Captain Dave and crew  

Thanks for a great morning of fishing. It was a great experience that myself and my son will never forget.  

Casey thanks for taking the the photos, the guys at work didn’t believe that I reeled it in until they seen these pictures.  

Thanks again   Shawn S.

Ft Lauderdale Spring Fishing Report - April 2010

Fishing in Fort Lauderdale during the month of April is always action packed. The Barracuda are stealth inshore, the shipwrecks are full of fish and the Game Shark bite is solid if bait is presented properly. How could you go wrong?

Florida experienced a record-breaking winter and man, are we glad to welcome the warm weather!  The sunshine is now consistent along with the 80-degree afternoons we missed so much. The seas didn’t necessarily agree with us for the first few weeks in April, but we’ve seen a big change and calmer seas as the days go by. The Atlantic Sailfish stuck around for a majority of April, but the bite has slowed down considerably. We’ll just have to wait until the season kicks off for that satisfying slap out the of rigger.

Game Sharks have officially moved on in. February to June is prime time to go big game Shark fishing in Ft Lauderdale, Florida. Hammerhead Sharks, Mako Sharks, Tiger Sharks and Thresher Sharks are just some of the biggest fish caught off the east coast and Fort Lauderdale comes in at #1 for the bite. Head offshore to 300 ft of deep blue water, drop a fresh, bloody Kingfish head on the bottom and your chances of tugging on one of these bad boys is likely. With the Lady Pamela II new and improved suspended fighting chair, you won’t be disappointed during the fight. Just imagine, fighting a fish as big as you within feet from your feet. Once hooked, average encounters last more than an hour, leaving you with a very soar arm after a stellar catch. Game Sharks offer the ultimate offshore challenge. This month, we’ve gotten up close and personal with a handful of Hammerhead Game Sharks; they are by far one of the coolest fish in the ocean.

The shipwrecks are always active in the springtime. Amberjacks, members of the Jack family, are predominantly found in Florida. Amberjack fish are known to be voracious predators that forge over reefs and wrecks in small groups. AJ’s, sometimes called by locals, are powerful fish and seem to know what to do when you least expect it, like run straight into their favorite territory, a wreck. The Amberjack is no doubt a powerful fish; not so much a fast, long distance runner, but more like a powerful short sprinter who runs straight down before heading into cover; they guarantee a fight.

Surprisingly, the Cobias haven’t been hitting as nicely as we’d like. The wacky weather we’ve dealt with, the fish are dealing with as well. The Lady Pamela II has landed a few nice Cobias this month and hopefully the bite improves. I’ve heard of scattered Cobia schools, but they haven’t moved into Fort Lauderdale as of yet. Talk about good eats, Cobia is one of the tastiest fish in the ocean and we look forward to the bite.

Between 200 ft and 500 ft of water, the Wahoo are feeding on blue spoons with pink/white seawitches and fresh bonito strips. Wahoo fish are best known to sport fishermen for their speed and high-quality flesh. They are handsome looking fish with their razor sharp teeth and are one of Florida’s prize game fish.

The Mahi - Mahi have been hit or miss lately. One day you’re heading back to the dock with a 30 lb’er and a few smaller ones to fill the cooler, the next day there isn’t a Dolphin fish in site. Generally, by the beginning of April, the Mahi have popped in and by the end of April their swimming in herds offshore. We are expecting the bite to pick up any day now. We are all craving fresh Dolphin.

Lately, the wind has been blowing out of the west in Fort Lauderdale. With that said, Swordfishing conditions have been far from perfect. However, on April 20^th, the winds were considerate enough to turn around and allow for a comfortable Nighttime Swordfishing charter. The bite was almost instant. As soon as the sun settled and the squid hit the water, the fish turned on. We got our Swordfishing fix with four nice Broadbill’s in the cockpit and we were back at the dock by 1:30 AM; we even got a few hours to sleep before heading out for an 8 AM start. The Swordfish ranged from 100 lb’s to a 150 lb’s. Now that we got a little taste, we will definitely be back offshore for more.

Tight Lines!

