An inside look at the state of affairs on Florida’s Sailfish Alley.
By Steve Kantner

The Atlantic sailfish is quite possibly North America’s most recognizable saltwater gamefish. An offshore species that tends to hug the coastline, the spindlebeak continues to inspire comment from the lofty to the low. Here in Florida, anglers target sails using three basic methods. Each takes advantage of everything from bottom topography to the latest technology.

Sailfish differ from other pelagics in several distinct ways. In addition to waging a spirited, aerial battle, they strike baits in a unique way. The annals of sportfishing are literally stuffed to the gills with accounts of sailfish slashing baits with their bills. While some authorities claim these fish are attempting to stun or kill their victims prior to injesting them, I believe they’re simply lifting their bills in preparation for an all-out attack. Either way, we know they feed voraciously during their four-year life span and are plentiful enough to be of interest to most Florida anglers.

Sailfish range in the Atlantic and Caribbean from New York to Brazil. They’re also found in the northern Gulf, where several have been landed from fishing piers. It’s not uncommon to encounter a sail quite a ways offshore, but the majority frequent depths ranging from 60 to 180 feet. If I had to narrow it down, I’d call the 120-foot curve ground zero.

The emphasis is on light tackle. By that, I mean that anglers have historically gravitated toward equipment that lets sailfish show their stuff. Light trolling tackle or even heavy spinning gear is standard, as is 20-pound line. Keep in mind that while a supercharged fish can run off several hundred yards at a clip, seasoned skippers attempt to keep hooked fish closer to the boat. It’s also a catch-and-release fishery that’s rapidly shifting to the use of circle hooks and 60-pound mono leaders.

Sailfish are definitely migratory, with the bulk of the run arrving off South Florida during the winter months. I still look forward to frigid mornings when “tailing” fish literally flood Sailfish Alley.

What alley am I referring to? Nearly every coastal town from Fort Pierce to Miami has one. That’s where you’ll usually find the charterboats, along with the fleet of recreational boats. Sailfish occasionally school. In addition, anglers report aggregations of “balling” fish corralling schools of offshore bait. Needless to say, either situation precipitates an anglers’ free-for-all.

Of the various sailfishing techniques, dead-bait trolling is by far the most traditional. Its origins are somewhat unclear, but historical accounts detail how early commercial kingfishermen were plagued by spear-wielding “boo-hoos” that stole baits while eluding the hook. Legendary charter captain Tommy Gifford helped solve the problem by inventing the outrigger. Around the same time, Miami skipper Ed Hatch refined the dropback technique that remains in use today.

Allowing a sailfish time to swallow a bait is hardly a novel concept. However, neither is the circle hook, which significantly limits fish mortality. Both illustrate a leap in angler consciousness, which coincides with the fact that in less than a century, sailfish have gained enormous popularity. Several mentions appear in contemporary literature. Anyone who’s read Hemingway or Phillip Wylie’s Crunch and Des series, can preach to the choir about the traditional 10-count dropback.

Dead-bait trolling with any hope of success requires a good deal of know-how. That’s why anglers sometimes fish for years without raising a sail. Its difficulties notwithstanding, this technique remains the go-to method for covering large expanses of water. Take, for example, the depths off Jacksonville or Destin. For some contemporary perspective, I spoke with Stuart trolling expert V.J. Bell.

“We still catch plenty of sails on dead baits,” he said. “The trick here is to first find the fish and then, to make the baits look as life-like as possible.

“I’ll look for a color change and try both sides. Sometimes the fish stay on the green side. When they’re tailing downsea, I’ll troll in the same direction and set the baits so they skip down the face of a swell. If the fish still won’t bite, I’ll add a little color with a skirt or lure.”

As for letting the rod holder hook the fish, he seemed to disagree.

“No way. We fish J-hooks here in Stuart and coach the angler about giving the fish several seconds to run with the bait.”

Sailfish can be persnickety, even if numerous examples to the contrary exist. Take the results of a recent billfish tournament, which confirmed that Atlantic sailfish will definitely strike a fly.

