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
