March Flash (Updated 4/1/99)

• Well...the month of March ended with a BANG!!! I get "goose bumps" thinking about what is still yet to come!! Here's what went on yesterday.......
• Courtesan: 5 BLUE MARLIN!!! Jeff Gill, Strick Mays & Scott Finelli ended their trip with a BANG too!! This time...Scott got brave & celebrated with a FULL STRENGTH Coca Cola!! They've already booked the same days next year (who wouldn't?)!! Our friend, Shane Spravzoff, is back shooting video!! Boy, did he get some good stuff!! We had quite a crowd watching it in the Slam Shack, last night, too!
• Winning Ticket: 4 BLUE MARLIN!!! Jan Prothman must have done something!! You go girl!!
• Exile: 2 BLUE MRLIN! We're definitely experiencing MARLIN MANIA down here!!! Give me a shout & let me know what time to pick you up at the airport!! Stay tuned for more excitement & thanks for checking in!!!!

  March Flash (Updated 3/31/99)

• Still a BUNCH of blues here!!! Here's the report from yesterday:
• Courtesan: GRAND SLAM!!!!! 3 BLUES, A SAIL & A WHITE!!! Anglers, Jeff Gill, Strick Mays & Scott Finelli had another "banner day"!! The Grand Slam was a "personal" for Scott!! He celebrated with a Diet Coke...WHAT'S UP WITH THAT??!!
• Dale Clavo: 4 BLUE MARLIN!! Our Austin, Texas "Chapter" of Team Dale Clavo, Scott Zublin, was here for a day (cowboy boots & all!) and did his usual "crush" on the blues!! Atta boy, Zoob (as we call him)!!! Hurry back now, ya here?
• Exile: 4 BLUE MARLIN!!! Just another day for these guys!!
• Winning Ticket: 1 for 5 on blues. Capt. Dorsey "Cuz" Prothman's wife, Jan, flew in yesterday. She's taking over the cockpit for a few days!! Watch out, boys...the REAL pro just got to town!! Alllllllrighty then.........stay tuned...Tami.

  March Flash (Updated 3/30/99) Well...the tournament might be over...BUT THE BLUE MARLIN BITE AIN'T!!!!! They're still snappin!!! The Courtesan saw 9 blues, had 5 bites & caught 4!!! Anglers Jeff Gill, Strick Mays & Scott Finelli could've won the daily!!! Maybe we'll get them back down for the next tournament!! I think the Courtesan was about the only boat sober enough to fish the day after the tournament, but I see a few more out there today!! Stay tuned!!

  March Flash (Updated 3/29/99) The LaGuaira Shootout came to an end yesterday and...WHAT A FINALE!!! 40 BOATS CAUGHT 256 BLUE MARLIN IN 3 DAYS!!

  Instant Tournament Update (5:15 PM AST) Preliminary final tournament results (unofficial until observer reports are reviewed)- 256 blue marlin released, 46 sailfish released, 4 spearfish released, 12 white marlin released, for a total of 318 billfish releases (195 tagged) for 40 boats. In the points race, GiGi is in 1st place; Cool Runnings lies second; Dale Clavo sits in third; Maripuchy is fourth; Salitre is fifth. Final team standings and official results later tonight or tomorrow....We note, quite proudly, that two of the top 3 finishers are berthed at Marina Portofino (not the GiGi boat, obviously).

  March Flash (Updated 3/28/99)Well...The LaGuaira Shootout Tournament had another record day, yesterday!!! To see how the team rankings stood as of:

• Instant Tournament Update (5:55 PM AST) Preliminary second day tournament results- 88 (plus 1 in progress?) blue marlin released, 18 sailfish released, 1 spearfish released, 7 white marlin released, for a total of 114 billfish releases for 40 boats fishing today. In the points race, GiGi (Team South Carolina) is in 1st place; Dale Clavo lies second; Maquira stands third.
• WOW!!!!! I think the "record" was broken yesterday! I don't think ANY tournament has ever had as many blue marlin caught IN ONE DAY as the La Guaira Shootout did yesterday!!! 40 boats released 92 blues!!!! Can you believe it? Ya see? I haven't been blowin' smoke up your ____ after all!!!!
• Whew!!! What an incredible day!!! The radio's VERY busy, again, today!!! Stay tuned....Tami.
• After finishing my tournament report, a message came in from Capt. Tommy Powell, concerning Mr. Van Buren. Here's what he had to say: I don't have much of a report today that would tend to be encouraging, but this is it. They put him on a strecher today, to have him sit up for a therapist but, his condition being very weak, he made no response to his surrondings. His blood pressure was low today and also there is some fluid about his heart and a lack of fluid about his kidneys. A couple of new specialist are coming onboard today to possibly solve this crisis. Thanks for your continued support, prayers, cards, e-mails and phone calls but.....please fix that right flat line thats fowl tipped, it's driving us crazy up here!!!!

  March Flash (Updated 3/26/99)

• Instant Tournament Update (5:45 PM AST) Preliminary first day tournament results- 91 blue marlin released, 17 sailfish released, 3 spearfish released, 1 white marlin released, for a total of 112 billfish releases for 41 boats entered in the tournament and fishing today. Every boat released at least one billfish today!. In the points race, HeldterSkelder is in 1st place with 6 blue marlin releases and 1 sailfish release; Cool Runnings lies second with 5 blue marlin releases and 1 sailfish release; Mega stands third with 5 blue marlin releases. Stay tuned for more....
• The LaGuaira Shootout Tournament starts today, but here's how the "practice" went yesterday:
• Heldter Skeldter: SAW 10 BLUES!!!!! Caught 2 blues & a sail.
• Gotcha: SAW 10 BLUES!!! Caught 3 blues
• Francesca: Caught 2 blues
• Winning Ticket: Caught 2 blues
• Exile: Caught 3 blues

  William Van Buren update from Capt. Tommy Powell 3/25/99 @ 12:30 PM: Yesterday evening the Doctor phoned the family that he had not much hope for Mr. V.B's survival, due to failing lungs, liver and heart problems. This morning Mr V.B. is sitting in a chair, wide awake. HE KNOWS THE TOURNAMENT STARTS TODAY. HE JUST CAN'T SEEM TO FIND THE ROD HOLDERS ON THAT HOSPITAL CHAIR!!!!!!!! He was awake for about 10 minutes in the chair and did not seem to respond as well as yesterday but it could be the trauma of movement . Today they want to check his swallow reflexes so, possibly starting tomorrow, he can be hand fed . It is still too early to know about his speech but they have maintained from the beginning that he will definately need speech therapy. Thank you all, so much, for the support you've shown. It is greatly appreciated. Good luck to all the guys and gals in the Shootout and keep on doing the olde Venezuela slamming!

