THE SHORT REPORT - ST. THOMAS

10/09/2009 - St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands Prime Time Butch caught the only blue marlin of the day and Revenge finished out with a white marlin. Here are the fairly close numbers for this 16 day reporting period. 132 blue marlin released out of the 265 fish that bit. 42 in the teasers that didn't switch. Plus 3 sailfish and 3 whites released - 1 white missed. 141 boat days (averaged 9 boats a day fishing). Not a bad Oct. Moon Period after all.

10/08/2009 - St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands Guess it's back to where'd they go? The fishing shut down today and the high boat was Marlin Prince going 1/1. Smiling Judge Joe Schmenk of Defiance, Ohio is shown here after taking the traditonal plunge for catching his first blue marlin. Fleet report: 0/0+1 Prime Time, My Three Sons 0/0, Revenge 0/0 (Sam fishes a half day tomorrow) and Click Through was 0/0.

It was a good day aboard Therapy for catching snappers! Showing off their carving skills at the cutting table are none other than Stewart Loveland, Ray Walters and Randy Zimmermen.

10/07/2009 - St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands They bit today! Sam Jenning's Revenge released 4 of their five bites and they saw another fish in the teasers. Sam is now just 4 shy of 100 blue marlin for the season and he will be fishing until Friday. Marlin Prince was 2/4 and they too shut down Friday as the boat is going to be repowered with QSM11's. Reel Excuse Ron (JR) released 1 blue and 1 sailfish (done for the season). Prime Time Butch was 2 for 4 (one around 500 lbs. and the other a 200 pounder). They placed a 10 day pop up satelite tag in the smaller fish which was pretty tired. Click Through was 1/4+1. Fleet of 5 boats saw 20 blue marlin and released 10 + a sailfish.

10/06/2009 - St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands The die hards are still going... Sam on the Revenge released 2 more today. He is 8 short of 100 for the season and will be fishing until Friday. Capt. Mike said the boat is 116 for the summer. Also today... Marlin Prince 0/0, No Excuse 1/1 (they've have a great batting average going over this week), Reel Excuse 0/0, Gulf Rascal missed 1 white and had something else on acording to Capt. Billy. B-Dock is quiet except for Cangri of PR who was 0/0 today. Butch on Prime Time said it's getting lonely on "C" dock, he was 1/3 today on blue marlin. Click Through was 1/2, they've been seeing quite a few fish and are getting the "pitch" dialed in. So, 8 fish seen by 8 boats, 4 released by the fleet. Bobby Brown on Cutnail is waiting for the storm to our southeast to pass and he's out of here. Amirita, J.A.C.S. and Loaner left today.

10/05/2009 - St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands Here's today's scoop - My Three Sons 0/1, Marlin Prince 1/2, Gulf Rascal 0/0, Therapy 0/0, No Excuse 1/1, Revenge 0/0 , Cangri a mystery bite, Prime Time Butch 0/0, Click Through 0/4. Nine boats saw eight blue marlin, released 2. Angry Scot left today for boatwork in PR and will then head to Aruba before Panama. Amirita heads home tomorrow - we wish a safe trip to all in their travels. We'll be reporting as long as those left (10 or so boats) are fishing.

10/04/2009 - St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands Fewer boats went today. The big question on the dock is where'd they go? Capt. Ray and his guests on Therapy (family with kids) were entertained by a whale shark throughout the day, the kids were catching small tunas while circling around it. The moon is full tonight, the bait is out there, the fishing should be good... where'd they go? The fleet report: Revenge 1/3, Cutnail 0/1, Reel Excuse 1 sailfish and an 85 lb. yellowfin. Mojito 0/0+1 (one in the teasers), Prime Time Butch with Steve Shelhorn 0/2+2 and Therapy 0/1. Amirita with a bunch of visiting St. Croix fishermen (photo) onboard went 1/3. The total was thirteen blue marlin and a sailfish seen by 7 boats. Two blues and one sailfish released.

10/03/2009 - St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands Today was slow on the North Drop. High boat was Marlin Prince going 2/2. Next best was Reel Excuse with 1 white and 1/2 blues. Angler Mike O'Brien of Hollywood, Fla. caught his first blue yesterday - he is now has 2 blues and a white under his belt. 50/50 was 0/1, Mojito 1/1, No Excuse 0/1, Revenge 1/1, Chach 1/2+1 (Michele Shiel of Jersey/St. Thomas in photos caught her first), Lady V 0/1, Loaner 0/1, Click Through 0/0, Prime Time PR 1/1, Prime Time Butch "not a damn thing", OTR (St. Croix) 1/1, Amirita 0/0.

Capt. Flash on Loaner will be headed back to Fla. tomorrow... things are winding down. We'll keep the reports going as long as the boats are fishing this moon period. 15 fish raised by 14 boats, 8 releases.

