LIVE SQUID Tim Athens and the "OUTER BANKS"

tim called me this morning. He will have squid for sale at the channel islands harbor. Try channel 18.

Feed him to the sharks

For this fishing team, $1-million prize is the one that got away
By: Pete Thomas, GrindTV.com
If a person gets caught fishing without a license, in most cases, it results in a fine of perhaps a few hundred dollars.

For those aboard Citation, however, the infraction represents a setback of nearly $1 million.

The vessel's anglers had been participating in the 52nd annual Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament, June 11-19 off North Carolina. Andy Thomossan landed what was by far the biggest fish: an 883-pound marlin, a tournament record.

The team on Saturday was declared winner of the prestigious competition, and there was plenty of celebration.

However, there also was a post-event lie-detector test, after which it was revealed that one of the hired crew did not possess a valid fishing license, available in North Carolina for only $15, or $30 for non-residents.

That was a violation of tournament rules and after lengthy deliberation, according to Evans Kistler of the Carteret County News-Times, tournament officials late Tuesday disqualified the catch and and denied the Citation team the winning purse.

End of celebration.

"No record. No money. No fish. No nothing. Yep, it's a nice ending to the story isn't it?" Thomossan told the Jacksonville Daily News. "He failed to get a fishing license, but we didn't know it. He told us he had it. He didn't. So you take a man at his word, you know?"

That man is Peter Wann. According to the state's fisheries division, he went out and bought a license after the catch of the monster marlin, bringing more shame to his team. He'll be fined $35 and ordered to pay court costs totaling $125.

The new winners are those who fished aboard the vessel Carnivore and caught the second-largest marlin, weighing 528.3 pounds. They net a grand total of $999,453.

Michael Topp, one of Citation's owners, figured the tournament board would not rule in Citation's favor.

"I think the Big Rock committee is doing what they have to do," he said. "I understand that. I'm a retired colonel. I know about rules."

-- Photo: Angler Andy Thomossan (left) and Capt. Eric Holmes stand alongside 883-pound blue marlin caught during the Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament off North Carolina. Credit: Evans Kistler / Carteret County News-Times

Captain Mike Pritchard joins the Intrepid

Mike's bio:
Growing up in Ventura in the late 80's, I spent all of my free time fishing. I was fortunate to start my sport-fishing career (at the young age of 9) with some of the best, such as the Cavanaugh brothers and Shawn Steward, of whom I have been fortunate enough to have crewed with. Throughout my school years, I worked summers and weekends on two of the premier charter boats in the area, the Mirage and the Pacific Eagle (the Mings family speaks for itself). In 1996 I moved to San Diego. I went to work for one of the industries' best, Ray Sobiek (if not the hardest captain to work for) on the Producer. During this time I acquired my captain's license by the age of 20 and was taught to fish San Diego and Northern Baja Sobiek style (110%). Looking for a new challenge, I went to work with Pat Cavanaugh and the crew of the Excel in 1998. As I quickly moved up in the ranks, I took on the role of engineer within my first year. Bill Poole's motto was (YOU CAN'T RUN THE BOAT UNTIL YOU KNOW HOW TO FIX IT!) By 2001 I had earned the right to start running the boat alongside Shawn Steward. After several years on the Excel, I was offered the opportunity to run my own operation. So in early 2003 I left the Excel, and began 5 very successful years aboard the International Star, an ultra limited load 1 to 6 day charter boat. With private staterooms, big catches, and an exemplary crew, customer service and satisfaction were the main priority. Until recently, the year of 2009 was spent as Captain of the charter boat, Coral Sea. Our winters were spent fishing Oxnard and summers in San Diego. Thoughts of buying this clean charter boat was thwarted by our shaky economy and when the chance to run the newest top of the line long ranger presented itself... I had to jump aboard. My wife, Melody and son Alex have spent their share of time on the water as well as taking part in the business from time to time. My hobbies include hunting, snow boarding, golf, surfing, diving, and of course fishing.

Avet jx and lx raptors

Letting everyone know they are finally available. After a long wait and alot of bitching we finally received the damn things. They look great and will be super tuna reels!

Lee gets a golden grouper

I left the harbor today with less then a handful of sardinas but I didn't care. I've known all along we fly fishermen can catch fish with out chum. I also know it sure helps to keep the dorado and roosterfish around up here.

First stop was the eastern side of Isla Carmen from just below Bahia Balandra to La Cholla. We saw action action and more action and whenever we made it to where that action was......it was gone. This went on for an hour when we finally got to where it was happening and saw a huge school of needlefish. We swore that some of that action was dorado and confirmed it when we saw some jumping in the distance but we could never catch up to it. I did however see one small hen swim by but she went deep when the sardina hit the water, never to resurface while we were there.

I then fished the northern end of Carmen from La Cholla to Punta Tintorerra. Nothing along the ends but it was a cabrilla a cast in the middle. It started with a pargo, we could have filled the boat with the cabrilla I boated and tossed in some ladyfish to boot. I also caught 6 snakes, coronetfish. Highlights were another giant hawk fish and finally..........I got a GOLDEN GROUPER. After all these years, I got one!

