Pelyma

Guatemala, but I don't know what else is there, or Venezula if you don't mind lumpy seas

What about Costa Rica or if your other half wants more to do then Cozumel or Florida Keys

A boat is not a public place, plenty of cruise boats have clay shoots off the back, so I don't believe any law has been broken. A skipper out of Islamorada used to shoot the big sharks with a shot gun, but this was many years ago and I can't remember his name (had a big mop of blonde hair, Graham Pullen did an article about him)

The legality of it depends on what he is shooting it with. If a shot gun is used and assuming there are no hidden laws protecting sharks from being shot, then no law has been broken. To use a rifle however would need a listing on his firearms certificate. To give an example, a deer stalker may have the authorisation on his certificate to only shoot deer, if he then shot a fox he is breaking the law and if the allegation proved he could loose the certificate. At the risk of sounding unpopular, if the fish is to be kept, then shooting it if it is legal and humane (never having or wanted to shoot one I would not know)seems as good a route as any. However, I would have thought catch and release be a far more sensible strategy in preserving this population and his future livelihood

Try Florida for big sharks, I had a hammerhead bite a 60LB tarpon in 2 with one bite 200 yards off shore! There are a few skippers into sharks, most view them a as a bit of a pest. Kalex had a huge GW a few years back out of Bud n Marys. Plenty of choice of species too with bulls, tigers, hammerheads and mako. I was told a barracuda makes a good bait. They catch a fair few big lemons and sand tigers in Gambia as well big stingray and tarpon. Just because your friend can't fish for a GW he shouldn't give up on a big shark and if anyone can catch and release sharks the Florida skippers would be able to.

Explosive acceleration

Freelander diesel, I get 40mpg it never gets stuck and comfortable to drive and mines for sale

Sorry if I have given the impression that I know what tuna it is - I don't, but from what I have learnt from some really good skippers over the years it would be impossible to be 100% certain from that photo.

Sorry but juvenille yellowfin look almost identicle to blackfin and that picture isn't good enough to tell the difference. If you look at US magazines they often have questions asking which tuna a person has caught and they struggle too.

Its really difficult telling small Yellowfin from blackfins, the photo isn't great quality so who knows. If you hooked it on fly gear then look out

Gonefishing, I can see your perfect logic, but as I said logic does not come into it. If it did they would be targetting the 26 million turkeys that will die this Christmas and the 2 billion or so Chickens that die each year, or of course halal and kosher slaughter. Spin says that this is necessary for food, whereas fishing for sport is not, indeed using their warped minds we prolong the suffering by using light lines and your damned if you kill a fish, damned if you don't. In fact fishing in their eyes is probably the easiest to attack, both with rhetoric and actions, with coarse fishing being the easiest. It is time we all woke up and smelt the coffee

I'm afraid it matters not one jot what you or I think. I am a keen fisherman, I also couse hares with my whippets and shoot game, wildfowl and pigeon. Lets get one thing straight those that want to ban "bloodsports" and fishing is one of these do not care if you eat the fish or put it back. You and I put a metal hook through a fishes mouth and drag him out of the sea, lake or river. From there point of view fishing is one of least defenceable sports. It kills and harms far more than any of the others. The only reason it wasn't picked on first was because there wasn't the political ability to. £1.1m was donated to Labour by the PAL (the UK arm of IFAW) in my view a similar donation will be made to see off game shooting. The best any of can hope for is for the CA to get the legislation turned over. The intimidation, provocation etc of antis has to be seen to be believed. They will pick on the young and old and only tackle the large when they out number them. They will use any tactic to show you being cruel to fish and come up with lots of doctored pictures etc. These are people that are proposing owning pets be made illegal as it is animal abuse. Now you may well read this and say its some toff stirring up trouble, but I'm just a working class guy who has seen all this before his eyes. The only way any of us can survive is to stand up and take the PR fight to them. Hunting's biggest problem was that it was suspicious of outsiders until it was too late. No evidence has been found against hunting, the Scott Henderson report of the 50s found in its favour and so did Lord Burns when you listen to his clarifications. You already have a chap from the Mirror on Richard & Judy saying fishing should be banned. Throw down your differences with the remaining field sports and fight this cause, otherwise divide and conquer will win.

Just wait till Tony Banks and co think we are vunerable. Then you will start to see the proverbial hit the fan. What you must remember is most of these animal rights MPs are anti angling, they just know ayt present they have bigger prey such as hunting and shooting.

For afirst time don't get too seduced by the thoughts of big marlin, even in the hot spots you will have many blank sessions. For a first time I would say Kenya is a definate possibility, Hemmingways is a great hotel and the crews are pretty good. For all round fishing with excellent crews you will go a long way to beat the USA. Florida Keys I think are excellent as you can can fish both offshore and inshore. January February is great, I'd fish with Alex Adler at Bud 'n' Marys offshore for sail fish on light tackle and then go down to Key West with Al Saville on the Reel and Steel (I think he is still about) to fish for Tarpon in the harbour, I had 3 between 100 and 130Lb plus a 70lb in one day! He offers a guarantee if you don't catch you don't pay! If billfish really are your thing, what about Costa Rica, Guatamala or Panama or even Cozumel, not necessarilly big fish but if you've never caught a marlin or sail, get used to catching a few first and learn your trade before looking for record breakers! To me though Tarpon on light tackle would win every time!!

They certainly are collectable if in mint condition with all the bits. A mate of mine collects them, if you want to pass on any details such as a photo let me know.

Hi magic Dog Definately the best all round colour is brown/copper, unless you fish abroad a lot. I have tried lots and lots of different makes and have found the best to be Maui Jim, they do lots of styles so a pair can be used for anything not just fishing and they come in a solid case. They have a titanium frame so are very light. I wear spectacles, which makes getting good glasses difficult, but they do prescription lenses. I dealt with acompany called Nelson's Eye Patch in Norfolk and they were cheaper than buying them in the States

Hi I'm new on here and just seen this topic. I can reccommend several boats in the keys. The Kalex skippered by Alex Adler at Bud 'n' Mary's is a great boat, but not cheap. Winter is best for sail fish but it can be a bit lumpy! Late Summer is good general fishing with the chance of sails, marlin, tuna, cobia etc as well as reef fishing, you have to bear in mind it is a big boat so its not cheap, but it is very good. At Bahia Honda/ Marathon are the Rode Runner boats, they fish full or half days mainly near 7 mile bridge for tarpon on live mullet. The fishing is good but the sharks are a nuicsance, it is galling to see a 60lb fish bitten in 2 at the side of the boat by big bull and hammer heads; particularly when people are swimming nearby. Rode Runner offer a tarpon guarantee, if you don't catch the next trip is on them. Down in Key West is a guy called Al Saville who offers a guarantee in tarpon time, catch an 80lb tarpon or no charge - he has never paid out! He tarpon fishes with small dead bait bought off the shrimp boats and chums the fish. My father and I had 4 fish, 3 about 120 -150lb and a small 60lber on 16lb line - he is awesome and well worth the money. If you get hold of Salt water Sportsman or the Florida fishing magazines there are loads of adverts. Having fished a fair bit abroad I reckon the Keys are probably the best alround venue with great boats and skippers who try really hard. Hope this helps