Article by Capt. Franky Pettolina
People always ask me, of all the places that I have had the opportunity to fish, which one is my favorite? The first time someone asked me that question I was very quick to blurt out an answer. At the time, it was a no brainer. But over the years, I have given more thought to that question and realized that I may not have a favorite place to fish, rather I have favorite things about each place that I go to fish.
That first time I was asked, the answer that I blurted out was Venezuela. In today’s political climate that probably sounds like a stupid answer. However, back in the 90s the town of Caraballeda would play host to some of the top sportfishing boats in the world in the fall and the spring. The country was mostly stable, the people were friendly and the waters surrounding the LaGuaria Bank were teeming with billfish. Oh yeah, diesel fuel averaged about 30 cents per gallon too! Venezuela was known as the prime destination to capture a Billfish Grand Slam (three different species in a day- i.e. white marlin, blue marlin, sailfish), or a Super Grand Slam (add swordfish to the previous three).
During my first season over there in 1997, Venezuela became known for something even more amazing. The Fantasy Slam. What is a Fantasy Slam you ask? A Fantasy Slam is five different species of billfish in a single day (white marlin, blue marlin, sailfish, swordfish, and spearfish). Capt. Robbie Moore and the crew of the “Escapade” caught the very first one that fall. I was fishing next to him when he caught the spearfish. I caught a spear as well that day, but did not catch any blues or sails, let alone a sword. Yup, Venezuela is pretty incredible. I wish the country would get its political head out of it’s butt!!!
The more I thought about it, however, fishing isn’t the only thing about a “favorite destination.” Yes, fishing is the big part, but there is much, much more to it. When you get off of the boat it is nice to have some good restaurants and a little nightlife to go along with the fishing. In that regard, back in my traveling sportfishing days, Cancun was the prime hot spot for fishing, good restaurants and nighttime festivities. The winter and springtime sailfish bite out of Cancun and Isla Mujeres is red hot. Slow days are 15 or 20 bites, and the good days are upwards of 50 or more shots at sails. Once the fishing day is over, the dining options range from awesome roadside taquerias to white tablecloth fine dining. And of course, Cancun is known for its bar and nightclub scene. I rigged many a ballyhoo with a blistering hangover back in those days! In today’s world, I would say that Costa Rica has replaced Cancun and Isla for the exact reasons I just listed, plus the seas are relatively calm as opposed to the rough water fishery in Mexico. Perhaps my only regret from my days as a traveling crew member is that Los Suenos had yet to be built and Costa Rica was not available as an option to me.
All this international stuff is great, but sometimes it is nice to order dinner in English and not have to worry about drinking the water. So I have to add South Florida and the Keys to my list of favorites. Down there you have good fishing for a mixed bag of species. Yeah, the areas off of South Florida and the Keys definitely have that covered. Tasty eats and nightlife? I would have to say both of those are on the list down there as well. And you don’t need a passport to get there. I definitely would include the Palm Beach area and Islamorada as some of my favorite places to also wet a line.
You know what though? As I am compiling this list of my favorite fishing destinations, I realize that there is one place that has all of my criteria rolled into one. The Eastern Shore. God’s Country. The White Marlin Capital of the World. Home. Good Old Ocean City, Maryland. Home of crabs coated in Old Bay, some of the best bars on the planet (I was going to name some, but the space allotted for this column does not allow for all of the good ones to be listed….ok maybe a few initials… OCMC, TCB, HS, SSG+T, MF, FT, MRD, HI, RI, FMS, OCFC, TLL, F, S, TBC, TA, BSD, P+P….. see what I mean? Sorry if I missed any of your favorites, but like I said, space is limited), top notch dining experiences and some of the best fishing known to man. We have great bottom fishing in our back bays and on our near shore ledges and reefs. Tunas, yeah we got tunas. And how about those marlins! We ain’t called the White Marlin Capital of the World for nuthin! If you walked the docks over the past few weeks you would see more blue flags than you could shake a fishing stick at! Less than a handful of release flags flying and you would be thinking you had a slow to average day. I also have to give a shout out to my buddies Kyle, Eric, and Parker on the “No Quarter” for bringing a Fantasy Slam home to OCMD. Way to help your crew help themselves become a part of history!!! Ocean City is second to none.
Right here in my own backyard, where I grew up. A place where hundreds upon hundreds of people will line up in the wee hours of the morning to watch the boats leave on the first day of the White Marlin Open. When I look behind me as I leave the inlet in the morning, I see the lights of the hotels and highrises along the beach. When I come back through in the evening, I can see the lights on the boardwalk and possibly my favorite lights, the ones on the Ferris Wheel. A place where the beaches are full and the people are friendly. Ocean City, Maryland.
Maybe I really do have a favorite place to fish after all.
As this is the last regular issue of the Coastal Fisherman for the season, I would like to take a minute to thank Larry and the Jock family for giving me the opportunity to tell y’all a fish story or two. I have really enjoyed writing this column, and I hope you have enjoyed reading it. We raised some money for the Ocean City Reef Foundation and nobody laughed too hard about the picture of me in my skivvies (at least not to my face anyway). Thanks for letting me into your lives each week. See ya next summer!!!
Capt. Franky Pettolina is Co-Captain of the charter boat, “Last Call” and President of the Ocean City Marlin Club.
