BILLFISH HAVEN - Indian River Magazine

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FISHINGTREASURE COAST BOATINGIt is poetry in motion to see a billfish put up afight after being hooked. It is all about thestruggle to get that fish to the boat.JIM GALLAGHER PHOTOSBlue marlin grow to hundreds of pounds. The larger the fish, the longer the fight and the more enduranceit takes to reel it in.is an abundance of bait, total conservation now that the long liners can’t get to them,and lower mortality rates than ever. We are seeing better and better numbers everyyear. We keep breaking records every single year.”At the Pelican tourney, 29 boats released 528 sailfish using dead bait. At the WestPalm Beach Fish Club Silver Sailfish Derby the same weekend, 46 boats released 1,024sailfish using live bait, both shattering previous records.Advanced technology plays its part in the larger catch numbers, says Cameron.“Circle hooks have lowered the mortality rate. The fish are in great shape when theyleave us. We let them go and when they leave us, they are none the worse for wear. >>39
FISHINGTREASURE COAST BOATINGGREG GARDNER PHOTOSDolphin can also do the dance and often end up on the hooks of anglerstrolling for billfish. This one was just 20 inches and a keeper.Circle hooks have helped the fishery and I think it is easier tocatch fish with them.”Cameron also believes the perfection of the “dredge”system has contributed to the sharp increase in sail catchesduring recent tournaments. It is much like dragging a schoolof bait behind the boat, mimicking natural feeding patterns.“Our hookup rates are better,” he says. “When they comethey will follow you.”Another strategy is prospecting, where the angler starts towork the rod from the beginning instead of waiting for somethingto hit the line. “It helps keep the angler in the game,”says Cameron.FUN IN THE PURSUITBillfishing can be funeven if you don’t catch asail or a marlin. A Michigancouple recently charteredMy Other Honey out of PortSalerno and its captain, PeterMorelli, for a full day offishing. After several hourstrolling for sailfish andlanding only small blackfintuna, Morelli set them upover a reef for some bottomfishing, where they caughtred snapper and out-ofseasonsea bass.“The reefs have the livebait,” says Morelli, a 30-Mate Tony Ettari on My Other Honeyprepares to catch and release a goodsizedbonita, since most people don’teat that species.year captain with 20 years on Treasure Coast waters. “Youcan catch sailfish in 50 feet of water. The fish go where thefood is.”One of the great byproducts of trolling for sailfish are largedolphin fish, which will take the bait. Chris Lynn and hisfiancé Stacey Horton both caught a large and a small one tocap off their fishing day. “We didn’t catch a sailfish, but onedid hit our bait,” says Lynn. “But we did catch a lot of fish.They know where the fish are. We’re coming back for sure.”The billfish off the Treasure Coast will be waiting.40
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BILLFISH HAVEN - Indian River Magazine

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