Nov. 26, 2021: Photos are on Instagram and Facebook:
I am back “full time charter fishing” from running a private boat for a very good client of mine from the early 2000’s.
From May 2016 to June 2021 I ran the “Be Cooley,” a 63′ Merritt sport fisherman, “culminating a lifetime dream!” Great fish were caught, and interesting trips abroad and on anchor. We caught a 350 lb and a 95 lb swordfish on standard rod and reel in the fighting chair (no electric); 4 blue marlin in 3 days for 6 hooked up; 5 sailfish in half a day; an est. 80 lb black grouper and a 65 lb cubera snapper on deep jigging spinning rods; and many sailfish, dolphin (mahi mahi), tunas, nice mutton snappers, groupers, yellowtail snappers, etc.
In June of 2021 the owner put the boat up for sale. I was hoping to get back to some of those great spots I fished in the 80’s and early 90’s of St. Thomas, Costa Rica, Mexico, and Panama. Then explore areas on the way, and not just offshore, but in a skiff that I hoped to strap to the bow! Fish the flats and rivers of Mexico, Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama. Then go through the canal, maybe fish some peacock bass in Lake Gatun, and finally out to the Pacific to fish north and south. Starting out from Panama’s Pinas Bay, Coiba Island, and Hannibal Bank; to Costa Rica’s Gulf Dulce, Isla de Cana, Quepos, Cabo Blanco, Guanamar, Flamingo, and the Bat Islands, all places I had fished, except Pinas Bay. But it was not to be. I might look around for freelance/ relief captain jobs. Already had one captain tell me he could use me when he goes to Maryland every summer through fall. I would happily run someone’s boat for a week, two, or three for a trip or give the main captain a week break. That could be perfect, little trips here or there. Time will tell.
So I am back to my own simple life, happily, and taking clients out to fulfill their “dream of a lifetime!” Just this past week I took out a wonderful family, Brett and Julie Watson with their 3 daughters 5-12’ish, and did we catch the fish! Julie Watson caught a big sailfish. She saw it chasing ballyhoo, as Bailey was catching a nice cero mackerel! I powered the boat forward 30 yd to cast a pilchard in there, and “vwala,” got him on! They caught couple ceros, 3 barracudas. Then we fished a patch. First fish as often is the biggest grouper, and it was a nice one, 24′ red grouper 10-12 lb. Then the next 3 hrs was constant action with some nice fat lane snapper for the cooler, and a lot of undersized snapper and grouper, maybe 40 to 50 throw backs. It was constant good action for everyone. I had the Brett and Julie hooking the fish, and they would pass rod off to one of the girls. Wore them out!
We have had some good backcountry fishing to, from bonefish to snook, redfish, black drum, and spectacular trout fishing on “top water plugs!” That is an absolute blast when the bight is on. We easily caught +60 fish in 2-3 hrs, big ones too!
Pics to be posted on Instagram and Facebook
“One of our Best Catches”
This 425 lbs. Blue Marlin (400 – 450) on #30 test stand up rod is the catch of the year on 6/25/13, if not best catch for this boat!
Congratulations to Eddy Perez and his 14 year old son, Vinny, from Lowell IN.
