Sea squared Charters, Marathon 4-23

[Fishing Report]

Our crew consisted of the Alaskan Cowboy Eric Wickre, his pal William Nelson, proprietor of Porky’s and Captain Pip’s Johnny Maddox, Pirate of the Marquesas and diver extraordinaire JR Jones and Co-Publisher of the Santa Barbara CA edition of Coastal Angler Magazine Marc Freeman.

It was the perfect group to take on an exploration of the wild blue yonder in the Gulf of Mexico 50 miles from my dock at the 7 Mile Marina in Marathon.

Our first stop was the famous Blue Hole, which JR had been Jonesing to dive all his life. He came back to the boat from his first plunge with his eyes bulging with excitement at the size and variety of fish he saw. Permit, grouper, hundreds of 80- to 100-pound tarpon and dozens of enormous Goliath grouper. We’re talking 500- to 600-pound behemoths. These monsters will eat a diver just as easily as a fish!

Once JR had his fill, we moved on to a fish a couple of wrecks where the permit were thick. Eric, William and Marc each landed their first permit – all in the 20- to 30-pound class.

The weather was beautiful, the crew was top-notch and we all had a blast. Especially the Captain.




It was the perfect group to take on an exploration of the wild blue yonder in the Gulf of Mexico 50 miles from my dock at the 7 Mile Marina in Marathon ... Read the full report

Shark wrangling for MN fishing buddies


Glen said he and his pals had been catching small yellowtail snapper all week and they wanted to pull on something big before heading back to Two Harbors Minnesota.

So … off to the land of big toothy critters we went! Glen Kragseth, Robert Johnson and Chris Brelie had the time of their lives wrangling sharks in four feet of crystal clear water on the bayside of Marathon Florida Keys.

We got to my favorite spot just 10 minutes from my dock at the 7 Mile Marina, put the bait in the water and in no time at all we had the lemon sharks swarming around the boat. They were so aggressive they would chase the baits up the line and we’d have two or three lemons vying for the same bait. This caused a few bite-offs.

Nevertheless, Glen, Robert and Chris went 11 for 20 on lemon sharks ranging from five to seven feet in length, or as Chris said, “Super large sharks!”




Chris Corley


Chris Corley, from Saraland AL, wanted only large fish, specifically "something for the wall." Unfortunately, the full moon dealt us a bad hand as the fish were feeding most of the night and not terribly aggressive. ...
Unfortunately, the full moon dealt us a bad hand as the fish were feeding most of the night and not terribly aggressive.

We started dolphin fishing first thing in the morning in about 650 feet of water where we found a weed line with lots of life. We picked away at the dolphin, keeping just the six largest fish ranging from about five to eight pounds. Certainly not slammers, but tasty nonetheless.

This bite turned off at about 10:30, but we chased some frigate birds around for another 45 minutes only to find some schoolies.

Switching gears, we went deep dropping for amberjack, releasing all of them.


First tarpon of the season!


With lots of tarpon trips coming up on the charter calendar, I wanted to get out and see what's happening!



Christy and I invited along my deckhand, Jason Bell, plus Johnny Maddox, proprietor of Captain Pip’s Marina and Hideaway and Porky’s in Marathon, and his lady friend, Char Hruska.

We anchored up on one spot at the Seven Mile Bridge and saw a few tarpon rolling, but got no bites. We moved to the next spot, Johnny put his mullet bait out and – wham – fish on! Jason scrambled to unhook the anchor and we were off for the chase.

Let me tell you, this fish gave Johnny quite a fight. It never jumped but rolled on the surface several times, only to take off on another long run. We ended up about a mile south of the bridge. On hour after hooking the tarpon, Johnny prevailed and brought the fish to the boat. It was definitely camera-shy at it gave us no time to get a close-up. Judging by the glimpses we got as it rolled on the surface, the fish was easily a very healthy 100-pounder.

We shot back to the north side of the bridge and tried drifting for another bite. We really weren’t trying very hard but instead enjoying the world-famous Florida Keys sunset along with a good time with good friends.


4 anglers + 20 sharks = tons of fun!


We hear it a lot ... "We want to pull on something big!" Gary and Kevin Kohl, their dad Ron, and friend Tom Orr had their wishes fulfilled with their Florida Keys shark fishing adventure aboard the SeaSquared ..
SeaSquared Charters shark fishes in waters less than ten feet deep in calm Florida Keys Gulf areas. Because these calmer waters are away from the motion of the deeper ocean waters, shallow water angling for sharks is well suited for anyone prone to seasickness. The fishing, however, is anything but calm.

We primarily target lemon, blacktip and bull sharks, typically ranging in length from three to eight feet. On occasion, however, we encounter tiger and hammerhead sharks which can attain lengths of fifteen feet and more! Regardless of size, all are capable of providing you quite a memorable thrill.
Catch-and-release shark fishing is truly a sport for everyone. It provides all the excitement of big game sport fishing at a fraction of the cost.

We find the sharks in the channels between islands and banks and at the edges of flats. They concentrate in these locations because their prey typically lingers there.

Wrecks and natural structures in thin Gulf waters also hold large quantities of fish and, as a result, attract sharks. The sharks cruise the perimiters in serach of an easy meal in the form of a wounded or dying fish.
Center console boats are ideally suited for shark fishing.

Center console boats, such as the SeaSquared, are more appropriate for low depths than outsized sport fishing vessels. The SeaSquared also facilitates 360-degree fishing – essential as the sharks tend to lead you on quite a chase around the boat!
Our gear, tackle and rig choices vary according to species of shark and size of the bait. We match our equipment to our target.

