You did what?

We had trips Friday and Saturday on Father‘s Day weekend. Friday was with our good customer Jon (frequent flyer) and Saturday was with the Muniz group. Both days were extremely hot and the seas were flat.

On Friday Jon and his friend met up with Devon and I, at 6 AM, since he had an early flight home to Atlanta that evening. Jon had orders from his boss (wife) to bring home fish since they had a Father’s Day gathering on Sunday. He wanted Dolphin or Tuna. OK! Hopefully the fish got the memo.

We left the slip and made our way straight to the Ballyhoo patches. We pulled them up in less than 5 minutes but when I say they were finicky, that is an understatement. We collected as many as we could, along with some speedos, without spending the whole morning working for bait. I took a heading for the edge and we set up shop! Not a breath of wind blowing, and the ambient temperature was already uncomfortable. I made my way about the area and absolutely nothing was stirring on this flat sea. I made a choice to run out and look for something interesting to fish. I saw some scattered weeds and dropped some trolling lines. After some long miles and out to 1200’ we found a few Sooty’s working. I closed the gap and got in front of them. BAM! Dolphin on! Jon worked the chubby schoolie to the boat and it was respectable enough to put in the fish box. A single? What’s up with that? We got back on the remaining 2 birds and down goes another rod! Once again we have a schoolie with no followers. Hmmmm! I made a few more passes and realized the birds were working small baitfish under the weeds and not the school sized stragglers hanging around. One more pass and the down rod goes off. Wahoo? Big Dolphin? Nope! Another schoolie takes to the surface and once again he was alone. Good grief, this is some slow fishing. We worked the birds for a while and finally gave up on them. Suddenly I hear Jon ask his friend, “What are you doing?“ He is taking his underwear off! As he cleans up and pulls his shorts on commando style, he tells Jon, “Never trust a fart!“ HE HAD A SHART (fart with leakage)! We laughed until our sides hurt and tears flowed!

With the morning gone and only 3 school Dolphin and a shart, we decided that maybe some Mutton Snapper would oblige us. As we were pulling lines, the down rod trips and we have a small fish on. What the heck? A 3 pound Barracuda comes to the surface and we know for sure now, that we are heading in for some bottom fishing, for sure! I pushed down the throttles and the wind gave us a bit of relief, cooling us down for a few minutes. I pulled the reins on the 600 ponies as we reached out spot. Little current, about 1/4 knot, and things are not looking much better here. We made a few drops and managed to jig up an Almaco Jack which we released. Several more drifts and we get another Caribbean Spotted Mackerel (Cuda) but a much larger specimen this time. We worked the area hard and at last, we got to see pink, as a decent Mutton comes to the top.

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I pulled the plug on the bottom dropping as time was running out. Devon set up the lines to live bait the edge for the remaining time. Devon was working a speed jig, as usual, and I heard the “grunt” as he hands off the rod to Jon. As we see color we realize it is a Blackfin Tuna. Not big, but not a football either, more like a rugby ball. That was the topper for the day as we ran out of time.

As The BEAST headed home we told Jon that coming on a mission for certain species (groceries) usually leads to a slow day and too much Guinness on an empty stomach can also lead to a ventral faux pas. This is a common fact!

Saturday Will Muniz, his wife Heather, her brother Austin and their friend Dustin joined us at the dock at 7 AM and we headed out. They are all Redfish and back country fisherman from Ft. Myers and wanted to try out some offshore fishing. Miami and The BEAST were their choice. We asked them what they would like to do and they told us they had no preference. Good, we’ll put you on fish! Our first stop for some Hardtails was uneventful so we went to spot #2. Ahhhh, much better, as we filled the starboard live well in short order. I turned the power up and headed for some Ballyhoo to round out the port well. Nothing happening at 2 different spots. We couldn’t raise a single one! OK! We’ll play the hand that is dealt to us and go with what we got, plenty of Runners and a half dozen crabs. Our first stop was to see if we could catch a Permit. The seas were calm but a good wind ripple was present and the water clarity was not good at all. We only gave this a fleeting attempt and bagged out for the Grunt & Sweat wreck. I knew these guys would appreciate a big Amberjack. We arrived to find almost no current again as the day before. Oh Boy! We need a magician! After a few drifts and no takers, not even a bite on a speed jig, we contemplated hunting Dolphin. Trouble was there were 2 tournaments going on and everyone out there was hunting Dolphin. One more shot! We headed for a deeper wreck, hoping to find more current. We arrive to find just that and a good drift! OK. Let ’em rip!