Captain David Ide

954-761-8045

April 21^st, 2010

Today we had 4 on a shared fishing charter; Ann from Cape Cod, Jim from Gloucester, Liz from Utah and Jerry from the Midwest. We headed out Port Everglades looking for table fare; King Mackerel, Dolphin fish, Wahoo and/or Cobia. Other than some Kingfish and a few Bonito, the eating fish were MIA, but everyone was able to reel in a fish.

After trolling for a bit, Captain Paul and I decided to spice things up and head to a wreck. Our first drop on the wreck got the bite. Jerry reeled the fish half way up before it managed to release itself. We dropped bait number two down and Jerry fought an Almaco Jack to the boat. We were in a good spot so we went for round three. Ann fought a Lesser Amberjack to the transom and said it was a tough fight. After our third bite, we ran to 350 ft of water and got the big rods out. Within minutes of dropping the bait down, we got a bite from a big Game Shark but he pulled the hook immediately.

Looking forward to fishing tomorrow!

Tight Lines!

Captain David Ide

954-761-8045

April 20^th, 2010

Swordfishing in Fort Lauderdale

Lately, the wind has been blowing out of the west in Fort Lauderdale; inshore seas are beautiful, where it looks good enough to head into the horizon, but as you head further east into the Gulfstream, the seas are comparable to a washing machine, not a pancake. With that said, Swordfishing conditions have not been very good. However, just hours before the Lady Pamela II was set to sail offshore to Swordfish grounds on Tuesday afternoon, the wind weakened, turned to the east and it made for a very comfortable, successful nighttime Swordfishing charter in Ft Lauderdale.

At 5 PM, the Lady Pamela II left Lauderdale Marina with John from Minnesota. John is an avid big game fisherman and has fished many places most people just dream about. He has caught every Billfish, from Blue Marlin in Hawaii to Sailfish in Mexico, but never a Broadbill Swordfish. If South Florida has one thing to brag about, it is definitely the Swordfish bite and John decided to try his luck about the Lady Pamela II. Captain Paul led the Lady Pamela II 20 miles offshore in 1-2 ft seas with a southeast wind. Once they reached fertile grounds, Mike and Eric displayed four dead squid in the water on single 10.0 hooks. John caught his first Swordfish at sundown on rod a reel (130 International with 200lb test power pro). After a tough 20-minute fight, all the guys wanted more. John and the crew ended their Swordfishing trip with four Broadbill Swordfish in the 100 lb range; biggest fish was 150 lb’s.

The Swordfish fishing action off Fort Lauderdale is starting to pick up just in time for those calm evenings offshore. A typical night of Swordfishing in Ft Lauderdale produces an average of three to four bites, maybe even more.

Tight Lines!

Captain David Ide

954-761-8045

April 17^th, 2010

We had a great time fishing with you guys this weekend. When will you post the pictures of that huge hammerhead and the amberjack? Can’t wait to come back

-Grant

When vacationing in Ft Lauderdale, sportfishing is a must as we are one of the top deep sea fishing destinations in the world. Today, Cliff, Linda and their son Grant joined the Lady Pamela II from up state New York. Once we left Lauderdale Marina, we headed straight to wreck fishing and on the third wreck, we got a nice bite. After a 15 minute fight, Grant landed his first fish of the day, a Greater Amberjack that was amber in color (hence the name). After a few pictures, Captain Paul decided it was time to set up the kites and set out the big baits below. Eric and I suspended 4 live goggle eyes on the surface and 3 juicy shark baits in the water and we waited. Within 30 minutes, a Silky Shark swam into our spread behind the boat, I pitched him a spinner and he was hooked. Grant, our 11-year-old angler, got back into the chair for round two and won the fight. Captain Paul came down from the bridge and together, we expertly pulled the Silky Shark into the cockpit for a few pictures. After we released the Silky back into the blue, I noticed a big Hammerhead making its way towards our bait. As soon as he ate, Paul set the hook with the boat and the reel started smokin’. Grant kicked butt through the hour-long fight with a Shark twice his size!

Grant, you rock!

Tight Lines!

Captain David Ide

954-761-8045

Thanks for an awesome time guys!!

The kids are still talking about it!

Andrew E.

