Big Fish News
Our 545.8 swordfish with anglers Buster and King
We left off in our last report with Heather Harkavy catching a pending world record Almaco jack of 31.5 pounds. This fish was only 2 ounces off the 50 pound tackle record but is 9 pounds better than the standing junior female angler record.
After Heather's trip we headed for Bimini with Roberta, Marty and Martini Arostegui. We were on a fish scavenger hunt. We wanted IGFA species for Roberta IWFA species list and grey snappers on fly. Roberta caught 4 new species, rainbow runner, cero mackerel, horse eye jack and little tunny. She also caught a pending IWFA record barracuda of 9 pounds on 6 pound line. For frosting on the cake she added pending world record grey snapper on 6 and 12 pound line. The whole family caught fish from the time we stopped the boat till we pulled anchor. I think Marty tied 4 million rigs while I kept the chum flowing and took off fish. We returned to Miami on Friday evening.
Then still aching from that trip, it was time for some swordfish tournament action.
Bouncer"s Dusky 33 fished the Full Moon Adventures Summer Swordfish Slam with Capt Bouncer Smith, Crew Capt Steve Huddleston and Capt John Herndon and anglers Clarence "King" Flowers and Buster McLean.
They hooked up on a bonito strip 1900 feet below the surface off Key Biscayne Florida at 7 PM. Using a Penn 70 International and Leeward Swordfish rod loaded with 80 pound braided line the fight was on.
The swordfish they were seeking came within 30 feet of the boat after 45 minutes. The 300 pound or better swordfish circled the boat several times and sounded back into the deep.
Over the next couple hours the fish stayed between 100 and 300 feet below the surface. About 3 and a half hours into the fight the fish raced off with 500 yards of line, taking 50 to 100 yards every time a pending thunderstorm gave up a bolt of lightning.
After the storm passed by, over the next two hours the fish rose from the depths one inch at a grueling time. The battle raged with the fish getting tougher with every circle as we waited to see her in the glow of the blue HydroGlow light hanging in the water from the spring cleat.
She finally came in range after five and one half hours and the fish was struck with 3 gaffs. The fish then towed the boat backwards for several minutes before giving up the fight.
The fish was brought aboard and the boat, fish and crew cruised to Hillsboro Marina for the tournament weigh in. When the scales settled the fish was 545.8 pounds. The fork length was 104 inches. It was the fulfillment of every anglers dream. To hook up early in the tournament, boat your fish early, run to the dock early and smile from ear to ear while your hard working and very skillful friends and fellow anglers try to match your catch. I sincerely hope they all get the chance to live this dream.
Bouncer's Dusky 33 won the 2008 tournament. Hurricane was second with a beautiful 298 pound swordfish and Chips Ahoy finished third with a 139 pound swordfish. 48 boats fished this terrific annual event.
Buster, King and Steve with our 545.8 swordfish
For the daytime local angler this update. Howard and sons David and Stephen Cohen fished with us Monday. We fished live herring from kite and other lines. Each angler caught their first sailfish going 3 for 4 sails. Over the day of fishing 150 to 200 feet of water off Government Cut they added an amberjack, a 25 pound almaco jack, a big bonito, a king mackerel, a 125 pound shark and the biggest blackfin tuna of this captains carreer. The tuna pulled the scale down to just over 38 pounds.
The evening inlet trip with Robin, her son Daniel and daughter Jessica produced 2 snook of about 12 pounds each, a 20 pound jack crevalle, a shark and a 80 pound tarpon. All of these fish were released.
