InTheBite

A Carolina Classic– Fight N Lady, Oregon Inlet NC

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By Capt. Jeff Waxman

Fight-N-Lady sitting pretty in her slip June 2018 after 43 years of charter fishing. Tower removed early 90’s.

In the early 70’s the fleet at Oregon Inlet Fishing Center (OIFC) consisted of some 30 charter boats, almost all run by owner operators, almost all single engine, much like today. The newer boats were likely to be the 37’ers built by Warren O’Neill, pushed often by Cummins 903’s running roughly 16-18 knots. The older rigs, like the Jerry Jr. and the Erma Queen, had the old style canoe stern, workboat lines and paddled along at maybe 14 knots…maybe.

Spring of 1974 though, caused a bit of a stir. The Gal O Mine built by Omie Tillett was splashed. She was built for Big Al, Allan Foreman, local charter Captain. She was big..53’. And she was fast…23 knots at 1850 turns being pushed by a Detroit 12v71 Ti..and she still had more in reserve. And she was beautiful, proud bow, lots of flare, sweeping sheer line, with gleaming Awl Grip to show her off!  Some folks even commented that her size and power might just cause her to break up in heavy seas!

Well, not only did she not break up, she ushered in a new era. The following spring, Buddy Davis splashed his hull number one..the 46’ Capt BC for Buddy Cannaday, who soon would follow building boats himself!  The BC was pushed along at 21 knots powered by a single 8v71Ti.

But, the Gal was Queen of the Fleet, Big Al at the helm, leaving daily at daybreak…first out and first back. She even had the then unheard of electronic marvel of…radar!  On more than one occasion in fog or heavy rains most others followed her.

Fighting 800 lb Blue Marlin in 1985. Photo taken from Authors boat.

But, by the early 80’s, Big Al bought a strip of marshland on Roanoke Island and sold the Gal to Jap Richardson, likely who hired Benjie York as Captain. At this time, the Gal was docked right beside my partners 35’ Harris, a private rig. We marveled often at how well the Gal rode and how comfortable she was, how many folks could relax in her huge cockpit…

Well, of course the inevitable took place…my partner, Capt Joe Perez, bought the Gal from Jap in the early 80’s!  Joe hired the best..Capt Sam Stokes… as full time Capt and the name was changed to…Fight N Lady. Sam and Joe ran her through the 80’s amassing a record of successes along the way…including in 1985 a 1020lb blue marlin..then the third largest Atlantic Blue taken in the world!  Add in the countless limits of tuna and dolphin, the big eyes and the years of multiple releases of white marlin…an enviable record.

But, by the mid 90’s the Detroit 12 was getting tired, wheezing a bit, smoking a bit..so a new power plant was installed…a 3412 Caterpillar, manual not electronic, bringing her up to 1050 horsepower. Now, her cruise increased to 25 knots and her fuel burn went down. A typical full day offshore run? 130-140 gallons…efficient enough to make her profitable to run even with fluctuations in fuel pricing.

Through the 90’s the Lady remained a top boat. In fact her Tee Shirts have been seen not only in the worlds best fishing spots, but also in places like Bangkok, Copenhagen, Lucerne and on and on. Sam ran her generally with Joe filling in as needed.

The Tee Shirt…well known the world over.

As the times changed, Joe talked seriously about perhaps a new build Lady. The newer rigs were now pushing 60’, cruising 25 knots plus and gorgeous to look at. But, every time he crunched the numbers and did the analysis, it was crystal clear…the Fight N Lady was the perfect combination. She was fully updated, beautiful to look at, still fast, economical and great in any sea!

Fast forward to 2018. Sam has retired, Joe still runs her on occasion, a new and capable Captain, Roger Parker is at the helm ( he was the mate for many years before getting his ticket) and she stays fully booked and continues as one of the top boats in the Fleet!  In June 2018, I took a friend on her for a two day busmans holiday…limit of tuna by 9:30am Wed, limit of dolphin by 9:30 Thursday capped off by a sailfish release…and back at the dock by 1:00! And her powerplant?  Over 30,000 hours, running strong as new, oil changed religiously and risers every five years or so!

