marlin in two-and-a-half days. “That’s a real load!” Rule gets excited. The crew lucked into a calm weather window during a full moon. Kitchell adds, “Ron caught 12 of the fish. He was standing by his rod until the last minute.”

Rule remembers another trip when they released 42 sailfish. “There’s no better fishing than Costa Rica,” Rule says. After ten years fishing out of Los Sueños, he still loves the area and people. “We like to go out and fish, it’s a great place to have a good time.”

Most recently, Rule has become involved with Freedom Alliance, an organization that gives veterans meaningful experiences. Fuujin, along with a group of Los Sueños boats, hosts wounded warriors for fishing and relaxation. “It is good for them and good for me,” Rule says. For the moment, when a big fish is on the line, everyone forgets everything and focuses on the action. Later, the memories help to ease the pain. “These guys have seen some bad stuff,” Rule says.

Rule enjoyed the experience so much he hopes to host Freedom Alliance veterans at his recently-purchased ranch in Montana. “We have a stream called Fish Creek,” he says. The ranch also offers accommodations for therapeutic horse riding.

At 88 years old, Rule hasn’t stopped exploring. “People asked why I bought a ranch when I don’t know anything about ranching,” Rule laughs. “I tell them, ‘That’s why I bought the ranch!’” Rule takes that attitude to every endeavor, which explains his passion for offshore fishing. “It’s always interesting,” he says.

Kona’s Capt. Shane O’Brien: $2.7 Million in Tournament Winnings at Age 30

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CAPTAIN SHANE O’BRIEN
Strong Persuader
43 Merritt, Kona, Hawaii
Wild Hooker: 68 Blackwell
Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Owner: Allen Stuart

By Charlie Levine
Multigenerational fishing families run deep in Kona, Hawaii. The Big Island breeds good fishermen because the well-worn skills are handed down from captain to son (or daughter). Once inherited, fishing ability is modified, improved upon – rinsed and repeated. Thirty-year-old Captain Shane O’Brien is definitely part of that tradition.

Shane’s father, Fran O’Brien is one of the best wiremen in the business. He’s pulled on more granders than any other person in Kona. When Capt. Bart Miller had the notorious 1,656-blue marlin on, Fran jumped over from Bobby Brown’s No Problem and wired the fish. His fishing acumen runs deep, and he has passed it down to Shane. While the two O’Briens never fished together much  professionally, the elder captain opened many doors for his son.

“My dad introduced me to everyone and made it easy to get in the fishing business here,” Shane says. “He gave me every contact in the world.” At 12-years-old, Shane scored his first fishing job as a mate on a small charter outfit, making a whopping $20 a day. “I would’ve done it for free,” Shane says. “On the first day we caught a 465-pound marlin and I got to gaff it. Th at was the first fl yer I ever threw. He probably gave me a little more freedom than he should have, but I’m glad he did. It worked out.” Shane never looked back.

The next captain to take Shane under his wing was Kerwin Masunaga, a commercial captain and just about the fishiest guy you could meet (Masunaga was named InTheBite Hawaii Division Captain of the Year in 2017 and 2018). Together they’d target tuna, wahoo and a lot of bottom fish from Masunaga’s 34-footer. They’d run two- to four-day trips down to the southside of the island. It was a quick education for Shane in a range of fishing types, as well as boat handling and tackle prep.

O’Brien’s Kona dream machine – the Strong Persuader, a classic 43-foot Merritt.

When he turned 16, Shane started crewing one of the better charter boats, Foxy Lady, with Capt. Boyd Decoito during the summer. When he was 17, he got his first big tournament win. Th e boat took home $112,000. Th at win changed everything. Not only did he put some money in his pocket, he got to win with Allen Stuart – the man who would ultimately hire Shane to fish tournaments in Cabo and the Gulf Coast.

“When you win a big tournament like that, especially at 17… I was just high on life,” Shane says. Later that year Shane fished the Bisbee with Allen on the 61-foot C-Ya. They caught a couple small fish and didn’t place in the money but it was the same year that the crew on Bad Company won $3.9 million. “It was exciting to be around that kind of money,” Shane says. And seeing that crew accept that big check put an image in Shane’s mind of what he wanted to achieve as a captain. He didn’t wait long and got his captain’s license when he turned 18.

