Richard L. Putnam

INTRODUCTION:

The below experience is a highlight of my career and does not reflect every trip or every boat delivery that I have made. There were many others that were routine and too numerous to expand on in this space.

I am a second generation fisherman. My father, Capt. B. J. Putnam, was a leading charterboat captain as well as a member of the first Gulf of Mexico Fisheries Management Council. I caught my first blue marlin at the age of 13. By that time I was already working as mate of other boats; i.e. M/V Capt Bert, owner/operator Capt Bert Raffield and the M/V Terry, owned/operated by my father. I billed my first sailfish at age 15 on the M/V Fu-Lin-Yu II, owner/operator Capt Joe Finnegan. In 1975 my father opened a tackle store, Half Hitch Tackle, where I learned how to rebuild reels and to build custom rods, while fishing at every opportunity. In 1982 I decided that fishing was what I wanted to do and for the next five (5) years worked as a mate sportfishing in the Gulf of Mexico, Florida Keys, and the Bahamas.

I received my 100 ton U.S. Coast Guard license in 1987. I immediately began running an 85 foot true paddle wheeler boat rated at 95 tons, 200 horsepower. After operating this boat for about 1 1/2 years I went to the oil field to run crew boats. There I operated vessels ranging from 120 feet with four 12V71s to 135 feet with five 12V92s. The area in which I worked ranged from Port Aransas, Texas to Mobile, Alabama. After 3 years I returned to the Panama City area where I started a parasail operation flying off the beach. I operated this business from 1991 to 1995. During this time I operated over 25,000 rides without a single accident. In the fall of 1995 the city of Panama City Beach changed the laws and outlawed parasailing from the beach – you now had to operate from a winch boat offshore of the beach. This was not the kind of business I wanted to conduct so I returned to fishing. For the next five (5) years I was owner/operator of M/V Fly-N-Fish, a 21’ Cape Horn, as an inshore/offshore fishing guide service in Panama City, Florida.

In 2000 a friend and I opened Sea Tow Port St. Joe-Apalachicola, FL. I helped him get the business off the ground and then sold out to him in 2002.

After that I went back to my passion – sportfishing. This has been my endeavor since that time.




RICHARD L. PUTNAM
2206 Thomas Drive
Panama City Beach, FL 32408
(850)258-6362
richard@halfhitch.com



OBJECTIVE:
To secure a position operating a sport fishing vessel and to compete in tournament fishing in the United States and abroad.

EDUCATION;
Attended Bay High School – Panama City, FL
GED-l978
Sea School – 100 Ton Master – 1986

WORK HISTORY
Career Highlights:
1986-1988: Captain – Operated M/V Island Queen – 85’ paddlewheeler
1988–1991: Captain – Operated crew boats from Port Aransas, TX to Mobile, AL
1991-1995: Owner/Operator/Captain – Parasail operation on Panama City,
25,000+ beach landing rides with no accidents.
1995-2000: Owner/Operator/Captain - M/V Fly-N-Fish guide fishing service.
2000-2002: Owner/Operator/Captain – Sea Tow, Port St Joe – Apalachicola.
2003-Present: Free-Lance Captain

EXPERIENCE:
2005-Present: Free-Lance Captain.
M/V Steele Away – 48’ Viking
Owner: Justin Steele

2007 Orange Beach Memorial Day Tournament – 3rd Place Dolphin

2007 Cajun Canyons Tournament – 3rd Place Wahoo

2006-Present: Free-Lance Captain.
M/V Key Player – 35’ Cabo
Owner: C. D. Norberg

2008-Present: Free-Lance Captain – M/V Black Fin – 27’ Black Fin
Owner: Morris Palmer. Location: Los Buzos, Panama

2006-2007: Free-Lance Captain – M/V Miss Carter – 26’ Super Panga
Owner: Morris Palmer. Location: Los Buzos, Panama

2003-2005: Free-Lance Captain - M/V Punchlist – 55’ Ocean
Owner: Morris Palmer

2003 Orange Beach Memorial Day – 2nd Place Tag and Release,
2nd Place Wahoo

2003 Biloxi Mississippi Gulf Coast Championship – 3rd Place Capt
& Crew

2003 New Orleans Invitational – 1st Place Tuna

2003 Sandestin Invitational

2003 Pensacola Invitational – 2nd Place Tag and Release
2nd Place Overall

2003 Bay Point Invitational – 1st Place Tuna
1st Place Overall

2003 Pensacola Ladies Tournament – 1st Place Tag and Release
1st Place Overall

2003 Poor Man’s Shootoff – 1st Place Tuna
1st Place Overall

2003 Orange Beach Labor Day – 1st Place Tag and Release
1st Place Overall

2003 WBS Gulf Coast Division - #2 and #11 Anglers

2003 WBS Grand Championship Tournament, Cabo San Lucas
11th Place Overall
14th Place Overall

2004 Bahamas White Marlin Open

2004 BBC ABACO Championship

2004 Sandestin Invitational – 4th Place Tuna

2004 Bay Point Invitational – 3rd Place Tag and Release

6/2005: Free-Lance Mate – M/V Madigail - 55’ Hatteras
Owner:
Captain: Scott Adkison
2005: Orange Beach Blue Marlin Classic – 2nd Place Overall

9/2005-11/2005: Free-Lance Mate – M/V Escapade – 70’ Tribute
Owner: Hank Manley
Captain: Tony Haupt. Location: Magdelena Bay, Mexico
30 days fishing, 388 striped marlin, 40 in one day.

2004 – Free-Lance Mate – M/V Hello Darlin – 48 Viking
Owner: Ricky Benton

2004 Orange Beach Memorial Day – Top Lady Angler

2004 Mississippi Gulf Coast Championship – 3rd Place Wahoo

4/1999-6/1999: Free-Lance Second Captain/Navigator–M/V Mattanza–52’KT
Owner: Jonathan Arn
Captain: Tony Haupt
Mate: Keith Biggs. Location: Penis Bay and Hanibal Bank, Panama
67 sailfish on 8#, 12#, and 16# test line – 3 blue marlin/2 black

BOAT DELIVERIES: Gulf Coast Hatteras – Contact: Trey Wise
M/V Bone Breaker – 65’ Hatteras – from New Haven, MI to Ft Lauderdale, FL
M/V Constant Threat – 40’ Lures – from Panama City, FL to Baltimore, MD
M/V Hat-A-Boy – 50’ Hatteras – from Panama City, FL to Bimini, Bahamas
M/V Cyclops – 48’ Viking – from Bimini, Bahamas to Panama City, FL
M/V Blue Heron – 50’ Hatteras – Newburn, NC to Ft Lauderdale, FL
M/V Back Again – 53’ Hatteras – from Ft Lauderdale, FL to Pensacola, FL
M/V Two Cats – 36’ Tiagra – from Panama City, FL to Palm Beach, FL