To see the articles, photographs and videos associated with them in this edition, please CLICK HERE to see the issue ONLINE. The following extracts are a selection from those articles and press releases in the online magazine.
“Where have all the DORADO GONE?” by Vince Radice
Marlin World have been supplied this article by Vince Radice. It contains links to three parts of a documentary video (as seen on YouTube) by the same author, and its purpose is to lobby the United states government, the department of NOAA to be specific, to unilaterally close the border to the illegal importation of Dorado.
As many reading this may already know, Mexican fishing laws can be nebulous, difficult to understand and in many cases difficult to impossible to enforce. For just this reason I choose to try to work with American officials to help enforce the violation of Mexican fishing laws. How can American officials enforce Mexican fishing law you might ask? Excellent question, let me illuminate. There is an obscure American law that exists on the books that could in theory stop all together or at least curtail the illegal fishing of Mahi Mahi or Dorado and its subsequent illegal importation from Mexico into the United States forever, The Lacey Act.
The Lacey Act, 16 U.S.C. §§ 3371-3378, protects both plants and wildlife by creating civil and criminal penalties for a wide array of violations. Most notably, the Act prohibits trade in wildlife, fish, and plants that have been illegally taken, possessed, transported or sold. Thus, the Act underscores other federal, state, and foreign laws protecting wildlife by making it a separate offense to take, possess, transport, or sell wildlife that has been taken in violation of those laws. The Act prohibits the falsification of documents for most shipments of wildlife (a criminal penalty) and prohibits the failure to mark wildlife shipments (civil penalty). The Lacey Act is administered by the Departments of the Interior, Commerce, and Agriculture through their respective agencies. These include the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Marine Fisheries Service, and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.[1] In other words if it isn’t legal to fish for it in Mexico it isn’t legal to import it into the states. Now that we understand the Lacey Act it is important to try to understand what is legal in Mexico and what is not. Here in a nutshell lies our biggest challenge. Chapter 5 Article 83 & 84 & 68 of the Ley de Pesca de Mexico states clearly the following: Species such as marlin, sail fish, sword fish, Chad, rooster fish and Dorado are reserved for sport fishing only & exclusively within 50 miles of the coast of Mexico.[2] The famous 50 mile exclusion zone many of you may have heard of. Well that wasn’t too bad now was it? Fifty miles from the coast or closer you are not allowed to commercially fish for any of the species listed above. Where does the confusion come in then you might ask? Shark Norma 029 has helped muddy the waters for us in this respect. For those of you who do not know Norma 029, it is a law about sharks. It is supposed to conserve sharks and rays by limiting the number of permits to vessels among other things. The problem with 029 is that the incidental by catch is actually the target catch. Here are the by catch percentages allowed by law if you have a 029 permit and are fishing for shark above Latitude 20 degrees, roughly Puerto Vallarta.
a) 11% Sail Fish (Istiophorus platypterus), a maximum of 4% striped marlin (Tetraptorus audaz) and blue marlin (Makaira mazara); a maximum of 7% sword fish (Xiphias gladious) and a maximum of 4% of Dorado (Coryphaena hippurus). [3]
So according to Mexican law you cannot fish for dorado, sail fish or marlin commercially but you can accidentally catch them it if you are fishing for sharks outside of the 50 mile exclusion zone then. Clear enough right. Are we all together on this now? So what are you allowed to do with the by catch then? Nothing!! You are not allowed to commercially sell any of the by catch. Simple enough. Now the problem lies in the fact that when a boat with an 029 permit goes to catch shark the majority of what he catches is Dorado and billfish and the majority of that catch is sent off to the good ole U.S. of A. Shark Norma 029 then is the mother of all loopholes!! When you look at Mexican fishing laws closely you come to the realization that Mexico is, on paper anyway, a world leader in the conservation of sport fishing species, which makes me proud to live in Mexico and ply my trade in the Sea of Cortez, but after three long hard years, dozens of interviews and hours of hidden camera images of illegal fishing I have come to this humble conclusion. The governmental agency that is in charge of enforcing Mexican law in Mexico doesn’t believe in Article 68. Officials in the Department of Conapesca believe that species such as Dorado or Mahi Mahi should be fished commercially and are an under exploited resource. That means that the wolf is guarding the sheep. In 2006 Conapesca in conjunction with the states of Sinaloa and Sonora commissioned a study on the abundance of Dorado in the gulf with the hopes of using the study as a tool to try to change Mexican fishing law and allow the commercialization of sport fishing species. It took me over 6 months of phone calls to Cibnor (Centro de investigacion noroeste) before I could speak to the biologist in charge of the study. She avoided me like the plague and with good reason. No one wanted a lot of publicity about this study. I was not able to obtain a copy of the study even though it was financed through public funding.
Juana Lopez, the lead biologist answered my questions truthfully on camera and what I was told was truly astounding. In the state of Sonora alone just two years ago fisherman illegally captured and sold 950 tones of Dorado. That is over 2 million pounds of fish and it is my c o n t e n t i o n that over half of that was shipped to the good old U.S.A. The other little gem of information I was able to glean from my interview with Cibnor was the incidental by catch of Turtles. Another equally astonishing number, for every ten Dorado caught on a long line two marine turtles are captured as well. It is virtually impossible to find a sport fisherman here in the state of Sonora that hasn’t seen multiple turtles on long lines. There is also a huge black market for turtles in Guaymas & Empalme that is supplied directly through the illegal Dorado fishery. What must happen is that we as sport fisherman and conservationist alike must now demand that America simply enforce their own laws. Enforce the Lacey Act and stop the slaughter of marine turtles by no longer allowing illegally caught dorado from entering America.
Remember the phrase dolphin safe tuna? Well it is time for a new phrase on the plates of sea food lovers through out the states. Turtle safe Mahi Mahi. I can virtually guarantee you that if you live in the Southwestern United States, Arizona in particular, if you have dined on Mahi Mahi, then many marine turtles died on that fishes sordid path to your dinner plate.
