The Captain's Log

Some days build slow. Others flip on a single bite. We ran hard out to 1,200 feet of water with our regulars Alan, Lisa, and their girls Mary Pat and Emily. The plan was mahi. What we found was a whole lot of water, plenty of grass, and not a single fish. We switched gears and dropped deep on a handful of spots. Nada. Zip. Then, right as we're getting ready to reset the spread, she showed up. A big bull mahi came up out of nowhere behind the boat. Everyone lost it. And here's the part I still can't believe: Mary Pat and Emily had been feeding him beef jerky sticks. I wish I was making that up.  <video controls width="100%" poster="./2026-05-10-catch-1.jpg"> <source src="/videos/bull-mahi-saturday.mp4" type="video/mp4"> Your browser does not support the video tag. </video> Watch the moment this fish ate the bait and the chaos that followed: beef jerky, the negotiations, and a clean gaff shot. First bait out, he picked it up and spit it before I could breathe on the hookset. He swam under the boat and headed back toward the weed line. I hopped up on the transom and started negotiating out loud. He turned. Alan grabbed a bait, pitched it in, and buried the hook. Chad spun the wheel and worked him clean while Alan worked the reel. I had the gaff. The fish never stood a chance.  **32-33 pounds of gold, green, and bad decisions made right.** The kind of fish that flips an entire trip on one bite. Zero to hero. That's why we go.  --- *Trip: Saturday, May 9, 2026. Boat: Miss Penny. Crew: Captains Kit Carson and Chad, plus Alan, Lisa, Mary Pat, and Emily. Waters: Offshore Islamorada to 1,200 feet.*

The GoPro is rolling, the phone is hotspotted, and we're now broadcasting live from the boat. If you can't be on the water with us, this is the next best thing. Watch the hook sets, the chum slicks, and the reef drifts as they happen. Tune in here: [twitch.tv/dirtyboatislamorada](https://www.twitch.tv/dirtyboatislamorada) ## What you'll see - Live hook sets, with yellowtail and mutton snaps as they happen - Bait prep: chunking, chumming, and the live well action - The reef, with drift conditions from Alligator to Molasses in real time - Offshore runs out to the Gulf Stream edge and the weed lines - The landing: fish on ice and the fillet shots ## Why we're doing this Fishing is better when people can watch. Whether you're a regular client, a charter captain scouting conditions, or someone who just loves the ocean, this is a real-time window into Islamorada offshore fishing. No edits, no highlights. Just the boat, the water, and the fish. ## How to watch 1. Go to [twitch.tv/dirtyboatislamorada](https://www.twitch.tv/dirtyboatislamorada) 2. Create a free Twitch account if you don't have one 3. Hit Follow so you get notified when we go live 4. Drop a comment and we'll see it from the boat Streams run during active charter hours. If we're catching, we're broadcasting. If the action slows down or we're running offshore, the stream stays on. ## Book your own trip Like what you see? Get on the boat in person. - Split charters: join an existing trip and split the fare - Private charters: your crew, your schedule - Book online at [dirtyboat.com/book](https://www.dirtyboat.com/book) The water is flat and the fish are biting. Now the whole world can watch. See you on the stream. --- *Follow [@dirtyboat](https://www.twitch.tv/dirtyboatislamorada) on Twitch for live fishing action from Islamorada, Florida Keys.*

Bait Report. Not conditions. This is what we saw this morning. We rolled out of Bud N' Mary's and didn't have to go far. Right outside the headpin, the water was loaded. Stumbled onto a giant school of finger mullet, so thick you couldn't hardly throw the cast net without hitting them. Then we found the pilchards. Big area. Tons of bait. If you're running today, save yourself the fuel run. It's right there. Bait was plentiful just outside the marina. Today's gonna be a good day. <video controls width="100%" poster="/videos/bait-report-may6-2026.mp4" preload="metadata"> <source src="/videos/bait-report-may6-2026.mp4" type="video/mp4"> Your browser does not support the video tag. </video>

Slower day across the fleet, top to bottom. The Islamorada Hump did not give up any tuna, and that part of the program never got going. We pushed offshore and looked as far as 1,100 feet, but there just was not much out there worth staying with. The better signs came back on the weed, and that is where the mahi we did catch came from. The first decent area was scattered weed in roughly the 800-foot range, where we picked off several fish. The second and better setup was a more consistent weed line in 900 to 950 feet. That is where we picked away at a few keeper mahi and a few throwbacks. Not a big-fish day. The biggest was a small bull in the 6 to 8 pound range. Every mahi we caught ate an Islamorada Flyer. ## Captain's take Today was a weed game, not a Hump game and not a deep-water game. The fleet never found much tuna action, and the run to 1,100 feet did not show enough life to earn the extra fuel. The best shot at a bent rod came from staying disciplined around clean weed in the 800 to 950 foot zone and fishing Islamorada Flyers for a modest pick of keepers and throwbacks.

We ran straight to the Islamorada Hump in the morning looking for blackfins and found porpoises on the spot, but the early tuna bite never really got going. From there we slid east-southeast and got on a weed line, trolling it for more than 10 miles until we ended up in around 1,000 feet of water. There was definitely life offshore, with birds working, debris scattered through the line, and a few decent schools of mahi showing themselves. We picked off a few mahi, but the better schools would not settle down and eat. Some guys did get into them better on live bait, but even then the fish were still acting stubborn and not feeding cleanly. After that we turned around, pointed back toward the Hump, and changed back over to the tuna feathers. That ended up being the right adjustment. On the troll back we boxed 10 blackfins, had several skipjack around, and added a bonita before heading for home. Not a wide-open mahi chew, but still a solid day with enough signs offshore to keep it interesting and enough tuna on the way back to put some meat in the box. ## Captain's Take The offshore edge had life, but mahi were picky and needed a more natural look, even then they were still finicky. Tuna became the more dependable producer once the program shifted back toward the Hump. If the offshore fish are showing without really feeding, be ready to pivot instead of forcing it.

Some trips you run for fun. Some you run for fish. This one, we ran for the kids. The [Miss Penny](https://www.instagram.com/misspennyfishing/) donated a full-day charter to the silent auction at the **Best of the Upper Keys 2025**, with all the proceeds going to the **Florida Keys Children's Shelter**. They're the folks who give kids and families across the Keys emergency housing, counseling, and a safe place to land, free of charge, to the ones who need it most. A $2,000+ day on the water for a cause worth every dollar. Chad ran the boat. I ran the pit. Our auction winner Richard Weinstein rolled up to the dock with Anton, Seth, and Barry ready to go, and we went to work. The fish cooperated. ## The Day Clean morning. Light breeze. The kind of Saturday that makes you wonder why anyone stays on land. Set the spread early and stayed busy. We went **2-for-2 on sailfish**. Two bites, two hookups, two clean releases. No long soaks, none of that "he ate and let go" heartbreak. Both fish ate right, jumped hard, then came boatside, got the leader touched, and swam off strong. If you measure a trip by sail conversion, that's as good as it gets.  *Sailfish #1 putting on a show. This is what everybody books a Keys trip hoping to see.* Between the sails we kept rods bent on the reef and the edge: - **Cero mackerel**, plenty of them, and one in particular was destined for bigger things (more on that in a minute) - **Mutton snapper** on the reef - Mixed-bag action that kept all four anglers rotating through and nobody sitting on their hands ## The Crew Chad on the wheel, making it look easy. That man's got a sixth sense for where the sails are holding, and Saturday was no exception.  Richard, Anton, Seth, and Barry took turns in the chair, and everyone got bent. That's the mark of a good charter: nobody leaves the boat wishing they'd been next up.  *Leader touched, fish in control, release clean. 2-for-2 on the day.* ## The Sushi Encore Here's where it went from *"great day fishing"* to *"once-in-a-lifetime."* The crew ran the fresh cero over to **The Islander at Ocean Reef**, where Executive Sushi Chef **Eric Andreu** broke it down into a full platter of nigiri. Same-day cero mackerel, caught that morning, on the sushi bar by that evening. You don't get that at a restaurant. You catch it yourself and hand it to a chef who knows exactly what to do with it.  *Chef Eric Andreu's handiwork. From the cooler to the sushi bar in a single day. That's the Keys.* ## Why We Did It The Florida Keys Children's Shelter takes care of kids and families in tough spots, with emergency housing, counseling, and a safe place to land, all free of charge, all up and down the Keys. When the Shelter team asked Miss Penny to kick in a charter for the auction, there wasn't a question to think about. You want the DirtyBoat behind a cause, this is the cause. Huge thanks to the Shelter team for putting the event on, to Richard Weinstein and his crew for bidding generously and fishing hard, to Chef Eric at The Islander for the sushi send-off, and to everyone at the Miss Penny for making the boat available.  *Good fish. Better cause.* --- **Want your own day on the water?** [Book a charter on the DirtyBoat →](/charters/)

