Blue Marlin Magic Book Review
Book Review: Blue Marlin Magic (Steve Campbell – author | Images, Photos & Illustrations by Doug Perrine, Jon Schwartz and Craig Smith)
By Mitchell A. Roffer, Ph.D. (President, Roffer’s Ocean Fishing Forecasting Service, Inc. – ROFFS™)
If you want to learn about blue marlin fishing and related science, as well as, read, view, study, imagine, plan and perhaps fantasize about visiting, fishing, and/or diving in the Kingdom of Tonga, a very blue paradise, then this is the book for you. It really does not matter if you fish in the Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean or the Atlantic Ocean and surrounding seas, you will be able to transfer the knowledge gained from this book to your local fishing. This is a large sized, hard bound book with countless double paged glossy color photos taken by renowned photographers Doug Perrine (Hawaii), a former officemate at the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science (RSMAS), Jon Schwartz (California) and Kim Westerkov (New Zealand).
Above: Cover of “Blue Marlin Magic” by Steve Campbell.
This is the book that will be well used on your family room table, office desk or the salon on the boat. Author Steve Campbell has put together what I consider a cross between a travel guide, fisheries oceanography text (with fishing research results) and fishing handbook. The visual presentation is what first caught my eye, but the information in the book makes it difficult to decide what the best aspect of the book is. Campbell is a well-known sport fishing captain in New Zealand and other locations in the South Pacific Ocean. He is the International Gamefish Association (IGFA) Representative for Tonga, an IGFA Ambassador Captain, an Executive Committee member of the Tonga International Gamefish Association (was President), operates the Ika Lahi International Game Fishing Lodge and is a strong advocate of conservation and tagging. Captain Campbell and his clients have caught more than 1,730 blue marlin, 96% were released earning him Tonga’s Top Billfish Captain for 14 consecutive seasons. But enough of the author and photographers.
PLEASE CLICK HERE for the complete book review by Dr. Mitchell Roffer on our website now…
Blackfin Tuna Fishing in the Florida Keys
Article By George Poveromo – from Saltwater Sportsman Magazine online November 17, 2014
Capt. Ariel Medero was cool, calm and confident as we drifted for trophy- class blackfin tuna over the Marathon Hump with two gunwale-based rods. The scene around us, however, wasn’t as serene: anglers live-chummed, flutter-jigged and even trolled for tunas averaging 5 to 10 pounds. But Medero knew something those aboard the busy dozen or so boats didn’t, and it was paying dividends for us.
As if on cue, Medero’s rod bent over as a boat trolled by. He lifted the rod from the gunwale and maintained pressure as the fish took off straight toward the bottom. It was likely another big blackfin. Earlier, we had boated fish weighing 26 and 27 pounds, and we had lost four others to frayed light-fluoro leaders. The fights had lasted an average of 20 minutes on our 20-pound-class conventional outfits, but Medero’s latest encounter easily surpassed that mark. Some 35 minutes after he hooked up, I finally sunk a gaff into a whopping 33-pounder.
Capt. Ariel Medero, who operates Big Game Sportfishing Charters out of Marathon in the Florida Keys, is typically in his 35-foot center console catching grouper and snapper on the reefs and wrecks, running and gunning for dolphin or daytime swordfishing. On this trip, however, he plied his other specialty — catching trophy blackfin tuna — aboard my MARC VI while we shot a TV show episode for 2015.
Above: Marathon Hump Blackfin Tuna – A bragging-size blackfin comes to the surface after a lengthy battle. Photo by George Poveromo.
Updated Catch Reports Section of ROFFS™ Website
Above: ROFFS™ client and friend Marcel Israel knows no state boundaries. One day he is catching bigeye tuna in the Hudson Canyon and shortly after he is in the Gulf Stream off Ft. Lauderdale catching swordfish. Just making sure he hasn’t lost his Florida swordfish touch.
Be sure to visit the section titled “Catch Reports” located under the “Insights” tab on our ROFFS™ website that will feature current catch reports from areas such as the Northeastern U.S., North Carolina/Hatteras, South Carolina/Georgia, Florida, the Florida Keys, the Bahamas, and the Gulf of Mexico. We continue to post weekly updates in this category so please check back often.
Please click HERE for MORE photos and to view recent catch reports…
Port Canaveral’s Rail Idea Draws Complaints
Article by: Jim Waymer, Florida Today – November 19, 2014
Some Space Coast residents hope to apply the brakes on Port Canaveral’s plan for a new cargo rail line across the Banana River and part of the Kennedy Space Center.
The port wants to take over 17 miles of rail at KSC and extend the track 11 miles to the port, crossing the Banana River and space center wetlands.
The $75 million project could create thousands of jobs in the region, port officials say.
But some who heard the details Tuesday during a hearing at Eastern Florida State College worry the plan will alter their communities and the northern Indian River Lagoon forever. They cited concerns about wetlands destruction that they fear could harm prime fish and wildlife habitat.
“It’s our last stronghold that we have of untouched and unimpacted waters in Banana River,” Charles Levi Jr., 34, a fisherman from Port St. John, said.
The public has until Dec. 19 to comment on potential routes for the proposed rail line, archeological or environmental issues or other concerns.
Federal transportation officials will hold a second hearing tonight at the Radisson Resort at the Port in Cape Canaveral.
The Surface Transportation Board, the federal agency with jurisdiction over rail projects, will oversee the environmental study process, which port officials estimate could take 12 to 16 months.
The proposed rail would link with 17 miles of existing rail line at KSC, connecting with a main line of the Florida East Coast Railway.
Please click HERE to read MORE on the proposed rail idea on our website now…
Above: Alex Gorichky of Merritt Island, owner of Local Lines Charters uses the Banana River in his business and is not happy about the route of the port’s rail extension might take. Photo: Craig Rubadoux/Florida Today.
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