20-pound spinning tackle with 12/0 circle hooks is most commonly used for the lemons, blacktips and spinners. For the larger bulls, hammerheads and tigers we have at least two 30-class conventional rods on the boat and upgrade our hooks to complement our gear.
To entice the sharks to the boat, we use any oily fish as dead bait, such as jack crevalle, barracuda, bluefish, bonita, ladyfish and the like.

We have a bait freezer that we keep filled to the brim with shark bait. Abundant chum creates a heavy scent, which excites the sharks and spurs them to bite aggressively.
We hang two or three carcasses or butterflied barracuda from a fish stringer off the back of the boat.

Tossing smaller dead baits or carcasses out to the sides makes the slick that much more enticing. These smaller baits also serve to feed the nurse sharks and stingrays. Their feeding activity attracts the targeted shark species and before you know it, we have frenzied waters.

Now we wait. It can take as little as just a few minutes for the sharks to show up, but at times I’ve had to wait a bit longer. The excitement is always worth the wait!
The appearance of nurse sharks and stingrays at our boat is a good indication that our guest of honor is not far behind.
The sharks tend to come in groups, rather than alone, especially around the channels and flats.

You will see them maneuvering themselves toward the boat. Then it’s as simple as picking your target and casting your bait to it. Sharks are competitive in their quest for the baits.
Once you get one eating, another follows and another and the action mounts to a frenzy.
Once you have a bite, allow the shark to eat the bait and swim off with it for a couple of seconds.

Then it’s game on! Each species of shark has its own unique features and habits, making every catch a unique experience.
Typically the sharks put on an exciting run away from the boat before slowing down to duke it out with the angler.

On the flats, the lemons make a long, 200-plus yard initial run, bulldog back to the boat and make another half run before they succumb to the pressure.

The blacktips and spinners normally rocket skyward when they feel the steel of the circle hook in their mouths. Long, energetic runs are then mixed with jumps.

The bulls, hammerheads and tigers tend to slug it out, with some fights lasting two hours or more.
The thrill of the catch…
cannot overshadow the importance of a proper release.

The reason we use circle hooks is that the hook will lodge in the corner of the shark’s jaw and will do no long-term harm. We use a Baker HookOut tool to remove the hook whenever possible. At times, we also use a tailing apparatus to gain control of the shark boat-side, allowing us to lift the shark’s tail from the water, which then renders the fish safely immobile.

Sharks are very unpredictable and no two behave the same when they feel trapped close to the boat. If removing the hook cannot be accomplished safely, we cut the wire leader as close to the hook as possible without putting anyone in harm’s way.
Light tackle, shallow water angling for sharks in the Florida Keys presents the opportunity to experience the exhilaration of big game sport fishing closer to shore and easier on your budget.
SeaSquared Charters practices
100% catch-and-release sport fishing for sharks.
All fish are released unharmed.


FEATURED ARTICLE

Deepwater Horizon one year later

Waters in the northern Gulf of Mexico blackened with the oil spilled from the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster one year ago today, but no trace of the BP oil has been found in Florida Keys waters.
"All the sampling done of tar balls and oil found here all came back negative as far as being BP oil," said Sean Morton, superintendent of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. "All the information we have now indicates no BP oil got down here." Read the full story
http://www.keysnet.com/2011/04/13/32...ear-later.html
In This Issue
TripAdvisor: Please leave your review!
THIS WEEK'S CATCHES
Wild blue adventure!
Shark wrangling for MN fishing buddies
Chris Corley
First tarpon of the season!
4 anglers + 20 sharks = tons of fun
FEATURED ARTICLE
Deepwater Horizon one year later
Fishing Links
Fishing Reports



Monthly Fishing Forecast



Marathon Family Fishing



Florida Keys Shark Adventures



Florida Keys Fish Identification



Florida Keys Fishing Calendar



Florida Keys Fishing Regulations



Secrets of Fishing the Florida Keys



Charter Information
Charter Rates & Details

Customer Testimonials

About Us

Our Boat

Our Home Port - The 7 Mile Marina

Our Sponsors

Our Media Partners

Film Your Charter

Custom Fishing Tournaments

Pack and Ship Your Fish

Smoked Fish

Vacation Links
Marathon Vacation Planning Guide



Sunset Cruises



Cook Your Catch



Recipes



Custom Lobster Trap Art



Our Friends



Florida Keys Mile Marker Tour



Casting for Charity



Conch Republic Non-Stop Trop-Rock Jukebox



Islands of Marathon Pictorial



Lodging with Preferred Rates for SeaSquared Clients



Marathon Weather



Follow Us!




















TripAdvisor
Click to read our reviews on TripAdvisor ...



SeaSquared Hats
Click below for ordering details ...

Your Picture
Have your SeaSquared picture printed on canvas and custom framed with authentic Florida Keys lobster traps.



Click below for details...



Film Your Adventure
Chris Babiana and Florida Keys Offshore Media will film your big game adventures and memorable times with family and friends. They will accompany you on your fishing excursions to film and produce your very own adventure film. Your DVD will be a permanent reminder of that great catch, or serve as proof of the "one that got away."



Click below for details...



Contact Us


Phone: 305-743-5305



Email: SeaSquared@bellsouth.net



Contact Form



We hope to see you soon!







Capt. Chris and Christy Johnson SeaSquared Charters

7 Mile Marina Marathon Florida Keys

SeaSquared-Charters.com 305-743-5305

"Sea Squared Charters
305-743-5305
http://fishingreportsfloridakeys.com/
Marathon, Fl"