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Bahamas Fishing Report
New Jersey Fishing Report
Courtesy of Over/Under Adventures
Custom 54' Bertram
Captains Trey Rhyne & Pete Fischer
To book a charter, call them at 305/852-8015
Week of June 29, 2005
South East Bahamas Fishing Report Rum Cay was the site of small "Georgia Boat - Billfish
Tournament" this past weekend. While the fishing wasn't
red hot, there were still 7 Blue Marlin released, out of
6 boats fishing two days each. Robert Baker's "Very
Pushy"
had the hot hand, releasing 4 fish, while Hugh Kessler's
PMS, released 2, with the crew Stan Strickland's "Mojito" catching
1. On the second day of fishing Very Pushy, hooked up a nice
500# class fish after only 5 minutes of fishing! We hear
next year, they might let some NJ boats in on the competition...that
is if the Georgia Boys don't decide they need another year
of practice!
Tight Lines - Trey
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Week of May 25, 2005
South East Bahamas Fishing Report
Both the dolphin fishing and the billfishing have continued to be fairly consistent
and good in Cat Island. At times, there are so many 20-30# dolphin around that
we've literally had to pull in all the hooked baits and pull just teasers.
I looked down from the tower last week to see the entire sea filled with green...must
have been 200 dolphin around the boat.
Billfish continue to come into the spread with regularity, but still not in
the numbers that peak season should bring later this month and into June. There
are also an unusually greater number of white marlin and sailfish being raised,
to Blue Marlin. This has made the targeting Blue Marlin a bit difficult. Typically
Blue Marlin are the dominant billfish in these parts.
The tuna have been more sporadic and have not held in great numbers. In fact
a 25# tuna took the money in the recent Hawks Nest Billfish tournament, which
is not terribly impressive at all. A week ago, the OVER UNDER went 3-11 on
yellowfin from 30-50#s (sharks got the rest), but as soon as they arrived they
vanished again. In that same weekend, we went 4-6 on sailfish, catching a triple
header...hats off to the crew and charter for pulling that one off. The OVER
UNDER put in an impressive showing in the billfish tournament this past week,
going into the final day tied on points for the money. Unfortunately, we failed
to catch either of the two Blues (neither one decided to eat) that we raised
on the last day..either of which would have given us the top spot.
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Week of May 11, 2005
South East Bahamas Fishing Report
After one of the slowest winters and early springs anyone
can remember, the fishing has definitely taken major turn
for the better. We are now back to catching a lot of dolphin
on a daily basis, having plenty of tuna busting around, and
seeing billfish consistently. Yesterday's catch was 7 Dolphin,
3 Yellowfin, broke off two sailfish, and lost another 8 Yellowfin
to sharks...now that's the type of fishing we expect at Cat
Island. Over the next week, the Hawks Nest Marina will fill
to capacity as boats gather for the annual Hawks Nest Billfish
Tournament. There will be approximately 30 boats competing
in the event, which is a fish 3 out of 4 day tournament,
with calcutta's for billfish release points, biggest Tuna,
Dolphin, and Wahoo. This will provide a real good indication
as to the # of Marlin that are really around right now. On
the Over Under we've been seeing them regularly and have
released 4 or 5 so far this year.
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Week of March 9th, 2005
South East Bahamas Fishing Report
For those who haven't heard or seen it on the internet yet,
the OVER UNDER boated a unusually large wahoo recently. We
hosted a make up charter consisting of John Eppehimer, John
Eppehimer Sr., John Burkle, Bill Davis, and Scott Thorpe,
over the last weekend in February. This is a group of regular
customers all from the Philadelphia area. John Eppehimer
originally set the trip up to do promotional work for his
most recent project www.sportfishermen.com. Man did these
guys hit it right.... On the second
day of their trip, they hooked into their second wahoo of
the day, having had the first one taken by the sharks. The
fish bit in 80' of water, and no one thought they had much
of a chance against the sharks given that it was hooked so
shallow. Well, the fish took off and close to spooled the
Shimano 50, spooled with wire, before they were finally able
to back down hard and get line back on the reel. Everyone
figured they had gotten "sharked", but eventually
they realized they may actually still be fighting a nice
hoo...they had no idea how nice until they saw it come up
to the back of the boat. Scott Thorpe was on the rod, John
Eppehimer leadered the fish, while Bill Davis sunk the first
gaff, quickly followed by a larger one from Capt. Pete. The
fish was landed at about 11:00am, and finally weighed in
at Hawks Nest at 5:00pm. It tipped the scales at 148.5 pounds...the
largest hoo we've heard of being taken in quite some time.