 There's a new crew member aboard the DirtyBoat, and he never sleeps. **Captain Jack** is our AI booking mate, the first autonomous booking agent in the Florida Keys. He lives on [dirtyboat.com](https://www.dirtyboat.com) and on our text line at **(305) 209-5594**, ready to help you plan your fishing trip any time of day or night. ## What Captain Jack can do This isn't a basic chatbot that spits out canned answers. Captain Jack is a fully autonomous AI agent that connects to live data sources and makes real decisions. **Real-time availability.** Ask Captain Jack about any date and he checks our FareHarbor booking system live, both DirtyBoat and Miss Penny, every trip type and every time slot. No guessing, no stale calendars. He checks a 10-day window around your requested date and finds you the first open slot with a direct booking link. **NOAA marine forecasts.** Captain Jack pulls the live Straits of Florida marine forecast straight from NOAA's National Data Buoy Center (NDBC), the same FZUS52 Key West forecast we check before every trip. Wind speeds in knots, sea heights, swell direction, small craft advisories. Ask him about conditions for your trip date and he'll give you an honest read. If it's going to be rough, he'll tell you. If it's going to be glass, he'll get you fired up. **FWC fishing seasons.** Not sure if grouper is open? Whether you need a federal permit for swordfish? Captain Jack knows every season, every bag limit, every size minimum for South Atlantic / Islamorada regulations. He'll steer you to what's biting right now and away from what's closed. **Pricing and trip planning.** Half day, three-quarter day, full day, swordfish expedition, split charters. Captain Jack knows every trip type, what's included, what to bring, and the cancellation policies, and he can help you pick the right charter for your group. **Page awareness.** If you open the chat from our swordfish page, Captain Jack already knows you're interested in swordfish. He picks up context from where you are on the site and leads with the right info. ## How it works **On the website:** Click the blue chat bubble on any page at [dirtyboat.com](https://www.dirtyboat.com). Drop your name and phone number, and Captain Jack opens a live chat right in your browser. He responds in seconds with real data. If you leave the site, he's got your phone number and can text you to continue the conversation. **Via text:** Text **(305) 209-5594** anytime, day or night. Captain Jack picks up instantly. Ask about dates, species, pricing, whatever you need. When you're ready to book, he'll send you a direct FareHarbor link. The conversation continues as long as you need it. **Need a human?** Captain Jack knows when to hand off. Ask to talk to a real person and he'll connect you with me directly. I monitor every conversation from our custom CRM and can jump in anytime to close a booking or answer something Captain Jack can't. ## Why we built this I got tired of losing bookings at 11 PM because someone texted and I was asleep. Or watching website visitors bounce because the contact form felt like shouting into a void. Or quoting the wrong price because I was half-asleep at 6 AM and misremembered the full day rate. Captain Jack changes all of that. Someone lands on the swordfish page at midnight, curious about a trip? Captain Jack is already there, checking availability, pulling up the marine forecast, knowing that swordfish is open year-round with a 47" minimum, and sending them a booking link. All before they have a chance to click away. He handles the routine questions so I can focus on what I do best: putting fish in the boat. ## The tech stack For the developers, tech founders, and charter captains who want to know what's under the hood: **AI Brain:** [Claude by Anthropic](https://www.anthropic.com), specifically Claude Sonnet 4.6 for the web chat (fast, single-call responses) and Claude Managed Agents for SMS conversations (persistent sessions with tool-calling capabilities). Captain Jack isn't a wrapper around ChatGPT with a fishing prompt. He's a purpose-built agent that decides when to check availability, when to pull weather, and when to escalate to a human. **SMS & Voice:** [Twilio](https://www.twilio.com) handles all inbound and outbound text messages. When you text (305) 209-5594, Twilio receives it, routes it to our webhook, and Captain Jack processes it through the Managed Agent. Responses go back through Twilio. We run about 10,000 messages a month. **Booking System:** [FareHarbor](https://fareharbor.com). Captain Jack checks availability in real-time via FareHarbor's API across all trip types on both DirtyBoat and Miss Penny. Results are cached for 5 minutes in our database to keep things fast and avoid hammering their API. **Database:** [Supabase](https://supabase.com), a PostgreSQL database that stores everything: customer records, conversation history (SMS and web chat in the same thread), availability cache, bot configuration, and session tracking. The entire CRM runs on Supabase. **Marine Weather:** [NOAA NDBC](https://www.ndbc.noaa.gov), the live marine forecast from the National Data Buoy Center, specifically the FZUS52 Key West coastal waters forecast covering the Straits of Florida from Ocean Reef to Craig Key out 20 nautical miles. Cached for 30 minutes. The same forecast every captain in the Keys checks before heading offshore. **Website:** [Astro](https://astro.build) with Tailwind CSS, deployed on [Netlify](https://www.netlify.com). The chat widget is a lightweight vanilla JavaScript component, no React and no heavy dependencies. The web chat function runs as a Netlify serverless function. **CRM:** Custom-built on Astro + React, also on Netlify. I can see every conversation (SMS, Facebook, Instagram, web chat) in one inbox, toggle the AI on/off per customer, take over conversations live, and monitor Captain Jack's performance. Web chat messages show up in the same thread as SMS, so if someone starts on the website and then texts, it's all one conversation. **Automated Follow-ups:** A scheduled function runs every 2 hours looking for leads who received a booking link but haven't responded. Captain Jack sends one friendly follow-up text. No spam, just a nudge. You'd be surprised how many bookings come from the follow-up. **Configuration:** All of Captain Jack's knowledge, including pricing, FAQs, boat specs, fishing seasons, and cancellation policy, lives in a single database table. When prices change, I update one row and both the website chat and SMS agent pick it up within a minute. No code deployment needed. ## The architecture ``` Website visitor → Chat widget → Netlify function → Claude API ↓ FareHarbor API (availability) NOAA NDBC (marine forecast) Supabase (logging, cache, config) ↓ Response in browser + Customer created in CRM + SMS fallback if they leave SMS customer → Twilio → Webhook → Managed Agent session ↓ Claude decides: check availability? Pull weather? Escalate to captain? ↓ Tool calls fulfilled by our code ↓ Response via Twilio SMS + Logged in CRM conversations ``` ## What's next We're just getting started. On the roadmap: - **Booking confirmation loop:** connect FareHarbor booking data back to conversations so Captain Jack knows when someone actually booked - **Multi-language support:** Spanish and Portuguese for our international guests - **Voice integration:** Captain Jack answering the phone (yes, really) - **Fleet-wide rollout:** bringing Captain Jack to Miss Penny, Just Cuz, and our affiliate fleet ## Try it right now Hit the blue chat bubble in the bottom right corner of this page. Or text **(305) 209-5594**. Captain Jack is standing by. We believe we're the first fishing charter in the Florida Keys, maybe the first anywhere, to run a fully autonomous AI booking agent with live availability, marine weather, and fishing regulation data. If you know of another one, we'd love to hear about it. Fair winds and tight lines. **Captain Kit Carson** *DirtyBoat Charters, Islamorada* *Built with Claude by Anthropic, Twilio, Supabase, FareHarbor, NOAA, Astro, and Netlify.*