June 2018 on Fight N Lady. Sailfish release, caught by Dr. Pat Petrera of Salisbury, Md.

A true Carolina Classic in every way..from the builder, to her Captains and to her owners…she’s as good as it gets!

Just a side note: to give you an idea of the forward thinking of Big Al,  her first owner and Captain, the piece of marshland that he bought in 1980? Today it’s known as “Pirates Cove”.

A Captain’s Guide to Boat Salvage

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by Dave Ferrell

With all of the hurricane destruction in 2016, photos of destroyed, damaged, sunken or otherwise battered boats are floating across the internet. What becomes of these boats? How does salvage work and what about insurance coverage? The following is Dave Ferrell’s breakdown of the process. Whether a boat owner, captain or crew, this information is a must-know for anyone involved in boating.  – ITB

On August 24, 1867, the Blackwell, a British ship docked in San Francisco Harbor caught fire around 4 a.m. When the crew was unable to contain the blaze, it was forced to abandon ship. As the fire raged, a tug boat docked nearby named the Goliath raced over to the vessel and tied up alongside. With the help of local firemen and two fire engines that they had put onboard, the Goliath fought the blaze. After about a half hour, their combined efforts put out the fire, saving the ship and some of its cargo.

Consequently, the owners of the Goliath sued the owners of the Blackwell in the San Francisco District Court for a salvage reward, winning a judgement for $10,000. (The U.S. Constitution grants federal courts original jurisdiction in “all cases of admiralty and maritime jurisdiction, including salvage cases). That ruling was upheld by an appellate court, but the Blackwell’s owners appealed again, bringing the case to the United States Supreme Court.

Ultimately the Blackwell’s owners gained a minor victory when the judges determined that the firefighters’ efforts made up half of the salvage operation and thereby awarded the Goliath’s owners $5,000 or half the amount due. It wasn’t, however, the monetary award that made this ruling so compelling. Rather it was the Court’s creation of the elements that must be considered when determining a salvage reward. These are now known as “the Blackwell Factors.”

Salvage Rules, Sort Of

 In the Blackwell decision, the courts set six factors that should go into determining the “reward” that a salvage company can claim. They set the main details in determining the amount of the reward for “a salvage service:

(1) The labor expended by the salvors in rendering the salvage service.

(2) The promptitude, skill, and energy displayed in rendering the service and saving the property.

(3) The value of the property employed by the salvors in rendering the service, and the danger to which such property was exposed.

(4) The risk incurred by the salvors in securing the property from the impending peril.

(5) The value of the property saved.

(6) The degree of danger from which the property was rescued.”

Unfortunately, these factors don’t provide any formula as to how these different elements would be weighted in determining the amount awarded, however, all of these factors must be considered when setting the value of the reward due to the salvors. In 1989, the salvage industry came together to create an international standard for all salvage operations. This standard added several additional factors, including promptness of the services rendered; the availability and use of vessels or other equipment intended for salvage operations, and; the state of readiness of the salvors’ equipment.

These regulations are known as the SALCON 89 agreement. It also goes on to detail the responsibilities of both the salvor and the boat being salvaged. But again, there are no guidelines on how much weight each of the factors should play in determining the reward, except that the reward cannot be more than the value of the vessel and cargo itself.

Boat Salvage in Practice

According to Chuck Hansen of Fast Response Marine Towing and Salvage in Miami, most salvors base their fees on either a percentage of the value of the vessel or a per-foot fee. “There are two types of salvage,” says Hansen, “contract salvage, where you write up a contract and come up with a price up front; and pure salvage or ‘no cure no pay.’”

Pure salvage occurs when services are rendered voluntarily in the absence of a contract. To keep salvors from plucking up unattended boats there are three elements that have to come into play for a pure salvage to be valid, (a) a marine peril; (b) service voluntarily rendered when not required as an existing duty or from a special contract; and (c) success in whole or in part, or a contribution to such success. So if a salvor tries and fails to save the vessel, no matter how hard he tries or how much danger he put himself in, he gets nothing if the cargo and/or ship is lost.