In 2007, Stuart bought the Five Star, a beautiful 1979, 43-foot Merritt stationed in Kona and named it the Strong Persuader. Aussie captain Craig Denham ran it and Shane worked under him and would fill in when Denham was gone. Before long, Shane was running the boat full time. “I’d decided I wanted to be a captain after I met my boss and knew there was longevity with him,” Shane says. “So many guys blaze in, fish one or two years and get out. With Allen, as far as fishing goes, he truly enjoys it.

He’s not doing it for the glory, or fame. He has a good time and has traveled the world.” For the first few years running the boat in Kona, Shane would fish with Allen three to four weeks straight in June and July. “We’d go hard,” he says. “We’d be the first to leave and come back after everybody was in. We’d stay out on the grounds overnight to get more fishing time in.” Their drive paid off. Shane and Allen won the second tournament they fished that year, the Skins, and took home $130,000. “As a brand new captain, it was exciting. It gave me a lot of drive,” Shane says. The operation expanded. Allen added the Wild Hooker, a 61-foot Blackwell stationed in Cabo and a second Wild Hooker, a 68 Blackwell to fish the Gulf of Mexico tournament circuit. They were soon fishing 10 to 14 events each year.

A young captain with an impressive tournament resume, Shane O’Brien is a name to remember.

They’d start pre-fishing the Gulf in April and May to get ready for the tournaments in Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and the Florida Panhandle. When those tournaments were done, they’d park the boat, fly to Hawaii
and fish four or five more events including the World Cup. Then it was back to the Gulf for late July. Sometimes they’d add in some Texas tournaments. Then off to Baja for the Bisbee’s and Los Cabos. That’s a lot of water and a lot of different styles of fishing.

“Live-baiting is pretty familiar to me, growing up in Hawaii,” Shane says. “The biggest difference is navigating the Gulf. We’d run 300 miles one way to fish these rigs in the middle of the Gulf. Then we’d go back to Hawaii where you might put the lures in one mile offshore. You’re always adapting but it’s the same core principles. Current, water temperature and structure and the basic ingredients for blue marlin. Then you put a few twists on it by networking with local boats.” Fishing in the Gulf can be excellent, but it’s a lot of effort and a lot of fuel. Shane says it wasn’t uncommon for them to burn 3,400 gallons a trip.

Like any good captain, a large portion of Shane’s responsibility takes place below the waterline. Fixing systems, updating electronics and when you have an old Merritt, a lot of varnish work. Being from Hawaii, where there is not an abundance of tradesmen around, you have to learn how to care for your boats yourself. That’s something he learned from his father – and the many other top captains in Kona. “All of the guys out here
are so good, and almost all of them helped me,” he says. “They’re always open with information, always answering questions. A lot of the captains here feel like my uncles.”

Shane’s boss just sold the 61 Blackwell and moved the 68 down to Cabo so the operation is purely Pacific now, but he’s still fishing the Gulf on friends’ boats. It’s hard to resist the opportunity to add some more trophies and dollar signs to the $2.7 million he’s already been a part of in his young career.

A young captain with an impressive tournament resume, Shane O’Brien is a name to remember.

Very Few Men Qualify as Legend, as Pioneer… Jack Morrow Does!

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By Capt. Jeff Waxman

Capt. Jack Morrow came of age in Palm Beach, Florida during the hey day of Cat Cay and as sportfishing in the Caribbean came into its own. After nearly 70 years on the water, Morrow shares his perspective.

There are hallmarks among the cadre of Top Guns in our sport. It’s a bit like the fishing version of “masculine measurement.” It often goes a bit like this….

Catch multiple blue marlin in one day? Check. Catch double digit sails in couple hours? Check. How about multiple giant tuna in one day? Check. Multiple sails? How about 54 in about a half day? Check. While these statistics have become somewhat common place these days – with all of the technology and communication, Captain Jack Morrow’s career began in the mid-1950s. As he says, “I am glad I did what I did, when I did it.” Growing up in Singer Island, Florida, Jack would ride his bike to the boatyard and marina to help clean boats while in grade school. He was paid 50 cents a boat then.

Quickly, a couple of realizations came about… First, he really liked being around boats and boat folks. Secondly, he was welcomed and treated very well in this new world. And of course, once he hung about, he was invited to ride out and see what it was all about…and he was fascinated. His first mate job was with Captain Dennis Killane aboard the Ho Hum, for which he was paid $2 for a half day and $4 for a full day. They were fishing with linen line and piano wire in those days.

