That First Fall Front
It has been some time since my last blog. So I figured what better way then to talk about the first fall front that has arrived this week, and what that means for the central gulf coast. We are always anxious this time of year for that first good push of cool weather to cool down the water temps for that big fall push of King Mackerel. It happens to be the week of the world famous KING OF THE BEACH Tournament in Beautiful Maderia Beach, FL. In typical KING fashion, the weather forecast is looking quite sporty for a tournament that boasts near 600 boats, all clawing at that crown. I myself have fished this tournament a handful of times, and its always exciting. Last year, I happened to witness one of my friends take home over $130,000 after fishing it year in and year out with many chances coming close, but they couldn’t seem to find that paydirt…. until 2020. Couldn’t have gone to a better group of tournament anglers. So as always I tip my cap to Laggerhead.
This week we have seen cool weather in the 60’s at night, and by the weekend we will be seeing 50’s and even 40’s to the north of Tampa Bay. The Sea surface temperatures on the beach are getting to that magic number….. Smoker kings will be flying high busting bait on the nearshore reefs, and following the bait schools down the beach in front of the “Don.” Don’t count out Lower Tampa bay to have a winning fish patrolling the waters off Fort Desoto. More King Of the Beach fish have come from inside the Egmont channel and surrounding areas over the years, then those that came from offshore. There are quite a few hot spots in the bay when the conditions are right, you would be surprised what you might find lurking near by…..
The KING is an experience that any avid tournament angler or first time tournament team should strive to be a part of. Its a major event for the City of Maderia Beach, and a long standing tradition. From the Captains Party with all the amazing raffles, to the amazing food vendors, Local artists, Tackle shops, and vendors, there is something for everyone to enjoy. Great music and dancing to be had the Friday night before the tournament, all leading up to the excitement of those fish lining up to be weighed for a possible six figure purse.
The Fish are here! Load up your wells with Blue Runners, Ladyfish, Cigar Minnows, and Goggle eyes, and look for that Magic temp and Bait activity/Birds. If the Weather allows.
Tight Lines everyone, and goodluck this week at KING OF THE BEACH!
—Capt. Justin
Chasing Dreams
I’ve met some pretty incredible people over the years through this sport and industry. Lately, Its been the customers that have supported this business venture that keep me excited about what I am doing. About 8 months ago, I met an angler named Daniel. Daniel found me via social media like most have, and decided to stop out at the shop and see what we had to offer. When I met Daniel, he explained to me that he was pretty new to offshore big game fishing, he had some success, but was looking to learn more to be successful. Daniel had some lures that he needed re-skirted and some hooksets that needed to be replaced. While at the shop Daniel saw that we had a pretty good lineup of High Speed wahoo gear, and he explained to me that he hadn’t ever caught a wahoo but desperately wanted to. After learning what size Rods and Reels, as well as boat setup Daniel was running, I was able to set him up with a set of our West End Bell Wahoo lures and Shock leaders. I explained to Daniel how to set up his High Speed Spread, as well as some depths and conditions to look for. I Told him the most important thing was to not get discouraged, and to take every trip as a learning experience. Over the next few weeks he would message me with his observations and questions and I gave him some more pointers. Summer fishing had the wahoo gear put away, and before you know it Summer was over and the Fall wahoo season had begun. This next part is the part I live for…. In my everyday career I work night shift, so I tend to be on my way home at prime early morning Wahoo feeding time…. Last week, as I am getting in my truck at 7 am , I have a text come through with a video…. Its a Wahoo, on deck, with one of our west end bells hanging from its mouth. The sender…..Daniel. I couldn’t be more excited for this angler, let alone, I was elated to be the first person he reached out to, to celebrate his first wahoo. It’s an amazing feeling when our dreams align with others… I dreamed one day to make a difference in this industry, while Daniel dreamed of catching his first wahoo. The successes and failures involved with this sport are what keep us waking up early in the morning to chase our dreams, and as one bucket list item is checked off, another arises. Thank you Daniel for sharing your angling success with me, I look forward to seeing you and all of our customer fishing successes daily, and it sure does validate that I truly have found my calling in this industry. Congratulations on that first wahoo, with many more to come!
As Always, Tightlines, Fair winds, and following seas.
Capt. Justin Santillo
The Changing of the Season
Its that time…… Labor Day has come and gone. The Summer days of Drifting over the deep drop numbers and pulling in meat fish with electrics seems to be so distant. The gears are changing, the wind, tide, and weather patterns are shifting. It won’t be long until we see the skies littered with the colorful Red, White, Green, Yellow and black box kites that if George Washington could witness, he would spill his tea over. Not only is it coming into that season for fall kingfish and early sailfish, those full moon falling tide mornings for Wahoo will soon be upon us. It’s the time that I live for, the true “Dinner” and a “Show” season. Where we head out of Lake Worth inlet and as soon as we clear the pass we are dropping a High Speed Spread to S turn down to Haulover for the first part of the day, Soon the morning air will be crisp, the water temp will start to fall, and Razor toothed Zebras will shoot up from the ledge to pull on an 80 wide at 15 knots. Its the moment now where we pull out the Heavy gear and give it a once over, re line our spools, and re bridle our Planers. Fresh Kite Lines and Clips, Fresh wax loops, and new Heavy Metal lures to Plant in the face of the target species. The Bridling needles and rubber bands are fresh and ready for frisky Goggle Eyes, and the early morning jitters of excitement of sailfish tail walking on the moon rise will soon be reality. I am ripe with butterflies for the impending Fall season of tournaments, Camaraderie, and just days of High Speeding and Being a kid Flying a High tech Kite. Tightlines everyone.