I have presented a selected clips of our documentary as evidence to the National Oceans & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) office in San Diego in the hope that they would prosecute a case against the company’s in America that import Dorado illegally from Mexico. There is an on going investigation but if NOAA will not prosecute a case, then me must take our case to the Obama administration and those who are now in charge of the Departments of the Interior, Commerce, and Agriculture. We must demand enforcement of the Lacey Act and an embargo on all Dorado that enter the U.S. Much of the groundwork has already been done. I have lobbied the good senator from Baja Califronia Sur, Luis Coppola, to place a resolution in front of the Mexican senate to formally request help from the United States on this issue. The president of Mexico Felipe Calderon already has too much on his plate with the massive amounts of drug trafficking violence that has swept the border between Mexico & the U.S. He does not have the resources to enforce the laws on the books but America by taking unilateral action can simply stop the illegal importation of Dorado into the United States. The enforcement of this law will cost virtually nothing. The agencies of Fish & Game and the FDA are already in place at the border and with the simple stroke of the pen America can help Mexico continue to be leaders in the conservation of sport fishing save thousands of tourism jobs and marine turtles all at the same time. A win win for everyone, especially the Gulf of California! It is now time to go public with this so anyone wishing to help please contact me.
We need as much ink on this subject as possible so any one with media contacts please let me know.
Vince Radice
vradice@gmail.com
As many reading this may already know, Mexican fishing laws can be nebulous, difficult to understand and in many cases difficult to impossible to enforce. For just this reason I choose to try to work with American officials to help enforce the violation of Mexican fishing laws. How can American officials enforce Mexican fishing law you might ask? Excellent question, let me illuminate. There is an obscure American law that exists on the books that could in theory stop all together or at least curtail the illegal fishing of Mahi Mahi or Dorado and its subsequent illegal importation from Mexico into the United States forever, The Lacey Act.
The Lacey Act, 16 U.S.C. §§ 3371-3378, protects both plants and wildlife by creating civil and criminal penalties for a wide array of violations. Most notably, the Act prohibits trade in wildlife, fish, and plants that have been illegally taken, possessed, transported or sold. Thus, the Act underscores other federal, state, and foreign laws protecting wildlife by making it a separate offense to take, possess, transport, or sell wildlife that has been taken in violation of those laws. The Act prohibits the falsification of documents for most shipments of wildlife (a criminal penalty) and prohibits the failure to mark wildlife shipments (civil penalty). The Lacey Act is administered by the Departments of the Interior, Commerce, and Agriculture through their respective agencies. These include the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Marine Fisheries Service, and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.[1] In other words if it isn’t legal to fish for it in Mexico it isn’t legal to import it into the states. Now that we understand the Lacey Act it is important to try to understand what is legal in Mexico and what is not. Here in a nutshell lies our biggest challenge. Chapter 5 Article 83 & 84 & 68 of the Ley de Pesca de Mexico states clearly the following: Species such as marlin, sail fish, sword fish, Chad, rooster fish and Dorado are reserved for sport fishing only & exclusively within 50 miles of the coast of Mexico.[2] The famous 50 mile exclusion zone many of you may have heard of. Well that wasn’t too bad now was it? Fifty miles from the coast or closer you are not allowed to commercially fish for any of the species listed above. Where does the confusion come in then you might ask? Shark Norma 029 has helped muddy the waters for us in this respect. For those of you who do not know Norma 029, it is a law about sharks. It is supposed to conserve sharks and rays by limiting the number of permits to vessels among other things. The problem with 029 is that the incidental by catch is actually the target catch. Here are the by catch percentages allowed by law if you have a 029 permit and are fishing for shark above Latitude 20 degrees, roughly Puerto Vallarta.
a) 11% Sail Fish (Istiophorus platypterus), a maximum of 4% striped marlin (Tetraptorus audaz) and blue marlin (Makaira mazara); a maximum of 7% sword fish (Xiphias gladious) and a maximum of 4% of Dorado (Coryphaena hippurus). [3]
So according to Mexican law you cannot fish for dorado, sail fish or marlin commercially but you can accidentally catch them it if you are fishing for sharks outside of the 50 mile exclusion zone then. Clear enough right. Are we all together on this now? So what are you allowed to do with the by catch then? Nothing!! You are not allowed to commercially sell any of the by catch. Simple enough. Now the problem lies in the fact that when a boat with an 029 permit goes to catch shark the majority of what he catches is Dorado and billfish and the majority of that catch is sent off to the good ole U.S. of A. Shark Norma 029 then is the mother of all loopholes!! When you look at Mexican fishing laws closely you come to the realization that Mexico is, on paper anyway, a world leader in the conservation of sport fishing species, which makes me proud to live in Mexico and ply my trade in the Sea of Cortez, but after three long hard years, dozens of interviews and hours of hidden camera images of illegal fishing I have come to this humble conclusion. The governmental agency that is in charge of enforcing Mexican law in Mexico doesn’t believe in Article 68. Officials in the Department of Conapesca believe that species such as Dorado or Mahi Mahi should be fished commercially and are an under exploited resource. That means that the wolf is guarding the sheep. In 2006 Conapesca in conjunction with the states of Sinaloa and Sonora commissioned a study on the abundance of Dorado in the gulf with the hopes of using the study as a tool to try to change Mexican fishing law and allow the commercialization of sport fishing species. It took me over 6 months of phone calls to Cibnor (Centro de investigacion noroeste) before I could speak to the biologist in charge of the study. She avoided me like the plague and with good reason. No one wanted a lot of publicity about this study. I was not able to obtain a copy of the study even though it was financed through public funding.
Juana Lopez, the lead biologist answered my questions truthfully on camera and what I was told was truly astounding. In the state of Sonora alone just two years ago fisherman illegally captured and sold 950 tones of Dorado. That is over 2 million pounds of fish and it is my c o n t e n t i o n that over half of that was shipped to the good old U.S.A. The other little gem of information I was able to glean from my interview with Cibnor was the incidental by catch of Turtles. Another equally astonishing number, for every ten Dorado caught on a long line two marine turtles are captured as well. It is virtually impossible to find a sport fisherman here in the state of Sonora that hasn’t seen multiple turtles on long lines. There is also a huge black market for turtles in Guaymas & Empalme that is supplied directly through the illegal Dorado fishery. What must happen is that we as sport fisherman and conservationist alike must now demand that America simply enforce their own laws. Enforce the Lacey Act and stop the slaughter of marine turtles by no longer allowing illegally caught dorado from entering America.
Remember the phrase dolphin safe tuna? Well it is time for a new phrase on the plates of sea food lovers through out the states. Turtle safe Mahi Mahi. I can virtually guarantee you that if you live in the Southwestern United States, Arizona in particular, if you have dined on Mahi Mahi, then many marine turtles died on that fishes sordid path to your dinner plate.
