Register Now

**captscott** · 02-25-2009, 09:05 PM

I love to see the flying mako's.this is the 3rd one caught on film...yesterday while filming Big Fish TV offshore show Host CT Williams was fighting a tuna when camera panned over across the bow to catch some video of an est 600# mako hooked by Eddie Burger's boat ..pic taken from still frame shows Capt Hunter Caballaro ducking as the mako leaps 10 feet from the bow and down the side of his 32 twin vee cat..the fish would later release itself..

**Cutter** · 02-25-2009, 09:12 PM

Wow, nice photo. That is a hawg of a mako!

**fishtruck** · 02-26-2009, 01:02 AM

I am sorry but we need to kill that Mako, it eats way tooooooooooooooooo much. We are heading over at the end of the week and now I am going to rig up a big ol plate of Kick arse, with a 14/0 Hays hook, SS 20ft leader, and 20ft 600lb mono, gonna be a long wire. Big ol slab of BFT and a pink balloon all tied up nice and neat to a 50W Avet. Lets get this Lump season started off with a bang.
Rob C

**Michael Shindle** · 02-26-2009, 01:47 PM

What a beautiful photo of such an awesome fish! Very nice. Too bad to read a post like fishtruck's though. How are we going to educate our future fishermen with such outdated thinking. Tuna belong to the mako more than they ''belong'' to us. Appreciate all species. I hope we aren't the only ones on the gulf that tag and release these beautiful critters. It is very satisfyng to see them swim off after a great battle. Once again, super sweeeeet pic!

**fishtruck** · 02-26-2009, 02:30 PM

I know, I know. I am sure I would not be able to kill such a impressive creature, but that that thing sure can go through a few tuna a day. Isn't it up to the survival of the fittest as to the who deserves the tuna most?

J/K I have only caught one Mako around 120lbs on a trolled lure out of Montauk(sp), that was one hell of a bite, thought it was a bill fish, and I did release it. Have y'all really been tagging them? that has to be one stiff tag dart!

You are correct on the conservation point, thanks for standing up for there rights, glad to have people correct me when I am wrong.

Rob C

**Michael Shindle** · 02-26-2009, 04:55 PM

Thank you fishtruck for your admirable reply. Hats off to you. Yes we have been tagging them for six seasons now. A basic anodized Aftco tag stick works just fine with the NMFS shark tags. I have only had one tag failure and that was last month when I stuck a male in the #200 range. A perfect stick boatside, or so I thought untill I noticed the tag smashed flat on the tip of the tagstick! HA! The toughest part is to get them to behave long enough to get the tag in. Rather than use an extremely long leader, we use heavy cable between 10-12 feet to a single 14/0 non-stainless barbless J-hook. This leader is attached to our wind/on via one heavy duty swivel. A short leader is much safer boatside when trying to tag and/or release a mako. Most fish will come to the boat early in a fight to see whats going on as they are fearless. You may get lucky and get a tag in, but be careful as this fish is just checking you out and the fight ain't over! Though each fish is different, generally, as long as the boat is kept in forward motion, the fish can be brought along side w/o spooking. Let the fish pick the side, though we generally prefer starboard. The angler moves toward the bow, the wireman gets ahold of the swivel and leader (NEVER A WRAP ON A MAKO), and the tagger sneaks in to insert the tag. Usually the fish responds with another run, so make sure the angler is ready for this (drag# etc). The fish can then be brought back alongside when the time is right for the release via cable cutters. It is nearly impossible and extremely dangerous to try and remove the hook at boatside. That is why we now use the barbless single hook in hopes of reducing mortality. I forgot to mention that it is important to not let the mako run too long on the pickup tp prevent it from swallowing the hook. This takes practice, but makos are so fearless that you will often get a second chance, even after a jump or two. They can't believe someone took their meal away! If you do not have a well versed and seasoned crew as we do, then try this rig. Use heavy mono (400+) instead of cable down to another heavy swivel and then a 3' lenght of heavy single strand and then a single hook. This rig is much easier to cut than the cable for a novice crew. Straight heavy mono to a hook can often still allow for the jumps and a decent fight before she frees herself. You are correct about the bait fishtruck. A whole fillet of bft, bonita,or jackfish makes a great bait and is easily inhaled. Live bluefish and bluerunners work well too. I have seen some bad advice given on this forum recently regarding how to catch a mako, the worst being to fish for them at night. This is foolish for many reasons. If you lose your angler or wireman overboard at night in coldwinter waters it is going to end badly. Know when to call it a day this time of year. Give these awesome fish the respect they deserve, and you will be rewarded with the most impressive fishing memories! Our biggest tagged mako so far was an impressive est 650# female in 2003...according to NMFS the biggest mako tagged an released in the GOM last time I heard. I hope one of you can beat it...Michael

**captscott** · 02-26-2009, 09:53 PM

unless you have serious mercury deficiency there is no need to kill one that big for eats..anything under 250# is fair game in my book..a 720 was killed the same day this one went free..we released the monsters and most times unintentionally before we can snap a good boatside pic..thought you all would enjoy this pic..

**SEA PRO 210** · 02-26-2009, 11:10 PM

Hey Brousin Scotty! When is that episode going to air? Evan

**SSNJOHN** · 02-27-2009, 10:15 AM

Scott,

Just for reference, how long is a ~ 250 lb Mako?

We had one this summer that was identified as a billfish until it was really close. Amazing fish.

SSNJOHN

Quote:

Originally Posted by captscott

unless you have serious mercury deficiency there is no need to kill one that big for eats..anything under 250# is fair game in my book..a 720 was killed the same day this one went free..we released the monsters and most times unintentionally before we can snap a good boatside pic..thought you all would enjoy this pic..

**SEA PRO 210** · 02-27-2009, 01:36 PM

Hey John, not to answer for Scott but we "caught" a Mako with him a few years ago that weighed 285 lbs gutted and was 102" nose to fork. Scott earned his Mako badge that day for sure. I included a link to an article and pictures of that fish for reference...Evan........... FYI.... Don't ever gaff a "green" Mako.

http://www.rodnreel.com/articles/art...ew&StoryID=555

Register Now

Log-in