A whitish-colored blob with bulging eyes hovered stock-still in Lake Okeechobee’s shallow Moonshine Bay, illuminated by Captain Charles “Skeeter” Holland’s headlamp. “Okay,” …
Billfish Invitational $300 Fuel Credit From Bahama Out Island Promotion Board
24 Apr 201210:28 PM
Register now for the Billfish Invitational fishing tournament at the Bimini Big Game Club and you’ll receive a $300 fuel credit from the Bahamas Out Island Promotions Board! The offer is available to any registered boat participating in the Billfish Invitational, and the $300 fuel credit will be applied to the folio of the registered boat at the time of the tournament. The fuel credit offer is limited to one fuel credit ($300) per registered boat. For more information, call 800.867.4764.
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![](mailto:?subject=Billfish Invitational $300 Fuel Credit From Bahama Out Island Promotion Board&body=Register now for the <a title="TBF web site" href="http://www.billfishinvitational.com" target="_blank">Billfish Invitational</a> fishing tournament at the <a title="BBGC web site" href="http://www.biminibiggameclub.com" target="_blank">Bimini Big Game Club</a> and you'll receive a $300 fuel credit from the Bahamas Out Island Promotions Board! The offer is available to any registered boat participating in the Billfish Invitational, and the $300 fuel credit will be applied to the folio of the registered boat at the time of the tournament. The fuel credit offer is limited to one fuel credit ($300) per registered boat. For more information, call 800.867.4764.
<a href="http://www.billfishinvitational.com/"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1234" title="Register Now for the Billfish Invitational!" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/reels.jpg" alt="" width="550" height="412" /></a> https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/billfish-invitational-300-fuel-credit-from-bahama-out-island-promotion-board/){kind=link}
![](mailto:?subject=FWC Decides Not to Reopen Snook Season on Florida’s West Coast&body=<a href="http://guyharvey.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/499.jpg"><img title=""Side-Liners" by Guy Harvey" src="http://guyharvey.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/499.jpg" alt="" width="450" height="282" /></a>
Catch & release still permitted during closure
NOTE: This story was posted today on <a title="TBO.com" href="http://www2.tbo.com/" target="_blank">TampabayOnline.com</a> by Special Correspondent Frank Sergeant
The Florida Fish & Wildlife Commission ruled this week that the snook fishing season will remain closed on the state's west coast, rather than reopening Sept. 1 as scheduled.
The season has been closed due to a 2010 cold-kill, which wiped out tens of thousands of fish from Clearwater to Naples.
"This is a wise move," said snook guide Scott Moore of Holmes Beach. "I'm seeing big fish and a few slot (keeper-sized) fish, but no little fish — we're missing whole-year classes due to the winter kill, and we need to get more in the pipeline before we start taking them again."
The continued closure also was supported by the Coastal Conservation Association, which said that the number of adult snook on the west coast was down 20 percent after the freeze, and the numbers of juvenile fish killed was probably much greater.
The season will reopen Sept. 1, 2013, if the commission takes no further action.
Catch-and-release fishing for snook is permitted during the closure. https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/fwc-decides-not-to-reopen-september-1st-snook-season-on-floridas-west-coast/){kind=link}
![](mailto:?subject=Fishing for Hearts: Fun and Worthy Cause&body=After Keith Overton's infant daughter underwent a successful heart transplant, he mentioned to her cardiologist how difficult it must be waiting for a new heart for young patients in such desperate need.
But the doctor surprised Overton by telling him that isn't the hardest part.
"He said, 'Giving a heart to a kid whose family doesn't have the wherewithal to keep up the treatment,' " Overton recalled. "In many cases, one parent has to stop working to go to the hospital for follow-up care."
The conversation stuck with Overton, president of Guy Harvey Outpost St. Pete Beach. Grateful his family had the means to care for daughter MacKenzie, he wanted to give back by helping other families who aren't so lucky.
So in 2009, he founded the Guy Harvey Fishing for Hearts Tournament-- a catch, photo, measure, and release contest that raises funds for Athletes for Hearts -- the Overtons' charity to assist parents of kids with heart conditions and boost medical research on heart disease. The ninth annual tournament, to be held Sept. 21-22, also benefits the Ronald McDonald House, a home-away-from-home for families of pediatric patients in the Tampa Bay area.
<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/52456_116234575103709_4152512_o.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4905" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/52456_116234575103709_4152512_o.jpg" alt="" width="892" height="596" /></a>
The 2016 tournament hosted a record 44 boats and raised $155,000 for its two charities. This year, Overton is expecting upwards of 50. The target species are redfish, snook and sea trout, with prizes awarded for greatest total length of individual and aggregate fish.