Capt. Jack Morrow, bottom left, with the second place blue marlin in the 1970 Hatteras Blue Marlin Tournament.

At the age of 14, he cut school and went on his first true offshore foray to Walkers Cay, when Walkers was in its heyday. Morrow caught his first blue marlin on the trip with Captain Jerry Black aboard the Jolly Roger. And thus, began a truly exceptional life on the water…as a top-notch mate, graduating to wireman. Then on to charter captain and private captain. Jack grew up at a time in a place where bluewater sportfishing was coming into its own. These days there are sportfishers dispersed far and wide, in most every place you look. In the late 1950s, this was not the case. Morrow grew up near Bill’s Sailfish Marina in Palm Beach. The list of captains and boats he worked aboard reads like an IGFA documentary.

Captain Frank Ardine ran the Sail Ahoy – the first Rybovich charter boat. There was Captain Robert Rast aboard the Comanche. Captain Bobby Haines was one of Morrow’s most influential mentors. He was tragically killed when he was electrocuted in the engine room of his boat – Morrow carried him out. There was Captain Johnny Thomas on the charter boat Joker and the Wendy II owned by Al Nathan. Morrow was perfectly positioned (and endowed with all of the passion necessary) to fish the early Rybovich boats or Merritts. The boats and the folks were the best of the best. Everyone looks back on who influenced them. In Jack’s case, some of the names themselves qualify as pioneers – folks like Jerry Black, Bob Rast, Bobby Haines, Frank Ardine, Jack Stephens and Johnny Thomas.

Coming of age in such an influential place, it was not long before Captain Jack was himself fishing in some of the best places – and himself being recognized. Think about it carefully…and imagine being the top dog in St. Thomas during the blue marlin season. Or, of being top in New England catching giant bluefins. How about being the captain requested by both the top anglers and the rich and famous? Morrow was all of these things. “In the late 50s/60s, not many boats traveled. Walker’s and Chub Cay were really far in those days – most places beyond those two were seldom fished. Bimini and Cat Cay were the popular charter destinations. When I started going to St. Thomas, we were one of the first boats on the North Drop,” Morrow recalls. “Jerry Black owned the marina – the Lagoon Fishing Center.

Morrow’s career brought him into contact with the who’s who of fishing. Here is Morrow, Paul Newman and Greg Garvey in 2008.

If you saw eight or 10 boats on the North Drop that was a lot – a lot of days, I’d be the only one.” With the opportunity to speak with someone with so much depth and experience, it’s interesting to understand the drivers that push them to the top. In Jack’s case, the answers are clear. “I liked it all. I love the giant tuna bite, I love the blue marlin bite, but truth be told…I love it all!” This passion helps to understand how and why he’s earned his place…and The IGFA’s Tommy Gifford Top Captain Award as well. The Tommy Gifford Award, named after one of the world’s great charter captains, is a high honor awarded to recipients in “recognition of their extraordinary contributions to the advancement of sport fishing through innovation, outstanding catches or noteworthy examples of leadership in their trade.” Morrow is most proud, however, of the recognition by his peers.

In the course of being recognized for his body of work, Morrow was the first to win the Master’s Sailfish Tournament twice. He also won the legendary Cat Cay Tuna Tournament. Beyond the tournament successes, there was epic fishing. The trip with Johnny Morris, founder of Bass Pro Shops, when they caught seven giant bluefins in one day off Chatham, Mass aboard the Pretty Patti. These were all big weighing 600-800 pounds, but owner George Markham caught the biggest weighing in at 1025. Morrow also caught nine blue marlin in one day off the North Drop out of St Thomas…biggest weighing in at 825! How about 25 blue marlin in five days…that was a record that stood for 18 years!

A nice Montauk swordfish from 1960.

And, note that these catches were big fish caught trolling dead bait (generally Spanish on long rigger) with single strand wire. This was very different from fast trolling lures around the FADs. Beyond the fishing, there was also the dock comedy. The policy of getting dunked after first billfish was always a fun scene. As always, Jack was the guy who did the push off the dock…owners, high flyers (singers Mel Tillis, Perry Como or Alan Jackson – he performed boat deliveries for Jackson), movie stars, all got the same treatment to everyone’s amusement. But, one in particular sticks in his mind. It occurred at Jerry Black’s Lagoon Fishing Center in St Thomas. A very pretty, well dressed young woman, perhaps best described as “prissy” – with perfect bowling alley hair and a very expensive matching outfit caught her first billfish.