We dropped one live bait down and Devon taught Dustin and Will his method for speed jigging. I’ve got to hand it to them, they picked it up quickly. The first takers turned out to be back to back Boneheads (Bonito) but the very large kind. We had hoped they were Blackfins but not quite. We caught 4 in a row with the last fish getting bit in half by a Cuda that followed it right to the boat. We gave him the rest of his meal.

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The next takers were a troop of Almaco Jack on the jigs and the live bait. The Amberjack woke up from all the commotion and finally joined in. Will felt the power of these fish as he hooked one up on the speed jig.

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Heather was hooked up too! I’m not sure who had who the fish or Heather! She is a gamer though. She never gave up, never passed the rod off, and worked her fish to the surface with steady resolve. Kinda! The fish had to put some doubt in her a half dozen times.

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The speed jigs kept ripping and the live bait kept getting eaten, time after time. Will was on a break and Devon was working the jig and bada boom a solid hook as he passes it off to Dustin. The depth of the bite and the give and take of this circular fight, let us know it was another tuna type. Was this another big Bonito? NOT! We finally see color and it’s a Blackie and headed for the cold steel. Whoot there it is! Austin is on the boards with a good 18# Blackfin Tuna.

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A few more drifts and the live bait gets the nod. Austin takes this one after only a short rest. It’s a Donkey for sure! I thought we were going to lose Austin over the side as the fish took his chest to the gunnel several times. Like his sister, he was a gamer with plenty of fight in his slight frame. It took some time but he brought that wreck donkey to the surface and it’s a whopping 50 pounder, almost half of Austin’s weight. That was fun to watch. Yes, the fish is hanging from our T-top rigging… Austin only wishes he could one hand press that much.

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We packed it up at the wreck and headed offshore to look for some Dolphin. We relearned the lesson, don’t leave fish to find fish! After some long, hot, time spent searching and only finding a micro-Cuda, we headed back in to try some Muttons. Nothing happening there, the current was stagnant. I called that attempt a swing and a miss and had Devon pack it up for the run back to the deep wreck as time is slowly closing out on us.

Arriving at the deep wreck we see the only conditions that had changed there was the wind direction. Good current! We went after them again. This time they were not quite as cooperative but we still managed to catch them. Dustin, who was never at a loss for words, announces that he has a lock on the Almaco’s. He sure caught his fair share of them.

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I had Devon pull the lines as the fat lady starts humming and we made one last ditch effort to try for a Permit again. The water was no better that afternoon than it was in the morning so we gave it up and pointed the bow west toward the barn.

I must say that Devon and I cracked on Dustin a lot throughout the day. He was just too easy, if you know what I mean. A great sport, with a great sense of humor, and about 12 or so, Heinekin! I think we all had a good time. We stayed busy most of the day with a total of 4 Bonito, 6-8 Amberjack (30-50#’s) 8-10 Almaco’s (Dustin‘s forte‘), a 18# Blackfin (sashimi), and a micro-Cuda (not worthy). I’ll bet a dollar to a doughnut there were some tired people in Ft. Myers on Fathers Day!

Capt. Jim
The BEAST
305-233-9996
beastcharters@aol.com
www.beastcharters.com

Grocery Fishing!

Sunday afternoon, our normal fun crew decided to go on a little excursion to try and cash in on some of the good edibles being caught. We were looking for Dolphin and Blackfin Tuna. Amy and Devon (my daughter & son-in-law/mate), Missy (my daughter), Uncle Al (Devon’s uncle/my friend), and myself, all met at the slip at 1:00 PM. Our plan was to do some grocery fishing and then when the sun set, head over and scout out the Cubera’s to see if they were ready yet.