April 16^th, 2010

Fishing in Fort Lauderdale was great today. Jimmy and Sarah, from Jacksonville, set sail aboard the Lady Pamela II while Mike, from Delaware, joined the Lady Pamela I. Both boats left Lauderdale Marina at 8 AM with high hopes of hooking up with the last bit of the Sailfish Fort Lauderdale will see until the season kicks off again. Captain Paul and I ran the Lady Pamela II to 300 ft of water and popped the kites into the air while the Lady Pamela I trolled the reef. After an hour of waiting and wishing for the bite in 300 ft of water, I moved the boat around and the mid bait in 150 ft of water got a hit. Jimmy landed a Hammerhead Shark and a nice size Mahi for good measure aboard the Lady Pamela II. The Lady Pamela I came back to the dock with a 4 Mahi - Mahi, one 30 lb’er and 2 King Mackerel; looks like Mike will be eating good tonight!

Tight Lines!

Captain David Ide

954-761-8045

April 13^th, 2010

Today we had five on a shared fishing charter, a group of three and a couple. We headed out the inlet and conditions were perfect for live bait kite fishing. In 300 ft of water, there was a rippin’ north current on the edge. Rusty, our new mate, assisted Mike in the cockpit, flying the kites and getting the Shark baits positioned down deep. We waited patiently and it was all worth it in the end. After an hour of soaking our baits, two Sailfish jumped on our live bait, a Hammerhead Shark ate and then a Silky Shark swam in and took a bite, ALL at ONCE! It was the craziest thing I have ever seen. One of the Sailfish managed to release itself but Mike, Rusty and our anglers managed to catch the remaining three fish. The Sailfish and both Game Sharks were released back into the blue and we went on our way with trolling gear in the water and many smiles. We ended the day catching 10 King Mackerel and 4 Blackfin Tuna.

Talk about a nail biter!

Tight Lines!

Captain David Ide

954-761-8045

Dear Capt. Paul, Rusty and Justin,  

Scott and I can’t put into words what the experience we had with you all last Saturday meant. The entire day on the Lady Pamela II was straight out of a dream for us… but we have pictures to prove it!!! You are such an amazing crew and we will remember every second of our time out there as we tell the tale over and over again. I have attached a photo I took from my phone and Scott will be downloading and forwarding more from his camera. I even put this particular snap on Facebook and have gotten quite the responses, as you can imagine! It thrills us that your info is so clear and surely your phone will be ringing from some of the mutual fishing diehards we know. We are already looking forward to the next time we can go back out with you.  

Thank you all and tight lines!!!!  

-Kate R.

April 11^th, 2010

This morning, Sean joined Rusty, our new mate, Mike and I aboard the Lady Pamela II for a 4-hour fishing charter. We headed out the inlet and live bait was the first thing on our to do list. The buoy right out front provided us with Rainbow Runners, Blue Runners and Speedos for later use. After we loaded up our live well, I ran the Lady Pamela II to 300 ft of water where the out going current and the Gulfstream meet. Mike and Rusty suspended two SFE fishing kites rigged with four live goggle eyes and dropped down three big Kingfish heads on the 130 Internationals. We drifted for only 10 minutes before I yelled, “Shark on the long kite!”  Sean fought the 5 ft Hammerhead Shark for 20 minutes before we got him in the boat for a few pictures. Shortly after, we expertly tagged and released him for a future fight and began to troll west. Two Blackfin Tuna ate and Sean reeled in two King Mackerel to top off the day. All three of us had a great time fishing with Sean today; he has a great story to go home with, a sore arm and pictures to prove it.

Tight Lines!

Captain David Ide

954-761-8045

April 10^th, 2010

Today I ran the Lady Pamela with Adam, Jay, JT and their 3 other buddies from Nashville. Captain Paul ran the Lady Pamela II for an eight-hour fishing trip with Kate and Scott who fish with us once a year. My day started off by loading up with live goggle eyes and heading out to 350 ft of water to suspend the kites with live bait dancing on the surface. The bite was on. We went 1 for 3 on jumping Sailfish and saw the biggest Great Gray Hammerhead I’ve ever seen swim through our spread, a 15 footer. We tried our hardest to get him to eat and but he just wasn’t interested. I wish he stuck around long enough for me to get a picture!