Let me be straight with you. There's a wall of sargassum coming, and if you're fishing the Florida Keys this spring, you need to know what that means. The University of South Florida just released their 2026 sargassum outlook, and the numbers are staggering. **Over 10 million metric tons** already measured in the Atlantic as of February, a record for that month. The bloom hit early this year thanks to warmer-than-normal ocean conditions, and the forecast has it arriving in the Keys within the next couple of weeks. Broward and Miami-Dade are looking at April or May. Dr. Chuanmin Hu, the oceanographer tracking this from USF, put it bluntly: **"The worst is yet to come."** ## What is sargassum? Sargassum is a free-floating brown seaweed that drifts in massive mats across the Atlantic. NOAA classifies it as critical habitat for sea turtles and marine life. In the open ocean, it's a floating ecosystem. On the beach, it's a rotting, fly-attracting mess that costs counties millions to clean up. But here's the thing most news articles won't tell you. In the right amounts, sargassum is a fishing goldmine. ## The good: sargassum lines are fish magnets Every offshore captain in Islamorada knows this. You find a clean sargassum line, you find fish. Period. **Mahi-mahi** are the headliners. They stack under sargassum mats like they're getting paid to be there. A defined weed line with clean blue water on both sides? That's the play. Pitch a live bait or cast a fly under that line and hold on. **Tripletail** are the sleepers. These weird, flat fish literally float on their sides under sargassum clumps, looking like a piece of debris themselves. Most anglers have never caught one because they've never looked for them. Sight-fish with a live shrimp or small crab on a jighead. One of the most underrated gamefish in the Keys. **Wahoo** run the deep edges of major weed lines, especially where current pushes the sargassum into defined edges against clean water. High-speed trolling along the outside edge of a heavy line is a proven pattern. **Juvenile sailfish, blackfin tuna, and jacks** all use sargassum as ambush cover. The food chain starts with the tiny crabs and shrimp living in the weed, and everything else follows. ## The bad: when there's too much There's a tipping point. A defined weed line is a gift. A solid carpet of sargassum stretching for miles is a nightmare. **Line management becomes a full-time job.** Every retrieve fouls with weed. Trolling lures collect so much sargassum they stop swimming. Live baits get buried. Kite fishing, our bread and butter for sailfish, becomes nearly impossible when the surface is matted. **Props and intakes suffer.** Heavy sargassum mats can clog raw water intakes and foul props, especially on outboards with low pickups. We've had days where we're clearing the intakes every fifteen minutes. **The bite window shifts.** When sargassum is everywhere, fish don't concentrate along defined lines anymore, because there's no "edge" to key on. The pattern becomes scattered, and that makes finding fish harder even though they're still out there. ## What we're watching Right now, late March 2026, we're tracking the sargassum front using satellite imagery daily. The current situation: - **Offshore Islamorada:** Scattered patches on the Gulf Stream edge, nothing concentrated yet - **Straits of Florida:** Increasing density over the past week, moving with the Florida Current - **Approaching from:** Southeast, pushed by trade winds and the North Equatorial Current - **Timeline:** Light arrivals expected within 1-2 weeks. Peak density likely April through June based on current drift models We'll be updating this daily in our [Captain's Log](/islamorada-fishing-reports), including satellite-based sargassum charts when available. ## How we're adjusting When the weed arrives in force, the playbook changes: 1. **Target the edges, not the middle.** Find where the sargassum line meets clean water. That's where predators patrol. 2. **Switch to weedless rigs.** Trolling switches to skirted ballyhoo rigged with weedless hooks. Casting with weedless soft plastics becomes the move. 3. **Run shallower.** When offshore gets matted, the reef line between 60-120 feet often stays cleaner. Kings, cobia, and yellowtail don't care about sargassum. They're on the bottom structure. 4. **Fish the current.** Where current pushes sargassum into tight lines instead of spreading it, that's where the action concentrates. 5. **Dawn patrol.** Early morning before the wind pushes the mats together tends to offer the cleanest windows. ## The bottom line Record sargassum is coming. That's not a question. The question is whether it arrives as defined fishing lines or a solid carpet, and that depends on winds and currents over the next few weeks. If you're booking an Islamorada fishing charter this spring, **don't cancel.** Some of the best mahi fishing I've ever seen has been during moderate sargassum years. The key is having a captain who knows how to read the weed and adjust. We track sargassum conditions daily alongside our reef-by-reef conditions reports. Check the [Captain's Log](/islamorada-fishing-reports) every morning for the latest, or [book a charter](/islamorada-fishing-charter-rates-and-schedule) and let us handle it. Whether you book DirtyBoat, [luxury Islamorada fishing charters aboard Miss Penny](https://www.misspenny.com/), or [Islamorada sportfishing on Just Cuz](https://justcuzfishing.com/), every captain in our fleet knows how to read the weed and put you on fish. The weed is coming. The fish are coming with it. Let's go get them.

We don't just chase fish. We protect them. That's why DirtyBoat Charters went all-in building **[safefishing.org](https://www.safefishing.org)**, the official website for **S.A.F.E. (South Atlantic Fishing Environmentalists)**, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to protecting the fisheries we depend on for our livelihood and our way of life. This isn't some template site with a donate button. We built the whole thing from scratch: member portal, admin system, payment processing, the works. Here's what's on it. ## The raffle S.A.F.E. runs raffles to fund conservation efforts. The site has a full raffle system. Buy tickets, see active drawings, and check past winners at [safefishing.org/raffle-winners](https://www.safefishing.org/raffle-winners). Every dollar goes directly to protecting South Atlantic fisheries. ## Charter boat directory If you're a charter captain and a S.A.F.E. member, your boat gets listed in the **[Charter Directory](https://www.safefishing.org/charter-directory)**. Full business profiles with photos, descriptions, contact info, and a link to your booking page. It's SEO-optimized with Google structured data, so when someone searches for fishing charters in your area, you show up. Slammer-tier members ($200/yr) get their charter listed automatically. The directory is verified by S.A.F.E. admin to keep it legit, no ghost boats and no abandoned listings. ## Member directory The **[Member Directory](https://www.safefishing.org/member-directory)**, "Anglers Who Give A Damn," is an opt-in public page where S.A.F.E. members can show their name, location, bio, and profile photo. It's a way to connect with other conservation-minded anglers in your area. You control what's visible. ## Merch shop The **[S.A.F.E. Shop](https://www.safefishing.org/shop)** is live with stickers, tees (men's and women's), the Classic Rope Cap, and stainless steel water bottles. Full shopping cart with PayPal checkout. 100% of proceeds go to conservation. More gear dropping soon. ## Membership tiers S.A.F.E. membership runs four tiers: - **Shaker**: free. Get portal access and stay in the loop. - **Schoolie** ($25/yr): support the cause. Get member perks. - **Gaffer** ($50/yr): deeper commitment. Priority access to events. - **Slammer** ($200/yr): the full package. Charter directory listing, S.A.F.E. shirt + sticker included, 2 raffle entries, and member portal access. Sign up at [safefishing.org/membership](https://www.safefishing.org/membership). PayPal, Zelle, Venmo, cash, and check all accepted. ## Events and tournaments S.A.F.E. hosts conservation events and fishing tournaments. The **[Events page](https://www.safefishing.org/events)** shows what's coming up, and members can register directly through the site. ## Sponsors Local businesses can sponsor S.A.F.E. at four tiers: Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. Sponsors get logo placement on the site, social media shoutouts, and recognition at events. Check the **[Sponsors page](https://www.safefishing.org/sponsors)** or reach out if you want to support conservation in the Keys. ## News and blog The **[News section](https://www.safefishing.org/news)** keeps members updated on conservation wins, policy changes, fishing regulations, and S.A.F.E. announcements. All managed through a custom CMS. ## Donation tracking S.A.F.E. is a registered 501(c)(3). Every donation is tracked with tax receipt generation built right into the admin system. Your contributions are tax-deductible and go directly to fishery conservation. ## Why we did this Because the ocean gave us everything. Our careers, our community, the whole way we live. The least we can do is fight for its future. DirtyBoat built this site pro bono for S.A.F.E. because conservation isn't a side project. It's the foundation. No healthy fisheries means no charter boats. No clean water means no tournaments. And without people advocating for it, the regulations that protect our species don't get written. **If you fish the South Atlantic, this is your fight too.** **[Join S.A.F.E. at safefishing.org](https://www.safefishing.org)** See you on the water. Captain Kit Carson

