Billfish Trip - 54' HATTERAS

For your full-day Bill Fishing adventure you will start your morning early by meeting Captain Ann Johnston at the dock before the sun comes up. She will crank the engines on her 54' Hatteras sport fisher and the smell of the diesel will pop you right awake! Once she's ready to go you will enjoy an comfortable ride in the cabin of Ann's Dream 2. Captain Ann usually likes to run about 2 hrs to get far enough off-shore in the Gulf of Mexico to find these monster game fish. After the boat has run the desired distance you will start trolling (cruising at a slow pace of 5 knots).

Anywhere from 4-6 lines will be running behind the boat rigged with ballyhoo or big chugged head artificial lures that splash around and make a big wake. A couple teaser baits will be out too rigged with a squid without a hook to further attract these behemoths. All you have to do is sit back relax and wait for the action!

It wont be long until you'll start to see a marlin start chugging along behind the bait. His dorsal fin will stick up out of the water as he charges to whack the bait. With a big splash he will take it! The line will come flying out the outrigger, and the start screaming out the reel. The crew will clear the rest of the lines as Captain Ann will start backing up the boat toward the fish that will be jumping out of the water all over the place trying to throw the hook. Then the fight is on! and it will be up to you to man-handle the fish to the boat.

This adventure is action packed, and though bill fish are the main attraction for your voyage don't be surprised if you get a couple tuna or mahi mahi bites!

Boat type: Convertible sport fisher

Manufacturer: Hatteras

Length: 52'

Model year: 1996

Number of engines: 2

Extras: bedroom, bunk room, air conditioned cabin, kitchen, fighting chair, outriggers

In 1971, Johnston was just the second woman ever to be commissioned captain in the State of Texas. Since that time Ann has run charters out of Freeport, Texas and fished the Texas tournament scene for more than four decades. She fished the Poco Bueno fishing tournament every year from 1972 to 2017 – an incredible streak of some 45 years.