I have presented a selected clips of our documentary as evidence to the National Oceans & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) office in San Diego in the hope that they would prosecute a case against the company’s in America that import Dorado illegally from Mexico. There is an on going investigation but if NOAA will not prosecute a case, then me must take our case to the Obama administration and those who are now in charge of the Departments of the Interior, Commerce, and Agriculture. We must demand enforcement of the Lacey Act and an embargo on all Dorado that enter the U.S. Much of the groundwork has already been done. I have lobbied the good senator from Baja Califronia Sur, Luis Coppola, to place a resolution in front of the Mexican senate to formally request help from the United States on this issue. The president of Mexico Felipe Calderon already has too much on his plate with the massive amounts of drug trafficking violence that has swept the border between Mexico & the U.S. He does not have the resources to enforce the laws on the books but America by taking unilateral action can simply stop the illegal importation of Dorado into the United States. The enforcement of this law will cost virtually nothing. The agencies of Fish & Game and the FDA are already in place at the border and with the simple stroke of the pen America can help Mexico continue to be leaders in the conservation of sport fishing save thousands of tourism jobs and marine turtles all at the same time. A win win for everyone, especially the Gulf of California! It is now time to go public with this so anyone wishing to help please contact me.
We need as much ink on this subject as possible so any one with media contacts please let me know.
Vince Radice
vradice@gmail.com
“Madeira Island has a great SEASON” by Paul Watson
Multiple bites in a day, fish varying in size from 300lb up to granders .... for those that were here in the early nineties, they might well be suffering from “Déjà vous”.
Although it would be fair to say that Madeira has never been a “volume” fishery, one that you can always count on is that when the bite is on you are most likely going to be hooked up with the fish of your lifetime. That’s why we keep seeing the same characters coming back time after time, year after year.
They are specimen hunters ... without the need to ‘hang em high’, Not all fish are released though, a very few die during the fight which in general last less than 25 minutes, mostly due to the 130lb class tackle that is used by most of the local charter fleet and the skill of the anglers and crew. I have been fortunate to be filming on two boats this year, “MAGIC” out of Calheta Marina, and “BALANCAL” out of Funchal Marina. “Magic” has the advantage of being closer to the far west of the island where much of the bait was holding off Ponta da Pargo point. This exposed area however can be difficult to fish sometimes due to sea conditions, but for some boats and clients this was not a problem as they enjoyed up to four bites in a day from some very big fish.
“Balancal” has spent many of the charter days fishing the traditional grounds running in front of Funchal port and also Cabo Girão with equal success. The one distinct advantage that Madeira has over other blue marlin fisheries is the fact that you can be fishing just 5 minutes from the marina. Such is the depth of water and the close proximity of the bait, you can quite often still be putting lines in the water when the first strike happens.
VISIT THE WEBSITES OF:
“MAGIC” www.biggamecharters.com
“BALANCAL” www.madeira-marlin.com
Although it would be fair to say that Madeira has never been a “volume” fishery, one that you can always count on is that when the bite is on you are most likely going to be hooked up with the fish of your lifetime. That’s why we keep seeing the same characters coming back time after time, year after year.
They are specimen hunters ... without the need to ‘hang em high’, Not all fish are released though, a very few die during the fight which in general last less than 25 minutes, mostly due to the 130lb class tackle that is used by most of the local charter fleet and the skill of the anglers and crew. I have been fortunate to be filming on two boats this year, “MAGIC” out of Calheta Marina, and “BALANCAL” out of Funchal Marina. “Magic” has the advantage of being closer to the far west of the island where much of the bait was holding off Ponta da Pargo point. This exposed area however can be difficult to fish sometimes due to sea conditions, but for some boats and clients this was not a problem as they enjoyed up to four bites in a day from some very big fish.
“Balancal” has spent many of the charter days fishing the traditional grounds running in front of Funchal port and also Cabo Girão with equal success. The one distinct advantage that Madeira has over other blue marlin fisheries is the fact that you can be fishing just 5 minutes from the marina. Such is the depth of water and the close proximity of the bait, you can quite often still be putting lines in the water when the first strike happens.
VISIT THE WEBSITES OF:
“MAGIC” www.biggamecharters.com
“BALANCAL” www.madeira-marlin.com
“My Mother’s Day Trip To Panama” by Pat Ross
Being a boat captain’s wife is not always the glamorous lifestyle many people would like to believe. Spending nine months a year home alone, raising three kids, running a business, and directing a fishing tournament while my husband is travelling the Atlantic , Caribbean and Pacific following his passion, isn’t as easy as it sounds!
This past Mother’s Day was a great reminder of some of the benefits of being married to a world traveling sportfishing captain with a great boss! Friday, May 8th, I boarded a flight in Miami headed to Panama City, Panama. I was met at the airport upon my arrival by a good friend of ours, Captain Roy Krum. He took me to the mar ina where I spent the evening waiting for the rest of my adventure. Roy is another reminder of how great it is to have such a close knit community of sportfishing friends.
Saturday, May 9th, Roy delivered me to another airport to take a small plane to Santiago. Once in Santiago, I boarded a private chartered helicopter for an amazing 20 minute ride We flew over miles of mangroves which lead up to a mountain that on the other side revealed the spectacular Cebaco Bay, where I could see the boat I was headed for tied up to the mothership, also called “Cebaco Bay”. My heart was pounding as I knew it would only be a short time until I was reunited with my fabulous husband, Captain Ken Ross of the 64’ Hatteras “Amirita”.
The helicopter landed on the beach, where I was met by my husband, as well as his boss, Jose “Pepe” Anton and friends. As I was coming in, “Pepe” and his friends were boarding the helicopter to leave.
Ken and I spent the afternoon on the beach in the unique and gorgeous Cebaco Bay. That evening , we went Rooster Fishing with Captain Chris Zaskey of Cebaco Bay Sportfishing Club. The evening was relaxing as we watched one of the most incredible Sunsets I’ve ever seen. Unfortunately, the Rooster Fish weren’t cooperating. I was hoping this was not a sign of things to come!
Sunday, May 10th, we left the mothership at 8am headed toward Aguja Reef. I was tentatively hopeful, yet a little anxious. We had heard the fishing was just OK the past few days, and I had been waiting for as long as I could remember for my first Black Marlin.
After a very short run, we immediately came upon the tuna we needed for bait. By 8:40am, we had our first hook up! Unfortunately, it proceeded to jump off. My anticipation was growing with the fear that I had lost my one shot. Within about fifteen minutes, I had hooked another Black Marlin and was just amazed with the acrobatic nature of the fish. I was able to release her in about 12 minutes and she was estimated at 350 pounds! My trip was made before I had finished my first hour of fishing. Mates Eddy Larrea and David Hernandez were as excited as I was that “mama” had caught her first Black Marlin on Mother’s Day!