  March Flash (Updated 3/25/99)

• Here's the latest message from Capt. Tommy Powell, concerning VB::Mr. Van Buren remains in the intensive care unit and his vital signs are remaining stable . They are increasing his nutrient intake today, hoping to increase his energy for him to remain concious for longer periods of time. At present, he is awake only for very short periods like 10-15 seconds. He does have some awareness, more in the later evening hours, that someone is around him and sometimes manages to squeeze his hand to acknowledge an answer to various questions. O.K...standing by & will update tomorrow. Watch your left teaser, I just saw a shadow there!!!! Thanks for your continued support, Capt. Tommy Powell.
• Here's the fishing report from yesterday:
• Heldter Skeldter: SAW 15 BLUE MARLIN!!!!! Karen Heldt was chasing more world records and almost had one!! The hook pulled on THE ONE...ON 12 POUND TEST that would've made it! 50 yards from the boat...JUMPIN'!! She had another one on shortly after that, but he wasn't the one. Hang in there, Karen, you'll get him! Maybe today!! The day was certainly not a total loss, however...they ended up catching 4 blue marlin!!!
• The Bud Man had, what Capt. Lee calls, 5 "tire kickers" and ended up catching 1 blue.
• Gotcha: 1 blue & 1 white. They had a double header of sails on and, of course, wanted one real bad to make the slam, but were denied!! Oh well, you'll get 'em next time!!
• The Francesca III ended up with a blue marlin.
• The Winning Ticket caught 2 blues!!
• The La Guaira Shootout Tournament starts tomorrow. Last I heard, there were 38 boats signed up in the crazy thing! The kick off party's tonight, so I might be juuuuuuust a little bit late w/my report tomorrow!! HA! But I'll get it in here, eventually!! Stay tuned...stand by...and hold on to your hats...THE BIG CRUSH IS YET TO COME!!!!!

  March Flash (Updated 3/24/99)

• Are you tired of reading about the great fishing in Venezuela??? Don't ya wish you were here catching fish, instead of just reading about it ??? Are these awesome fishing reports getting to you, like some kind of torture?? GOOD...THEN GET YOUR BUTT DOWN HERE!!!!!!! Here's some more torture for ya!:
• Yesterday was a historical day for angler, Richard Richardson, aboard the Gotcha!! HIS FIRST PERSONAL SLAM!!! He caught a blue, a white & 2 sails!! He wants to be sure his wife, Dana, knows all about this, so...Dana...HE DID IT!!!
• Another historical event took place on the Bud Man!! Angler (anglerette!), Colette Nolan, got to catch HER FIRST BLUE MARLIN!!!!! Atta girl!! She's a little bruised up from the battle, but that didn't stop her from celebrating last night and she's at it again today!! You go girl!! Bud Man owner, Edwin Pearlstine, battled a few blues himself. They ended up seeing 7 & catching 4!!!!! Good goin', everybody!!
• Those Jersey boys, on the Exile, had another KILLER DAY, too!! 3 blues, a sail & 2 fat dorado!! YAHOO!! See ya next time, boys!
• The Winning Ticket got in the game! They saw 5 blues & caught 3 of 'em!!!!
• The Papo had a great day, as well. They caught 2 whites and a spearfish!! Stay tuned..Tami

  March Flash (Updated 3/23/99)

• I'd like to begin this report by thanking all of you who have shown your support for Mr. Van Buren. The following is an e-mail I received from his daughter last night::: Tommy Powell has just given the family a copy of all the e-mails of concern for my father. I am overwhelmed by all of your thoughts and love for my father. Please keep everyone praying for him. He keeps raising his arms and I just know he's dreaming about the next big marlin. Thanks so much, Anna Van Buren McNider
• Now...the fishing report from yesterday (this will get VB going!!):
• Courtesan: Anglers (Anglerettes!), Gwen Hahn, Joan Vernon & Diane Fiedler, ended their 4 day trip with a BANG!!!! 3 blues & a white!!!! ALL ON 30# TEST!!!! Way to go, girls! Many congrats on your great accomplishments!!! Have a safe trip home & we'll see ya next time!!!
• Exile: Anglers, Jeff Cohn, Ken Boettcher & Paul Bogaty are STILL HOT!!! They caught 4 blues & a sail! They're at it again today so...LOOK OUT, MR. MARLIN!!! Here they come again!!
• Francesca: Another good day for this crew, too! 2 blues & 2 whites!!
• Gotcha: 1 blue marlin!! Capt. Mike Canino informed me that the skunk flag was thrown overboard yesterday!! GOOD!!! Get that smelly thing OUTTA THERE!!!!! Stay tuned.......Tami.

  March Flash (Updated 3/22/99)

• I'll start off w/VB again. He's hangin' in there!! He's not really any better, but he's not any worse. Atta boy, VB!!
• Now...the girls on the Courtesan...BOY...are they good!!! They caught 4 blues and 2 sails yesterday!!! ALL ON 30# TEST!!!!!!!! Gwen Hahn, Joan Vernon & Diane Fiedler have really "stirred" things up around here!!! Joan had whitie up, for the personal SLAM, but just as whitie was about to take her bait, a dorado snagged it from him!!! Needless to say, I don't think Joan has ever enjoyed a dorado dinner as much as she did last night!!! YOU GO GIRLS!!!!!!!
• Now...the Exile....Here's a HOOLEE COW for ya: These guys were RED HOT yesterday!!! Anglers, Jeff Cohn, Ken Boettcher & Paul Bogaty were SMMMMMOKIN'!!!! They caught 5 blues, 1 white & a sail!!! The olllllll' GRAND SLAM!! Jeff recorded a 10 to 1 w/his estimated 400 pound blue on 30# test!!!!! They've got 2 more days to go!!!
• And no more "skunk" flags for the Gotcha!! They ended up w/a blue & 2 sails!! Whew! Stay tuned.........Tami.