Kate and Scott were non-stop on the Lady Pamela II catching 4 King Mackerel, 3 Blackfin Tuna and a 10 ft Hammerhead Shark. Kate kicked butt in the chair but let Scott finish the fight.

Fishing was fantastic today; let’s see what tomorrow brings us!

Tight Lines!

Captain David Ide

954-761-8045

April 8^th, 2010

You know you love to fish when you go on your days off.

This afternoon, April and I were invited to go on Joe’s Midnight Express for some fun fishing offshore. We left Joe’s house around 1:45 and heard the Sailfish were feeding from the Lady Pamela II. Live goggle eyes were MIA so we headed out Port Everglades and to the buoy in 2-4 ft seas. The Bluerunners and Speedos weren’t cooperating and the current was rippin. After about 45 minutes, we went on our way with 5 bait fish and I told Joe, “This is why they charge so much for bait.” The seas began to calm down as we headed to a wreck just north of Port Everglades. Our first 2 drops in 265 ft of water got the bite, but shortly after, we got bit off. Joe released our 3^rd bait down, cranked it 25 times and we got the bite from a nice size Amberjack. We didn’t waste any time to get bait #4 down there and we got an even bigger bite, the rod doubled over until the fish pulled the hook. Our last bait went down and within minutes, another Amberjack ate.  Every drop produced a bite and we had a great time. Joe, thanks for having us!

Tight Lines!

Captain David Ide

954-761-8045

David,  

Here’s the pics, tell Adam and Jason we said thanks again.  

We had a blast,  

Scott, Judy, Patrick and Bridget

March 2010

Spring has definitely arrived to Fort Lauderdale and the action followed. Fishing in Fort Lauderdale during the springtime is great; big game species ditch the north and head south for a few months, just like snowbirds. Just about every type of fish that settles in Fort Lauderdale is bustin’ bait offshore. We’ve noticed the fishing changes daily, but the bite is consistent. The Sailfish are still poking through our live bait spreads offering a show within feet from the boat. The King Mackerel are active on the troll with numerous bites at once. The Blackfin Tuna are beginning to show their faces and the water has warmed up just enough to allow fresh Cobia for dinner. Wreck fishing has been one of the most productive ways to get a bite from an Amberjack and/or a Barracuda bigger than your kid. The Mahi - Mahi and Wahoo bite is improving offshore and the Game Sharks have called Fort Lauderdale home in 350 ft of water. This is Fort Lauderdale fishing at its best.

I would have to say, March is one of my favorite months to go fishing in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The weather is finally warming up and the Game Sharks move in to South Florida, as close as a mile from the beach. The trick to attracting these tough fighters is positioning a bloody fish head on the bottom. Hammerhead Sharks, Mako Sharks, Bull Sharks, Big Eye Thresher Sharks and Tiger Sharks have made it here safe and sound for their annual migration and they guarantee a fight when hooked. Now through May, we are going to see some of the biggest fish we’re going to catch all year long. With our new fighting chair suspended over the water, there is no greater rush than looking down at a 10 ft Game Shark silhouette after an hour long fight. The Lady Pamela II has been successful with the bite. Now is the time to get out there and hook you up with a fish of a lifetime.

Generally, towards the end of March, the Dolphin fish (Mahi - Mahi) snap for 2-3 weeks. By the end of April, the bigger Mahi run through in herds offshore. We’ve landed a few Mahi - Mahi but were crossing our fingers for the bite to pick up, which it should.

Check out our Captain’s Log for updated daily fishing reports.

Tight Lines!

Captain David Ide

954-761-8045

April 3^rd, 2010

Today was awesome. Kurt and Scott, long time family friends, joined Captain Paul and I for a fishing trip offshore with their two boys. The last time I took Kurt fishing, I was just 10 years old, and it was great to see him again. We left Lauderdale Marina and went straight to 350 ft of water, suspended the kites into the air and soaked some shark baits below. We sat patiently for two hours, catching up, not catching fish. We picked up, ran 10 miles north and dropped fresh bait on the wreck. Kurt and Scott’s boys got to reel in two Barracuda and a Greater Amberjack. It was nice to see you again!

Tight Lines!

Captain David Ide

954-761-8045