“The standard per-foot rate for a sunk or sinking boat is around $175 to $200 a foot,” says Hansen, “or a percentage of the vessel’s worth…commonly 20-percent at the highest. You are allowed to bill up to 30-percent if it’s incredibly dangerous, at night etc. If you have a 30-foot Bayliner, I’m probably going to charge you by the foot. If you have a 45-footer worth a million dollars I’m going for the percentage. And that percentage will fluctuate depending on the Blackwell factors. You also have low order salvage that is usually between four and six percent. To get that 20-percent it really has to be a salvage performed under some pretty risky conditions. Any unmanned vessel that’s adrift is also a salvage, and even certain tows can be considered salvage as well. If you get inside the swim buoy or up on the beach, I can consider it a salvage if I so choose…so make sure you have a good anchor!”

Hurricane Damage, Vessel Owner’s Liability

With all of the hurricanes hitting the US this year the salvors are enjoying a bit of a business boom, but it’s not easy work. “About half of the boats will have good insurance and will be taken care of pretty quickly,” says Hansen.

“An owner or insurance company will contact us, and we will come and try to refloat the boat and get it to a haul out facility. But getting the boats from Irma has been very challenging. Most of our refloats have to do with a bad fitting or a failed pump, something that’s easily fixed to get the boat floating again. A lot of the boats we’ve dealt with from Irma had bottoms that looked like Swiss cheese. They don’t want to float, so we have to either make extensive repairs and patches or tow them submerged. Once we make it to a haul out, we will put it on a transport and let the insurance company make the call on whether it will be repaired or deemed a disposal,” the salvor continues.

One thing you see a lot of in South Florida are seemingly abandoned sail boats and old power boats on moorings. Are boat owners responsible for damage done by a boat set adrift during a storm? According to Hansen, probably not. “I’ve talked to a couple of lawyers and they said that hurricanes are an act of God. Just like if a neighbor’s shingle comes flying off his roof and breaks something, your neighbor is not responsible,” he says.

Here a boat sets aloft on its bottom in Cudjoe Key as a result of Hurricane Irma.

At the same time, if your vessel is leaking fuel or damaging the environment you can be fined heavily if you don’t respond to the Coast Guard in a timely manner. “Let’s say your boat sinks and it’s spewing fuel, and you cannot afford a salvage fee. If you can’t get someone there to take care of the problem in short order, the Coast Guard will federalize the vessel. They will pay a government contractor to salvage the vessel, usually at a huge price, and then go after the owner for the money. A lot of folks just don’t understand the kind of liability they can face when their bargain basement 30-year old trawler sinks at the dock. That great deal can come back and haunt them,” says Hansen.

All of the leaking boats from Irma created a huge natural disaster. In response, the Coast Guard made a nationwide call after the storm to get as many port teams as possible into the South Florida area as soon as possible. They are tasked with finding possible environmental hazards and getting the folks who own the boats to take care of them. If you do not respond in a timely manner, you will be fined into submission.

During normal times, when there’s no hurricane boats to salvage, Hansen and his crew will go on patrol looking for sunken boats or vessels in distress and try to locate the owner. “I can get a name and address from the FL numbers. I’ll often look up the names on Sunbiz because most owners of nice boats have some sort of business. A lot of the folks don’t even know that their boat is sunk,” says Hansen.

Hansen also works with the city to take care of some of the derelict boats littering the bays and canals around the City of Miami Beach. “They have a great program that gets rid of these boats quickly. They put the job up for bid and once you win the job you have 24-hours to remove the vessel. On a larger scale, sometimes a municipality or government body will contract a single salvage operator to take care of all the derelict boats in an area. They will bring in a barge and haul out 50 boats at time. That’s what’s going to happen to most all of these hurricane boats here in South Florida…the state’s going to have to do something.”

If You Run Aground

There are no hard and fast rules about what to do when you’ve grounded a vessel but there are some things you need to consider before you jump into a life raft and float away. Once you leave the vessel, it is considered unmanned and it is now fair game for the first salvager that appears on scene.

“You probably want to try to get pulled off first,” says Hansen. “Of course, that depends on what kind of bottom you are stuck on, rocks versus sand, and the configuration of the boat. An outboard or an I/O will probably come off just fine, but if you have inboards and shafts, you can do a lot of damage trying to pull it off. Even if the boat is in calm water and it looks super simple, the way salvage is if you are on the ocean, it’s an automatic salvage.”

