AS SEEN IN THE NOV/DEC 2005 ISSUE

Offshore enthusiast departing West Coast ports in the pre-dawn hours are maximizing on distant pelagic encounters…find out how and decide for yourself if the reward is worth the effort.

The inviting weed patch that silently hovered over a thousand feet of calm, cobalt blue water appeared to be more than an acre wide. Flying fish showered off our port bow as three anglers’ sets of eyes were intently glued to a scattering of frigate birds circling at eleven o’clock.

 The Verado powered 36 Yellowfin effortlessly dragged its offerings in the direction of the feathered fishermen who had beat us to the treasured Sargassum. As the distance closed, a pair of knock downs shifted us all into high gear. “Fish On!” I screamed. Simultaneously, a matching set of brightly colored gaffer dolphin ripped line off the riggers. We had hit the mother load!

The story sounds reminiscent of a typical morning ‘running & gunning’ the Gulf Stream off the Palm Beaches. Or maybe, it was the scene of an afternoon bite just east of the fabled Florida Keys. Well guess again. This was offshore blue water fishing “left coast style.” We were more than a hundred miles from the nearest civilization and taking full advantage of the untapped, rich fishery which was once nothing more than a dream for Florida’s west coast anglers.

When you mention offshore, from Crystal River to the Everglades the typical outing for most long distance hunters generally consist of prospecting numerous wrecks, ledges and areas of hard bottom laying roughly 30 to 40 miles from home. It’s what swims beyond these familiar waters however, that’s slowly changing the face of the West Coast’s offshore fishery forever.

Out hear, commonly more than a hundred miles from the nearest landmark, sinker laced bottom rigs are replaced with brightly colored skirted trolling lures, dredges and spreader bars are routinely deployed rather than chum bags, and fishing kites designed to invitingly dangle surface offerings are often flown.

The advent of racing inspired hull technology, combined with fuel-efficient marine propulsion and advanced navigational technology, has greatly increased our comfort and confidence level. The added speed and level of security is now allowing many of the states left coasters the ability and means to explore what many consider, “The Promise Land.”

This vast openness that we know as the Gulf of Mexico is fed by warm currents pouring in through the Yucatan Straits. The nutrient rich water then circulates as loop currents before finally exiting the Gulf through the Straits of Florida, finally forming the mighty Gulf Stream. Regularly, large portions of loop currents breakaway, forming warm water eddies and pockets. It is when these promising eddies are with-in reach of Tampa, Ft. Myers and Naples, that the areas top long-range skippers spring into action, strategizing and planning in preparation of making the long run aboard their high-tech, ultra-fast, fish catching machines. Regularly running more than 4 or 5 hours in each direction, the pros return with impressive catches and even more impressive stories of tuna, wahoo, dolphin, kingfish, marlin, sailfish and even broadbill swordfish.

“Planning is everything for a long range trip,” says Captain Cooper Cordin, (www.CaptainCoop.com) skipper of Re-Cooperating based in Naples. Several days of studying weather patterns and forecasts, moon phases, and sea surface temperature charts, are all factored into deciding whether a trip is a “go.”

Favoring summertime like conditions, Cooper, and Captain Mark Combs, a Ft. Myers offshore specialist, always have safety at the top of their list when preparing for a trip of this sort, especially during the unpredictable late year months. “There’s a lot that can go wrong so far from home; so it’s better to be over prepared. This far away from assistance absolutely nothing can be overlooked” states Captain Mark.

Each skipper’s preparation checklist is thoroughly composed during the days leading departure. It’s evident right from the start that this isn’t your average offshore adventure. Standard equipment aboard their super fast, sleek, fish-catching machines includes modern EPIRBS, satellite phones, extensive first aid kits capable of handling most medical related mishaps, and 6-man life rafts incase the unthinkable becomes grim reality. Ample fuel, rations, fresh water and ice are all liberally packed, with both captains applying the four-day rule of thumb.