It was also likely her last…because she got the same treatment from Capt. Jack…you can imagine the result. Jack chuckles about it to this day. But, dig a bit deeper into the funny incidents and they become what we all love about this sport. Good fishing with good anglers always makes for a day of fun and laughs! After more than 55 years of running Rybovich and Merritt boats, Morrow’s last job was running the Boys-R-Us, a 65-foot Viking owned by Greg Garvey.

These days he still travels on long trips aboard the boat, but his youngest son Kevin is the captain. “I was very fortunate to have both of my sons work with me, each for about eight or nine years,” Jack recalls. Captain Tom Morrow, Jack’s other son, mated for him aboard the Juro, a 65-foot Merritt, that fished the Northeast. Jack recalls how each of his sons were skilled mates who have grown into capable captains. “If you don’t have a good mate, you don’t have much. They can make you or break you,” he says. In addition to his sons, Morrow names Ted Tardonia (Pretty Patti) and Tim Sperling (No Problem), as a couple of the more memorable mates he’s worked with in his career.

But, as in the case with most folks who reach this level of success, the true essence of the man is not the accomplishments nor the specifics. Rather it is the man himself. And, though most of us can never reach his level of fishing accomplishment, we can all learn from Jack. When taking away from the story of Captain Jack Morrow, two lessons emerge: 1. Never stop both learning and teaching. They are one and the same. In his own words “If you think you know a lot, you’ve got a lot to learn.” 2. Treat everyone with respect and care…pay it forward.

Double Zero: The Importance of Hiring a Crew

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Double zero is the term we have used in this business for as long as I can remember. It stands for owner/operator, or boats with no crews. Having a boat without a dedicated crew doesn’t make sense. The owners of these boats may think they are saving money by hiring a wash down and wax crew to keep their boats shiny two days a month. Some owner/operators think that’s all there is to it!

Some of these owner/operators don’t seem to realize just how much more there is to maintaining a fifty, sixty, or seventy- foot sportfish boat. On numerous occasions, I’ve witnessed double zeros come down to the dock with their friends and guests to use their boat. The boat is clean and shiny, but for some reason it won’t crank. Maybe one engine cranks, but the other one won’t. Or, the AC is not working, and it’s hot as blazes on the inside.

Maybe the pumps have burnt up because the sea strainer has been clogged for days, or the water manifold is leaking because of electrolysis. Maybe the bilge is full of water, bonding wires are broken, or the water maker won’t work for lack of maintenance. The ice maker may be tripping the breaker or the windless is frozen from lack of maintenance. You get the picture! (Turns out that keeping a sportfisher in working order can be a full-time job—or full-time jobs for three people)!

These are just a few of the many systems on the boat that need continual maintenance. The sad part is now the owner and all his friends are standing around on the dock in hopes that a crew from another boat can help him get his boat up and running so they can go have fun. All the money he thought he was saving just goes into repairs that could have been avoided if he had a good crew. Maybe he wants to just drive the boat? I say go ahead and drive the boat, but keep a good crew on so when you come down it’s drivable. Also, remember one of the top customers for prop shops are owner/operators!

In my opinion, at the very least, you should have one full-time captain on the payroll. That said, it sure makes it tough for one man to be left in charge—especially if the boat is being moderately used. Using freelance mates is an option; however, there have been several situations I’ve seen where the owner calls and wants to go fishing or use the boat for business or pleasure, and the captain is left scrambling to find help because everyone is busy. If you are going to operate a boat like this, it is a must to schedule your fishing and boating events well in advance so the captain can book freelance help. Even then that can backfire.

With a good crew on board you will save time and frustration but, of course, that only happens when the crew is “good.” That’s a whole other story. With a hired crew, you’ll catch more fish with less headache for sure. We haven’t even talked about the safety issues being an owner/operator. Bottom line is if you can’t afford a full-time professional crew. you might want to consider putting your boat up for sale and chartering until things improve. From my perspective, the cost of hiring a full-time crew for a sportfish boat should be considered not a
luxury item, but part of the operating cost of the boat itself—like dockage, fuel, and everything else that you need for things to work properly.

