Marlin Mag just leaked this photo on FaceBook.  The next cover has been selected and is off to the printer.  I shot this jumper while covering the USVI July Open earlier this summer.  This fish is one caught by Sarge aboard the Black Gold that helped his team win the tournament again this year.  Also pretty cool sepia treatment to the background splash.

Times are a changing. The postcard weather that we have been enjoying up to now is officially over. The trades have filled in with a vengeance. Fishing for us remains very frustrating. We aren’t getting many bites, and those few are all small fish. There is still some time however.
 
 
We have been fishing some great areas well to the North, offshore of Lizard Island. One benefit is getting to watch the neighbors catch a nice one.
 
 
So far the rumor has proven it self to be true – all Black Marlin jump at or near the boat.
 
 
Healthy, colorful, but oh so small.
 
 
The edge of patch reef is easy to see in these conditions.
 
 
More bites for the neighbors as they disappear in the trough.
 
 
Another small jumper puts on quite a show near the boat.
 
 

Another day of incredible weather on the reef. Our day starts out with swim at the Cod Hole. A popular stop for all the boats because of it’s trained abundant life. A bunch of resident Giant Cod, along with a menagerie of Red Bass, reef sharks, and Coral Trout. As soon as you hit the water, everything seems to swim up to greet you as the bubbles clear around your mask. Kinda spooky at first. Later on when the light chumming started, it was time get back in the boat. The natives were starting to get restless…

 
 
Couldn’t resist hand feeding a few of the big boys.
 
 
As we heeded outside the reef for the day, we made some passes along the outer edge. Since photography is my profession, it’s not often I feel that a picture doesn’t do a scene justice. But this is one of those places on earth that reminds me of the truth in that old saying. The beauty and extent of the reef can not be captured in any media.
 
 
Then the poppers hit the water and the Giant Trevalle’s pounced. This one found it’s way into the tail rope for a quick photo.
 
 
Back out in the deep for the afternoon troll. This Queenie rigged on twisted double wire makes for a fine offering. And it doesn’t hurt that it swims like an olympian.
 
 
Carl and Steve make the release part of catch, tag, and release look easy.