With long runs averaging more than a hundred miles in each direction, there’s no compromising on their vessel’s navigational and communication equipment. Cooper has opted for top-of-line Raymarine products including a powerful 10KW radar capable of assisting him with storm movement and locating birds over potential feeding frenzies. Combs’ vessel is equipped with a full bank of Furuno and Northstar electronics enabling him the confidence to ply these long-range waters safely and effectively.

Both Captains mention that when you do go, filing a simple float plan is imperative. The float plan should include: estimated departure and return times, vessel information, roster of crew on board and specifics on areas to be fished. It should be given to a trusted party who knows what actions to be take in the event of the unthinkable.

Both captains agree that perhaps the most important thing is simple common sense. Knowing your vessel’s limitations and knowing when to scrub a trip in the event of inclement weather are rules these guys live by.

To be successful in this distant fishery, west coast anglers MUST stay in- tune with offshore sea conditions, as productive areas constantly change. Captains need to stay on their toes, making last minute adjustments on exactly where to point their bows. Unlike offshore fishing off the east coast of Florida where certainties exist, this west coast blue water can be tricky and unpredictable. “Distinct breaks in sea surface temperatures usually dictate exactly what direction to head. Convenient access to such information 24/7 is key,” says Cooper.

Roffs (www.Roffs) and Hilton’s Realtime-Navigator (www.Realtime-Navigator.com) provide Cooper accurate sources to facilitate decision making. Bountiful warm water eddies containing distinct temperature breaks hold an abundance of forage and most of the pelagic predators that feed on them. Floating debris often gets sucked in to the warm eddies’ powerful currents, providing yet another attraction. These attractive areas are here today and gone tomorrow.  Without reliable satellite sea surface temperature charts to track the exact coordinates of these hot spots, this fishery would certainly remain untapped. For a small monthly service fee, comprehensive sea surface temperature reports enable anglers to dial in on the most pertinent data including altimetry, water color, orientation of currents, and even bottom topography.

Applying the “what you know is where you go theory” can indeed hold a few surprises as Captain Mark describes a recent trip aboard his Venture to a series of sharp ledges approximately 110 miles northwest of Ft. Myers.

Expecting to start the day with some serious deep-drop grouper and snapper fishing, Mark and his crew fumbled upon a surface teaming with life. Bottom fishing outfits were quickly replaced with trolling gear. A colorful mix of ballyhoo and trolling lures were deployed to take advantage of any available action. The resulting red-hot tuna bite convinced them they made the right decision.

As unexpected opportunities during long range trips commonly arise, anglers must prepare their tackle accordingly. During the seemingly endless miles to and from the optimal fishing grounds, floating debris is often sighted or birds picked up on radar. It’s crucial to have all the bases covered. Aboard Re-Cooperating, there’s no compromise when it comes to adequate gear. 7ft. medium/heavy Star spinning rods matched with reliable Shimano Baitrunners are always at the ready to pitch 1oz. jigs or live bait to unsuspecting dolphin or sails cruising just below the surface. Chaos and Star trolling rods complimented with shiny Penn Internationals and Shimano TLD 2-speeds are ready to handle surprise blue marlin and big wahoo. To finish things off, stout bottom fishing gear with enough backbone to stop even the biggest of true blacks is always onboard and always rigged.

Long-distance sprints aboard Captain Mark’s Got ‘em On, are also chocked full of opportunities. The preferred calm conditions allow Captain Mark to operate his vessel from the tower while constantly scanning the surface for signs of flotsam and activity. His Cape Fear 20-pound spinners are equipped with Quantum Cabo 40s and 60s. All are loaded to capacity with hi-vis PowerPro and always at the ready. Cape Fear and Star trolling rods are outfitted with Accurate and Penn reels designed to handle all the trolling duties.