On November 21, Billy Pate of Islamorada took first place in the Fort Lauderdale Billfish Tournament’s first-ever Flyfishing Divison. Pate fished with Capt. Bud Gramer, a Guatemala veteran. The crew used an unhooked teaser to lure the fish within casting range. While anglers don’t normally use dead baits where fish are concentrated by depth or other factors, the method remains a valid alternative wherever there’s no well-defined “edge.”

By edge, I’m referring to the 120-foot curve that defines the dropoff beyond most Florida reefs. In a lesser sense, the term can also apply to water color changes, which can indicate a change in water temperature. The difference of a single degree can determine the presence of fish, but in any case, edges concentrate baitfish or provide a pathway for fish to follow. Locate an edge and you’ll likely find fish.

At its best, sailfishing is heady stuff. Perhaps nothing captures the romance better than the dead-bait tournaments of old. Events like the Masters and Gold Cup epitomize competitive sportfishing. It’s true that in the minds of many, nothing will ever compare to the Masters—particularly in the days when it was held at the Sailfish Club in Palm Beach.

In its heyday, the Masters attracted a crowd of pedigreed anglers. Tackle entrepreneur Scott Boyd worked the tournament circuit during the 1960s as a mate. I sat back and listened while he reminisced:

I could practically see the Sailfish Club dock, with its rows of Rybovitches all polished and waiting. At the same time, I visualized the Fin-Nor reels and custom rods while I heard release flags flapping in the January breeze. I can only imagine the hum of conversation, along with the tinkle of glasses, at the club bar. Ditto for Scott, who was busy rigging baits for the next day’s competition. It was a rich man’s game. However, there were certain consolations. Scott laughed while continuing:

“A guy I knew named Dave Riley won the Masters with a pair of black 4/0s. I doubt if the officials ever recovered. The tournament offered no cash prizes—only the recognition of being judged the best of the best.” Looking back, it’s evident that the Masters belongs to an era when idealism outranked monetary reward. I might add that in this particular event, the object was to release as many sails as possible while fishing dead baits and 20-pound line from a dead boat. Anglers were also fishing against the clock, which meant that skill played a major role.

A hooked fish was initially worth 100 points. After that, points were deducted at the rate of five per minute. After 20 minutes, a fish was worthless, but breakoffs resulted in a penalty. While timed events may have separated the men from the boys (women weren’t allowed to enter), they could have led to the infamous Palm Beach release.

In case you’re wondering, that’s where an overzealous mate grabs the leader and deliberately breaks it, rather than attempting to clip it or unhook a struggling fish. As a result of this traumatic maneuver, the surface was littered with dozens of dead fish following quick-catch events. Thankfully, times have changed.

There’s no question that the most effective way to raise a sailfish is with live bait. Whether slow-trolled or dangled from a kite, pilchards, goggle-eyes, thread herring and others are irresisitable to sails. When I first ventured offshore, kites were in their infancy, so I was forced to master the finer points of slow-trolling. It amounted to a course in Sailfish 101.

The first lesson involved getting bait. In the days before kites, I needed something that sailfish relished, yet I had to be able to catch it within running distance of where I intended to fish.

At the time, I owned a 16-foot tri-hull that my friends derisively referred to as “The Plow.” Since getting around in heavy seas was a mission unto itself, I had no interest in making the long run from the shore with a livewell full of pilchards. Ironically, it was Scott Boyd who pointed me in the right direction:

“Let’s rig up a handline. We can use it to catch live bonito.”

I watched him work. After all, a little professional help never hurt anyone. I soon discovered that there’s no better sailfish bait than a small live bonito, considering how they can be trolled faster than other baits and seldom get a refusal. Incidentally, I enjoyed an initial several month period of hooking at least one sail every time I fished.

Offshore techniques have since changed dramatically. For example, kite fishing has been refined to the point that it’s relatively zipless. I personally prefer slow-trolling, since it lets me cover more water, but who can argue that kites allow anglers to fish more effectively with less-than-perfect baits? Take sailor’s choice or grunts. In the end, a lot of it comes down to presentation.