  March Flash (Updated 3/21/99)

• Well, VB (Mr. Van Buren) must be thinking real hard about fishing! Check out what happened on the Bud Man yesterday: One of VB's mates, Mario Loria, went fishing w/Capt. Lee and they were having a rather slow day. All of the sudden, they get a bite! They don't see the fish, but they think it's a tuna. Mario's got his gaff ready and as he pulls up the fish, he sees that it's not a tuna at all, it's a SPEARFISH!!! AND IT'S GOT A TAG IN IT!! I'm sitting in my office hearing all this on the VHF radio. I run to the radio and ask Capt. Lee if the tag looks old or new. He wasn't able to determine how long it had been in the fish. I then shout, "it's probably one of VB's spearfish!! He caught 3 of them last week!" Low and behold, when Mario got back to the dock last night, he ran to the Anna Lee III to compare tag numbers and discovered that they HAD actually caught one of VB's spearfish!!! Can you believe it?! And Mario was the person who tagged the fish the first time too! Incredible!!! I've never heard about a spearfish tag recovery, much less a situation like this!! I've been praying so hard for VB to pull through, that yesterday's events really made me feel that there's definitely something rather "spiritual" going on around here! And it made me feel real good, too! Hang in there VB! The fish are even thinking of you!!! We ALL love you & want you well...QUICK!!
• Exile: Well, Henry Potts insisted on a "Grand Finale" and boy, did he have one! He caught 5 blue marlin and a whitie!! Yowza!! Have a safe trip home, Henry & Linda, & hurry back!!
• Courtesan: The girls were at it again!! They saw 5 blues & 4 sails. Caught 2 blues! Way to go, girls!!!!! No telling WHAT their "Grand Finale" will be!!!
• Dale Clavo: Jack Hanes, Randy Miller & Mike "Dale Clavo" Wilder saw nothing...all day... except for a "freaky" 20 minute CRUSH! They had 3 double headers of blue marlin and ended up with 2 of 'em! All in 20 minutes!! WOW!! I guess that proove's the ol' "gotta put your time in" theory!!!!! Stay tuned..Tami.

  March Flash (Updated 3/20/99)

• It's another.......HOOOLLEEEECOW report!!! Yesterday was INCREDIBLE!!
• Courtesan (wait 'til ya get a load of this!!): 5 blues, 2 whites & a sail!!!!! Anglers, Gwen Hahn, Joan Vernon & Diane Fiedler arrived Thursday night and brought "lady luck" with them!! Of course, this particular team CRUSHES just about everywhere they go!! You go, girls!! And after yesterday, I think they've decided that Venezuela's their favorite fishing hole!! Diane Fiedler ended up with a PERSONAL SLAM!! Gwen Hahn let a few marlin know who was boss!! One of Joan's blues weighed about 400 pounds!! She caught another blue (1 out of a double header!!) and during the fight, Capt. Dave decided that they needed to catch the other one first. A life jacket was brought out, to tie on to Joan's rod & reel (and fish!). When she saw the life jacket, she thought she was supposed to go in the water w/the rest of the gear, while they went after the other fish!! No, no, Joan...that's just to keep the gear a float while you retrieve the other marlin!! And they did just that!! They then returned to the life jacket, picked it up and Joan reeled in another nice blue marlin!!! Good job, girls!! You know what they say...women make the BEST anglers!! I happen to be a firm believer in that ol' saying!!
• Exile: Another PERSONAL SLAM for Henry Potts!!!! He caught 3 blues, a white & a sail!!
• Bud Man: Caught 3 blues & a white!! Angler's Eli Livnat and Seth Joseph had BIG smiles on their faces, as they arrived at the dock last night!! Who wouldn't, after a day like that?!
• Papo: Caught 2 blues & a 140 pound swordie
• I don't have a new report on Mr. Van Buren, yet. I made an announcement, on the VHF radio yesterday, for everybody to catch one for VB and all of the sudden....the sea turned into a FRENZY!! Everybody startied catching fish!!! Thanks, VB!! You've always had a way with marlin!!! You hang in there, hurry up & get well and we'll see you back here real soon!!

  March Flash (Updated 3/19/99)

• Headlines today concern Mr. Van Buren, owner of the Anna Lee III. He & Capt. Tommy Powell flew back to Virginia this past Monday. Here's the message I received from Tommy today: I am sorry to inform you that Bill had a nasty fall Tues. evening in front of his home that resulted in a haematoma to his brain that required extensive brain surgery . He is as of Fri. A.M. still in the critical care unit at a local hospital and is expected to be in the c.c.u. for several more days and most likely in the hospital for several more weeks. At this time only the immediate family may call or visit . Please for now send all concerns and well wishes in the form of E-mail to Annaleesf@aol.com and any cards to 101 Eaton St. Suite 101, Hampton,Va. 23669-4079. Bill"s daily condition will be updated with Tami @ www.bluemarlin.com {flash report}.
• Here's the fishing report from yesterday:
• Francesca: Left the dock @ 1:00 PM, changed their wheels, started fishing @ about 3:00 and ended up w/2 whites & a blue!
• Exile: 1 blue marlin
• Dale Clavo: 1 300 lb. swordie!!
• Bud Man: 0

  March Flash (Updated 3/18/99)

• Well...Things have slowed just a bit, but still pretty good fishing. Here's the scoop from yesterday:
• Courtesan: Saw 4 blues, had 2 bites and caught 1. Mickey Hayes & nephew, Shawn, ended up w/a nice blue marlin on their final day of this trip. Thanks & see ya next time, guys!!
• Papo: Saw 3 blues, had 1 bite & caught him!! They also got into a PILE of dorado!!! Everybody ate good last night!! Thanks, Jorge!!
• Exile: SANCOCHO!! I'm not sure what all they saw.
• Dale Clavo: Anglers, Brian Rowland, Peggy Gibson, Gregg Paley and Adam Smith had a slow morning, but a better afternoon! Adam caught his FIRST MARLIN!! A nice whitie!! Congratulations, Adam! They had 5 lookers and ended the day with a blue & a white!! Stay tuned...it's liable to go off again...any second!! Thanks for checkin' in...Tami.

  March Flash (Updated 3/17/99)

• HAPPY ST. PATTY'S DAY!!! Remember me telling you that the seas had calmed down yesterday? HA!! Didn't stay that way for long!! But here's who toughed it out and what they were rewarded with!! PS>>>> GREEN BEER FOR EVERYBODY!!!!!!!!! Wish you were here! Oh well...we'll TRY to have fun without you!!
• Papo: Saw 8 blues!! Caught 2
• Francesca III: Saw 3 blues & a white. Caught 2 blues.
• Amante: Saw 3 blues & 3 sails. Caught 1 sail.
• Exile: Saw 5 blues, 3 sails & 2 whites. Caught 1 sail.
• Courtesan: Saw 4 blues & 1 sail. Caught 4 dorado.

