The new year got off to a great start in Bimini. In January, we caught a little bit of everything, from a scale bending 101.4 pound wahoo to a bright, beautiful sailfish that was hooked up and later released …
BBGC’s Captain Skipper Gentry Lands Blue Marlin
15 Feb 201111:48 PM
BIMINI BIG GAME CLUB FISHING REPORT
CATCH: Blue marlin
Bimini Big Game Club offshore charter captain Skipper Gentry, captain of the 38ft. Hatteras Carolina Gentleman, landed a 200lb. blue marlin yesterday while fishing in approx. 660 ft. of water about a mile southwest of the inlet. A nice day’s catch by any standards. However, this story has a little twist – Capt. Skipper was fishing alone on the Carolina Gentleman!
Although he grew up in North Carolina, Skipper knows these waters well – he has been coming to the BBGC since the late 1970s when he was just a toddler! Skipper has now returned to Bimini to help reestablish the legendary BBGC as a world-class fishing destination. Anglers are fond of saying in order to catch fish, you have to go where the fish are! Well, Capt. Skipper knows where the fish are, so reserve your trip today on the Carolina Gentleman!
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![](mailto:?subject=Bimini February Fishing Report from Coastal Angler Magazine&body=<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/wahoo1.jpg"><img class=" wp-image-1088 " title="Wahoo" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/wahoo1.jpg" alt="" width="495" height="662" /></a>Stephanie George shows off her first wahoo catch. Photo by Capt. Skipper Gentry.
The new year got off to a great start in <a title="About Bimini" href="http://www.bahamas.com/out-islands/bimini" target="_blank">Bimini</a>. In January, we caught a little bit of everything, from a scale bending 101.4 pound wahoo to a bright, beautiful sailfish that was hooked up and later released by a couple of newlyweds. As is customary this time of year, we also landed some big bull dolphins and several nice yellowfin tuna. The one thing all this action had in common – we caught everything right out front between Bimini and Cat Cay.
February is a great month to be in Bimini, with a wide range of target species in good numbers. We should see a few blue marlin showing up in the current edges, somewhere in the range of 600 to 1200 feet of water. Successful anglers targeting blues will be pulling mainly artificial. The blue marlin bite was pretty strong last year and should be the same this year.
For anglers wanting to do some high speed trolling, the wahoo bite will be in full swing this month. Zig zagging between 120 to 450 feet of water from Bimini to Ocean Cay will be the most productive grounds for wahoo. If you’re just looking for table fare, ballyhoo on mono, as well as a few #9 wire rigs, will produce a few wahoo, as well as a few dolphin. And, as always, deep dropping for yelloweye and queen snapper is an awesome way to guarantee a great meal for the entire crew.
FORECAST BY : Capt. Skipper Gentry
<a title="BBGC web site" href="http://www.biggameclubbimini.com" target="_blank">Bimini Big Game Club</a>/ <a title="GHO web site" href="http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com" target="_blank">Guy Harvey Outpost Resort</a><a title="GHO web site" href="http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com" target="_blank"> </a>
Phone: (305) 320-3011 or (242) 347-3391
Email: <a href="mailto:skipper@carolinagnetleman.net">skipper@carolinagnetleman.net </a>
https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/bimini-february-fishing-report-from-coastal-angler-magazine/){kind=link}
![](mailto:?subject=Red Hot Reds in Shallow St. Augustine&body=<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/sta.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-2981 alignleft" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/sta.jpg?w=300" alt="StA" width="300" height="225" /></a>By Sue Cocking, Guy Harvey Outpost staff writer
[St. Augustine, FL--] We were not fishing the prime tide in the spartina marsh lining the east side of the Intracoastal Waterway north of St. Augustine, but apparently that didn't matter to the hungry redfish.
Past the flood stage, water was slowly draining out of the grass flats. But there were still plenty of small black crabs clinging to the emergent greenery, prompting the reds to tail and slurp enthusiastically.
"See him? His whole back's out of the water," captain James Dumas pointed to a dark hump on the surface. "He's almost in range."
Standing on the bow of Dumas' skiff, I saw the hump submerge and pop up again with a small splash.