We took our leisurely time loading up and at 1:30 we turned the snarling BEAST out. We made our way to bait stop #1 and loaded up on Hardtails. I reset the throttles once again to cruise and the snarling turned into a purr as The BEAST set into a smooth gallop towards bait stop #2. We arrived and dropped the chum bag and the Speedos, Ballyhoo, and host of others found the slick in short order. The B’hoo were not so easy with the sun directly overhead but we managed to get 2 dozen or so along with some Speedos. With the wells teaming with fresh bait we made our way offshore. I pulled up just off the edge contemplating a start there, for Blackfin. We set out the riggers and I noticed a prominent color break not too far offshore. I powered up and in a minute reached the color line. WOW! It was so distinct it looked like a segment out of Offshore Handbook 101. We set up shop and it didn’t take long.

First up were some “schoolie” Dolphin with the nod going to a rigged squid as it was being put out for the center rigger. That was quick, but a bit too small, though! Well, if we can’t eyeball the fish and need to make sure by measuring it, we consider it too small. Devon and Uncle Al were working some speed jigs during the interim and I hear the telltale, “Ugh“ sound from Devon. Devon works his fish to the boat and, yes sir, it’s a nice 12# Blackie.

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Then my Penn electric downrigger takes a crap for the umpteenth time. Not to be deterred, we put a weighted line down. The action was on again with “schoolie” Dolphin! Suddenly, I noticed the down rod start to bend over and I jumped on it. The big guy scores a 20# cow.

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We continued on, hanging tight to this area. The action was slow enough to allow conversation and laughs, yet fast enough to curtail the offshore boredom that can occur. Uncle Al, Devon, and Amy each jigged up a Blackfin in the football size. Sashimi or seared… they were destined for soy and wasabi on the table.

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The time is passing into late afternoon and the sun is trying to make the horizon. The Dolphin kept sweeping through in waves and a Hardtail on the down rod gets toasted by a big Caribbean Spotted Mackerel (Cuda). Missy was our designated Dolphin catcher.

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Out of Bally’s now, we decided to start the Cubera hunt. I pushed the levers down and made the cruise to our favorites spots. Still a bit early when we arrived so we made a short run to a Mutton spot. Nothing much was happening. Uncle Al put down this lime green/chartreuse monstrosity with a Dolphin belly strip on it, that we named the “green hand grenade“. We ribbed him about that rig, on his beat up old spinning rod, for a drift or two. Third drift and you hear Al muttering “Uh, uh, c’mon… FISH ON!” We laughed until our sides were splitting and imagined a big Black Grouper coming up on the green hand grenade. Not quite, it turns out to be a 20# wreck donkey. I couldn’t resist jumping in the picture and holding up the “bomb”! Al released the Amberjack.

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Getting dark now, we set up, for the Big Snapper’s. The current was strong through the area and the drifts were quick. The darker it got the more the sonar is lighting up. Got to be Cuberas but they aren’t biting anything. Matter of fact, nothing is biting at all, except 2 or 3 more Cuda cut offs. As the night progresses it appears the conditions are just not right and possibly a bit too early. Enough is enough, and we pulled the plug on the trip and pointed The BEAST toward the barn. I guess we’ll have to wait a few more weeks until the fish want to play.

Capt. Jim
The BEAST
305-233-9996
beastcharters@aol.com
www.beastcharters.com

Nice fish, crappy weather!

This past weekend was something to remember. The weathermen had the forecast almost right! Ed booked Thursday for Julio Sr. (76) and himself while they awaited the arrival of Julio Jr., Rich, and David, who were arriving on Friday night from New York. They had Saturday and Sunday booked for all of them. Ed had recently been in a very bad auto accident and despite the doctors orders, flew in anyway, instead of canceling the trips.

