InTheBite

East Coast Dolphin Movements to Date

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As of June 11th, 2018, 656 dolphinfish have been tagged and released throughout our tagging zones by 66 captains in 170 outings.  Of those releases, 8 are recaptures recorded along the U.S. East Coast, 2 are return migrants from fish released last August, and 4 are satellite tags movements.  In the first week of June alone, the Killin’ Time IIFishing Team, led by Captain Don Gates, tagged and released 207 dolphin, 5 of which have been recaptured (as of 6/11).  This effort alone represents a 2.4% recapture rate.  To read more about movements of dolphin along the U.S. East Coast over the past few months, click here.  

Courtesy of Dolphin Research Program

Uncovering of Bertram Yachts Cutting-Edge 61

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BERTRAM YACHTS REVEALS CUTTING-EDGE 61

TAMPA, Fla., June 13, 2018 — Florida-based Bertram Yachts announces the debut of its second new model under the ownership of industrialist and yachting enthusiast Beniamino Gavio. The Bertram 61 is designed with the durability and quality of the original battlewagons, while utilizing the most advanced technologies and techniques, to build a better Bertram. The new model sets a new standard for Bertram and competitors in its class.

Since its inception in Tampa, Fla., Bertram has completed seventeen 35s, with delivery across North American, Puerto Rico, Japan, Italy, Bermuda, and Panama. The 61 prototype will debut in Fort Lauderdale, July 2018. To-date, reservations on hull numbers two through five have been placed.

The hull, designed by Michael Peters Yacht Design, is projected to provide top-of-the-line performance and speed, with twin CAT32s, 1900-HP diesels. A Seakeeper 16 gyro stabilizer unit will also be found in the engine room, just aft of the engines. Projected to eliminate 95% of the boats roll, the unit is critical to providing comfort for trolling anglers and cruisers alike.

“Our boats are designed to handle the worst of conditions with ease. Nothing about that has changed. Standardizing the Seakeeper is just one of the advanced features we’re adding to the boat, to take that next step into unprecedented quality of sportfishing boats. If we’ve got a hull that can go through anything, we need to make sure our customers are comfortable when they get there – and it is a testament to how we take care of owners,” says Tommy Thompson, VP Sales and Product Development.

Construction features an infused vinylester solid fiberglass hull bottom with Kevlar centerline and strake reinforcements. At full-load, the projected displacement is 92,450 lbs.

The spacious cockpit allows anglers to maneuver quickly and seamlessly, when the bite is on. The center console helm gives great visibility and affords a comfortable ride for more than just a couple passengers. The exterior is designed to take on the most rugged conditions, while the open salon-galley layout and full-beam master stateroom, are just a few of the features that make the interior one of luxury and comfort.

“In the spirit of Bertram’s relaunch, the salon wrap around windows are actually another great blast-from-the-past but done now using modern technology and virtually military grade glass. These windows are amazing,” says Thompson. “I can’t wait for everyone to see the view from inside a 61 Bertram.”

 

How Costa Rica became Costa Rica

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by Elliott Stark

With all of modern Costa Rica’s ease and amenity, it is easy to forget that Costa Rica hasn’t always been this way. The infrastructure enjoyed by residents and tourists are a relatively modern innovation. The first wave of traveling sportfishers came to the country in the 1980s. What these pioneers encountered upon their arrival was magical— virgin fisheries and rugged, untouched terrain. Sportfishing consisted of pockets of four boats here, six boats there, fishing without GPS or advanced bottom machines (rather as Captain Bubba Carter says— “using paper sounders and taking landmarks off of mountains.”)

What these early adopters may have lacked in marinas, logistics and the modern concept of civilization, was more than made up for in adventure. The incredible sailfish and black marlin bites is the stuff of legend. This is story of how Costa Rica of the late 1980s came to be the Costa Rica of today. It is told by those who were part of its evolution. If you do not find this fascinating, either I need to stop writing (for lack of skill) or you need to take up golf (because you do not like fishing)!

Mr. William Royster’s vision from cattle ranch to perhaps the world’s most sought after sportfishing residences, nothing symbolizes the evolution of Costa Rica quite like Los Sueños.

