Man,this sucks…..Our dear friend and frequent offshore companion has died….Dr.Joe and his beloved SWAMPFOX was a familiar and respected sportsman on the Mid/Atlantic Offshore Tournament circuit. Joe traveled and fished with Inta and I from the 2004 IGFA Offshore Championships in Cabo to Tropic Star in Panama and introduced us to Thumper’s current home, Golfito CR…..In an ironic twist of fate, the Chairman of Surgery for nearly 3 decades at Maimonides Hospital in NYC succumbed to a freak complication from knee replacement surgery. Joe was Inta’s savior when she had her heart problems and mentored daughter Maya in her quest at John Hopkins. An Alabama boy, he conquered the Big City with his superior intellect, skill and charm. He was preparing to retire and move permanently to his farm in Upstate NY. Sadly, he didn’t make it…………. Our next Marlin caught, tagged, and released to swim free, will have Dr. Joe’s name on it……

New grandbaby 4:37PM PST.Much love and happiness to Niki and Henry……Best Valentine present ever…..

O.K…O.K…light tackle sure,but C’on Man….Unlike the last trip the Marlin bite is tough….Feb 5 our 3rd day on the Banko Hannibal grounds and we are finally on some fish.Bob Hansen from DC has brought the rig and I’m thinking sailfish but Charley@ fishthief.com is pushing with “up to 57 lbs. of drag,60 lbs.Power Pro Braid, we can do this”….The spinner looks substantial but the Trevala F XXH rod looks like something more suited for the spring White Shad run at Deer Creek MD.We have the business end rigged with a 5 foot double Bimini and 15 feet of 200 and a grande fresh ballyhoo on a 12/0 long shank J with a pink mini hooker in front…..I’ve had Beto set up a Moldcraft magnum softhead as the left teaser and have the rig in the cockpit ready to deploy if we get a “bait and switch” opportunity.Our 3rd fish raised that afternoon provides the shot and my team executes perfectly and the fight is on…..The video shows 36 jumps(got to love “His Majesty the Black”) as Bob, the Marlin, and Thumper do the dance and in 15 minutes Beto has the bill in hand,exits the hook and the 250 lbs class Black swims off.I know what I want for Christmas……..

photo’s with captions and enlarge with click