'Azulita' Offshore Report

It can be difficult for a surf fisherman to break through those jetties on a calm flat morning knowing at any minute it will turn on.

“Look Mario, there” I yell as I see a pod of anchovies being devoured. “Its probably just mackerel” he says “We have bigger fish to fry”…..and he was right.


Instantly we realize that undersized AJ’s were going to be the nuisance of the trip, hitting anything you dropped down.





But Mario is able to pick one out that meets the minimum size requirement




And then finally finds a way to get his jig past the delinquents and into this snapper’s mouth.



He would then pick up several nice Yellowmouth Grouper



And I would catch mine by the tail



Saturday morning brings the forecasted flat seas and we head out deep offshore in search of billfish, it would be my first overnighter and our first time swordfishing.



One could look out in just about any direction at any given time and find signs of fish busting bait, blackfin tuna, bonita and a few fish we couldn’t get close enough to identify were in full feeding mode. Our spirits were high with so much life around us, we even trolled past a bait ball with a large whaleshark suspended vertically gorging itself.



The sun made its way to the watery horizon and we were all smiles and high fives, not for the blackfin tuna just caught, but for the fish just lost. A very healthy blue marlin found its way into and out of our spread, but not before leaving us with a half empty 80W and a most spectacular aerial show.



The high fives continue as Mario pulls up the first sword for Azulita. The rest of the night remained quiet except for a bait left slashed.

The sun greeted us the next morning, but the seas had picked up considerably. We trolled around for an hour and I was about ready to call it off when we get a knock down. The hook would pull, but the fish came right back for it, Mario sets the hook and we have a fish on.



After a brief battle we finally see a small but beautiful blue marlin



Mario is able to remove the hook and send this marlin away in good shape.

It’s great to see your friends succeed in their goals, especially when several are squeezed into one short trip. Hopefully this is just the beginning of great things to come.

Congratulations to Mario on some fine ‘firsts’ and a big thanks for including me in the latest Azulita adventure

Florida Report, Goliath Grouper, Tarpon and Nurse Shark

I recently had the privelidge to spend a few days in SW Florida with 5 of my good friends. The first night most of us took it easy, recovering from the 20+ hour drive, but my friend Joey would get down to business and put the first fish on the beach





A solid nurse, his first...and at 8', his biggest fish.





Later in the night we would wake up to find Joey fighting another fish, this one would actually give him a good fight taking line at every given chance. He got the fish within leadering distance, but fate had other plans for his catch, the hook pulled at the worst moment and we never got to see the beast.


The next night we decided to switch locations. It was dark by the time camp was setup, I wasted no time getting a bait out, and the first fish of the night wasted no time picking it up. By the way the fish stuck to its ground, I was sure I had a nice bull on, but the fish finally submitted, ascending to the surface 50yds off the beach, and there on the edge of our lights floated one of the biggest fish I've ever layed eyes upon. Pier Rat drags the monster to the shallows and we gather around speechless, mesmerized by its size.





At 6'6'' long and a girth of 5'5'' this fish weighs in at 412lbs using the weight formula.




It was shaping up to be a good night, some more fish were caught, and more were lost. Just before sunup I hear my friend Houstons reel taking off. I sprint to the other side of camp with Houston nowhere to be seen, I take the reel, set the drag and began yelling his name, when I notice someone in the kayak buried underneath a mountain of towels and mosquito netting.

I give a few firm kicks and say…

“Wake up, you got a fish on”

“You can have it man”

“Seriously? It feels like a good one!”

“yeah, I just came here to watch”

“ooooook”

The fish made multiple runs unlike anything I’ve felt before, I wasn’t the least bit surprised when I heard “TARPON!!!!”





At 5’8’’ it wasn’t the biggest, but it’s my first. Not the intended species for half a bonita, but I’m so glad to finally get that monkey off my back. As of writing this it’s been almost a week since I caught this fish, and still haven’t stopped thanking Houston.

We packed up leaving the fish and the bugs biting. It was hard knowing there were still fish dreams are made of swimming offshore, but we were satisfied with the ones we did get. I guess you have to leave some for next time.

Good friends, good fish…good times.

'Azulita' Offshore Report

PINS 4/25-28 7'6'' Bull, reds, blacktips

I worked my way south Sunday afternoon hunting bait, around dark:30 I picked my home for the week and ran out a live pomp, it didn’t take long







The rest of the night was peaceful until about 4am when a casted bait goes off, an oversized red. The next few hours would prove to be the most productive for me, reds, rays and airborne blacktips would keep me busy until the sun came up....I never had a chance to snap a single picture.


The action had slowed tremendously, but there were still fish to be caught.
Skinny reds....





and wade gut blacktips




Before I knew it, Tuesday morning was here and two big baits still sat untouched, the winds were predicted to get rowdy today so I began packing while cooking breakfast. The wind shifted blowing from the northeast and I enjoyed some kickass tacos, I got about halfway through the first one when one of my big baits gets knocked down....ok, "its blacktip time" I think to myself....WRONG





A nice fat bull, she taped out around 7'6'', and put up a damn nice fight....

I decide to bring in my 12/0, turns out something had picked up a 30lb bait from the wrong end and chomped it in 3 pieces without leaving any teeth marks, or setting off my drag....the line had slacked up a little bit the night before but I thought nothing of it.
Now motivated, I unpack and run lines back out.

yep, now its blacktip time. With the winds really picking up, and forecasted to drop later that night, I decide to wait it out until dark. Around 11pm I get two big baits out....around midnight they get weeded out.
For the past few days I hadn't seen the slightest sign of sargassum, the next morning I awake to this...