Captain Conan calls me on a Saturday night. *"Come ride along tomorrow. It's gonna be flat."* He wasn't lying. Sunday, March 1st. Flat calm, not a ripple, the kind of day that makes you wonder why you ever do anything besides fish. Loaded up on the Just Cuz with the Bass Pro crew: general manager Scott, his right-hand man Dan, and a few others. Good people, good vibes.  ## The Audible We left the dock with Lindgren Pitmans rigged and ready, plans set for the sword grounds. But Captain Conan made the call on the way out. Stop at the Islamorada Hump first. Do some deep dropping. See what's down there. When we pulled up, there were boats everywhere trolling for tuna. Nobody getting bit. We went a different direction entirely, dropped the deep rigs down, and the fish said *yes*. ## The Hump Delivered Little to no current on the Hump, which meant the bait was sitting right where it needed to be.  - **6-man limit of snappers**, yellow eye and vermillion, box filling up fast - **A pile of bandit rudderfish**, steady action on every drop - **Lost a couple big amberjack**, the ones that remind you the ocean always wins a few rounds  With the fish box already looking healthy, we pulled anchor and headed for the sword ledge. ## 2-for-2 on Swords Got to the sword grounds and found the current **ripping**. With a box already full of snappers, I looked at Conan and the crew and said, "This might not be possible." But you don't come all the way out here and not drop a bait. Loaded up 12 pounds of lead and sent her down. Hit bottom, **immediate bite**. Dropped back to reset and the current was so strong it took another 300+ revolutions on the LP just to touch bottom again. Let the bait soak, hit the button, **fish on**. She was a keeper. Not a giant, but big enough. When you're fighting ripping current with 12 pounds of lead and still putting a sword in the box, you take the win. One more drop. 2-for-2. Second fish about a foot bigger than the first. Two keeper swordfish in conditions that had no business producing.  ## One More Shot Did a third drop, because why not when you're running hot. The streak didn't hold, but going 2-for-3 on swords after already boxing out on snappers? That's not a bad day. That's a *legendary* day. ## The Ride Home  Full fish box. Snapper limit, rudderfish for days, and two keeper swords. Flat calm ride back into Islamorada with the Bass Pro crew grinning ear to ear. Scott and Dan got the full experience, from deep dropping the Hump to sword fighting in the current.    Big thanks to Captain Conan and the Just Cuz crew. When the man calls and says it's gonna be flat, you go. **Want to experience Islamorada fishing like this?** [Book your charter on the DirtyBoat →](/islamorada-fishing-charters/)

Some days the ocean gives you everything. Rolled out at 7 AM aboard the [Miss Penny](https://www.instagram.com/misspennyfishing/) with owner Jack, Captain Chad, Captain Shawn, first mate Jose, and second mate Mark. This trip was special. It was Mark's last day on the water before the Navy came to pick him up for boot camp. If you're gonna send a man off to serve his country, you send him off catching swords. No other way to do it. Lindgren Pitman reels loaded and ready, box of bait from [RJ Boyle](https://www.rjboyle.com/) in the cooler. When you're going swordfishing, you don't cut corners on the rig. ## First Drop Hit our first drift around 8:30 in about 1,600 feet of water. Thirty minutes in, **bite**. Missed him. The kind of miss that makes you grip the gunnel and stare at the rod tip like it owes you money. We kept drifting. About 20 minutes later I said, "Let's reset and go back to where we had that bite." The crew said nah, keep pushing. Fair enough. ## Jose Called It Fifteen minutes later, Jose says the magic words: *"Reel 'em up, we're resetting."* Ran a couple miles back down the road, dropped back in, and it was **game on**. The bite turned on like a switch.  ## The Numbers - **6 swordfish released** - **12+ bites** throughout the day - **Multiple doubles**, two fish on at once, rods bent, crew scrambling - **Zero keepers**, every fish went back to fight another day - **Personal best** on swordfish count for me  *Mark wrote "SEAMEN" on the buoy. He meant "Seaman." Future sailor can't spell his own rank yet. We didn't have the heart to correct him, and honestly, it was too funny to fix. Fair winds, brother. Go make us proud.* None of the fish made keeper size, but it didn't matter. When you're going 6-for-12-plus on swords with doubles making the cockpit look like a rodeo, you don't need a fish box full of meat to call it a legendary day. And for Mark? Six swordfish on his last day as a civilian. Not a bad way to ship out. ## The Gear That Made It Happen Lindgren Pitman electric reels doing the heavy lifting on the deep drops. Quality bait from RJ Boyle. And a crew that knows when to reset a drift, even if it takes them 15 minutes longer than the captain to figure it out.  ## The Takeaway The daytime swordfish bite off Islamorada is **on fire** right now. If you've been thinking about booking a sword trip, stop thinking. The fish are there, the conditions are right, and the deep drop bite is as hot as it gets. Big thanks to the Miss Penny crew for an unforgettable day on the water. And to Mark, fair winds and following seas, sailor. You left the dock a fisherman and you'll come back one too. This is what it's all about. Tight lines, good people, and swords coming up from the deep. **Ready to chase your own swordfish?** [Book a swordfish charter on the DirtyBoat →](/islamorada-fishing-charters/islamorada-swordfish-charters/)