  March Flash (Updated 3/16/99)

• STILL SLAMMING!!! Yesterday was a little too rough at sea for some, but it paid off for those who were willing to "tough it out"!!
• Mickey Hayes and his nephew, Shawn, fished w/Capt Dave Noling & crew, on the Courtesan, yesterday and caught a GRAND SLAM!! Not bad for their first day out of the shoot & they've got 2 more to go!! Go get 'em, boys!
• Henr y Potts & the crew of the Exile weren't going to let rough waters get in their way either! They caught a GRAND SLAM too!! With an extra blue!! A personal for Henry!!
• The Francesca III battled through the waves and were rewarded with a nice blue marlin!! The seas have calmed down and things are looking good for everybody today. Good luck, everyone!! Stay tuned...Tami

  March Flash (Updated 3/15/99)

• WOW!! WOW!!! WOW!!!! STILL INCREDIBLE!! There's so much to report, I'm just going to give you the boat by boat run-down:
• Amante: SLAM!! Caught 2 blues, 1 sail and the olllll' spearfish (80 plus pounds)!!
• Francesca III: Caught 3 blues!!! (Saw 9!!)
• Papo: Caught 2 blues & 2 sails! (Saw 5 blues, 2 whites & 2 sails)
• Fine Lines: Caught 2 blues & a sail!
• Cool Runnings: Caught 2 blues!! (only fished 2 hours!)
• Anna Lee III: VB's still at it!! Caught ANOTHER SLAM!! 3 blues, a white & ANOTHER SPEARFISH!!!! Saw 4 blues, 4 whites & 1 SPEAR!!
• EXILE: Caught 4 blues & a white!!! Saw 8 blues, 2 sails & 1 white!!! Henry & Linda Potts had one hell of a first day & have several more to go!! GO!! GO!! GO!!
• Courtesan: 1 white & 1 sail. Saw 5 blues, 3 whites & 3 sails!!! Anglers, Ken Miller, Ron Lowe, Tony Cameron & Jerry Tedder have already made reservations to come back, same time next year!!! But we'll see you in November, this year, for the Fall crush!!! Happy trails, boys!!

  March Flash (Updated 3/14/99)

• WOW!!! STILL CRAZY DOWN HERE!! This is just about more than I can keep up with!! Lots of people here & lots of fish being caught!! Here's what went on yesterday....
• Dale Clavo: DOUBLE SLAM AND A SUPER SLAM!!!!!! 4 BLUES, 1 SAIL, 1 WHITE AND 2 SWORDFISH!!! Mike Wilder and Serafino Iocono took a day off from their jobs in Caracas to try their luck...and luck they had!! Congratulations, guys!!
• Exile: GRAND SLAM!!! 4 blues, a white & a sail!!! YOW!!
• Courtesan: A blue & a white!! They raised a few others, but....
• Everyone is so excited about the fishing here (especially me!!), that I wasn't able to get reports from all of them. But everybody's seeing tons of fish & having tons of fun!!! Try & get down here!! It's really goin' off!! Well...actually...it's just another AWESOME SPRING season in Venezuela!! Stay tuned...Tami.

  March Flash (Updated 3/12/99)

• SPEARFISH MANIA!!! AND A PERSONAL SLAM FOR "VB"!! That's right, Mr. Van Buran was the "Angler from Hell", yesterday!!!!! He caught 3 blues, 2 spearfish and...whitie, HIMSELF!!! I think we're changing his nickname to "Crush"!! They ended up 3 for 7 on blues, 1 for 1 on whites and...get this...3 for 4 on spearfish!! Wow! What a day for the Anna Lee III!! Yahoo!!!!!!
• Now...the Courtesan...Dr. Ken Miller & friends saw 7 blues...but...couldn't get 'em to bite! That's OK, guys...we're all very familiar with that "skunky" smell!! Sorry you had an "unlucky" day, but...now that you've got THAT out of the way.............GO GET 'EM!!!

  March Flash (Updated 3/11/99)

• STILL CRUSHING DOWN HERE!!!!!! The boys, from Virginia, had one hell of a Grand Finale on the Courtesan!! They ended up seeing 12 blues yesterday!!!! They got 6 bites out of 'em and caught 4!! They pulled the hooks on the other 2...right at the boat!! They caught a sailfish, too!! I have a feeling those boys will be back for more some day!! We hope so!!
• Mr. Van Buren got back in the game, boy did he!! You think he's gonna miss out on the incredible Spring bite? NO WAY!! He had Capt. Tommy Powell & crew fire up the Anna Lee III, yesterday morning, to go marlin hunting...and hunting they did!! They saw 10 blues!!! They had 8 eaters & caught 3!!! Way to go, VB!!! And welcome back!! Stay tuned.......Tami.

  March Flash (Updated 3/10/99)

• GRAND SLAM FOR THE COURTESAN!!!!! Man! We thought they'd be able to turn it into a Super Slam and maybe even a Fantasy Slam!! They had their Slam by 2:30 and...get this...it consisted of a white, a sail and a SPEARFISH (Brian Parker's first spear)!! All they needed was a blue for the Super & then a swordie to make the Fantasy!! They raised a blue that didn't bite & had another one up on the teaser that did the ol' "swing & a miss" on the pitch bait, faded back to a long bait and...went away!!! We were all pulling for them but they just didn't get to do it!! Maybe today!!! Who knows... those boys from Virginia are pretty lucky!! And...they've already got a blue this morning!!! Stay tuned...Tami.

  March Flash (Updated 3/9/99)

• Another GREAT day!!!!! Courtesan ended up 3 for 4 on blues (saw 5!), 0 for 2 on sails (saw 5!) and 0 for 1 on whites. Anglers, Andrew Kidwell, Sammy Flournoy and Brian Parker flew in from Virginia Sunday night (actually about 1:00 Mon. morning!), took a little nap, jumped on the Courtesan at 7:30 am. and ALL proceeded to catch their FIRST BLUE MARLIN!! Andrew wanted me to be sure & tell Bubba, "This blue's for you!". They were all grins, last night, as we watched their AWESOME video! Wait 'til ya see this, Bubba!! I think they wish all their buddies in Virginia could be here to share this great time they're having. Don't worry boys, I'm sure you'll hear allllllll about it!! (AND...they've got 2 more days!!!!)
• The Fine Lines is on a roll too!! They've only been here a couple of weeks and have done very well! They ended up 2 for 3 on blues (saw 5!) and 1 for 1 on whitie, yesterday!! Keep up the good work, boys!! Maybe we can talk the boss into letting you stay a little longer!!
• I didn't get reports from everybody, but they're all seeing 5 or more blues EVERY DAY!!! Stay tuned....Tami

  March Flash (Updated 3/8/99)

• I had a BLAST on the Courtesan, yesterday!!! We had a triple header of sails up, had 2 of 'em on and lost 'em both when they crossed each other's lines! Then...we sanchoed whitie! Then...we sanchoed a blue! Then...raised another blue that didn't bite! Then...luck finally came our way!!! We had a blue come up on the left teaser, then he went to the right, then I finally got him to bite my pitch bait and......FISH ON!!!!!!!!!! I handed the rod to my buddy, Shane Spravzoff, and he got to catch his FIRST BLUE MARLIN!!!! We baptised him at sea (right off the beach as we came in) and a memorable day was had by all, even though we sancochoed a SLAM!!! We sure had fun doing it, though!!
• The Exile had a great day! 3 for 4 on blues and 0 for 1 on the ol' spearfish!I
• The Gotcha caught 2 SLOB blues!! I'm not sure how many more they saw, but the 2 they caught were estimated to (both) be about 400 pounders!! YOW!! Stay tuned.....Tami.

