Guy Harvey Magazine — Spring 2012

The Art of Ocean Conservation VOLUME 2, ISSUE 8 SPRING 2012 $6.95

Shallow Water Tools Gear you need to fish the skinny water

Boating Green

The best products to stay clean and green

COMPLETE ANGLER:

Evolution of Fish Mounts, Fishing Celebs, Dock Buzz

CONTENTS

SPRING 2012

WHALE SHARK WONDERS

22

30

WHALE SHARK BASH Contributing editor Shawn Heinrichs traveled to Isla Mujeras where

40

22

CRYSTAL COAST, NC Charleston, South Carolina, resident, Sue Cushman, traveled to

he’d been swimming with swarms of sailfish. This time, he was on the

North Carolina to her childhood fishing grounds where she and her

hunt for the biggest fish, the gentle whale shark. This is one of the

dad lived on a 42-foot Chris Craft. She found the area much as she

only places on the planet where hundreds of whale sharks gather to

left it, with great inshore and offshore fishing, a bunch of friendly

feed in super clear waters.

folks and some tasty delights.

BY SHAWN HEINRICHS

BY SUE CUSHMAN

BOATING GREEN Keep your boat shiny and new-looking without polluting the

46

TUNA MEN The most highly-prized fish, the tuna, has been canned, called

marine environment or depleting your bank account. More and

chicken of the sea and is highly regulated in U.S. waters. GHM

more green boating products are hitting the market, making it

interviews NOAA’s Brad McHale about managing tuna, and looks to

easier to maintain your floating toy in a responsible way.

remote Indonesia where locals keep tuna sustainable by catching

BY DARYL CARSON

them on hand lines.

BY SHAWN HEINRICHS & BRAD MCHALE

CRYSTAL COAST, NC

40

DEPARTMENTS

10

12

Documentary Life Guy discusses the art of making wildlife documentary

64

Frank Johnson Trophy Longtime big game fisherman Tim Choate will be

films including the grueling travel schedule and the

receiving a prestigious award at the 2012 Billfish

once-in-a-lifetime encounters with wild sea creatures.

Invitational tournament in Bimini.

BY DR. GUY HARVEY

BY NED STONE

Letters to GHM Reader comments via letters, e-mails, texts, social

68

media and notes on napkins.

Baffled by Billfish Tagging Caribbean billfish reveals previously unknown information about the great distances these majestic creatures travel. Dr. Guy Harvey also demonstrates the

16

correct way to tag a marlin and document the event.

Miami Boat Show 2012

BY DR. MAHMOOD SHIVJI & DARYL CARSON

More than a billion dollars in boats from dinghies to mega-yachts makes the Miami Boat Show a wonderland for water lovers.

BY FRED GARTH

72

GulfWild in St. Pete Recipes from the Tradewinds Resort Chef Justin Harry in St. Pete Beach, Florida, where using sustainable

34

GulfWild seafood has become the chef’s standard.

Crypto Turtles

BY LYNDA WATERS

Australian flatback sea turtles are reclusive and elusive critters and finding a photo of them is virtually impossible. However, photojournalist extraordinaire, Doug Perrine, who is one of the few humans to ever

76

Hooked on Air Editor-in-Chief Fred Garth goes for the ride of his life

photograph adult flatbacks in the wild, is publishing

on a bull gator and bass tracking air boat near Florida’s

them here for the first time ever.

central East Coast.

BY DOUG PERRINE

BY FRED GARTH

CONTENTS

SPRING 2012

Edited by CAPT. DAVE LEAR

GEARHEADS

SHALLOW WATER FISHING TOOLS Make the best of your skinny water fishing by using the best tools of the trade.

56

BY CAPT. MIKE HOLLIDAY

50 52

DOCK BUZZ

Giving Back Reel Life Adventures is a clever name for a group

54

BACKLASH

Kate Burke & Bob Rich Our fishing celebrities share their favorite knots

changing lives through fishing.

and fishing flicks.

BY CAPT. DAVE LEAR

BY CA STAFF

Evolution of Fish Mounts Mounting a fish using fish parts is passé.

60

FEATURE

Bahamian Hot Pocket Anglers targeting dolphin in the Bahamas

It’s all plastics now.

often get slammed.

BY DANNY THORNTON

BY STEVE WATERS

Complete Angler (CA) is our “magazine within the magazine,” dedicated to hard-core fishing enthusiasts & delivering access to experts, the latest in fishing gear and the hottest fishing spots on the planet.

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the open water. It’s just one of the things that makes the great outdoors great. And with our Outdoorsmen Insurance,SM we’ll cover everything you need to reel in that 6-foot marlin. The reeling part? Well, that’s up to you.

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GUY HARVEY ORIGINAL ARTWORK

FOR

Guy Harvey Magazine is offering a limited collection of Guy’s original artwork, signed of course, and shipped with an Official Certificate of Authenticity.

Inquiries for this original art should contact Kat Dean at 888.275.2856 or kat@guyharveymagazine.com.

E L A S

Dorado Quickstep

CREDITS TO: PUBLISHER Lost Key Publishing Editor-in-Chief Fred Garth Managing Editor Daryl Carson Editor, Complete Angler Capt. Dave Lear Copy Editor Kerrie Allen Art Director & Layout Design Leslie Ward VP of Advertising & Marketing Darren Shepherd Marketing Director John Guidroz Outside Sales Representative Dan Wilson Circulation Director Kat Dean Accounting Karen Belser Internet Gurus Advontemedia Contributing Editors Kat Dean Dr. Guy Harvey Doug Perrine Danny Thornton Contributors Dr. Andre Boustany Kate Burke Sue Cushman Pat Ford Shawn Heinrichs Capt. Mike Holliday Scott Kerrigan Bob Rich Dr. Mahmood Shivji Ned Stone Lynda Waters Steve Waters Editorial Advisory Board Dr. Guy Harvey Chad Henderson Bill Shedd Dr. Mahmood Shivji Steve Stock Harvey Taulien David Wilkinson

Acrylic on Canvas GUY HARVEY MAGAZINE, Issue 8, Spring 2012.

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GHM is published four times per year (quarterly)

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Watercolor on Paper

Framed Image: 26” x 17 1/2”

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GUY TALK

LIVING THE DOCUMENTARY LIFE Ten years ago I took the first hesitant steps into the realm

in a variety of places, beginning with Tropic Star Lodge in

of making TV fishing shows. Hesitant…well yes. I was told

Panama who graciously hosted me and the crew. We got

by people in the business that this pursuit was very time

lucky and my son Alex, just seven-years-old at the time,

consuming, very expensive and you have to be very patient.

caught a couple of black marlin. We did a sailfish shoot the

I am a marlin fisherman so I could handle the patience part.

same week with Raleigh Werking, and never looked back.

Time consuming…I am on the road a lot and so this would

We went from the Caribbean to British Columbia catching

be an added burden on my family life. True. Many of my

everything in between and the first year was a big success,

research expeditions were based on the need to visit different

largely because of the huge amount of underwater footage

marine environments for inspiration for new art. This new

I was able to get working with a very talented cameraman

responsibility would formalize these expeditions and have a

named Rick Westphal. Rick went on just about every shoot I

finished product suitable for a public audience.

ever did because he was as good under the water as he was

Very expensive…emphasis on very. With a three-man film crew, sometimes four, plus a guest angler, the daily cost of

above the water.

Also a guest on many shows was Bill Boyce, a photo

being in the field would be several thousand dollars. I would

journalist extraordinaire, and a great angler and diver. We all

be able to sign up sponsors to help defer some or all of these

loved Bill! He is so humorous! Bill now has his own award-

costs. After all, several well-known fishing TV personalities like

winning TV series called The IGFA Saltwater Series.

Mark Sosin, George Poveromo and Larry Dahlberg, to name a

To complete 13 episodes in a few months was a big task,

few have made a living in this business. To say nothing of the

on top of my rigorous schedule, but it was working and the

bass fishing experts and their respective shows.

TV shows, then airing on the Outdoor Life Network were well

My first producer for the series called Portraits from the

received. For the next season I worked with another award-

Deep was Angelo Bernaducci, known for his award winning

winning producer Ken Kavanaugh and the World Publications

series Walker’s Cay Chronicles. We covered a number of species

team, now called the Bonnier Group.

GUY HARVEY, PhD is an internationally-acclaimed artist, fisherman, scientist, and world traveler. Guy is pictured here filming his latest documentary, Grouper Moon.

We revisited some of the same locations, Tropic Star Lodge being one of them, as the fishing and diving were so consistent, we always got what we went to shoot. Other great locations included Alaska, British Columbia, Venezuela and all

Dr. Mahmood Shivji and the Guy Harvey Research Institute team with some amazing results.

We have shot an entire documentary in Panama called, Panama Paradise: On the

over the Caribbean. For the next season I decided to focus on my strength, the

Edge of Conservation. And have shot a new sailfish documentary in Isla Mujeres,

different billfish species. My guests on the show were the world’s leading scientists

Mexico, and recently added mako shark catching and tagging to this mix. Bluefin

in billfish research, many of whom I interviewed at the 2005 International Billfish

tunas in Nova Scotia were filmed last October in association with work being

Symposium in Catalina, California. Paxson Offield kindly sponsored some of the

done by Molly Lutcavage of the Large Pelagics Research Center in Massachusetts.

shoots as did the now defunct Ocean Conservation Organization.

We have a shoot planned in May to catch and tag oceanic white tip sharks off

The series was another hit and the shows have done the rounds finding a

Cat Island, Bahamas, with Jim Abernethy and the GHRI team. Another shoot

lasting home on Fox Sunsports, thus reaching my constituents in the Southeast

is planned for August at the magical island of Isla del Coco off Costa Rica, my

of the USA.

favorite dive spot in the world.

There is a new series in the making, this time with more emphasis on the

The new format, often requiring return shoots to the same location to acquire

natural history of the fish we love to catch or dive with. After a three-year break

more content, is a relief from the somewhat repetitive fishing shows, which took

in shooting new content, I engaged the services of another award-winning

the fun out of fishing for me. The job had to be done in the timeframe allocated,

producer, George Schellenger, and began with a collaboration with Jim Abernethy

and that was that. With the documentary-style format, if the shoot is a poor one,

and Wyland to shoot This is Your Ocean: Sharks. The new, one-hour format was very

I just go back at a later date and git’er done. The new documentaries will all air

gratifying, covering art, science, fishery management, tourism and politics. George

on a network still to be decided but are produced under the auspices of the Guy

and I have become a cohesive two-man team (in the old days there were four

Harvey Ocean Foundation.

people on a team) and have shot all the content for the just completed Mystery

There are several additional uses for both old and new content, which is then

of the Grouper Moon all about the plight of Nassau groupers in the Cayman Islands.

put up on the website, on facebook and other venues for people to access and be

We have added more content to the new tiger shark documentary I started three

educated about current expeditions and filming trips.

years ago in Bermuda and the Bahamas. This work has been undertaken by

Fish responsibly, dive safely.

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BRAND NEW SITE!

BY JOHN GUIDROZ

.com

In today’s magazine market, those who have a killer website are

the latest news, a full-blown company directory of fishing,

above the curve. Over the last six months, the Internet team at

boating, and water related companies, plus a lot more.

Guy Harvey Magazine has been hard at work building our new

Below are some screen shots from some of the most popular

website. This new website has a clean layout, an artist gallery,

sections of our website. If you haven’t seen or been on the new

huge image portfolios that jump off the page, an editor’s blog,

website, go check it out. GuyHarveyMagazine.com.

Photo: Justin Ebert

ow Miami Boat Sh

ended up on the deck. It was a horrible spectacle of

This year, West Marine had some 40 entries to

chopped limes and ice. Wait, where was I? Oh yeah,

evaluate and ended up with three winners, two of

the 557 engine allows the power-hungry to mount a

which were outboard engines (hint: neither was from

single outboard rather than twins or trips. Of course,

Seven Marine) and another was a bio-based epoxy

TH

BY FRED GAR

the price also has a seven in it, followed by five zeros

resin for repairing fiberglass, as well as building

(yes, that’s $70,000), so this screaming outboard is for

boats. You can’t truly appreciate this latter product

Three years ago, I jumped into the Miami Boat Show

those who want power and have a fully-fueled wallet.

unless you’ve patched a fiberglass hull in Florida in

with a mission: to find the greener side of the fishing

August. It requires a full-body jumpsuit, a medical-

and boating industry. And I’m not talking about

Green Power

medicinal marijuana, although I was staying in South

Even though I was blinded by the wonder of the

The ensemble is topped off with a sturdy hat just to

Beach. No, I was hunting for solar powered boats,

557, my trusty green shades still allowed me to spot

make sure every one of your pores is suffocated.

biodegradable beer bottles, soy-based sunscreens,

some earth-friendly toys. Turns out, all I had to do

Until this experience, I never knew my eyeballs

edible granola lures and corn starch fishing line that

was saunter (my wife hates it when I do that) over

could sweat.

melts away when a fish breaks the line. Alas, after a

to the West Marine booth and gander at their Green

day of disappointment, I decided to go home, find

Products of the Year winners. Last year, they had

a haystack and start hunting needles. Fortunately, I

a single champ, the innovative Blacktip Catch

had no such urges while attending the show this past

and Release Recompression tool. This allows

February. It’s amazing how things have changed in

a bloated fish to be sent back down into

just a few years. The 2012 Miami Boat Show was as

the depths and released, it’s belly no longer

green as the hallowed glens of Wicklow, Ireland. Well,

swollen to dimensions that resemble me

maybe not that green, but close.

after Thanksgiving dinner. This recompression

The Magnificent Seven

technique is a kinder and gentler release method

Consider the raw power of the 557-horsepower

has a better chance of survival.