The Early Days

Bubba Carter is widely recognized as a central figure in the 1980s sportfishing scene. “My first time in Costa Rica was to Flamingo in 1985. We chartered Tom Bradwell on the Barbarella. At the time, there were four or so boats in Flamingo,” Carter reminisces. “I came down with Charlie Cippola from Canada the next year. He had a 43-foot Merritt and wanted to try something different. It started out as kind of a dare.”

“‘Can you get the boat down there?’ Charlie asked. ‘Well,’ I said, ‘there’s water between here and there…’” There was no GPS, no marinas and no range. Our first trip took 19 days from West Palm Beach to Flamingo,” Carter describes. “We had 300 gallons in deck and 300 gallons on deck. We had a range of about 350 miles… maybe 450 if we were chugging. We were so loaded down on our first trip that the tuna door started taking on water when we left he marina.”

Carter’s route would become a familiar one to the many who have since followed. He island-hopped his way through the Caribbean, transited the Panama Canal. From Panama City, he ran to Golfito; from Golfito to Flamingo. “At the time Golfito had a four-slip marina. Quepos had the banana boat pier. Tamarindo had four or five boats. Cocos had a couple, too. If everybody showed up all at one place for a tournament, there might have been a dozen boats,” says Bubba of the entire Costa Rican fleet.

Flamingo Marina, circa 1992, was the epicenter of sportfishing in Costa Rica.

“Flamingo was the place to be back then. You could fly into Tamarindo, but you’d have to chase the cows off the runway first,” Carter recalls. “It was kinda clannish back then. The group in Golfito and the guys in Flamingo, nobody really liked each other back then,” Carter recalls with a laugh.

Carter’s operation provided a testing ground for other of Costa Rica’s early entrants. One was Captain John Skubal, who now works as a yard manager at Merritt. “I headed to Costa Rica in 1990 for a couple of years. We were fishing out of Flamingo aboard the Ambush, a 46-foot Merritt,” Skubal recalls. “The fishery was unbelievable, everything else was pretty primitive. It was kind of jungle rules.”

“Flamingo was very quaint back then. There was one floating dock. You either tied up to it or anchored offshore. There were a couple of hotels, a couple of restaurants and basically that was it,” Skubal says of the old days.

Another of CR’s early adopters, and perhaps one of sportfishing’s nicest individuals, is Captain John LaGrone. His first trip to the country was in 1993 running the Magic for Tim Choate. “Flamingo was a thriving fishing village at the time. That was its heyday. Flamingo had a marina and a fuel dock and a maintenance section,” the veteran captain recalls. “Logistics were easy. The food truck came one day, the vegetable truck came one day, the coke truck came one day and the beer truck came another. Nobody drank bottled water then.”

The Fishing

Bubba Carter describes the early days of the fishery with a characteristic ease and understatement. After all, when you’ve done and seen as much as Carter, you don’t need to embellish anything. “The fishing was awesome. Now there are a lot more boats with a lot more tech, which make it seem good. Back then there were three or four boats fishing landmarks off the mountains. We had paper sounders. There were acres of sailfish—and the fishing was better.”

“Over 11 years, we averaged over 1,000 billfish per year. That was fishing around 200 days per year. Back then, many of the charters were record fishing on two and four pound. It wasn’t the numbers fishing like it is today,” Bubba describes. “My best day in the early days was 52 sails. My best year was 1,444 in 204 days. Last year was my best year overall—2,200 sails and 318 blues (in 46 days) in 198 days.”

While the fishing in Costa Rica was great then, as it is now, there were differences. John LaGrone provides context, “The size and number of sails and blue marlin were much different. In those days, it was very uncommon to catch a sailfish under 100-pounds. In the 1990s, they averaged 100-125 pounds. An average day was 15 sails and two blue marlin,” he describes.

Flamingo in 1992—much of the fishing in early CR was targeting light tackle world records, like this 120-pound sail caught on 2-pound. (L-R) Mate Curt Schroeder, mate Randy Baker, Capt. Trevor Cockle and Deborah Maddux.

“It was easier to target a black for your marlin— fishing the humps out of Flamingo. The average black was around 400-pounds, with some bigger fish around. You couldn’t fish ballyhoo for more than five minutes because there were lots and lots of dorado. Big dorado, too. Another difference was the size and amount of yellowfin tuna – there were lots of them. You could target the schools of yellowfin by following travelling birds. This was very common and there were lots of big tuna.”