10/02/2009 - St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands We're spoiled because we'll call today a slow day and yet the 17 boats raised 28 blue marlin! They released 11 fish... that's the slow part. The bite went like this: Mojito 1/2, Revenge 2/2, Reel Excuse 1/4 (guest angler in photo left caught 1st. blue marlin). Marlin Prince 0/1, No Excuse 2/2, 50/50 0/1, Andy 0/0 (back in early), Prime Time Pr 2/2+1, Prime Time Butch 1/2 (Scott Kerrigan finally got a good shot), Click Throught 0/0 (explored the Anegada area), Loaner 0/2+1 (Doc Gibson riding with Flash), Cutnail 1/1, Sound Machine 1/2, Therapy 0/1, Predator 0/1, Lady V 0/0+1, Give it Away 0/2.

Amirita dropped a rigger in the water today... fitting let go and luckily there was little damage. Photo shows Capt. Kenny demonstrating why the good captains make the big bucks! J.A.C.S. didn't fish, they have one more day of fishing before heading home. Prime Time Butch is soon headed to Aruba for the winter and No Excuse will be off to Panama when the weather is right. Reel Tight is loaded up and the boys of summer are headed home (Fla.) tomorrow.

10/01/2009 - St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands Plenty of fish and boats out there! A bunch of our Puerto Rican friends are over for the moon and the whole fleet is seeing! There are many reports of a "soft" bite or fish just eyeballing the baits and not being agressive. Here is the report: Marlin Prince 1/1, No Excuse 2/2, Revenge 1/1, Reel Excuse 1/2 +3, 50/50 0/1, Sound Machine 0/1, Therapy 0/1, Lady V 1/1+1, Reel Tight 2/4, Andy 0/2 (welcome Bonnie our neighbour from St. Croix), Freedom 2/2+3, Give it Away 0/1 +2, Prime Time Butch 2/2, Amirita 2/4 +2, Click Through 1/2, Loaner 0/0, J.A.C.S. 0/1, Prime Time PR 2/7 +1. We missed the report on Cutnail.

Other dock news... Today we said our sad goodbyes to our friend and long time ABMT team member Herbie Lockhart III (Nov. 10, 1950/Sept. 22, 2009). Herbie was many years (25+) involved with the Boy Scout Tournament. He would faithfully be there to set up the tents, stage, sound system, tables etc. and he was actively involved in many other service organizations in our community. We salute you Herbie! Also learned that Reel Tight fished it's last day of the season today. They had a really productive summer of fishing and Jimmy Lambert said he'll be sending the boat back next year. Eric will be getting home in time for the arrival of his new son. Means there will be another dock rat terrorising the snappers in just a few years! The Freedom and Chach gang flew out today and the good news is they are leaving both boats here for the November Moon. Capt. Albert tonight mentioned that he's stoked with his Oct Moon experiences, said he's seeing whale sharks, pilot whales and today he saw a giant manta on the surface. Must have been 20 boats on the edge today, the Virgin Islands fishing season is getting longer and longer!

09/30/2009 - St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands We wrap up the month of September on a good note with Capt. Bobby Brown's Cutnail going 4 for 6 today. They caught one out of a triple header and Capt. Mikey Deighan here demonstrates how he caught his IGFA legal with a bent butt sitting on a bucket. The fleet saw quite a few fish but the catching was off a bit. Here we go: Sound Machine 2/4 (back to the dock by 2:30), Freedom 1/1 +4 and a sailfish, Papo 2/4+1, Prime Time 2/7, Click Through 1/1, J.A.C.S. 0/1, Amirita 0/2, Reel Tight 3/6+1, Bandolera 0/1, Peje 1/2 and Therapy 0/2.

Angry Scot is loaded up and is about to head to the Pacific and Sam on Revenge will join the fleet in the morning. There are reports of plenty of bait out there and that may be having an effect on the bite. Still there was 43 blue marlin and 1 sailfish seen today by 12 boats! No worries...Sam will whip everyone into shape!

09/29/2009 - St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands The boys on the Reel Tight are sticking with yesterday's estimate of 650 lbs. Pete caught the fish on 80lb. test on a 50 Shimano and regardless of everyone's guess on the size... it was a nice fish! Today the dust storm lifted and it was a beautiful calm day. Capt. Albert on Freedom reported seeing acres of bait frothing on the surface and a whale shark in the middle of it all. High boat was Therapy going 3 for 3 on the blue marlin. Prime Time 0/1+1, Chach 0/0+1, Freedom 1/1, Reel Tight 0/3, Pepe's Amirita 1/1 and Peje was 0/0+2 and a bunch of queen snappers. Cutnail 1/1 and Raul's Sound Machine 0/1+1. Tomorrow Scott Kerrigan will be taking photos as the guest of Matt Daniels on J.A.C.S. and Sam Jennings and Ron on Reel Excuse arrive St. Thomas to start fishing Thursday. Also going tomorrow will be the Bandolera and Papo of PR. Welcome everyone and good luck tomorrow!

