NOAA Southeast Fisheries, Jan. 14, 2022—Anyone involved in a tagging program is excited when they get a report of a recapture since these are the lynchpin of a volunteer, constituent based program. So when scientists with NOAA’s Southeast Fisheries Science Center were notified just after Thanksgiving that a few tagged sailfish had been recaptured, they were thrilled.
Photo courtesy IGFA
DANIA BEACH, FL – July 26, 2021—The International Game Fish Association (IGFA)announced the addition of a fly-fishing category for its All-Tackle Length record program; a record program that requires the potential record catch to be released alive.
The IGFA All-Tackle Length record program was launched a decade ago in 2011 and there are currently 117 eligible species for this program in both fresh and saltwater, chosen specifically for their ability to be safely handled and released alive.
The Old Reliable Crew
By Nick Smith
On July 7, 2013 the Old Reliable raised 103 blue marlin and scored 18 releases on the flyrod. In three days we raised 169 blue marlin and released 37, all on the fly.
The seed was planted for this adventure three years earlier when we saw a blog claiming an astonishing number of blue marlin encounters far off the Pacific Coast of Central America. The area was probably first discovered by someone pulling lures on the long run to Isla de Cocos and the impressive number of blue marlin was probably considered a fluke. But eventually other boats started to experience similar good fishing over the underwater seamounts in the same area and word started to leak out that something special was going on far beyond the established billfish grounds. [Read more…]
Also attached is a photo of our Top Boat, Fleur de Lis accepting the C.R. Bob Potter Memorial Trophy for Top Billfish Boat, along with an invitation to fish the Offshore World Championship in 2022. Photo courtesy Cajun Canyons Billfish Tournament
The 17th annual Cajun Canyons Billfish Tournament (June 1-6, 2021), presented by H&E Equipment Services, featured 35 boats fishing for a total purse of $689,500. Hosted by Cypress Cove Lodge & Marina in Venice, Louisiana, the tournament attracted a fleet ranging from 37 to 95 feet in length and represented each of the five Gulf Coast states.
With the storms following the tournaments north, the East Coast teams geared up for the 2021 Cape Fear Blue Marlin Tournament. A total of 26 boats headed offshore on June 2 in search of whiteys, blues and dolphin. Due to foul weather preventing fishing on the second day, the teams were out in full force on the third and final day.
Team J&B, a 55′ Wanchese out of Oriental, North Carolina captained by Alan Murray, won first place with a nice doubleheader followed by Horse with captain and owner Les Edwards. 18 Reeler won first place with their dolphin and Jimmy Vass won the Eddy Haneman Sportsmanship Award. A job well done to all the teams.
ITB Staff
The hard part’s over: you’ve successfully battled a nice blue marlin, the mate’s taken his wraps on the leader and you’ll be flying at least one more flag this afternoon. Now what? Should you try to get your hook(s) back, and if so, what’s the best way to do it without a) getting someone hurt, b) taking a nice chunk out of the boat or c) killing the fish in the process? [Read more…]
On the starboard halyard, billfish flags are to be arranged by species significance.
ITB Staff
It was long before social media revealed daily fishing reports that fish flags were used to publicly announce one’s success on the water. History credits The Tuna Club of Santa Catalina for the introduction of fish capture flags that were oversized and colored so nearby boats could be alerted to tuna, swordfish and marlin landings.
Describing fishing as long periods of boredom followed by frantic seconds of action was probably first written by a blue marlin fisherman. Who in their right mind enjoys riding around the deep blue ocean for hours on end, happy with just one encounter of the ocean’s apex predator—the blue marlin? Imagine yourself in the cockpit of a sportfisher looking aft at a boat wake and prop wash; lures and teasers bubbling for hours with no encounters. It’s boring!
Casting the fly to the blue marlin.
Nick Smith is one of the world’s foremost billfish fly anglers. Here’s his rundown of what to expect and how to handle what happens between hook up and successful release of a blue marlin on the fly. The following assumes 20-pound class tippet (things change with lower test class tippets). This description begins with the strike, once the fish has taken the fly.