Another tournament, another 100 points for Team Dirty Boat 2.0. But the 2025 Cheeca Lodge Presidential wasn't only about the score. It was about continuing a run of tournament fishing that goes back years. ## The Dirty Boat 2.0 tournament timeline ### 2022 season: the breakthrough - **Islamorada Sailfish Tournament**: 300 points - Multiple anglers contributing (McConnell, Boza, Pruitt) - Put us on the map as a contender ### 2023 season: building consistency - **Cheeca Lodge Presidential**: 100 points (Jose Boza) - **Islamorada Fishing Club**: 100 points (Chad Pruitt) - **Florida Keys Gold Cup Series**: 500 points total ### 2025 season: keeping it going - **Cheeca Lodge Presidential**: 100 points (Robin Hall) - New anglers stepping up and keeping the run alive ## What makes our run different ### Multiple anglers scoring We don't ride one superstar. Our points come from: - **John McConnell** (2022) - **Jose Boza** (2022, 2023) - **Chad Pruitt** (2022, 2023) - **Robin Hall** (2025) Different anglers, same results. ### Year-over-year consistency - 2022: 300 points (IST) - 2023: 200 points (two tournaments) - 2025: 100 points (and counting) We don't run boom-or-bust seasons. We perform. ### The 42' Liberty Express factor The boat is a constant in all of it: - **Captain Kit Carson**: same leadership - **Mate Chad Pruitt**: same deck excellence - **Equipment**: always tournament-ready ## The angler development pipeline Robin Hall's 2025 day wasn't luck. It came out of our development system: 1. **Fundamentals**: every angler learns proper technique 2. **Tournament exposure**: fish alongside experienced tournament anglers 3. **Progressive responsibility**: start on charters, move to tournaments 4. **Mentorship**: learn from those who've done it When Robin Hall hooked that Sailfish on January 19th, she was ready. That's the Dirty Boat 2.0 way. ## Beyond the points Points are nice, but they're not the whole story. The real value of the tournament program: ### For our anglers - **Skill development**: tournament fishing makes you better - **Confidence**: knowing you can perform under pressure - **Camaraderie**: being part of a team ### For our charter clients - **Tournament-proven techniques**: what works in competition works for you - **Expert instruction**: learn from tournament anglers - **Better odds**: we know how to catch fish consistently ## Looking ahead With the 2025 season rolling, Team Dirty Boat 2.0 is set up to keep it going: 1. **More tournaments**: adding to the point totals 2. **New anglers**: developing the next group 3. **Charter excellence**: bringing tournament skills to every trip **Be part of the run. Book Dirty Boat 2.0 and fish with a team that knows how to win.**

The 2025 Cheeca Lodge Presidential Sailfish Tournament was another good one for Team Dirty Boat 2.0. With Captain Kit Carson running the 42' Liberty Express and mate Chad Pruitt working the deck, we added another 100 points to the resume, and angler **Robin Hall earned Top Female Angler honors**. ## The Top Female Angler moment: January 19, 2025, 9:24 AM At 9:24 AM on January 19th, angler **Robin Hall** hooked a clean Sailfish that locked up our tournament score and earned her Top Female Angler. The fight was textbook: steady pressure, perfect circle hook placement, and a clean release for the full 100 points. This was more than just another fish. It was a standout day that earned individual recognition in a tough field. While other teams fought the conditions, our crew worked with the precision that comes from years of fishing together. ## The Dirty Boat 2.0 formula So what keeps our team in the hunt at these tournaments? ### The boat - **42' Liberty Express**: fast, stable, and rigged right for tournament fishing - **Home port**: Robbie's Marina, Islamorada, which gives us the local edge - **Maintained to championship standards**: no mechanical surprises ### The crew - **Captain Kit Carson**: over a decade of Islamorada knowledge - **Mate Chad Pruitt**: one of the best in the business - **Angler lineup**: Randy Hall, Robin Hall, Mike Diaz, Brian Ruiz ### The system Other teams lean on luck. We have a system: - **Pre-tournament bait gathering**: first light at Robbie's docks - **Strategic waypoints**: years of data telling us where to be - **Communication protocols**: quiet and efficient when it counts ## Building on success This 100-point day at the 2025 Cheeca Presidential builds on what came before: - **2023 Cheeca Lodge Presidential**: 100 points - **2023 Islamorada Fishing Club**: 100 points - **2022 Islamorada Sailfish Tournament**: 300 points Every tournament adds to our Gold Cup series total, currently at **500 points** and climbing. ## What's next With the 2025 season rolling, Team Dirty Boat 2.0 is set up for another run. The boat is dialed in, the crew is hungry, and the fish are biting. **Want to fish with a tournament-proven team? Book your charter on Dirty Boat 2.0 and feel championship-level sportfishing.**

The 2023 Florida Keys Gold Cup Series showed off what makes Team Dirty Boat 2.0 tick: consistency and depth. We finished with **500 points**, proof that tournament fishing isn't about one big catch. It's about scoring all season long. ## The 500-point season: how we did it ### Tournament breakdown 1. **2023 Islamorada Fishing Club Sailfish Tournament** - 100 points (Chad Pruitt) 2. **2023 Cheeca Lodge Presidential Sailfish Tournament** - 100 points (Jose Boza) 3. **Additional tournament performances** - 300 points ### What 500 points means - **Consistency**: multiple tournaments, multiple points - **Depth**: different anglers contributing - **Execution**: turning chances into scores ## The anglers who made it happen ### Current roster (2023 season) - **Randy Hall**: consistent performer - **Robin Hall**: tournament-ready angler - **Mike Diaz**: developing into a tournament force - **Brian Ruiz**: adding depth to the lineup ### Previous anglers (part of how we got here) - **Chad Pruitt**: 100 points at Islamorada Fishing Club - **John McConnell**: multiple Sailfish in 2022 IST - **Jose Boza**: 100 points at 2023 Cheeca Presidential - **Lance McLean**: tournament experience and knowledge ## The boat: our 42' Liberty Express advantage Dirty Boat 2.0 isn't just a name. The 42' Liberty Express gives us: ### Performance edge - **Speed**: run to the fish while others are still looking - **Stability**: fight big fish in comfort - **Range**: reach spots other boats can't ### Tournament rigging - **Custom live well system**: keep bait frisky all day - **Tournament electronics**: find fish others miss - **Fighting chair setup**: tournament-proven configuration ## Captain and crew: the human advantage ### Captain Kit Carson - **Over a decade of Islamorada knowledge** - **Tournament strategy** - **Angler development** ### Mate Chad Pruitt - **Deck management** - **Angler versatility** (100 points as angler) - **Equipment knowledge** ## The Gold Cup philosophy The 500 points didn't fall together by chance. It was built on a few things. ### Season-long focus We don't peak for one tournament. We perform all season. Every event counts in the Gold Cup chase. ### Angler development We build tournament anglers, not just charter clients. Proper technique, tournament mindset, steady performance. ### System over stars Other teams lean on one superstar. We have a system that scores from multiple positions. ## What this means for your charter Book Dirty Boat 2.0 and you get: 1. **Tournament-proven techniques**: what scores Gold Cup points catches fish on charters 2. **Angler development**: we can make any skill level better 3. **Consistent results**: 500 points doesn't happen by accident **Fish with a Gold Cup contender. Book Dirty Boat 2.0 and feel championship-level sportfishing.**