"He just ate a mullet!" Dumas exclaimed.
I made a short cast with the 8-wt fly rod, aiming a few feet in front of where I believed the red's nose was pointed. But the breeze overcame the fly line and the leggy, purple-and-black crab pattern landed behind the fish.
I quickly stripped the line back in and made another cast to the obediently stationary fish, but that, too, was errant.
The third cast proved the charm, with the fly planted correctly in front of the target.
"Start bumping it," Dumas directed. "Now he'll eat it."
Dumas was right: I moved the fly a bit and the red chomped on it decisively.
After a brief tussle in the grass, I brought the fish up to the gunwales to be photographed and released.
"They'll keep giving you shots till you hit the fish or you stomp on the boat," he said.
Now it was Vaughn Cochran's turn on the bow and he quickly caught and released a slightly larger red on fly.
What fun! Cochran and I were fishing the late October full moon which pulls king tides into the shallows, greatly expanding the habitat of redfish bulking up on crabs for winter. Had our schedules permitted arriving an hour earlier-- before the tide started draining out--we likely would have hooked even more fish. And nobody knows their habits like Dumas, operator of <a href="http://www.drummancharters.com" target="_blank">Drumman Charters</a>.
"When it gets cold, they get shallower," Dumas said. "They get in big schools on the flats. They get in the creeks too. The best creeks are the ones that empty into basins."
The guide said he typically switches to small shrimp patterns and Clousers in wintertime when waters become clearer. Non-fly fishers can use live shrimp or cast artificials like D.O.A.'s or Z-man Shrimpz.
And redfish aren't the only targets in the cool season. Fly anglers get shots at flounder by bumping Clousers in pot holes while live baiters toss mullet or minnows. For sea trout, the ubiquitous Cajun Thunder-- a rattling float to which you can attach a live bait or a soft-plastic shrimp lure-- is probably the best choice. For fly anglers, poppers are tops.
One of the most popular local spots for shore and wade fishing is the Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve located just off A-1-A about halfway between St. Augustine and Jacksonville Beach. When the dam between the Guana River and Lake Ponte Vedra is open, anglers enjoy good catches of flounder, redfish and other species on foot using finger mullet, crabs and other live baits.
The St. Augustine area has plenty more to offer besides shallow-water fishing. Check out this blog later for more on bottom fishing; dining, and unique attractions on Florida's First Coast.
***********
Sue Cocking chronicles the Guy Harvey Outpost travel and adventure experience in regular blog posts on GuyHarveyOutpostNews.com/. For 21 years, Cocking covered the full spectrum of outdoors adventure opportunities in South Florida and beyond for the Miami Herald, including fishing, diving, hunting, paddling camping, sailing and powerboat racing. She is a certified scuba diver and holder of an IGFA women's world fly fishing record for a 29-pound permit. https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/red-hot-reds-in-shallow-st-augustine/){kind=link}
![](mailto:?subject=Billfish Invitational Day 2 – Big Marlin, Big Whales and a Big Honor!&body=During this week’s Billfish Invitational tournament, Fred Garth, Editor-In-Chief of <a title="GHM web site" href="http://www.guyharveymagazine.com/" target="_blank">Guy Harvey Magazine</a>, will be filing a series of dispatches from tournament headquarters at the Bimini Big Game Club.
<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/bbgcwhaleshark.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-750" title="Team Tag Line takes a break from billfishing to swim with a whale shark!" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/bbgcwhaleshark.jpg" alt="" width="550" height="389" /></a>Team Tag Line takes a break from fishing the tournament to swim with a whale shark!
Bimini – day two on the water was as much of a Big Game as it was a Billfish Tournament. Six billfish were hooked and almost every boat saw fish for the second day in a row. Also, two boats came in with amazing stories of swimming with whales.
<a title="Guy Harvey Inc. web site" href="http://www.guyharvey.com" target="_blank">Guy Harvey</a> spent the day riding with Tedd and Tammy Amberg on the Hillary Lynn where they had a front row seat watching an aerial display of a blue marlin on the vessel Southside, which was fishing nearby.