As the excitement settled down, we filled the tuna tubes and set the bait back out. Within minutes of moving off of the bait, the right rigger came down.
I grabbed the rod, cautiously let the fish eat and slowly pushed up the drag. I took 3 or 4 cranks of the reel, and there she was. Head and shoulders out of the water, and the bill windshield wiping. I stood in awe at the massive size of this fish. This was by far the largest marlin I had ever seen! David helped me into the chair, and Eddy ran up to the bridge with Ken. All Eddy could say in his broken English was “ That’s a Monster”!
My heart was racing. I had to remind myself to wind. I was amazed by the sheer size off this gorgeous creature! It took us all of about 43 minutes to release her as David did a great job wiring her. I ran up to the bridge to share the excitement with Kenny and thank him for putting me on this spectacular fish. It was the the best hour and half of fishing I’ve ever experienced! When I asked for a consensus on the size of the fish, Everyone agreed she was over 800 lbs. This was confirmed by Captain Chris Zaskey on the Cebaco Bay as the pictures and videos was shared that night. The celebration back on the mothership was filled with excitement and continued well into the night. I didn’t even mind the ritual “splashing” I received once we were celebrating.
The next morning it was time to do it all over again – and we did! We ended up 2 for 4 on Blacks in less than 2 hours, releasing an approximate 200 pounder and 400 pounder.
Next to my first Mother’s Day with each of my wonderful children, this was the most incredible Mother’s Day gift I could have dreamed of. First class accommodations, 4 black marlin, and some much needed private time with my husband.
As for being the wife of a traveling captain, days like these remind me of how much I LOVE my life!
I want to thank my husband, Captain Ken Ross and mates Eddy Larrea and David Hernandez, Captain Chris Zaskey of Cebaco Bay SportfishingClub, and most of all “Pepe” for the most incredible adventure of my life!
This past Mother’s Day was a great reminder of some of the benefits of being married to a world traveling sportfishing captain with a great boss! Friday, May 8th, I boarded a flight in Miami headed to Panama City, Panama. I was met at the airport upon my arrival by a good friend of ours, Captain Roy Krum. He took me to the mar ina where I spent the evening waiting for the rest of my adventure. Roy is another reminder of how great it is to have such a close knit community of sportfishing friends.
Saturday, May 9th, Roy delivered me to another airport to take a small plane to Santiago. Once in Santiago, I boarded a private chartered helicopter for an amazing 20 minute ride We flew over miles of mangroves which lead up to a mountain that on the other side revealed the spectacular Cebaco Bay, where I could see the boat I was headed for tied up to the mothership, also called “Cebaco Bay”. My heart was pounding as I knew it would only be a short time until I was reunited with my fabulous husband, Captain Ken Ross of the 64’ Hatteras “Amirita”.
The helicopter landed on the beach, where I was met by my husband, as well as his boss, Jose “Pepe” Anton and friends. As I was coming in, “Pepe” and his friends were boarding the helicopter to leave.
Ken and I spent the afternoon on the beach in the unique and gorgeous Cebaco Bay. That evening , we went Rooster Fishing with Captain Chris Zaskey of Cebaco Bay Sportfishing Club. The evening was relaxing as we watched one of the most incredible Sunsets I’ve ever seen. Unfortunately, the Rooster Fish weren’t cooperating. I was hoping this was not a sign of things to come!
Sunday, May 10th, we left the mothership at 8am headed toward Aguja Reef. I was tentatively hopeful, yet a little anxious. We had heard the fishing was just OK the past few days, and I had been waiting for as long as I could remember for my first Black Marlin.
After a very short run, we immediately came upon the tuna we needed for bait. By 8:40am, we had our first hook up! Unfortunately, it proceeded to jump off. My anticipation was growing with the fear that I had lost my one shot. Within about fifteen minutes, I had hooked another Black Marlin and was just amazed with the acrobatic nature of the fish. I was able to release her in about 12 minutes and she was estimated at 350 pounds! My trip was made before I had finished my first hour of fishing. Mates Eddy Larrea and David Hernandez were as excited as I was that “mama” had caught her first Black Marlin on Mother’s Day!
As the excitement settled down, we filled the tuna tubes and set the bait back out. Within minutes of moving off of the bait, the right rigger came down.
I grabbed the rod, cautiously let the fish eat and slowly pushed up the drag. I took 3 or 4 cranks of the reel, and there she was. Head and shoulders out of the water, and the bill windshield wiping. I stood in awe at the massive size of this fish. This was by far the largest marlin I had ever seen! David helped me into the chair, and Eddy ran up to the bridge with Ken. All Eddy could say in his broken English was “ That’s a Monster”!
My heart was racing. I had to remind myself to wind. I was amazed by the sheer size off this gorgeous creature! It took us all of about 43 minutes to release her as David did a great job wiring her. I ran up to the bridge to share the excitement with Kenny and thank him for putting me on this spectacular fish. It was the the best hour and half of fishing I’ve ever experienced! When I asked for a consensus on the size of the fish, Everyone agreed she was over 800 lbs. This was confirmed by Captain Chris Zaskey on the Cebaco Bay as the pictures and videos was shared that night. The celebration back on the mothership was filled with excitement and continued well into the night. I didn’t even mind the ritual “splashing” I received once we were celebrating.
The next morning it was time to do it all over again – and we did! We ended up 2 for 4 on Blacks in less than 2 hours, releasing an approximate 200 pounder and 400 pounder.
Next to my first Mother’s Day with each of my wonderful children, this was the most incredible Mother’s Day gift I could have dreamed of. First class accommodations, 4 black marlin, and some much needed private time with my husband.
As for being the wife of a traveling captain, days like these remind me of how much I LOVE my life!
I want to thank my husband, Captain Ken Ross and mates Eddy Larrea and David Hernandez, Captain Chris Zaskey of Cebaco Bay SportfishingClub, and most of all “Pepe” for the most incredible adventure of my life!
“TECHNIQUES” by Ed Kunze
There are several methods of catching a sailfish here in Ixtapa / Zihuatanejo, Mexico. One method is to sit in a fighting chair, let the deck hand set the hook, and then pass the rod off to you. The rod and reel is huge, as well as the 60 to 80 pound line being used. It is almost like being nothing but a winch. When catching any type of a fish, the hook set is the most skilled part and the most fun. Plus, you get the thrill of that first line peeling run. I almost believe, with the deckhand setting the hook, even though he does work his tail off all day, the deckhand gets the most thrills on a fishing charter.