Ed and Julio Sr.(Papi), were anxious to go fishing and arrived at the dock before we did on Thursday. We loaded the boat, secured all gear, and cast off the lines. We struck out on Hardtails so we proceeded to the bait patch for some Ballyhoo. We arrived to find another boat with a chum line already going so we went to another patch. We struggled on this patch until we finally got them up close enough to net, packed up, and motored offshore. The weather was beautiful, with 2’ seas, and a distinct blue/green edge right on the drop off. This should be good day!

We no sooner got our baits out and got hit on the left rigger with a nice cow Dolphin. Then the smaller bull with her, struck the long flat line. Ed was on the cow and as Devon was handing the rod to “Papi”, the bull charged under the boat finding the prop edge. The line cut and this arrogant bull spent the next 3-4 minutes jumping around the boat with the leader dangling from his lips as if he were laughing at us. Ed, with a full leg cast from mid thigh to his ankle, did a good job and landed his nice 30# fish.

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We replenished the baits and reset our spread. Not too awful much later and we had another cow Dolphin invade the spread and we had “Papi” hooked up. He did his thing like the seasoned veteran he is. The fish came up to the boat lit up. Several more minutes passed and we boated the nice 20# cow.

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I worked the boat deeper toward the “Grunt & Sweat” wreck and we once again got bit up by a pair of chubby school Dolphin. The guys managed to catch 1 of the 2. While working the area Devon dropped a speed jig and put the guys on a couple of AJ’s. “Papi’s” fish weighed in at 25 pounds and Ed’s was a nice 42 pounder.

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We continued to work hard in this area and scored another chubster Dolphin and a large Bonito. The downrigger had missed several small Kingfish and then it fired off. Ed brought a 15# Caribbean Spotted Mackerel (Barracuda) to boatside for a release. Since we were running low on bait we decided to see if we could hunt up some Permit. Conditions were not good and the fish were not cooperating so I decided to try trolling some small baits for the remainder of the day. The day finished on a high note with a pair of Blackfin Tuna, 10# and 6# respectively.

I turned The BEAST toward home. Since we were fishing again on Saturday and Sunday, I stopped to try for some Hardtails. They were very cooperative this time and in short order we had about 20 in the live well which we penned up for Saturday.

Saturday started off with decent skies with a big hint of what was to come. Ed, and “Papi” arrived with Julio Jr. (Jules), Rich and David, in tow. Jules and Rich were beaming as this was a chance to enjoy the weekend, fishing with their old man, and vice versa with “Papi”. We loaded everyone aboard, and secured their essentials in the dry storage areas. We untied The BEAST and were off, exchanging pleasantries and I informed them of the game plan for the day. We picked up a few more Hardtails on the way out and then blasted for the Bally patch. The clouds began building as we made our bait for the day.

I arrived on the color change, although not nearly as prominent and much farther out. Devon set out our spread. The time ticked away slowly and the fishing was just as slow. Fishing the surface was tedious and we were blanking out. The approaching frontal system had the fish in lock jaw mode. I decided to go to the wrecks and see if the Jacks would play with us. I warned the guys that if they cooperated, they would make them whine and cry! Well, the skies began getting angry as they approached us offshore. To make things worse, having already done a quick repair job on a spinning reel earlier, our 2 bottom rods stripped the gears in the reels and the drag blew up on one of the speed jig reels. What the H? Devon broke out the bent butt planer rod and also rigged the remaining Speed jig rod for bottom fishing. What luck? We did catch smaller 25-30 pound class Amberjack one after another until the squall line got too close. We pulled lines and made a run for a weather window in the radar. OOPS! It closed up quickly and the rains and strong winds came. We shut down and began trolling in the rain with the bow to the wind. Monitoring the radar I found an area to slip through and out of the squalls. The weather tamed down and we once again went back to the wreck. Nothing happening! It had shut down! OK! Let’s go try this obscure wreck I have, and see if they want to play. Yes they did! We caught and lost fish and ground tackle until we only had a dozen big baits left. Devon tried to talk the guys into doing some more surface live baiting, for the Sails, Dolphin, Tuna, etc. They opted to continue battling the AJ’s.

