Response from Derwyn:
Thanks for taking time to submit your review. I appreciate your review, the kind words you had for your Captain and what is an honest opinion based upon your experience of a weak catch on the selected trip. However, from our perspective, a 3 star review is less than a fair rating of effort and success on your trip. I hope I can help you understand why we think the 29kt mile ride was not
a "waste" of time, there were actually fish in the area and until you try, you never know what you will catch. First, when fishing, there is no guarantee of a successful catch. I began our fishing service in the mid 90s and had my first "ZERO" trip about 12 years later. I have had several "Zero" trip since the first. I was a much better fisher when I had my "Zeros" than I was my first 12 years of fishing with no "ZEROs" My point, fishing has its up and downs. Considering our history of successful catches in the area and season you fished, the Capt had a very good reason to expect a reasonable catch at 29 kt miles and as a matter of fact our 31 ft boat was fishing right along side your boat and managed a meager catch of the primary target, 3 kings. So there were targeted species in the area but perhaps only a few or perhaps the bite was not on. Kings seem to feed in 3 to 4 hour periods and then stop for 6 hrs or so. In late May and at the same spot, we have landed over 24 king mackerel with fish 20 to 30 lbs on an 8 hr trip. You had an opportunity for such a catch. Also, on the 29 kt mile ride out and back we are always looking for weedlines, anchored ships, floating debris and later in the season anchored shrimp boats all of which present fishing opportunity for cobia, mahi and other fishes. It seems that none those opportunities presented themselves on your day. It is early in the season, but as we continue to fish June through early October, we will catch our red snapper (as season permits), Capt Marshall is one of the best BIG red snapper fishers in the area, and when a snapper limit is on board, we look for those other opportunities that I mentioned earlier. If, as on your trip, the odds of success on the other opportunities appears weak; the Capt will almost always suggest the better odds of returning to nearshore for bullreds and blacktip shark. This strategy has a very high success rate and, as a Plan B, provides some very exciting fishing. We have returning customers that request the nearshore finish before we leave the dock on 8 and 10 hr trips. Summing up, the best Captains have zero days, not often, but it happens. And, your group had a nice catch of hard fighting large, red drum and the opportunity for other deep sea fishing where our expectations of a good catch had merit but just did not develop. However, the trip confirmed that the targeted species were in the area and the Capt's plan was well founded. We ran the trip you booked and I am confident that we provided superior effort and all the opportunities possible on the trip. Had we any reason to suspect the targeted species would not have been available, we would have told you upfront. Thanks for choosing us and taking time to consider our evaluation of your trip. Capt Derwyn