Skilled anglers scorn this method of letting somebody else set the hook for them. However, most of the fishermen who come to our resort usually fall into the category of those who do not get out on the salt water very often, let alone have very many chances for a billfish. The captains know this, and since the crew has a lot more experience, they generally set the hook for the client. This ensures the day is successful, and everybody goes home happy.
There are other methods the angler, skilled or not, can use for enjoying the aerobatics and hard runs of the sailfish, and all of them involve using smaller outfits with line of no more than 40 pound test. You can vary your methods, because the crew is skilled and can adapt. They are there to help you and make your day a good one. Just talk it over with the captain when leaving the dock, and he will set up accordingly.
For dramatic strikes, and really having a close encounter with the sailfish, try a bait and switch.
This method is also the easiest of them all for the angler to hook a fish on light line and enjoy the spectacular fight of one of the oceans most exotic game fish. The basic concept is to get the fish interested in the teaser baits, and then switch him over to a bait with a hook in it. The smaller sailfish sized teaser baits are usually hookless, however if larger marlin lures are used, the hooks can remain, because a sailfish’s mouth is too small to eat the big lure. The teaser should also have a cut bait inside the skirts of the lure. The fish will bite down on the hookless lure and get the actual taste of the baitfish, but the vinyl skirts prevent it from being bitten in half. This really infuriates the fish, because he is thinking his easy meal is now getting away.
When the sailfish becomes committed, by rising to the surface and slashing at the teaser lure, the deckhand will start to wind in the teaser the sailfish is interested in. The captain will simultaneously slow the boat down a bit. Then it is time for the angler to go into action. When the fish is raised, you will get the bait in the water, and wait a few seconds until the crew brings the fish closer to the boat. When fishing with dead bait, it is best to drop the bait back to alongside, or just in front of the sailfish. The sailfish, seeing the real thing, will then switch over from the teaser to the bait. This is the fun part. You have a rod with only 20 to 40 pound test line, and 3 to 4 feet of 100 pound test leader attached to the circle hook. The excited 9 foot long and 85 pound sailfish is lit up with its cobalt blue iridescence only fifteen to twenty feet away. You actually see him take the bait, make his turn, and start to leave the area. Just point the rod right at him, free spool the line for a couple of seconds, and let the circle hook do the rest. Another variation of the bait and switch is to tease the fish up, pull the teasers out of the water, and then do a drop back with a live bait. Using a live bait on the bait and switch is an almost 100% effective method for catching the teased up sailfish.
Setting the hook on a sailfish, when using the standard method of trolling baits, is not as easy as the crew makes it look.
The quickness to the rod, the amount of time allowed for the drop back, feeling if the fish is there or not, and dropping back again if he is not, takes a lot of on the water experience. This is why, when you fish this method, the crew sets the hook. But, the thrill could be a lot greater if you set the hook yourself, with the fish only a few feet away. All the crews know how to do the bait and switch, but unless you ask, you will end up being a winch for your day on the water.
Skilled anglers scorn this method of letting somebody else set the hook for them. However, most of the fishermen who come to our resort usually fall into the category of those who do not get out on the salt water very often, let alone have very many chances for a billfish. The captains know this, and since the crew has a lot more experience, they generally set the hook for the client. This ensures the day is successful, and everybody goes home happy.
There are other methods the angler, skilled or not, can use for enjoying the aerobatics and hard runs of the sailfish, and all of them involve using smaller outfits with line of no more than 40 pound test. You can vary your methods, because the crew is skilled and can adapt. They are there to help you and make your day a good one. Just talk it over with the captain when leaving the dock, and he will set up accordingly.
For dramatic strikes, and really having a close encounter with the sailfish, try a bait and switch.
This method is also the easiest of them all for the angler to hook a fish on light line and enjoy the spectacular fight of one of the oceans most exotic game fish. The basic concept is to get the fish interested in the teaser baits, and then switch him over to a bait with a hook in it. The smaller sailfish sized teaser baits are usually hookless, however if larger marlin lures are used, the hooks can remain, because a sailfish’s mouth is too small to eat the big lure. The teaser should also have a cut bait inside the skirts of the lure. The fish will bite down on the hookless lure and get the actual taste of the baitfish, but the vinyl skirts prevent it from being bitten in half. This really infuriates the fish, because he is thinking his easy meal is now getting away.
When the sailfish becomes committed, by rising to the surface and slashing at the teaser lure, the deckhand will start to wind in the teaser the sailfish is interested in. The captain will simultaneously slow the boat down a bit. Then it is time for the angler to go into action. When the fish is raised, you will get the bait in the water, and wait a few seconds until the crew brings the fish closer to the boat. When fishing with dead bait, it is best to drop the bait back to alongside, or just in front of the sailfish. The sailfish, seeing the real thing, will then switch over from the teaser to the bait. This is the fun part. You have a rod with only 20 to 40 pound test line, and 3 to 4 feet of 100 pound test leader attached to the circle hook. The excited 9 foot long and 85 pound sailfish is lit up with its cobalt blue iridescence only fifteen to twenty feet away. You actually see him take the bait, make his turn, and start to leave the area. Just point the rod right at him, free spool the line for a couple of seconds, and let the circle hook do the rest. Another variation of the bait and switch is to tease the fish up, pull the teasers out of the water, and then do a drop back with a live bait. Using a live bait on the bait and switch is an almost 100% effective method for catching the teased up sailfish.
Setting the hook on a sailfish, when using the standard method of trolling baits, is not as easy as the crew makes it look.
The quickness to the rod, the amount of time allowed for the drop back, feeling if the fish is there or not, and dropping back again if he is not, takes a lot of on the water experience. This is why, when you fish this method, the crew sets the hook. But, the thrill could be a lot greater if you set the hook yourself, with the fish only a few feet away. All the crews know how to do the bait and switch, but unless you ask, you will end up being a winch for your day on the water.
“YOU’LL HATE THIS GUY” when you realize what he has done ...” by Ian Alvey
On reflection I can now look back and say that what happened in Madeira was either a strange collection of coincidences or some real magic that actually happened.
After landing on the island and excited as I stepped off the plane, I intentionally took my first long deep breath of fresh Atlantic air and thought, “please let this be my lucky year”. I had spent the previous 12 months mentally recalling the events from my first visit to Madeira last summer. I had been invited by my friend Oliver King to try my hand at blue marlin fishing. The first thing that went through my mind was “cost”. I had always been under the impression that this was a sport that only the rich and famous could afford. I can now reveal that was a misconception on my behalf.