Captain Mike Anderson, host of the popular Reel Animals television show, will handpick the best inshore guides in the Tampa Bay area and assign them to each angling team. The event includes a kick-off gala at the RumFish Grill on Sept. 21 with dinner, drinks and a silent auction and a day of inshore fishing followed by an awards presentation Sept. 22.
As for Fishing for Hearts' inspiration? MacKenzie Overton is an athletic, 22-year-old student studying hospitality at St. Petersburg College who works part time at a local winery and at the Outpost's water sports concession. Her heart is just fine.
For tournament registration and information, go to the tournament's <a href="https://rmhctampabay.org/fishing-for-hearts/">web site</a>, or call 813.258.6430, ext. 2.
https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/fishing-for-hearts-fun-and-worthy-cause/){kind=link}
![](mailto:?subject=Guy Harvey Outpost Launches Exclusive Luxury Charter in Panama&body=<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/billshedd-2.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-2847 alignleft" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/billshedd-2.jpg?w=225" alt="BillShedd (2)" width="225" height="300" /></a>Most accomplished big game anglers agree the best place on the planet to chase and catch blue and black marlins in August and September is the Pacific Ocean, from the Perlas Islands just off Panama City, Panama, south to the Zane Grey Reef at Pinas Bay.
To put anglers in the right spot at the right time, Guy Harvey Outpost Resorts has added Panama’s most exclusive mothership fishing operation, Panama Yacht and Fishing Charters (PYFC) to its system of unique fishing lodges. Based at Flamenco Marina in Panama City, the four-boat fleet is operated by Hennie Marais, considered one of most respected sport fishing outfitters and lodge operators in Central America.
Guy Harvey Outpost co-founders Guy Harvey and Bill Shedd, both trustees of the prestigious International Game Fish Association (IGFA) are no strangers to Panama big game sportfishing. Having just returned from a week long mothership expedition, Shedd, also the owner of tackle manufacturing giant AFTCO, comments, “this Outpost is the ultimate fishing experience, offering the freedom to fish where, when and how you and your friends wish. It’s no excuses fishing by day and luxury relaxation by night.”
Anglers, according to Marais, will enjoy a customized fishing experience like no other in Central America. Parties up to 12 will eat and sleep in the air-conditioned comfort of a 98-foot luxury Knight & Carver yacht, then head out to the billfish grounds aboard a 66-foot Buddy Davis sportfisher or a 37-foot Strike—or both. Rounding out the fleet is an 18 ft. Mitzi flats skiff, ideal for fishing the many mangrove shorelines throughout Panama.
<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/rising-marlin.jpg"><img class="alignnone wp-image-2848 size-large" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/rising-marlin.jpg?w=660" alt="Rising Marlin" width="660" height="440" /></a>
“You go out at 6:00 to 6:30 in the morning. You fish for live bait. When you get to the bait grounds, it’s just acres of bonitos and skipjacks,” Marais said. “Often before you get all your live baits out, you have a black marlin. And you’re not getting beat up by the sea conditions. You fish till you’re out of live bait, then troll lures or dead baits for sailfish and blue marlin. There’s a good opportunity for a grand slam.”
For the non-anglers who want to explore remote island jungles or those who prefer to fish close to shore for roosterfish or Cubera snapper, there’s the Mitzi skiff, kayaks, personal watercraft, stand-up paddleboards and a fully-equipped scuba diving center.
<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/panama-dolphin.jpg"><img class="alignnone wp-image-2849 size-large" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/panama-dolphin.jpg?w=660" alt="Panama Dolphin" width="660" height="495" /></a>
“The big game fishing off Panama is legendary, but the entire country is one big adventure,” comments Guy Harvey, Outpost Chairman Mark Ellert. “This Outpost delivers not just fishing stories, but memories of a unique adventure that will last a lifetime.”
In January and February in the Las Perlas and Pinas waters are prime for black marlin, tuna, dorado (mahi), wahoo and roosterfish. April through June usually find the mothership plying the Pacific waters around the remote Isla de Coiba, a World Heritage Site in the Gulf of Chiriqui where yellowfin tuna are abundant. Other options throughout the year are the Bocas Del Toro and Gulf of San Blas regions in Panama’s Caribbean Sea for family snorkeling and inshore and reef fishing. https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/guy-harvey-outpost-launches-exclusive-luxury-charter-in-panama/){kind=link}
![](mailto:?subject=Fishing the Pelagic Rich Pacific with Guy Harvey Outpost&body=Steve Schniedman, experienced Florida offshore fisherman, has traveled the world, catching and releasing blue, white, and striped marlin. But the fourth element of the superfecta– black marlin– eluded him until recently when he visited the pelagic-rich Pacific waters off Panama with several members of the Guy Harvey Outpost Resorts team.