The fish bit on the flat line, pulling a Blue Water TB2,
in Green and Black. The TB2 is one in a series of great wahoo
lures produced by Ray McConnell of Rays offshore in Boca
Raton, FL, its about 12 inches long and weights 12 ounces.
These lures just seem to attract big fish. Below are a few
pictures of the beast!
see more wahoo photos
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Week of March 2, 2005
South East Bahamas Fishing Report
Things have finally started to take a significant turn for
the better.
Offshore the wahoo are back. I saw several fish in the 70#
class come to the dock on Wednesday, along with others in
the 35-55# range. Cedar Plugs and the Blue Water Eagle seem
to be the ticket. Smaller yellowfin, 15-20#, continue to
be around and dolphin are being caught here and there as
well.
Boats have also been running to fish the point off the north
end of Long Island and doing well with dolphin tuna. The
wind has gone SE for a few days now and that for sure has
helped the fishing. Hopefully as we come off the moon and
if the wind can keep SE for a while longer, we should be
back into red hot action for the new moon in early March.
Inshore, the bonefishing continues
to be fantastic. Most of the guests have been choosing
half days and picking the
best of the tides. The least number I've heard being caught
is 2 and the high was 7, and everone is getting a chance
to throw at 20+ fish. Fish continue to average 3-5 pounds,
but some larger fish are being caught as well. One experienced
angler released fish measuring 17, 21, and 22 inches, as
well as 4 other smaller fish. All these fish were caught
on the "Crazy Charlie" fly.
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Week of February 23th
South East Bahamas Fishing Report
No report this week
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Week of February 16th
South East Bahamas Fishing Report
We are quite unpleased to report that the past week has
brought some of the slowest offshore fishing we have ever
encountered in the Islands. The lowpoint was a full day fishing,
that saw only one fish (a baracuda) come to the boat. Ray
McConnell from Ray's Offshore and owner of Blue Water Lures,
fished with us earlier this week and commented that it was
the slowest he had ever seen it in the Islands. Ray's got
some great new lures out on the market..be sure to check
them out. Reports from Rum Cay, San Salvador, and the Diana
Bank, have all been similar. A few small dolphin were brought
to the dock, and a few 15-20 pound yellowfin have also been
swimming around.
This is extremely unusual for this time of year, especially
given the moon and tide phases this past week. We are certain
that the conditions will turn completely around in a matter
of days, but it has been frustrating to say the least. A
cold front is about to move through and should stir the pot
a bit, we'll keep you posted on the bite.
On the flats things couldn't be better. Bonefish are averageing
4-6 pounds, with a few 8+ pound fish being seen and caught
here and there. Everyone coming back to the dock has seen
lots of fish and caught atleast a couple.
It's been all fly-fishing, even for the novices, so the results
are exceptional. We are fishing a tidal creek system that
opens up into large salt flats. Hawks Nest Marina lies just
off a branch of this creek, so the run to the fishing grounds
is minimal.
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New Jersey Fishing
Week of October 26, 2004
The OVER UNDER didn't make it out this week due to the strong
winds that affected our area this week. The crew took the
opportunity to have the boat hauled and take care of necessary
maintenance before heading south to North Carolina, and eventually
on to the Bahamas for the Winter. The OVER UNDER will be
running trips out of Avalon, NJ for 2 more weeks, before
heading to Pirates Cove, NC for a few weeks of yellowfin
and bigeye tuna fishing. From January through July, you will
find the OVER UNDER in the South East Bahamas targeting Wahoo,
Tuna, and Blue Marlin.
