Sanibel Boat Repair – The Hey Mon Gets a New Sole July 26 2013, 0 Comments

Think getting a boat repaired on Sanibel is a piece of caviar to get done? Well, it’s a lot more challenging than one would think. And this extends to the Ft. Myers area and most of South Florida for that matter.

When I purchased the 25’ Hey Mon from a former Guide out of the Sanibel Marina a couple of years back, I knew the boat (a center console Parker) would serve me well for the future. At the same time, there were a few things I figured had to be done to bring her back to pristine condition. A new sole (floor) was at the top of the list. And the biggest reason this had to be done was because the repair guy, who supposedly put in a top-flight new floor about 5 years ago when the guide had it, really botched the job up badly. The dude had no business doing the floor since it was way out of his capability league.

Like so many other tasks for boats and otherwise, there are obviously a mess of people doing work that is subpar and they could give two hoots about the job they do. And, they take the money and run. I was vowed and determined not to let that happen putting in a new floor on the Hey Mon.

Here's a lesson I’ve learned on the big water highway of life.  Family members, friends and trusted business associates can be the best source for providing recommendations of pros that can do the job right for any task at hand.

To find out who could do the floor on the Hey Mon at the most reasonable price, I talked to a lot of people. There were those who just wanted to throw some flooring over the flooring. Others threw out exorbitant prices without even looking at the boat. (Amazing). I finally talked to one of my friends on Sanibel, Christy, who was the answer to my boat prayers. We’ll get back to him in a minute.

I figured if the floor in the Hey Mon had major soft spots, it was likely there were stringers that were questionable as well. And those stringers are critical; not only for supporting the floor, but also for ensuring the entire structural integrity of the hull. They pretty much hold the entire boat together. Because of all of this, I needed a person who I trusted to give it to me straight about what was really up and the extent of repairs that would be needed.

Back to Christy. I met this 78 years young gent on Sanibel about five years ago. Having worked and managed two of the premiere bait and tackle shops on the island for years, he’s well connected. Further, one of his passions is restoring older boats. So, when I approached Christy for some input, he was Johnny-on-the-spot to provide recommendations on who could do the floor on the Parker and also the critical rigging after it was put in. Turns out, the guy who’s doing the project is Christy himself with assistance from a few of his marine repair buddies. And he respects my pocket book. I know he’s not going to take me down the river on inflated prices.  

Trust and mutual respect for one another are two cornerstones for forming true and lasting friendships. In addition to having great relationships in the North Country and beyond, I have been lucky to meet some truly outstanding people in the Sanibel/Captiva area who I’m proud to call my friends.

If you are a boat owner, there are options galore as to where you can get your boat repaired. Unfortunately, unless you know who you’re dealing with, there’s the unfortunate chance that the repair won’t get done right and you’ll also be looking down the bore of the proverbial money pit.

When facing a pesky boat repair or anything else for that matter, talk to those you know and trust. Nine times out of ten they’ll steer you in the right direction. In the end you’ll have the comfort of knowing the job will get done right and at a fair price. That’s peace of mind we all can live with.

And if you still end up in a quandary about a boat issue, give us a shout.  Regardless of where your ark is located, there's a good chance we can put our heads together to get you on the right course.

In a few short weeks the Hey Mon will have a new "sole" and be ready for relaunch in mid-September. She’ll be beautiful and strong and will probably outlast me. I can’t wait to see her --- and look forward to all of you enjoying her as well.

Tarpon Are on The Move -- So Are the Sharks April 18 2013, 0 Comments

It's prime time to fish for Tarpon in South Florida. These "Silver Kings" are one of the most sought after catches by anglers throughout the world. The first trick is finding them. The second is getting one on your line. And lastly, getting one of these unmatched fierce fighters to the boat for a leader touch is a life catch for sure. I know, because I've boated a few in my day. Each time I've hooked up, I marvel at the pure strength, fight and acrobatic display of these incredible fish. And the bigger they are the harder they fall. Even with the latest high stealth gear, plan on an hour plus fight when a 135+ pounder is on the line. These bad boys and girls deliver a work-out that even your aerobics instructor would like to duplicate. Then after a post fight soothe down they are released to fight another day. You gotta try it!

To keep you on your toes, where there are Tarpon, sharks are generally in the vicinity. And, when hooked, while they usually don't go airborne with head shakes like the Silver Kings and Queens, they will give you a fight to remember. Just last week in a couple of outings, we hooked up with two decent sized Hammerheads and three Blacks Tips. The latter is considered a delicacy to eat by some. However, we released them to live another day. While sharks can be a pain in the rear when trying to get a Tarpon, they nonetheless are magnificent creatures. Come on down and we'll likely get one on so you can see first hand what I'm talking about.