The Gold Cup series runs all season, and a season is won in the offseason. As we gear up for another run at it, here's how the DirtyBoat gets ready. ## The winter overhaul ### Rigging Every piece of tackle gets the tournament treatment: - **Rods**: custom 20-40lb class Rainshadow blanks with titanium guides from Mudhole, built by Rick at Key Largo Rods - **Reels**: serviced, drags calibrated, bearings replaced - **Terminal tackle**: 1000 circle hooks sorted by size and sharpness - **Leaders**: 200 fluorocarbon leaders pre-rigged and tested ### Electronics We hunt with the tech as much as we fish with the rods: - New **Garmin Livescope** for real-time bait detection - **Side-scan sonar** mapping of our spots - **Satellite temperature charts** for finding the breaks ### Boat performance The DirtyBoat gets dialed in too: - **Engine service**: 500-hour maintenance done - **Fuel system**: filters replaced, tanks polished - **Live well system**: oxygenation upgrade for bait longevity ## The human element ### Captain's briefing Every crew member gets the playbook: - **Tournament schedule**: dates, times, rules - **Team roles**: who does what when the fish bites - **Communication protocols**: hand signals, radio silence procedures ### Angler development Our clients aren't just along for the ride. They're part of the team: - **Pre-tournament training**: circle hook seminars - **Fighting chair drills**: proper technique for big fish - **Tournament psychology**: staying calm under pressure ## The scouting missions November isn't really for fishing. It's for intelligence. ### Bait reconnaissance We map the winter bait migrations: - **Pilchard schools** along the reef line - **Greenie concentrations** in the backcountry - **Goggle-eye haunts** on the wrecks ### Fish pattern analysis Three years of catch data gets crunched: - **Sailfish highways**: where they travel and when - **Temperature preferences**: the magic number for bites - **Moon phase correlations**: when the giants feed ## The financials Tournament fishing isn't cheap, but it pays off for the operation: - **Entry fees**: $15,000+ for the Gold Cup series - **Bait budget**: $2,000 for live bait - **Fuel reserve**: 500 gallons of tournament-grade diesel - **Insurance**: specialized tournament coverage ## Why we compete People ask why we bother with tournaments when the charter calendar is full. It's simple: 1. **Proof of concept**: winning proves our methods work 2. **Brand building**: tournament success brings in serious anglers 3. **Continuous improvement**: competition pushes us to get better 4. **Legacy**: we're not just catching fish, we're building a record ## The countdown begins The boat is dialed in and the crew is ready. The prep is done. Now it's time to perform. **Want to fish with a tournament operation? Book now and feel the DirtyBoat difference.**

On November 11th, 2023, at Whale Harbor Restaurants & Marina, the Upper Keys made it official: **Captain Kit Carson Mobley of DirtyBoat Charters is the Best Fishing Guide in the Upper Keys**. The Keys Weekly Best of Upper Keys awards are a people's choice deal, voted on by the community. Winning Best Fishing Guide isn't a plaque you buy. It's a thumbs-up from the people who know Islamorada fishing best. ## The award ceremony: Whale Harbor, November 11, 2023 ### The setting - **Location**: Whale Harbor Restaurants & Marina - **Crowd**: 180-plus attendees - **Mood**: loud, buzzing, ready for the results - **Moment**: first-time winners jumping out of their seats ### The announcement When "Capt. Kit Carson Mobley, Best Fishing Guide" was called, it landed as recognition for years of work on the water.  *Captain Kit Carson Mobley accepts the Keys Weekly Best Fishing Guide award at the Whale Harbor ceremony on November 11, 2023. Photo by Doug Finger/Keys Weekly.* ## What Best Fishing Guide really means This isn't a corporate award or paid placement. It's the Upper Keys saying a few things. ### You catch fish When people vote for Best Fishing Guide, they're voting for results. They know who puts fish in the box. ### You give people a good day Fishing is about the whole trip, not just the catch. From the dock to the deep blue and back. ### You represent Islamorada well A fishing guide is an ambassador for the Upper Keys. This award says you do the job right. ### You're part of the community The award puts DirtyBoat in good company with other local winners: - **Best Dive Shop**: Capt. Slate's Scuba Adventures - **Best Bar & Wings**: Dillon's Pub & Grill - **Best Art Gallery**: Taylor Hale Studio & Gallery - **Best Seafood**: Chef Michael's - **Best Marine Services**: LeBouef's Marine ## The road to Best Fishing Guide This one was years in the making. ### Tournament success - **2022 Islamorada Sailfish Tournament**: 300 points - **2023 Cheeca Lodge Presidential**: 100 points - **2023 Islamorada Fishing Club**: 100 points - **2023 Florida Keys Gold Cup Series**: 500 points ### Trophy catches - **463-pound Swordfish**: featured in Keys Weekly - **Perfect 10 Sailfish**: 10-for-10 personal best - **4lb Tippet Challenge**: world record attempts ### Day-in, day-out work - **Daily charters**: putting clients on fish, day after day - **Angler development**: making good anglers great - **Local knowledge**: over a decade of Islamorada experience ## The captain behind the award ### Captain Kit Carson Mobley - **Experience**: over a decade guiding in the Upper Keys - **Philosophy**: fishing should be fun, productive, and worth remembering - **Approach**: technical chops plus people skills - **Reputation**: known for putting clients on fish ### The DirtyBoat advantage - **42' Liberty Express**: tournament-proven platform - **Expert crew**: mates who are anglers themselves - **Quality gear**: custom rods, calibrated reels, sharp hooks - **Local intelligence**: we know where the fish live ## What this award means for your charter Book with the Keys Weekly Best Fishing Guide and you get: ### Community-backed results The Upper Keys voted. This is the guide to fish with. ### A proven track record The award confirms what the tournament results already showed. We catch fish. ### The full experience We don't just fish. We give you a day on the water worth talking about. ### Local roots We're not visiting guides. We're part of the Islamorada community. ## DirtyBoat in the Upper Keys Winning Best Fishing Guide puts DirtyBoat alongside other strong local businesses: ### Local business standouts - **Dive**: Capt. Slate's Scuba Adventures - **Dining**: Chef Michael's (Best Seafood) - **Arts**: Taylor Hale Studio & Gallery - **Fishing**: DirtyBoat Charters ### What it says about Islamorada The Upper Keys is more than a fishing destination. From diving to dining to fishing, this place does things right. ## Building on the award A win like this isn't a finish line. It's a starting point. ### Keeping it going - **More tournament success**: building on the 500-point Gold Cup - **More trophy fish**: chasing the next 463-pound monster - **More happy clients**: making fishing memories ### Community commitment - **Supporting local**: local bait, local services - **Representing well**: flying the flag for Islamorada fishing - **Giving back**: sharing the success with the community ## Your award-winning fishing experience Ready to fish with the Keys Weekly Best Fishing Guide? We offer: ### Charter specialties - **Sailfish expeditions**: our tournament-proven specialty - **Swordfish hunts**: targeting monsters like our 463-pounder - **Mixed bag trips**: variety fishing for all skill levels - **Tournament preparation**: get ready for competition ### What sets us apart 1. **Award-winning guidance**: Best Fishing Guide 2023 2. **Tournament credentials**: 500-point Gold Cup team 3. **Trophy fish experience**: we've caught the monsters 4. **Local roots**: part of the Upper Keys fabric **Book your award-winning fishing experience with Captain Kit Carson and the DirtyBoat team, voted Best Fishing Guide in the Upper Keys by the people who know fishing best.** *Featured in Keys Weekly: "Best of Upper Keys First Time Winners" - November 11, 2023*

