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Growing up on a drift boat, I caught my share of kingfish, bonitos, and an occasional mutton or yellowtail snapper. Then I wanted to catch a mahi. Then it was a big bull mahi. Then I caught my first wahoo off the kite on the drift boat, and it wasn’t long before I got a sailfish. And not too long after that I started thinking about a white or blue marlin, or even a giant bluefin tuna. I am sure the progression was the same for many of us!
In the early days, our bucket list consisted of just catching the next best fish. But as time moved on, and our goals matured to catching higher numbers of fish or targeting them on light tackle, our bucket list became filled with destinations that would help us achieve those goals.
Today’s list for a lot of people includes Brazil, Cape Verde, Madeira and three places in Australia: Exmouth, Cairns and Brisbane. Most would add Cabo San Lucas and Mag Bay, and then down to Costa Rica too. Don’t forget our local hotspots, such as North Carolina, Maryland and the Gulf of Mexico, with its offshore rigs and big marlin. So many places and so little time!
Growing up in South Florida, the first place on my list was the Bahamas. Then it was Panama, Cozumel, the Virgin Islands and, of course, Venezuela. Later on, I checked Kona, Hawaii, and Cairns, Australia, off my big-game bucket list. Recently, I checked another destination off my bucket list after joining Anthony Hsieh and the Bad Company gang in the Azores.
Although it was on my radar when running The Madam & The Hooker in the late ’80s, I never made it to the Azores. I was joined on this bucket list trip by two other world travelers, Bark Garnsey and Charles Perry. Of course, we all said yes to the invitation because of the opportunity to see this incredible operation, talk about the destinations they have fished and their future plans. Talk about some bucket list places!
After getting there, it didn’t take long to be absorbed in the passion they all share for the world tour—targeting the biggest marlin in the best destinations around the world. It was crazy! From the owner, Hsieh, to their leader, Capt. Steve Lassley, and the talented crew—consisting of OB, their wire man; Rian; and Vito—the drive they have for the globe-trotting operation is contagious. Unfortunately, fishing was slow that week, but the stories and camaraderie were great! We have all experienced slow fishing before, and it did not bother us. We knew the crew wanted to catch a few XL blue marlin with us on board, and they tried their damnedest to make it happen. All I know is that I am going back there soon!
These days there are so many great destinations to target billfish—from sailfish to marlin, and from size to numbers. And in many cases, you have the choice of chartering boats with resorts or bringing your own boat to these faraway destinations. In addition to broadening your horizons, traveling to bucket list destinations can give you the opportunity to check different billfish species off the list for your IGFA Billfish Royal Slam.
I still have Brazil, Exmouth and some remote islands in the South Pacific on my bucket list, to name just a few. Hope to see you there!