Squeezing a few splitshots onto the kite edge allows you to steer it right or left.

Kite philosophy is basic: Once fish are located, it’s relatively easy for anglers to get one or more kites aloft while keeping their boats in position. They can then fish multiple kite lines, along with freeline baits and ones with sinkers attached. Kite rigging techniques are standard and are frequently pictured in this magazine. I asked Mike Bondurant, a member of Team Risky Business and recent high-point angler in the Fort Lauderdale Billfish Tournament, to share a few strategic observations. What he offered was revealing:

“We always carry at least 10 kites. That includes everything from extra-light wind models to kites for heavy breezes. We also carry Bob Lewis Kite Balloons and disposable helium canisters (available at party stores). I typically rig with 60-pound mono, but I sometimes add a short piece of No. 5 wire if I want to land a king or a wahoo. As far as hooks go, all of us use Eagle Claw 2004 ELF light wire 7/0s.”

“The real secret lies in finding fish. Since they ‘band’ according to depth, I head for the depth I want and start looking for clear water.”

I asked about temperature. As far as Mike’s concerned, he seldom notes differences of more than half a degree between Boynton and Fowey Light.

Kites work well whenever there’s a breeze—except when the wind doesn’t cooperate. It was on a day like that that J. C. Cleare demonstrated the value of helium by inflating balloons and taping them to kites. I was fascinated. Like he said, “Sometimes you have to improvise.”

When I asked for more details, J. C. explained, “I’ll buy some giant balloons from a party store, where I can rent a helium canister (a slightly different approach than Bondurant). The balloon helps get the kite aloft where it’s easier to catch the breeze.”

Bondurant, who competes against Cleare, abhors dead air:

“On really calm days, we’ll actually slow-troll the kite in order to keep it aloft.”

Kite fishing is basic. I’ll be busy watching several live baits dip in and out of the emerald swells when I hear a release pin pop. Invariably, whatever has taken the bait moves deliberately north to south or vice versa.

Trolling Baits

The three most popular sailfish trolling baits are an ordinary ballyhoo, a strip-and-Seawitch combination and a small silver mullet. All are rigged as split-bill or skipping baits. Mullet and split-bills are rigged with a sinker under their nose. Dead baits were traditionally rigged on No. 7 wire leaders. Now, however, most captains rig 60-pound mono leaders. If you use circle hooks, don’t forget to bridle them with waxed floss and to sew your bait’s mouth shut to keep it from washing out.

Look at the updated Baits, Rigs and Tackle, published by Florida Sportsman magazine, for details and diagrams of these rigs and more.

At this point the angler reels. When the line comes tight, he lifts the rod against solid resistance. A few seconds later, the drag starts running and somewhere in the vicinity the strike occurred, the sail launches into a series of gyrations.

Few would argue against the virtues of live bait, even if methods of presenting it vary according to location. Take, for example, the waters off Miami Beach, where charterboat skipper Bouncer Smith frequently anchors and chums.

“We do other things, too. But anchoring gives my customers a chance to catch other species while still hooking plenty of sails.”

When I asked about bait, Bouncer didn’t hesitate about spilling his preference: “I like pilchards, not only because the sailfish do, but because my customers enjoy a better hookup ratio.”

Bouncer, who’s a confirmed circle hook addict, releases all unwanted fish. He insisted that J-hooks complicate the process. “My customers catch just as many fish on circles, without causing a lot of damage.”

“Whenever we’re forced to use a bigger bait like a speedo or frigate mackerel, we’ll rig it on a bridle. Otherwise, we miss a lot of strikes.

“As for anchor depths, anywhere from 70 to 200 feet of water is okay. I look for productive bottom, like over a wreck, and put out a chum bag.”

I’d seen the results of chumming. However, did he consider it that effective for sailfish? When I asked how many sails his customers released in a year, his answer said it all:

“A lot.”