The price you end up paying for a salvage can take months or even years to make its way through lawyers, insurance companies and adjusters. “The higher the reward the longer it takes,” says Hansen, “and you rarely have someone pay the bill that you give them. Since the adjuster has to make himself look good, they will fight every bill, no matter how fair. It’s customary to overbill, since we know that they are going to refuse to pay on the first go around. I’ll have to tack on an extra $500 or so just so the adjuster can cut it and show that he’s looking out for the insurance company. It’s a pretty crappy business in that respect.”

InTheBite Dock Talk: “Shoe” 75 Spencer

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Captain Devin Silas hosts a walk through of the new 75 Spencer, Shoe. Equal parts work of art and high performance fishing machine, the Shoe is highly customized for comfort, class and fishability. With a fuel capacity of 5,000 gallons and a top speed of 45 knots, she is a sight to behold.

Freedom Alliance and Texas Billfish Classic Make Great Things Happen for Wounded Veterans

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Last year, Tournament Director Jasen Gast invited Freedom Alliance to be a beneficiary of the “fastest-growing billfish tournament in Texas”: the Texas Billfish Classic (TBC). Located in Freeport, Texas, the tournament consists of a patriotic and competitive crowd; and adding an element to honor our troops was a great fit. The first year, we hosted four combat-wounded troops to a fishing getaway courtesy of the tournament, which also raised over $4,000 in cash contributions.

Photo courtesy of Pepper Ailor

This year, we asked a new group of veterans to fly into Texas to experience this blue-collar town and the fun fishing excitement in the Gulf of Mexico. The troops arrived several days before the tournament kick-off to relax at a beautiful beachfront house donated by Blue Water Resort Sales & Rentals. The mayor of Freeport, Troy Brimage, donated two days of near-shore fishing on his 36’ yellowfin charter business “Prima Donna Charters”. The group of veterans consisted of:

Photo courtesy of Pepper Ailor

  • Steve Fantau: Marine Corps Sergeant Major Fantau was injured during the Battle of Fallujah, Iraq, in 2004. He was serving as Fox Company’s First Sergeant (2d Bn, 1st Mar Div) when an IED detonated under his vehicle, killing the machine gunner and seriously wounding Steve and the three other Marines − all of whom were evacuated stateside for emergency treatment. He currently lives in North Carolina.
  • Chris Nunnery: Christopher retired from the Army as a Staff Sergeant and was severely injured during Operation Iraqi Freedom when his patrol was ambushed.  His door was struck with a RPG causing injuries to his face, right arm and right hand. Chris was able to remain conscious and continued to fight. After emergency care was performed at the Battalion Aid Station, Chris was sent to Landstuhl Germany and eventually to Walter Reed where he underwent multiple reconstructive surgeries.
  • Darrell Knowlton: Air Force Tech Sergeant Darrell Knowlton served on three combat deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan. He was recently medically retired.
  • Mike Wells: Staff Sergeant Michael Wells served for over 18 years in the Army National Guard as an M1 Tank Armor Crewman. He deployed to Iraq in 2005-06 where he was wounded by numerous roadside bombs (for which he received the Purple Heart Medal). He suffers from a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

The men enjoyed the exciting charter, catching their limit of king mackerel fish the first day and pursuing other species the second. Our friends at Tunaskin Aquatic Apparel treated each veteran to a customized performance fishing shirt, hat, and neck sleeve or “joker”, complete with artwork donated by marine wildlife artist Steve Goione and personalized with each veteran’s name and service logo. Costa Sunglasses also donated shirts, a hat, and a pair of their new 580 Polarized Glass sunglasses. Even if they didn’t know how to fish, they would look like they did! In fact, the troops wouldn’t wear their Tunaskin shirts out fishing because “they are too nice,” commented one veteran.

Photo courtesy of Pepper Ailor

Tournament videographer Rich Christensen of RK Creative Productions donated his skills to showcase Freedom Alliance and our fishing excursion to the audience and participants of the TBC, which resulted in a standing ovation during the kick-off party.

