May 12
On this fishing report I’m going to tout my own horn a bit
but I’m going to explain the difference between a charter boat and crew verses
a will-oiled machine.
This morning J.J. and I got the boat ready for Jack, Jamie,
Brett, Nicole and Victoria all from Chicago ILL.
We picked up some live baits and headed right out to 350
feet of water and set out 2 kites with 3 live baits suspended from the kites along
with one big dead bonito for a shark bait. We also set a dead bonito on the
bottom and one last bonito half way down.
Ok the trap was set and now my job was to try to hold the
boat in one position and just let the sent get out and draw the fish to us.
However due to the current and wind conditionings holding the boat in one spot
took a bit of concentration.
Also bear in mind that when we send these kites out they are
connected to an electric reel to bring them in and out.
Ok so there we were just waiting and waiting for a bite when
all of a sudden our deep rod that was on the bottom bent over and line started
peeling off the reel.
I went ahead with the boat to set the hook while Jamie
jumped in the chair and Jack was helping to clear the rod that was half way
down to insure the two did not get tangled.
At this point the 2 kite were in front of the boat and just
as Jack got the one line out of the water I seen another BIG hammer head shark
coming in fast after the shark bait that was connected to the kite. I spun the
boat around and just like that we had 2 SEA MONSTERS on at the same time.
But wait we had a little problem the kite clip never opened
and the kite was getting dragged closer and closer to the water and within
seconds the kite was in the water and still connected to the shark. At $100
dollars a pop for these kites we had a problem while I wanted to save my kite
these folks had paid good money to catch a big fish and now we had 2 of them
on. But wait the problems get even worse because when I tried to reel in the
kite the electrical cord broke and I had no power. (Rats and double rats)
So now we had 2 big sharks crisscrossing each other with
J.J. going with this rod under that one and back to that one over this one and
so on along with a kite in the water and a big drift boat getting closer and
closer to us. The only good news we had was that the shark had finally popped
open the kite clip and we were now longer connected to the kite.
I called the drift boat on the radio and got him to give us
some room and I cut the wires going into the electrical plug and just stuck the
2 bare wires into the out let and we had power. Than very slowly in and out of
gear finally managed to save the kite and just in time because Jack had his
shark coming up to the boat right about the same time.
J.J. finally got a hold of the leader on Jack’s fish and
tied him off to the cleat just as Jamie’s fish was getting to the boat.
We slid Jamie’s fish into the boat for a quick measurement
and a couple of photos to have a replica trophy made of his catch and slid him
right back out the door.
Than J.J. leaned over the side of the boat and got 2 out of
the 3 hooks out of Jack’s shark. Then we watched them both swim away in good shape to fight
again another day.
Now I know that getting the bite ins 50% luck but knowing
where to set up and how to set up is not luck and getting out of the mess we
got into was for sure not luck so if it sounds like I am touting my own horn a
bit well I guess I am but J.J. and Greg have both been fishing with me aboard
the Hooked Up for over 5 years now and we’re starting to get the hang of it by
now. (LOL)
Thanks again to all of our anglers and to all you readers
out there that keep on my when I fall a bit behind on my reports.
Stay tuned for some more great shark and other fishing
reports we are well into May and fishing getting RED HOT now.
Captain Taco (954) 764-4344 or toll free @ (877) SEA-4344
May 13
Today we had a shared charter with Jim one of our regular
costumers from Michigan, David from New Jersey, D.J. and Cara from New York.
We started off trolling the reef making sure everyone caught
some fish. We ended up catching a bunch of bonitos but sorry to say we never
did find any kingfish ob any dolphin fish.
So we decided to go for the big one so in came the trolling
gear and out went the big shark baits.
It did take quit a bit of waiting but at last one of the big
rods bent over I went ahead with the boat to help set the hook and we were
Hooked Up.
