Jake Martin catches his 1st White Marlin!

Jake Martin and his dad wanted to do some Charter Fishing so they booked Miami’s Best Charter Boat!  My son James was the mate for the day and our plan was to head offshore to the gulfstream.   A few miles offshore we put out the lines and began trolling.   About fifteen minutes later I saw a billfish behind the right long outrigger and I went to yell down to James.  When I looked down, James was ready with the rod already in his hand.  The fish rolled on the bait and James made a perfect drop back and we were on.  Everyone quickly cleared the rest of the lines so we could start to chase the fish!  When we got everything clear the fish had a lot of line out and it was time to chase it down. Jake began to get line as the L&H backed down in hot pursuit! James did a great job coaching our young angler as he battled the feisty billfish! The fish was still on the surface so we backed down hard to get close. As we charged back I could see the leader and then … I could see the fish, it was a beautiful white marlin!! White marlin are very rare and this was the first one we have caught in a while. The marlin faught hard and would go down deep for a little bit and then come up jumping! We took our time and the young angler did great. After a tough fight we were able to get the marlin by the bill. James was able to pull it in the boat for some quick photos before releasing our white marlin back to the sea unharmed!! What a thrill!!! It was so exciting, but now it was time to move on and find something else. A few miles further out I saw a big mahi on the surface and James made a perfect cast to the fish. The mahi raced over, inhaled the bait and took off jumping. Again, we started backing up and as the L&H performed that familiar reverse rumble it quickly closed the distance between the big dolphin and the end of the gaff! Moments later, James reached way out, made a perfect shot and hauled the big mahi over the rail! We resumed the hunt and started finding nice sized mahi more and more frequently! Our team was working like a well oiled machine as more fish found their way to our icy hold! As the day wore on, our catch continued to grow as we steadily picked at fish all day. Near the end of the trip the team added a few bigger dolphin to finish off what was already an outstanding day of charter fishing on the L&H!!!

UCA Dolphin Tournament, Ocean Reef

I have been fishing with the Bradley family on the L&H for the past twenty years!  The Bradley children have grown up in front of my eyes.  They booked us to fish the UCA Dolphin Tournament out of Ocean Reef. It was a lot of work to get ready. We had to catch bait a head of time and run down in the dark, but we were happy to put forth the extra effort. After a very early start we made it to Ocean Reef (before light), picked up the Bradleys and headed offshore. The day started out with us catching a few fish in shallow, but since we were ahead of most of the other boats I decided to keep going out.  After spending a good while way offshore, in the deep, without much to show for ourselves, I decided to come in closer.  Around noon things started picking up as we started catching fish. At first mostly schoolies, with a few nicer fish mixed in. Dave got us on the board with the first qualifier and that would get us headed in the right direction. Shortly after catching a few more small fish, we spotted a nice piece of debris. As I maneuvered closer to the debris we could see a big dolphin laying close to it.   The mahi was sporting a shiny lure on one side of its mouth as it had been hooked and lost by someone else!  Nonetheless when we threw our bait out there and it was happy to see it!!!  The unlucky dolphin chased the bait all over, but was having great difficulty catching its meal.  I feared our bait might become tangled in the leader already hanging from the dolphins mouth and pull off. Our angler hooked the fish, but I was not sure where or how good so I instructed him to use light drag! I hoped we could get the fish quick, before it realized what happened. We backed around chasing the big dolphin and had it only feet away from gaff several times. The fish finally went down, but after some strong persuasion came back he to the surface. That is where we raced back and gaffed our prize!!!! Everyone went crazy!!! We knew this fish would be hard to beat! It was a great feeling! On the way home the crew got a few more fish but it was at the weigh in that we found our dolphin would turn out to be the tournament winner!