2012 Edition

grade ventilator mask, goggles and rubber gloves.

than puncturing the fish’s bladder and the fish

outboard by Seven Marine. That’s not a typo. This beast of a single-engine outboard carries a ridiculous 557 horses. I’ve been a big fan of outboard motors ever since I ripped an inboard/ outboard off the back of a 24-foot Bertram on a six-inch-deep sandbar.

The boat sank to the shallow bottom, and while no people were injured, every gin and tonic

Seven Marine 557

The epoxy, made by Southern California-based Entropy, is the only USDA certified bio-based epoxy resin system on the market. It’s called Super Sap 100/1000, presumably because they use materials such as pine oils from wood pulp processing instead of petroleum-based chemicals. They also use vegetable oil components from the waste stream of bio-fuel processing. The result is a more eco-friendly epoxy with excellent bonding capabilities. Best of all, now you can repair your hull, stay cool, and get a full-body tan at the same time.

For more information, go to www.entropyresins.com.

The Power of Propane The other outboard recognized by West Marine comes from the why-didn’tI-think-of-that file—so simple, yet so clever. It’s a propane-powered outboard motor by Lehr, a company that has already been producing propane-powered lawn mowers, leaf blowers and weed whackers for several years. Founder and CEO Bernardo Herzer, whose career as a ship’s captain taught him a love of the oceans, has developed a line of clean-burning propane engines for the consumer market.

Upon learning that traditional, gasoline-powered lawn mowers and weed whackers produce as much as 30 times more hydrocarbons than a typical automobile during one hour of use, Herzer developed a line of lawn and garden tools. Their 2.5HP

The Power of the Electron

and 5HP outboard engines use the same technology. Not only do they emit zero

One of the outboards that won the nod from West Marine comes from

fuel. Now, if I can invent a converter to run my iPhone off propane, I’ll be in business!

a company that has been on Guy Harvey Magazine’s radar for several

emissions into the water, but you can grill your fish and run your boat off the same

Seriously, when you consider problems associated with gasoline—from pollution

years. Torqeedo engines, which we’ve covered in past issues, are 100%

to clogged carburetors to dependence on radical third world regimes—it’s baffling

electric. Their brand new Travel 1003 is heavy duty and can push a small,

why we haven’t converted more combustion engines to propane. You may be

inflatable dinghy at 15 miles per hour. It comes with a built-in GPS that

thinking, but how much more do I have to pay? Guess what? Lehr’s outboards are in

displays speed and optimum energy usage so you get the most life out

line with four strokes of the same horsepower. A Honda 2HP is around $900 and a

of your battery. The system uses a high-tech, lithium-manganese battery,

Lehr 2.5HP is available for $999 at West Marine. At the iBoats.com website, the 5HP

which does not have a memory-effect so it can be charged even after

Lehr is listed for $1,629 compared to $1,575 for a Honda 5HP.

a small amount of usage. Heck, it even has a solar panel charger that can pump electrons into the battery, even as you’re pumping them out through the prop. Life expectancy of the battery is 6-10 years, depending on whether you’re a slacker like me and leave it exposed to the intense heat of the sun, or you’re a neat-nick like my wife and store it in a cool, shady location when not boating. One other cool aspect of these motors is that they’re completely sealed. If you drop it into the water, no problem. Just retrieve it, hose it off and power on, dude.

A few of the many boats at the Miami Boat Show 2012

Power to the People You’d think that listening to a seminar about

identified and, of course, prevented from the UGC

ain’t comfy, your back and butt will be barking at you

system for future updates.

for days to come.

In addition to UGC, daily updates to the system,

The Pro Angler has a six-rod stowage area, two

marine electronics would be about as much fun as

laser and satellite integration, the Navtronics chart

vertical rod holders, a cutting board, tackle boxes,

watching bottom paint dry. Not true. Navtronics has

plotters also offer a feature called Newsstand, which

and huge storage in the bow and stern, along with a

changed that game by capitalizing on social media to

includes 4,000 articles from 200 magazines, available

livewell. Basically, this is a boyak. One of the coolest

bring about one of the coolest innovations in marine

to users at their fingertips, with boating info on

optional features is Hobie’s eVolve electric motor kit

navigation since Columbus didn’t fall off the edge

destinations, boat maintenance and more.

(made by Torqeedo), which has a tiny footprint, but

of the planet. Navtronics calls it UGC, short for User

Paddle & Pedal Power

will push the craft some 20 miles without paddling.

Generated Content. Put simply, they use information from boaters to update their charts. If a boat sinks in

If you like to paddle and build your pecks, the eVolve

Some people covet the new Cabo 63 enclosed

will take you ever further. I still covet the Cabo, but

your local waterway or a channel marker gets washed

fly bridge. I’m one of those people, especially if my

the Mirage will probably materialize in front of my

away in a storm, you can send in the information

neighbor owns one and lets me use it. I toured the

eyes sooner.

and the Navtronics system can update their charts in

impressive 63-footer and shot some cool video

minutes to reflect real-time changes to waterways.

footage you can find on the Guy Harvey Magazine

The problem with paper charts is they take twoto-five years to implement updates. By that time,

website under the “Boat” tab.

As deeply as I would love to have that Cabo

sandbars have shifted, new obstructions have come

moored at my house, it turns out my banker is not

into play, and who knows what else. In the Navtronics

quite as enthusiastic. More in line with my budget

world, updates can occur in two-to-five minutes. The

is another vessel I’ve had my eye on for two years,

use of UGC is essentially like having 30,000 staffers

the Hobie Mirage Pro Angler. I’m not sure why they

in the field feeding you current data. In 2011, their

call it a mirage, because I can definitely see one in

30,000 users, which they call editors, generated

my future. This sleek craft is almost 14-feet long and,

200,000 edits—104,000 in Europe, 58,000 in the U.S.

while I never thought I’d be discussing the beam of

and 32,000 in Australia and New Zealand.

a kayak, this one is more than three-feet wide. It’s

To make sure prank or fake alterations don’t occur,

so sturdy that standing up is a breeze. When it is

Navtronics has a “report abuse” button on their

time to park your kiester, the Cool Ride® seat is so

reporting screen and, keep in mind, each user’s email

comfortable you’ll want to move it into the man cave

address and other contact info is in the system, so if

and park it in front of your 50-inch flat screen. I’ve

someone gives false information they will quickly be

fished kayaks for more than a decade and if the seat

In Conclusion From a 200-foot castle on the sea to a sick 14-foot kayak, green products, a 557HP outboard and innovative ways to update charts in real time, the Miami Boat Show was once again a smorgasbord of tempting toys and dream purchases. To top it off, I got to spend some quality time with the man himself, Guy Harvey, to discuss marine conservation, future magazine articles, and his unbelievably hectic schedule. Guy spent many, many hours signing T-shirts, posters, books, hats and the like, but we did break away for dinner one night. It was there my only real disappointment of the week came. Guy, apparently, did not buy Benetti’s Diamonds Are Forever to house the new GH corporate offices. Maybe next year.

Power Broker The collection of yachts at the Miami Boat Show will wow even the most jaded boater. This year, there were more than 600 boats on display from 32 countries.

The crown jewel (no pun intended) was the 200-foot palace on the water, Diamonds Are Forever, by famed yacht builder John Staluppi. I was lucky enough to tour the amazing ship, built in Italy by Benetti, with its six-story round elevator, chandeliers, water toys and opulence oozing from every seam. The cost of a weekly charter is $400,000, and that does not include food or fuel. Personally, for that price I want my own marina with a restaurant thrown in. The day after my tour, Staluppi sold the boat for some $70 million.

Everyone Loves Guy

Hobie Mirage Pro Angler

Above: Inside view of the Miami Boat Show.

Many more displays are under tents outside.

Right: Guy Harvey hangs with Dave Chafin at the retail mobile unit. They’re happy to end another long day of signing shirts and being charming.

Right Top: University of Miami Hall of Fame football players brought a real Heisman Trophy to meet Guy. From left to right: Sherko Haji-Rasouli, Dr. Pat Del Vecchio, Guy Harvey, and K.C. Jones. Right Bottom: Photographer extraordinaire, Marc Montocchio, at his display with his incredible images and some sweet metal art. Below from Top to Bottom: Hot action in the Guy Harvey booth; Cameron Watson of Guy Harvey Jewelry; an inventive land/water boat.

A MASSIVE GATHERING OF WHALE SHARKS IS NOT ONLY THRILLING TOURISTS IN MEXICO, IT’S HELPING SAVE THE OCEANS. TEXT & PHOTOS BY SHAWN HEINRICHS

Stand on the jetty in Isla Mujeres, Mexico, during a hot July or August morning

ourselves bobbing on the open seas, anxious and frustrated. We passed the

and you’ll count up to 50 local boats leaving the harbor, each packed with

hours by sharing stories of our adventures from around the globe. As interesting

anxious, gawking tourists. Cameras and snorkels in hand, they’ve come for a once

as these stories were, they paled in comparison to the one Captain Rogelio

rare and sacred big-animal encounter, one that has become predictable and

produced—an unbelievable fish tale about large numbers of whale sharks

plentiful off the coast of this Caribbean fishing hot spot. An annual gathering of

gathering in these clear, blue waters.

whale sharks—some days the number of animals exceeds 300, all packed into a

Having fished these waters for almost three decades, Rogelio is considered one

one-square-kilometer area—is providing the thrill of a lifetime for tourists and

of the most experienced and respected captains in Isla Mujeres. Prior to joining

an eco-tourism lifeline for local operators. But just a few years ago, the story was

Keen M International as a charter sportfishing boat captain, Rogelio had worked

quite different.

as a commercial longline fisherman who primarily targeted sharks. Over the years,

In January of 2009, I traveled to Isla Mujeres to film schools of sailfish predating on sardine baitballs. Unfortunately, we arrived during a slow period and found

A whale shark glides gracefully past a tour boat, while guests stare in amazement.

Rogelio had sometimes observed large gatherings of whale sharks feeding on the surface. The whale sharks were of little interest to the fishermen, however, as

they were not a commercially targeted species. In fact, the fishermen considered

You can imagine our skepticism as Rogelio described encounters with dozens

the whale sharks a nuisance, as many a propeller or rudder was damaged from

of whale sharks just floating on the surface, oblivious to his presence. Normally,

striking a whale shark as it glided just a few feet underwater.

these animals, some of which can grow to the size of a school bus, are quite

In recent years, Keen M International had begun catering to adventure divers

skittish. Divers and snorkelers can travel thousands of miles and sometimes work

seeking interactions with sailfish. The influx of new customers perked their

for days to have momentary, fleeting encounters. Seeing the doubt in our eyes,

interest in expanding their eco-tourism offering and suddenly these whale shark

Rogelio produced his logbook and recounted the entries over the past two years.

gatherings became more than just a curiosity. Rogelio began keeping a logbook

Five, 10, 20, 30 and 50 whale sharks. “Impossible!” I retorted. “In one place, all

of whale shark sightings that he dutifully updated each day.

together, at the same time?”

“Yes, maybe more. Too many to count,” Rogelio replied.

If it were not for the fact that Rogelio is a serious man, well-respected, and generally understated, I would have dismissed his claims as a typically tall fisherman’s tale.

But I took him at his word. The opportunity for such a discovery was too

several more. We drew closer and more fins appeared, stretching to the horizon, as

great to pass up.

far as the eye could see. In a state of excitement-induced shock, we grabbed our

From my prior documentary experience, I knew that whale sharks generally gather in groups for one reason: to feed on plankton or fish spawn. Since these

cameras and tumbled into water.

Whale sharks were everywhere with mouths wide open, skimming the surface

animals were gathering in blue waters, I suspected that spawning activity was

and gulping down mouthfuls of tiny, clear eggs. The whale sharks converged from

drawing them in. Fish spawning tends to coincide with certain moon phases, and

all directions, and with no room to maneuver, bowled us over, and continued on

armed with Rogelio’s logbook, we targeted the ideal date to search for the whale

their way. There were so many animals in such a small area that they were literally

sharks. I organized an expedition, and early one morning in July, we set out to

piling up, as one train of sharks collided with another. For the next five days, we

comb the open ocean in search of the gathering.

spent more than 30 hours in the water filming whale sharks. An aerial survey

When the day came, we set out with a sense of cautious optimism. Scanning

on the final day counted at least 275 whale sharks in our spot and conservative

the horizon, I eventually noticed a curious disturbance on the surface and we

estimates put the total aggregation at over 400 animals. This was, by far, the

approached for closer inspection. Suddenly, a large fin cut the surface, followed by

largest whale shark gathering ever documented.

A pair of whale sharks splits as they pass by me, mouths agape as they feed on tiny fish eggs.