  March Flash (Updated 3/7/99)

• This will be short, 'cause I'm about to jump on the Courtesan & go FISHIN'!!!!!
• Courtesan: 3 for 5 on blues and 0 for 2 on sails!!!!!!!!!
• Dale Clavo: GRAND SLAM!!!!! 1 for 2 on blues, 1 for 1 on sails & 1 for 1 on whitie!
• Exile: 0 for 3 on blues, 1 for 1 on whites and 0 for 1 on sails (saw 8 blues!!)
• Heldter Skeldter: They saw 9 blues, but I'm not sure how many they caught, but knowing them.....probably SEVERAL!!!
• Gotcha: I don't have a report on them yet, but I know they saw a bunch!
• Hopefully I'll have some luck today and I'll tell you allllllllll about it tomorrow!!.....stay tuned......Tami

  March Flash (Updated 3/6/99)

• Well.....IT'S RED HOT DOWN HERE!!!!!!!!!!
• Courtesan had a spectacular day yesterday!!!! They raised 9 blues, had 6 bites and caught 5!!! They were also 1 for 2 on sails! Anglers, Dave Lucas & Cabot Caldwell had their best day ever!! They were all smiles, last night, as we watched their spectacular video in the Slam Shack!! My buddy, Shane Spravzoff, is visiting us this week and sharing some of his "video expertice", and boy did he get some good stuff!! The entire cast of characters were absolute "poetry in motion", yesterday. Everyone clicked just right, with each other, and it really paid off!! They're all at it again, today! Keep up the good work, guys!!
• The Heldter Skeldter had an awesome day, too!! 4 for 7 on blues!!
• The Gotcha ended up 1 for 5 on blues and saw 7!
• The Exile went 1 for 5 on blues. I'm not sure how many more they saw, but I think EVERYBODY saw several, yesterday!!!! Stay tuned!!!!!! I get to go tomorrow!!! Wish me luck....Tami.

  March Flash (Updated 3/5/99)

• HOLEEEEEEE COW!!! I hope you're sitting down!!! Hold on to your seat and let me tell ya what went on yesterday!!!:
• Courtesan didn't get a bite until 3:30, saw 8 blues, had 3 eaters and caught 2!!! I'm tellin' ya....."Pepe", "Jr" and "Sr. Arroz" just remain.....INCREDIBLE!!! See ya next time, "Team Loco"!!
• Exile ended up 2 for 9 on blues, 0 for 1 on whites and 0 for 1 on sails!!! Mucho sancochos! Terry "Tortuga" Marmer's back and he took full responsibility for the sancocho of the Slam!! Integrity pays off, Tortuga, it's very good luck for the next time!!!
• Gotcha ended up 3 for 4 on blues and...get this...SAW 12 BLUE MARLIN!!!!!!!! You KNOW they're out there, again, today!!
• Heldter Skeldter spent the day world record fishing w/6# & 12# test, went 1 for 5 on whities and Karen Heldt caught him on 6 pound!!! They said he looked to weigh about 120 pounds, too!! Way to go (AGAIN!) Mrs. Heldt!!!!! Karen flew back to Texas, this morning, but Jimmy stayed here.......in search of another "record" day!!! Stay tuned....Tami.

  March Flash (Updated 3/4/99)

• SWORDIES! SWORDIES! SWORDIES!!!!!!! Remember the boats I told you about that were geared up for just sword fishing, yesterday? Well, everybody caught 'em!! Bud Man got one that weighed 291 pounds (Capt. Lee Alonzo's first, with him being the angler!!) Gotcha caught one that weighed 328 (a "whopper" of a first, for owner, Buddy Sholtz), Exile caught one too, but I didn't get the weight on their's. The Courtesan ended up 2 for 2 on blues, 0 for 2 on whites and also tagged & released a swordie that they estimated to weigh about 80 pounds. They had 3 different swordfish on, yesterday, and the one they caught was out of a DOUBLE HEADER! It was Lee "Jr." Lemmons' first one too!! Like I said, yesterday, these guys ALWAYS crush!!
• The Heldter Skeldter ended up 1 for 2 on blues and 3 for 9 on whites!! They're World Record fishing today, with 6 & 12 pound test!! GOOD LUCK, JIMMY & KAREN!!!
• Needless to say.....THINGS ARE VERY EXCITING down here!! COME ON DOWN!!! I've still got a 3 day gap right before the La Guaira Shootout Tournament (the 23rd-25th), so grab some shorts & t-shirts & let me know what time to pick you up at the airport!! Stay tuned......Tami.

  March Flash (Updated 3/3/99)

• GRAND SLAM FOR THE COURTESAN!!!!!!! Anglers, Glenn "Pepe" Macfadden, Lee "Jr." Lemons and Bobby Rice (Courtesan "regulars") ended up 1 for 1 on blues, 1 for 2 on whites and a nice swordfish yesterday!! Pepe's first swordie!! I think these guys have horse shoes up their ----s or something!! They always crush!! And...they're here for 2 more days!! GO GET 'EM!!
• The Exile ended up 1 for 2 on sails. They just fished a 1/2/day. Anglers Dave French & Jeff Jayne said they had a great time and plan to return with friends as soon as they can.
• I didn't get reports from everybody, last night, but the GIANT yellowfin tunas (200 plus lbs.!!) are thick offshore and we're experiencing "swordfish mania" too!!! Several boats had luck with all species yesterday, including a few "double header" swordies!! This isn't just a "night thing", anymore, either!! They catch swordies all day long down here!! Several boats left the dock at 7:00 this morning with nothing but squids & 80's for bait & tackle!! YOW!! Stay tuned.......Tami.

  March Flash (Updated 3/2/99)

• Yesterday's report goes a little something like this: Courtesan, with anglers Dave French & Jeff Jayne, ended up 1 for 3 on sails & caught 3 nice dorado.
• The Exile raised 5 blues!!! They got bites out of 4 of 'em but didn't have any luck getting their hooks to stay in! They also had 3 white marlin bites and had success w/1.
• The Fine Lines raised 3 blues and caught 2!! Nice goin', boys!
• The Heldter Skeldter ended up 1 for 1 on blues and 2 for 4 on whites. We thought they might catch 15 blues again, like they did on this very day last year. Maybe today!!
• The Dale Clavo left the dock around noon in search of swordfish. They had 3 SLOBS on, but didn't get 'em!! That'll get you heart rate up!! Stay tuned....Tami.

