Fall is one of our favorite times of year – and this October was no different. Huge Bull Redfish inshore, fantastic deep sea action, and the Fishing Rodeo in the World’s Luckiest Fishing Village… these were just a few of the highlights!
All this added up to a real challenge when choosing last month’s top stories.
This month’s spotlight highlights captains who’ve applauded their customers’ successes and, in doing so, made their own day too. Because now more than ever, we need to rejoice in the things that go well, and be there for each other when they don’t.
Milestone Musky
Muskies have a daunting nickname: “the fish of a thousand casts.” So when a client catches their hundredth specimen, that really means something!
Steve from Last Resort Guide Service in Boulder Junction, Wisconsin, was proud to help Dave boat this benchmark catch.
Dave first came down to “The Musky Capital of the World” in 2008. After catching his first legal Musky there in 2010, he started to vacation in Boulder Junction on a regular basis. Eventually, over a ten-year period, Steve has netted 99 of Dave’s 102 Muskies.
And to top it all off, as well as being there for Dave’s first ever legal catch, he also got to help him net this 100th Milestone Musky.
Steve also added that, according to Dave’s diary of his catches, over a quarter of them were over 40 inches. Now that’s a credit to both angler and captain!
A Truckload of Fish
Down in Fort Lauderdale, Captain Taco from Hooked Up Sportfishing had a memorable trip with some of 2020’s unsung heroes – truck drivers.
“When you think about it,” he explained, “without them we would have no food, medicine, appliances, etc. These guys are heroes in their own right.”
Even though their trip started out with 4–5’seas and slow fishing, “somehow by the grace of God,” the day ended up a success.
The group was looking for fish to eat, so Captain Taco headed offshore to look for Mahi Mahi. A couple of small Tunas later, and it looked like these hardworking anglers might be going home almost empty handed. Taco took them to some local wrecks. But still no luck.
“We were just going to make a move to another wreck when here came this gift from God: A school of Mahi. And the chaos began. Fish in the water all around the boat! Lines got tangled with each other but fish were hitting the deck. And man, was it a ball.”
After this, things only got better. The group hit another Mahi school and even added to their collection with some Almaco Jacks. With more than enough eating fish to go around, plus some extra for the freezer, this trip well and truly delivered!
Choppy Seas and Rodeo Wins
Every good charter is made better by a tournament win. Nowhere is this more true than Destin, Florida. This small town’s annual Fishing Rodeo gives charter guests the chance to catch some seriously big fish – and win equally impressive prizes.
Captain Tyler and Jesse from Nothin Matters LLC recently showed their guests just how much fun the Destin Fishing Rodeo can be. Despite seasickness and choppy waters, this trip ended up with not one, but two winning catches – as well as some very happy customers.
The first trophy came on the ride out, shortly after Captain Tyler warned the family about the rough seas and offered to adjust the length. Judging by the customer’s review, this 28 lb Wahoo convinced everyone on board that this was still a day worth fishing!
By the time they reached the offshore bottom fishing grounds, the trip was on. With fish hitting about as soon as the lines went in the water, the family “caught about five dozen Snappers, Triggers, Amberjack, and just a few Grunts.” And as well as helping the family reel in another winning fish (this time a Triggerfish), Captain Tyler went out of his way to make sure the seasick kids recovered.
With the crew being “just as excited as everyone in our family” by the tournament wins, this was a successful trip for all. Regardless of the choppy seas, said customer Hal, “the family is still talking about it a week later and can’t wait to be able to go again with the Nothin Matters team!”
First-Time Tuna Fishers Get a Big One
Rookie Tuna fisherman Christopher recently got initiated into Bluefin fishing in a BIG way! And after two consecutive trips with Four C’s Fishing Charters, he only had good things to say about the crew.
Captain Bobby was “great with all of us,” he said, “teaching us every step of the way.” With a 346 lb Tuna on the end of the line, we can only say that’s a good thing!
“It really was the thrill of a lifetime,” wrote Christopher in his review. But the action didn’t stop with the monster Tuna. On the second trip, the group caught a Blue Shark and lots of squid, as well a Thresher Shark that thrashed loose at the boat – “but the experience was still great.”
While the fishing was incredible, Christopher’s review highlights Captain Bobby and his mates as being the highlight of the trip. He’s “the nicest guy,” he wrote, “knowledgeable and hard-working, as is his crew… Can’t wait to get back out there with these guys again!”
That just goes to show that it isn’t always the humongous catch that makes the trip – it’s the great service!
IGFA Offshore Slam
With lockdowns affecting tourism in Nayarit, Mexico, this year, many local sportfishing captains have reduced their offshore trips recently.
Captain Greg and his crew aboard the TOPLESS II are no different. Having not been offshore for more than a month, they wanted to make sure the fish were still out there before they felt comfortable taking paying guests out to fish.
Safe to say, the fish hadn’t gone anywhere! Captain Pancho got to hook this impressive Sailfish, as well as a small Striped Marlin and a Mahi Mahi. That’s enough for an IGFA Offshore Slam!
Having released the Marlin, they kept the Sailfish to help feed locals facing difficulties due to COVID-19.
Now, they’re just waiting for the next chance to get out there!
Here Come the Bulls!
What’s this, an entire spotlight without a single mention of Redfish? In October?!
We hear you. This year’s Bull Red run is as good as ever, with captains and customers getting equally delighted with their inshore giants. Here are just a few of the great pics that have found their way to FishingBooker’s reviews and reports this month:
“Hurricane Delta Didn’t Stop Us”
This monster was the product of a father/son trip with Captain Damien of the appropriately-named Redfish Charter Company. These customers had such a good trip with him that when their offshore trip the following day was canceled due to Hurricane Delta, they fished with him again! Many Bulls and Trout later, and they’re already planning to come back.
“Arms Too Tired to Handle Any More!”
Captain Joe from Set Em Up Fishing Charters has been loving the cooler temperatures and huge mullet migration that hit northeast Florida last month. And while Bull Reds are the name of the game, they haven’t been the only things gracing the local waterways. He’s also been pulling up “some pretty unique river monsters that would have made Jeremy Wade proud.”
“Last week there were a couple of small Bull Sharks landed on the Redfish rod,” he explained, “as well as Bonnetheads and large Stingrays that feel like playing tug of war with a Prius.” Sounds like quite the trip!
“WOW…What a great day”
Kristi had such a good time on her trip with Poseidon Fishing Charters she actually lost count of the number of 30–40 lb fish she caught. The best thing about the trip? Captain George and First Mate Lance.
They’re “so fun to be with,” wrote Kristi. “They were every bit as excited as we were catching those huge fish. They helped when we needed help and let us fight with those big fish when we were holding our own.” Thanks to their humor, excitement, experience, and help, she’s already planning her next adventure. We bet the huge Redfish didn’t hurt either!
What a month. Keep the big fish and great memories coming – and be sure to tell us about them in a fishing report!