Economics of Change Historically, Isla Mujeres has not been a safe place for big marine animals.

driven by escalating fin prices, the fishermen continue to hunt the dwindling

Especially sharks. No one can better attest to this than Captain Rogelio. In his

populations of sharks.

day, Rogelio was considered one of the best commercial shark fishermen in the

This dynamic is not unique, and the problem of overfishing in places like Isla

business. Now a sportfishing and eco-tour captain, Rogelio was kind enough to

Mujeres often seems intractable. Short-term economic gains drive destructive

share his knowledge of the shark fishery with us. The shark fishery here is well

behavior with serious long-term consequences. Economically poor communities

established and has been operating for decades. Each night, up to 20 longline

need income today to feed their families and choose to ignore the effect their

vessels set bottom lines of four-to-five miles in length, each carrying hundreds

actions will have on tomorrow. The best-intentioned conservation initiatives

of baited hooks. Tiger sharks, silky sharks, hammerheads and nurse sharks are

often fall short because they fail to address this simple reality. But here in Isla

frequently caught, but the majority of landings are bull sharks, many of them

Mujeres, an eco-tourism windfall had the potential to fundamentally shift that

heavily pregnant females. Back in the day, Rogelio recalled personally landing

economic equation.

over 100 bull sharks in just one month. Today, fishermen report dramatic declines in shark catches, yet a shark-processing factory still operates on the island. And

We openly shared our knowledge of the whale shark aggregation, and the island operators soon began working together to locate the whale sharks.

A snorkeler enjoys an encounter of a lifetime with a magnificent whale shark.

Below: Massive gills flush water through them and filter out protein-dense fish eggs.

The following year, we introduced GPS tracking of the aggregations movement and dramatically reduced the time (and fuel) required for operators to locate the sharks. Word began to spread about the huge numbers of whale sharks and tourists began to pour in from across the globe. The increase in tourists required more boats with captains, crew and guides. These jobs provided more predictable and consistent income than many of the traditional fishing alternatives. As the movement grew, the community even started a festival to celebrate the whale sharks.

This year, a source on the island shared with me that the longline fleet was now operating at five boats or less. Apparently, the owner of the largest fleet has shifted his emphasis to whale shark tourism and is now running five whale shark boats a day. It seems shark conservation has become the happy side effect of a better economic choice for local fishermen, which makes Isla Mujeres a great model for using eco-tourism as a way to promote conservation and help curb overfishing.

Top: A massive whale shark appears to be swallowing a tour boat full of excited tourists. Center: Fins everywhere, the ocean is literally teeming with hundreds of whale sharks. Bottom: A beautiful whale shark skims just below the surface, gulping down tiny eggs with its massive mouth.

BY DARYL CARSON

Environmentally-friendly boat care products are the right choice because they’re green. They’re a smart choice because they work.

It wasn’t all that long ago that the phrase “boating green” meant you were hanging out near the leeward rail, keeping an eye on the horizon and your mind off of the bacon-egg-and-cheese grease bomb you ate for breakfast.

However, in the past couple of decades, the rising tide of environmental consciousness has many boaters thinking about protecting their favorite waterways, and “boating green” has taken on a completely new meaning.

This is especially true when it comes to cleaning and maintaining your vessel. In fact, it’s getting harder every year to take a stroll down the boat care aisle of your favorite retailer and not see words like “biodegradable,” “eco-friendly,” and “environmentally safe” plastered across containers of boat wash and bottom paint.

By most measures, the green boating trend is a

Once applied to a boat hull, the paint slowly and

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) also

great thing. It’s good for the environment and it’s

steadily releases biocides (think: pesticides for marine

approves them. They still use copper, but have

been good for business, as new manufacturers have

life) that continually kill and prevent marine growth.

“perfected control of leach-out rates” to dramatically

emerged and established ones have continued to

A classic ingredient in this brew is copper, which,

limit the amount of heavy metal needed for the

innovate. If there’s a knock against green products,

once released into the environment, can build up to

paint to maintain yearlong effectiveness. Aquagard

it’s that sometimes there’s more marketing than

undesirable and even toxic levels. While the impact

Bottom Paint is water-based, which minimizes the

substance behind their claims. (Imagine a picture

of copper released from the bottom of one boat is

risk of toxic solvent exposure and means clean-

of baby fur seals drinking boat wash out of shot

pretty insignificant, the compound effect of all the

up requires only soap and water. It’s multi-season

glasses—“So safe, it’s a healthy snack!”)

boats in a large marina releasing copper year after

ablative, only activates when it’s in the water and

year can have a real effect on local ecosystems.

can be used over other hard ablative bottom paints.

The truth is, there are manufacturers putting good—dare we say, even great—science behind

Manufacturers have undertaken different

(aquagardboatpaint.com)

their products and improving them to the point that

strategies to make anti-fouling bottom paints less

they equal or exceed the performance of traditional

environmentally egregious. This includes using much

technologies. The challenge to boaters is discerning

less copper, but combining it with other, friendlier,

Pettit Paints

what’s marketing and what’s meaningful. This is

compounds to use it more efficiently. Another

Pettit’s Hydrocoat

complicated because there are no governmental

method has been to create non-copper biocides

SR anti-fouling paint

regulations for what’s really meant by “green,”

that use different chemistry to kill off marine growth.

is driven by “Clean

“environmentally safe,” “biodegradable,” “non-toxic”

Some paints are even water-based, avoiding the

Core Technology,”

and other frequently used terms. In fact, some

use of many harsh chemicals. We like this because

which reduces

independent testing has shown that products that

not only is it environmentally friendly, but it makes

the heavy metals

make no environmental claims can be a greener

clean-up a breeze and keeps our nose hair out of

found in traditional

choice than products claiming to be so safe that Al

harm’s way.

bottom paint

“Ozone” Gore himself personally uses them.

by 40 percent. Like other products, this reduction

The answer is to do a little homework before you

Aquagard

buy—first by digging into the manufacturer’s website

Aquagard’s anti-fouling paints are water-based and

release rates that use a small amount of copper very

and product information, and then by checking a

exceed federal and state VOC standards. The U.S.

efficiently. The company offers another product,

is possible because of highly controlled biocide

few third-party sources. Following is a sample of eco-

Ultima Eco, which employs a completely metal-free

smart products that our GHM team has researched

biocide called Econea. It’s safe for use on all boat

that will serve you well and keep your vessel in

hulls, including aluminum. Both products can be

tip-top shape.

used over most previously painted surfaces. (pettitpaints.com)

Bottom Business Traditional anti-fouling bottom paint is

ePaint

so noxious, one whiff will incinerate the

The technology behind ePaint’s

nose hair of your children’s children. It’s

anti-fouling products, such as its

the telltale sign that the paint contains

EP-2000, is unique because it doesn’t

VOCs, or Volatile Organic Compounds.

use any copper at all. Instead, it is

chemically activated by light to combine water with dissolved oxygen molecules

West Marine

and form a hydrogen peroxide barrier around the boat hull. This creates a surface

Under their own label, boat retailing powerhouse West Marine sells an entire

inhospitable to bio-fouling animal larvae, such as barnacles and zebra mussels. In

line of Pure Oceans boat care products, including Boat Soap, Deck Cleaner,

addition, it uses special biocides (such as Zinc Omadine) formulated to have very

Bilge Cleaner, Vinyl Cleaner, Hull Cleaner, Fiberglass Cleaner and (we think)

short half-lives, meaning they break down quickly once released into the water.

even fingernail cleaner. Each lives up to the line’s mission, which includes using

These biocides comprise only 5% by weight of the final paint product compared

environmentally preferable alternatives that are less toxic, less environmentally

to 40-75% of copper in traditional formulas. How safe are these biocides? Zinc

persistent and less bio-accumulative than ingredients used in similar products.

Omadine is a common ingredient in dandruff shampoo. (epaint.com)

Most impressive is that all these claims are verified by third-party testing, and even the product packaging is minimal and comes from recycled or recyclable

Bubble Baths

materials. (westmarine.com)

Boaters, especially offshore anglers, know that a good day on the water can leave

Star brite

your vessel well adorned in salt crystals, scuff marks and various forms of fish

The eco-friendly vibe at Star brite has been strong since the company was

matter. The best response is an immediate and thorough wash down with an

founded some four decades ago. We like their Super Orange Citrus Boat Wash,

effective boat wash. Unless this is done in dry dock over a closed drainage system,

which is safe to use while the boat is in or near the water, and is low-sudsing,

the result is plenty of soapy runoff into the marina. In addition to using green

which minimizes rinse water. For tough waterline and rust stains, their Instant

boating products, there are several practical things boaters can do to minimize

Hull Cleaner uses an environmentally-responsible, yet powerful, oxalic acid

the environmental impact of the cleaners they use.

First and foremost is to use soaps and cleansers according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. Hyper-concentrated amounts of product “X” rarely work better than the dilution suggested on the label. When tough stains need to be addressed, spot-cleaning with a towel handy to soak up excess soaps or solvents is the best way to go. Regular maintenance is also important. It’s better to perform multiple light washings with a general cleaner rather than having to nuke your boat hull with high concentrations of noxious solvents to remove months of neglect.

When it comes to choosing a good boat wash, read the label. Citrus-based cleaners are generally a safe choice, as are those that invoke the name of the Environmental Protection Agency or recognized governmental or private certification agency. Here are a few of our favorites:

formulation. And, Star brite’s Super Green Cleaner/Degreaser

Beating Corrosion

is a biodegradable solution for spills while out on the boat.

If you’re like most boaters, you call them “zincs,” but they’re really anodes—

Sprayed directly on the stain or spill, it breaks it apart

sacrificial hunks of metal that redirect the slight electrical current created in water

so that it can be rinsed clean with either saltwater or

when two unlike metals are placed in close proximity. Forsake their replacement,

freshwater. The residue is designed not to harm sea life and

and you’ll pay the price with a corroded prop or other damaged metallic structure.

to be for use on all marine surfaces. (starbrite.com)

The problem, environmentally speaking, is that traditional zinc anodes contain cadmium, a heavy metal known to be toxic. Fortunately, there’s a greener

Thetford In 2008, Thetford joined a program that designates acceptable products as

alternative.

Martyr Anodes offers environmentally-friendly

specifically “Designed for the Environment” by the EPA, meaning they use best-

anodes for both salt and freshwater boaters.

in-class components and meet stringent requirements for what the agency calls

Martyr II Aluminum (for saltwater) and Martyr III

“safer chemistry.” Five of Thetford’s boat care products to hold this designation

Magnesium (for freshwater) anodes are cadmium-

include their Boat Wash, Bilge Cleaner, Multi-Purpose Stain Remover, Ultra-Foam

free. Both are also lighter in weight than traditional

Deck Cleaner and Ultra-Foam Black Streak Remover. And, equally important to our

zincs, something especially nice for sailboats. And,

readers, these products have a strong reputation for getting the job done.

the aluminum anodes in particular have superior

(thetford.com)

electro-chemical properties, making them perform more effectively and last longer than traditional counterparts. Still not sold? In recent years, aluminum anode prices have come more into line with old-school zincs, which means you might be all out of excuses not to switch. (martyranodes.com)

Getting Greener Smart boat maintenance is really just the beginning of boating green. Fuel choices and efficiency, bilge cleaning, wastewater—there’s a greener way to do just about everything on a boat. From our view, the important thing is to simply start somewhere—and better buying habits when it comes to washing, painting and maintaining your boat is an easy first step. We suggest you take it.

Al Gore and the fur seals will be happy you did.

Australian Flatback Sea Turtle a photo portfolio by Doug Perrine

Dr.

James Spotila, in his book on sea turtles, refers to

their post-hatching developmental period. As a result, sea

Natator depressus as a “turtle of mystery,” about

turtles are widely distributed throughout the tropical to

which we know “less…than any of the other six species.”

warm temperate oceans of the world. Except, that is, for the

An Australian flatback

Indeed, many of the most basic biological parameters of

Australian flatback, which never leaves the continental shelf

hatchling swims out to sea

Australian flatback turtles remain unknown. “We just assume

of Australia. Hidden away in the most remote and treacherous

from a nesting beach. Right:

that they’re going to be like green turtles,” says Dr. Michael

marine environments of the continent, in waters shared with

Flatback hatchlings, unlike the

Guinea, “but the more we look at them, the more different

deadly venomous sea jellies, saltwater crocodiles, sea snakes,

hatchlings of other sea turtle

we find out that they are.” In those life history features that

and large sharks, flatback turtles have remained little studied

species, remain in coastal

are known, flatbacks often differ strikingly from other sea

and little recognized. They had never even been professionally

waters, where the seawater is

turtles. All other sea turtles, for example, complete a “pelagic

photographed underwater in their native habitat until these

typically green and turbid.

dispersal phase,” circumnavigating entire ocean basins during

pictures were taken late last year.

Below, Left to Right: A female flatback emerges from the sea and makes her way up

beach sand for a little under two months, baby flatbacks hatch out of their eggs and

the nesting beach to find a spot to lay her eggs; a female flatback covers her nest after

dig upwards to the surface to emerge onto the beach; as with other sea turtles, most

laying her eggs; most sea turtle nesting occurs at night, but at some beaches it is quite

flatback hatchlings emerge at night, but at some nesting beaches it is not unusual to

common for flatbacks to nest during daylight; a flatback drops her eggs into the egg

see baby flatbacks scrambling for the water in the late afternoon; survival is lower for

cavity carefully excavated within the body pit of her nest; after incubating under the

daylight nest emergences due to predation by birds, lizards, fish and other animals.

Top Left: An adult female flatback swims across a shallow coral reef that fringes the nesting beach and separates it from deeper, soft-bottom areas that the turtles use for feeding. Top Right: Flatback hatchlings are larger than those of other sea turtles when they enter the water; this is likely an adaptation for living in coastal waters with high densities of hungry fish.

At night, ghost crabs and saltwater crocodiles stalk the nesting beaches, preying on hatchlings; this crab was in the act of seizing a baby turtle when it was startled by an incoming wave and jumped up, releasing the turtle, which escaped.

A female rests on the sand just off a nesting beach while waiting for the right

This female flatback has a congenital deformity of the snout and nostril region;

conditions to come ashore and lay her eggs; she has likely flippered the coating

such defects are common in hatchlings, but the turtles rarely survive to adulthood.

of sand onto her shell and head in an effort to camouflage herself from the large sharks and crocodiles that prowl the nesting beaches.