All these fish were caught on the same fly. A pufferfish even tried to eat it but it was too big for the little guy

One more day to go this trip but it is a sight seeing outing with the wife.

Loreto w/ Lee 6/19

I'd love to tell you all that it is a typical year for great fly fishing down here but that would be a lie. The fishing is there but there is not a sardina to be bought, borrowed or stolen. Most are going the conventional gear route and but I'm stubborn and am sticking to the fly rod. I think we left the harbor after an hour of netting with a dozen sardinas in the tank.

First stop was the waters off the old pier by the old El Presidente holtel for some roosterfish............none were around.

Then we headed over to the rock in front of the El Camino Real, no body home there either.

From there we headed to the northern end of Isla Danzante where I got some hits but all were misses. We did see two dorado swim by but they spooked and went deep when the lone sardina hit the water.

Next stop was Punta Baja but the wind was up now and I could hardley stand in the boat because of the swell. I got some more hits but nothing stuck to the hook. What was going on?????????????

Back to Danzante then a run over to Puerto Escandido. I fished a spot I always catch a pargo at and got nothing but while drifting there, I cast to a lone dorado and landed him. He's tonight's dinner guest. We left there and fished the rocks facing east at Puerto Escondido and I got a really noce cabrilla, dinner quest two. I got a bunch more carbrill and a hog fish tossed in.

Looks like yellowtail are the fish of choice right now. I'll see what tomorrow brings..............

Chopper 6/18

Back at it today and boy, have things changed. First off the water has warmed up and the wind in the mornings is gone plus we are finding dorado around. I was neck deep in a school just off the coast of Nopolo and I head about someone getting a couple 40lbers east of Isla Carmen, maybe an hour out from the island.

Started the day looking for roosterfish near Nopolo but all I hooked was a pufferfish on the switch rod. I should have taken a picture though I figured that this one was so aggressive, I'd land a few more. They tried to jump on the hook but they were just too small so no picture.

Next we tried right off the big rock at Nopolo and got in a school of ladyfish, perfect fare for the 7wt ECHO switch
rod. After filling my need for quantity, we went looking for quality.

We saw a lot of sargasso broken off the bottom and floating freely in the channel. From there we found school after school of juvenile dorado, nothing bigger then 15lbs. The school would move around so that kept us busy chasing after them but we also ran into skipjack and huge schools of rays. There was one ray that had to be 7 feet across cruising around but at no time did I contemplate a cast to it........well maybe once.

I was hoping to bring back a dorado for dinner but all I seemed to hook was hens so I passed on distressing the future gene pool.

We then headed over to Isla Carmen to hunt for my ceviche, a trigger fish. I am a true believer in Murphy's Law and we we want something, it ain't around. I can usually count on a triger fish a day but so far, zero, nada, zilch.

Fun day none the less with a the switch rod getting a taste of Baja, getting tired of bringing skip jacks to the surface and boating those pesky chickens.

I'll try and get over my head in fish tomorrow.

vinny at cedros with a niner

charter updates

island tak
july 10th
aug 15th
sept 12th
oct 3rd
nov 7th
4am $125 10 passengers
pacific dawn
aug 17th(9pm)-19th(7pm) 2 day
$600 food and permits included 16 passengers
aloha spirit
july 26th
aug 30th
$100 16 passengers
American angler
sept 2nd(6pm)-5th(am) 2 1/2 days
$700 food included 26 passengers
royal star
oct. 23rd(1pm)-2nd(8am)10 days
$2995 food included 23 passengers

Loreto w/ Lee 6/15

Well, the good news is that water has warmed up some in a few areas, we saw a small dorado in the channel and the jacks are still kicking butt..............at least mine.

The bad news is there are no fish other then jacks(and the ones around the harbor had lockjaw to anything but live bait this morning, and roosterfish for fly tossers. The usual places I have caught pargo and cabrillo are not producing but then again, they are in the cold water areas.

We started out the same spot as yesterday that produced big jacks but they were either full of huge anchovies or just plain off the bite. After many attempts at a hook up we left, especially after seeing the only hook up on live bait.

As we went to Isla Carmen, we saw one lone small dorado, a harbinger of change? We also saw more schools of large jacks seemingly everywhere but they all sounded when we approached.

We then fished one of may favorite bays on Carmen where I have always gotten cabrillo or pargo but still nothing.

My wife was with me and one of the deals was we look for dolphins and other seas life as well as fish. We found a few turtles for her to see but we did not find the dolphins around.

Near Punta Colorado, we found 3 schools of jacks and I changed flies on my ECHO ION 10 wt to a bull candy streamer from a clouser. The first group who got into range, was cast to and the leader turned and brought the masses to eat. They attacked the fly and the fight was on. I'll make the story short and just say, I've boated 120lb sailfish who didn't take as long or put the hurt to me as this 30+ pound jack did. It was the biggest I boated so far on this trip and bottomed out the 30lb Boga. I don'tknow how long it took to boat but I can honestly tell you I thought about breaking it off near the end. BEAST is all I can say about it.

