L&H Sportfishing

Christopher Marlin gets his 1st Sailfish

2020-03-12

Our youngest son, 8 year-old Christopher Marlin David has been dying to catch a sailfish. We had the afternoon available and with great conditions offshore, loaded up the family and headed out. With a hard north wind and a strong north current, conditions were perfect for sight fishing for tailing sails. As soon as we hit the edge I spotted a big bluefin tuna tailing down sea, although an awesome sight to behold the big tuna had no interest in eating. With my oldest son James and daughter Laurel in the tower we decided to get on the move. Riding and looking for fish on the surface and then presenting baits to them, sight fishing as we call it. The first sailfish we found, Laurel spotted, was very hungry and came racing in on the hapless live bait as soon as it hit the water, unfortunately for Chris, luck was not on our side for this one as the main line parted after a few jumps. Not to be dismayed, we continued on the hunt. Almost immediately found two more sails. The baits went out and within seconds both fish were hooked up! Moms fish went off the bow as we concentrated on Christopher’s fish first. With sheer determination Christ battled the angry sail as the L&H charged backwards in hot pursuit. After a quick fight, young Chris had the fish boat side for a clean release of his first ever sail. Shouts of joy and excitement filled the air as everyone was so happy and proud of Christopher and his first sailfish! The 8 year-old angler would go on to release two more sails using light spinning gear, giving him a total of three sails and 5 for the boat in total in just a few short hours of family fishing.

Go check out our youtube channel for an awesome video of Christopher catching his first 3 sailfish! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1R3flQscVY

Big White Marlin!

2020-03-02

We had a morning half day with a father and son. After catching bait we ran out to the edge. The wind was light out of the north and there was a slow current. The kites went up and all of the baits were deployed. Shortly thereafter, I saw a big flash on the right short!! I yelled from my perch in the tower to alert the crew and angler. Then I saw it, the round dorsal fin, a tell tale sign of the white marlin, Its a white!!! I cried from the tower as the sneaky fish circled around and around the hapless thread fin herring we were using for bait. Finally, the marlin engulfed the bait and began tailing down sea. James dropped back and handed the rod to our angler who reeled tight and hooked the fish. I put the boat in reverse and leaned on the throttles as the majestic white marlin greyhound down sea. We chased the fish as it did all he could to get away, but that was not going to happen, as luck was on our side today. After a short battle, James reached out and grabbed the leader signifying an official catch. Shouts of joy and excitement echoed all around the boat as the beautiful fish continued a spectacular series of jumps I contemplated boating the big fish as it was over 90 pounds, (very large for a white marlin), but she was too pretty and in perfect shape for release. When James got the leader again he gently pulled the fish alongside the boat and cut the leader to set the fish free to fight another day. It was the first white marlin caught off of Miami in 2020 and one we will not soon forget! Check out landh_sportfishing on Instagram for a quick clip of the catch.

Good Fishing with James Castro

2020-02-25

James Casto has been fishing for a long time and has fished all over the world! He was referred to us by our friends at LMR tackle. We got an early start and headed out to the bait spot. James and his friends showed their experience with the bait fishing and put plenty of frisky baits into the bait tank in short order. A quick stop at the edge of the reef produced a small tuna and a couple of kingfish. When the reef slowed down it was time to head offshore into the gulf stream. With the baits and teasers out, the L&H motored into the calm, clear, cobalt blue waters of the gulf stream. It wasn’t long until I spotted a nice current edge with sea weed and it looked very promising. As soon as we began going down the edge, we started picking at nice sized mahi. Mostly one at a time. Then we found what we were looking for, a nice stick amongst the sea weed with a lot of bait around it. One after another, mahi mahi began to show up and once again James and his team showed their experience. With several nice fish all going separate ways, the anglers did what they had to do to eliminate tangles and put the fish in the boat. When the dust settled, the crew had put nearly all the mahis from the school into our icy fish hold without a problem. By now it was time to head for the dock and everyone on board was happy with the results from our half day fishing trip!

James Dean Gets em Again!

2020-02-20

tuna, sailfish, wahoo, L&H, Miami, Key Biscayne fishing

James Dean gets his wish!

