Well, we are finally getting some rain here in Ft. Lauderdale.  This morning was kind of gloomy and misty rain, but Jeff and his friends were ready to get out there and catch some fish.  The conditions were not pretty, but the fishing was.  With this low pressure over us, the king mackeral were snapping.  They ended up with a limit of king mackeral and some very wet clothes - but it was still a fanntastic morning out there.

We still have a few openings left this weekend and for next week - contact Capt. Mark at (954) 728-9880.

This afternoon the Key family was back for another day of fishing with the Fanntastic here in Ft. Lauderdale.  Today, Jay wanted to try for something big - like a shark.  Well, they had the baits set out for shark and shortly after getting set up, they got on big bite.  Jay got into his favorite chair and got quite a workout.  I don't think he was expecting to see what was on the other end of his line - an 80lb Golden Amberjack.  This was one of the largest amberjacks that we have seen in quite some time.  As you can see by the photo - Jay was quite excited - as he should be, this was a "fish of a lifetime".  Way to go Jay and it was a pleasure having you and your family out fishing with us for the last few days. 

Today we had the Key family from Jasper, Alabama out with us.  Sherry, Jerryann and Jay are part of the Magic Moments in Alabama.  The weather was wonderul and the seas flat.  Jay and his sister managed to limit out on king mackeral and catch a few bonitos.  This was Sherry's first time out fishing and I think she really enjoyed it.  Hopefully everyone was tired enough so that she could get her nap.

Well, the fishing picked back up today.  Today we had Bill and some co-workers out for a morning of some fun and fishing here in Ft. Lauderdale.  The king mackeral were cooperating and they caught a limit.  They also had some nice bonitos and some vermillion snapper.

The dolphin are still scarce, but hopefully later in the week with the winds changing to the northeast, the dolphin fishing will pick up.

This afternoon was a bit slower fishing than this morning.  We had Richard and his son out for an afternoon of fishing.  The winds had slowed down and the fishing was not quite as hot as it was this morning, but they managed to catch some king mackeral and quite a few large bonitos.

This morning we had the Nunez family out for a belated father's day of fishing.  The current pattern of fishing has been the king mackeral and this morning was no different.  Capt. Mark managed to limit out again on the king mackeral and they also caught some nice bonitos in the 15 lb range. 

Fishing has remained very active here in Ft. Lauderdale.  With a west wind lately, the dolphin have been scarce, but the king mackeral, bonitos, snapper and grouper have been real strong and providing plenty of action.

There are a couple of openings left for this week and a few for the 4th of July week - so lets get out there and do some catching - contact Capt. Mark at (954) 728-9880.

Today we had Jimmy, Jeff, Donna, Charley, Justin and Kelby from McDill in Tampa.  The fishing started off a little slow this morning and then turned on rather quickly.  They limited out on kingfish within a couple of hours and then went out from some deep drops.  They caught some grouper, snapper and porgies. 

Today we had Mike, Morgan and John from the west coast of Florida.  They wanted to see what fishing was like off of Ft. Lauderdale.  We had a south wind today and the fishing was a little tough.  We ended up about 15 miles offshore and found a weedline, unfortunately it only held a few dolphin.  After a few hours of trying to find the alusive dolphin, we ended up going back in and caught our limit of kingfish and ended the trip with some really nice vermillion snapper and tile fish.

Today we had Jeff and the guys out for some great fishing here in Ft. Lauderdale.  The guys all showed up in work clothes and quickly got changed for a great afternoon.  The weather started off nice and they caught some kingfish early on and then our wonderful South Florida weather quickly changed and a nice squal came through and as typical Ft. Lauderdale weather, only lasted about 10 minutes.  They continued on and limited out on kingfish then headed out to deeper water for some snapper.  It turned out to be a Fanntastic Day.

This afternoon we had Mike, Tim, Sara and Mike with us.  The weather was a little "iffy" here in South Florida, but the boat is equipped with doppler radar and Capt. Mark was able to stay clear of the storms.  They ended up limiting out on kingfish and caught a really nice wahoo.  Everyone had a great time and the fishing continues to be really good off of the Ft. Lauderdale area.