38 | www.GuyHarveyMagazine.com

Clockwise from top left: A tiger shark scavenges a green turtle in an area frequented

Biologist Kendra Coufal measures the carapace of a flatback turtle at the nesting

by both green and flatback turtles; massive bite scars on the shells of flatbacks show

beach on Curtis Island. Native islanders butcher a green turtle on a nesting beach

that they, too, are victims of tiger shark predation. Volunteers count and measure the

used by both greens and flatbacks; flatbacks are also sometimes taken for food, but

eggs from a flatback nest; flatback eggs are larger than those of any other sea turtle

less commonly, as the flavor is considered less desirable; taking of flatback eggs for

in proportion to the adult body size, but the average number of eggs per nest is fewer

consumption is much more common; harvest of both eggs and adults by Aboriginals

than for other sea turtles; the larger eggs produce larger hatchlings—an adaptation

is allowed under Australian law.

for spending the early life stage in predator-rich environments.

Cape Lookout Lighthouse on Cape Lookout National Seashore.

Photo courtesy of The Zimmerman Agency

a i g l a t s o N t s a Crystal Co

BY SUE CUSHMAN

As a child, I spent the summers with my dad living on a 42-foot Chris Craft that was moored in Spooner’s Creek alongside Morehead City, North Carolina. Some of my first memories were fishing with my dad and granddaddy on the waters of the Crystal Coast. After moving onto the boat, it didn’t take me long to realize that if I got sick when I was offshore, there was no going back. My dad would say, “Eat a peanut butter and jelly and get over it!” I would beg to go home, and he would say, “You are home!”

It wasn’t long, however, until what began as a hatred for the sea was transformed into a deep love and appreciation for the waters in this rich, coastal region. When I was five, I remember taking fish out of the box and dropping them into the water saying, “Bye, bye fishy. Be free.”

Bluefin tuna are a favorite catch off North Carolina’s coast.

I had an early instinct for catch-and-release, but there

find them, to visit Dad and take in a few sights along

toy. However, once you’ve maneuvered through it,

was one problem. The fish were dead. My dad was

the way. I also wanted to navigate the inshore fishing

the gates of heaven open up into a vastness of what

not happy when he found me covered from head to

grounds for speckled and gray trout, and red drum,

is to come. With the help of Katelyn Oropeza from

toe in fish slime next to an empty fish box. We later

which are at their peak in winter. I was more than

The Zimmerman Agency, and Elizabeth Barrow from

moved to Bogue Sound, and as a young teenager,

ready. I arrived with a couple of my favorite rods, a

NC’s Travel and Tourism, I was able to locate some of

when dad thought that I needed to earn my own

big grin, and some wasabi and soy sauce, just in case.

the top charter boats and guides to put me on the

money, he put me to work as a clam digger. I made

There are many housing options available on the

fish, inshore and offshore.

three cents a clam, and worked hard for my boom

Crystal Coast, but one of my favorites is renting one

box and designer jeans.

of the luxurious beach houses. Winter is considered

winds drive certain species to this area, including

This past winter, I returned to the area for a

Knowing that the winter’s cold waters and offshore

off-season, so rentals are a fraction of the price.

bluefin tuna, I anxiously awaited a trip offshore. These

week of exploring my beloved Crystal Coast. This

However, for fishermen, winter is peak season and

giant bluefin, weighing several hundred pounds,

85-mile stretch of coastline, otherwise known as

sharing a house with your fishing buddies can be an

migrate south over the winter months. The season

the Southern Outer Banks, extends from the Cape

affordable option. My adventure began in a seven-

for bluefin traditionally begins in late November, but

Lookout National Seashore westward to the New

bedroom beach house in Pine Knoll Shores with

depending upon the weather and the unpredictable

River, and includes 56 miles of protected beaches. It’s

panoramic views of the coastline and complete with

nature of this fish, it can sometimes be well into

a wildly popular summer vacation spot, but early

a game room and theater. Of course, I had no time for

January or even spring before they appear off North

winter is an ideal time to catch some spectacular

movies. There was fishing ahead.

Carolina’s coast. A new rule by NOAA’s National

gamefish, including yellowfin tuna, blackfin tuna,

Fishing these waters on your own can be tricky this

Marine Fisheries Service would have allowed the

wahoo and the occasional giant bluefin tuna. When

time of year, especially heading out of the Oregon

season for general category permit holders to

I was growing up, giant bluefins were consistently

Inlet during a nor’easter. This narrow channel can

remain open until March 31, provided bluefin quota

spotted on tuna towers in these waters. I was back to

take a 35-foot sporty and toss it around like a bathtub

remained available. The same rule also allowed an

increase in the range for the retention limit for the

Captain Britt choosing to be a part of this program.

He knows these waters and can practically

commercial bluefin tuna fishery from zero to three

The days I remember when the waters boiled with

navigate them blindfolded. I believe he was a bit

fish to zero to five fish. However, this past January

feeding yellowfin and bluefin are still there thanks

surprised to find that this little lady was about to

bluefin tuna showed up in good numbers and the

to the contributions made by these captains and

go fishing with him.

commercial general category season was closed

anglers. During my visit, Captain Britt, who has

on January 22, with a retention limit of two fish

caught hundreds of giant bluefin, was using horse

locals refer to as “the hook” at Barden’s Inlet. The

per day.

ballyhoo and 180-pound fluorocarbon, 10-15 miles

surf fisherman waded in the chilly waters as they

offshore around the many structures the coastline

anticipated the bonita to start their feeding frenzy

in the 70-pound class, mixed in with schools of

has to offer. Thirty-five miles offshore of Cape

during the changing tide. This area is a mecca for fly

yellowfin. By the second week of November, schools

Lookout, the Gulf Stream provides 75-degree water

fishermen from all over the world in October and

of yellowfin make their second run to Oregon Inlet

temps—where Captain Britt’s crew was catching

November. We headed toward the Cape Lookout

to hang out for a couple of months. They usually

wahoo on medium ballyhoo rigged on #9 piano

rock jetties and strategically positioned our boat

arrive with a ravenous appetite that you can take

wire behind an assortment of colors with red and

15 yards from the rocks. I grabbed a spinning rod

advantage of by slow trolling with a skirted jet head

black. Blackfin were biting green machine lures,

and a green, soft plastic grub, and Chuck grabbed a

using a two-speed trolling reel, a broomstick-thick

rigged on 130-pound monofilament behind birds.

fly rod with 10-pound test with a size 2 chartreuse

Winter also produces the best wahoo catches

rod and a line in the 25-50 pound test range.

I booked a trip with Captain Dale Britt with

For my inshore experience, I headed out to

We headed out past Cape Lookout and what the

and pink Clouser minnow. This was just what the

Harker’s Island and met with my fishing partner

spotted sea trout and greys were hungry for. Casting

Sensation Charters, who is one of the few captains

Chuck Laughridge. This friendly fella greeted me

as close to the rocks without getting hung up, we

who promotes catch and release of giant bluefin

with the biggest smile, a cup of hot coffee and a bag

caught one right after another, bagging our limit of

and works in conjunction with Dr. Andre Boustany

full of sausage biscuits. Chuck is one of most highly

six spotted trout of at least 14 inches, and one grey

and Barbara Block in a tagging program for the

respected fly fishermen on the East Coast. This part-

of at least 14 inches, and then some through catch

species. I have a tremendous amount of respect for

time investment advisor lives and breathes fishing.

and release. On both sides of the jetties, as far as the eye could see, rods were bent over and nets were bringing in their catch. We all hooted and hollered as these fish took us for a run on our light tackle. Along “The Eastside,” which runs from Cape Lookout Shoals to Drum Inlet on the north end of Core Inlet, anglers break their line class and fly tippet every year with 50-pound red drum.

Being the avid fly fisherman that he is, Chuck graciously invited me to The Cape Lookout Annual Fly Fishing Club Banquet. A beautiful dinner along with a silent and live auction took place. Awards were given for record catches and congratulations were in order for over 9,400 fish that were caught and registered on a fly in the past year. After a long day on the water, it was a perfect ending to share fishing stories with some really interesting characters. I was approached by a fellow fly fisherman who, with a cocktail in his hand, politely asked me to relay to Guy Harvey not to jump into any more bait balls—in an attempt to go for a ride on the back of a billfish and photograph the species—as this disrupted his fishing! I explained to

Local native Chuck Laughridge with a speckled trout. Photo: Sue Cushman

Kayaking around Cape Lookout National Seashore. Photo courtesy of The Zimmerman Agency. A speckled trout caught inshore in the Southern Outer Banks. Photo: Sue Cushman

Fish Watching On a rainy day, I also visited the North Carolina Aquarium in Pine Knoll Shores. Their facility is impressive, warm and inviting. They do a fantastic job of working on the conservation of loggerhead turtles by organizing groups to collect the unhatched eggs,

Featured Restaurants

assist in the hatching, and releasing them offshore through research vessels and the Coast Guard. www.ncaquariums.com/pine-knoll-shores

Amos Mosquitos

Beaufort Grocery

Overlooking beautiful Bogue Sound in Atlantic

Located in Beaufort’s Historic District, the luncheon

Chefs 105 & 105 Oyster Bar

Beach, Amos Mosquitos gives off a real Louisiana

fare here runs from the homemade—including the

Tucked in along the waterfront in Morehead City, this

bayou vibe. Shadow moss hangs from the ceilings,

soups, breads and desserts—to some of the best deli

restaurant is powered by Head Chef Andy Hopper

cypress knees are used as decor, and you’re greeted

sandwiches this side of anywhere, and it’s all courtesy

and wife Bennette. The pair have merged their

with a smile from the service staff sporting monikers

of Chef Wendy Park. Local marine life art lines the

culinary knowledge to create an amazing dining

such as Ella Mae and Peggy Sue. The atmosphere and

walls and the aroma of brandy fills the air as Sagnaki’s

experience that includes succulent braised meats

food is just as fun and energetic. Fresh, sustainable

are flamed tableside. Chef Charles Park, a Culinary

carefully smoked on a wood fire grill. Wood grilled

seafood is offered every night, and the Crunchy

Institute of America graduate, tempts the dinner

oysters with garlic dill butter and the cast iron seared

Wasabi Encrusted Sheepshead topped with a

crowd with his fresh shrimp, scallops and clams with

NC mountain trout with a king crab hollandaise are

soymaple glaze is gator-slappin’ good.

a country ham champagne cream over capellini.

just a few of the mouth-watering choices that keep

www.amosmosquitos.com

www.beaufortgrocery.com

diners coming back. www.chefs105.com

44 | www.GuyHarveyMagazine.com

Capt. Britt and mate from Sensation Charters keeps a giant bluefin tuna hydrated and subdued during the tagging process. Photo: Dr. Andre Boustany

him that it probably would not do any good to relay this message. As an avid diver and photographer, Guy likes to jump in with billfish as much as he likes to catch them.

Captain Bogus turned out to be the real thing!

In addition to being one of the East Coast’s top, year-round fishing destinations, the Crystal Coast is also incredibly rich in history. Carteret County dates back to

My trip ended with one more fishing expedition that I was especially excited

1525 and has a fabulous Maritime Museum located in Beaufort. The museum has

about. I met with Mike and Lani Crews, owners of Hot Wax Surf Shop. They have

some spectacular exhibits including 240 artifacts from Blackbeard’s Queen Anne’s

owned the surf shop for over 25 years, and provide surf and paddle board lessons,

Revenge that shipwrecked off Beaufort Inlet and was raised to the surface in 1996.

a surf camp and are experts in kayak fishing. They introduced me to my guide

The Queen Anne is only one of many shipwrecks making the Crystal Coast a scuba

who goes by the name of Dr. Bogus. We won’t get into the explanation behind the

diver’s paradise as well. With more than 2,000 sunken vessels offshore, this area

name. We loaded up the Hobie and Wilderness Systems kayaks complete with live

has been dubbed the “Graveyard of the Atlantic.” Divers come from all over the

wells, anchors, steering systems, and a gunnel to cut bait and mount a fish finder.

world to explore shipwrecks and even a German World War II submarine.

We headed out for red drum in one of the most serene environments known as

My itinerary was booked with fishing so I was not able to blow bubbles

Cedar Point State Park. The kayaks allowed us to quietly maneuver up to the edge

underwater, but I’ll save that for my next visit. I still have fond memories of my

of a school of reds and cast right in front of them without spooking them with the

youth here and it was great to create new memories that I’ll never forget. The

sound of a trolling motor. If you’ve never caught reds from a kayak, you’d better

legacy of this place is still with me today and I hope when you visit, you’ll take the

learn to hang on. These guys can pull a kayak all over the place. It’s great fun, and

time to meet my new fishing buddies. Oh, and drop off a PB&J to my dad!

Tuna Men: One Man—One Fish

In a remote regency of Indonesia, a community of fishermen have turned their backs on longlines and embraced hand lines as a sustainable alternative for yellowfin tuna fishing.

Each day, these hearty fishermen head to sea to

fishermen. Sinew and muscle rippling in their powerful arms, handover-hand the fishermen pull in the giant fish. The fight lasts the better part of an hour until the fish is alongside the boat, where a strike on the head a with wooden

do battle with these 50-

club ends the battle. Each fishermen may

to 70-kilo predators.

catch 1-3 fish in a day, with no by-catch

When a fish strikes,

and minimal environmental impact. The

the monofilament lines

future of yellowfin tuna may hinge on our

snap taught in the tough,

willingness to replace industrial fishing with

calloused hands of seasoned

sustainable methods.