“Some of the best days I had were a grand slam with my wife. We caught 35 sails, a black and a stripe. Fishing out of Cocos Island, we had 18 slams and two super slams in 43 days. The numbers were not the important part. It was the numbers, size, and variety of the fishery. I can’t say that the fishing was better then than now, but there were bigger fish before,” recalls LaGrone.

A Florida Keys native, Captain Randy Rode made his first fishing trip to Costa Rica in 1982 aboard a 31-foot Rampage. His first day of trolling, Rode caught eight big sails and two blue marlin in four hours. The experience was such that Rode shortly thereafter purchased a half acre tract in the town of Nosara for $1,200. Nosara, then with a population of 150 people, is located about 10 miles north of Carillo. Rode kept his boat in the half moon-shaped Garza Bay that was protected at its mouth by a stretch of reef with a gap in the middle. Getting to Nosara from San Jose in those days was a six to seven-hour drive that required crossing 13 rivers. Rode estimates that there were approximately 1,000 people living in the region at the time.

Randy ran his operation, Rode Runner Sportfishing, for the next 15 years. Rode placed moorings made of heavy equipment tires in the bay. He loaded and offloaded guests and fishing supplies to and from his boats via panga beach-launchings. For bait, he would fly 150-quart coolers full of Keys-caught ballyhoo down from the states. “In those days, you could bring anything down on the airplane,” Rode says.

Randy Rode towing a grander-measuring marlin out of Garza Bay. To revive the fish, he tied rope to its bill and dragged it for 45-minutes, circa late 80s.

The Story of Los Sueños

Just as the nation’s incredible fisheries draw tourists from around the world today, it was the great fishing and lifestyle attributes of Costa Rica that attracted investment and development. The story of how Costa Rica of the early 1980s became the Costa Rica of today cannot be told without first relating the story of Los Sueños. While there exist many other developments in the nation, Los Sueños Resort and Marina has been transformative. Just how impactful has Los Sueños been to the Costa Rica? Mr. William Royster is the founder, CEO and President of Los Sueños. He was also the man behind the vision for the project.

“In 1991 I decided to take a sabbatical. I had recently purchased a 92-foot long range sportfisherman. The marlin fishing is not great in southern California so he headed south in January of 1991, fished Mexico and Mag Bay. We kept heading south and got to Acapulco. We decided we didn’t want to go back so we went to Costa Rica. It is 1,100 miles from Acapulco to Playa del Coco, Costa Rica,” Mr. Royster recalls.

“We explored Costa Rica and kept moving south to get out of the Papagayo winds. We arrived to the tip of Guanacaste—around Nicoya. We were fishing about 60-miles offshore when we caught a roughly 800-pound marlin. At the time, there was not much in Costa Rica. We came into Herradura Bay and celebrated,” he says. Anchored in Herradura Bay celebrating the fish of a lifetime, Royster looked upon the coastline.

“I saw the Los Sueños property. It was an 1,100-acre cattle ranch. There was no infrastructure. I owned a large general engineering company with experience in development. I had the skillset,” Roster describes. “I contacted the owner of the property and began performing due diligence—country research, currency analysis. This was not my first development project, but it was my first time internationally,” Royster says.

“At the time there were around 120,000 travelers to Costa Rica each year. I scratched out the concept on a piece of paper. Over the next two years I travelled throughout Latin America to research resorts. We started predevelopment in 1994.” In 2015, an estimated 2.6 million tourists visited the country.

In the early 1990s Costa Rican law prohibited development within 50-meters of the coastline. Coastal construction setbacks are standard in many parts of the world, but make development of marinas a difficult task. “We had to legislate law through the Costa Rican congress to allow access within 50-meters of the coastline,” Royster describes. “In 1998, the president signed the Marina Law. It was the first time that a law was passed by 100% of the Costa Rican congress. We are pretty proud of that.”

“Since that time, we’ve grated over four million cubic meters of rock for the breakwater,” Mr. Royster details, providing scope of the project. “We put in all of the infrastructure—it’s similar in scope to the backbone of a small city. There’s a hook up for telecom and power at the gate, but we manage everything else.”

An aerial shot of Los Sueños during preconstruction, year 2000.