Three of the fish hooked were reported over 500 pounds and two of blues on the line were in the 200-300 pounds. Also seen were a tailing white marlin and several free jumping billfish.
“It’s been a good run of nice sized fish,” said Tournament Director Ned Stone, “and we’ve had good fishing. Of course, there’s always the challenge of getting big fish to the boat.”
The tournament has been blessed with sunny skies and light winds providing excellent conditions for sighting other big beasts. In the spirit of Guy Harvey’s passion for marine conservation and swimming with large marine animals, one team was able to get into the water with a pod of pilot whales and another team swam for a half hour with a whale shark.
Erik Akins and Robert Collins of the Last Dance Team spotted a pod of pilot whales and hailed Chris Peterson from the <a title="Hell's Bay Boatworks web site" href="http://www.hellsbayboatworks.com" target="_blank">Hell’s Bay</a> Hopper Team on the radio. Peterson’s team swam with the whales and said that they were eating a big blue fin tuna.
“One of the whales swam by with the tuna’s head in its mouth,” Peterson said. “Another had the body of the tuna. They were sharing the fish. It was pretty incredible.
Gaston Legorburu’s Tag Line team came back to the dock with stories and photos of swimming and riding a 16-20 foot whale shark.
<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/frankstribute2.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-745 " title="Presentation of the Frank Johnson Perpetual Trophy" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/frankstribute2.jpg" alt="" width="495" height="295" /></a>Left to right: Bill Shedd, Tim Choate, Shelley Johnson, Ed Pang, Frank Johnson, Mark Ellert, Guy Harvey, Charlie Forman, Kent Ullberg and Frank Johnson Jr.
The day ended with a fabulous tribute dinner for Frank Johnson, creator of the iconic <a title="Mold Craft web site" href="http://www.moldcraft.com" target="_blank">Mold Craft</a> soft head lures. Many stories were told, some not to be repeated herein, and artist Ed Pang presented his perpetual trophy to Frank which displays a bronze Mold Craft lure a top of a jumping marlin.
VIP guests in attendance were Tim Choate, Bill Shedd, Kent Ullberg, Guy Harvey, Charlie Forman, Frank Johnson, Jr., and of course Frank Johnson and his wife Shelley. https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/740-2/){kind=link}
![](mailto:?subject=Open Letter to the Lauderdale Yacht Club&body=<a href="http://www.biggameclubbimini.com/"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-65" title="Bimini Big Game Club, a Guy Harvey Outpost Resort & Marina" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/final-resort-logo2.jpg?w=300" alt="" width="300" height="159" /></a>
Dear LYC Members,
On behalf of <a title="Guy Harvey Inc. web site" href="http://www.guyharvey.com" target="_blank">Guy Harvey</a> and the entire Guy Harvey Outpost team, I want to thank you for participating in this year's Bimini Blast at the <a title="Bimini Big Game Club web site" href="http://www.biggameclubbimini.com/" target="_blank">Bimini Big Game Club, a Guy Harvey Outpost Resort & Marina</a> - or Outpost Bimini, as we like to call the Club.
As a resident of Fort Lauderdale for 25 years, and as a longtime member of the LYC, I am particularly proud of our efforts to bring the Big Game Club back to life and reestablishing the Club's relationship with the LYC. It will be my personal agenda to ensure we have continuing programs and promotions for LYC members.
Some of you may know that Guy spent many years living in the Las Olas Isles area and, like me, puts significant weight in the opinions and goodwill of the LYC membership base. As a result, we welcome any comments you might have regarding this event, or any future visit.
We are excited to know that LYC has already made plans to return to the Club again next year. We have some exciting plans in store for the LYC in the near future, and we are certain next year's event will be even more enjoyable. Until we see you again in Bimini, remember -
From the Oceans, Comes Life - enjoy the Journey!
Mark Ellert
President, Guy Harvey Outposts Ltd.
<a title="2010 Bimini Blast Photo Album" href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bimini-Big-Game-Club/127094040665962?v=photos&ref=ts#!/album.php?aid=13362&id=127094040665962" target="_blank">2010 Bimini Blast Photo Album</a> https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/63-2/){kind=link}
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