I have a confession to make. February's weather was just too much for me. I'm a Florida boy thru & thru, and there I was, close to the breaking point, when Glen called from Mexico and said: "Come on down!" I thought about it for two seconds and booked a flight for the following Monday.
His directions were succinct: Fly to Cancun, take a taxi to the ferry dock, buy a ticket for Isla Mujeres, get off the boat, walk to the street, turn left and continue straight until you see the 'Floridian'.
Welcome to paradise. The uniqueness of this quaint Mexican Island was readily apparent. Colorful native pangas were pulled up on the beach in both directions where the sand continued on to a variety of hotels, restaurants and tiki bars scattered tastefully along the way. From amidst this native splendor I could not help but appreciate the graceful lines of the 57'Floridian as she eased fore and aft in a light wind ripple at Anthony's dock. True to form, she complimented her surroundings in a manner befitting her reputation as one of Florida's premier tournament & charter boats.
The next morning we took off to test the veracity of incredible sailfish catch reports I'd heard about from this particular part of the world, and I knew what to expect (Glen doesn't exaggerate); but seeing it with my own eyes was a marvel to behold. Short and sweet - in the words of Jerry Lee Lewis "Good god almighty, Great Balls of Fire". Steady action with sails on dredges, teasers, flat lines and rigger baits; that's what I went to see, and just as I had been told, the fishing was outrageous. Two hours and fifteen releases later (we saw at least twenty-five), it was easy to understand how 50 fish days were well within the realm of possibility.
Day two was more of the same with spectacular action from acrobatic sails showing their stuff. Our anglers were Betty Riamoundo and two friends out for a practice day before their debut in the Little Yellow Schoolhouse, Isla Mujeres Sailfish Tournament 'to benefit the island's special needs students. No surprise to me, these lady anglers w/Capt Glen Cameron on the Floridian took 1st place, eclipsing all previous tournament records with 60 fish for the two days.
A highlight of my visit to Isla was our fun trip out to the fishing grounds on on the Obsession with Capt Jeff and his first mate Richard. It was my last day there and we intended to snorkelon the baitballsin hopes of watching the sails heard sardines into tight groups that then make for easy pickings.
Once again, 'the magic was in Mujeres'! Jeff handeled the Obesession with great skill and literally 'put us on the sails' asthey worked the sardine pods into a frenzy. The 'spindle beaks' maneuvered their prey with a choreographed precision that only mother nature could devise and words just can't describe the majesty of their performance.
Hey Capt Glen, put me on the books;I'll be back to fish with you in Isla Mujeres next February!