Well folks I have reached a milestone of 10,305 billfish tagged, It'll take some doing to beat that, unless they fish in Guatemala. I hope the young guys set there sights on this and have the good fortune to have the backing of there owner's like I did. Ricardo Alfaro owner of the Gypsy my first full time job here. Bill Gooch ,Sam Combs ,Todd Martin and Bryan O'Dell, these were all owners of the Captain Hook and also Jim Turner owner of Casa Vieja Lodge who gave me a job after I got fired from the other place, I almost forgot Joan Vernon who donated over 1,000 tags thru the Miami Billfish Tournment.
This number does not include the Atlantic billfish and Giant Tuna's from 1970 thru 1988, this all has been done in Guatemala. Since 1994 when Tim Choate who had enough faith in me to give me a new start.
My special thanks, to my mates who are really the one's who took this serious, and deserve the lions share of the credit - thanks Haron, Jose, Eddie and Sammy.
I'm not going to stop tagging I tag 1 fish per person unless they care to donate to The Billfish Foundation, the price of a Tag is $2.50 - I think my owners have donated enough. Another special thanks to my clients who caught them all.
Well, I passed my 56th birthday the other day. And the odds makers said I’d never make it past 30! The Marshallese staff where I’ve been working all got together and sang to me. This is not your normal “Happy B’day” song that I’m talking about… It happened like this…
It was a surprise. I was called to the office to “go over some expenditures”. While there, the staff filed in, all smiles and giggles, and, with ukuleles playing , they began serenading me. Not “Happy Birthday” but a sampling of local songs. After the jam session one of them gave a speech thanking me and wishing me well and then they all filed past to shake my hand. It was very sweet.
I got to thinking… I’m 56, never been married (lived with a few for a while), no kids (that I’ve been told about), never had a mortgage, never been in debt, don’t own anything except my sailboat, got no health insurance (no life insurance, either), have sailed around the world once (on my second trip now), caught some World Record (IBFA) Billfish, have met some astounding people… I feel very lucky and content! Who could ask for more?
On to other subjects…
The M/V Lona is being towed in from Aur Atoll today. I’m waiting now for its arrival. This boat has been servicing the RMI for over 20 years. It’s privately owned by my friends at Robert Reimers Enterprises and has been diligent in carrying copra, coffins, pigs, chickens and people to all the outer islands on a much more regular schedule than any of the gov’t boats have ever been able to manage. Considering that the Air Marshall Islands was shut down for most of last year it was the only regular inter island service for a huge part of the Pacific Ocean. It went up on a reef two weeks ago and the prognosis is not good. It will be a huge loss for the Marshall Islands. I don’t think that there is a replacement in sight. Apparently someone was asleep at the wheel…
A yacht named “High Hopes” went up on the reef over on Arno Atoll a couple of days ago. The singlehander is ok but the boat is a total loss. Here’s the story… The old guy, looks like ZZ Top, long white beard, skinny, had been at sea for 90 days from Hawaii. (To put this in perspective, Leslie and I did it in 16 days.) He could have drifted here faster! It turns out his US Passport is 3 years out of date! I’m sure this fellow was caught in a TIME WARP. He was asleep when he hit the reef, by the way. I think the boat should have been named “Rip Van Winkle”.
We had the March Billfish Club Tournament this weekend.(No, no boats went up on the reef.) The fish were scarce. One Blue Marlin was landed at 475 pounds and three were tagged. On my boat we raised three and missed them all. (That’s why it’s called fishing and not catching!) I’m glad that we have convinced some of the guys to start tagging and releasing. My pal, Cap't Ronnie Hamlin, in conjunction with The Billfish Foundation, got together and sent us a bunch of tags… Now, if I can only convince them to tag and release all billfish… That is as possible as convincing them not to eat all the turtles… Oh well, a little progress, anyway.
I’m getting ready for a little sailing. Next week I’m heading out island for a couple of weeks. When I return I’ll reprovision and head off for Fiji. I’m very excited!!!
All the best from the edge of the world!
Chuck
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Al: Chuck Handy was my mate with Ross Clark in the earlier 80 's and helped catch a W.R. White Marlin 82# on 8 # tippet for Pat Ford. He went on to fish with Rick DeFeo on the Tyson's Pride. He has taught the people of the Marshal Island the Importance or Tagging and releasing. It makes me proud that he was one of my mates, even though his first is sailing Ron
I'd like to say Thanks to all of you who have posted congradulations to me.
But I'd like you to remember the 4 mates names I put in the report. They have been my 1st mates for the 15 yrs. I've been here in Guatemala. All but Haron started as new too and worked his way up. They all spent 5 to 8 yrs. before going on the become Captains. It's these guys that have to have the touch to be able to pull them up without breaking the leader, to get the right tag shot. We used to be a little wild at first trying to hard to tag as many as possible. Now we take our time and try to place the tag in the upper back close to the head. Again my thanks to my mates who did the hard part. Ron
Capt your the man, great stuff capt, great stuff. Thanks for releasing those fish. Guy's like you are far and in between. Sorry for only sending a reply now, new on the block and working my way though it all, have read most of it and I must say You guy's are the very lucky to be in a world where you have so much fish.
Thanks for your great posts Capt, tight lines and a safe day.
Casa Vieja's top tag and release captain for Pacific Sailfish is Mike Sheeder on Intensity; top release captain for Pacific Blue Marlin is Chris Sheeder on Rum Line; and theTop Pacific Sailfish Release Angler is James Turner. All received their awards at the TBF dinner held during the Miami Intl. Boat Show this month.
Last edited by Marlinhunter2; 02-26-2010 at 11:54 AM.
LinkBack URL
About LinkBacks
Reply With Quote