– That’s my two-minute warning. Fraz

Hookup to Plate

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By Ric Burnley

As soon as tuna reports leak onto the Internet, people go crazy. The day after a hot bite, every charter boat is booked and the launch ramp is backed up a mile. The madness has many causes. Tuna live in a beautiful place. They promise an explosive strike followed by a bull-dog fight. But most of all, tuna are delicious. From the hook to the dinner table, tuna are one of the most valuable fish in the ocean. From hook up to the table, the following is a best practice for making the most of your next tuna.

From Hook Up to Fish Box

A quick photo, then pack the fish on ice. Removing a gill flap and the innards and packing the fish’s cavity with ice speeds cooling time.

The big draw is the tuna’s thick, red meat. On the plate, it looks like a dark, red ruby. On the tongue, it feels like cool butter and tastes like sweet sea water. Tuna is one of the highest priced meat on the market. Connoisseurs will fight for it. To protect the quality of this delicacy, experts start caring for their catch as soon as the tuna takes the bait. Captain Greg Mayer chases tuna year-round off North Carolina’s Outer Banks. As captain of the Fishing Frenzy, he splits his time between commercial and charter fishing. He’s also the top captain on the National Geographic Channel’s “Wicked Tuna North vs. South.”

“As soon as the fish starts to fight, lactic acid builds up in the meat,” he says. Mayer keeps the fight as short as possible without overpowering the fish. When it gets close to the boat, he’s careful where he places the gaff or harpoon. “Hit it in the head,” he recommends, “if you don’t you could ruin 10 to 20 pounds of meat.” For yellowfin tuna, he stacks them in his fishbox like cord wood. “Wait until they die before adding ice,” he says, “the fish will often kick off the ice.” He carries 400-pounds of ice every day. “Even when we’re fishing for dolphin, we carry a full load of ice in case we catch a bigeye.”

When he catches a bluefin, he brings it alongside the boat and places a large hook in the fish’s jaw. “I swim the fish beside the boat to lower the lactic acid,” he says. Mayer cuts the gill latch and lets the fish bleed out. “By watching the blood pump out, I can tell when the heart stops pumping.” Once the fish is on the deck, he secures the tail and head to cleats so the tuna doesn’t bang around and bruise the meat. “Whatever side is down will stay down until the fish sells at auction,” he adds.

With the fish stationary, the crew goes to work with a six-inch Dexter boning knife and a slime knife removing one gill plate to access the fish’s gills and innards. “A lot of guys use a serrated edge,” Mayer admits. “But I don’t like the damage the serrated edge could do to the meat or my hand.” With the innards carved out, he packs the cavity with ice. For a detailed step-by-step description of the process, check out Woods Hole Oceanic Institute website (https://web.whoi.edu) under Tips on Tuna Handling.

Mayer covers the fish’s skin with rice paper to protect the color and texture. Then the fish is placed in a large fish bag and surrounded more ice. Bluefin tuna have the unique ability to warm their blood. Expect the fish to burn through a lot of ice. Continually refresh the ice on the ride back to the dock.

Middle Man: The Seafood Professional’s Perspective

For many, a prepared tuna loin is the most exciting part of the whole process.

When a commercial crew returns to port with a bluefin tuna, Lucas Pina, general manager at North Atlantic Traders is waiting to meet them. Pina’s job is to get the best quality tuna to market. For Pina, the most important factor is ice.

Pina credits captains like Mayer who take care of the fish before bringing it to the dock. Cooling the fish starts with swimming it beside the boat, cleaning the fish and packing it with ice. “Keep adding ice and draining water,” he suggests. It can take hours to bring a tuna’s temperature under 40 degrees. The process continues when the fish hits the dock. Pina measures quality of all tuna by looking at the meat. “It should be bright pink and translucent,” he says. Grading bluefin tuna requires years of experience and fine-tuned senses. “You have to see a lot to grade tuna,” he says, “like evaluating a fine wine.”

When it comes to preparing the tuna for dinner, sinking the gaffs is only the  beginning.

“A lot of factors can affect how much fat is in the meat,” he says, pointing to where the fish was caught and what it was eating. The process starts with the whole fish. A round, fat tuna with shiny, silver skin will have the best meat. Pina considers how the meat looks, smells and feels. To sample the meat, he takes a slice out of the base of the tuna’s tail and a plug from behind the
pectoral fin. The key to quality is fat content. “Thick lines of fat will indicate fat content in the belly,” he explains. He looks for swirls of white fat at the edges of the sample, like marbling in beef.