2020-02-11

8 Year old James Dean lives in Michigan and suffers from terminal brain cancer. His dream is to catch a sailfish, so some great people booked the L&H for James to try and give him the opportunity of a lifetime! It was hard for me to see such a good looking boy with this terrible brain cancer. None the less, I was determined to get this boy his wish. We had bait already so when James showed up with his mom and his dad, off we went. The weather was beautiful, calm seas and light winds (not the most ideal conditions for sailfish). Helium balloons were fixed to the kites to help keep them aloft in the light winds. Out went the baits and we waited for a sail to show up. Nothing for a couple hours, as I searched from my perch in the tower for anything that might show any kind of sign of a sailfish. All of a sudden, several hundred yards off the bow of the L&H a school of frantic ballyhoo began jumping to elude a predator. From the way the ballyhoo were acting, I was sure it was a sailfish chasing them. The throttles went forward as the custom 46' Hatteras raced toward showering ballyhoo. 2 Sailfish were zipping around chasing the ballyhoo. GET READY I cried from the tower as the boat came into position. Troy flipped a live ballyhoo in front of the rapidly moving sailfish and it raced over and engulfed the bait immediately!! Then the other sailfish rose up and ate our left middle kite bait. We were now hooked up to two sailfish and young James Dean sprung into action. We maneuvered after the fish on the kite rod first, letting the second fish run off the bow. James battled his first ever sailfish and with shear determination and was was going to land his catch no matter what. Fifteen minutes later, James had his sailfish at the boat for some pictures and a successful release! Without hesitation, JD turned to the second sailfish and went to work on it. Again, James was able to have his sailfish boat side in about fifteen minutes, managing a successful release of both ends of his double header sailfish!! What an experience!! Everyone on board was ecstatic, especially James Dean!! I was so excited, happy, thankful and relieved all at the same time!! Young JD would finish out the trip releasing yet another sailfish, a few big barracudas and also boated a nice blacken tuna. It was truly an amazing day for James and his family and a day none of us will ever forget!!

Annie Gets Em in the Rain

2019-12-12

fishing in the rain

Oh My! BLUE MARLIN!

2019-11-19

August Blue Marlin for Derrick

First Blue Marlin of the Year

2019-10-25

Marlin caught off of Miami

Double Digit Sailfish

2019-03-01

We had a group of clients from out of town aboard the L&H to do some Miami Charter Fishing. After catching some live bait in Biscayne Bay it was time to head offshore into the gulf stream and try some kite fishing. Shortly after setting the baits, two sailfish appeared and were both hooked and jumping behind the custom 46' Hatteras, L&H. Both of our anglers did great, making for two successful sailfish releases to start the day! Later on that morning the team added some bonitas and another sailfish to the tally before the current died. With deteriorating conditions the captain headed the boat up the coast toward Key Biscayne. It was looking very promising and as we slowed the boat and set the baits back out. Strong north current and cobalt blue water were the conditions we hoped for and I knew more sails would rise up soon! Over the next hour and a half we caught 2 more double header sails and a single giving us a total of 8 for the day so far. All of the sudden a pack of sails came up behind the boat. In short order we were hooked to a quad! Unfortunately 2 of the fish got away but we managed to catch the other 2 and ended the day with an awesome 10 sailfish releases while charter fishing off of Miami Beach aboard the L&H.

Blue Marlin, Tuna and Mahi..What a Day!!

2018-10-25

We had couple from overseas on the L&H to do some Miami Fishing. The weather was beautiful. With flat calm seas and cobalt blue water our custom 46' Hatteras seemed as if it was gliding effortlessly into the gulf stream. Off in the distance I could see birds circling and diving with fish crashing below. "TUNA!!", I yelled to the crew as we approached the feeding gamefish. Without hesitation the lines were set and they were bit immediately! The couple sprang into action and began catching nice size tuna one after another. Doubles and triple headers of the gamefish were the norm rather than the exception and our Bullbuster mono was doing the trick, even with heavy drag. In short order, our team put a dozen nice tuna in the L&H's icy hold. From there there crew reset the spread and we resumed our hunt. From my perch in the tower, high above the surface of the water I spotted a big fish closing in on the right teaser! "BLUE MARLIN!!!", I shouted with enthusiasm. the big blue marlin charged the teaser and lunged after it time and time again with each attempt at the teaser, more aggressive than the previous! With perfect light and crystal clear blue water the now angry blue marlin was completely lit up, giving me (and everyone else on the boat) one of the most incredible sights I have ever seen off of Miami! The fish teased all the way in and continued lunging after the teaser, even after it was hanging from the rigger! The crew presented the pitch bait with precision and accuracy and the hungry blue marlin engulfed it. I put the L&H in reverse and the Cummins engines came to life as we charged backwards after the greyhounding marlin. Our angler did an incredible job as we chased the fish all over the ocean. Finally after several incredible series of jumps and some other maneuvers we had the 300lb marlin at boat side for a clean release. It was truly an incredible catch from start to finish and one I won't soon forget! We continued fishing and before long started catching nice mahi-mahi. The mahi action remained consistent and before days end we added a bunch to the fish box including a couple of 25lb bulls! It was an unforgettable day and just goes to show that you never know what will happen when you step on board the L&H for a day of Miami Charter Fishing!!