Indice dei contenuti per April/May 2023 in Marlin

In late January, the worldwide fishing community mourned the loss of an icon when we learned that Capt. Peter B. Wright had died. The outpouring on social media was immediate; from every corner of the world, some of the most notable names in the big-game fishing community offered up heartfelt tributes. Marlin club flags were flown at half-mast in his adopted home port of Cairns, Australia, where he was a member of the Black Marlin Hall of Fame and also set several notable records, including a 1,442-pound black marlin that remains the largest ever weighed in Australia, and the IGFA women’s 80-pound-class world record of 1,323 pounds—still standing after 46 years. As we were going to press, a celebration of Wright’s life took place at IGFA headquarters in Dania Beach,…

As tournament director for the popular Quest for the Crest Sailfish Series, as well as the Pompano Beach Saltwater Circuit summer series and the season-long Florida Sailfish Cup, Jamie Bunn is a busy man. What started as a part-time job in a tackle store in his hometown of Pompano Beach, Florida, led to the creation of the Saltwater Slam as well as the Sailfish Challenge, an event that is now celebrating its 20th anniversary. Bunn has always been fueled by competitive angling and a passion for the outdoors, which began with the now-defunct Pompano Beach Fishing Rodeo. While times have changed, that passion remains just as unwavering as when he was racing around the waters off Hillsboro Inlet as a teenager in a 19-foot Mako. How did the concept for…

Do you remember those dinosaur toys made of wood pieces that would lock together to form the skeletons of Jurassic Park’s most formidable characters? Well, those kits weren’t the flashiest of toys, but it seems that folks from various generations recall playing with them at some point in their childhood. One man’s experiences with those rudimentary puzzle pieces would inspire a design that is now popping up in dredges and teaser chains around the world. When you walk the docks of any active marina, especially during a tournament, it’s common to catch a glimpse of each crew’s choice of tackle. You’ll likely see a multitude of squid chains in an array of colors similar to what you might find in a box of crayons. You’ll also see schools of flat,…

The thick, velvety summer-night sky blanketed the shores of the Outer Banks as the hum of a single diesel engine sounded across Oregon Inlet. The vessel’s navigation lights broke the darkness as it headed toward the Gulf Stream, like a welcomed ghost from the past. It was just after 3 a.m., and the 2022 Alice Kelly Memorial Ladies Only Billfish Tournament in Manteo, North Carolina, was officially underway. Although most of the other competitors remained asleep, the glow of green and red from Mel-O-Dee was already fading into the horizon. The boat, a relic from the earliest days of North Carolina’s boatbuilding trade, was en route to a destination she’d visited countless times before. Capt. Buddy Callaway felt a complex churn of mixed emotions as he and his crew set…

Visitors will usually fly into Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport, located in the community of Carolina, just 3 miles southeast of San Juan. No passports are necessary for US citizens; travelers just need a US federal-or state-issued photo ID, although a passport is recommended. If you’re fishing the tournament as a visiting angler, the tournament will arrange complimentary hotel transfers from the airport—just look for an event representative in baggage claim. Some prefer to bring their own rods and gear, but it’s not necessary. Club Náutico is situated in an ideal location with easy access to great hotels and restaurants, including the world-renowned Vanderbilt Hotel. A trip to San Juan wouldn’t be complete without a stop at Fort Morro, the old Spanish fortress that guards the entrance to San Juan…

Each project at Bayliss Boatworks has its own intricacies, making each completely one of a kind, and the company’s newest project is no different. Hull No. 32 is a 75-foot custom, which is designed to accommodate a large crew and maximize fishing efficiency. The new build will be powered by MTU 16V2000 M96L engines rated at 2,600 hp each for outstanding performance. Optional equipment includes two Kohler 40-kilowatt generators with analog controls, along with two Seakeeper 18s, Furuno Omni sonar, a chilled-water air-conditioning system, FCI watermaker, Bayliss’ proprietary Fresh Flow cooling system for all mechanical components, and the latest in marine electronics. The interior will feature a four-stateroom, three-head layout, plus a day head, pantry, and spacious tackle room. Unique for this project is the salon layout, which will have…

Representing 16 different nations, a record fleet of 94 boats and 553 anglers descended upon the central Pacific Costa Rican community of Quepos for the seventh annual Pelagic Rockstar Offshore Tournament, which also offered the largest prize purse of any event in Central America at $1.3 million. With a hot bite underway just offshore, the participants were treated to an exceptionally exciting and action-packed weekend of fishing, live music, food, and fun. By the call for lines out on Day One, Capt. Ben Horning and Team Galati/Fish Tank held down first place with 25 sailfish and 2,500 points. Clay Time was second with 2,400 points, and NsatiaBill was third with 2,100 points. Meanwhile, Capt. Lance Hightower and his team on Vaquero, the winners of last year’s Rockstar, managed to tally just…

I DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT I NEVER WAS A LONG-BOAT-RIDE KINDA GAL. WHENEVER TASKED WITH A NORTH-SOUTH DELIVERY IN THE FALL, OR A SOUTH-NORTH DELIVERY IN THE SPRINGTIME, PLANNING THE STOPS AROUND OUR FAVORITE PLACES TO EAT WAS A MUST. EVEN THE MOST OUT-OF-THE-WAY PLACES ALONG THE INTRACOASTAL WATERWAY CAN SOMETIMES HAVE YOU SURREPTITIOUSLY HOPING FOR BAD WEATHER, JUST FOR AN EXCUSE TO VISIT THAT TINY HIDEAWAY THAT YOU ENJOYED SO MUCH ONCE BEFORE. SO, SIT BACK AND RELAX AS WE FILL YOU IN ON SOME OF THE BEST PLACES TO DINE ON THE ATLANTIC SEABOARD. BLACKFLY THE RESTAURANT St. Augustine, Florida With an extensive wine room that’s 1,000 bottles strong, Blackfly puts it front and center. And while it might be the focal point of the dining room,…

