Capt Dave Yelverton(850) 203-0025
Capt Dave Yelverton(850) 203-0025
We will be fishing from Green Boat, our beautiful 2021 Blazer Bay 2400. The Blazer is good at just about everything, from flats fishing the shallows to running offshore to chase the big ones.
Her open design is 24’ long with an 8’6” beam. I have had anglers ask if she’s 26 or 27 feet long, to which I answer honestly, “She’s a 24, but a really big 24”. Featuring a 17 degree deadrise hull to flatten out the chop, the bow’s sharp entry and wide flare provide an amazingly dry ride.
The tower provides excellent visibility for sight fishing, and yes, I can drive from up there. The large bow deck is excellent for casting, even fly casting (Take Cover!), and the 24” interior freeboard provides a sense of security without being uncomfortably high. A giant fishbox, an excellent console stand-up livewell, and lots of storage round out the package.
Powered by a jack-plate-mounted Yamaha 250 outboard with a 4-blade prop, she can fly along near 50 MPH if we ever need to get someplace in a hurry. Her GPS-controlled trolling motor allows us to anchor-up on secret deep-water spots, and three Lowrance GPS/Sonar systems help us navigate to proven fishing grounds and back to port.
Of course, the Blazer Bay has all necessary USCG safety equipment including Type 1 life jackets, fire extinguishers, hand-held flares, flare gun, smoke signals, signal flag, whistle, and first aid kits. We also have a VHF radio, compass, trim tabs, multiple anchors, stern swim ladder, navigation lights, and more.
You will enjoy fishing from and riding in this comfortable vessel. Your safety and comfort are paramount!
We use premium St. Croix Avid, St. Croix Mojo, and TFO TAC Inshore Series spinning rods, which are the top of the pack in my opinion. Rods just don’t get any better. Light and powerful, all our chosen rods allow anglers to catch extremely powerful fish on light tackle. For instance, you may catch a 25-pound redfish on the same rod we use for trout fishing – the Avid series 6’6” medium power fast action that weighs only 3.8 ounces or the TFO TAC Inshore 6’9” Medium Fast that weighs 4.5 ounces. Or you could land a 30-pound King Mackerel on a Mojo 7’11” heavy power fast action rod that weighs 8.9 ounces or a TFO TAC Inshore 8’ Mag Extra Heavy Fast that weighs 8.9 ounces. These elegant rods can handle the fight, and they are so light you can cast for hours and remain fatigue-free. Our light spinning rods are fitted with Florida Fishing Products Osprey Carbon Edition 3000 or Shimano Stradic 3000 reels. Our heavy spinning rods feature Florida Fishing Products Resolute 6000 and 8000 or Shimano Twin Power reels. Spinning reels are spooled with no-stretch PowerPro braided line. We don’t fool around with the cheap stuff.
Like many fly fishing enthusiasts, I have a battery of great gear for your casting pleasure. Rods from Loomis, Winston, and TFO fill the quiver. I have to say I really like the power and feel of Temple Fork Outfitters Axiom II-X series rods. They load up just right on your double haul and shoot flies in tight loops right where you’re aimed. That is, if you do your part. If you choose to use our tackle, this is what you’ll use in 6-weight and 8-weight setups when we target trout, slot or just-over-slot redfish, Spanish Mackerel, Bonito, and more. For bigger fish like the rambunctious Jack Crevalle and bull Redfish, we use 10-weight Loomis rods, while the 12-weight gear is Winston. Reels will be Hatch or TFO, depending on the setup. It’s a real advantage for me to have my brother Captain Baz, one of the most sought-after fly fishing guides in the country, available for opinions and technical help. He really knows his stuff, and we R&D (Ripoff and Duplicate) his knowledge regularly. We have tons of tried and true flies for the species we’ll target, and of course you are welcome to bring your own assortment. You just never really know what fly a fish will inhale until you give it a wet test!
When we bottom fish with live or cut bait for Snapper and Grouper we’ll stick to premium, tried and true Shimano Speedmaster II 2-speed reels spooled with 80 or 100 pound monofilament. Over the years I have learned you really need some stretch in your line with these fish – braided line just does not get it. Braid is super strong and abrasion resistant, but a large snapper shaking its head will almost always throw the hook unless the line offers some stretch. (This is a secret, so please don’t tell anybody.) By the way, if we are deep jigging I have the same tackle rigged with braided line. Generally, we’ll use either Star, Shimano, or TFO 6’ to 6’6” boat rods, stand-up type, to help pull these powerful reef fish up and out of their hidey holes. Be prepared to have sore arms for a few days when we get into the Red Snapper and Grouper spots around here. These fish can PULL like crazy. And if you hook an Amberjack, well, you’ll just have to see.
