South Florida suffered through another unseasonably cold month as front after front made it down to our tropical environs. The second month of the year proved to be the coldest so far this season. I practically lived in my Belle Tire jacket [a proven commodity in icy Michigan] as the north winds roared down from the frozen tundra. I can’t imagine how cold it would have been if we were not in the throes of a global warming cycle. The frigid [for South Florida] weather seemed to enhance the fishing as the sailfish tournaments all reported record catch and releases, swordfish were still plentiful, bottom dropping was productive in spite of the draconian laws and kings were everywhere. To sum up February was cool and productive.
A sure sign of spring:
Captain Bart Sherwood, the bluefin guy, is taking a forty three foot Tiara north to Beaufort N.C. to catch the bluefin tuna season. Captain Sherwood perhaps the most prolific tuna fisherman of this century will try his luck in the Tarheel state as the season ebbs and the weather warms. On the way up he stopped overnight at two frigid marinas and quickly found out the boat’s heater did not function. Bart took the setback in stride and donned proper sleeping gear.
What does a fishing captain / T shirt entrepreneur, a rugby playing / economist, a shark bitten / patio builder, a male model and the scion of one of the great philanthropists of our area have in common? They banded together and captured the K Rock fishing tournament. Captain Quentin Dieterle skippered Kit Toomey’s Get Lit to an easy victory in the tournament honoring the memory of Captain Kevin Llorent, who was everybody’s friend. Ray Rosher’s Team American appeared to be running away with the event in the early going but by the afternoon Toomey’s crew was knee deep in fish finishing the first day with 27 releases.
On the second day Bill Wietha brought in a ringer to enhance the chances of his Game Time but alas the great Jack Agramonte could not rally the troops to a comeback victory. The perennial contenders aboard Warren Sand’s Wound Up released ten fish the first day were rumored to have been angling in Maule Lake on Sunday. When time expired it was Get Lit taking the honors with Team American in second place. Even as I write this third place is in limbo with photo and or polygraph problems. As usual Ricky Lindner captained the Jichi to win the international division. Kudos to the Get Lit and the crew Dieterle, Hinckley, Cooper, Miller and Toomey et al.
In other tournament news:
Captain Matty Tambor snatched the Three Inlet’s tournament with a bold and successful maneuver in the last of the ninth inning. Captain Matty spotted sailfish action in close proximity to the Ecuadorian fishing vessel Jichi. Captain Matty remembering the words of Admiral Farragut in action on Mobile Bay in the late war between the states, “damn the torpedoes full speed ahead”, went steaming at flank speed towards the Jichi and captured the two sails while avoiding a beer bottle [empty of course] tossed by a disgruntled rod builder aboard the mugged vessel. Victory is to the brave and bold.
The Bob Lewis Tournament was won by Warren Sand’s Wound Up. Captain John Louie Dudas and crew caught and released five sails at the very start of the event and went wire to wire for a convincing victory. If you intend to compete with the Wound Up do it this year because soon super Doc Sands will soon join the team.
Kirsten Kramer Captain Ray Rosher’s attractive and athletic gal Friday reports that Mike Joseph recently caught the largest fish of his career while fishing from Ray’s charter boat Miss Britt. The fish was Mike’s first swordfish and it tipped the scales at one hundred and eighty pounds.
A trio of buckeyes from Dayton Jaime Greer, Wade Smith and Lance Gildner looked on and screamed encouragement as Mike battled the beast. Veteran Captain Jim Mulcahy ran the boat and mate Markian Galadza worked the pit.
The lithe Ms Kramer just returned from the left coast where she competed in the Wine Valley Marathon. She finished in the middle of the pack as a host of runners competed for the first prize of a rare vintage wine, Mad Dog 20 20, 2009. Kristen’s mom was supposed to run with her but didn’t arrive on time. Kris flew to the Golden State while her mother was jogging to California from St Louis. It must be in the genes.
Captain Brett Dudas recently took his lady friend Jane sail fishing, and the gal caught and released her first sail.
Brett tells the story, “Jane is a nursing student at Broward College, and mother of ten-year old Victoria. Jane has been learning quick observing in tournaments, she saw the bite, hooked the fish, and was doing battle as I [Brett] watched in amazement, gotta love woman anglers.” Obviously he does.
The highlight of the month at Crook & Crook was a gathering of mates, captains and anglers for a night time social event marshaled by Jack Agramonte. This get together was to view the new Fin Nor products. Everyone had a fine time and marveled at the new state of the art competitively priced reels. The favorable reaction indicates that Fin Nor will be a player in the big game market for some time.
That’s it for this month fans.
As usual I close with the quote of the month;
At the above mentioned in Fin Nor gala company representative, Charlie Reynolds, opened up the festivities by holding up a new gleaming Fin Nor sailfish reel and proclaimed “This is not your granddad’s Fin Nor”.
Amen to that, the company has plunged into modern times .
Tight Lines and happy March Madness
Dude Perkins