Interview with Brad McHale Northeast Branch Chief of the Highly Migratory Species Management Division for NOAA’s Fisheries Service BY SUE CUSHMAN GHM: Can you give some clarification on the regulations on weak hooks since

vessel fishing for bluefin, as well as every entity purchasing bluefin from those

2010? Are longliners now required to use weak hooks?

vessels, to ensure there is compliance with U.S. quotas. There is a new stock

BH: Currently, weak hooks are only required in the Gulf of Mexico. We are

assessment planned for September 2012, and we look forward to seeing those

hoping to have more information as to the benefits of the weak hooks by

results to give us updated information to work with.

spring of 2012, as this will be the first year they were required throughout the time bluefin are in the Gulf.

GHM: Are we seeing an increase in the number of permits applied for and quotas met along the Crystal Coast at a faster rate?

GHM: How many tuna permits were applied for in 2011?

BH: The number of permits has remained relatively steady. In regards to

BH: A total of 32,000 permits, which was about 25,000 recreational, and

when the fish show up off the Crystal Coast, it is variable, especially over the

8,000 commercial and charter permits from Maine to Texas, and including

winter. The large bluefin tuna commercial fishery has been occurring between

the Caribbean.

late November and late January. When they show up can vary. Sometimes they will arrive in strong numbers in December, and other years they may not

GHM: How many of the large bluefin that were registered were caught in

arrive until late January, or even later during the spring. This year, we were

North Carolina?

getting reports of large numbers of giant bluefin tuna showing up in Oregon

BH: This past season, there were about 285 commercial bluefin landed in

Inlet in January. With this species, it is difficult to predict their exact migratory

North Carolina, with a good number being landed around Oregon Inlet.

patterns, and where and when they will show up.

GHM: Has the regulation of the domestic quotas, along with other regulations put

GHM: Do you believe that there is any relation between the warmer climates—

in place by NOAA, made a significant difference in preserving the species?

and, therefore, warmer waters—and the giant bluefin tuna in the 200- to

BH: At the international level, results of the most recent stock assessment are

400-pound class range that have recently been spotted off the Crystal Coast

used in establishing the total allowable catch of bluefin. These catch limits are

within 1-3 miles offshore?

within the range of scientific advice and are expected to support continued

BH: There has been a substantial fishery off Virginia Beach and Oregon Inlet

growth of the stock, provided nations comply with the agreed limits. There has

this past winter. What caused the fish to behave this way—coming into

been a history of strong compliance with these quotas and other conservation

shallow waters—we do not yet have the answer. Concentration of bait, climate

measures by U.S. fishermen who fish primarily the western bluefin tuna stock

conditions and other variables can all be factors. Continued studies need to be

(spawns in the Gulf of Mexico). Here in the United States, we permit every

conducted to further understand their unpredictable migratory patterns.

67

www. guyharveymagazine. com

VOLUME 2, ISSUE 3 SPRING 2012

Capt. Mike Manis utilizes a Power-Pole Shallow Water Anchoring System to hold his flats boat in place while he chums up baitfish and then makes a cast on the flats of Florida’s West Coast.

GIVING BACK • FISH MOUNTS • SHALLOW WATER ESSENTIALS • KATE BURKE & BOB RICH

BY CAPT. DAVE LEAR

Giving Back Michael O’Neal is not unlike a lot of us. Ever since his first trip to Costa Rica, he’s

delivering medical and school supplies, building water filtration systems and

been passionate about big-game fishing. The sight of a bill wagging behind

showers, medical fairs and repairing schools. One team recently built a house

trolled bait gets his heart pounding. Aerial leaps, greyhounding runs and the

for a widow with five small children who were living in a dilapidated 10-foot-by-

sheer power of a magnificent marlin play out like a video clip in his daydreams. He

10-foot shack.

works very hard at his Birmingham insurance practice so he’s able to relive those memories as often as possible.

But O’Neal also witnessed something else in his sportfishing travels. Normally

“We avoid hand-outs because we don’t want to create dependency,” O’Neal explains. “Instead, we work side by side with the locals we’re trying to help. That gives them ownership of the project and boosts their self-esteem.”

one wouldn’t associate thousand-dollar reels or multi-million-dollar sportfishing yachts with impoverishment. Yet, in many of the big-game destinations in Central and South America or the Caribbean—where billfish stocks are plentiful because of abundant habitat and minimal pressure—real, life-altering poverty exists.

Despite their proximity to marine marvels, orphans in these Third World nations often struggle for basic survival. That dichotomy had a profound effect on O’Neal, and three years ago, he decided to do something about it.

“At the end of my life I don’t want to have any regrets,” O’Neal told me recently.

“At the end of my life I don’t want to have any regrets.”

O’Neal does extensive research before committing to a project to ensure the local partners are reputable and accomplishing meaningful goals. Teams are matched to specific needs. For example, if a community doesn’t have adequate

“I wanted to invest in my family and friends and make a difference. I wanted to live

medical facilities, O’Neal recruits doctors and nurses to help lead the team.

a life that had meaning.”

Construction projects require skilled labor. After a fundraiser at the Bisbee’s

He came up with the perfect solution to combine his love of the sport with his desire to help others. Reel Life Adventures was born.

Black & Blue Tournament last year in Cabo San Lucas, a team was able to treat several hundred kids in a nearby Baja community for blood pressure, diabetes,

The concept of this non-profit, charity organization was simple. Partnering with

and other ailments, as well as distribute eyeglasses. Other tournaments, tackle

Christian organizations that are already established and doing social work in Third

manufacturers, boat-builders and several industry stalwarts, including AFTCO,

World nations, RLA puts together teams of volunteers who spend a week working

Guy Harvey Sportswear, and King Sailfish Mounts, are also helping support RLA’s

on specific projects to help orphanages, local service organizations, charities

efforts through donations and fundraising opportunities.

and small communities near some great sportfishing destinations. At the end of

Volunteers pay their own expenses and the group stays in safe, comfortable

the week, the group goes fishing before returning home. Projects so far include

accommodations and enjoys good food. If someone recruits 10 other volunteers

Michael O’Neal with a new friend. for a trip, that person’s costs are covered by RLA.

plus a return to Cabo in October. Additional projects

Many of the volunteers have now participated in

in the Dominican Republic and Guatemala are in

multiple excursions and O’Neal says father/son or

the planning stages. O’Neal leads a couple of trips

mother/daughter pairings are increasingly popular.

annually, while other team leaders guide the rest.

College students are another growing segment of the

“I’m very blessed to be able to do this,” he says.

volunteer base. Many have never experienced fishing,

“These trips are incredibly rewarding, but they’re also

so the trip offers exposure to the sport as well as a

really, really fun. Our volunteers are making lifelong

sense of purpose.

friendships. They’re getting to fish in some of the

“We help promote the destination and fishing

most exotic spots in the world. And best of all, we’re

through our adventures,” O’Neal says. “And our

learning we really can make a difference in lives and

projects really create tremendous good will in the

communities, one trip at a time.”

community and with local governments. It really is a win-win situation for everyone.”

Reel Life Adventures has five trips on tap for 2012, including two to Costa Rica, one to Peru and Cuba,

To learn more about this special collaboration or to sign on for your own special adventure, visit reellifeadventures.org.

Fish Trophies

BY DANNY THORNTON When I was a kid, my neighbor had this massive blue marlin hanging above a

stuffing it with paper, burlap or other materials. Then it would be painted by an

double door entryway leading to his living room. The beast was close to 1,000

artist to depict realistic colors of the fish.

pounds and dwarfed my six-year-old frame. I couldn’t believe fish really got that big. Every time I walked under it I was sure it was going to fall and crush me.

Back then, mounting a fish like that took an amazing amount of skill because

These days, there’s still plenty of artistry going in to fish mounts, but in other ways. Most taxidermy shops (shall we say the conservation-minded ones?) have gone to fiberglass mounts so using any part of the actual fish is unnecessary.

a lot of the actual fish parts were used. The skin, fins and jaws were salted to

These are called “release mounts” because they represent fish that were caught,

preserve it all for transport to a taxidermist. Then those parts would be used in

documented and released to grow, reproduce and be caught again. Marine artist

what is known as a “skin mount.” The skin would be degreased and reformed by

Raymond Douglas and King Sailfish Mounts helped to pioneer and promote the

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release mount concept to the angling public.

While there’s still some skin mounting going on,

Of course, fishermen are well known to embellish the size of things (including their fish) so a composite

it mostly faded out in the 1990s when composite

mount may represent your enhanced memory

mounts produced from molds gained popularity.

of that monster fish, rather than the actual size.

One huge advantage: release mounts are a lot

However, to stay within the lines of the fisherman’s

less messy. But, most importantly, the fish is not

code of honesty and decency (well, they’re more like

killed. There are myriad more benefits that drove

guidelines really) you should measure and weigh

the taxidermy industry away from using real fish.

your catch, take photos from a variety of angles for

Release mounts are less expensive, faster to produce,

color accuracy and unique markings. That way, the

and anatomically perfect. They’re lightweight and,

artist can represent the fish as close to the real thing

therefore, easier to hang on your wall (and less likely

as possible.

to fall and crush a six-year-old). Plus they can last for

So, next time you catch that world-record bass or

eons. All it takes is a little dusting off every so often.

billfish, document the catch, release it back into the

Or, after you’ve moved three times and scratched

wild, and get a life-long release mount so you can

your blue marlin or bull red, some touch-up paint by

brag sufficiently and appropriately to your buds.

an expert will bring it back to her original glory.

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Kate Burke

Bob Rich

A light-tackle angler, Kate Burke fishes offshore, inshore,

Whether it’s trout or tarpon, bonefish or billfish (he recently

backcountry and freshwater. Proficient on most tackle,

released a grander black marlin in Australia), they’re all

Kate enjoys switching between spin, plug and fly to better

favorites of author, entrepreneur, global business leader

her skills. A member of The Billfish Foundation, Coastal

and philanthropist Bob Rich. As chairman of family-owned

Conservation Association, Snook & Gamefish Foundation,

Rich Products Corporation, Bob has grown the Buffalo, New

and a lifetime member of the IGFA, Kate is currently the

York-based, food company to 100 locations worldwide. For

president of the International Women’s Fishing Association,

more than two decades, he’s been an active participant,

as well as its publications chair. Kate holds four current

sponsor and host of numerous Redbone Celebrity Fishing

IGFA class tippet records for women’s saltwater fly, with

Tournaments, raising millions to help find a cure for cystic

two applications pending. A two-time winner of the IWFA’s

fibrosis. The author of four books, his latest, The Right Angle,

top honor, the Anne D. Crowninshield Award, and the IWFA

Tales from a Sporting Life, humorously chronicles Bob’s

Overall Fly Award, she has also won the Fleming Tournament

greatest loves: Buffalo, baseball and, of course, fishing. It

Award, Fly Release Award, two club records and numerous

has received excellent reviews from readers and book critics

annual release awards for individual species. Kate lives in

alike and is available at Barnes & Noble, on Amazon.com

Islamorada, Florida, with her husband, Captain Tad Burke, and

and WalMart.com, and on Kindle eBook. All proceeds from

her son James.

his book sales, including his two previous fishing books, The Fishing Club: Brothers and Sisters of the Angle and Fish Fights: A Hall of Fame Quest, plus his motivational book, go to charity.

Kate Burke and Bob Rich share their

BY CA STAFF favorite knots and fishing flicks.

Who taught you how to fish? What is your go-to knot?

mine, a Brit named John Bailey, and would like to

KB: My dad was the first to put a fishing rod in my

KB: My go-to knot is the Blood Knot, and it’s one

join him for some fly fishing for golden mahseer in

hands. We spent our week’s vacation on a lake each

worth learning. When it comes to joining lines to build

the Himalayas.

year and he taught me to fish with a bobber and

a fly leader, you can’t beat it, and its use is not limited

worm. Once I had my own family, we went from

to fly fishing. In a pinch, the Uni Knot will do. It’s great

spending a day or two of our vacations fishing to

for connecting hooks and swivels, but the Blood

planning vacations around fishing. I was fortunate to

Knot has a slimmer profile than either the Uni or the

What is the biggest issue facing sportfishing today?

find Florida Keys Outfitters Fly Fishing School in 1994,

Surgeons, so it goes through the rod guides easier.

KB: A lack of personal responsibility for the

and got serious tutelage from Sandy Moret, Chico

BR: Growing up in freshwater, the first knot I ever

consequences of our actions and a “get mine while

Fernandez, Flip Pallot and Rick Ruoff. Through Sandy, I

learned, the Simple Clinch Knot, was my go-to knot.

it is here” mentality that gives no thought to the

met my husband Tad, and like every captain or guide

Now in saltwater, it has been replaced by the Uni

future. On a global scale, it ranges from industries that

I have fished with, he teaches me something every

Knot. I practice tying it with my eyes closed so I can tie

push for access to sensitive areas without regard to

time we fish.

it while night fishing. I double it up and use a double

the footprint they leave behind, or fish farms whose

BR: My first fishing teacher was my dad. I was in awe

Uni for splicing lines together instead of a Blood Knot.

escapement introduces pathogens to wild stock,

of his skills. He taught me everything he knew about

to the national and international agencies charged

fishing—which I would find out later wasn’t very

with fisheries management that insist decisions be

much! Turns out, he was a lousy fisherman, but a great dad.