Most days you hope for a bite. Once in a while everything lines up. February 25th, 2023 was one of those days, a personal best for DirtyBoat going **10-for-10 on Sailfish**. ## Conditions and preparation ### Weather and water - **Conditions**: ideal Sailfish weather - **Water temperature**: right in the sweet spot - **Bait availability**: pilchards and goggle-eyes plentiful - **Current**: just right for a sustained bite ### Our prep - **Pre-dawn bait gathering**: first light at Robbie's Marina - **Gear check**: every rod, reel, and leader ready - **Team briefing**: everyone knew their role for a big day ## The 10/10 breakdown A perfect day doesn't fall in your lap. Here's how it went. ### Morning session, first 5 1. **First light bite**: set the tone 2. **Double header**: two anglers, two fish 3. **Consistent action**: steady stream of shots 4. **Circle hook placement**: every fish hooked in the corner 5. **Clean releases**: all fish swam off strong ### Afternoon session, next 5 6. **Post-lunch run**: the bite kept going 7. **Experienced anglers**: knowing when to be patient and when to push 8. **Deck management**: mates working clean 9. **Captain's calls**: right place, right time 10. **The 10th**: a fitting end to the day ## What 10/10 really means A perfect day on Sailfish is rare. ### How rare - **Hook-to-release ratio**: 100%, almost unheard of - **Angler success**: every angler aboard caught fish - **Bait efficiency**: almost no wasted baits - **Time management**: fish caught all day long ### What it takes 1. **Hooksetting**: clean circle hook technique every time 2. **Fighting**: proper pressure, no rushed moves 3. **Release**: quick, clean, easy on the fish 4. **Teamwork**: smooth deck operations ## The DirtyBoat difference So why can we go 10/10 when other boats grind? ### Local knowledge We don't guess where the fish are. Over a decade of Islamorada experience means we're already on productive water while others are searching. ### Bait superiority Our live wells are full of fresh, frisky bait from Robbie's Marina. While others run frozen or tired bait, ours swims like it just left the reef. ### Gear - **Rods**: custom 20-40lb class Rainshadow blanks with titanium guides from Mudhole - **Reels**: serviced, drags calibrated - **Terminal tackle**: sharp circle hooks, fresh fluorocarbon ### Crew Captain, mate, and angler all working at a high level. We don't just fish. We execute. ## The Islamorada Sailfish bite Our Instagram post put it plainly: "It has been a great couple of days fishing with plenty of Sailfish bite going around." This wasn't a one-off. February 2023 brought: - **Consistent action**: several good days in a row - **Quality fish**: good-sized, healthy Sailfish - **Varied conditions**: we caught in different weather - **Multiple anglers**: different people getting on fish ## Why this matters for your charter Book DirtyBoat and you get: ### Peak performance The same skills behind that 10/10 day go into every charter. ### Angler development We can make any skill level better. Beginners learn proper technique, experienced anglers sharpen up. ### Time on the water that counts We make your time on the water count. No wasted moves, no spinning our wheels. ### Days worth remembering A 10/10 day is rare, but every day with DirtyBoat is built around putting you on fish. ## The aftermath The Instagram post said it best: "Always a good time! 😎🎣🛥️" Behind the emojis is a serious operation that: - **Documents success**: we log every catch - **Analyzes patterns**: we learn from every trip - **Keeps improving**: we're never satisfied - **Shares the stoke**: we love what we do ## Your turn at a perfect day A 10/10 day is rare, but with DirtyBoat every day has the potential. We offer: ### Sailfish specialties - **Live bait fishing**: our specialty - **Kite fishing**: when conditions call for it - **Mixed bag trips**: Sailfish plus other species - **Tournament preparation**: get ready for competition ### What sets us apart - **Proven track record**: 10/10 days don't happen by accident - **Local expertise**: Islamorada is our home water - **Quality equipment**: tournament-grade gear - **Crew that cares**: we love catching fish as much as you do **Ready for your best day on the water? Book DirtyBoat and fish Islamorada Sailfish at its finest.** *"A personal best for #DirtyBoat today going 10/10 on Sailfish 🙌🏼 it has been a great couple of days fishing with plenty of Sailfish bite going around. Always a good time! 😎🎣🛥️" - February 25, 2023 Instagram post*

At 9:50 AM on January 21st, 2023, Chad Pruitt traded the mate's deck for the angler's rail. He released a clean Sailfish and earned Team Dirty Boat 2.0 another 100 points at the Islamorada Fishing Club Sailfish Tournament. ## The ultimate team player Pruitt's day says a lot about how Dirty Boat 2.0 works. ### As mate - Works the deck with surgical precision - Manages bait, lines, and anglers - Keeps the whole operation running ### As angler - Steps up when called on - Runs clean technique - Puts points on the board That kind of versatility is rare in tournament fishing. Most mates are specialists. Pruitt is a complete fisherman. ## The catch: January 21, 2023, 9:50 AM The bite came early, which is exactly what you want in a tournament. While other teams were still hunting, we had points on the board by 9:50 AM. Pruitt's fight was textbook: - **Hookset**: perfect circle hook placement - **Fight**: steady pressure, no rushed moves - **Release**: clean, healthy fish swam off strong 100 points. Just like that. ## Back-to-back tournament success This one came just days after our day at the 2023 Cheeca Lodge Presidential: - **January 18**: Jose Boza, 100 points (Cheeca Presidential) - **January 21**: Chad Pruitt, 100 points (Islamorada Fishing Club) Two tournaments, two different anglers, 200 total points. That's depth. ## The Dirty Boat 2.0 system Our results don't ride on one star. They ride on systems. ### Role flexibility Every crew member can fill more than one role. Mates can fish, anglers can work the deck. That flexibility wins tournaments. ### Preparation over hope We don't wait for bites, we set them up. Pre-tournament scouting, bait gathering, equipment checks. ### Process focus Worry about the process, not the score. Do everything right and the points come. ## The Gold Cup implications Two 100-point days back to back in January 2023 set the tone for the whole Gold Cup series. Starting strong let us: - Build early points in the standings - Establish momentum - Send a message to the competition The result was a **500-point Gold Cup series total** for 2023. ## What this means for your fishing experience Charter Dirty Boat 2.0 and you get the same approach that scores in tournaments: 1. **Expert instruction**: learn from mates who can catch fish themselves 2. **Systematic fishing**: a process that produces results 3. **Versatile crew**: every team member can help you catch **Fish with the team that produces at every position. Book Dirty Boat 2.0 today.**

Tournaments aren't won on one big day. They're won by showing up and scoring every time out. That's how Team Dirty Boat 2.0 fishes, and the 2023 Cheeca Lodge Presidential Sailfish Tournament was more of the same. Another event, another 100 points on the board. ## The catch: January 18, 2023, 11:17 AM At 11:17 AM on January 18th, angler **Jose Boza** hooked the Sailfish that locked up our tournament score. That made it Boza's second straight year scoring for Dirty Boat 2.0 in a major tournament. Conditions weren't easy. Variable winds and scattered bait kept most boats guessing, but the crew found the fish when it counted. ## Back-to-back success The context is what makes this 100-point day stand out. ### 2022 season - **Islamorada Sailfish Tournament**: 300 points - Multiple anglers contributing ### 2023 season, off to a strong start - **Cheeca Lodge Presidential**: 100 points (Jose Boza) - **Islamorada Fishing Club**: 100 points (Chad Pruitt, the very next day) Two strong seasons in a row tells you 2022 wasn't luck. This is a pattern. ## The angler development program Boza didn't get there by accident. It came out of the way we bring anglers along: 1. **Fundamentals first**: every angler learns proper technique 2. **Tournament simulation**: practice under pressure 3. **Mentorship**: experienced anglers helping newcomers 4. **Equipment familiarity**: knowing your gear inside and out When Boza stepped to the rail at 11:17 AM, he wasn't hoping for a bite. He was expecting one. That kind of confidence comes from preparation. ## The 42' Liberty Express advantage The boat does real work for us: - **Speed**: get to the fish before other boats - **Stability**: fight fish in comfort - **Live well capacity**: keep bait frisky all day - **Electronics**: find fish others miss Captain Kit Carson put the boat in position, mate Chad Pruitt kept the deck organized, and Jose Boza did the rest. ## Building the Gold Cup total This 100-point day fed into our running **Florida Keys Gold Cup Series** total, which would finish the 2023 series at **500 points**. Every tournament counts in the Gold Cup chase. Stacking up 100-point days is what separates the contenders from the rest of the fleet. ## What this means for your charter Book Dirty Boat 2.0 and you get: 1. **Tournament-proven techniques**: what works in competition works on a charter 2. **Angler development**: we can make any skill level better 3. **Consistent results**: we don't have good days and bad days, we have fishing days **Want championship-level fishing? Book Dirty Boat 2.0 and fish with the team that scores year after year.**