As it turned out a big shark was on Cara’s bucket list so
the only girl aboard today jumped in the chair and the fight was on. After a
good 40 min of back and forth tug a war with a big hammerhead shark on one end
and Cara from the Bronx on the other it seemed like nether one was going to give
up. But with a little coaching from Greg Cara hung in there and @ last she her
big hammerhead shark to the boat.
We finally managed to slide her shark threw the tuna door
for a quick measurement and a couple of photos and right back out the door to fight
again anther day.
Cara you are one tough cookie!!
As we pulled back to the dock we had yet another regular
John from Philly along with his good friends Chris from New York glen from
Baltimore and Don also from Philly.
Now John already has a big sailfish on his wall from the
last time he fished with us and as it turned out we caught fish one after
another last time he fished aboard the Hooked up.
Today was not quite as active as last time but we put out
our kites with live and dead baits suspended from them and more dead baits down
deep I mean we put out everything we could but still no bites.
Now you would have to know John to understand the ripping I
was getting from him about not getting any bites BUT we did @ last get a bite I
mean the BITE and now John found himself not only in the fighting chair
fighting this big shark but now he was taking to serious ripping from me. (LOL)
25 min later John finally got his hammerhead shark to the
boat. We got a few quick photos and a measurement in order to have a replica
trophy made of John’s first hammerhead shark.
Thanks so very much to all of our anglers today for taking
the time to fishing with us aboard the Hooked Up. John we are looking forward
to butting heads with you again in the next few weeks.
Captain Taco (954) 764-4344 ob toll free @ (877) SEA-4344
May 14
Today we had a batcher party aboard starting out with the
batcher and groom to be Jeff and 4 of his closest friends Brendan, Matt,
Charlie and Jeff all from Okeechobee Florida.
We started out trolling the reef wit 2 planner boards
running about 45 feet down and a wire line way back also running about 40 to 45
feet down along with 3 surface baits skipping across the waves. Trolling
started out on the slow side.
This morning catching only 1 kingfish and a few bonitos so
we brought in all the trolling gear and got ready to do a deep drop on a shipwreck.
As our live bait hit the bottom BAM the rod bent over and we
were Hooked Up.
Jeff the groom to be jumped in the chair and the fight was
on. After a 15 min back and forth fight finally up popped a nice 30-pound amber
jack.
We got a couple photos and released him back into the sea to
fight again another day.
Ok so it worked once so back down we went with another live
bait and once again we got the bite but this time we missed the fish. RATS
Ok so back down again and again we missed another fish. Ok
we figured that we had a school of almaco jacks down there and their not quite
as big as the amberjacks so they just could not get these big baits we were using
down.
Ok third drop only this time we dropped a much smaller bait
and O Yea this time we got him and sure enough that was just what was going on
they were smaller fish and the baits we were using were just too big.
All in all we had a ball and Jeff best of luck to you and to
the rest of the gang thanks again for fishing with us aboard the Hooked Up.
As we got back to the dock we had our afternoon trip waiting
to give their luck a shot aboard the Hooked Up.
We had Bob, Doug, Don, Steve and MaryAnn all from New York.
This afternoon we did not wait any time trolling the reef we
went right to kite fishing in 350 feet of water with 2 kite flying with 3 live
baits suspended from them and one big shark bait. We also set a shark bait half
way down and one on the bottom.
Ok the trap was set and it wasn’t long till one of the big
rods bent over and line started screaming off the reel. We were Hooked Up and Bob
wasted no time jumping in the chair. After a good 25 min of back and forth war
finally Bob got his big 93-inch hammerhead shark to the boat. We slid him in
threw the tuna door took a quick measurement and a few pictures and slid him
right back out the door.
Ok now thing were looking up and we still had all the other
baits out there.
With in 15 min I seen this BIG wake headed right for our
shark bait that was suspended from the kite and BAM he got the bait and another
BIG battle has began.
Doug jumped in the chair and we knew from the start this was
going to take a while.
Doug hung in there and after 35 min fight up popped his
125-inch monster hammerhead shark.