Where would you like to fish before you retire from the sport?

based on science, but whose decisions seem driven by anything but science. On the opposite end of the spectrum, it’s the individuals that dump their waste

KB: I’m crossing three off my fishing wish list this year

in the nearby stream; or the commercial netter who

with trips planned to the Caribbean coast of Costa

destroys fish habitat little by little by dragging the

Rica for tarpon, the Tennessee mountains for trout,

nets too deep; or the recreational angler who ignores

KB: On Golden Pond, a movie about the simple

and a trawler cruise up the Inside Passage of Alaska

the regulations when nobody is watching. All of these

pleasures of fishing on a quiet, peaceful pond. Not

for halibut and salmon. That leaves Brazil for dorado

actions, large and small, take their toll on our ocean

only did it mirror the simplicity of my childhood

and peacock bass, Nile perch in Egypt and tigerfish in

and inland fisheries with negative impacts on both

vacations with my family, it got to the root of why I

Africa still on my list … but is there a retirement cap

fish habitat and fish stock.

love the sport. Flip Pallot asked me many years ago

on this sport? I’ve got fellow IWFA members over 80

BR: Up until very recently, I would have said ‘catch

why I fished, and I told him that for me, it was all

years of age that still travel to fish our events. These

and release’ was our greatest challenge. Now around

about leaving the dock. No matter what is going on

women are my heroes!

the world I think the three biggest issues facing

in your life or what’s pressing on your mind, once you

BR: I have no plans to ever retire from the sport. I’m

sportfishing are water quality, water quality and

leave the dock, all you concentrate on is

fascinated by the writings of a great angler pal of

water quality.

What is your favorite fishing movie?

what’s happening at the other end of your line.

BR: Without a doubt, Norman McLean’s A River Runs Through It will always live in my mind. At the end of the day, it turned out to be more about families than fishing, but the old fisherman’s soliloquy, standing in the Big Blackfoot River still gives me goose bumps.

www.GuyHarveyMagazine.com | 55

GEARHEADS :

Shallow Water Essentials

BY CAPT. MIKE HOLLIDAY

Gear-up your ride and tackle to take on skinny water gamefish.

The key to outfitting a shallow-draft fishing boat is to think of your vessel as a tool for getting you to the fish—and with most tools, it’s the accessories that can make all the difference in efficiency and ease of use.

This is true no matter the style of your boat. I have a Maverick Master Angler 21, a top-of-the-line flats boat. My friend Glenn has a Hells Bay Waterman 17, a technical poling skiff designed for sneaking up on fish, while my buddy Ed has a 16 Gheeno, a wide beam, square-back canoe made for stalking the super skinny water. Each boat has its specific applications, advantages and disadvantages, and all are equally adept at shallow water sight fishing. And each can be improved with the right accessories, although there’s a fine line between tricking your boat out as a fishing machine and turning it into a gizmo craft. That said, I lean more toward necessity and less toward bling.

My 21-foot flats boat is built for comfort and style. At 51, I don’t need to push, pull or drag anything I fish out of. I also like running across open water in a nasty chop and then being able to stand without a handful of Advil. That’s where shallow water anchors and electric trolling motors are my friends.

Shallow water anchoring systems have been around for a while and most are designed to anchor a boat in place quickly, reliably and, often, repeatedly. What I like most is their ability to position a boat to cast at fish, while allowing me to move about the cockpit or stand next to my angler.

Among the simplest of the shallow water anchor systems is the Wang Anchor, a ¾-inch, 6- or 8-foot solid fiberglass pole that incorporates a metal bow or transom bracket bolted to the boat to hold the boat in place.

Thread the fiberglass pole through the bracket and push it down into mud Big snook are just a cast away. This boat can be held in the same spot using a mechanical anchoring system while the angler makes repeated casts at the school.

or sand, and your boat is instantly anchored. It’s relatively inexpensive

compared to the mechanical models, it’s portable and it doesn’t create large, permanent obstructions on the bow or stern. Stick-it Anchor Pins and Cajun Anchors are similar positioning devices.

Of the mechanical shallow water anchoring systems, the two products that have established themselves are the Power-Pole and Minn Kota Talon. Depending on the brand, they come in 4- to 10-foot models that hold a boat in place exceptionally well, particularly a large bay or flats boat like mine. The Power-Pole utilizes a hydraulic system and the Talon uses an all-electrical system. One of the major advantages to the mechanical shallow water anchoring systems is the ability to use a remote control to deploy the anchor. With a simple push of the button, no matter where you are on the boat, the angler can position and stop the boat in place.

The drawback can be the sound emitted when the mechanisms deploy, which can spook fish close to the boat.

To avoid that, I deploy my system to where it is only an inch or two off the bottom, so when I decide to stop, a push of the remote drives the anchor spike the needed couple of inches to stop the boat with minimal noise.

The electric trolling motor had probably the biggest impact of any boat accessory to come along in the last 30 years, and those motors are improving every year with the additions of GPS positioning systems and remote controls.

Minn Kota and MotorGuide manufacture the most popular, but the Rhodan HD GPS Anchor+, Bass Pro Shops’ Prowler and the Torqeedo also have solid followings.

I really like the trolling motors with remote features, which allow me to run the boat and maneuver in tight quarters while throwing a castnet or pursuing fish. When used in conjunction with a shallow water anchoring system with remote, I can stand on the bow and move my boat along looking for fish or fan casting with the shallow water anchor

Top: A remote controlled trolling motor allowed Ed Hudon to position his boat a long cast away from a dock. The result: a slot snook, which ate a topwater plug. Center: This nice Upper Keys bonefish was taken by the angler using a forward casting platform to improve his chances of spotting fish. Bottom: An angler makes a cast at a permit while his guide uses a push pole to sneak up on the fish and maneuver the boat into position for a perfect cast. Photos: Mike Holliday

Top-Notch Tackle Must-have tools for higher catch ratios and better release techniques.

Stay Sharp Even with the advent of chemically-sharpened hooks, just about every fishing

re-tie leaders. Deep Blue Marine makes suction

guide worth their salt will carry their own hook sharpener for points that get bent

cup mounted leader dispensers that fit most

from lots of use, or just don’t seem to have the penetration power right out of the

spool-type leaders and hold four or five spools

box. While the metal file style of pocket hook sharpeners will hone a nice point,

(depending on the model), while the portable

they tend to rust easily, limiting their longevity. That’s why the Angler Mini-Sharp

versions are advantageous if you like to jump out

from Diamond Machining Technology is so great. This little pocket-

of the boat and wade.

sized, diamond stone sharpener comes in fine and coarse models, is great for hooks and knives, and

Off the Hook

lasts a lifetime.

Some time ago, I learned about

Get a Grip

fish dehookers and their

Fishing pliers are another constant need, whether

effectiveness at releasing not only the fish I didn’t want to touch—like

for those tough-to-remove hooks, to cut line or

stingrays, catfish and sharks—but also the fish I wasn’t going to keep and wanted

even turn a bolt in an emergency. Fishing pliers

to make sure survived the catch experience. I carry two ARC Dehookers on my

come in an assortment of sizes and price ranges

boat, the 16-inch Sportsman model for larger fish or those I need to keep at a

and you really do get what you pay for. I have a

distance, and the 9-inch Pan Fish model, which gets the majority of use as an

pair of aluminum (thus, rust resistant) 7-inch pliers

all-purpose dehooking device for a wide variety of hook sizes. Use one once, and

from Accurate Fishing Products that are eight years

you’ll never be without it again.

old and still cut braided line. Rapala makes a great set of stainless steel pliers in a moderate

Net Results

price range, and for a premium pair, opt for

Along with dehooking tools, a quality landing net that’s

the titanium VanStaal pliers.

large enough to hold a substantial fish is one of those tools that will really count when it’s needed most (nothing

Tight Lines

like having the fish of a lifetime next to the boat and a tiny

In saltwater, we use a lot of monofilament and fluorocarbon leader material, so a

net). The Frabill Power Catch 48 has a 26”x30” opening, 36

leader dispenser, whether mounted on the boat or portable can be an invaluable

inches of depth and enough reach with a 48-inch slide

tool, particularly when the fish are chewing and you’re in a rush to tie and

that if the fish is near the boat, you own it.

Top Left: This nice snook was brought into casting range using the trolling motor to pivot the boat. Photo: Mike Holliday Above: Poling in the grasses of Wildwood. Below Left: Poling in the tidal creeks. Photo: Chuck Simpson

placed an inch or two off the bottom; and then when I

durability and light weight.

see fish or hook up, a push of one remote turns off the

When it comes to sight fishing the flats, height

forward movement while the other stops the boat and

is might, because the higher up you get, the better

anchors it in place. The motor can also be used while

angle you have at the water for spotting fish. That’s

the boat is anchored to push the bow into the wind or

where a bow-casting platform comes in handy. Some

tide, or to give the angler a different casting angle, or

boaters like to utilize their coolers to do double duty

allow them to fan cast or cover more water.

as a casting platform, but for overall stability, you really

On the super windy days, the trolling motor can

can’t top the portable aluminum platforms designed to

be used in conjunction with a drift sock to produce

cleat down to the deck. While Fishmaster makes a nice

controlled drifts over large flats. Minn Kota, Lindy,

bow-casting platform, the AluMarine model has been

Danielson and Cabelas all make great products. Tie the

a standard in the industry for some time. AluMarine

drift sock to a boat cleat to slow the drift, and use the

also makes a special platform to accommodate the

trolling motor to position the boat for the best casting

Beachcomber Flyline Tamer for exceptional control of

angle and to maneuver the boat forward to likely fish-

your excess fly line when sight casting.

holding spots like potholes in the grass.

Some fishing scenarios call for a super silent

So whether you fish a large flats or bay boat, a technical poling skiff or even one of the micro skiffs

approach, particularly in clear, skinny water, and that’s

on the market, the right accessories to your boat can

where the graphite push pole comes into play. Equally

really make your day on the water more comfortable

adept at moving and maneuvering the boat as it is at

and productive. And oftentimes, those accessories can

anchoring it, the downside is that it requires manual

be the difference between a good day fishing and a

effort, a factor that takes at least one of the persons on

boat ride. Just be sure that every tool has its purpose

board out of most of the angling equation. There are

and that you regularly utilize those tools, or before you

multitudes of good push pole manufacturers out

know it, your boat will go from a fishing machine to a

there, and I like the one-piece models made by Stiffy,

gizmo craft in the blink of a LED cockpit light.

Carbon Marine, Moonlighter and Biscayne for their

Fort Lauderdale

Hot Pocket

Bimini

Anglers targeting dolphin in the Bahamas often get slammed.

TEXT & PHOTOS BY STEVE WATERS

Map © 2012 Google, Data SIO, NOAA, U.S. Navy, NGA, GEBCO. Image © 2012 TerraMetrics, Image © 2012 DigitalGlobe, Image © 2012 GeoEye, Image U.S. Geological Survey.

A

nglers fishing in the Bahamas in the spring have a choice of bluewater species and places to catch them. Sometimes, they can catch them all in the same place and with the same tactics.

For Capt. Casey Hunt, his top springtime spot is The Pocket by

Chub Cay, where big dolphin are abundant and blue marlin, white marlin and sailfish also hang out.

“That’s kind of the beauty of Chub,” Hunt said. “It makes the average weekend guy a much better fisherman. He can catch a grand slam in a day as good as anybody.”

The key to fishing around Chub is the wind direction. Harry Vernon III, who

you get there, it’s just off the chart.”

“You can’t imagine how crazy the big dolphin can be,” Capt. Bouncer Smith said. “How many 20- to 40-pound dolphin do you want to catch in a day? And guys are over there trying to catch marlin and, boy, are they cussing the dolphin.”

The presence of the dolphin is why the billfish are in the area. And dolphin fishermen sometimes get more than they bargained for, like the time Capt. Terry Claus of Qualifier, who fishes The Pocket whenever he sees that the wind is right, had a blue marlin eat a 20-pound dolphin that one of his anglers was fighting.

Spring is a prime time to fish The Pocket because the wind is typically blowing out of the east. And making the run over to the area from Bimini is nice because

frequently makes the run from his home in Key Biscayne, Florida, across to

much of it is across the shallow Bahamas Bank, which makes for fast, smooth

Bimini, said the wind has to be out of the east or southeast at least for a few days

travel. After Smith arrives at The Pocket in his Bouncer’s Dusky 33, if he wants to

and ideally for a week. That wind direction blows everything into The Pocket and

catch blue marlin and sailfish, he fishes the drop-off where the depth goes from

often results in phenomenal fishing.

150 feet to 1,500, especially on a high tide and the beginning of the outgoing

“The only time I go to The Pocket is on a southeast wind,” said Vernon, whose family runs Capt. Harry’s Fishing Supply in Miami. “That really lights it up. When

tide. If his customers are after dolphin and white marlin, he fishes the middle of The Pocket.

The Pocket

Chub Cay

1in = 15 miles

Springtime is slammer time in the Bahamas as trophy dolphin chase bait into deep water like The Pocket.

Baits & Rigs

“You really have to learn your boat,” he said. “I have had very good luck with

Smith, who runs charters out of Miami Beach Marina, puts out a daisy chain of

the Evinrudes trolling 30 feet behind the boat. Other boats have to put out their

rubber squids on one side of his center-console and a daisy chain of four blue-

baits 80 feet.”

and-white Ilanders on the other side. He puts each Ilander on a three-foot piece

Hunt, who runs the private boat Flight Plan, a 66 Spencer, out of Pompano

of 150-pound monofilament. The mono pieces are connected with swivels,

Beach, Florida, always heads to Chub Cay in early spring with a freezer full of

which keep the lures in place.

ballyhoo. “You can lure-fish that time of year, but you’re going to miss a lot of fish

“My main bait is a blue-and-white Ilander with a large ballyhoo,” Smith said. “I’ll put out two of them and have another rod with a naked ballyhoo and another rod with a swimming mullet.

because a lot of white marlin are in there,” Hunt said. “I fish small ballyhoos with 80-pound fluorocarbon leaders on 30-pound test outfits.