There are still a few openings left for this week and we'd love to get you out there and catch some fish.  Contact Capt. Mark at (954) 728-9880.

Today was a great day for a father and sons fishing day.  Today we had Sandy and his family out for some good fishing here in Ft. Lauderdale.  They ended up limiting out on kingfish and had some snapper.  The weather managed to hold out for them and it turned out to be a great day here in South Florida.

Today we had Brad and his buddies out for a great day of fishing.  They guys caught a 225 lb blue marlin.  This was really cool, due to the fact that blue marlin are rarely caught off of Ft. Lauderdale.  Capt. Mark said that he had not caught a blue in over 4 years here and it was our mate, Luis, first blue marlin here in South Florida.   They have seen a few over the years but not actually caught one.  This was a Fanntastic Day.  The guys released the fish unharmed and are pictured here holding their release flag.  - Great job guys!

This morning we had the Stoldt's out for a morning of fishing.  They caught their limit of king fishing within the first hour and then went deep dropping on some wrecks and caught some really nice vermillion snappers.

This afternoon we had Rob and his buddies out for a morning of fishing here in Ft. Lauderdale.  They started off trolling for king fish and Mike had told the crew that he would love to catch a shark and they managed to get lucky enough to catch this nice bull shark in about 350 feet of water just of of Lauderdale beach.  The fishing has continued to be pretty steady here and there are still a few openings left for next week - contact Capt. Mark at (954) 728-9880.

Today was a maintenance day here at Fanntastic.  Due to the fact that we do not have a catching report for today, I wanted to share an article with you that I found to be very informative and would like to thank Joe at Fintalk for letting me use part of this.  Here it is - you can view the complete article at www.fintalk.com - I hope you find this informative and valuable.

Deep Sea Saltwater Fishing Boat Charters Are you ready for an exciting one on one fight with a trophy big game fish you can talk about for years to come? Looking for a chance to catch a sailfish, blue marlin, or other big game sportfish? If this type of fishing adventure is in your future, then you need to hire an offshore sportfisher or deep sea fishing charter that specializes in fishing the offshore waters where these magnificent creatures roam. These offshore trips can be very exciting and loads of fun but fishing with an inexperienced or unethical Captain can easily lead to trouble. When you are ready to book an offshore sportfishing charter, especially on a boat or with a Captain you have never been with, you will want to get a reference or two, speak to the Captain, or find information that tells you the Captain is experienced and knowledgeable. Ask Questions, Check Your Guide or Charter Captain's Credentials Most charter boat Captains and fishing guides are reputable and will usually provide an atmosphere that will ensure anglers catch fish and have an enjoyable fishing trip. BUT, there are those few, like in any business that can ruin your day and give you a charter fishing trip you would just as soon forget. If you aren't careful and willing to just check a few things out then you may end up with an experience like this following example that will send you home very disappointed.example of a charter horror story (go to fintalk to read article).

References and Qualifications - Things To Check Out When You Book A Charter Most charters booked through the local inlet marinas like Bahia Mar Yachting Center, or any of the major inlet marinas and yacht clubs are usually quality and professional operations. When booking through this means you should be OK but it would still be wise to ask for some references, make sure they are insured and be sure the Captain is properly licensed. Whether you are chartering a large sportfisher or a smaller privately owned guide service we recommend checking references and credentials. We have listed a few items below that you may want to do. If possible check the local BBB - Better Busness Bureau Ask for references - An unethical Captain may give you only his happy customers but still check references. Maybe check local references around the marina or yacht club where the charter boat is docked. They would know your Captain better than most. Go to MSN.com and search the charter service name thoroughly. Hopefully you will find nothing but good info on your charter. If they have a fishing website then go there and check for insurance, licensing, and things of this nature. Make sure your Captain is USCG licensed (Coast Guard) and make sure he will be your charter Captain on your particular fishing date. Make sure the Captain isn't home sick while the Mate takes over the Captain's duties. This happened to one of us here at FinTalk.com. I hope this information was helpful and the fishing stories will return tomorrow, as we are all booked up for the remainder of the week.  There are still a few openings left for next week - so lets get out there and do some catching.  Contact Capt. Mark (954) 728-9880.