John Gets His First Sailfish And Then Some

Our friends at Gaffed Up Magazine referred John and his dad to us to try and get the boy his first sailfish! The trip started out a little shaky as we had some battery issues, but the father and son were patient as we worked on the problem.  It wasn't long before we were up and running and headed out to sea.  There had been some fish out front so we didn't have to go very far before putting the baits out.  About forty minutes later a sailfish came to the right long kite bait and John dropped back and hooked the fish.  The sailfish took off for the horizon and bullbuster kite vis mono dumped off our fin-nor reel.  Our young angler took his time and did a great job fighting the fish.  After a while we had the fish at boatside and were able to release the fish unharmed.  I was so excited to get that fish especially after the rough start we had.  Once again the baits went back out and this time we did not have to wait long before another hungry sail came our way.  Just like before, John hooked his own fish and did a great job of fighting it.  With two sailfish already, the father and son team, were on their way to a great trip.  The current was pushing us north and when I saw a free jumping sail, I knew we were going to be in position to get a bite.  Seconds later, a lit up sailfish, came racing in on one of our kite baits.  For the third time today, John dropped back, hooked and released a nice sailfish.  We had a little time left, so I pushed out to a wreck that was near by.  Right away, a big sail came up, but this time John let his dad catch the fish.  Dad must have been watching his son, because he made quick work of the sailfish and we let it go to fight another day.  Just then the deep line bent over and John grabbed the rod and began to fight the fish.  This time it was a big yellow jack that we were hooked up to.  We put the fish in the fishbox and headed for home!  It was a great day of fishing with John and his father and we look forward to seeing them again soon.

Robert Kauffman Has A Great Day

Robert Kauffman, from Greenwich, CT fished with Miami Charter Boat L&H for the first time this week. We wanted to do all that was possible for Robert to have a great day, so me and the boys left at 4:30 am and got a bunch of bait before the sun came up. As we came back to the marina, Robert was just getting there so we loaded him up with all of his gear and off we went. Robert has never caught a sailfish before, although he has seen others catch them, so that was the first priority of the day. We ran to the south and were the first boat to cross the edge. There was a nice edge with beautiful water and good current so that is where we set up. Right away a sailfish came up, but didn't bite. Then we got a sail on the right middle and it started jumping all over, but somehow the line got tangled in the reel and the fish broke off. Not long after that, Robert hooked another sailfish on the left middle and this time everything went according to plan and our angler had successfully released his first ever sailfish! The baits went back out and shortly thereafter, we were hooked up to another feisty sail. After some great runs and jumps, Robert had his second sailfish of the day! We set back up, but this time a passing sailboat nearly took out our entire spread so it was time to try something else. I steered the L&H to a shipwreck, but unfortunately luck was not on our side and we lost a couple nice fish. From there we headed north and all the sudden I spotted something chasing flying fish.  Jim quickly put out a bait and hooked a nice mahi. More and more fish started showing up and before long we had several of them  hooked up and jumping all around. The fish were biting good and we quickly added fifteen mahi mahi to our icy hold! Jim spotted a frigate bird a couple miles away and in no time we were again battling mahis! Although there were not as many in this school, Rob was still able to boat a half dozen more of the mahi mahi! Everyone agreed to spend the rest of the time kite fishing, so back up went the kites and the baits back in the water.  Almost immediately, a big sailfish came and devoured the right middle and once again Rob was hooked up!  Then another sail ate the left middle and at the same time another fish on the left short!  Robert now had three sailfish speeding off in different directions, but with all of the fish he had already caught, I knew he could handle the triple. He took his time with each fish leaving the other rods in the holders. After he released a fish, Rob would just grab another rod and go back to work. Just twenty minutes later, we released the third fish of the sailfish triple header, all by the same angler!!!  It was a tremendous accomplishment and all of us were thrilled! Very quickly the baits went back out and again we got bit right away. This fish was on a flatline with our new fin nor reel loaded with bullbuster tenacity mono.  The fish made a long blistering run and I kept expecting to see it jump, but it never did. I knew it was a nice fish and after a tough battle, Rob had a thirty-five pound kingfish at gaff! Just then, another sailfish grabbed the right middle kite bait and our star angler for the day quickly got to the rod and hooked the fish! Just like she had done many times throughout the day, the L&H performed that familiar reverse rumble as we chased the angry sailfish. After getting the leader and releasing Roberts sixth sailfish of the day it was time to head for home. We were all impressed with what a great job that Rob did today and we had a great time fishing with him! Can't wait to get you back out there, Robert, thanks for a great day!!!!!