I lost count of the fish for the day but the guys were happy and no one whined or cried. With only 3 Hardtails left in the well, we headed for home but we opted to NOT fish for tomorrows bait in the rain and crappy weather.

Sunday’s forecast was for better weather. We agreed to leave an hour early and the guys showed up a half hour late. Jules was about to cancel the trip and opt for Plan B as we looked in the horizon to see another weather line stretching up our way from the Keys. The wind had picked up dramatically, preceding the line. The others persuaded him to give it a go. The morning sun should burn off the clouds and if the forecast was correct, we’d have good weather offshore. It was and we did!

We hit the first bait patch and the ‘hoo were at the boat before the chum bag went out. We spent about 20 minutes collecting some Speedo’s and then I tossed the Calusa net twice and we had a bunch of baits.

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Offshore the water was blue and the seas had calmed. As Devon was setting out the 3rd line, it got picked up. He flipped the bail and it was FISH ON! Rich grabs the rod and a cow Dolphin catches some air! Several minutes pass by and the fish feels the steel and we have 20#’s of Mahi in the fish box.

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The sun breaks through the haze, and the grins are ear from ear, now. I’m hanging tight in the area and then the downrigger gets the nod. Dave works a “snake” Kingfish to the boat. Funny… the big Dude catches the small fish! We missed several more bites on the down rod.

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Ed (Gimpy) was discussing with Devon that it would top off his trip if he could catch a Sailfish. The words were only seconds from his lips when Devon sees a Sailfish come up on the 20’ flat line. GAME ON! Gimpy nearly elbows everyone out of the way to get to that rod. 5, then 10 minutes pass, about a half dozen aerial maneuvers, and this fish is no where near ready. 15, then 20 minutes pass, several more acrobatic displays, and some fancy boat maneuvering. 25, then 30 minutes and a 2 more futile attempts to get free and we have him boatside for the tag & photos. This fish was the strongest and most energetic fish we’ve had this season. Devon lowers the fish into the water and with the utmost respect we tow the fish boatside for over 5 minutes until this warrior is fully revived and kicking his tail to go.

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Devon resets the lines and in 5 minutes we have another Sail up on the rigger line. FISH ON! Wait! There’s one on the flat line too. DOUBLE!! Jules takes the rigger line and Rich is on the flat line but tries, in vain, to get “Papi” to take it. In the interim he allows too much slack and, poof, like magic it is gone. Gotta stay tight on ’em boys! Down to one and this one gives up the fight in about 10 minutes. WOW! Look how beat up this Sail is. He has fought some battles before. His Sail is split in 2 places and they aren‘t fresh.

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As the afternoon progress the seas get flat and the sun is bright. The fishing slows down and Devon gets going on the speed jig. A few casts and as he works it up, I hear the normal grunting sounds from Devon, as the speed jig hooks up…Uhhhh! He hands the rod to “Papi” and he works hard on the fish. At 76 years old, his determination outdid his stamina and we put the lip stick in a nice 21 # Gag grouper. Great catch, “Papi”! As the shutters snap, he wears a proud face for his boys!

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A little while later and I hear Devon grunt again. Good one! Rich works the rod and remarks that this is as tough as the AJ’s. Devon and I are guessing big Bonito and hoping Blackfin! As we see color the gold hue is evident and “whoop, there it is”, we have a Blackie! 20#’s of Sashimi hit’s the deck.

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A pair of large Barracuda, 27# and 20#, end the day and this weekend excursion comes to a close.

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I point the bow towards the west and head for home. The guys sat up front and chattered about the weekend. Devon and I really enjoyed fishing with these guys. Plenty of jokes and razzing went on and the guys could dish it out and take it as well. I must say, other than that crazy accent, they’re a great bunch of guys with a great sense of humor. It’s like fishing with friends.

Capt. Jim
The BEAST
305-233-9996
beastcharters@aol.com
http://www.beastcharters.com

I just received the best pic of the trip! Rich is taking a nap and we could NOT resist snapping a photo of him holding the infamous, magical fairy wand!

Yeah... we don't have any fun on The BEAST!

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