Marco Sportfishing Club Enjoys Fishing Extravaganza

The Marco Sportfishing Club held a unique event on April 25 thru April 28th. 

The American Patriot long range fishing vessel, located right here at Rose Marina on Marco Island, was “home away from home” for 20 members and guests for a fishing extravaganza. A break in the winds of April provided a window of opportunity for some very anxious anglers.

On Monday afternoon, fishing tackle, clothing, sleeping bags, etc. made their way onto this 135’ floating hotel, dining room and fishing platform. Captain Ralph Hawkins held an orientation as we left Marco waters for a 12-hour trip to Pulley Ridge, some 140 miles southwest. Along the way, Chef Mike prepared a sumptuous dinner of Filet Mignon, in what was to be a culinary event, as well as a fishing marathon. After dinner, we relaxed, conversed and watched TV in the dining/lounge area until bedtime in the bunkroom below. Normally sleeping 36, the 20 of us had ample room to spread out and be rocked to sleep. At first light we were awakened to the smell of bacon, eggs, pancakes and fresh coffee as Chef prepared breakfast for all. Then it was down to the serious business of catching fish. And did we catch fish! This type of “deep drop” fishing was new to all of us: reeling a fish, plus a three-pound weight some 700-feet off the bottom would be a “challenge” with a conventional reel, so we were all introduced to electric reels.

As newbies to this type of fishing, there was a learning curve which anglers mastered over the first day. It’s not easy to detect a “bite” 700-feet away, then slowly bring the fish to the surface unmolested by sharks or dolphins along the way. Enthusiasm built throughout the day as the catch increased. The Captain would frequently move, then drift an area. In the meantime, Chef Mike prepared treats like peach cobbler, then lunch, Philly cheese steaks and dinner, scrumptious pork loin. Were we on a dinner cruise or fishing adventure? Both!

As the day wound down and the catches were recorded, some anglers prepared for night fishing in shallower water with conventional gear.

The next morning, we were ready and anxious to hit the rail again. Most anglers never knew how many varieties of grouper and snapper there were (Snowy, Scamp, Kitty Mitchell, Queen, Yellow Eye, Vermilion etc.). All in all, there were some 18 varieties and a total of 462 fish caught!

This event was a great experience for new and seasoned anglers alike. The unanimous question as we pulled into the dock at Rose Marina, “When are we going again?”

For information on the Marco Sportfishing Club, go to their website at https://marcosportfishingclub.com/.