Capt.ChrisLembo
10-10-2006, 08:13 PM
Things are perking up here in Key West after a long hot summer. I sold my Palmetto 29 and moved into a Contender 27. It is a complete change in boat design. The Palmetto was very heavy and rode like a Cadillac down a 4 lane highway. It was not that fast and the weight made it a little thirsty (1.5 mpg best) The new Contender 27 is a 30' boat with twin 250 Yamaha 4 strokes. Rides a little more bouncy but great. Fuel burn with the twin Yamaha 250 4 strokes and a Mirage Plus 23 pitch prop are as follows:
10 mph wind, full livewell (55 gallons), 60 pounds ice, loaded with equipment and 100 gallons fuel and 3 fat guys (a pretty heavy load).
3600 RPM 33 mph 2.1 mpg
3800 RPM 36 mph 2.0 mpg
4000 RPM 40 mph 1.9 mpg
4200 RPM 43 MPH 1.8 mpg
4500 RPM 47 MPH 1.6 mpg
WOT 5800 RPM 59 MPH 1.3 mpg
When it only had 30 gallons of fuel and I ran it alone I hit 61.5 on flat water.
The fishing is on the upswing here in the lower keys. The summer was pretty good for Dolphin with a load of 50+ pound fish caught. We had one 61 pounder and a few 50-55 pounders but most were in the 20-30 range. We did not have many small fish. Wahoo has been another species we have been catching alot of. It has been a banner year and we hooked a 54 pounder and countless 20-30 pound fish.
As for right now the water temperature is around 84 on the reef and we are hoping for a cold front in the next week or so to bring it down a few degrees. 82 and below usually turns the reef on for Grouper and Mutton Snapper. We have been catching good amounts of Yellowtail Snapper, although I would not call it a banner year for them. A few recent Shark trips turned into loads of fun. Yesterday 10/9/06 a couple from Ohio went 4 for 9 on Sharks on a half day. They brought 4 Blacktips around 100-120 pounds to the boat and lost 2 Blacktips, 2 Spinners and 1 monster that never showed itself but ran off with over 200 yds of 80 PP from the Avet Pro EX 4/02 before it broke off on a crab trap. It was most likely a big Bull since it ran like a freight train. You can turn a Blacktip but this guy did not budge. The day before had less action on the Sharks but they were all FLy Rod. Lemons were cruising the surface and we could tease them up to the boat and swing the fly in. They ate immediately and 80-100 pound Lemon Sharks are great fun on a 12 weight. The tally was 3 to the boat with 6 shots all day. All Sharks are released with hook removed unless it is buried deep.
The Sailfish season should be good this year as we have been getting some fish balling up the Ballyhoo just outside the reef. Usually Sailfish season peaks around February-March depending on weather. it is almost time for the Blackfin to show up on the Atlantic side wrecks and live chumming Pilchards is the best tactic. A few Yellowfin in the 40 pound range were caught this week but they were closer to Cuba than Key West (about 47 miles out). We usually do not see many Yellowfin in the Lower Keys.
10 mph wind, full livewell (55 gallons), 60 pounds ice, loaded with equipment and 100 gallons fuel and 3 fat guys (a pretty heavy load).
3600 RPM 33 mph 2.1 mpg
3800 RPM 36 mph 2.0 mpg
4000 RPM 40 mph 1.9 mpg
4200 RPM 43 MPH 1.8 mpg
4500 RPM 47 MPH 1.6 mpg
WOT 5800 RPM 59 MPH 1.3 mpg
When it only had 30 gallons of fuel and I ran it alone I hit 61.5 on flat water.
The fishing is on the upswing here in the lower keys. The summer was pretty good for Dolphin with a load of 50+ pound fish caught. We had one 61 pounder and a few 50-55 pounders but most were in the 20-30 range. We did not have many small fish. Wahoo has been another species we have been catching alot of. It has been a banner year and we hooked a 54 pounder and countless 20-30 pound fish.
As for right now the water temperature is around 84 on the reef and we are hoping for a cold front in the next week or so to bring it down a few degrees. 82 and below usually turns the reef on for Grouper and Mutton Snapper. We have been catching good amounts of Yellowtail Snapper, although I would not call it a banner year for them. A few recent Shark trips turned into loads of fun. Yesterday 10/9/06 a couple from Ohio went 4 for 9 on Sharks on a half day. They brought 4 Blacktips around 100-120 pounds to the boat and lost 2 Blacktips, 2 Spinners and 1 monster that never showed itself but ran off with over 200 yds of 80 PP from the Avet Pro EX 4/02 before it broke off on a crab trap. It was most likely a big Bull since it ran like a freight train. You can turn a Blacktip but this guy did not budge. The day before had less action on the Sharks but they were all FLy Rod. Lemons were cruising the surface and we could tease them up to the boat and swing the fly in. They ate immediately and 80-100 pound Lemon Sharks are great fun on a 12 weight. The tally was 3 to the boat with 6 shots all day. All Sharks are released with hook removed unless it is buried deep.
The Sailfish season should be good this year as we have been getting some fish balling up the Ballyhoo just outside the reef. Usually Sailfish season peaks around February-March depending on weather. it is almost time for the Blackfin to show up on the Atlantic side wrecks and live chumming Pilchards is the best tactic. A few Yellowfin in the 40 pound range were caught this week but they were closer to Cuba than Key West (about 47 miles out). We usually do not see many Yellowfin in the Lower Keys.