The Distance We Travel To Achieve Our Dreams
Have you ever envisioned the perfect trip? You know, the kind where everything just falls into place? The excitement and build up of the trip, days or sometimes even weeks before….. For this weeks entry, I am going to share just that……. THE PERFECT TRIP.
We had been watching the Loop Current as it was far out in the Gulf of Mexico, well beyond the Steps some 160+ Miles from the shores of Saint Pete Beach. It was that kind of pattern that was frustrating as it seemed we couldn’t get an eddy or temp break to come within reach. All of that changed in an instant. We saw our window on a Friday, a beautiful 4 degree break, with Blue and Blended blue water had branched off over the steps 125 nm SW of Saint Pete Beach. We knew that it was go time. The Bladder of the sportfish was filled with diesel, every lure was packed, ballyhoo by the case was loaded. Our coolers were full of libations and food for a few days of fishing far from the shores of Florida. We were off. We steamed west to our anchor spot some 70 miles offshore, this was home for the evening. Why not drop some rods and catch the evening snapper bite while we still could? The night was filled with Mangrove Snappers, Yellowtails and Vermillion snapper. Day 1 success.
We awoke to flat calm conditions, and that feeling of knowing it was going to be a good day. Right from the start we saw life as we pulled our anchor. Flying fish, and bait showers were all around us, so instead of picking up and steaming to the steps, we opted to drop the lures back and troll towards our promised land…. It wasn’t long before the sound of a Fin-Nor Santiago 50wide dumping line filled the air, and the sound of the diesels faded. Steve at the helm, me in the pit, Kraig grabbed the rod…. “its a good fish” was all that Kraig needed to voice to me…. Kraig had the fish turned and started working him to the transom. I knew the fight all too well, and confirmed my prediction when I saw him staying deep and those tell tale stripes were flashing…. WAHOO. I had Kraig walk up the gunnel towards the salon, Leaned out with my gaff and stuck Kraigs first Wahoo. I knew it was going to be that kind of trip.
Not four miles away as we pressed west, the lines all started racing away, and we were covered up with Blackfin Tunas to 25 pounds. One after another, firsts, personal bests and stacks of tunas were hitting the deck. We made the right call to troll the way out. A day into our trip and we were already toting Snapper, Wahoo, and Tunas with just over 40 miles to go to Shangri-la.
We reached the steps around 2pm and the conditions were beautiful. Hard to believe we are 130 miles offshore and its glassed out, the kind of day where you lose the horizon line as it seems the ocean just fades into the sky.
It was game on from here, Teasers out, Dredges out, and a 9 rod spread. I had just laid down for a nap in the cabin only to be awakened by yelling “Billfish, Billfish, Billfish” I jumped up and got to the helm and started backing down as Steve was on the rod. way out on the horizon we could see a fish greyhounding. As Steve got settled in I was able to see that tell tale flash of a large dorsal as it grabbed air. It was a Large Sailfish. With backing down and Kraig on the leader we had this fish landed in a hurry, which is the best way to insure their revival. It was the first Sailfish on Steve’s new boat, and another personal best. measured at 85” and photos taken, This fish was destined for a replica mount.
It seemed we had checked off all the boxes… but one…. And not all that long after that sailfish came and went, that final box was to be checked off in a big way… We ventured a little south of where we hooked the sail, to find a good rip. Another sportfish to our west on the horizon, the reels started screaming again, and before too long we had Mahi jumping and flipping and doing whatever they could to try and avoid my gaff… It was at this point after we boated the first few that I glanced back in the spread and saw a flash on the center rigger….. SNAP, the clip popped hard and a 30 wide started to dump. I handed the Rod to Bryan…. The guy that traveled the furthest to be on this trip. In from North Dakota. He had one dream for this trip. That dream was to catch a Mahi. Before we left the dock, I promised him I would put him on a mahi… As he locked into the gunnels cranking on the fish, I saw it jump way out, and knew I found him the right one.. It was a large Bull. I told him to try not to look at the fish but to settle down and just focus on cranking when he could gain line. The fish came straight up the centerline of the boat, swimming into the propwash making it ever difficult for me to get the gaff in him. I had Bryan walk back up behind the chair, and i took my shot and stuck him right above the eyes and flopped him into the boat. We had done it. 3 Firsts: Wahoo, Sailfish, Bull Mahi, 3 Personal bests, and a Boatload of fish, we turned east and started steaming home with all the boxes checked. Billfish, Wahoo, Tuna, Mahi, Bottomfish. The trip that dreams are made of.