  February Flash (Updated 3/1/99)

• Sorry to be a little late! Here's what went on yesterday: The Courtesan raised 3 whites & a blue and caught 1 white. Hmmm.....
• The Bud Man finally got to fish yesterday. Anglers, Shawn Rhoden, Ed Kelly and Ken Braud had a great day! They ended up 1 for 1 on blues and 2 for 4 on whites. They also wanted me to be sure and mention to Mr. Jim Jacobi (who back ed of coming down at the last minute!!) that he missed out on the BEST DAY EVER!! That'll teach ya!
• The Heldter Skeldter had an interesting day! Jimmy Heldt's wife, Karen (a world record chaser) had the record blue marlin on 12# test and broke him off...right at the boat!! Damn! They figured it to weigh about 300 too! They did, however, successfully release 2 other blues but they weren't on the plush 12#!! They also caught a big fat spearfish that they estimated to be about 70 pounds! Needless to say, they had quite a day!
• I didn't get the full report from the Fine Lines but I DID see 2 white marlin flags flying from their outrigger, so I know they saw at least 2 whities!
• The Exile ended up with a blue. I didn't get their full "skinny" either. Anglers, Tom Ford, Lin Ford, Rick Barnes, Jimmy Wilson, Doug Frazer and Tommy Robinson are at it again today, though! Stay tuned........Tami.

  February Flash (Updated 2/28/99)

• Another good day of fishing in Venezuela!! Courtesan raised 5 whites & 2 blues. Anglers, Dave French and Jeff Jayne ended up w/a blue & a sail. They're out there again today to catch a bunch more!
• The Dale Clavo ended up with a blue & a sail. They had a bite out of a white (for the SLAM) but had the olllllllll' SANCOCHO!! Anglers Andy Chelini, Nick Berwell, Ralph Torres and Laurie Sherwood plan to return, as soon as possible, for another shot at a Slam. Andy "fessed up" to the sancocho on the white, Laurie took honors for the sail and they ALL accepted "atta boys" for the blue!! They had a great time! Hurry back, boys!!!!!
• The Exile, with Novelli & friends, ended up with a couple of whites! Good goin' guys!! They saw a couple more whites that didn't bite. Brent and his brother, Jordan, were looking for another "ride" last night (for today). The fishing's been so good (and expected to really go off any day) that any available boat is out there looking for the "mother load". I haven't seen Brent & Jordan yet this morning, so maybe they got lucky last night (and maybe they found a boat!). Stay tuned.........Tami

  February Flash (Updated 2/27/99)

• Remember the "boat loads" I told you about yesterday and how I hoped they'd all get a chance to do some cranking? Well, the ones aboard the Courtesan did!! They caught the "plush" GRAND SLAM!!!!!!! And 6 bonus dorado!! Here are the anglers that did it: Lin Ford, Tom Ford, Rick Barnes, Jimmy Wilson, Doug Frazer and Tommy Robinson (whew!). Way to go, guys!! They ended up 1 for 3 on whites, 1 for 3 on sails and 1 for 1 on blues! The blue marlin was right at the end of the day too, which is always the most exciting way to end (an already great!) day of fishing. They're taking a break today (I don't know how they can stand to after yesterday!) and will do 2 more days aboard the Exile, Sunday & Monday, because the Courtesan's booked with another group. I'll, of course, let you know how they do!
• The Heldter Skeldter raised 3 blues, got a bite out of 1 of 'em and missed him. These guys are coming up on their one year anniversary of catching...get this...15 blues in one day on March 1st of last year!!! Don't think that owner, Jimmy Heldt, wasn't going to be here again this year to defend his "Venezuelan Record" title!! Good luck, Jimmy!! The Courtesan was down with an engine problem (the day Heldter Skeldter crushed!) but finally got out ther on the 6th of March (with yours truly as an angler!!) and we caught 10 blues!!! I got to catch 5 of 'em myself!! How 'bout them apples!! Let's hope we get another chance to do that again this year!! I'm tellin' ya...Spring time's another BIG CRUSH in Venezuela! Get your butts down here!!!!!!!!!
• The Exile was the other boat with a "boat load". Amongst the "load" was Brent Novelli. You may have read about him in one of my previous reports. He's the president of Points (Paraplegics on International Nature Trips). They ended up 1 for 1 on whites. They're out there again today, so maybe they'll get in the "thick" of things! Capt. Luis Suarez usually does!!
• The Cool Runnings had an interesting day. They raised 2 blues & a sail, that didn't bite and also raised a SPEARFISH that DID BITE and they caught him! What a cool fish that is! Good job, guys!!
• The Fine Lines had a great day! They ended up 2 for 3 on blues and saw a couple more. One or the other blues they saw looked to be better than 1000 pounds!!! And after spending some time in Madeira, these guys recognize the "slob"!! Maybe she'll visit again today!! Stay tuned to find out and thanks for checking in.......Tami.

  February Flash (Updated 2/26/99)

• Alllllrighty then!! They're still snappin' pretty good. Here's what heppened yesterday: The Anna Lee III ended up 1 for 1 on blues and 2 for 2 on whites. Way to go (again!), VB!!! The Heldter Skeldter ended up with 2 whites & a sail, raised 2 more whites that didn't bite & caught 3 dorado. The Fine Lines ended up catching 9 dorado. Needless to say, we've all been eating really good!! The Courtesan and the Exile headed out this morning, after a few days off, so I'll be able to report on them tomorrow, as well. They've both got a "boat load" too!! Hopefully everybody will get a turn at crankin' one (or 2 or 3 or...) in!! Stay tuned....Tami.

  February Flash (Updated 2/25/99)

• Courtesan starts up again tomorrow but here's some other stuff that happened yesterday: The Anna Lee III caught 2 nice blue marlin!! Way to go, VB!! They also raised a couple of whites that didn't bite. The Heldter Skeldter caught the ol' spearfish!! They also missed a nice blue (of course ANY blue's a nice one!!), raised another one that didn't bite and caught 3 dorado! The fishing's definitely picking up & I'm sure it will be "red hot" again soon!! I just had 3 days open up in March, the 23-25th, so here's your chance to get down here & get in on the action!! Don't miss it!! Stay tuned....Tami.

  February Flash (Updated 2/24/99)

• The Courtesan didn't fish yesterday but I got some reports from other boats. The Anna Lee III had one white marlin bite and missed it. The Fine Lines raised 2 blue marlin that didn't bite and caught 5 nice dorado. The Heldter Skeldter raised a couple of nice blues too and said that one of them looked to be better than 600 pounds!!!! It sounds like the fish are slowly starting to get hungry again and coming up for a few nibbles! Let's hope they get real hungry soon!! Stay tuned......Tami

  February Flash (Updated 2/23/99)

• Well, wouldn't you know it, the day I finally get to go fishing, the fish were full!! The conditions were excellent, with tons of whales (I'll bet I saw 200!), birds, acres of bait and the weather was perfect! I guess the fish have just been eating so much the past few days that they just couldn't eat another bite! I had one shot at a blue (about 200 lbs.) and I did an excellent job (if I may say so myself) of MISSING IT!!!! Oh yes....it was one of the most "picture perfect" SANCOCHOS you've ever seen! Oh well...next time...yeah...next time. Allllrighty then, just remember what a difference a day can make! Stay tuned......Tami.