“With those small ballyhoos you’ll definitely catch some dolphin and white

“On most boats, the Ilanders have the best hookup percentage from the

marlin. There’s a lot of sailfish that time of year and you’ll also catch some blue

riggers. Put one on the right long and one on the left short on the same side

marlin 200 to 400 pounds. If you didn’t have ballyhoo, you would take yourself

as the daisy chain, put the mullet on the other long and the ballyhoo on the

out of the game on the marlins and sails.”

other short.”

How far you put out the lures and baits depends on your boat. Smith said that

Hunt fishes six naked ballyhoos, rigged on 6/0 or 7/0 hooks, with a squid teaser on one side and a lure teaser on the other. He fishes a ballyhoo on a flat

whenever he gets a new boat or new motors, he experiments on days when the

line by each teaser so if a marlin comes up on the teaser, all you have to do is pull

fish are biting to find the sweet spot.

away the teaser and let the fish eat the bait.

Two of the ballyhoos are fished on the short

“I’d pull in my [hookless] teaser and see teeth

riggers 100 feet behind the boat. The other two are

marks,” Vernon said. “Those are fish I missed. Now

on the long riggers 200 feet back.

I let that sucker work in there and I’ve caught some

“Anyone can pull six small ballyhoos and a chain

pretty good-sized wahoo and dolphin.”

“You can keep it simple and still catch a lot of fish in

No Buggy Whips

Chub Cay.”

Whenever he fishes The Pocket, Smith also brings

on one side and a lure on the other,” Hunt said.

Vernon puts out a different spread after making

some heavy fly rods because “those big dolphin

the 74-mile trip to The Pocket from Bimini in about

can really be suckers for a fly.” It doesn’t take a long

two hours in his center-console. He fishes a naked,

cast—usually 30 to 40 feet—but you have to be

skipping ballyhoo on one outrigger. The other rigger

quick when a dolphin comes up on the teasers.

has a ballyhoo with a chugger head, which helps

“A guy’s really got to be ready to throw that fly

keep the bait in the water and creates a bubble trail.

as soon as the boat gets out of gear,” Smith said.

Two flat lines have chugger lures on them. Vernon

“Dolphin won’t stay on a teaser as long as billfish.”

uses a wire line on a 9/0 outfit to get a 3-1/2 Drone spoon down behind the boat, which catches dolphin

Sometimes, though, dolphin show up and won’t leave.

as well as wahoo and yellowfin tuna. He completes

“Once, we got into a school at 9 a.m.,” Smith

his spread by putting a 12-inch swimming plug in

said. “After four hours of catching dolphin up to 40

the prop wash on a 50-wide outfit. The plug serves

pounds on fly, we broke for lunch. After lunch, one

as a teaser and a fish-catcher, something that Vernon

of the guys said, ‘Now what are we going to do?’

learned from experience.

I said, ‘There’s a 35-pounder waiting for you right

Above: Big slammer dolphin show up off the Bahamas every spring following the bait and currents. Right: Anglers adding ballyhoo to their spreads also have shots at billfish grand slams. Opposite page: Dolphin teased to the surface are suckers for a well-placed fly. Below: Chugger and swimming lures fool many Bahamian dolphin as well.

there,’ and he caught that fish on fly.”

went out by himself and caught a dozen dolphin up to 25 pounds.

Smith uses large blue-white flies or all-white flies and occasionally yellow flies

“I was probably in 110 feet of water all day long. There was a little rip,” Colson

for those days when the dolphin aren’t hitting anything white. He also has some

said. “I was trolling only two rods and keeping the lures right behind the boat so

popper heads handy, which he puts on the leaders in front of the flies when the

I could see them, plus I didn’t want to drop them all the way back because that

dolphin want something noisy.

was more reeling I had to do.”

At the very least, fly-rodders should have a 10-weight outfit, but Smith said a

If he catches some small dolphin, Colson rigs them with wire leaders for

12-weight can handle dolphin up to 40 pounds. A floating fly line is fine, but an

blue and white marlin and for wahoo, putting one down 80 feet and one

intermediate line keeps a popper down in the water better.

down 50 feet.

Some days, even when the wind is out of the east, Smith ends up fishing just

“They’re all chasing the dolphin,” he said. “That happens all day long in March

off Bimini, which has a drop-off just minutes from the dock at the Bimini Big

and April. You have your weekend warriors coming over for dolphin and they

Game Club, a Guy Harvey Outpost.

catch marlin.”

said. “Especially on an outgoing tide, there’ll be a big rip that sets up there. You

Rules & Regulations

can also catch dolphin 10 miles offshore.”

The bag limit for migratory species in Bahamian waters is 18 fish per vessel at

“You’ll find big dolphin right up along the drop-off that time of year,” Smith

Glen Colson prefers fishing along that drop-off. Colson lives in Lighthouse

any time. Dolphin are part of the migratory species category, which also includes

Point, Florida, but he grew up in Freeport, and his brother lives in Bimini, so he

wahoo, tuna and kingfish. The Bahamas are considered a part of the U.S. fisheries

fishes there all the time.

management zone and since the likelihood of hooking a billfish is significant

“The dolphin start coming through Bimini in early March,” Colson said.

in the dolphin fishery, visiting private or charter/headboats must have a valid

“They’re around almost all the way up to August, but March is when you see the

Highly Migratory Species Permit. Permits may be purchased online at a cost of

bigger fish. That first pod of fish that comes through are the 30-, 40-, 50-pound

$20 by visiting hmspermits.noaa.gov. The permit is good from the day it was

slammers.” Colson likes to troll artificials for the dolphin and he uses a variety

issued until the end of the calendar year.

of custom-made lures that he gets at local tackle shops, as well as Brian Buckley cedar plugs and Williamson trolling lures.

“For the most part, you can put a beer can with a hook in there and catch

Boats visiting the Bahamas are required to clear customs and immigration at one of the nearest 32 Ports of Entry. Only the captain is allowed to leave the boat until it has been cleared by authorities. Boats must pay an entry fee ($150

dolphin,” Colson said. “It doesn’t take much. And you don’t need ballyhoo. If

for boats up to 35 feet and $300 for those larger). That fee is valid for two entries

you’re a weekend warrior bringing your bait over here, ballyhoo will work. Being

during a 90-day period. The requisite fishing permit can also be purchased from

a Bahamian, we never have bait—it’s 100% artificials all the time.”

customs officials. Fishing gear is restricted to hook and line only, and no more

Some days, you don’t even need that many lures. Colson recalled the time he

than six rods can be fished at a time.

GUY HARVEY OUTPOST RESORTS

TIM CHOATE

BY NED STONE

2012 Winner of the Frank Johnson Trophy A new chapter in the history of the Big Game Club will be written this May: the Frank Johnson Trophy, cast in bronze by celebrated artist Ed Pang is to be awarded by Guy Harvey Outpost, LTD. This trophy will be presented to that individual whose personal achievements have contributed to the advancement of international big game sportfishing. The award is named in honor of Frank Johnson, a pioneer in the creation of artificial lure design and manufacturing, whose Moldcraft Lures are used daily around the world by anglers of all skill levels. To many, he is friend, and to all who are passionate in their pursuit of big game sportfishing industry, he is a legend.

Following in Frank’s footsteps as the 2012 recipient of the Trophy is another legendary fisherman, Tim Choate. Tim started fishing in Bimini in the 1960s as a mate on a Keys charter boat. He has fished all over the world and has pioneered new fishing grounds. He took the first proper charter boat to Guatemala. Tim’s love of fishing and billfish, in particular, led him to put his money where his mouth was; he funded the earliest economic studies establishing the value of billfish fisheries. These studies convinced politicians and policy makers to protect this dynamic resource. This effort, along with his friends Win Rockefeller and Eric Prince, PhD, led to the founding of the Billfish Foundation.

We look forward to having Tim’s close friends assembled at the Big Game Club on May 31 to recognize and reminisce about Choate’s personal and professional accomplishments. The stories of this evening would certainly make Hemingway proud. This trophy will remain on display at the club for generations of visiting anglers and guests to enjoy.

Tim Choate at the Big Game Club in 1962—his first trip to Bimini and his first blue marlin. Below: The Frank Johnson Trophy.

Billfish Invitational Kent Ullberg and Guy present the Hemingway Lerner Trophy to Randy Holloway and his Renaissance/Varsity Jacket team. Below: Greeting our guests, the boss seems to know a little secret. Below Right: Hillary Lynn, Guy and Alex join Tedd and Tammi Amberg for the first day’s fishing.

PHOTOS BY SCOTT KERRIGAN

Clockwise from Top: Cold Kaliks, fresh conch salad and old friends poolside with Guy to kick off the festivities. Lines in! Mark Ellert and Mark Rolle man the rods. Tedd and Tammi Amberg and crew. Ned Stone, Guy Harvey, Mark Ellert, Bill and Craig celebrate in the Hemingway Rum Bar and Social Lounge following the awards dinner. Opposite Page, Clockwise from Top Left: Dick Weber’s Moon Dancer team heading out for the Gulf Stream. Get Reel and the winning dolphin. Renaissance/Varsity Jacket celebrate their winning fish.

GUY HARVEY RESEARCH INSTITUTE

BAFFLED BY BILLFISH

BY DR. MAHMOOD SHIVJI & DARYL CARSON

Atlantic blue marlin love to wander, and we’re just starting to learn how far they could go.

Even after years of intense interest and some focused study, billfish biology and

and shedding light on billfish behavior has become the PSAT (pop-up archival

ecology remain mostly mysterious given the logistical difficulty of studying

satellite tag) tracking devices that record fish movements, diving patterns, water

them. Although each region of the globe has its challenges, Atlantic billfish—

temperature, and other parameters over the course of several months, and

specifically blue marlin, white marlin, sailfish and the roundscale spearfish (a white

then upload this information via satellite for researchers to decipher. The tracks

marlin look-alike that was recently put on the map by the GHRI and its NOAA

recorded by these devices help researchers piece together important facts about

collaborators)—pose many hurdles to scientists trying to quantify their numbers

other behaviors, such as feeding and spawning.

and study their behavior to develop more effective conservation methods.

The key challenge comes from their migratory nature. Unlike some fish species, which form large schools and migrate in known seasonal patterns, billfish tend to be largely (though not completely) solitary, have expansive territories and their travel patterns are poorly understood. This is compounded by the sparse distribution of billfish. With the possible exception of sailfish, they are so few in number that it is difficult to observe enough fish to determine if the observed migratory behavior of a few animals is typical of the whole species.

This migratory nature also complicates the implementation of management plans, since a given fish may easily travel through multiple national jurisdictions.

This means conservation efforts must be agreed upon by a significant number of parties. In the Atlantic alone, there are 48 countries involved in taking billfish, either recreationally or commercially. Furthermore, not all countries report landings, and research suggests that the great majority of billfish landings come as bycatch in commercial longline fishing operations, perhaps as much as 70 percent. It all adds up to mean accurate stock assessments and effective conservation measures are still an area of constant debate.

Technology, however, is helping researchers make progress on many of these fronts. One of the most effective tools in exploring billfish movements

In the continued effort to gain a detailed understanding of billfish movements,

Photo: Pat Ford

Dr. Guy Harvey, along with GHRI and NOAA scientists Dr. Eric Prince and John

Still, satellite tracking efforts such as these are the key to helping fill in the

Hoolihan, are working together to tag and track this species in the central

huge gaps in our knowledge of billfish. And, although the conservation

Caribbean and eastern tropical Pacific. It is usually difficult to keep the satellite

challenges are significant, progress is being made. Some really excellent studies

tags on these fast-moving fish for more than two to three months, but two fish

led by Dr. Prince at NOAA have utilized satellite tags to track blue marlin and

(estimated at 120 and 140lbs. each) recently tagged by Guy off his home base in

revealed a remarkable alteration in the depths these fish use depending on ocean

the Cayman Islands have provided six-month tracks, an uncommonly long length

oxygen conditions. Basically, Dr. Prince and his colleagues found that blue marlin

of tracking time for this species.

tracked in the eastern tropical Atlantic (off West Africa) spent much more time

Check out animated versions of these tracks developed by the GHRI online at: www.guyharveymagazine.com/ topics/guy-harvey/guy-harvey-research-institute.

To say the least, the results have been revealing. First, despite being tagged

in shallower waters compared to fish tracked in the western North Atlantic (off Florida and the Caribbean), which spent more time in deeper waters.

One of the group’s key findings was that this “compression” of depth use by

at the same place, the two fish wandered off in opposite directions. Second,

eastern Atlantic fish was related to the much lower oxygen levels that occurred in

although neither fish ran off to far regions of the Atlantic based on where they

deeper waters in that area compared to the waters off the western North Atlantic.

were tagged and where the tags popped up, analysis of the detailed tracks

In other words, the low oxygen below certain depths forced the blue marlin into

shows they covered some impressive distances. In six months, one fish travelled

shallower waters in the eastern Atlantic, where they could become concentrated

approximately 3,077 nautical miles and the other nearly twice that much (about

and, therefore, more exposed to commercial fisheries.

