

Captain Eric Stewart has been fishing the waters around Cape Cod
since he was a child. Starting as a 1st mate at age 13 and then
earning his captains license at nineteen he has been involved in
charter fishing since 1978. He is a certified IGFA captain and
co-owner, with Cliff Hampton, of The Hook-Up! LLC. Capt. Eric has
fished three oceans from Midway Island in the Pacific to the eastern
seaboard of the Atlantic and to the Indian Ocean off of Mozambique,
Africa, he brings a world of fishing knowledge and experiences to
his Cape Cod based operation. Since he turned his attention to
Bluefin Tuna his record has been remarkable. Captain Stewart is a
serious fisherman who has honed his skills on years of being on the
water. He has owned and operated the “Tammy Rose” charter boat since
1988 and started “The Hook-Up!” Bait & Tackle in 2001. Capt. Eric
has written numerous articles for “On The Water” magazine and he has
been featured twice in their television show as well as the Canadian
television show “Fins and Skins”. He has fished in many of the local
offshore tournaments where he has placed in several. He takes great
pride in his family and business. You will find his mark on every
aspect of The Hook-Up!, from the quality of the charter experience
to the products and professional staff . With his 27 years as a
licensed captain he knows what works, and he is very willing to
share the key points that make him one of the most successful
charter boat captains on the water today. Capt. Eric is married to
his wife Tammy and they have three children, Corey who is 20 and the
twins, Kimberly and Shylee, who are 15. They reside in Eastham.

Hello fish fans,
I just want to
take a moment and give you guys an update and fishing report. This
past week we had some awesome action with 5 solid days of fishing.
We had one trip where we went 4 for 7 and even had a triple! A
triple on an outboard boat! Doesn’t get much better than that. I
just installed new 19ft LD Marine outriggers and let me tell you
they are strong. They have made a huge difference this year already.
I can keep my rigs separated and I do not tangle anywhere near as
much as I used to. If you are serious about trolling for bluefin
then outriggers are a key. The new Okuma Makaira’s are working out
beautifully. After catching double digits in tuna on them, I am very
impressed with the reels and specifically the drags. They are very
smooth and pull consistently all through the fight. We have had some
battles, up to an hour and these reels are awesome. My customers all
comment on the ergonomically handle and the comfort that it brings.
I am very pleased so far. If anyone is looking to buy some new reels
I will have a pair of MK50WII’s mounted on rods and I will let you
try them out for a weekend. They will be mounted on some of my older
standup rods. All I ask is that you keep them tied off and accept
the responsibility for them. This will be a great opportunity to let
you try them out and compare them to the other big names out there
on the water. I am very pleased to offer this service to my
customers and I am proud of the fact that Okuma has stepped up to
the challenge of making a big game reel that has all the features
that I need as a professional charter boat captain and still priced
extremely competitive. The reels have huge drags, slightly bigger
line capacities, ergonomic handle, 5 year warranty, and they all
come with a nice neoprene reel cover, which we have been using when
we run too and from the grounds with the rods up in the hardtop. The
reel covers really help to keep the saltwater out of the reels. I
hope to have the demo reels loaded today and available starting
tonight.
The fishing out
east has slowed down just a little and the fish are no longer tight
off the beach like they have been. If you are going this weekend I
would fish out more towards crab ledge and the BC buoy. The fish may
move back into the beach but right now they have moved off and the
bass have moved in. The bank is on and off but mostly it seems to be
an early bite. Both bait and the troll are producing and there are
plenty of fish around. As I told a customer the other day, the
season is here and if the weather is good and you got the time, then
go fishing. If you chase the “Bite” instead of chasing the fish then
you will never be there when the “Bite” happens. As Nike says, “Just
do it!” Go fishing! Plenty of bass around both in the Bay and on the
backside. The beaches have been up and down but the boats have been
catching them good.
As far as the regulations go, they are what
they are. We will be releasing a lot of fish this year. Guys,
remember, most of you have not seen fish in the 70-72 inch mark
before, and they look huge in the water. The odds are that you will
be seeing fish under the 73 inch mark and not over the 73 inch mark.
That is the average size of the majority of the fish in that year
class right now. My biggest so far is 72inches, measured. Do not
make the mistake of gaffing or harpooning these fish unless you are
100% that they are way over the 73” mark or under the 59” mark. I
have been telling my customers that we will be releasing the fish
unless they are way over the mark. These fish will shrink and there
is nothing in this world worst then landing the biggest fish of your
life and getting back to the dock to have an EPO or NMFS agent
measure your fish and be in possession of a fish under 73 inches.
It’s not worth it. If it’s close, let them go. I have had three fish
so far this year that were under the 59 inch mark so you will get a
shot at dinner if you but some time in. I will be running the Tuna
Fever until July 19th and I do have some openings so if
you want to go and fish the outboard boat with me and experience the
Chatham area call and get a date. I am still open for the Shark
Tournament so if anyone wants in please give me a call. I will be
fishing it one way or the other so even if you’re the only one in
your group that wants to go give me a call. Off to the Red Sox game
tonight with Tammy and Corey and I’ll be in the shop on Saturday and
out tuna fishing Sunday\Monday. Good Luck. “It’s All About the
Bite!” Capt. Eric


The 2010 BIG GAME BASH - From left to right
Daniel Westhaver, Captain Damon Saco and Captain Eric Stewart

Hook-Up! customer "Key West Jack" looks over the latest offerings from Raymarine
Captain Corey demonstrates the proper use of a belt and harness when
fighting big fish.
Captain Eric Stewart talks about "The End Game"
and how to set-up and use a harpoon.

Dr. Molly Lutcavage talks
about the UNH Tuna Tagging program and the movements of Bluefin Tuna

The
entire crew from the BIG GAME BASH would like to thank everyone for helping make
this event a success.
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