  February Flash (Updated 2/22/99)

• A great "grand finale" for Bob Higgins & friends yesterday!! They ended up 3 for 4 on the blues and saw another blue that didn't bite. Kathy & Capt. John were initiated in to the "My 1st Blue Marlin Club". We cut them a little slack & just threw them in the swimming pool behind the Slam Shack! Another great time was had by all and we look forward to their return.
• Thw Anna Lee III ended up 0 for 1 on blues, 1 for 1 on whites and 0 for 1 on sails.

  February Flash (Updated 2/21/99)

• The BIG BOYS are here too!! Kathy Musso, Bob Higgins & Capt. John Franck are stirring up the whoppers! Their 2nd day aboard the Courtesan just about wore them out! Their tongues were hanging out of their mouths as they made their way up to the the Slam Shack last night to tell me about the incredible day they had yesterday. They were 3 for 6 on blues, 0 for 1 on whites and 1 for 1 on sails. One of the blues they missed looked to be better than 500 pounds!! Bob won a battle with one that they estimated to be at least 400! Capt. John Franck caught his 1st blue marlin!! Congratulations, Big Skipper!! Kinda fun down in the pit, huh? They were also kind enough to bring us a little 30 lb. tuna for dinner too! It was yummie!!
• Now...just let me tell you about Mr. Van Buren on the Anna Lee III...these guys really crushed!! They released FIVE blue marlin yesterday!!! AND a white!! They were 5 for 6 on blues and1 for 4 on whites. VB had quite a "sheepish" grin on his face, as they pulled in to the dock with all his flags flying! He was really pumped! Way to go (once again) VB!!! Wow....stay tuned...this place is outta control!!!!!!!!!!!! I just can't take anymore of this "sitting at the dock" nonsense!! I'm gonna beg somebody to take ME fishing tomorrow! Wish me luck!!! Maybe I'll be able to tell you about all the fish I caught (MYSELF), for a change!!

  February Flash (Updated 2/19/99)

• Another great day! Frank & Jana Mugnola got a bit of a late start on their 3rd & final day of fishing aboard the Courtesan. After a little battle with the "bug", they departed the dock at about 1:00 in the afternoon, started fishing at about 2:00 and began another battle, this time with a blue marlin! At 2:20, Capt. Dave's right teaser let out a scream! A 150 lb. blue was tugging on it but soon convinced to go after the "plush" ballyhoo offering! Frank caught & released him pretty quick. Just when things calmed down, up popped the triple header of 2 whites & another blue! Frank & Jana had good luck w/the whities, but the blue got away. They ended the day with a score of 2 for 3 on whites & 1 for 2 on blues. Not bad for 3 hours of fishing! They both had a great time (how could you not?!) and are already planning their return trip!
• The crew of the Anna Lee III had a bit of a different story, that they weren't really wanting to tell me about, but did. They ended up 0 for 8 on the whites and 0 for 1 on the blues. They were seein' 'em, but they weren't having much luck catchin' 'em! That's OK, guys. We've all had days like that. And remember...there's no such thing as a bad day of fishing! You just have lucky days & "not so" lucky days. You'll get 'em next time, maybe today!! Thanks for checking in and...stay tuned! Tami.

  Housekeeping Note:

  Old Flash Reports are now maintained on a several separate pages. We don't want to deny anyone a chance to have their "15 minutes of fame", but this was getting out of control! See the links below to check out the earlier Flash Reports.

  February Flash (Updated 2/18/99)

• The Birthday Girl got another neat present yesterday...a nice blue marlin! Frank & Jana Mugnola's 2nd day on the Courtesan turned out to be another fun one. Jana had a pretty tough battle with a 250 lb. blue on 30# test!! She did a great job and was rewarded nicely with a successful tag & release. Frank ended up with a very energetic white marlin that put on quite a show , as well. We watched the video in the Slam Shack last night and enjoyed every minute of it. Both fish put on a spectacular show! They had 5 other white marlin bites, saw 2 more that didn't bite and just had the one blue marlin bite.
• The Anna Lee III did just what Mr. Van Buren said he was going to do...they stayed out there longer and caught fish!! VB (as I call him) ended up catching 2 nice blue marlin yesterday!! They had a total of 3 blue marlin bites and 2 white marlin bites. Way to go, VB!!! And watch out Mr. Blue Marlin...VB's out there again today!!!!!!! Stay tuned, Tami.

  February Flash (Updated 2/17/99)

• Wow!!! What a difference a day makes! Frank & Jana Mugnola flew in just in time to get in on (what I think is going to be) the beginning of a "doozie" of a Spring Season!! Jana celebrated her birthday fishing aboard the Courtesan yesterday and got a "dandy" of a birthday present!! They finished up the day 5 for 13 on white marlin, with Jana catching 3 of them herself! She had never attempted to hook her own fish, but had success w/her first attempt (then she got a lot of practice!). She's decided to extend the celebration over their next 2 days of fishing. Good luck, Birthday Girl!! The bitedidn't really turn on until late in the afternoon. The Anna Lee III called it a day a bit too soon, after seeing just 1 blue marlin before lines in at about 3:00. Mr. Van Buren informed me, this morning at breakfast, that they're planning to stay just a little bit longer today! (Good idea, VB!!!) The seas started out "glassy" calm, but breezed up just enough in the afternoon to stir up those crazy fish we all love to chase around! Stay tuned and don't forget to check our calendars for open days, I've still got the first weekend in March available!! Aero Postal supposedly has some cheap fares out of Miami. Several people have decided to come down and try their luck fishing and they're booking flights on Aero Postal. Check it out! More later....Tami.

  February Flash (Updated 2/15/99)

• The Courtesan had a bit of a slow day yesterday. Bubba and Lisa Yarborourg were visiting from Texas and ended up 1 for 2 on white marlin. Sea conditions remain good, water temperature is almost back to normal and the weather has calmed and warmed up. The Gotcha ( a visiting boat from Galveston, Texas) had a good day yesterday. Capt. Mike Canino and boat owner, Buddy Scholtz, released 2 blues and a white. Buddy said that one of the blues they released appeared to only weigh about 30 pounds (see ya, little buddy!). All the action seemed to be early yesterday, which amounted to a slow afternoon. Courtesan starts up again on Tuesday, so stay tuned for my next report. I hope it's a big one! Thanks, Tami.

