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We’ve mentioned in previous posts about how lucky we’ve been to go fishing with Chris Fischer and his crew. Well, it’s time for someone else to get a dose of that luck. You and a fishing buddy could go fish with Chris. And if you know anything about Chris, you can go ahead and jump to the conclusion that such a trip will be adventure packed and unforgettable. Go dig up a picture of that trophy fish you caught, upload it and cross your fingers that Costa fans pile on the votes.
Chris is an expert angler, spokesman for responsible fisheries management and former host of ESPN2’s “Offshore Adventures” — one of the most-watched outdoor shows in America in the early 2000s. For “Expedition Great White,” he is also executive producer. Fischer’s multi-vessel mothership operation is aimed at ongoing oceanic expedition to help promote sustainable fisheries management and ocean research and education.
MICHAEL DOMEIER, Lead Scientist
Dr. Domeier (“the Doc”) is one of the world’s foremost experts on great whites and has led the field of electronic tagging, designing the most advanced long term tracking devices ever made. He is president and executive director of the Marine Conservation Science Institute. He formerly headed the California Department of Fish and Game’s Marine Sport Research Project and founded the Pfleger Institute of Environmental Research where he served as President for 11 years.
CATCH NEW EPISODES ON SUNDAYS AT 9PM EST, ON NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CHANNEL.
We’ve been fortunate to know Chris, his wife Melissa and their crew for a long time. We’ve seen how fluidly the work together to land a fish or lift and launch boats off of the M/V Ocean. We’ve fished with them, hiked with them, swam through caves with them, swung from vines with them, travelled with them and often woken up with headaches with them. And after all those experiences, we’re still big fans. Chris took his love of fishing and has turned it into a career via Fischer Productions, his production company. You probably know him from Offshore Adventures, one of the most watched, most-successful, most-award winning fishing shows that’s ever been out on the high seas. Their new show, ”Expedition Great White” just sounds epic doesn’t it? It is. Here’s a little taste of what it’s all about.
You can also check out the epic photo gallery from Chris Ross who was on board and in the water.
A couple of years ago we spent a couple of weeks with the Fischers aboard M/V Ocean in Panama. Chris has a crew that will put him on fish and he has the gear to fish just about anywhere; way beyond where most people can even dream about fishing. So it makes sense that his fishing prowess has now grown to the point that he’s out there catching and releasing fish that nobody else ever has. Expedition Great White, went live on the National Geographic on June 6th. But you won’t have to wait for weekly episodes because Chris and crew are going to keep us updated here on the Watery Rave on all the behind-the-scenes, as-it-happens, never-before-seen greatness that they stumble upon while they’re out there living the dream.
The M/VOcean is 126′ of fisherman paradise. The fully stocked tackle room will make you drool and that’s before you discover that it has beer taps in it for goodness sakes. We got to spend the better part of a week aboard M/V Ocean in Panama in 2008 and it was amazing. Its birth was as a Bearing Sea crab vessel but as you can see it has evolved into something very different. Hydraulics are a wonderful thing. There’s not another ship that we’ve ever seen or heard of that could handle all that the Fischer crew throws at it. Good thing the beds are comfy, because speaking from experience, at the end of the day with this crowd, you’re going to be very tired. Here’s a little tour from David Olson, cameraman and world class chef aboard The Ocean.
Dr. Michael Dormeier is a scientist on a boat with a handful of willing and able fishermen. So it only makes sense he’s getting some incredible scientific opportunities. In other words, he’s not just along for the ride. We caught up with him about his perspectives on the incredible shark encounters he’s had lately and the learning that they’re leading to.
WR: Why sharks?
DR: Up to this point I’ve only studied great white sharks. Honestly, this project began simply because a bluefin tuna project I had initiated failed to find the large bluefin at Gudalupe Island. Instead, we found white sharks and started to tag them just for fun. That “accident” has grown into the most comprehensive white shark program in the world.
WR: What threatens shark populations?
DR: Shark populations are threatened by global, unrestrained fishing that is primarily driven by the market for shark fins. Longlines and gillnets kill tens of millions of sharks per year. Unfortunately the shark life history characteristic of slow growth and low reproductive rates, combined with overfishing, spells disaster for sharks.
WR: How big of a problem is finning/long lining? Is it possible for such practices be curbed?
DR: Fishermen will not stop fishing sharks unless it becomes illegal. Even then, shark fishing can continue in areas where enforcement does not exist. It is important to try to influence Chinese culture, delicately, so that shark fin soup is no longer desirable.
Chris Ross has been our go-to photographer for many of our adventures. He’s a pro in every sense of the word and isn’t afraid to jump in (literally) and get shots that few others have the skill (or guts) to get. Chris has been along for much of the Expedition Great White revelry, here are some of our favorites from his time with Chris Fischer and crew.
We really dig these frames and the guy we named them after. Turns out other folks are digging them too. Here’s what Outside had to say about Fisch frames.
Before you start looking, know exactly what you’ll use your shades for: Generalist sporty street designs get you around town and through low-impact pursuits; bigger challenges call for sports-specific numbers. When it comes to superfine optics, glass is unparalleled, but chances are you’ll want lighter polycarbonate (plastic) lenses if you play rough, even a little, with any chance at all of facial impact. The skinny on tint: Go with brown, copper, or amber for almost anything on terra firma. Performing in lowlight or fog? Try yellow. Rose or violet are ideal for serious speed sports in medium or flat light. Gray, first choice among newbies, is often not the best choice—while it’s good for open water and the road, it’s less so for action sports, as it can flatten the view. If you go with gray, get polarized lenses, which filter out glare—a big plus except where sheen off wetness or ice is vital data (as with road bikers).
We have some good friends over at the IGFA and a boatload of respect for all they do to further and protect our sport. If you’re of the same mindset and you’ve never paid them a visit down here in Florida, you should. They’ve got a ton of great stuff for people struck with obsessive fishing disorders. They’ve been kind enough to open the doors to their film archives to us and we’ve found some gems. This is the world record Black Marlin caught by Alfred Glassel in 1953 off Cabo Blanco, Peru. The 1560 pounder still stands as the all tackle record as well as the 130 pound class record. This film is epic on many levels, the best maybe being the fact that they actually filmed the record catch. It’s 20 minutes long so give it a second to load. Enjoy!
We all landed in Belize City in the rain within a few hours of each other. The film crew, photographer and Costa folks shared a sense of accomplishment having all arrived safely after the months of planning that went into this trip. Our goal was to track down some fly fishing guides we’d read about who chase Permit, widely regarded as the most difficult fish to catch on a fly rod.
These guides are leading the fight to protect Belize’s fish rich waters from the development boom that’s trickling down the coast. They’ve done well of late, getting catch and release protection for Tarpon, Bonefish and Permit, but there is much work to be done. We’re particularly interested in the Permit because in Florida, our own backyard, we’ve got zero protection for them; more on that later. We’d find the first guide on our list, Lincoln Westby in a place called Hopkins.
PART ONE, HOPKINS
We drove more than four long hours on bad roads in the rain through the forests of Belize to get to Hopkins. The spouse of one of our crew had sent some mix CDs along, the theme from Star Wars (oddly appropriate with the lightning storm on the horizon) blared as we crossed narrow bridges and took detours caused by the enormous amounts of rain that had been falling for the past couple of weeks. A beautiful, exhausting drive finally came to leg-stretching end when we pulled up to a bar called King Kasava in Hopkins. Lincoln was waiting for us, a Belikin beer in his crushingly strong hands.
