Feb 23
Today we had Ken from Evansville Indiana. Leo from Holly Michigan, Chase from Ortonville Michigan. Sonny from Lexington Kentucky, Bill from Fort Worth Texas and Jim from Chicago.
Ok today it was big fish or bust so we went out to 350 feet of water and set out our kites with 3 live baits suspended from the kites and 1 dead shark bait. We also set a shark bait about 150 feet down and last but not least another shark bait on the bottom.
Ok so now the trap was set and all we needed was for some big sea monster to come along and have a little lunch.
We waited and waited and yes still waiting with no bites.
Ok enough is enough so it was time for a change so we intended to go barracuda fishing but as we were heading for one of our barracuda spots when I decided to try a little shark fishing in shallower water.
So once again out went the kites and this time we put 2 shark baits on the bottom.
It only took about 5 min till one of our deep rods bent over and we were Hooked Up.
J.J. got everyone involved in helping clear all the other rods as Ken jumped in the chair and the fight was on. Here where things got really weird, this fish that ate the bottom bait was all over the surface and while I was looking into the sun I could see his BIG tail out of the water and slapping the surface. Than at first this fish was just coming toward the boat as if to see what was on the other end tugging on him. As he got closer I could see how his back was very dark while his belly was snow white with a very sharp edge divided the two.
I just was not sure what the heck we had on?? Bare in mind I was looking right into the sun.
Than all of a sudden before this sea monster decided to take off I could see it was a hammerhead shark but it definitely looked different.
Just about than J.J. yelled up at me and asked if I knew what we had on? I just did not know how to answer him I knew it was a hammerhead but the head looked different and the colors really threw me off. J.J. said it was a Smooth Hammer Head Shark. (A WHAT??)
I never knew of such a shark and now I was fighting one!!
Ok let me make a long story shorter we got this fish close to the boat 4 different time just to have him take line at will.
I must admit I was a little worry about this one we were going to slide him into the boat for a quick measurement to have a replica trophy made of him and than we were just going to slide him right back out the tuna door but I had no idea how he was going to act about having a head rope around his head.
I had every reason to worry he did not like it but we did finally slide him in got our measurement and watched him swim away in good shape.
Way to go Ken
Later that night when I got home I went right to the Internet and goggled it and sure enough we had caught the first Smooth Hammer Head Shark I had ever seen.
It looks like we are going to have a great shark season now till about the end of May so far we have already heard of
Hammer Heads, Bull sharks, Long Tail Thresher, a Mako, Sand Bar, Black Tips and now a Smooth Hammer Head and we are just getting into Shark season down here off the coast of Fort Lauderdale so give us a call and lets get you Hooked Up with one of these sea monsters.
Captain Taco (954) 764-4344 or toll free @ (877) SEA-4344
Feb 24
Today we had a 2 boat convention with the guys from Sprit and Lufthansa Air Lines and while both boats had a great day I am sorry to say that once we got back to the dock and were taking pictures and cleaning fish no one wrote down any ones names. I am sorry about that but I do know that they were all from America and Germany.
Aboard the Hooked Up we started out our all day trip trolling to the south with 2 planner boards running about 45 feet down and 3 baits skipping across the surface catching bonitos, king fish and some small black fin tunas on the way down to a wreck that lay on the bottom off the coast of Hallandale Florida.
As we started getting close to the wreck we went out to a little deeper water and caught a couple little black fin tunas and set them out as live bait on top of the wreck with 3 trouble hooks in them.
It took about 5 seconds of trolling one of these black fins over the wreck when BAM the water exploded the spinning rod bent over and line started screaming off the reel. WE WERE HOOKED UP!! We never expected such a big fish or we never would have used a spinning rod but O well we were Hooked up and we going to do our best to catch what ever the heck was on the other end.
When I tell you it was a back and forth tug a war that was just what it was for a good 20 min till finally a big greater amber jack popped up. It was a good 35 to 40 pound fish and what a hell of a fight on a spinner.
Ok so it worked once so we went for it again and yes we went ahead and used the spinner again and once again once the little black fin was over the wreck BAM again we were Hooked Up. This time the fish was fighting a little different instead of just pulling straight down this fish came straight to the surface and before we knew it we had a 48 inch barracuda jumping all over the surface.
And once again after a good 15 min back and forth tug a war we got him to the boat for a few quick photos and released him to fight again another day.
Ok @ this point we had a box full of bonitos, kings and black fin tunas so time for some sail fishing/shark fishing so out went our kites with 3 live baits suspended from them along with a shark bait also suspended along with a bottom shark bait and last but not least another shark bait half way down.
The trap was set and the wait began but not for long because within 30 min of waiting one of the shark rods bent over and we were Hooked Up again.
One of the German guys jumped in the chair and the fight was on.
After about 15 min of fighting this sea monster our angler said something that no one really understood but by the look on his face it was time to switch anglers.
Once Steve (I think his name was Steve) got in the chair the fight was on once again but far from over.