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New Jersey Fishing
Week of October 13, 2004
The OVER UNDER only got one partial trip in this week,
due to engine problems. Stopping on a scallop boat on the
way to the canyon on an overnight trip, the OVER UNDER threw
the baits in 3 times, hooking up 3 times. The pickups were
almost instantaneous. The first fish was lost, when it decided
to make a run for the Scallop boat's gear. The second fish,
which seemed to be the biggest of the 3, was lost when the
hook pulled after about a 30 minute fight. Captain Pete had
to chase this fish...it didn't want to stop. The third fish
was boated and went about 105#. Soon thereafter, the OVER
UNDER started experiencing problems with its starboard motor
and had to return to the dock. But not to worry, the OVER
UNDER will be up and running by early next week and be back
on tuna fish.
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New Jersey Fishing
Week of October 6, 2004
After the blow moved through the OVER UNDER was back out
in the canyon for a Thursday into Friday overnight trip.
This trip was purchased as a give away for new members of
www.sportfishermen.com. The OVER UNDER arrived in the Lindy
about 3:00 and quickly found the temperature break they were
looking for. it was about 5 degrees. 3 hours of trolling
produced a bunch of smaller mahi, but no tuna bites. Setting
up on the chunk, the OVER UNDER decided to drift as the seas
were very flat. Trying both the cold side and the warm side
of the break, the OVER UNDER managed only a flury of Longfin,
boating 3. At about Midnight, the crew decided it was time
to make a move and ran about 12 miles south and set up again
near the Spencer Canyon. The move turned out to be a good
one, as the group had about 6-7 bites, boating 3 yellowfin,
before pulling in the lines for the run home.
The crew of the OVER UNDER, Captains Pete and Trey, made
the quick turn and headed back offshore Friday night with
a fresh group of anglers ready to get on the meat. The OVER
UNDER set up on the numbers that produced the best the night
before, anchoring in about 550' of water. With 25 other boats
in close proximity, it was a tough night, as only one yellowfin
was boated and one swordfish released. At daybreak, most
of the boats had drifted elsewhere or had gone on the troll.
Knowing there were fish in the area, The OVER UNDER decided
to roll the dice and stay on the chunk. Good Call....from
7:30-10:00am the group went 6-6 on 70# yellowfin, and one
longfin. The fish were brought up right behind the boat with
fresh bunker. Sardines and Peanut Bunker were the hook baits
of choice. The group came home with a nice catch and an impressive
7-8 showing on the tuna fish, making their shots count. Many
of the fish were caught on spinning outfits and TLD 25s with
30-40# leaders...Good job guys!
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Week of July 14th 2004
South East Bahamas Fishing Report
Last week the Over Under headed up to Harbor Island to fish
a charity tournament benefitting the Dunmore School on the
Island. In two days of fishing, 15 boats caught a total of
2 fish over 25#, and both fish (40#
tuna) were caught by the same boat.
It was the slowest two days of fishing since we arrived
in the Bahamas in November.
After the second day, the boat headed back south to Rum Cay
for a week of R&R and Capt Pete, with mate Tom Brisbin
quickly changed their luck and released a 125# Blue Marlin
on the way to Rum. At Rum the boat only fished one afternoon,
going 1-1 on a 250# Blue Marlin. The rest of the fleet reported
slow fishing, and the Over Under crew decided to tangle with
Grouper and Sharks on the reef with their pole spears and
slings. The fishing really slowed down all around it seems
and it is probably a good time to head North for the summer,
which is exactly what we are doing right now. The Over Under
should be back in it's slip at Avalon Point Marina, in Avalon,
NJ on July 18th and be getting geared up for the Ocean City
White Marlin Open and the Canyon Season ahead.