09/28/2009 - St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands The dust storm arrived and the fishing slowed. You could hardly see St. John from St. Thomas. Again the top boat was Mojito with Jose Valdes Jr. going 4/5+1. The bite may have slowed a bit today, but ten fish for Team Mojito in two days is respectable blue marlin fishing! Sound Machine was 0/1, Peje 0/3 in the morning and they deep dropped the afternoon, Chach 2/2+3, Cutnail (with Scott Kerrigan flying in for photos) was 0/1, Freedom 0/1+2 in the teasers, Click Through 0/3 and and Reel Tight 2/5 + a sailfish. Still... 26 blue marlin and a sailfish were seen by just 8 boats!

Tues. 9/29 7 a.m. add on report: The photos of nice blue marlin caught by Pete Boinis yesterday aboard Reel Tight came in to us overnight. They are out fishing this morning and just spoke to Capt. Eddie (7 a.m. already in the short saddle) and he estimated the fish at 650-700 lbs. Click on photos, we'd be willing to give the big gal a few more pounds! What's your guess?

09/27/2009 - St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands - Today it was Mojito on top of the heap. Jose Jr. and his trusty crew of Aileen and Tito backed into their slip flying 6 flags. They had 8 bites and 1 looker. In the slip next to them was Sound Machine going 2/3 + 2. Sharky's only fished a half day and they were 0/5+1. Marlin Prince Fred was 1/2, Damon on Chach 4/8 and Freedom was 1/white+4 blues in the teasers. Fish Izzle was 1/3+1 and Click Through 1/?.

There are plenty of fish out there and Reel Tight Jimmy Lambert will be going tomorrow with guest Pete Boinis of Ship's Cafe fame. They will share many memories as Pete was a good friend of Jim Lambert Sr.

Carlos Garcia on Peje will also start up tomorrow and Sam on Revenge and several other boats will be jumping in soon. Contender weather out there - bet on more good reports in the coming days! We heard (unconfirmed by Rick) that Alina won the Venezuela event.

09/26/2009 - St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands - Fun night tonight getting the catch reports. Good fishing today plus two highlights! One was in learning that Dominic Lacombe Jr. is here and is celebrating his 28th birthday while fishing with his dad aboard the Freedom. They were 3/6+1 and that's a pretty good birthday to remember! The other highlight of the night came from "D" dock when we stumbled across Double Pride of Puerto Rico with three flags a flying. They were showing off two from today and one from yesterday. We inquired and had the pleasure of meeting Gustavo Rafols, age 11. We found out that young Gustavo caught his first and second blue marlin today... and we must say we are very sorry for screwing up his shot! Several other Puerto Rican boats are also here for the weekend and most will be headed back tomorrow after a half day of fishing. We asked the boys on a 28' Rampage what they saw today... the reply was "we caught 10 barracuda and we missed a blue." The fleet totals: Chach 3/4+3, Freedom 3/6+1, Sound Machine 0/2, Cutnail 3/5, Marlin Prince 2/3 +2 (back at dock at 5 p.m.), Mojito 2/5, Prime Time 3/6, Biopsia 2/3 and Reel Tight 2 for 4. Click Through from Pensacola (Capt. Matt Maudwin) said they were 0 for a bunch and Fishizzle was 1/1.

We also overheard a telephone conversation from Venezueala. Unconfirmed (please note that) there are 15 boats in Rick's tournament. They reported 19 fish today (first of a two day event) and Eric Mansur of Aruba on Alina was out in front with a blue, a white and a sailfish. Check Rick's site for possible stats at go there

09/25/2009 - St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands Not unexpected... the blue marlin are biting! Today there were six boats fishing the North Drop. The high boat was Terry's Cutnail going 5/7. Sharky's Rob was 2/6, Dom on Freedom went 2/10 using slippery hooks, Damon on Chach racked up 3 more, seeing 6 +1 and Producer was 4/9. Capt Rob said he's seen 8 doubles in the past two days and they are now at 11/25 in four days.

Arriving tonight from Puerto Rico was the Sound Machine. We welcomed owner Raul Rodriquez, his son Noah and friend Guillermo, mate "Sugar" and none other than Capt. Mike Latham of Latham Cams! This was a flash from the past... because Mikey caught many a world record aboard Sound Machine (early ninties) while mating for Capt. Skip Smith and then owners Dick and Marg Love. This famous 48' G&S travels backwards faster than many boats go forward!!

The weather is beautiful, the ocean is flat... stay tuned for a week of great reports!

09/23/2009 - St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands Ok... a little preview of things to come on the short report. Capt. Bobby Brown reported tonight that Rob on the Producer saw six or seven blue marlin today. Stay Tuned!