On this 2008 trip onbard “BALANCAL” I was unfortunate enough to lose the first blue marlin I had ever hooked up, leaving me sat in the fighting chair wondering what the hell did I do wrong?
This is where the ‘magic starts!
This year I had to time everything right. My children were going to join me and Ollie was yet to arrive.
On the morning of June 18th and with everyone onboard Balancal, we set off. Heavy unseasonal rain had diminished my hopes and expectations . I looked at the dirty water and turned to Ollie with a frown, he said “don’t worry, it may be a good sign”.
It was at this point that Ollie told me he had cleared it with Anibal our captain, that he could wire his first Marlin if we were to be lucky. Ten minutes later I was below in the galley when some almighty foot stomping and shouting came from the bridge. We had raised a marlin which I had just missed, ‘typical’ I thought, so I sat down to eat my lunch. Five minutes later all hell broke loose again as a bigger fish hooked up. Like a well rehearsed play, all actors took their place on the stage. ‘This was it’ I thought, as I took my place in the chair. Little did I know that my battle had only just began.
The mid-day sun was on my back and my body was slowly weakening as the first rush of adrenalin began to wear off. With cameras clicking and advice flying from crew members Ollie, Mathew and guest Jody, I cursed, toiled and eventually came to realize that this fish had strength I could not have comprehended. I have to admit that on more than one occasion whilst watching the reel lose line I had just fought so hard to gain, I thought it impossible to carry on.
After approximately fifty minutes we eventually saw the size of the fish for the first time as she came up within 15 meters of the boat. All I remember are some choice words from behind me as we all realized just how big she was.
Another 40 minutes later Ollie was wiring his first marlin and I had been told that my first Atlantic Blue Marlin was a ‘grander’, a fish estimated to be over 1000lbs.
Amid the back slapping and hand shaking I paused to think ..
“NOW THAT WAS MAGICAL”
Ian Alvey
After landing on the island and excited as I stepped off the plane, I intentionally took my first long deep breath of fresh Atlantic air and thought, “please let this be my lucky year”. I had spent the previous 12 months mentally recalling the events from my first visit to Madeira last summer. I had been invited by my friend Oliver King to try my hand at blue marlin fishing. The first thing that went through my mind was “cost”. I had always been under the impression that this was a sport that only the rich and famous could afford. I can now reveal that was a misconception on my behalf.
On this 2008 trip onbard “BALANCAL” I was unfortunate enough to lose the first blue marlin I had ever hooked up, leaving me sat in the fighting chair wondering what the hell did I do wrong?
This is where the ‘magic starts!
This year I had to time everything right. My children were going to join me and Ollie was yet to arrive.
On the morning of June 18th and with everyone onboard Balancal, we set off. Heavy unseasonal rain had diminished my hopes and expectations . I looked at the dirty water and turned to Ollie with a frown, he said “don’t worry, it may be a good sign”.
It was at this point that Ollie told me he had cleared it with Anibal our captain, that he could wire his first Marlin if we were to be lucky. Ten minutes later I was below in the galley when some almighty foot stomping and shouting came from the bridge. We had raised a marlin which I had just missed, ‘typical’ I thought, so I sat down to eat my lunch. Five minutes later all hell broke loose again as a bigger fish hooked up. Like a well rehearsed play, all actors took their place on the stage. ‘This was it’ I thought, as I took my place in the chair. Little did I know that my battle had only just began.
The mid-day sun was on my back and my body was slowly weakening as the first rush of adrenalin began to wear off. With cameras clicking and advice flying from crew members Ollie, Mathew and guest Jody, I cursed, toiled and eventually came to realize that this fish had strength I could not have comprehended. I have to admit that on more than one occasion whilst watching the reel lose line I had just fought so hard to gain, I thought it impossible to carry on.
After approximately fifty minutes we eventually saw the size of the fish for the first time as she came up within 15 meters of the boat. All I remember are some choice words from behind me as we all realized just how big she was.
Another 40 minutes later Ollie was wiring his first marlin and I had been told that my first Atlantic Blue Marlin was a ‘grander’, a fish estimated to be over 1000lbs.
Amid the back slapping and hand shaking I paused to think ..
“NOW THAT WAS MAGICAL”
Ian Alvey
“Costa Rica: Marina construction is fully underway”
Gorgeous waters, great weather, beautiful beaches and a state-of-the art marina are beckoning boaters and anglers to Marina Pez Vela in Quepos, Costa Rica. And with the initial 100 slips opening later this year, the excitement is building!
Located in one of the world’s premier sport fishing destinations, Marina Pez Vela will offer an extraordinary base of operations for fishing and boating along the Pacific coast of Central America – opening thousands of miles of ocean that was previously impossible to fish. Once completed, Marina Pez Vela will be the largest full-service marina in Costa Rica, equipped with 300 wet slips, 120-unit dry storage facility, and a maintenance and repair boat yard with 200-ton Travel-Lift.
Docks are in!
In preparation for Marina Pez Vela’s fall debut, Bellingham Marine (BMI) is currently installing the first 100 concrete slips, including utility and gangway units. BMI’s assembly and installation team is onsite receiving materials, transporting float units from the casting plant located approximately five miles from the job site, and beginning the dock assembly process and water installation.
According to project founder Harold Lovelady, finally putting docks into the water is the result of nine years of preparation and work. “We are moving at full speed and getting ready to welcome our first customers,” states Lovelady. “Our extraordinary project team is building a world-class marina that will be exceptional for those who stay on a permanent, annual or transient basis.”
How big is it really?
Although it is accurate to Marina Pez Vela is large, it does not quite capture the project’s true breadth and depth. Here are some facts and figures to help convey the real picture.
• The marina encompasses 40 acres.
• 25 football fields can fit inside the marina basin
• The marina stretches approximately one-mile in circumference.
• 270,000 cubic meters of sand were dredged from the marina basin.
• 4,000 concrete dolos were needed for infrastructure.
• 4,800 tons of steel have been used to-date for marina construction.
Giving back:
Sand donations help community
A long-standing community partner, Marina Pez Vela recently donated sand dredged from the marina basin to help construction begin for a local nursing home, new school and to maintain soccer fields. Because Quepos is below sea level, sand is scarce, but necessary for building.
Tourism is big in Quepos.