5,939 nautical miles). Of note here is that if you measured just the straight-line

Most anglers recognize the importance of billfish, both as apex predators and

distances between the tagging location and the site where the tag popped up,

as top targets of recreational anglers. As predators, these fish play an important

these were only 313 and 131 nautical miles, respectively. The lesson here is that

role in the ocean’s intricate food web. As highly prized targets of anglers, they

traditional tagging methods for billfish based on simple tag and recapture efforts

constitute an immensely valuable economic commodity. In fact, numbers

can provide a highly inaccurate view of how far a fish travels. The challenge to

from the International Game Fish Association peg the financial impact of U.S.

researchers, of course, is that satellite tags and associated satellite time are pricey

recreational billfish anglers at well over two billion dollars every year. By any

(about $3,800 per tag), so tagging large numbers of fish to properly decipher their

measure, they are fish worth fighting and worth fighting for.

migration patterns is expensive research.

ANATOMY OF FISH TAGGING

The Art of Tagging a Fish Tagging a billfish takes patience, skill, knowledge and a bit of luck. In this sequence, Guy Harvey has the tagging pole at the ready as the crew brings the fish within range. The goal is to puncture the fish just behind the dorsal fin so that the barb breaks the skin but does not go too deep.

Opposite page: Guy Harvey waits and watches with the tagging rig ready. Note the Go Pro camera mounted on the shaft to record the actual tagging event.

Left: Success! The tag is perfectly positioned and ready to transmit.

Bottom: Crew works in concert to bring the fish close enough to tag. Camera man films the entire event. Photos: Pat Ford

MEET THE CHEF

GULFWILD

BY LYNDA WATERS

Spending five years of his youth in Naples, Italy, Chef Justin Harry fell in love with food, experiencing farm to table dining at a restaurant near his home. With all his childhood friends back in the USA, Justin started hanging around the local kitchens, helping out the chefs. Here, he learned a deep respect for the freshest ingredients and has embraced an ongoing exploration of old world and modern cooking techniques.

His career path took him to resorts in Florida, Texas and Utah. While at La Torretta Lake Resort and Spa in Houston, he took special pleasure in preparing a meal for guests of their afternoon catch of bass, crappie or catfish. “The aroma of fish grilling on an open fire, just feet away from the waters in which it was caught, is an

Justin Harry, Executive Chef | TradeWinds Island Resorts,

experience that is long remembered,” muses Chef Justin.

St. Pete Beach, FL | JustLetGo.com

Now executive chef at TradeWinds Island Resorts in St. Pete Beach, Florida, Chef Justin oversees the multiple kitchens and culinary staff of 14 dining and entertainment venues, as well as the banquet kitchen. The TradeWinds Island Grand Resort and the Guy Harvey Outpost—a TradeWinds Beach Resort—are located just

there’s limited time to work together. So, in addition

steps from each other on a stretch of white, sandy beach kissed by the warm and tranquil waters of the

to the seafood alliance supplying GulfWild seafood,

Gulf of Mexico.

Chef Justin is hoping to join forces with the Suncoast

Fresh Florida seafood has long been one of the top drawing cards for visitors to the state, and Chef Justin is

Food Alliance. This marketing and distribution

pleased to be the first resort on Florida’s west coast to feature GulfWild seafood: local, Gulf of Mexico fish that

company of locally grown products is bridging the

come with their own trackable tag.

gap between farmers and restaurants to meet the

This unique tag gives diners and seafood buyers the confidence their fish is sustainable, safe, fresh and from the Gulf. Diners can even “Google” their fish and see where it was caught, as well as read a short bio on the

local demand for fresh food.

Chef Justin believes that as the public becomes

fisherman and his vessel. TradeWinds now carries GulfWild snapper and grouper in Palm Court Italian Grill and

more aware of carbon footprints and responsible

Bermudas Steak and Seafood Restaurant.

and sustainable fishing practices, they become more

“My vision is to be able to offer a menu at Palm Court Italian Grill solely featuring locally grown produce,

discriminating in their choices of where to dine. That,

responsible animal stewardship and sustainable fishing practices,” said Chef Justin. Restaurants may desire to

of course, paired with the discovery that really fresh

“keep it all local,” and farmers wish to supply their needs, but with the challenges and pressures on both sides,

food simply tastes better.

GulfWild Grouper with Ruskin Tomato and Melon Relish

GulfWild fish can be tracked using Google showing where,

From Chef Thomas Mandzik, Bermudas Steak & Seafood Restaurant,

when and which

TradeWinds Island Resorts

boat caught them.

Yield: 2 Servings Ingredients:

Method:

8 oz

GulfWild grouper fillet, skin on

Peel and cut the honeydew in half and discard the seeds. Chop the melon into a

2T

butter

medium dice and add chopped tomatoes, lemon juice, olive oil, pinch of salt and

½

Honeydew melon

pepper, and finely chopped mint leaves and reserve.

½ cup Red and yellow Ruskin tomatoes, medium dice

In a small, hot sauté pan, melt the butter and sear the grouper until golden

1

Fresh lemon, juiced

brown, crisping the skin; reserve.

1T

Extra virgin olive oil

To Assemble and Serve:

6

Fresh mint leaves

With a slotted spoon, place the tomato and melon relish in the center of a

8

Segments of Florida citrus

shallow bowl or rimmed plate; top with grouper. Add a dash of lemon oil to

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

remaining melon juice and spoon over the top of and around the fish.

A dash of lemon oil

Garnish with citrus segments.

Grouper with Tomato & Melon Relish

Grilled Grouper with Mango Orange Barbeque Glaze

GulfWild Grilled Grouper

and let thicken. Turn down heat to low. Add orange

brush grouper with the glaze and cover with the grill

juice, ketchup, soy sauce and vinegar. Let simmer

lid. Baste and cover every 2 minutes until cooked

until thickened slightly. Stir frequently to prevent

through. This should take 6-8 minutes, depending on

with Mango Orange Barbeque Glaze

scorching. This should only take 15-20 minutes.

thickness of fillet.

Mango Orange Barbeque Glaze

and pepper, on a flame grill. When halfway done,

Grill fresh Gulf grouper, seasoned with a little salt

2

Serve on a bed of coconut lime rice and chipotle black bean coulis.

Fresh mangos, seeded, peeled & small diced

1 cup

Orange juice

2T

Cider vinegar

1 cup

Sugar

½ cup Ketchup ½ cup Spiced rum ¼ cup Soy sauce

In a medium saucepan, heat diced mango until warmed through. Add spiced rum (take off fire, watch for flame-ups) and let reduce to half. Add sugar

GulfWild Grouper on display

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LAST CAST

HOOKED ON AIR I’ve never been much of a bass fisherman, mostly because I live by the salty sea. I figure if I lived on a big lake in

Reservoir, and so it never struck a chord with me.

There’s a very long story about how and why the Stick

Arkansas or Oregon or Kurdistan, I’d know a lot more about

Marsh was built, which I’m not going to share. I’m sure

crappie, carp, and the coveted largemouth than I do about

Wikipedia and Google can fill you in plenty. The quick

their grouper and cobia cousins. So I was stoked when I

411 is that the state was trying to figure out how to keep

recently got a chance to chase some bass around a lake.

storm water from washing pesticides and herbicides into

Of course, this was not your typical 14-foot skiff on Golden

freshwater streams and rivers. Through a series of levies and

Pond. Nor was it a rocket trip on a low-rider bass boat with a

canals, they flooded about 3,000 acres of marsh that had

300HP engine hanging off the back.

a lot of sticks in it (get it?). Then they did the same thing

No, I had the privilege of flying co-pilot in a tricked-out

in another 3,700 acres into a place simply called Farm 13.

airboat with Capt. Mike Tipton, a 25-year insurance salesman

Again, they’re not going to win any awards in the Creative

turned gator hunter and bass aficionado.

Naming Category at the cartographer’s convention, but

Not many folks are motivated to track fish and bull gators

nonetheless, Farm 13 and the Stick Marsh encompass 6,700-

FRED GARTH

like a dude who spent two-and-a-half decades in an office

plus acres of pure bass heaven. And, they accomplished

For the past 25 years, Fred D.

writing actuarial charts and insurance claims forms. The

their storm water retention goals. By the time the water

Garth’s articles have appeared in

dude gets after it. Capt. Mike is making up for lost time in a

leaves the Stick Marsh, it has been naturally filtered through

numerous books, magazines and

starched shirt and tie.

miles and miles of canals, cattails and grasses, which they

newspapers around the world.

I’d never been

Read his blog at:

on an airboat

www.GuyHarveyMagazine.com.

and, even though I’ve lived in and around Florida for 35 years, I’d never seen nor heard of the Stick Marsh.

I knew very well

I’d like to say that Capt. Mike yelled, “Strap in!” and hit that levy at 50MPH and then we flew over that ramp like a couple of Dukes of Hazards. Truth is, he came to a dead stop and said, “It might get a little bumpy.”

about nearby Indian River Lagoon, where monster speckled trout hang

attribute to stopping fish kills down river. That’s a true ringer

out and the world record trout was caught (May 11, 1995,

allowing fishing and conservation to settle in for a long

17lbs, 7oz. by Craig F. Carson). So my question was simple:

marriage. For fishermen, more lakes = GOOD. And the flow

What’s a Stick Marsh? It just doesn’t have one of those

and filtering effect is good for Mother Earth.

poetically enticing names like Crystal Lake or Big-Assed Bass

The water only averages five or six feet deep, so when

Crossing the levy on air power. the areas were flooded in 1987, thousands of trees

The levy had a well-worn path going over the top of

about to come into a big life insurance policy, I would

still covered the marsh. The saying went like this:

it that was suspiciously the same width as the airboat.

have never made it out alive. Even with the boat’s

Everywhere you see a tree there is a tree. Everywhere you do not see a tree there is a tree. Nowadays, the trees are dead and gone, leaving wide expanses of water and thick, lush, swamp fauna, commonly known as home to thousands of gators.

For me, the experience with Mike was as much

“We’re going over that?” I asked innocently.

GPS, we were deep into it. I was glad to note that he

“Yep,” he smiled. “I have sprayers on the hull that

seemed very healthy.

keep the bottom wet as we go over.”

Of course he did. The boat was pimped. It had twin

We cast a few top-water plugs and Mike had some live bait (shiners), which some folks look down on as

trolling motors mounted on trim tabs for pinpoint

not sporting enough. I was not embarrassed with the

(and quiet) control at the dock and at the fishing

four-pounder I caught on a shiner. It’s all catch and

about the ride and the wildlife as it was about fishing.

hole. A 454HP, V8 Chevy turned the massive prop that

release on Capt. Mike’s boat anyway.

Oh, we caught some nice fish. But hauling ass on

is obviously housed in a serious safety cage for a lot

razor-thin water and mud and cattail stands is one of

of good reasons.

those guttural thrills, akin to barreling down a double

I’d like to say that Capt. Mike yelled, “Strap in!” and

“A lot of folks want to keep that 10-pounder so they can mount it on their wall. I tell ‘em that they don’t use any part of the fish anyway. It’s all fiberglass.

black diamond ski slope on the edge of disaster.

hit that levy at 50MPH and then we flew over that

Plus, those big guys are the brood stock. They lay

Thankfully, I was never truly frightened, partly due to

ramp like a couple of Dukes of Hazards. Truth is, he

most of the eggs. They’re the last fish we should

Mike’s honest face. But I was comforted more by his

came to a dead stop and said, “It might get a little

be keeping.”

seasoned ability to talk people through life’s risks.

bumpy,” and we crossed over about as fast as I walk

Mike’s point translates to the saltwater world as

Zooming past swirling gators at high speed,

to the fridge for another cold one. It was kind of like

well where Hemingway wannabes kill giant billfish

watching the spoonbill egrets flying with herons

a Disney ride in real life as we bumped down into the

and hang them at the dock instead of releasing

and skimming on water as slick as an onion skin was

next stretch of marsh.

them so they’ll continue to procreate and populate.

amazing. But I was not at all prepared when Capt.

Mike faced the boat toward a 15-foot-high dirt levy.

After about 45 exhilarating minutes, we ended up so far from where we started, that if Mike’s wife was

Killing big fish is a trend that seems to be fading as anglers get more educated. Mike is helping. He

Above: Capt. Mike Tipton with his tricked-out air boat. Left: Hanging out in the still waters of the Stick Marsh.

Opposite Page Top: Chillin’ gator. Bottom Left: This levy has a wooden ramp, but many are just dirt paths. Bottom Right: The instrument panel.

made no bones about sending potential clients to other guides if they wanted to keep a trophy fish, or

big gator, do the research or, better yet, hire a guide.

We never hooked into that 10-plus-pounder, but

any fish for that matter. “I’m 100% catch and release,”

Mike put me on some nice fish and we chatted it

he said. “There’s just no good reason to keep one of

up like old buddies. It was a great feeling to enjoy

these fish.” I had to agree.

a bluebird day on the water and learn that both

This is the point in the story where travel writers

the fishing methods and the fishing grounds are

start naming the exact honey holes where locals

contributing something positive to the sport and

catch the big ones. If I did that, however, Mike might

to the environment. Creating sustainable habitat is an

hunt me down and feed me to a bull gator. Mike and

established tradition in the hunting and freshwater

most other guides I know guard their fishing holes

fishing communities. Saltwater anglers have been

with more security codes than their bank accounts.

doing the same for years by dropping a hunk of

So, if you want to catch some monster bass or hunt a

metal or concrete offshore to create reefs.

It’s all part of the master plan. Creating more habitats to supplement what nature has already given us is, simply put, good insurance.

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