The troops left on the first official fishing day of the tournament, and Freedom Alliance had two more veterans come in…one to receive a special gift at the conclusion of the tournament.

Photo courtesy of Pepper Ailor

In Afghanistan, Marine Jacob De La Garza lost his left leg when an enemy combatant detonated an improvised explosive device (IED) as Jacob walked by on foot patrol. Jacob was then med evac’d to Germany and then to the United States where he spent a year and a half at Balboa Naval Medical Center in San Diego, California.

Photo courtesy of Pepper Ailor

But his service to our country wasn’t defined by the wounds he sustained while fighting in Sangin, Afghanistan. Prior to that deployment, Jacob served in Iraq on three combat deployments. In 2004, the Marine Corps was tasked with house-to-house fighting to eradicate a growing insurgency in Fallujah. Not since the battle of Hue City in Vietnam had Marines been tasked with such a mission. He had just gotten married when his nation called him to arms to fight in Iraq.

Following a short stint at home, he was deployed again to a different city in Iraq. He fought bravely and helped to clear that area of an insurgency as well. This time, his return home was a little longer, but still shy of a calendar year before he was called to Iraq for the third time. Each time he returned safely, carrying out his duty, until the fourth deployment mentioned above. In all, Jacob received two Purple Hearts from fighting our nation’s enemies and earned the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation medal with a “V” device for valor in combat, among other decorations.

Freedom Alliance asked Jacob to come fishing with us in Freeport, Texas, during the festivities of the Texas Billfish Classic – a billfish tournament that helps raise money for Freedom Alliance and honors our veterans by inviting us to host a group each year. On the final night of the tournament, among a crowd of around three hundred anglers, Freedom Alliance Program Officer Pepper Ailor introduced the crowd to Jacob and his respectable service in our military. As the crowd clapped and stood in his honor, Jacob was all smiles as a new mode of mobility was driven down the aisle. Thanks to a generous gift by Jerry and Peggy Schuld, long-time supporters of our military and Freedom Alliance, Jacob was presented with a brand-new all-terrain tracked wheelchair, complete with rifle case and rod holders so he can enjoy the great outdoors without limitations.

Photo courtesy of Pepper Ailor

“That’s an awesome mini-tank,” said Jacob as the crowd erupted with laughter. “It’ll be perfect for my kids – there are a bunch of trails back at my home that are too long for me to walk, so I’ll definitely use that!”

 

FFMD Align Triumph and Passion for Muscular Dystrophy Awareness

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The Fishing For Muscular Dystrophy (FFMD) team is based in Maryland and competes in most of the big tournaments in the Mid Atlantic and the Florida Sailfish Circuit. Paul Robertson and his sister Nicole, were both diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy and struggle as their condition progresses. Paul is the Captain of the FFMD Everglades 43, and has a dedicated crew that travels to do tournaments.

Paul with some recent success in the 2018 MidAtlantic Tournament, with a 69-pound White Marlin that was worth $141,000.

While the illness comes with mobility challenges, Paul is dedicated to not only become a victor and voice for muscular dystrophy, but also use his passion for fishing to increase research funding, awareness, and support for the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). FFMD have developed fundraising activities, offshore fishing sponsorships and tournament winnings to directly collaborate with the Muscular Dystrophy Association to find a cure for neuromuscular disease while also offering funds to raise awareness and support for those currently affected by Muscular Dystrophy.

To learn more about FFMD, visit they’re website or connect on Facebook.

Dock Etiquette: Acting Right Around Boats

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by Elliott Stark

“You know, that’s something that’s really, really important. Sometimes, it just doesn’t cross people’s minds,” says Capt. Jimmy Waller of Orange Beach, Alabama. Waller, whose nickname is “PeeWee” runs his 60’ Big Adventure. The topic of fishing etiquette touched off something special for Capt. Jimmy. “We have been cobia fishing, spotted a fish and had people on jet skis pull up to the boat and ask us what we are doing. One time it happened in a tournament. We were working a fish and had a guy and a girl come up to us on a jet ski. They pulled up to us and said, ‘Ahoy!’ You can’t make this stuff up. This will be my 36th year in the charter business. I’ve seen everything from pornos being made in the salon to just about whatever you can imagine.”