“In 2001, we created a completely vertically integrated company—everything is in house. We operate all restaurants, own the hotel, which is managed by Marriot. We own everything else,” he says. Vertical integration describes the fact that Los Sueños controls all variables of the construction, development, landscaping, etc. on the property. This integration provides quality control and the ability to deliver products and services as demanded by the market.

Today Los Sueños is the setting for 600 residences (the output is to be capped at 1,000 units—with 600 of the 1,100-acres of the development to remain rainforest in perpetuity). The marina contains 200 wet slips and 118 dry slips. The marina is at 100% occupancy, with some 64% of occupants also owning a home within Los Sueños.

When asked about the evolution of the property, Royster is reflective. “The Master Plan has been achieved. In many ways, we’ve achieved more than I thought. The demand has created a higher end product than we imagined. The profile of our customer has driven the increase.” Whereas Royster initially envisioned units ranging from $250,000 to $750,000, demand for larger, nicer outputs have steered production to units ranging from $750,000 to five million. “A vertically integrated company allowed us to control all of the variables and to steer to where the market dictated. People wanted bigger, nicer products,” Royster says. Los Sueños has delivered.

Modern Costa Rica

The Costa Rica of today is a veritable fishermen’s paradise. The elements of mystery, danger and isolation of the mid-1980s have been replaced by amenity and ease of access. The isolated natural bays that once sheltered handfuls of adventurous souls—fishermen, hippies and surfers— have been replaced by marinas, hotels, and tourism infrastructure capable of comfortably hosting even the least adventure-minded of individuals.

How does the modern fishery compare to the way it once was? Captain Terry Robinson provides a great bit of perspective on the relationship between the fishing then and now. Robinson’s first season in Costa Rica was in 1995 when he worked the cockpit on the Tyson’s Pride under Captain Timmy Hyde. “The fishing was fantastic. We fished what we knew. We fished the areas with infrastructure. The biggest change is that now there are so many boats and marinas. In the early days, you just wonder what was out of reach,” Robinson recalls.

“In the early days, we fished shallower, closer to the beach or on the edge. We caught more blacks. As more boats came, fishing expanded offshore. Now there’s no rhyme or reason for where fish congregate—it’s about finding bait and birds. Today radar, range, and gyro binoculars make it so much easier to find things offshore.”

A young John LaGrone pictured in Guatemala in 1995. Splitting time between CR and Guatemala, LaGrone posted unbelievable numbers. (L-R) Capt. John LaGrone, Hugo Mayorea and mate Chris Mora.

“Today most of the winning boats in the Los Sueños tournaments are now fishing the 50-mile boundary. You just wonder what we would have found out there with a larger fleet in the early days,” Robinson ponders intriguingly. The answers to such questions are indeed the thing of legend.

The pockets of four boats here and six boats there described by Bubba Carter are now world class marinas in Golfito, Quepos, Los Sueños, Flamingo and other locations. The sportfishing fleet in Costa Rica these days compares favorably to Palm Beach or most anywhere else in the world. The flavor of Costa Rica may be different, but the charm remains and it is undeniable.

How about the fishing? In nine days of fishing, 43 boats fishing the three Los Sueños Signature Series Tournaments released 6,700 billfish. Yes, 6,700—that comes to around two fish per minute of fishing. Then there are the FADs. The numbers of blue marlin released out of Golfito are most normally reserved for days of dorado fishing, not targeting stick nose.

Pura Vida

It is always tempting to long for the past. For most anyone who has ever fished, there is a desire to experience what captains Bubba Carter, John LaGrone and others witnessed in the early days of Costa Rican sportfishing. The paths blazed by the likes of Skubal, Rode, Royster and others have had the effect of opening Costa Rican sportfishing opportunities to the world at large. Pura Vida is open for business. While there are many differing opinions on the matter, one thing can be said with confidence. Costa Rica was… and Costa Rica is one hell of a place.

“Reel Addiction” with 796.9lb Blue Marlin to Win Mississippi Gulf Coast Billfish Classic

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Reel Addiction Wins the Mississippi Gulf Coast Billfish Classic with 796.9-Pound Blue Marlin

After a pursuit lasting more than a decade, Team Reel Addiction finally topped the field of 117 boats to win the 2018 Mississippi Gulf Coast Billfish Classic. Angler Chase Pate of Pensacola, Florida, Capt. Scooter Porto, owners Rocky and Laurie Jones, and mates Zach Taylor, Seth Brennan and Nate Dennis boated a 796.9-pound blue marlin after a 30-minute fight Saturday morning. The largest marlin of the week earned the team $405,705 for the top tournament award and optional entries. The overall tournament prize money was nearly $2.2 million.

