We have had some incredible groups on the boat lately, but it is not every day we get to welcome one of country music’s fastest rising stars at the dock. This week, platinum selling singer and songwriter Sam Barber and his entourage stepped on board the Good Hit Sport Fishing flagship, our custom 33 Conch, out of Bahia Mar for an offshore battle in the Fort Lauderdale blue.

Sam trades his guitar for heavy tackle beautifully. The entire crew brought their A-game, and the ocean absolutely delivered with a massive variety of hard-fighting fish, all handled flawlessly by the triple V8 power and 360 degree fishing freedom of the new flagship.

The Catch Breakdown

Headline Win: The 64 Inch Kingfish

The absolute highlight of the trip came when a monster reel started smoking. Kingfish are built for speed, but this particular fish was a certified freight train. After a tense, high-speed battle of keeping the line tight and avoiding a cutoff, we boated an absolute beast of a King Mackerel. It taped out at a massive 64 inches. Seeing a fish of that size come over the gunwale is rare, and the energy on deck was electric.

Deep Water Muscle: The Shark Battle

After the kingfish excitement, we shifted gears to target pure strength. We rigged up the heavy tackle and went to work looking for apex predators. The guys got exactly what they came for when a big shark took the bait. It turned into a bruising, back-breaking tug of war that tested everyone’s endurance. After a heavy team effort, the fish was brought alongside the boat for a clean release.

High Speed Runs: Blackfin Tuna

To round out an already epic day, the team got into the Blackfin Tuna. Trolling the clean water lanes, the rods started doubling over as schoolie and football sized tunas crushed the spread. They provided plenty of rapid fire action, making for a phenomenal addition to the fish box.

Captain’s Log: The Strategy

The offshore bite is firing, but success requires moving fast and executing a distinct game plan:

• Targeting the Big Kings: To find giant kingfish like Sam’s 64 incher, we focus our efforts around the deep reefs and edges where large bait schools congregate. Live blue runners or speedos drifted deep are the ultimate trigger for these massive smokers.
• Managing the Spread: Trolling for the tunas means staying highly vigilant to keep the lures clear of drifting summer weeds, finding the gaps where the water opens up.
• The Power Shift: Transitioning smoothly from light trolling gear to the heavy drag settings needed for big game sharks ensures no missed opportunities when the right fish bites.

A huge shout out to Sam Barber and his crew for bringing great energy to the boat and landing some truly legendary fish. The waters off Fort Lauderdale are producing major trophies right now, and the summer run is nowhere near finished.