Then, he pinches the meat between his fingers to test its greasiness. While he’s evaluating the meat, the fish is back on ice and prepared to truck to the processing plant. “Don’t leave the fish on the dock or hold it up in the sunshine to take photos,” he says. The cooling process continues at the processor where the fish is packed in ice or even soaked in a cold brine to further bring the temperature down. Pina recommends completely cooling the fish before cleaning it. “I would leave it on ice for 24 hours or more before cleaning it,” he says. “Some chefs will wait two days before cutting a tuna.” Not only does this improve the quality of the meat, but it firms the flesh making it easier to clean and handle without damaging it.

From the second the fish hits the dock, it’s a race against time to get it to market while it’s fresh. Pina says freezing the tuna dramatically changes the texture, appearance and taste of the meat. If the whole fish can’t be consumed fresh the best practice is to vacuum seal the meat before freezing it to remove excess moisture and air. Next a bluefi n tuna heads to the processing plant for further cooling and grading. “We pull fish that will be sent overseas, separate out fish that will go to high-end local customers and red meat for other buyers,” he explains. Fish heading to Japan are packed in boxes on ice and sent via Federal Express. A bluefin can go from the dock to the auction block in Japan in 48-hours.

Intense competition in the wholesale fish market and FDA regulations keep his tuna at top quality. For recreational anglers, respect for the fish and the time and energy required to harvest a tuna should encourage him to maintain the highest possible quality.

On the Plate: The Chef ’s Take

Chef Carey McPhee of Waterman’s in Virginia Beach knows his way around the tuna sandwich.

All the excitement and energy comes down to one thing, a slice of tuna on the plate. As chef at Waterman’s in Virginia Beach, Carey McPhee puts hundreds of tuna slices on plates every night. “We buy 200 to 300 pounds of tuna each week,” he says, “I ask a lot of questions.”

His first questions is about the origin of the fish. McPhee says some tuna are imported from South America and other times tuna may be in a hold for weeks. “By the time it hits the dock it’s practically frozen.” Fresh tuna, McPhee says, is firm and dry, not slimy. “Just because tuna isn’t bright red doesn’t mean it’s fresh,” he says. The origin of the fish and what it eats can affect how it looks.

McPhee buys tuna loins and removes the off-color line of dark meat. He then slices the loin into steaks. “At least an inch thick,” he says, “thicker is better for cooking tuna.” He uses a seven-inch fillet knife to cut the loin across the grain. He doesn’t rinse off the meat and avoids all contact with water. He pats each steak dry with a towel and wraps it with cellophane before putting it on a perforated metal tray filled with ice. That tray is placed in another tray that catches the meltwater. “Ice keeps the steaks cold and moist,”

McPhee says, but he stresses that the meat must stay out of any water. The key to cooking tuna is using high heat to sear the outside while leaving the inside raw. “Ideally, a tuna steak should be cold in the middle,” he adds. For blackened tuna, he only seasons one side of the steak. “Cook it a minute on the non-seasoned side then a little longer on the seasoned side,” he instructs.

High temperature and short cook time crust the seasoning and transfer more flavor to the meat. Fresh fish can last a couple days on ice, but McPhee doesn’t keep them around long. “We go through them fast,” he says. He buys hundreds of pounds of tuna each week, it’s one of the most popular dishes on the menu. “People are crazy about tuna,” he says.

No Worries Mate: Working a Season on the Great Barrier Reef

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Photo courtesy Dave Ferrell

By Dave Ferrell

Grander marlin popped up like ants at a summer picnic this past November on the Great Barrier Reef, providing lucky anglers and crews with some of the best black marlin fishing they’ve seen here for some time. According to Granderwatch.com, boats took or released 15 fish over 1,000 pounds this year, with two weighing over 1,200 and one topping 1,400! (And the way they routinely let go of 900-pluses on the Reef, you can rest assured crews caught plenty more). Th e 1,431-pounder, caught on the Too Easy II on November 29 with Capt. Russel Gage at the helm, narrowly missed Capt. Peter Wright’s Australian-record fish weighing 1,442-pounds caught way back in 1973!

Not only do you get to use the heaviest tackle and the biggest baits to catch the biggest fish, you get to leader those fish on .040 wire or 600-pound-plus mono…and use the gaffs when they are big enough! It’s a learning experience that you really can’t get anywhere else in the world. So yeah, everybody who wants to pull on a big fish wants to work on the Reef for at least a season…and if you are serious about fishing as your profession, you should. But it’s not all “Granders every day and rum all night” either…a season on the Reef means long, hard days with barely any time off. You cook, clean and fish nonstop for 60-plus days, almost 24 hours a day. You do pay a price for every big girl you get to pull on…but it’s worth every penny.