What do you do when you have produced one of the top boats in the fleet? You take everything you’ve learned from it and make it better. I had the pleasure of experiencing F&S’s latest flagship, Hull No. 31, Special Situation, in Palm Beach, Florida, with company president John Floyd, who was on-site to walk me through the build. While the last tournament-winning 78-foot Special Situation has moved on to the next owner, she didn’t move far, sitting only a few slips down from the new one. However, the latest version is a little bigger, comes with more range, and consists of only the best of the best. And, to no surprise, not a single corner was cut. COCKPIT AND FLYBRIDGE Seeing the cockpit for the first time just before…

The state of the sport-fishing market is slowly starting to feel the effects of higher interest rates and a slowing economy, which is understandable. It would have been difficult to maintain that high level of engagement we enjoyed in the year or so directly following the pandemic, where people were clamoring for boats and the market was going crazy. By spring 2023, we’ve seen boat sales slowing to a more reasonable level, as well as less travel for some. I have also spoken to several owners who are not fishing as many tournaments as they had in the past, both domestically in Florida and internationally. So, what does this mean for the crewmembers and what should you be on the lookout for? THE EFFECTS OF INFLATION The captains and crews…

DIVE IN Photographer Pat Ford has been chasing striped marlin for years, and was able to capture this spectacular image in November 2022 during a trip to Mexico’s Magdalena Bay. “We had to run 20 miles across an open bay, then around 30 miles in the ocean to find the fish,” he says. “Usually the wind would come up around 1 p.m., and the three-hour ride home in a panga was pretty brutal, but it’s always worth it to get shots like this one.” LOCATION Ford was fishing out of San Carlos, Mexico. TECH SPECS CAMERA: Canon 5D Mk IV with Nauticam underwater housing LENS: Canon 8-15mm fisheye ISO: 800 APERTURE: f/7.1 SPEED: 1/500 sec…

Terms such as “cutting-edge technology” and “fully automatic” often cause a captain’s ears to perk up. Whether it’s related to electronics or transmissions, or any system for that matter, anything that makes our lives just a little bit easier is definitely worth a second look. Osmosis, according to Merriam-Webster, is the movement of a solvent through a semi-permeable membrane into a solution of higher solute concentration that tends to equalize the concentrations of solute on the two sides of the membrane. It was first observed in 1748 by Jean-Antoine Nollet. For the next 200 years, the naturally occurring phenomenon was observed only in labs, but by 1950, the University of Florida and the University of California had been able to successfully reverse the process to make fresh water from seawater.…

SINCE ITS FOUNDING IN 1930, CLUB NÁUTICO DE SAN JUAN HAS CHAMPIONED PUERTO RICO’S NAUTICAL LIFESTYLE FOR MORE THAN 90 YEARS. THIS ISLAND NATION, THE GATEWAY TO THE CARIBBEAN SEA, HAS ALWAYS CELEBRATED ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH BIG-GAME FISHING. THAT LOVE AFFAIR NATURALLY LED TO THE CREATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL BILLFISH TOURNAMENT OF SAN JUAN, WHICH HAS NOW BECOME THE LONGEST CONSECUTIVELY RUNNING BIG-GAME FISHING TOURNAMENT IN THE WORLD. THIS YEAR, THE EVENT CELEBRATES 70 YEARS OF HISTORY, COMPETITION AND CAMARADERIE—FROM THE SHOTGUN START AND FLAG CEREMONY TO THE CLOSING AWARDS CELEBRATION, IT’S A SPORT-FISHING SPECTACLE LIKE NONE OTHER. The club began, not surprisingly, as one dedicated to the gentlemanly sports of sailing and yachting, attracting boats of all kinds in those early years between the world wars. And while the…

It’s no surprise to boaters that fuel costs are up. If you want to go fishing, take a family cruise, or even travel, there’s no way to avoid the pain at the pump. Seasonal long-distance runs along the Eastern Seaboard can also have you burning some unnecessary fuel. I am a big fan of chugging at 9 to 10 knots on long runs, which gets me optimal fuel burn when I compare the miles-traveled ratio. So, this leaves me wondering: How much fuel does a particular boat really burn? If you’ve had your boat for some time, you’re likely pretty in tune with its idiosyncrasies, and you also probably have a good idea how much fuel you burn per hour both at different rpm and speeds. But factors such as…

Having a good relationship with a boatbuilder is always a great first step when you’re ready to move into a new ride. That was the case with Gary Smith, a lifelong big-game fisherman from Fort Walton Beach, Florida, and owner of a 40-foot high-performance catamaran from Barker Boatworks. “I had owned a 26 Barker and was just super impressed with not only the boat but also the people at the factory in Sarasota,” he says. “They showed me the drawings for the 40 they were building and asked if I’d be interested. I had never even stepped foot on a cat before, but I said sure, just based on our past relationship.” Having fished plenty of days and tournaments on his family’s 66-foot Viking, Smith wanted to bring that big-boat…