Fishing aboard a 66-foot Buddy Davis yacht piloted by the crew of Panama Yacht and Fishing Charters– a Guy Harvey Outpost Expedition outfitter– Schniedman hooked a black estimated at between 300 and 400 pounds using a small live tuna for bait.
“It was the fight of a lifetime– a crazy fight,” Schniedman said. “He took a lot of line. We were full-throttle backing down just to keep up with him. He jumped five or six times.”
Schniedman had his hands full– literally–fighting the huge billfish on 50-pound tackle, but he eventually reeled it close enough for the crew to unhook and release it.
“The best trip I’ve ever been on,” he said afterward.
Not only was the fishing spectacular, according to Schniedman, but the experience of living aboard a 98-foot luxury Knight and Carver mother ship was first-rate.
<img alt="PanamaBoat" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/panamaboat2.jpg" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-3470">
“The mother ship we lived on was absolutely beautiful,” he said. “The crew, the food, the chef–everything was five-star. I’d certainly go down and fish on that boat again.”
A typical day involved waking early, catching live bonitos and skipjacks along the Zane Grey Reef, then trolling the livies along the reef for the blacks. When the sun grew warmer, the crew headed to the deeper offshore waters of the Hannibal Bank. At sundown, the boat made another pass along the reef before returning to the mother ship– “a floating luxury lodge”, according to GHO president Mark Ellert.
In addition to Schniedman’s black marlin, the GHO party of Ellert, sportfishing director Cliff Jensen, and their friend Phil Schoonover caught numerous huge dolphin fish, or mahi. Jensen caught his first-ever dog-toothed tuna. Schoonover caught and released several trevally up to 15 pounds on fly rod.
The fishing wasn’t the only draw, according to the group. One evening, the mother ship was visited by a party of villagers in dug-out canoes laden with handmade arts and crafts.
“A virtual shopping center,” Ellert marveled, adding that everyone bought some treasures to take home.
While the black marlin season is winding down along Panama’s Pacific coast, spring and summer present bountiful opportunities for catching large yellowfin tuna and Cubera snapper. To book your adventure, visit <a href="http://bit.ly/1PJkI2b" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/1PJkI2b</a> or call Jensen at 954-243-1178 or email <a href="mailto:cjensen@guyharveyoutpost.com">cjensen@guyharveyoutpost.com</a>.
Better hurry up or Schniedman might elbow you out of the way.
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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.
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Share your photos, videos and experiences with Guy Harvey Outpost by hash tagging #OutpostAttitude to all of your social media posts. https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/fishing-the-pelagic-rich-pacific-with-guy-harvey-outpost/){kind=link}
![](mailto:?subject=The Bahamas Tournament Season Is Jumping!&body=The 2015 <a href="http://www.bahamasbillfish.com/">Bahamas Billfish Championship</a> is under way in Abaco with <a href="http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com/destinations/bahamas/green-turtle-cay-abacos/">Green Turtle Cay </a>the next stop. Abaco regulars Jichi, Wave Paver and Torta took the top spots with solid performances. Teque took the early lead on day one with a blue marlin and a sailfish but Wave Paver passed them by before lines out; when they added a blue marlin to their early white. On day two, Torta added a blue and a white to move ahead of Wave Paver and Teque. Jichi got on the board early with two blue marlin and did not look back; adding a white and another blue to seal the deal on day two. Day three saw plenty of action among the leaders as Wave Paver released two blue marlin and a white to make a move but Jichi "Slammed" the door shut with a sail, a white and a blue to extend their lead and collect slam bonus points.
<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/bbc_aim_logo-no-dates.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2727" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/bbc_aim_logo-no-dates.jpg" alt="BBC_AIM_Logo NO DATES" width="660" height="660" /></a>The fleet caught 26 billfish an average of 1.13 billfish per boat. Full Time brought a 597 pound blue marlin to the scales. She was over the 100 inch minimum length but they actually lost 3 points compared to what they would have scored had they released her.
This week the BBC moves to Green Turtle Cay. <a href="http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com/destinations/bahamas/green-turtle-cay-abacos/">The Green Turtle Club</a>, a <a href="http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com/">Guy Harvey Outpost </a>Expedition Lodge is co-host for the event. The Green Turtle Club is ideally located in central Abaco allowing easy access to all the region’s famed blue marlin grounds. These waters have produced huge blue marlin including the current Bahamian Record of 1119 pounds caught during the BBC in 2011. The Green Turtle Club is sold out for this event.