“Winning this one was on my bucket list,” Rocky Jones explained before Sunday’s awards breakfast. “We won top release boat 12 years ago and I’ve been trying to win the whole shooting match ever since. We finally did it!” Reel Addiction, a 56 Viking and regular on the Gulf big-game circuit, is based in Pensacola Beach. With the win, the team also earned an invitation to compete in the 2019 Offshore World Championship in Quepos, Costa Rica.

Team Supreme, with anglers Alex Krake, Chris Howell and Capt. Chase Lake, didn’t go home empty-handed, even though their Friday night marlin weighed 739.1 pounds. The 76 Viking from Destin went back out and caught a 156.6-pound yellowfin to boost the overall winnings to $313,115 for the second-place tournament award and optionals.

Pearl took the third-place tournament award and pocketed $122,970. Angler Edgar McKee and Capt. Shawnie Clemons and the team aboard the 48 Viking based in Orange Beach boated a 611.5-pound blue to earn that payout.

The Catch and Release Division was close and final standings were determined by time of catch. Relentless Pursuit (Capt. Robbie Doggett), was the overall winner with 1,800 points (three blue releases), earning a check of $265,050. The 95 Jim Smith calls New Orleans home. Done Deal (Capt. Jason Buck) came in second in the division, also with 1,800 points. Angler Katie Gonsoulin took top Lady Angler honors and the team won $133.830. Money Shot (Capt. Dale Bergeron) was the third-place release team with 1,200 points, good for a $12,000 payday. A Work of Art, Born2Run and Wynsong also won optional money in the release division. Ryan Cooper, fishing on CE, was named the top junior angler based on his two white marlin releases.

Angler Robeau Whibbs and the family/friends team aboard Swee Pea, a 50 Topaz from Pensacola, captured the top tuna. Their yellowfin weighed 182.3 pounds, good for $24,000. No tuna topped the current Mississippi record of 205.8 pounds, so the special $500,000 bonus went unclaimed. Bennie Goldman and his team on Reelentless, a 37 Freeman from Dauphin Island, took second place tuna honors with a 172.8 yellowfin. That fish was worth $139,725 in category and optional money. Fourteen-year-old Sawyer York, competing aboard First Choice, a 60 Hatteras based in New Orleans, whipped a 166.3-pound yellowfin tuna to earn his team $90,585 in prize money. Triple Threat also won optional prize money for its 159.2 tuna.

Anthony Stauffer (Hayride) boated the largest swordfish, a 144.1 broadbill, good for $39,600 in tournament and optional money. Matt Carpenter, on Long Straw, was second with a 125.2-pounder ($20,160), followed by Anthony Lopez on Titan Up (123.5 pounds/$26,940).

Johnny Moore, fishing aboard Alma-Ann, a 48 Cabo (Capt. Nick Jones), made MGCBC tournament history when he finally landed the new record dolphin after a two-hour waiting game. The 57.2-pound bull earned the team $66,750. Kevin Berry, on Deadline, a 52 Viking, was second with a fishing weighing 45.2 pounds ($18,000), while Michael Burroughs whipped a 44.6-pound dolphin for Team Quicktime ($37,650). Amnesia, Big Torch, Heads N Tails and Questionable Judgement also took home optional prize money for their dolphin.

The wahoo this year didn’t quite meet normal Classic averages but were respectable fish nonetheless and earned nice payouts. Lined Out and Jeff Dees caught the largest, 61.4 pounds, good for $48,300. Seament’s Doug Lake was second with a 48.5 wahoo ($37,125) and Neal Foster, betting heavily on Team Intensity, took home $82,425 for three entries in the optional categories.

“We had great weather and some exceptional fish brought to the scales this week,” said Tournament Director Bobby Carter. “I’d like to congratulate our champion Reel Addiction and thank all the teams, our wonderful sponsors and my staff for making this 22nd annual event so special. We hope you’ll join us again next year from June 3-9, 2019.”