Captain Cooper liberally spools his outfits with Momoi Hi-Catch while Mark opts Berkley Big Game, with both pros utilizing wind-on leaders. Even though they do differ on brands of monofilament, both guys employ super braid on their spinning set-ups for added casting distance and increased line capacity. 

Live bait is indeed a key component to any west coast long-range adventure. We’ve all heard the saying “No bait, no fish.” Well, it certainly rings true with this fishery. The long runs to the fishing grounds require departures scheduled in the early morning hours to ensure being on the bite at first light. With time being of the essence, topping off your well in the dark is not always an option and shouldn’t be relied upon.

If the conditions are favorable and the prospects of encountering red-hot fishing are good, a surplus of bait certainly can’t hurt your chances. With that in mind, both captains start stock piling several bait-pens up to three days in advance of a scheduled trip.

“It is important to spread your pens out over several areas to avoid 100% mortality. Being a little sneaky about it doesn’t hurt either. Avoid bright buoys that draw attention to your stash and choose locations wisely as water flow and water quality are both equally important” says Mark.

Way out here, blue runners, threadfin herring, big-eye shiners and freshly caught mullet are all effective for slow trolling and pitching, while pinfish, small grunts and squirrel fish make great baits for bottom dropping. Rigged ballyhoo, the mainstay for blue water trolling, are not commonly found at most marinas and bait shops throughout the southwest region, and rarely are ballyhoo available once on scene. Local skippers rely on BaitMasters of South Florida (www.BaitMasters.com) for all their rigged bait needs. With next day shipping, anglers are confident knowing their baits are packed and delivered fresh. Along with the naturals, a diverse and colorful mix of trolling lures, teasers, and deep diving plugs will ensure plenty of drag screaming knockdowns from a variety of species.

Captain Cooper recommends a six line spread. On the left and right riggers Ilander/ballyhoo combos are set at varying distances. Inside of the rigger baits naked ‘hoos fill the gaps, with a duo of wire rigged YoZuri & Braid trolling plugs thrown in the mix for wahoo. When specifically searching for tuna, Cooper replaces the deep-diving plugs with feathers and traditional cedar plugs in the shotgun position.

Captain Mark also likes to mix things up when on the troll. He says his crew doesn’t usually target one particular species so he’s constantly changing baits in the spread and searching for the right combination for the existing conditions. Mark pointed out that one mainstay in his trolling spread is always pulling a pair of locally manufactured Mac Attacks off the riggers. The remaining baits include different combinations of naked ballyhoo, cedar plugs and Ilander/ballyhoo combos. After significant trial and error, Mark believes that Mac Attacks’ coupled with ballyhoo are the right choice for long range Gulf anglers due to their quality of craftsmanship, vibrant fish raising color schemes and value.
Prying reveled these lures were established in the mid-nineties as a hobby by avid Ft. Myers offshore angler Mac Mackenzie. Each custom lure comes pre-rigged with quality hooks and terminal components. Mac individually pours each lure head in a custom mold with top quality acrylic. Then by hand, he shapes and polishes them to fish catching perfection. Mac Attack Custom Trolling Lures are available in several colors and sizes through Reels Inc. in Ft. Myers or can be custom ordered directly from the manufacturer.

It is important to note that when approaching any new type of fishery, experimentation of tactics and techniques along with time on the water will be determining factors in your fish catching success. Constantly mixing up spread presentations, varying trolling speeds, and diligently keeping detailed records such as water temperature, moon phase and areas fished, will assist in patterning Gulf Coast blue water gamefish.

Indeed this untapped long-range fishery isn’t for everyone, requiring a fast boat with plenty of range, a significant investment in time and effort and plenty of planning and precise execution of well calculated logistics. Many will balk at the attempt, but it’s what roams beyond our familiar waters that lure’s most to see if the reward is really worth the effort. I for one can attest it is!

Captain Coop
Naples
239.641.8742
www.CaptainCoop.com

Captain Mark Combs
Ft. Myers
239.390.1502

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