While it may sound pretty evident that making a porno on someone else’s boat crosses a line, the topic of fishing etiquette and how to behave on and around boats can be complicated subject. Those who get it right will enjoy return invitations or repeated free lance stints, those who don’t understand might wind up wade fishing. To determine the expectations of behavior aboard boats, we have surveyed experts from across the sportfishing landscape.

Social Media and Winning with Class

Captains Jeff Shoults and Johnny Dorland have decades of experience tournament fishing in the Gulf. Shoults and his Destin, Florida-based crew on the Mollie won the 2017 Gulf Coast Triple Crown. Dorland is the owner and captain of the Cotton Patch and the director of the Orange Beach Billfish Classic. When asked of the rudest or strangest behavior aboard his boat, Dorland’s two examples were clear. “I had a Tampax put down the toilet once… that wasn’t good. One time we had a guy get completely naked and jump off the tower. We were trolling for marlin 100-miles offshore. He had an inoperable brain tumor… and still does. That was 15-years ago and he’s still not right,” Johnny says with a laugh.

Shoults has expectations for behavior as well. “Mates are not allowed to post anything on social media. They’re also not to discuss what we do aboard the Mollie with other people. The Mollie is like Las Vegas, what happens aboard stays here,” he says. He also expects a certain manner of behavior on the dock – especially when enjoying tournament success.

“We keep the stereos turned down and act like we’ve won before. Don’t show your ass when you win. It’s like Bear Bryant said when a kid scored a touchdown and jumped all over the place. ‘Do you plan on ever scoring another touchdown? Well, then act like it.’ We also keep the boat looking nice, no matter how much we’ve been fishing. Even if you’ve been fishing hard, the boat shouldn’t show it.”

Dorland shares the social media sentiment. “I once had a mate post everything on social media. When I got back the dock, everybody was telling me how big the fish I caught was and how many ducks I shot. I told him that we don’t put things on Facebook on this boat. He told me that he posted to Facebook on his time, so I told him he could work on his own time too.” Dorland’s approach is pragmatic. “If you don’t act right on the boat, you don’t come back. If you get really drunk, you don’t come back.”

A Lesson in Kentucky Manners

Captain Jen Copeland is a wonderful conversationalist, a great captain and she grew up in Kentucky – folks from Kentucky have a natural understanding of the whole manners thing. Copeland, the captain of the Three C’s, an Ocean Reef, Florida-based Viking, delivers her perspective charmingly. For fishermen (mates or captains) working on someone else’s boat, Copeland recommends, “If you’re invited to fish on another boat, always leave it in better shape than you found it. And always offer to help clean and shammy the boat. If you know how, you should be helping!”

For angling guests, charters or the boss’ friends, Copeland suggests the following, “Learn to use the head – don’t leave anybody any gifts. Rods off the teak. Remember, when fishing is slow, don’t keep asking when we’re going to catch something. Nobody wants to catch fish more than the crew,” she says. “If you’re a guest, always bring beer.”

“If you’re sick, the rule is ‘Any side but inside!’ Mates don’t care. They’ve all been puked on before. I’d rather you puke in my boot – and I’ve had my boot puked in – than have to clean up after you inside.” Copeland’s ascription of rules comes from unique experience. When asked about the rudest thing she has endured on a boat, Jen didn’t hesitate. “Puking in the sink. His excuse was that he was taking a …. (bowel movement) and got sick. My mate had to go clean it up because the guy was too sick to go back inside.”

Getting seasick is nothing to be ashamed of…just don’t puke inside!

“Also, don’t assume that everyone operates with an open checkbook. Let’s not throw away the 15’ fluoro leader with three inches of chafing on the end. Tournament fishing is one thing, but when fun fishing, why not reuse the sailfishing hooks for mutton fishing the next day? And don’t slam the hatches. As my friend Brad Goodrich would say, ‘We have to use that tomorrow.’”