Seven Different Species...One Action Packed Day

If I had to make a nickname for our good friend Tom it would be the "Lucky Fisherman"!  He is from Bolivia, but whenever he is in town, Tom likes to go charter fishing on the L&H!  Today he took a few of his buddies along to help with the angling duties.  Tom likes to try different fishing methods throughout the day and that was our plan of action.  The bait fishing was good and while the guys were catching them, Tom stayed busy catching nice sized spanish mackeral!  When we hit the edge the water looked good and it did not take long to start getting bites.  At first bonitos, then a nice king and a few cudas.  It seemed as if we could hardly get the baits out fast enough before they were eaten.  A nice big sailfish grabbed one of the kite baits, took off jumping and stripped off a bunch of the bullbuster kite vis 20 pound mono that we were using!  After the initial jumps, the fish went down and refused to come up.  After a forty minute battle we found out the reason why.  The sailfish had become tail wrapped and came up to the boat backwards and lifeless.  This was not a sight any of us wanted to see, but instead of letting it rot on the sea floor we decided to take the legal size fish and have the meat smoked.  Way to the south I could see a frigate bird hovering in the same area and decided to investigate.  As we got closer, I spotted some nice mahi under the bird and the boys began casting live baits to the fish.  In no time we had mahi jumping all over and more fish began to show up.  We were in the middle of a pack of boats and everyone seemed to be watching as the L&H pulled nice fish over the rail at a feverish pace!  After boating twenty or so of the great eating mahi the bite slowed so we put the kites back out.  Unfortunately no more action so it was time to try something else.  There was a rocky ledge a few miles away and that would be our next stop.  Tom and his friends dropped cut bait to the bottom and started catching nice vermillion and yellow-eye snapper and even a decent sized grouper.  While this was going on we fished a couple live baits on the surface and added a couple more mahi to our growing tally!  One of the snappers came up bitten in half and Tom dropped it back attached to a wire leader with a big hook to catch the culprit!  Seconds later the rod bent over and he got a good fight out of an angry black tip shark that we would later release unharmed!  After fishing for a while at that spot we moved offshore to try our luck with golden tile fish.  The first spot produced a few nice tiles that were now resting in our icy hold!  There was another spot a few miles north and on the way we trolled a few artificial lures!  Less than a quarter mile from our next fishin hole, two rods bent over and line peeled off the reels!  The fish stayed down deep and I was sure we had a double header of tuna!  My guess was correct and a few minutes later both tuna were successfully gaffed and put in the box.  The tilefish were biting at the spot and it didn't take long to finish up the limit.  It was time to start trolling home, but when you fish on Miami's Charter Boat  the day is not over until the last rope is on securing the boat to the dock!  Today was a great example!  Just before putting the boat on plane and running for home, I spotted a sailfish free jumping and raced to get in position to bait the sail.  I slowed the boat and baits went out.  Seconds later two fish rose to the baits and just like that we were fighting a double header sailfish.  It was a fun fight and Tom got great pictures of the fish before we released both of them in great condition to fight another day!  It was another action packed day of sportfishing with our good buddy Tom!