  February Flash (Updated 2/14/99)

• Well, first of all.....HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!!! Yesterday ended up being a great final day for the Dave Cochrane group, fishing aboard the Courtesan. Dave and his friends, Barry Steinberg and Brian Mulhall, finished up their 4 day trip with a GRAND SLAM!! And they did it in a very unique way, that not very many people can "claim fame" to. Their Slam consisted of 1 blue, 2 whites and, get this, a spearfish!! They're not quite sure, but they think they had a triple header of spearfish on at the same time (Speedy thinks there were 4)!! Barry was determined to use his spinning rod and finally got to by catching a pretty big white marlin on it, that they estimated weighing about 65 pounds! They ended up with a total of 3 blues, 3 whites and 1 spearfish, for their 4 days of fishing. They saw several more whites yesterday, but never saw any sails. Way to go, gentlemen, and we'll see you next time!!! Stay tuned...Courtesan's out there again today!! Seeeeeee ya, Tami.

  February Flash (Updated 2/12/99 8:00 AM)

• OK...Courtesan ended up catching 2 blues yesterday...not 3. I guess I was so excited about the big change in conditions, that I misunderstood them on the radio. I'll just have to start being a little more patient & wait for the final report when the boats gets in! They saw a total of 5 blues, had 2 eaters & caught both of them. Big schools of giant yellowfin tuna popped up about once every hour. Sea conditions remained good throughout the day and were still that way this morning as they headed out to try their luck. Check back later, Tami.

  February Flash (Updated 2/12/99)

• Well, I couldn't wait 'til Monday to report!! The fishing has really turned on today. Weather is back to normal, water temperature is quite a bit warmer, winds have died down and sea conditions are great! The Courtesan had already seen 5 blues by 11:00 this AM, caught 3. YEEHA!!!! The afternoon bite should be incredible!!!! I'll let you know. Stay tuned, Tami

  February Flash (Updated 2/9/99)

• It's getting better!! I finally got to go fishing yesterday!! The crew of the Courtesan invited me along on a "crew's day out" and I got to catch a nice blue marlin that weighed about 150 pounds. He put on quite a show. We had another friend on board, Virgil Russell (visiting from New Orleans), who had his own battle with a blue marlin weighing about 275! We got a spectacular show out him, as well (oh, the marlin did some cool stuff too!). We didn't start marking bait or seeing any birds until about 2:00 in the afternoon. The Courtesan fished on Sunday, as well, and saw 5 blues, 4 whites & 2 sails. Guest angler, Richard Chester of the Cool Runnings (55' Viking docked at our marina), released a nice blue weighing about 200 pounds.
• I spoke with Capt. Dave this morning and he informed me that out of the 11 days the Courtesan has fished so far this year (since January 1), they've released 24 whites, 8 blues, 3 sails and 1 swordfish. Not bad, guys! We have several groups coming down to try their luck starting tomorrow, so stay tuned! I plan to have LOTS to report!! See you next week...Tami PS>>>please make note of the first weekend of March in our 1999 Charter Calendar. It just became available and we still have some days open in April and May. If you like to catch blue marlin...let us know when to pick you up at the airport!!!

  February Flash (Updated 2/1/99)

• Fishing's still kind of "medium", for Venezuela anyway! Capt. Dave and crew entertained the Virgilio Pagan group Super Bowl weekend and caught 2 blues, 4 whites and a nice swordfish. Sunday ended with a bang. They hadn't seen a fish all day and at about 2:00 (through the wind, rain & cold!) the sun came out, the wind stopped blowing and the fish started biting! They raised 4 blues (2 biters-1 sancocho), 1 sail (sancocho!) and 5 whites (4 biters-3 sancochos). After catching a blue & a white, they dropped down for the 'ol swordie at about 4:00. Just as they were about to call it a day ( at 4:55), the balloon began to move (after the white marlin finished finning all over it!). They began to reel up tight and realized that the line was going IN to the current, off the bow! FISH ON!!!!!!!! The 179 pound swordie gave the Courtesan crew "Grand Slam" honors to finish up the weekend. Stay tuned for more exciting fish news!!!
• Scott Zublin, his brother, Paul Germeroth and friend, Bill Meixner were also here this weekend fishing aboard the Dale Clavo. They didn't manage to catch a billfish but they DID have a great time (Scott ALWAYS has a great time! He's a pro!). They did, however, catch some nice dorado and fed the multitudes that gathered for the big Super Bowl parties we had at Club Sancocho and the Slam Shack!

  January Flash (Updated 1/29/99)

• The fishing has been a bit slower this week (1 or 2 blues a day instead of 3 or 4!!). The Heldter Skeldter caught a Grand Slam on Wednesday. They had even more excitement Thursday as Galveston's own Brent Novelli captured his first blue marlin! Brent is the President of POINT (Paraplegics on Independent Nature Trips). One of his (many accomplished) goals was to catch a blue marlin, which he managed to do quite quickly! He won a short 5 minute battle with a 175 pound blue and later caught a nice sailfish! Both fish were successfully released, thanks to yacht owner and professional wireman Jimmy Heldt! Brent performed his own initiation in to the "Blue Marlin Club" by wheeling himself down the ramp of our Slam Shack Bar, right in to the swimming pool!! The man is truly fearless! Congratulations, Brent!!
• We're baaaaaaaack!! Thanks for your patience! We had a great vacation! A belated Happy New Year to all of you!

  Well, the crew of the "Courtesan" did it again! Capt. Dave Noling won the IGFA Atlantic Ocean Captain of the Year Award for the third year in a row! He placed 1st in the Blue Marlin division, 2nd in the White Marlin and Sailfish divisions. Many thanks to his mates, Cesar Peinate, Luis "Speedy" Mata, Alberto Sanchez and to all of our 1998 anglers for making this great accomplishment possible (again!). Congratulations, Dave (and crew)!

  The "Courtesan" was at it again on the 21st of January and raised 25 billfish, had 20 bites and ended up releasing 8 whites & a blue! Not a bad "practice" day to gear up for the upcoming season! The "Bud Man", "Sharky's Revenge", "Gotcha", "Amante", "Cool Runnings" and the "Anna Lee III" have had their share of "battles" as well. They've all been seeing & releasing a good number of blues, whites and sails. Venezuela just continues to prove what a fantastic fishery it really is. The "Bud Man" was the only boat able to get up early New Years day and try their luck. They ended up releasing 4 blue marlin! I think the "Budweiser Teaser" must have had a little something to do with their luck that day! No comment from the crew. They still think it's a big secret!

  We still have a few days available this Spring for bookings but they're going fast. It's predicted to be quite a "fishy" one. Get your calendars out, pick your days & let's go fishing!

  • Old Flash Reports Index
  • An overview of Marina Portofino
  • Important information for visiting vessels and crews is now available at Port Entry Procedures
  • A brief "How-To" for Owners and Captains regarding Legal Charters in Venezuela
  • Read or Download our Dockage Contract and Yacht Registration Form
  • QCA (Questions Captains Ask) (A list of FAQs by and for Captains)
  • FAQs of General Interest about fishing conditions, accommodations, travel, etc.

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  Revised 20 February, 2002

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