Deep Sea Fishing Charters in New Smyrna Beach, Florida

Last year, my husband, daughter and I were invited to join a deep sea fishing charter departing from The Fishin' Store marina in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. I was beyond excited because I had watched the fishing charters return to the marina from our neighbor's dock for months.

I noticed there was rarely females onboard any of the deep sea fishing charters departing from New Smyrna Beach. I asked my husband if he knew why. His response was something along the line of, "it's more of a male sport".

When the opportunity to embark on the fishing excursion was offered, I jumped at the chance. I wanted to know if deep sea fishing truly is a male sport or if some other reason existed for the lack of female participants. Being a writer, I knew it would make for a good story.

Our friend chartered The Lady J; a semi-luxurious vessel with a nice size galley and tiny bathroom. We arrived at The Fishin' Store marina at 5:30am to check-in and store our food and drinks.

After boarding the vessel we were provided with safety instructions and briefed on the fishing itinerary. First we would catch bait fish, than we would fish for Amberjack and Cobia. Next, we would move onto deeper waters and fish for Sailfish and Mahi Mahi (also known as Dorado). We were in for ten hours of fishing excitement.

Before departure, our friend offered motion sickness pills to everyone. I declined, but if I had it to do over again I'd shove the whole box down my throat. If you have never been on a deep sea fishing charter, either take motion sickness pills or bring along some crystallized ginger. Chances are you will need it.

Things started off nicely. We cruised out of the Indian River Lagoon and Atlantic Intracoastal and headed toward Ponce Inlet. The Lady J was equipped with a spotlight that allowed us to navigate through the semi-darkness of the early morning. Watching the sunrise from a boat in the ocean was exhilarating and something everyone should experience at least once in their lifetime.

As we ventured into deeper waters, the deckhand explained we would first be catching bait fish using poles which had six hooks baited with squid. The Captain set the boat to idle as we cast for bait. As soon as the squid hit the water, it was "fish on" and our excursion was underway.

We were catching six fish at once and each was the size of fish we normally caught from the dock. I think it was at this moment I began to realize I had been a bit naïve about deep sea fishing. As I struggled to reel in the line consisting of about ten pounds of fish, I began having serious doubts about my physical ability to reel in a fish weighing thirty five pounds or more.

After catching bait fish, we went out about twenty five miles where water depth was approximately 225 feet. The Captain placed us above boat wreckage; a location where Amberjack are known to school.

No one told me that Amberjack are referred to as "tough fish" or that they fight harder than most species. I vividly remember the moment the "big one" grabbed hold of my bait. I nearly went over the stern when the fish dove for deeper waters. I felt like I had been put in the ring with Evander Holyfield.

I was wearing a belt which allows you to place the pole into a ring to help stabilize your balance. Unfortunately, the fish was pulling so hard I could not keep the rod in the ring. The Amberjack pulled me from one side of the boat to the other. The deckhand stepped in to assist me and even with his help I was struggling to make any progress reeling my catch of the day.

After about thirty minutes, my fish appeared at the top of the water. I was ecstatic about catching the fish until I witnessed the way these fish are caught. The deckhand used a fishing gaff; a gigantic hook with a long handle. The gaff is inserted into the belly of the fish and pulled onto the boat. I understand the reasoning, but it's not something I ever want to see again.

After catching the Amberjack, I was physically spent and offered to videotape the guys reeling in their catch. Our friend caught a Cobia which fell off the gaff inside the boat. He began flipping around and blood sprayed everywhere. The deck quickly began to look like a CSI crime scene and I made a fast exit to the galley.

A few moments later, my husband told my daughter and me not to come outside because they had to beat the fish with a baseball bat. The situation truly was dangerous, as this fish weighed a good thirty pounds. Cobia has sharp barbs on their fins and tails as a built-in protection mechanism. He could have knocked someone overboard or cut someone badly with his barbs. They had no choice but to beat it senseless, but it is not something I ever want to witness again.

If you are like me, you might not be aware this type of activity occurs during deep sea fishing. One thing I discovered is if you don't care for hunting, you probably won't care for deep sea fishing.

My daughter and I stayed in the galley the remainder of the trip. We decided that deep sea fishing was not the fun-in-the-sun activity we expected. It didn't take long to figure out why women opted out of this activity. It's a little too brutal for most of us girls.

The next phase of our deep sea fishing journey took us out an additional twenty five miles. The deckhand setup the outriggers while the men prepared to fish for Sailfish and Mahi Mahi. My daughter and I attempted to sleep the rest of the day away and hoped the men didn't catch any more fish. I didn't know if I could deal with anything larger than what we had already caught. And, I certainly didn't want to witness a 250-pound fish flopping around on the deck.

At one point the weather turned nasty, with lightening strikes and deafening claps of thunder. In an attempt to lighten the mood, our friend began singing the theme song from Gilligan's Island. Can I interject here that Gilligan's Island is NOT an appropriate song choice when you're sitting in a boat in the middle of the ocean with waves slapping against the windows as the boat bobs from side to side and lightning strikes all around you.

Fortunately, the storm was short-lived and the Captain kept us safe at all times. His confidence helped to squelch my fears. Soon after, the Lady J was taking us back to the marina and dry land.

Our home was within walking distance of the marina and once our feet hit the dock, my daughter and I made a fast exit. The guys stayed at the marina and helped unload the fish and take it to the preparation station. The Fishin' Store cleans, fillets, and packages the fish. In total our group caught nine Amberjack, one Barracuda, and the infamous fighting Cobia.

I am glad to have the experience, but am pretty certain I will never go deep sea fishing again. On the other hand, the men have already embarked on one deep sea fishing excursion and are planning another. Perhaps my husband is right and deep sea fishing is a male sport. I'm certain some women enjoy it, but it is not my cup of tea.

Anyone who enjoys deep sea fishing in central east Florida would enjoy spending a day on charter boats available through The Fishin' Store in New Smyrna Beach. Reservations can be obtained by calling 386.427.4514.