The Importance of Being Respectful: A Mate’s Key to Career Success

InTheBite’s 2016 Gulf Coast Captain of the Year Devin Potts runs the Sea Mixer, a 61-foot Spencer, out of Orange Beach. Devin is blessed with the ability to catch big blue marlin consistently in tournaments and the capacity to state things clearly and directly. “What bothers me is genuine complaining. A captain needs to be a part time psychiatrist to keep a crew together anyway, a mate complaining doesn’t help. We are very upfront with the schedule in our operation. The boss is liable to want to fish at any time – it could be the day after the tournament and he could decide he wants to fish. To me, his desire to want to fish is what keeps us employed. I’ve never had it happen to me, but I really don’t like to hear mates complaining about having to go fishing or saying ‘I don’t get paid enough for this.’ You don’t get paid enough for what? Even if it is warranted, shut up and do your job. That’s the way I look at it,” Potts relays.

Another topper on the list of Devin’s irritating mate behaviors is one that came up many times. “You hire a guy and he says, this is how we did it…” Captain Joey Birbeck on the You Never Know reaffirms this sentiment. “We bring one two extra mates for tournament season. We have a style of fishing that has been successful. Don’t come on someone else’s boat and tell the mate or the captain how to do their jobs. You have two ears and one mouth for a reason and you’re here to help. I never quit learning, but please don’t try to change our program.”

How does Capt. Jen Copeland feel about unsolicited advice from mates? “If I want your opinion, I’ll give it to you,” she jokes. “The worst thing I experienced from a mate was back talking from the cockpit. If you’ve got something to say, come tell me on the bridge. I can’t have that happen in front of the boss and his family or friends and my regular crew.”

Captain Johnny Dorland and Jeff Shoults offer a boat load of perspective.

Year in, year out Capt. Patrick Ivie and the Breathe Easy find themselves on the leaderboard across the Gulf circuit. “These days, it’s hard to find somebody that’s proactive and wants to do the job. Not many young guys grew up fishing like we did. I like guys that are eager to learn and excited. Finding someone who is eager to learn is important.” How should a new mate or a mate working on a new boat approach the job? Ivie describes, “You want to be as helpful as possible and ready for any work – from scrubbing toilets to gaffing fish.” Captain Peter B. Wright often advises young mates or those who are just starting on a new job to volunteer for the worst jobs. The crew will take notice and this kind of help goes a long way.

Etiquette While Fishing

Conducting yourself properly while on the water is also an important consideration that sometimes has serious consequences. Devin Potts describes one of the more consequential sides to Alabama cobia fishing. “When it comes to cobia fishing around here, it is serious. Talking about the public pier, if you’re in a boat and you get close to the pier – the bigger the boat, the bigger the target. They will sling giant bank sinkers at you. They have those long spinning rods and will nick the line (so that line breaks when they cast) and rear back and catapult them at you. If one hit you, it would kill you. I always thought Steve-O from Jackass should put on full football pads and run a boat past them…”

The live baiting for blue marlin around the rigs in the Gulf has reinforced a sense of cooperation by the captains who fish them. As Devin Potts puts it, “You’re better off working together than trying to conquer the world by yourself.” Patrick Ivie describes it similarly, with one exception. “If you’re live baiting the rigs, everybody wants to fish their zone – you take your turn and clear out when someone hooks up. I’ve hooked up and had boats not move – especially supply boats. I’ve hailed a supply boat on every channel on the radio asking one to move. I wish they’d read this article.” For a great story about hailing a work boat while hooked up to a blue marlin, check out the “Old Salts Rule” feature.

Seriously, don’t be that guy….

Boat Guests, Expectations for Charters

Adam LaRosa owns the New Jersey-based Canyon Runner Charters. In 2017, his operation ran 112 canyon trips. It suffices to say that few people have a better perspective on etiquette for would-be charter guests than LaRosa. “The thing that gets me is when a charter gets on the boat and immediately questions the captain. Charter fishing is an odd situation. Generally, in business the customer is always right – but not when you’re 100-miles offshore at night. Safety is the most important thing and the captain and crew are charged with keeping everyone safe,” LaRosa relates.

“Another thing is mistreating the boat. People sometimes think that because they charter for one day, they can do whatever they want. They don’t understand how expensive things are. A guy asks if he can light up a cigarette on the bridge while we’re running 30-knots. He doesn’t realize that the cushion he’s sitting on costs $5,000.”