This 1,431-pound black, caught aboard the Too Easy II in 2018, was a mere 20 pounds off the Australian record. Photo courtesy Dave Ferrell

Not a Regular Gig

Nicholas “Nick” Bovell gets around. A good fisherman with a tremendous work ethic, Bovell hails from Trinidad, but has fished all over the world with some of the best crews in the business – including stints on Gray Ingram’s Big Oh. He’s seen a lot of big fish on the leader and he knows how to get them in the boat – a skill that’s become increasingly rare since most sportfishing crews let the vast majority of their fish go unless they are in a big-fish, big-money tournament.

Those skills with a gaff make him a prized team member for crews looking to take big fish…That’s precisely how he wound up on the Adventum with Capt. Darren “Biggles” Haydon in 2018 for his third season on the Great Barrier Reef.

Bovell came to fish on the brand new Adventum thanks to Haydon’s relationship with the boat’s proud new owner, Kevin Hodgson, from South Africa. Hodgson hosted Captain Haydon on a trip to Cape Verde to fish his big boat. It was in Cape Verde that Haydon talked to the new owner and his captain, Dean Comberbach, about a possible first mate for the boat’s first season on the reef. Comberbach, who would be coming along for the boat’s maiden season as the second mate, brought up Bovell’s name.

“I was looking for the right job and was grateful for the chance to come back here. There are a finite number of boats and spots each season, especially good ones,” says Bovell. “The fish on the Reef are the biggest in the world and they test everything,” says Bovell. “And it all starts with the bait fishing in the morning…everything has to be perfect. There’s no Baitmasters out there, so you have to catch and process all of your own bait.”

You go through a lot of bait when you are black marlin fishing on the reef, even if you are only pulling two or three at time. Everything in Australia sports a nasty set of teeth and chop-offs can come fast and furious. “The sheer volume of everything is a lot more than I expected,” said Comberbach, “Catching and processing a lot more bait than I’m used to was a big adjustment. Instead of having ten baits rigged and ready, you need 20 here. Looking after your baits is such a critical element to this fishery. The boats are mainly set up for taking care of bait; with good brine boxes, freezers, storage…everything. The attention to detail in every aspect was startling. The weather is a big factor too… It can blow like hell for an entire month…20 knots…which just makes everything a bit harder.”

“You certainly don’t have to rig scad like you do here anywhere else in the world,” says Bovell. “Bait rigging here is an art form, and I’ve learned from some of the best guys. This place can humble anyone really quick. The mates here are really good fisherman who  have worked with some of the best captains, who, in turn, were some of the best mates. And they all catch the biggest fish in the world. I’m so grateful the for local mates that have taught me. They have been very welcoming. If you’re not cocky and a dick they are very welcoming. Dave Cassar helped me out a lot; and Jay and Rhys [Reese] on the Askari and Dean Ford. I’m very grateful that they let me come and enjoy their fishery. They all have a lot of knowledge and have seen a lot of big fish…you can learn if you listen.” “You just can’t buy a boat and come here and do this shit!” says Comberbach. “Just listen and learn. Put your ego aside. If you are not hitting the bed entirely wore out every night, you’re doing it wrong.”

The ever-present opportunity to wire big blacks keep mates keen for the long heavy tackle season. Photo courtesy Dave Ferrell

Long Days

One unique aspect of the Great Barrier Reef fishery presents one of the biggest challenges for any crewman who wants to spend a season on the reef – the live aboard charter. A fishing trip to Australia takes a lot of time, money and commitment. Charters here usually run five days or more, with an average charter lasting ten days. Most of these are done without the benefit of a mothership – with the charter and crew sharing close quarters for the duration of the trip. Most of the charter boats here are 50-feet or less. This means that cooking three squares a day (plus snacks), doing laundry, washing tons of dishes and trying to make sure you guests have a great trip…no matter what kind of fishing or weather you might encounter – is all done in close quarters. It’s a 24/7 job that you never get to leave. There are no trips home until the season is over.