Tight Lines, Crew of the Over Under
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Week of March 25 2004
South East Bahamas Fishing Report
Since our last report, some weeks ago, the fishing has started
to transition into our typical springtime bite. Dolphin seem
to be everywhere, wahoo are still around, although not in
the numbers they were a month ago and the birds are starting
to give away the schools of Yellowfin tuna passing through
the area. An added bonus is that billfish are all ready being
seen on 50 percent of our trips. Word from Rum Cay this past
week was of large yellowfin going from 50-100 pounds being
taken. Over here at Cat Island, the birds have been found
between Devil's and Columbus Point, and the dolphin have
been pretty thick. Last week, the Over Under hosted the Reel
Adventures team and filmed a show for an upcoming spot on
several networks. Captain Pete had the crew in good action,
boating 1 wahoo, releasing 8 dolphin and many small tuna,
while keeping a couple of 25-30# yellowfin for dinner (all
in 1/2 a day of fishing). The group also had a blue and a
white marlin up in the spread, but both refused to cooperate
and disappeared soon after they were spotted. The highlight
of the trip was watching the Reel Adventures diver/photographer
go nose to nose with a 250# White Tip Shark that was after
a yellowfin tuna that had been hooked up. The dominant theme
of late, however, has been WIND. Hopefully, it will die down
some and let the many boats over here get out and enjoy the
spring tuna season as it rolls into gear.
- Capt. Trey Rhyne and Pete Fischer
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Week of February 4, 2004
South East Bahamas Fishing Report
Captain Pete had the Over Under out for 2 1/2 days of fishing
over the last week at cat island. the fishing has slowed
a bit, tuna from 20-25#s were taken on each trip and several
wahoo boated. The trips did produce a billfish sighting on
each day, with 3 blue marlin and one sailfish coming in to
check out the spread. Unfortunately, all were early season
window shoppers and not eaters. The Over Under will be running
an early season Diana Bank trip later this week and will
report back next week with the results of this trip to the
south of Long Island. Till then, tight lines.
Capt. Pete and Capt. Trey
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Week of January 28, 2004
South East Bahamas Fishing Report
Fishing at the tail end of last week was at a high point
around Cat Island. Wahoo were around in good numbers and
a few tuna were taken here and there. Thebeginning of the
week brought unsettled weather and kept everyone at thedock
until Wednesday. On Wednesday and Thursday a few boats got
out to the fishing grounds, but for the most part, the fishing
was slow. An early
morning high tide seems to have slowed down the bite. Cow
Hunter reported 3-4 bites in a morning of fishing Wednesday,
and the Over Under had one bite in only an hour of fishing
that same day. 3 or 4 boats fished Thursday and all reported
similar results. The Over Under ran a trip on Friday, catching
2 small yellowfin, missing 3 wahoo, and raising 2 blue marlin
into the spread, both of which failed to eat. At Cat Island,
most of the boats have been fishing Columbus Point.
Captains Pete Fischer & Trey
Rhyne
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Week of January 9, 2004
South East Bahamas Fishing Report
This past week, the weather cooperated and allowed several boats to get out
to the fishing grounds. Despite a full moon and early morning high tide,
the Wahoo bite seems to be going strong on Cat Island and Rum Cay.
On the OVER UNDER we fished out
of Hawks Nest Marina on Cat Island Tuesday and Wednesday
with a group from Marathon.
Fishing was a bit slow, but we managed about 6 Wahoo bites
each day, boating several fish in the 25-40 pound range.
One larger fish was hooked at Columbus point at Cat Island,
but was pounced on by what can only be described as a monster
sized shark. The shark was then fought by several of our
guests and crew, but could not be budged. Applying 35 pounds
of drag didn’t seem to phase the beast and it was eventually
broken off. The lure of choice for the Wahoo was a large
Braid Marauder. The OVER UNDER also did some bottom fishing,
catching a mixed bag of grouper, snapper, yellowtail, and
jacks.
Later in the week as the moon passed full, the bite picked
up as the boat MELISSA caught 15 Wahoo, to 35 pounds at Columbus
Point. Word from Rum Cay was similar, as later in the week
LEFTOVERS fished two days, catching 4 and 7 fish respectively.
The Rum Cay fish were weighing in at 30 to 50 pounds. TUNA
TANGO reported that fishing was a bit slow over at San Salvador
earlier in the week also, but we expect that it will be picking
up this weekend as the moon begins to pass and high tide
moves later in the day.
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