Some trips you remember. This one we'll never forget. On January 7th, 2023, Team DirtyBoat tangled with a true sea monster 26 miles off Islamorada, a fish that made Keys Weekly headlines. ## The setup: 15 minutes from calling it Captain Kit Carson Mobley was about ready to end the trip. The waves were stacking up, daylight was fading, and we were 26 miles offshore with six anglers aboard. We'd given it our best shot, but sometimes the ocean says no. Then Jack Philip, visiting from Washington State, offered a prayer. Call it coincidence, call it faith. We call it the bite that changed everything. ## The fight: 2.5 hours When the swordfish first surfaced, we figured 200 to 300 pounds. We were wrong. Way wrong. ### The battle timeline - **Hour 1**: Steady pressure, the fish swimming up and down - **Hour 2**: The monster woke up. 800 feet from the boat, the real fight began - **Final 30 minutes**: Harpoon shots, waves fighting waves, a 3-mile drift Mate Jose Boza was on the rod, working an **Islamorada Swordfish Baits rod** paired with a **Lindgren-Pitman SV-1200 electric reel** from Tackle Center in Islamorada. This wasn't sport fishing. This was war. ## The moment of truth When the head finally broke the surface, Captain Mobley knew. "We had close to a 500-pound fish." Mate John McConnell delivered the harpoon shot, and the real struggle began. The harpoon line flew out of the bucket "like crazy" as the swordfish fought the waves, the current, and six determined men. "It was a mean fish," Mobley recalled. "She'd come up and fight the waves. We were drifting with that fish for 3 miles." ## The victory: 463 pounds It took seven minutes to bring the monster onto the boat. Then came the high-fives, the shouts, the celebration. "We were thankful," Mobley said. "It was a gift." A three-hour ride brought us to Bud N' Mary's Marina in Islamorada for the official weigh-in: **463 pounds**. A true sea monster. ## The aftermath: feeding families, creating art ### The harvest - **400 pounds** of meat total - **114 pounds** shipped to Washington State for Jack Philip's family and friends - Enough swordfish steaks to feed an army ### The legacy - **Lisa Lee Herman** of Islamorada's Gallery of the Arts created prints of the rail - **Gray's Taxidermy** crafted a mount to preserve the memory - **Keys Weekly** featured our catch and shared the story across the Florida Keys ## The gear that made it possible This wasn't a lucky catch. It was a technical win. ### Rod and reel combo - **Rod**: Islamorada Swordfish Baits custom build - **Reel**: Lindgren-Pitman SV-1200 electric reel - **Source**: Tackle Center, Islamorada ### The DirtyBoat advantage - **42' Liberty Express**: stable enough for the 3-mile drift battle - **Experienced crew**: mates who know how to fight big fish - **Local knowledge**: 26 miles offshore isn't just a location, it's our office ## Captain Mobley's reflection "I'll be lucky if I see a fish like that again," Mobley said after the catch. "It just goes to show there are some true sea monsters." But here's the truth. At DirtyBoat, we don't lean on luck. We lean on preparation, the right gear, crew, and mindset. We lean on persistence, fishing right down to the last minute. And we lean on knowing how to fight a fish that fights back. ## Your chance at glory The same boat that landed this 463-pound monster is available for your swordfish trip. We run: ### Swordfish specialties - **Deep-drop expeditions**: targeting monsters like this one - **Daytime swordfishing**: the new frontier in big game fishing - **Overnight trips**: maximizing your chances at a trophy ### What you get - **Tournament-proven gear**: the same equipment that caught this legend - **Expert crew**: mates who've fought 463-pound fish - **Local knowledge**: we know where the monsters live **Ready to write your own story? Book your swordfish trip on the DirtyBoat, the boat that landed a 463-pound Keys Weekly headline-maker.** *This catch was featured in Keys Weekly: "Florida Keys Crew Catches Nearly 500-lb. Swordfish Off Islamorada"*

December 3rd, 2022 wasn't just another tournament day. Team Dirty Boat 2.0 released three sailfish and proved we had the depth to compete at the top. ## The timeline ### 11:10 AM: Jose Boza starts the party The first hookup came just after 11 AM. Jose Boza, one of our most consistent anglers, connected with a sailfish that set the tone for the day. Clean circle hook placement, steady pressure, clean release. **100 points on the board.** ### 1:01 PM: John McConnell joins the action Two hours later, John McConnell added his name to the scoresheet. Another sailfish, another clean release. **200 points total.** ### 3:12 PM: McConnell does it again As the afternoon wore on, John McConnell showed why he's one of our go-to anglers. His second sailfish release of the day brought our total to **300 points**, a tournament-leading number. ## What made this day work ### Angler depth Having more than one angler catch fish isn't luck. It's preparation. We bring all our anglers up to tournament standards: circle hook technique, proper body mechanics in the fighting chair, and a calm head under pressure. ### Boat management Captain Kit Carson's calls were dialed in. He had us in the right place at the right time, kept fresh pilchards going all day, and positioned us away from the crowds and on the fish. ### Crew execution Mate Chad Pruitt worked the deck like a conductor. Bait changes under 30 seconds, clean line management with no tangles, and every fish swam away strong. ## The bigger picture This triple-sailfish day was part of our larger 2022 IST run. Day 1 established our presence. Day 2 on December 3rd was the haul, with multiple catches. Day 3 on December 4th added a bonus species, a 7.5lb dolphin. The result was a **300-point tournament performance** that put Dirty Boat 2.0 in the conversation. ## From tournament to your charter The same skills that produced three sailfish in one day are what you get when you charter Dirty Boat 2.0. We can develop any skill level, we hunt rather than just drift, and the crew is tournament-tested. **Want to fish at a tournament level? Book Dirty Boat 2.0 and fish with the team that put up 300 points in the Islamorada Sailfish Tournament.**

The 2022 Islamorada Sailfish Tournament is the one where Team Dirty Boat 2.0 showed we could run with the front of the fleet. We put up 300 points, and we did it by hooking and releasing fish when it counted. ## December 3, 2022: the day we owned the fleet ### Morning session - **11:10 AM**: Jose Boza got us on the board with a clean sailfish release (100 points) - **1:01 PM**: John McConnell added another sailfish release (100 points) - **3:12 PM**: John McConnell did it again with his second sailfish of the day (100 points) Three sailfish releases in four hours. That's what tournament fishing looks like when the day comes together. ### The bonus catch At **3:57 PM on December 4th**, Chad Pruitt put a **7.5lb dolphin** in the boat. It wasn't worth tournament points, but it put meat in the box when the chance came up. ## The Dirty Boat 2.0 difference ### The anglers who made it happen - **John McConnell**: 2 sailfish releases - **Jose Boza**: 1 sailfish release - **Chad Pruitt**: 7.5lb dolphin ### Why 300 points matters In sailfish tournament scoring, 100 points is a solid day, 200 puts you in contention, and 300 is championship territory. Our 300-point showing put the rest of the fleet on notice. ## The boat that made it possible - **42' Liberty Express**: fast enough to run to the fish, stable enough to fight them - **Captain Kit Carson**: called the shots that put us on fish - **Mate Chad Pruitt**: worked the deck with tournament precision ## From tournament to charter The same skills that earned us 300 points in the IST are what make Dirty Boat 2.0 a serious charter boat in Islamorada. We know where the fish are, we know how to make them bite, we know how to get them to the boat, and we work as one unit on the water. ## The start of something This 300-point day wasn't just a result. It was the start of a reputation. It proved we could compete with the best boats in Florida, that we had the anglers to get it done, and that we had the captain and mate to make it happen. **Want tournament-proven fishing? Book your charter on Dirty Boat 2.0, the boat that put up 300 points in the Islamorada Sailfish Tournament.**