<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/bbc-gtc-dock-shot.jpg"><img class="wp-image-2728" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/bbc-gtc-dock-shot.jpg?w=660" alt="Competitors at the Ready, the Green Turtle Club." width="550" height="367" /></a>Competitors at the ready, the Green Turtle Club.
In addition to all the billfish caught big dorado kept anglers on their toes. They were caught AND eaten! Next up the BBC heads to Treasure Cay May 27-30. The next Guy Harvey Outpost event will be the <a href="http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com/bonfire-beach-bash/">2nd Annual Beach Bash Bonfire and Tournament </a>June 25th - 28th at<a href="http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com/destinations/bahamas/west-end-grand-bahama/old-bahama-bay-resort/"> Old Bahama Bay</a>.
Green Turtle Club UPDATE
BBC Day One: White marlin dominated day one action. Something Fishy got off to a hot start with a double header of whites. Island Time is on the board with a sailfish. Game Changer, Marlin Raptor & Whisky Won all got in on the morning bite with white marlin. Wave Paver & Anticipation jumped to the top with afternoon blue marlin.
BBC Day Two: The white marlin bite remains hot with the blues showing up in the afternoon. Sandrita jumped to the lead today on the strength of on blue marlin and three white marlin today. Torta started their day with a sailfish added a double header of white marlin and nabbed a blue marlin late in the day to catch a slam; which will give them a nice bunch of bonus points and the overall lead after two days.
Early leaders Something Fishy improved their numbers with another white marlin to go with their day on pair. Anticipation added second day blue marlin to their first day fish to stay in contention for the top spot. Whisky Won released a blue and a white to go with their day one white to move into third place after two days. Nothing is settled and with the way some boats have gotten hot hands it is still anyone’s ball game.
Stay tuned for details on Baseball Hall of Famer, Mike Schmidt's Winners' Circle charity tournament at Old Bahama Bay.
For the latest information on the BBC: <a href="http://www.bahamasbillfish.com">www.bahamasbillfish.com</a>
For more on the Guy Harvey Outpost Portfolio: <a href="http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com/" target="_parent">http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com/</a>
For Fishing with Guy Harvey Outpost: <a href="http://www.ghofish.com/" target="_parent">www.ghofish.com</a>
For the Guy Harvey Outpost Blog <a href="http://www.guyharveyoutpostnews.com/" target="_parent">www.guyharveyoutpostnews.com</a>
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For Guy Harvey Outpost on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/GHOutpost" target="_parent">https://twitter.com/GHOutpost</a>
For Guy Harvey Outpost on YouTube <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/GuyHarveyOutpost" target="_parent">http://www.youtube.com/user/GuyHarveyOutpost</a>
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<a href="http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com/bonfire-beach-bash/"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-2458 size-medium" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/00-gho-logo.jpg?w=300" alt="00 GHO-Logo" width="300" height="300" /></a> https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/the-bahamas-tournament-season-is-jumping/){kind=link}
![](mailto:?subject=Guy Harvey Talks Fisheries Symposium & Guy Harvey Outpost Grand Opening with Fishing Florida Radio&body=<a href="http://www.fishingfloridaradio.com/mp3/guy_harvey_ffr_interview.mp3"><img class="size-full wp-image-1446 alignleft" title="Guy Harvey Interview with Fishing Florida Radio" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/fishing-florida-radiologo11.jpg" alt="" width="130" height="88" /></a>Guy recently spoke with BooDreaux, Steve and Capt. Mike of <a title="FFR web site" href="http://www.fishingfloridaradio.com/" target="_blank">Fishing Florida Radio</a> to discuss the upcoming <a title="Fisheries Symposium web site" href="http://www.gulffisheriessymposium.com/" target="_blank">Gulf of Mexico Fisheries Symposium</a>, which is being held this week in conjunction with the Grand Opening of the new <a title="GHO on Facebook" href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.297039977030459.74495.238365306231260&type=3" target="_blank">Guy Harvey Outpost on St. Pete Beach</a>. Click <a title="Guy Harvey Interview with FFR" href="http://www.fishingfloridaradio.com/mp3/guy_harvey_ffr_interview.mp3" target="_blank">here</a> to listen to the interview. https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/guy-harvey-talks-fisheries-symposium-guy-harvey-outpost-grand-opening-with-fishing-florida-radio/){kind=link}
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