Late April and early May is when Tarpon generally make their first appearance in the Sanibel area. By mid to late May, the action is at its height but continues throughout the summer and even into September.

On the Hey Mon, we continue to study the habits of Tarpon and just get out on the water with them.  At times, we have been teaming up with Captain Clarence Reed of Sea Reed Charters. Working with fellow guides is invaluable for increasing opportunities to get on fish for our clients. And that's what it's all about. Working various water depths and watching for surface bait pods and birds can be paramount in finding good Tarpon lanes on any given day. (Tarpon usually travel in packs so when one is spotted, there's a good chance there are more in the area and they are moving along the coast in lanes from one area to the next after some serious eating and spawning.) Several Professional Guides can cover more water area and appraise each other of where tarpon are congregating on any given day. Now that being said, like all fishing, just about the time you think you have a certain species figured out, they'll fool you. Tarpon can be prolific one day and nonexistent the next for reasons no one fully knows.

Just one example of a memorable Tarpon day was recently with Dennis from Detroit, Michigan. While Dennis had caught a few Tarpon in his days on the water, he never had one over 100 pounds. That all changed in one hook-up. Using live thread fins (also know as Greenbacks), these bait fish, along with crabs, are nectar of the fish god's fare for Tarpon. If you're fortunate enough to be able to toss a line baited with a thread fin or sister pilchard into pool of surface baits, get ready for action. Tarpon instinctively wait for one of these little guys to get separated from the school and then pounce for a meal. So when the bait pod moves along that leaves bait on a hook a welcome and enticing appetizer. And on the Hey Mon, that's precisely what happened. A bait pod sighted near the boat, we casted into it and within one minute the drag on the Penn Conqueror 7000 with 65 braid and 80 lb. fluorocarbon line started to scream. A flurry of reels got the 6 ought circle hook properly hooked into the Tarpon's armor plated mouth. The fight was on!  A quick note about circle hooks. Instead of conventional "j" hooks and you haul back to set the hook, with circle hooks (looks like a closed "c"), you reel like there is no tomorrow. This allows for the hook to exit the internals of a fish without potentially damaging it, and still get a hook-up.

Quite often, right after a Tarpon is hooked up, they'll go airborne with head shakes so massive they'll boggle your mind.  When this happens, it is crucial to "Bow to the Tarpon" (drop your rod tip towards the fish to slacken line) or it's likely game over and the Tarpon is gone. If you are lucky to stay hooked-up, then you have to hope the line and leader hold and the Tarpon's knife sharp gill plate doesn't cut the line. By the way, I use a what's called a Slim Beauty knot to effectively join my 65# braid line and 85# fluorocarbon leader together. It's one of the most highly recommended knots to avoid separation. (Which can be pretty embarrassing if it happens, not to mention having a client who likely wants to have you for lunch sans a tip.)

Back to Dennis from Detroit. He's got that Tarpon on and it goes airborne. We see it is a very large fish and he does the perfect bow to keep it on the line after a massive first jump from the water. I figure it's a legit 150 lb fish. (Any Tarpon over 125 lbs. is considered to be big one. Complete hogs are 150-170 lbs. and once in a blue moon they can exceed 200 lbs.) Anyway, so far, so good. I fire up the 225 HP Yamaha on the Hey Mon and the chase is on before all the braided line is spooled that's screaming off the reel even with a nice drag set. Another sign this is a big fish. For the next hour I watch Dennis, who's no small dude at about 6'3', 210 lbs., battle this bad girl while I'm constantly maneuvering the boat to ensure there is no contact with the fish, rod or line with the hull. When the fight is over, Dennis has won the battle and the beautiful Silver Queen, after a rest lumbers off into the depths. Perspiring and expended, Dennis happily agrees to end the day with a celebratory pitcher of beer at the Waterfront Bar in St. James City. It was a refreshing finish to a memorable day.

Since my wife, Barb, and I head back to Minnesota for three months starting in June each year, Captain Clarence will take my client referrals for Tarpon and backwater fishing. Having used many many guides over the years, Clarence is one of the best, bar none. And he's a great guy to hang out with to boot. Just give me a call and I'll get you in touch with each other.

As much as I enjoy going back to Minnesota, I'm already looking forward to being back in Florida around the middle of September. The Tarpon will likely be around and the backwater fishing will be fantastic right through the end of the year. And because there are fewer people around and boats out, it's beautiful cruising weather to hang with some dolphins or watch a spectacular sunset on the Gulf. So, get a trip set-up with business associates, family members or friends and get on down here. The Hey Mon is ready for good times, no worries and just a lot of fun.