We saw some more after that but I opted for the rocks and cabrilla. I wanted one for dinned as well as a trigger fish for some ceviche but as it goes, when you want one you can never find one. I landed a few more small cabrilla and we went in about 1:30 after the bait was expended.

We take 3 days off and come back for 4 more on the water so as I know it, you will to.

Lee's report 6/13

The water was perfect this morning, flat and the wind was no where to be seen. The funny thing was we got maybe 30 to 50 yards from the harbor mouth and busted on some of those big jacks we tried for yesterday. It is pretty funny to be hooked up and watch the cars the cars drive by along the malacon. The schools of large jacks were everywhere, we counted up to six schools at one time cruising around hitting the anchovies. We'd drift into their path and BANG, a cardio workout ensued. I hooked one right away, landed him and we moved down near the Oasis and hooked up again. After that one we moved down towards where the El Presidente was because I worn out after only 30 minutes of fishing. I must add that the ECHO 2 10wt and Waterworks Lamson Vanquish reels really made it easy. The Vanquish reel is so smooth both with the fish running on the drag and retrieving line it was a breeze to get these big fish in.

Out in front of the El Presidente, man I miss staying there, we hooked up into some small roosterfish, around 10 lbs and another jack albeit a smaller one. After I saw the size of the roosterfish, I switched to my 8wt ECHO 2 with a Airflo 300 grn Depthfinder. I am running a 300 Quickmax on my 10wt.

Later we moved to Nopolo and fished off the big rock some 30 yards as we saw some jack action in the area. They moved back towards us and I hooked into the biggest jack I ever have. It took me far into the backing, 50lb Jerry Brown braid in blue(got to look good too).

We boated the jack but he had taken the fly very deep and was bleeding heavily. We asked some guys hand lining from the rocks if they would like the fish as it was going to die and they were ecstatic, especially after finding out we were not going to charge them.

They tossed out a hand line, we hooked the jack and they pulled him to them. I told them I did not want to hear about a handliner landing a big jack at Nopolo later that day.......they laughed.

I tried to find a trigger fish for some ceviche later that day but we were blanked. I did land a few cabrilla on the 8wt and we finished the day in wind and swells out in front of the harbor while looking for more jacks. They were no where to be found but I'll return Monday Morning with a floating line and popper for some hot top water action.

Carlos, I already have 5 roosterfish to the boat..........................................

Keep those lines wet............

Lee "chopper" Baermann report 6/12

We started off late this morning because we couldn't make bait. Oh there was plenty of anchovies the size of small submarines outside the harbor but no sardinas to be found. After 45 minutes of searching, our tanks were full.

The weather has been cool, for June that is, more like May and windy. Today hopefully starts a change in the we had a breeze this morning but that went away about noon and the water laid down to a nice smooth surface.

We had the maiden charter for the Cuervo Especial, Captain Francisco Munoz new boat. A nice 26 footer, lighter then his 22 foot panga and it flies across the water.

The first I stopped was about 100 yards from the point where the old brick dome use to be across from Isla Coronado. Sorry but I don't remember the name. Third cast and I was on to something big. It reminded me that I should be thankful I started out using my ECHO 2 10wt instead of the 8wt. Francisco thought it was either a jack crevalle or a roosterfish because it nevcr went to the rocks but what it did do was head for the sargasso. This is everywhere below the surface and whatever I had was hiding in it. Twice we had to move over to it only to have it free itself and swim away. Finally we saw color and it was the biggest pargo I ever have seen or caught. I have a 16lb dog snapper to my credit but this one dwarfed that fish. I suspect that's what we'll be eating tomorrow night over at Francisco's house to go along with the chocolate clams.

From there we went to Punta Colorado but we didn't find anything there and moved to San Bruno to look for roosterfish. The water was really turned up but where it met the blue water, fish were running the seam. I caught ladyfish after ladyfish here in the seam but nothing else. They were small so I switched to my 6wt and had a ball.

From there we moved to Mangrove Point and I hooked some green jacks that were fun.

After that we moved to Isla Coronado where I caught a new species for me. Don't know the name but it is sure pretty.

Then we tried a few more spots but finsihed up at the harbor catching 12 inch long big eye. Now this is a bait fish but fun on a 6wt.

Good starting day with the numerous ladyfish and one big pargo. Tomorrow we head south.

island tak june 13th

9 lucky anglers fished aboard Steve Kelly's Island Tak. We saw what Kelly called the best bass bite of the year. We fished for easy limits of calicos with even a few sandies tossed back. Most the bass were caught on fly lined sardines in the weeds. I did catch a few bass on the slugs with scrounger heads. Our next trip will be July 13th. eric

fishing manzanar

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