We truly had a strong fish on the other end and it would be another 25 min till finally we got this big hammerhead shark to the boat.
J.J. slid him in the tuna door got a quick measurement and a few photos and even managed to get all the hooks out of his mouth. We got him back in the water and away he swam to fight again another day.
What a hell of a day fishing we ended up with 2box full of reef fish a monster barracuda, a big amber jack, a couple nice dolphin fish and a big hammerhead shark.
And as for the other boat the Marlin My Darling they also had a hell of a day boating a box full of reef fish and they even caught a double-header sailfish and at the very end of the day released another sail. Way to go Captain Steve and Andrew.
Guys fishing just keeps getting better every day down here in Sunny South Florida so give us a call and lets get you Hooked Up.
Captain Taco (954) 764-4344 or toll free@ (877) SEA-4344
Feb 25
This morning we started out our day fishing with Chris and Laura from Michigan and the twins John and Jim along with Jim's sons Noah and Jackson all from Boca Rotan Florida.
We went right to big game fishing with our 2 kites with 3 live baits suspended from them along with one shark bait also suspended from the kites.
We also sent a shark bait down about 150 feet down and our last but not least was a shark bait all the way to the bottom about 350 feet.
Fishing started out slow but then with out any warning our bottom rod bent over line started pealing off the reel and we were Hooked Up.
Chris jumped in the chair and the fight was on. It was a back and forth tug a war for a good 15 min till @ last up popped a 5 foot sand bar shark.
Ok Chris you said you wanted to fight a big shark and there you go.
Once we got the baits set back out we got a couple dolphin fish come charging in and before we knew it we were Hooked Up again.
Noah and Jackson each landed a dolphin fish.
Guy's thanks again for a fun day of fishing!
Captain Taco (954) 764-4344 or toll free @ (877) SEA-4344
Feb 26
Today we had Jason and Chris from Chicago along with Tiffany, Talia and Keith from Ocala Florida.
Ok the plan today was big fish or bust so out went the kites with both live and dead baits suspended from them along with a shark bait on the bottom and one last shark bait about half way down.
Then it happen our shark rod bent over and it seemed as if the line would never stop coming off the reel. Chris jumped in the chair and the fight was on.
Chris would gain a little line and than he would lost some back and forth it went for what seemed for ever but Chris hung in there and before we knew it up popped this 84 inch hammer head shark.
By the time Chris got him to the side of the boat the shark was pretty tired and J.J. was able to slide him into the tuna door for a quick measurement and a couple of photos and we watched him slowly swim away in good shape with no hooks in his mouth.
Way to go to both Chris and J.J. nice job!
Captain Taco (954) 764-4344 or toll free @ (877) SEA-4344
Feb 27
Today we had Bill and his son Bill along with Sharon all from Connecticut and John and Sheila from Florida out for a few hours of deep sea fishing aboard the Hooked Up off the coast of fort Lauderdale.
We started out trolling with 2 planner boards running about 45 feet deep and 3 surface baits skipping across the surface.
While trolling the reef was not red hot Bill JR caught a dolphin fish and Sheila boated a king fish and Sharon got a mackerel.
Ok enough of trolling time to got for the BIG ones so in came the trolling gear and out went the kites with live baits suspended from them along with a couple of shark baits set down deep.
Well talk about making the right choice Bill Sr ended up catching a big sail fish while John had his hands full reeling in a nice hammer head shark.
WOW what a fun morning of deep-sea fishing.
Guy's thanks again so much we had a ball fishing with all of you and we're looking forward to fishing together again.
Captain Taco (954) 764-4344 or toll free @ (877) SEA-4344
Feb 28
Today we started out fishing with John and Julie from Kane Pa and Cleo and Emily from right down here in Sunny south Florida.
We started out trolling but the kings were just not biting today so in came the trolling gear and out went the kites and the live baits.
We also set a couple of shark baits down deep.
As it turned out we had made the right choice putting out the shark baits today because before we knew it our shark rod was bent over and we were Hooked Up.
After a good 25 min back and forth tug a war up popped this 7-foot hammerhead shark. We were able to slide him into the tuna door for a quick measurement and a couple of photos and even managed to get all the hooks out of him and watched him swim away in good shape.
Way to go guys!!
As we pulled back to the dock we had Janet and Jim from New York eager to give their luck a shot @ some deep-sea fishing aboard the Hooked Up.
This time we went right to kite fishing and it did not take long until BAM we were Hooked Up with a big sail fish. After a good 15 min fight we got this big sail next to the boat and he went nuts dancing all over the surface putting on this great show for us. We got him and did a quick release on him. (WAY TO GO)
It seemed that kite fishing was the way to fish today so we just stuck it out and ended up also catching a couple smoker kings.
Thanks again to all of our anglers today and Jim we're looking forward to fishing with you again tomorrow.
Captain Taco (954) 764-4344 or toll free @ (877) SEA-4344