What a great trip and we ended up with some very worn out
anglers. (LOL)
Thanks again to all of our anglers today and Bob I am
working on the video.
Captain Taco (954) 764-4344 ob toll free @ (877) SEA-4344
May 15
Today we had Bill, Lee and Keith from San Antonio Texas.
trolling was not an option today we were looking for the BIG
one. So out went the kites with 3 live baits suspended from them along with one
big shark bait. We also sent down a shark bait to the bottom and another shark
bait half way down.
Today it was the bottom bait that paid off and I mean in a
big way. After a good 35 min back and forth tug a war we caught a 300pound
100-inch hammerhead shark.
I am sorry to say that we did not have our camera aboard to
get a picture of this big sea monster.
Bill Lee and Keith thanks again you guys are first class and
it was a ball fishing with you board the hooked Up.
Captain Taco (954) 764-4344 ob toll free @ (877) SEA-4344
May 16
Today we started out fishing with Steve from Dubai and Wayne
from London England.
We started out trolling the reef with 3 lines running deep
and 2 skipping across the surface. While trolling was not red hot we did manage
to catch a few bonitos and a couple black fin tunas.
Once we had trolled our way to the south off the coast of
Hallandale Beach we brought in the trolling gear and dropped a live bait down
about 185 feet and BAM we got Hooked Up within a second. Steve jumped in the
chair and reeled up a big 50-pound amber Jack.
Ok so it worked once so we dropped again and the second we
hit bottom BAM again we got Hooked Up. Now it was Wayne’s turn and he ended up
landing a 20 to 25 pound amber Jack.
Than we switched up and slow trolled some live baits on a
downrigger next to the wreck and landed a couple of nice barracudas.
Steve and Wayne thanks so much for fishing with us and we
are looking forward to fishing you guys again soon.
As we pulled back to our dock we had Peggy, Chris, Mark and
Sue ready to give their luck a shot @ some deep sea fishing.
We started out trolling catching a black fin tuna and a few
bonitos.
trolling was not producing many fish so we switched from
trolling to deep dropping with a chicken rig. (A chicken rig is 5 hooks in line
with a lead at the bottom)
That’s where we found the mother load the sand tiles were
snapping and we ended up with 15 big sand tiles.
Thanks again to all our anglers today for fishing with us
aboard the Hooked Up.
Captain Taco (954) 764-4344 or toll free @ (877) SEA-4344
May 19
Today we started out fishing with E.J. and Jeff from New
Hampshire.
Once again we started out trolling the reef with 3 lines
running deep and 2 skipping across the surface.
trolling today was just plain old slow and with us catching
only 1 kingfish we knew it was time for a change.
So in came the trolling gear and out went the kites with 4
live baits suspended from them.
kite fishing also started out slow TILL all of a sudden out
of nowhere here came this MONSTER sailfish and all over our right long kite
bait and just like that everything turned around for us. We were not only
Hooked Up but this sail was from Jurassic Park.
Jeff jumped in the chair and the fight was on. It took Jeff
a good 25 min till he finally wore down this monster sailfish.
We got a couple quick photos of him next to the boat than we
cut the leader as close to the hook as possible and watched him swim away in
great shape.
Way to go Jeff.
As we got back to the dock we had we had Jonathan from
Orlando Florida, Randy from Fort Worth Texas, Doug and Armando from Dallas
Texas waiting to give their luck a shot aboard the Hooked Up.
Once again we started out trolling the reef but the reef was
just not producing any fish so we went back to basics and started dropping live
baits on wrecks.
It was a bit more work to find a wreck and see if there were
any fish on it but in the end it paid off for us with everyone catching ether
an amberjack or an alamoco Jack.
Guys I know that fishing was a bit on the slow side today
but thanks for hanging in there and we are looking forward to fishing with all
of you again sometime soon.
Captain Taco (954) 764-4344 ob toll free @ (877) SEA-4344