Quepos and Manuel Antonio National Park are at the top of the list for Costa Rica’s most popular destinations. Already renowned for exotic sites and scenes, beautiful beaches and luxury accommodations, plans are underway to bring additional services and facilities to the area. To support these efforts, the Chamber of Commerce has improved tourism and organize development programs in this popular Central Pacific destination:
One priority project is capital investment in the Manuel Antonio National Park (located near Marina Pez Vela), which will benefit from $120 million for improving facilities and offer better services to the many tourists who visit the coastal preserve.
And several more initiatives are also underway in the area including a future expansion of the Quepos airport, creation of some area golf courses, and many other businesses, restaurant, hotel and lodging upgrades and expansions. The future is bright!!
Located in one of the world’s premier sport fishing destinations, Marina Pez Vela will offer an extraordinary base of operations for fishing and boating along the Pacific coast of Central America – opening thousands of miles of ocean that was previously impossible to fish. Once completed, Marina Pez Vela will be the largest full-service marina in Costa Rica, equipped with 300 wet slips, 120-unit dry storage facility, and a maintenance and repair boat yard with 200-ton Travel-Lift.
Docks are in!
In preparation for Marina Pez Vela’s fall debut, Bellingham Marine (BMI) is currently installing the first 100 concrete slips, including utility and gangway units. BMI’s assembly and installation team is onsite receiving materials, transporting float units from the casting plant located approximately five miles from the job site, and beginning the dock assembly process and water installation.
According to project founder Harold Lovelady, finally putting docks into the water is the result of nine years of preparation and work. “We are moving at full speed and getting ready to welcome our first customers,” states Lovelady. “Our extraordinary project team is building a world-class marina that will be exceptional for those who stay on a permanent, annual or transient basis.”
How big is it really?
Although it is accurate to Marina Pez Vela is large, it does not quite capture the project’s true breadth and depth. Here are some facts and figures to help convey the real picture.
• The marina encompasses 40 acres.
• 25 football fields can fit inside the marina basin
• The marina stretches approximately one-mile in circumference.
• 270,000 cubic meters of sand were dredged from the marina basin.
• 4,000 concrete dolos were needed for infrastructure.
• 4,800 tons of steel have been used to-date for marina construction.
Giving back:
Sand donations help community
A long-standing community partner, Marina Pez Vela recently donated sand dredged from the marina basin to help construction begin for a local nursing home, new school and to maintain soccer fields. Because Quepos is below sea level, sand is scarce, but necessary for building.
Tourism is big in Quepos.
Quepos and Manuel Antonio National Park are at the top of the list for Costa Rica’s most popular destinations. Already renowned for exotic sites and scenes, beautiful beaches and luxury accommodations, plans are underway to bring additional services and facilities to the area. To support these efforts, the Chamber of Commerce has improved tourism and organize development programs in this popular Central Pacific destination:
One priority project is capital investment in the Manuel Antonio National Park (located near Marina Pez Vela), which will benefit from $120 million for improving facilities and offer better services to the many tourists who visit the coastal preserve.
And several more initiatives are also underway in the area including a future expansion of the Quepos airport, creation of some area golf courses, and many other businesses, restaurant, hotel and lodging upgrades and expansions. The future is bright!!
“Fly Fishing in Loreto” by Carl Blackledge
Hey Gang, I just returned from my 3-week trip to Loreto, Mexico, where I was fly fishing for large Dorado, Sailfish and Marlin. I always stay at the gorgeous Oasis Hotel right on the beach in Loreto.
The fishing this year was a lot different from last year but still fabulous. Last year was the year of the Dorado. This year we still had lots of large Dorado, but the Sailfish were everywhere along with the Marlin. Lots of first timers to Loreto caught their 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and even 5th Sailfish this year. Some of the highlights for me personally were not only catching a large Dorado of 44 pounds on a cast Tube Crease fly, and jumping at least 3 dozen Sailfish and landing about half that many, plus one Marlin. It was a blast to watch all my roommates and fishing friends catching large Dorado, and most caught their first Sailfish ever on flies. I think every person in the group caught a Sailfish on a cast Crease fly (guys and gals).
The weather was very strange. It seemed every Monday we had a rain and wind storm, and one Monday we had a lightning and thunder storm that was the strongest, most powerful storm I have seen in 40 years. Even so, the next morning by 7:00 a.m. the sea was flat and calm and we hooked 9 sailfish and lots of Dorado! If you could find any Sargasso you were pretty well assured to catch lots of Dorado with top water flies like the Tube Crease flies. If we couldn’t find any Sargasso, fish jumping, or birds diving we trolled the Pink Chicken locator flies until we brought a large pod of Dorado up, then we had the pod to ourselves. At that point we caught Dorado until we were tired of them and went looking for Sailfish.
This year for the most part I had all new room mates and friends fishing with me. I think every person in our group caught and landed at least 3 Sailfish, with most landing at least a dozen plus a few Marlin thrown in (and of course large Dorado every day). We only fished for Skip Jacks one day after a storm and also caught some large Jack Cravelle that same day. In Loreto, as a rule, we don’t waste our time fishing for the lesser species when there are so many big trophy fish that swim these waters.
The hottest flies for wild top water action are the Crease flies, either the fixed hook or the Tube flies. The best underwater flies are still the basic Sardina patterns in dark olive and white, or tan and white. The fly that was the biggest key to all happiness was the big PINK CHICKEN or his brother the BLUE AND WHITE CHICKEN. When nothing is showing, just troll that fly around and in no time you’re into the action! The coolest thing is hooking an unseen Dorado and bringing him to the boat and all of a sudden, he has about 50 of his brothers and sisters with him. At that point you hand the rod with the trolled fish off to the guide and grab the Crease fly rods and enjoy the wild top water action only Dorado can provide.
My favorite setups this year for fly rods, lines and reels were the 12 wt. XI2 Sage rods, one rod with the new Cortland clear floating line hooked to the Tube Crease fly, and another 12 wt. Sage rod with a RIO 500- grain deep sea sink tip with the Sardina fly hooked to it. And the 3rd rod was a Sage 14 wt. with the RIO 30-foot tuna line in 500 grains hooked to RIO 50- pound running line. All my reels are Abel Super 12 with 500 yards of Power Pro. All of these setups worked like a well-oiled machine. While I was there, I did get to test and play with Sea Level Fly Fishing Adventures’ new products. Their new reels and their awesome fly rods are pretty cool stuff. And by the way, if you need to purchase any products I use including flies, Ray at Sea Level has everything in stock. Check them out on his website.