To avoid confusion, and preserve his sanity, LaRosa sends out a rules list to all would-be charters. The list is great. Each item it contains has a story that prompted it. It is also a good lesson for most any would-be boat guest. It outlines when the captain will know the weather and be able to predict time of departure, leaving the black soled shoes at home, no liquor or wine offshore, and the restriction on bringing reels that are completely spooled with braid. He also prohibits glass – which can break and cut people and destroy pumps.

Capt. Patrick Ivie appreciates guests who help the crew with little things – especially during double over nighter tournaments in the Gulf. “Cleaning the boat is a team effort. Having guests who will help with cooking and cleaning when we’re fishing all day goes a long way.” Joey Birbeck seconds this. “Your mom doesn’t work here, so nothing goes in the sink.” Guests can also help be vigilant while offshore, “If you see or smell something that is out of place, please tell us.”

Life’s too Short to Be Rude

Generally speaking, people go fishing to have a good time. Being around nice, respectful people really helps this cause. A bit of consideration for the boat, the captain and the crew goes a long way. Don’t puke in the salon and if you’re fishing in Orange Beach, don’t run your boat within a quarter mile of a pier.

 

“Waste Knot” Catches 683-Pound Blue Marlin to Win Virginia Beach Billfish Tournament

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Waste Knot Wins the 15th Annual VBBT with a 683-Pound Blue Marlin, Five White Marlin Releases

The 15th annual Virginia Beach Billfish Tournament wrapped up Saturday night and closed the chapter on a historic event. A record 80 boats competed this year for a new benchmark $620,000 in prize money. For the first time, two blue marlin were weighed and one of them made a huge difference for the Manteo, North Carolina team, Waste Knot. Angler Ed Groce boated a 683-pound blue and combined with five white marlin releases, gave the team the top score (1,033 points) and the top payout, $282,000.

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2018 MidAtlantic Tournament: Final Results

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2018 MidAtlantic Comes to a Close in Record Setting Fashion!

The 2018 MidAtlantic, the 27th edition of sportfishing’s “Main Event,” came to an exciting close last night for the 157 participating boats and crews with award ceremonies featuring lavish buffet dinners and record cash payouts for numerous winners celebrated at Canyon Club Resort Marina in Cape May, New Jersey and Sunset Marina in Ocean City, Maryland. The week saw numerous records set once again including a cash purse of well over $3.36 million up for grabs, record single payouts for the top winners in the white marlin and tuna categories and a record number of blue marlin (55) caught and well over 750 white marlin released!

The final day of the 2018 MidAtlantic dawned sunny and clear with a light breeze and full moon in the sky. Once again, a bit of tournament history was set as for the first time in the event’s 27-year history the entire fleet of 157 boats was eligible to fish on the final day. Day Five saw several changes on the leaderboard on what has traditionally been called Moving Day at the MidAtlantic. This event was the first billfish tournament to use the phrase in reference to the major shake-ups which occur on the leaderboard and this year would be no different. Sea conditions improved dramatically from the previous day and the billfish bite continued its scorching pace.

The most significant changes occurred in the white marlin category when Captain Doug Ortlip backed Sean O’Donnell’s Cape May-based Got Game to the scales at Canyon Club in Cape May and weighed a 78-pounder for angler O’Donnell to jump to the top of the leaderboard. O’Donnell and crew later in the evening accepted the winner’s check of $905,408 in Cape May, a record payout for white marlin! Got Game’s 78-pounder pushed Thomas Colquhoun’s Special Situation from Ocean City, Maryland and Justin Branning’s 3’s Enough from Wall, New Jersey, leaders from Day One of the tournament, into a tie for second place as each had weighed white marlin of 73-pounds. 3’s Enough received $293,712 while Special Situation netted $134,006. Worthy of note is the difference in payouts reflects the level of side bets, known as Calcuttas, each participant enters. Another significant change to the leaderboard on Day Five occurred when Captain Paul Robertson weighed a 69-pound white marlin for angler Joey Hurley from their Dayton, Maryland-based FFMD and moved into a tie for third place with Leonard Tallo’s Gusto from Islamorada, Florida. For their efforts Gusto received $169,466 while FFMD netted $141,376.

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