The Golden Nugget Casino and Hotel was this year’s tournament host. High Roller sponsors included the City of Biloxi, Release Marine, Visit Mississippi Gulf Coast, Gorenflo’s Tackle and Marina Store and Yeti Coolers.

Kona Fishing Report 2018–Wide Open

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Kona Blues

Since the beginning of the year, the fishing off Kona has been as red hot as the lava flowing 100-miles away on the other side of the island. With the upcoming tournament season approaching, including the infamous World Cup, it’s worth noting that the 500-pound plus blue marlin bite off Kona has been off the charts.

As a dedicated professional fisherman, working the deck on the 47- Cabo Nasty Habit, and writer for West Hawaii’s local paper, I have documented the blue marlin catches of this amazing fishery and challenge any fishery in the world to match the numbers of blue marlin that have been caught or tagged and released since the first of January to May 26, 2018. The numbers of big blues are staggering, and Kona should certainly be considered as a tournament destination by anyone interested in world-class blue marlin tournament fishing, especially the World Cup.

From New Year’s Day to May 26, 2018, anglers fishing Kona’s calm waters have reeled in and either caught or tagged and released a total of 59 blue marlin over 500-pounds. Of those 59 blue marlin, 12 were between 700-800-pounds, 21 were between 600-700-pounds, and 26 were between 500-600-pounds. Worth noting is, these are only the fish that are reported or that I know about from working on the docks. Many private and commercial boats do not report their big blue releases or catches to the Honokohau Charter Desk or the paper.

On top of that, in the past two months, two granders eluded capture when leaders broke on both fish when they were next to the boat. I have seen both pictures and videos of the two fish, and both would have easily gone over the mark. That’s just the big fish too! The numbers for blue marlin under 500-pounds that were caught or tagged and released during this same time frame is in the hundreds.

We have a saying in Kona that these numbers exemplify. When someone asks “when’s the best time to fish Kona?” The answer is “whenever you can”

Aloha, Mark Johnston

Team “Wynsong” Wins 2018 Cajun Canyons Billfish Classic

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Wynsong, 66’ Viking, takes the Hardware!

The 14th Annual Cajun Canyons Billfish Classic, presented by H&E Equipment Services, the second leg of The Gulf Coast Triple Crown Championship, is now in the record books. With a fleet of 46 boats, ranging in length from 32′ to 95′, our participants fished for a total purse of $662,400.00, plus trophies and prizes.

Our festivities started Tuesday evening, May 29, with our Dock Party, sponsored by our host facility, Cypress Cove Lodge & Marina. Everyone enjoyed the boiled shrimp, smoked pork, and of course, the bread pudding. A good time was had by all. Wednesday, May 30, was our official Registration Day, Captains Meeting, and Kick-Off Party. As usual, we were slammed with last minute arrivals of boats due to the weather that came in over the Memorial Day weekend. Acme Oyster House lived up to their reputation at our Kick-Off Party, sponsored by our friends at Le Beouf Towing, with seafood pasta, oyster bar, fried fish and all the trimmings. Thank you Acme and LeBeouf Towing!

Thursday, May 31, started a little slow (as a result of too much fun Wednesday night maybe?). Optional entries closed at 11:00 am with a total purse of $662,400.00. Father Gerry Stapleton from St. Patrick’s Cathedral of Port Sulphur, Louisiana visited to continue our tradition of the Blessing of the Fleet. At 1:00 pm, boats departed for the river, the rip, rigs, Mississippi Canyon and Green Canyon in the Gulf of Mexico, led by Chasin Tail an 80′ Weaver, with owner John Engquist of H&E Equipment Services and Captain Clayt James and crew.

The phones started ringing early Thursday afternoon with Carrie Gerber-Collins, fishing on the 64’ Tribute, Cut N Run, calling in a White Marlin release at 4:38 pm. This was followed quickly by Jr. Angler, Ryan Cooper, age 15, fishing with his dad Scott Cooper on their 37’ Freeman catamaran, Triple C, calling in a Blue Marlin release at 5:55 pm. Maybe the bite was going to be good. Next, owner/angler John Engquist, of H&E Equipment Services, our Presenting Sponsor, fishing on his 80’ Weaver, Chasin Tail, with Captain Clayt James calling in a Blue Marlin release at 6:25 pm.