This is what it’s all about. This is also why you rig a lot of bait. Photo courtesy Dave Ferrell

“It’s not that hard, it’s just different. Not going home or getting off the boat each day, a lot of guys have a hard time with that aspect. A lot of the guys from North Carolina make it; not so much the sailfish guys from south Florida,” says Bovell with a grin. With everything going on at once, Bovell likes to establish a routine and stick to it. “Since you are essentially a floating hotel and restaurant, getting into a good routine ensures that you don’t forget to do something. We can’t control the fishing, but we can control what you eat and how much fun you have. I’m not the guy who likes to stay up late and entertain, I get up early and clean all the heads. I tap out early and let Dean stay up late…hangovers are the worst!”

When working a season in the cockpit, prepare to rig lots of baits… and big ones. Photo courtesy Dave Ferrell

“You certainly provide a lot more than just the fishing,” agrees Comberbach. “You have to provide entertainment above and beyond. You are still on when the sun goes down.” Although he agrees that a routine keeps things humming, Comberbach also realizes the need to know when to make adjustments to fit each client. “You really get to know your clients when you are with them 24 hours a day. You can start to anticipate what they are going to need or want. If a guy is going through a ton a of beer a day, you have to make sure to make time to get those beers into the cooler so you don’t run out of cold ones!” With just a short 60- or 70-day window to the big fish season, crews scramble to come into port with one charter and leave the next day with another. After a fi ve or 10-day trip there’s a whole host of cleaning and provisioning chores that need to be executed in a very short amount of time.

“You have to pull all the sheets and get all the laundry done and then you have to make the boat look like it’s the first day of the season. I like a clean boat. Th e clients appreciate it and it makes things easy for us as well…less hassle,” says Bovell. “Team work makes the dream work…and it takes a really good team to go 60 or 70 days straight here.” “We spent 30 days with one charter, the owner Kevin Hodgson, and we had one half day in Cooktown,” says Comberbach. “We were on this brand-new boat and we were working a few things out…fortunately nothing major occurred and we never missed a day of fi shing. You just have to build some trust with each other and do a good job. It helps if you have a great captain like Biggles. Capt. Haydon is amazing. He makes the hard stuff look easy…his program is sick.”

Mates Rhys Younan-Wise (left) and Jay Househan of the Askari. Photo courtesy Dave Ferrell

Keen

Aussies still frequently use a lot of words that American English speakers have largely abandoned – with “feral,” meaning “wild,” an obvious favorite of mine. (Ferrell-feral … get it?) “Keen” is another example. Keen pretty much translates as “eager” or “hungry” to do something. According to local Aussie mate, Rhys Younan-Wise (pronounced Reese Uniwize), on the Askari, “keenness” for fishing is the most important thing a mate can bring to Great Barrier Reef when looking for a job. “Th ey can expect hard work and long days…you need to be keen. You need to be a very keen fisherman to be able to handle it and do it for the whole season. Lots of rookies show up…and lots of rookies do really well. But to perform consistently for the entire season you really have to want it. It’s a long slog, but good fun!” he says. “It’s all worth it when you finally get here and catch the big one,” says Jay Househan, Askari’s second mate. In addition to being keen, that Younan-Wise suggests making sure you have a job lined up before you get there. “

These days, with all the Facebook and other social media, it’s a smart move to get in contact with a lot of people and let them know that you are wanting to come. Get your name out there among the captains and mates. It shouldn’t be too hard to get a bit of work. And once you’ve done it, your name gets around pretty quick. It’s not hard after that if you do a good job. Just make sure you get your name out there before you turn up. If you turn up without a job…just keep walking the docks. Keep talking to people and making friends. Keep asking all the captains…somebody is going to go down during the season.” “You don’t do it for the money either,” says Bovell. “You get paid, but it’s not a whole lot.” It’s the experience that keeps you coming back. “The wildness of this place, out on the reef at night, with all the jacks in the lights it’s just indescribable,” says Comberbach. Comberbach got a real treat during his first season when the Adventum caught a big fish for the owner.

“We wanted to take a big one for Kevin. He’s always wanted a big one and we were working hard towards doing it. To get it done you have to have a plan.” The plan came together on October 29th and Dean was on the gaff. Dean made a perfect shot in the dark under the lights and the team got the 1,260-pounder into the boat. It was Capt. Haydon’s biggest fish in his 31 years on the reef. Can you imagine? Your first year on the reef, sticking a 1,260 in the dark? Gives me a horn just thinking about it.