The Helm

I would like to acknowledge my mate Justin Schmidt for the 11hrs of effort he helped me with getting ready for a 10hr Marlin and Swordfish trip. New windon headers on all the 50w Tiagras and the LP Sword rod as well as greasing all the roller guides and fresh leaders on all Marlin lures and new snap swivels on everything. We are always fresh and ready day in and day out. However redoing every rod n reel and lure all at once is a big undertaking.

All the way from Nebraska to Key West this dad and his twin 13 year old sons had a great day of Dolphin “mahi mahi” fishing. Call 631-680-9734 and get in on this great fishing!

Found this interesting 🧐 enough to share.

Photo and story by Keith West Terracina, this is an original slide I took of the famous iguana man back in 1979. I first met him in 1976. He would walk around Key West with his iguanas since 90% of all tourists never seen a iguana it was quite fascinating to them He would charge you a dollar to take a picture with the iguana on your shoulder. He did quite well. He was friends with my grandfather and would always stop by the bar after sunset and before, my grandfather always gave him a free Budweiser. It actually was a big draw for business for us. My grandfather was no dummy when i was standing out in front of the bar. I probably gave him 200 beers in the seven years I worked at the bar so here’s the funny thing and I’m sure you old school locals will stand by me on this back in the 70s and early 80s. There was not one iguana anywhere on that island, I never saw one except on his shoulders, I left Key West in 1983 actually fled. That’s another whole story. You can read that in my book “Key West, the way it was” anyway when I came back in 1989. When I was allowed to there were iguanas everywhere I don’t know what the hell happened. I believe two of these iguanas got away and started a family. I don’t know, but my buddy Double Raft Don, who I actually went to Gramar school with back in the early 60s in New Jersey he brought my furniture down in 1977 and never left he still there, anyway he tells me that on smathers Beach, where he was renting rafts across the street there was all these kind of palm tree woods, that’s when he first saw them back in the mid 80s. He said now it’s like Jurassic Park back there, the funny thing is Lisa and I spent our honeymoon there eight years ago. We are at the parrot key resort and we are eating some food and one of them almost chased Lisa into the pool. They’re very aggressive now. 

What a great family photo!

Ass kickin That’s what’s on my mind. Today was one of those days. After putting in a new impeller until 11:00 last night we went offshore today to try our luck at a sword and some dolphin. It was a little rougher than they were forecasting and it didn’t lay down either. Regardless we we ran to the wall and maid a sword drop. Wind against tide and the tide had backed off on the new moon. First drift no bite. Second drift hung bottom and wound up parting off. I had 2 spare spools on board but apparently we bent some set pins and couldn’t get them to seat correctly. So we went trolling for dolphin. So much grass there is nothing for the fish to settle in on. We wound up catching 3 for5 dolphin and some jacks. Some times the conditions just fight you to the end. When they do I just fight back and do the best I can. We shall try again Friday. Wish I was in Montauk catching Big eyes. 👀 Congrats to those who have and get on it to those who haven’t yet.