Friday, June 1, our phones started ringing at 8:13 am, with Team Reel Addiction, Rocky Jones’ 56’ Viking, with Captain Scooter Porto reporting a 111” Blue Marlin in the cockpit for angler Tyler Massey, and heading to the scales. When they weighed in at Cypress Cove Marina, it tipped the scales at 545 lbs. Then, the phones started blowing up with 18 more Blue Marlin releases, including Captain Robbie Doggett on the 95’ Jim Smith, Relentless Pursuit, with owner Dennis Pasentine having 3 Blue Marlin releases and multiple boats with 2 releases. Also, Second Wind, a 68’ Viking with Captain Marlin Brown and owner Mitch Jurisitch calling in a boated 110” Blue Marlin for angler David Schaefer heading to the scales. Second Wind’s Blue Marlin weighed in at 488.9 lbs. At 6:30 pm, A Work of Art, a 92’ Viking with owner Art Favre and Captain Ron Woodruff called in a 117” Blue Marlin for angler Kevin Courville, but they chose to stay out fishing and come in on Saturday. When A Work of Art came in, their Blue Marlin weighed in at 521.3 lbs.

Saturday, June 2, started out a little slow until the 66’ Viking, Wynsong, owned by Will Wilson with Captain Allen Staples calling in a hook up for angler Zach Tokheim. All they could say is it a BIG one. 5 ½ hours later, Wynsong, reported a really fat 117” Blue Marlin in the cockpit! During Saturday, the 70’ Viking, Done Deal, with sponsor/owner Jon Gonsoulin and Captain Jason Buck had called in 2 Blue Marlin releases for Jon’s daughter, Katie Gonsoulin (another gold cap special). Wynsong backed in and their Blue Marlin weighed in at 699.3 lbs to take over 1st Place, putting Reel Addiction in 2nd Place at 545 lbs, with A Work of Art coming in with 3rd Place at 521.3 lbs. in our Blue Marlin Division.

Wynsong 1st Place Blue Marlin 699.3 lbs $90,450.00
Reel Addiction 2nd Place Blue Marlin 545 lbs $46,170.00
A Work of Art 3rd Place Blue Marlin 521.3 lbs $119,520.00

Our Release Division, sponsored by Release Marine, ended with the following standings and all winners receiving custom inlayed step boxes from Release Marine:

Relentless Pursuit 1st Place 1500 points $105,300.00
Wynsong 2nd Place Release 1500 points $40,230.00
Chasin Tail 3rd Place Release 1000 points $49,770.00

Our Dolphin Division saw some nice Dolphin weighed in for this early in the season with the following standings:

Money Shot owner/angler Ross Sampey 1st Place at 44.9 lbs $5,175.00
Snafu angler Bart Barre 2nd Place at 39.7 lbs $3,105.00
Carib owner/angler Larry Wireman 3rd Place at 38.0 lbs $2,070.00

Our Tuna Division ended with the following standings, with Wynsong again in the money:

Wynsong angler Pickett Reese   1st Place at 156.4 lbs  $27,000.00

Relentless Pursuit angler Mike Akiu    2nd Place at 115.0 lbs  $58,770.00

2×4 angler Chris Scott 3rd Place at 94.7 lbs  $2,520.00

Triple C Youth Angler Ryan Cooper 1st Place at 40.3 lbs $8,595.00
Crawgator angler JD Dugas 2nd Place at 32.6 lbs $2,565.00
Crawgator angler Mike Butler 3rd Place at 28.7 lbs $1,710.00

Our Top Billfish Boat Award, the Bob Potter Memorial Award went to Team Wynsong with 3 Blue Marlin releases and a 699.3 lb Blue Marlin for 2199.3 points. With the Top Billfish Boat Award came an invitation to fish the Offshore World Championship in 2018 in Quepos, Costa Rica, produced by Marlin Magazine and Bonnier Corporation. Top Captain and Top Mate trophies, in Memory of Benny Collins, were presented to Captain Allen Staples and Mate Caleb Brown of the Wynsong. Congratulations goes to Team Wynsong taking 1st Place Blue Marlin, 2nd Place Release, 1st Place Tuna, Top Billfish Boat, along with Top Captain and Top Mate prizes, winning them a total of $157,680.00.