Danny And Family Get In On Some Action

Our friend Danny took his brother in law and two nephews out for a full day of charter fishing on our  Miami charter boat the L&H!  With a west wind I was not sure how the fishing was going to be, but   for as long as I have known Danny he has been good to me so I wanted to make sure he had a great day!  The bait was a little slow, but after a while we managed to get enough.  We started out trolling to the south and missed a few fish and finally managed to land a nice tuna.  After that, the plan was to put the kites up and see what would bite.  The conditions were less than desirable, but everyone remained optimistic.  Not long after the baits were out a nice sailfish came to the left middle,  grabbed the helpless baitfish and took off jumping toward the horizon!  Unfortunately during the ariel display, the angry sail managed to break the leader.  The disappointment was short lived, however, as we started getting good action on our deep lines.  First a few small jacks, then one of the boys hooked something much bigger!  Line melted off the fin-nor spinning reel and the young angler held on for all he was worth.  After a tough battle, Danny's nephew hauled in a big kingfish!  We were back on track!  Our crew continued to find steady action with the sub-surface baits including another nice king and a decent cobia that was destined for the dinner table.  Around mid day we got bombarded with a barrage of bites all at the same time!  From the way the fish were acting I could tell they were bonitos, but none the less watching four anglers try and fight seven fish was good fun! All of the sudden one of the bonitos came racing at the boat with a big bull shark right on its tail!  My quick thinking crew rapidly hooked the shark rig up to the ten pound bonita and threw it right back over the side.  Within seconds we were bit and the bullbuster braided line melted off the gold fin-nor reel!  Danny was going to have to fight this beast as it was too large for his young nephews!  After the big shark took off on the initial run, Danny put maximum drag on the fish and was able to get the 350 pound bull to the surface in about a half an hour!  The boys were able to get some great underwater footage of the fish (using an underwater camera on a long pole) before we released it to fight another day!  From there I took us to a shallow reef where the boys had non stop action with barracudas on light tackle!  When the bite slowed on the reef, our plan was to head back offshore and try dropping for golden tilefish.  These fish are excellent eating and we catch them in very deep water.  This is a type of fishing that Danny loves to do and is very good at so I knew he would be excited.  When we arrived at the spot the conditions were good and it didn't take long for us to start hooking up!  As expected, Danny had the hot hand and he caught more than anyone.  In less than an hour we caught our limit of golden tiles to around fifteen pounds and decided to call it a day!  Our guests enjoyed a nice smooth ride back to the marina in the comfort of the air conditioned salon!  Back at the marina we took some photos, had plenty of laughs, and cut up a bunch of fish for Danny and his family to enjoy!  All in all it was another great day of fishing and fun on Miami's Best Charter Boat, the L&H!!!

Great Day For Newman Family

We had our friends, the Newman family, out for a full day of fun filled charter fishing with us on our charter boat, the L&H.  Our good buddy, Trevor, was joined by his father and brothers for what would turn out to be an action packed day of fishing out of Key Biscayne!  With an early start, our team was able to be the first ones to the bait spot and were thus rewarded with excellent bait fishing!  It was just about as good as it gets and in no time there were a couple hundred frisky live baits swimming in the L&H's large circulating bait well.  I pointed the boat south to where the best fishing had been the past few days.  When we reached the area, everyone was excited to see great conditions (beautiful blue water and strong north current).  It did not take long to start getting bites after the kites went out.  First a sailfish then a couple mahis and things were looking good!  As we battled the second sailfish of the day, I saw another fish grab the left short kite bait.  None of us on board were sure what we had, but all of us knew it was a nice fish.  The Newman brothers did great battling the two fish.  When the first end of our double came up, I could see that it was a real nice wahoo!  My son James reached out and gaffed the tasty wahoo and muscled it to the fish box!  Our efforts were then switched to the angry sailfish.  Again we were able to seal the deal and before long released the powerful billfish to fight another day!  After our double, the boys quickly reset and all the baits were back in the water.  From my perch in the tower I could see a frigate bird wheeling and diving several hundred yards offshore.  It was time to get out there and find out what the bird was looking at.  Before long, I had Miami's best charter boat in perfect position to intercept the migrating gamefish!  Seconds later I spotted a nice mahi, then another and another and another.  They were hungry, eating everything, and there were a lot of them!  Like a well oiled machine, our team sprung into action and began firing out more baits on our custom leeward rods and fin-nor spinning reels!  From my view in the tuna tower, high above the action, it was a beautiful sight to behold.  Everyone working together, hooking up and boating the nice size mahis, and repeating the process over and over.  In short order the guys had landed at least twenty fish all of them nice size!  It was not yet lunch time and the days catch was looking very good!  As we drifted north, the Newman family continued to catch fish and stay busy.  More mahi, a couple nice kingfish, a cobia and another sailfish were added to the tally and there were a couple mystery fish, we hooked on the kite that were eaten by the ravenous bull sharks!  By early afternoon, our anglers were tired from reeling in fish and decided to head in a little bit early.  I suggested we give it five more minutes.  Just then another big sailfish grabbed the left short kite bait and we were once again hooked up!  This one was Trevor's fish and he did a great job working the magnificent sail to the boat for a clean, healthy release!  It was a great ending to a great day of fishing with our friends the Newman family!