Islamorada is my favorite place in the world, and it had been three long years since I had been there – far too long. Last week I returned to the “Sportfishing Capital of the World” with friends Jose and Spencer to fish with Captain Hunter Barron aboard his boat, the Endeavor.
About the Endevor
The Endeavor is a 40-foot sportfish boat with an air-conditioned cabin, head, SeaKeeper, outriggers, tons of storage and all the technology needed to perform at the highest level. However, these items alone do not set this vessel apart, it is the man at the helm, Captain Hunter Barron that makes this boat special.
Born and raised in Islamorada Hunter was raised in the charter fishing industry. His father Captain Chris Barron has run “Stray Cat Charters” for over 40 years. He has been a captain since 2006 and started fishing aboard the legendary Catch 22 out of Bud and Mary’s Marina for the Stanczyk Family. He originally started as a mate and eventually was promoted to captain. Hunter was featured on the TV fishing show hosted by The Weather Channel called “Reel Rivals’ Aboard the Catch 22.”
He has had a very successful career on the water with many tournament wins and accomplishments like the 2011 IGFA World Championship.
To the Horizon and Beyond
Waking up before sunrise is difficult and unenjoyable, but when you’re about to head offshore in the Keys, there’s nothing easier. Alarms sounded at 6 am, caffeine was ingested, the car loaded and the fellas headed to Bud n’ Marys. I have written plenty of times about this historic marina, you can read those stories here.
We arrived at 6:28, and left promptly at 6:30, right on schedule. The smell of the big diesel engines and saltwater mingled in my nostrils, tantalizing my imagination. The sun was coming up, I could feel things starting to warm as it broke through the gray morning clouds. It was going to be a good day.
Tuna Time
We made it to the fishing grounds, the Islamorada Hump. There are numerous “humps” throughout the Keys, underwater seamounts that hold a variety of fish, but they are most well known for tuna. Far from a secret spot, we trolled skirted ballyhoo and it wasn’t long before our first hookup. As the drag ripped, about 10 seconds later a second and then a third rod bent over. Tuna triple!
By 8:30 am, we had 10 blackfin tunas and a bonita in the box.
Game On
From then on out, we were in fish all day long. True pandemonium broke out with various dolphin blitzes throughout the day. Double and triple hookups were happening constantly, we even came upon a floating buoy that held a tripletail! Hunter put us on the fish and mate Noah worked hard to make sure that each fish hit the ice and a new bait was ready to be presented.
When dolphin fishing, the key to putting up numbers is to hold the hooked fish in the water behind the boat. The commotion of the hooked fish will bring the rest of the school up with it and allow casting to multiple fish at once. In our case, however, we were catching fish two and three at a time. It wasn’t until we finally got into a school with seven fish all milling around the boat that I was able to grab my fly rod and give it a go.
Hunter raised the outrigger, I backcasted my custom creation of craft fur and yak hair out past the transom. “There’s two on, it strip it,” called Hunter from the tower. As I moved the fly, I saw two fish right behind the fly, nipping at it. I stopped, gave it one more strip and in a flash of silver and iridescent blue, it was inhaled. After a few little drag rips and some eye-catching aerial acrobatics, I had the fish boat-side. I was simply over the moon. Anytime I can target (let alone catch) my favorite fish, on a fly rod, I am thrilled.
Good to Great
Our day aboard the Endeavor had been very good, to say the least, and it was about to become great. We trolled along and the port outrigger rod popped, a solid dolphin had taken the bait. It was clear from the time I grabbed the rod from the holder that this was a larger fish than the others. He made several good runs and athletic jumps, but in the end, was no match for our stout tackle. He met his end at the pointy end of a gaff.
We were headed back in when the starboard outrigger rod popped and the line started peeling off the reel at breakneck speed. Spencer was on the rod, we weren’t done yet. This fish made several long runs and didn’t jump, it was behaving much differently than all the other fish that day. When it finally did break the surface with numerous gravity-defying jumps, it was confirmed. Not a dolphin or tuna, neither a wahoo or cobia. It was a sailfish.
More jumps, more runs, and more adrenaline pumping as man fought fish all around the cockpit, but Spencer eventually brought the billfish to heel.
Endeavor Aftermath
We returned to the docks at Bud n’ Marys as kings, our ultimate catch was 25 dolphin, 10 tuna, a tripletail and a sailfish, a spectacular day of fishing by any measure. After mingling with the other charter boat patrons, Noah and Hunter cleaned our fish and we headed on our way. After quickly hitting the pool, we got ready for a great dinner at the Lorelei. The Lorelei is a historic waterfront restaurant and bar that has been a staple of the Keys for decades. Not only do they offer beautiful sunset views, good food and drinks, but fishing charters as well. Many legendary guides have fished out of the Lorelei, which also hosts various fishing tournaments and special events. Check it out, you might just bump into Andy Mill!
Wrap-Up and Final Thoughts
We stayed at the Hadley House, which is only five minutes from Bud n’ Marys. It was clean, the room was very comfortable and quiet. Compared to other hotels in the Keys, it is reasonably priced as well. Also, there are some great views and the room keys have tarpon on them so that’s a plus too.
Hunter and his mate are consummate professionals who worked hard to make sure that we had an awesome day. I would highly recommend booking a trip with him. You can do so through the Bud n’ Mary’s website here. It was an incredible two days in Islamorada and I cannot wait to go back.
One last note, I would be remiss if I didn’t recommend another Keys eatery that is a must-visit for a great view, fare and atmosphere – Papa Joe’s. This spot was built in the 30s, torn down in the early 2010s, and then rebuilt by our friend Charles Hertel. Located right across the street from Bud n’ Marys, it offers docking for your boat, private events, lawn games, yoga and more! Give it a go!
Until next time, tight lines.