Our Top Money Boat was Relentless Pursuit, taking 1st Place Release, and multiple Tuna jackpots for a total purse of $164,070.00.

Our Top Female Angler Award, sponsored by The Roosevelt Hotel of New Orleans, went to Katie Gonsoulin, fishing with her dad, Jon Gonsoulin on their 70’ Viking, Done Deal, with 2 Blue Marlin releases for a total of 1,000 points.

Our Top Youth Angler Trophy, in Memory of Jim Peachey, was awarded to 15 year old Ryan Cooper, fishing with his dad Scott Cooper on their 37’ Freeman, Triple C. Ryan had a Blue Marlin release, a White Marlin release, and 1st Place Wahoo at 40.3 lbs, along with a 33.9 lb Dolphin.

All our winning Captains received Mustad gift bags with loads of prizes from Costa Sunglasses, Professional Sports Shop, comefishla.com, Squidnation, CAZA Offshore, and the Billfish Foundation. Our 1st Place winners, along with Top Female Angler, Top Youth Angler, also received custom remarked prints from our Official Artist Steve Goione, gorgeous custom logo Orca Coolers, in addition to their Mustad and Costa gift bags. Our Top Captain and Top Mate also received custom logo Orca Coolers, in addition to their Mustad and Costa prize bags.

Saturday evening, Acme Oyster House put out their spread again of wonderful Cajun food and desserts, hosted by our friends at Florida Marine Transporters. Thank you Acme and Florida Marine Transporters!

Sunday morning, our Awards Breakfast was hosted by our Presenting Sponsor H&E Equipment Services with food by Cypress Cove Grill–thank you Charlotte and Rene!

1st Place Blue Marlin Wynsong

Top Billfish Boat Wynsong

Top Captain and Top Mate Wynsong

1st Place Release Relentless Pursuit

Our fleet had a good bite with 26 Blue Marlin releases, 4 White Marlin releases and 2 Sailfish Releases, with 4 boated Blue Marlin.

We would like to thank our wonderful sponsors, new and old participants, and the staff of both Cypress Cove Marina & Lodge and Venice Marina along with our tournament staff for a wonderful week in southern Plaquemines Parish! See you in Venice next year or trolling the rip. Thank goodness Tropical Depression Alberto went East! Best of luck to everyone fishing the Gulf of Mexico tournament circuit this summer!

Thanks everyone,

Steve Thomas Tournament Director

June Issue Hitting the Docks Now – Father’s Day Special: 2 for 1 Subscription

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Special Father’s Day offer- 2 for 1 subscriptions. Our latest June issue is hitting the docks now! Everybody loves fishing with Dad. Give him a year’s subscription on us. Happy Father’s Day from InTheBite.

– CLICK HERE FOR DAD! – 

 

2017 East Coast Captain of the Year Award Presented to Captain Chucky Moore

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Photo courtesy of Cameron Rhodes

InTheBite joined forces with Hatteras Yachts’ Captain Jeff Donahue and Rob Everton to present the 2017 East Coast Captain of the Year Award to Capt. Chucky Moore. The presentation took place at the awards ceremony of the 2018 Georgetown Blue Marlin Tournament at the Georgetown Landing Marina in South Carolina. Part of the South Carolina Governor’s Cup, the tournament was a great event full of history.

Captain Chucky Moore won the 2017 Captain of the Year Award at the helm of the Gryphon, a 60’ Hatteras, based out of Isle of Palms, South Carolina. Joining Moore in taking home hardware were Mates of the Year Bryce Bell and Mark McDevitt. A full write up of Moore’s award-winning 2017 season may be found here.

Photo courtesy of Cameron Rhodes

The Captain of the Year Cup Presented by Hatteras is the Championship of Sportfishing. Consisting of five divisions and more than 90-sanctioned events around the world, the Cup awards captains for placing first, second or third in tournaments. The East Coast Division consists of 17 events ranging from South Carolina through New Jersey. Captain Chucky Moore and the Gryphon finished with 1,050 points to edge out 2016 winner Captain Harvey Shiflet aboard the Anticipation.

Congratulations to Moore, Bell and McDevitt. For more on the Captain of the Year Cup presented by Hatteras or for up to date standings, please visit inthebite.com.

Photo courtesy of Cameron Rhodes