My trip was arranged and perfectly executed, as always, by Fishabout.com. They have been booking dream fishing trips just about anywhere in the world for the past 25 years. No complaints on this end! The Oasis Hotel threw a party for the Founders birthday while we were there with all the food you could eat free, and I mean real food like lobsters, steaks platters of giant shrimp, and, get this, a free open bar. Have any of you ever stayed at a place as gracious as that? And remember, NO place in Mexico sells you a cheaper package deal than the Oasis Hotel and Fishabout.com combination plan.
Mexico is the greatest place to fish that I know of for such a bargain price. If anybody is ever interested in information on these trips either contact Fishabout.com or drop me an email carlblackiedge@aol.com
The fishing this year was a lot different from last year but still fabulous. Last year was the year of the Dorado. This year we still had lots of large Dorado, but the Sailfish were everywhere along with the Marlin. Lots of first timers to Loreto caught their 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and even 5th Sailfish this year. Some of the highlights for me personally were not only catching a large Dorado of 44 pounds on a cast Tube Crease fly, and jumping at least 3 dozen Sailfish and landing about half that many, plus one Marlin. It was a blast to watch all my roommates and fishing friends catching large Dorado, and most caught their first Sailfish ever on flies. I think every person in the group caught a Sailfish on a cast Crease fly (guys and gals).
The weather was very strange. It seemed every Monday we had a rain and wind storm, and one Monday we had a lightning and thunder storm that was the strongest, most powerful storm I have seen in 40 years. Even so, the next morning by 7:00 a.m. the sea was flat and calm and we hooked 9 sailfish and lots of Dorado! If you could find any Sargasso you were pretty well assured to catch lots of Dorado with top water flies like the Tube Crease flies. If we couldn’t find any Sargasso, fish jumping, or birds diving we trolled the Pink Chicken locator flies until we brought a large pod of Dorado up, then we had the pod to ourselves. At that point we caught Dorado until we were tired of them and went looking for Sailfish.
This year for the most part I had all new room mates and friends fishing with me. I think every person in our group caught and landed at least 3 Sailfish, with most landing at least a dozen plus a few Marlin thrown in (and of course large Dorado every day). We only fished for Skip Jacks one day after a storm and also caught some large Jack Cravelle that same day. In Loreto, as a rule, we don’t waste our time fishing for the lesser species when there are so many big trophy fish that swim these waters.
The hottest flies for wild top water action are the Crease flies, either the fixed hook or the Tube flies. The best underwater flies are still the basic Sardina patterns in dark olive and white, or tan and white. The fly that was the biggest key to all happiness was the big PINK CHICKEN or his brother the BLUE AND WHITE CHICKEN. When nothing is showing, just troll that fly around and in no time you’re into the action! The coolest thing is hooking an unseen Dorado and bringing him to the boat and all of a sudden, he has about 50 of his brothers and sisters with him. At that point you hand the rod with the trolled fish off to the guide and grab the Crease fly rods and enjoy the wild top water action only Dorado can provide.
My favorite setups this year for fly rods, lines and reels were the 12 wt. XI2 Sage rods, one rod with the new Cortland clear floating line hooked to the Tube Crease fly, and another 12 wt. Sage rod with a RIO 500- grain deep sea sink tip with the Sardina fly hooked to it. And the 3rd rod was a Sage 14 wt. with the RIO 30-foot tuna line in 500 grains hooked to RIO 50- pound running line. All my reels are Abel Super 12 with 500 yards of Power Pro. All of these setups worked like a well-oiled machine. While I was there, I did get to test and play with Sea Level Fly Fishing Adventures’ new products. Their new reels and their awesome fly rods are pretty cool stuff. And by the way, if you need to purchase any products I use including flies, Ray at Sea Level has everything in stock. Check them out on his website.
My trip was arranged and perfectly executed, as always, by Fishabout.com. They have been booking dream fishing trips just about anywhere in the world for the past 25 years. No complaints on this end! The Oasis Hotel threw a party for the Founders birthday while we were there with all the food you could eat free, and I mean real food like lobsters, steaks platters of giant shrimp, and, get this, a free open bar. Have any of you ever stayed at a place as gracious as that? And remember, NO place in Mexico sells you a cheaper package deal than the Oasis Hotel and Fishabout.com combination plan.
Mexico is the greatest place to fish that I know of for such a bargain price. If anybody is ever interested in information on these trips either contact Fishabout.com or drop me an email carlblackiedge@aol.com
“BahamaLures” by Alan Wardle
Being that I was raised on a boat and didn’t live ashore until aged 7, I was fishing from the very beginning in the Bahamas! Learning to troll for wahoo and dolphin as soon as I could hold the rod, I never looked back. Lure making began back then with refurbishing old lead head jigs that had lost their feathers, then turning my own brass heads. About 5 years ago I began making resin headed lures in my closet, then in a shipping container, then a workshop in the garden and finally the big move from the Bahamas to North Carolina and a real production facility.
All the research and development happened in the Bahamas but production was near impossible until I moved to the states and now it’s full on with sales and exports filling the books. BahamaLures are now exported all over the world from NC!
Best Regards,
Alan Wardle
www.BahamaLure.com
Tel: 336-786-5331
Tel: 336-710-2749
EDITOR’S COMMENT
MARLIN WORLD have been fishing with Captain James Roberts and Captain Mark Lee onboard “MAGIC” in Madeira with some of Alan’s BahamaLures this summer. The lures were very consistent with probably the Charon 50 scoring more times than not out of the selection of four that we were carrying.
Captain James said: “I’ve had great luck with them and they run real well in the water. I’m still pulling them now and will certainly continue with them for the rest of the season. Put it like this — they have one side of my boat!”
All the research and development happened in the Bahamas but production was near impossible until I moved to the states and now it’s full on with sales and exports filling the books. BahamaLures are now exported all over the world from NC!
Best Regards,
Alan Wardle
www.BahamaLure.com
Tel: 336-786-5331
Tel: 336-710-2749
EDITOR’S COMMENT
MARLIN WORLD have been fishing with Captain James Roberts and Captain Mark Lee onboard “MAGIC” in Madeira with some of Alan’s BahamaLures this summer. The lures were very consistent with probably the Charon 50 scoring more times than not out of the selection of four that we were carrying.
Captain James said: “I’ve had great luck with them and they run real well in the water. I’m still pulling them now and will certainly continue with them for the rest of the season. Put it like this — they have one side of my boat!”
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