Gray Taxidermy Sep. 2013 Newsletter - Issue 33

Captain of the Month, a fishing LEGEND...
Captain Bouncer Smith

The Gray team was very excited to see Captain Bouncer’s name on this month’s pull. Captain Bouncer Smith is a LEGEND in these parts and we are proud to call him a Gray Captain. The order was a +7’ Sailfish for a lady from Texas! Congratulations Captain Bouncer Smith! REACTOR watch is of course sponsoring this drawing exclusively for Gray Taxidermy Captains. Captain Smith will receive a GRAVITON II watch and plaque from Gray
Taxidermy naming him, Captain of the Month.

Captain Bouncer started off as a top producing mounter when he was a mate on a headboat in 1961. By 1966 he was full time running a Charter boat. Currently Captain Smith runs out of Miami Beach Marina on “Bouncer’s Dusky 33.” Needless to say, since the 60’s, there have been a HUGE number of mounts from Captain Smith come through the doors of Gray Taxidermy.

Captain Bouncer Smith is experienced in every aspect of the sport of fishing in South Florida as well as a variety of ports throughout North America. He has devoted his life to sharing fishing with others through his radio shows, magazine articles, seminars, and on the water. He shares his love of the ocean and fishing with children and adults from the novice fisherman to the tournament sportsfisherman.

“Mango (our area agent) is a great ambassador of mounting fish with Gray Taxidermy. Mango and the Gray staff have helped set the bar and always solve any problems and make sure every client is thrilled with their trophy catch. I know my customers look at their beautiful mount and remember what a great time they had on “Bouncer’s Dusky 33” and want to come back.”

The determination of Captain of the month comes from a random drawing. Each month, every order placed with Gray Taxidermy is entered in a drawing. At the end of the month, one name is randomly pulled from all entries. Along with the new watch, the captain will also be awarded a Trophy plaque with an engraved plate from Gray Taxidermy. The more orders turned in, the better your chances.

Mate of the Month – Alberto Sotelo Tacoba

September’s Mate of the Month comes from Cabo! Congratulations Alberto Sotelo Tacoba. Costa Del Mar has been very generous to our Gray mates and captains over the past couple of years! They have awarded Alberto a pair of Blue Mirror, Corbina sunglasses for this lucky pull. Alberto is originally from Istapa Zihuatanejo Guerrero. “My passion for fishing began at the age of 6! Even then, I knew fishing would always be in my blood. People would laugh at me to hear such a young boy speak about his future in fishing.”

“At 15 years old, I was fishing in the bay with riparian. I was fishing with hand line to catch everything from bottom fish to tuna. A friend convinced me to come to Cabo because the fishing was so exciting. I have been here for 12 years. Currently I am working for Viviana Fleet in Cabo. Fishing is my life! The sea is everything to me. Every day that I go fishing, I always say how I love my job and every day I feel the same excitement like fishing for the first time.”

Congratulations from the entire team here at Gray!

The determination of Mate of the Month comes from a random drawing of all orders turned in during the previous month’s time

This Month’s HOT Region takes us to the Mid-Atlantic

From New Jersey to North Carolina… beautiful landscape, world-class fishing and fishermen of all sorts. This month’s drawing is from Hatteras, NC. Congratulations to Captain Kenny Kocci off the Big Tahuna in Teachs Lair
Marina. Thanks also goes to HOPKINS-CARTER Marine Supplies and Fishing Tackle for believing in Charter boat Captains around the world by sponsoring this program! Captain Kenny is awarded (2) Battel BTL 8000, Penn reels.

The Mid-Atlantic region consists of a phenomenal mix of great inshore fishing and world-class offshore fishing. The area’s rich maritime heritage attracts visitors to come and enjoy historic lighthouses, charming fishing villages, abundant seafood restaurants and seafood markets, local festivals and sunny shores. The Mid-Atlantic is steeped in history and tradition but undergoing changes. These East coast central states have seen fishing from traditional wooden boats to more modern offshore charter boats. The history of fishing for a way of life goes far back to the days of whaling, oysters, crabs and clams and huge amounts of fish through gill netting, trawling and dragging.

When fishing the bays and inshore marsh, you can experience Speckled Trout, Redfish, Flounder and an array of ferocious fighting Sharks and much more. As you reach the blue water off the coast of this region, you will find some of the best Billfishing in the world along with a great Tuna, Dolphin and Wahoo bite. It's not uncommon to have a shot at both a grander Blue Marlin and a shot at 15-20 White Marlin in a single day with Sailfish mixed in at the right time of year. Don't forget about the winter time Striper and Bluefin-Tuna bite. So, if you are looking for beautiful beaches and a great mix of fishing year-round, the Mid-Atlantic Coastline could be your next destination surrounded by water and natural beauty.

“These times... They are a changing”!

As the technological age screams ahead, we see the use of all kinds of devises such as I-Pads and I-Phones pictures being instantly uploaded to Facebook, and the future looks bright.

51 years later, it shocks us to see the new age of taxidermy and the “Rock Stars” mounting more than ever. “The customers are thrilled” captains say as they are snapping pictures from a phone and texting us in their orders with full color pictures of Release Mounts!

At this time, there are closures on Red Snapper for the Panhandle of Florida but, we are still getting orders in, Catch and Release and Mounted – with pictures! There are requirements on Redfish in Texas, but we are getting full detailed photos before released and the orders texted to the home office. Videos coming in from Ft.Lauderdale/Miami area – Hammerhead Sharks caught on video, Released and Mounted. Costa Rica is 100% Release fishing! This area has doubled in Mount growth this year. Technology is your friend – snap a picture,
get your tape measure out and Let ‘er go!

People love to take photos and instantly share their experiences with friends and family. It’s so easy to upload to Facebook and help create the excitement of the catch. Right now, Gray Taxidermy has over 62,000 Facebook fans and is growing like crazy. Get your page hooked to Gray – share your pictures and get your customers seen! Send your offshore and action pictures to Jonas@GrayTaxidermy.com along with your boat name and we will get them put up on our page!

Species of the Month – Yellowfin Tuna

From a multitude of orders turned in and countless species mounted, one was chosen. The Yellowfin Tuna. Orders for the Yellowfin are turned in from all over the world. The lucky order comes from Hawaii! Congratulations to the Mate on this order, Steve Groff off the “Rascal.” This lucky pull gets Steve a pair of Costa, Tuna Alley Blue Mirror sunglasses. Thank-you Costa for sponsoring this program for Gray Taxidermy mates.

The Yellowfin Tuna is a species of tuna found in pelagic waters of tropical and subtropical oceans worldwide. Yellowfin Tuna are often marketed as Ahi, a Hawaiian term used globally. The Yellowfin Tuna is among the larger Tuna species reaching weights of over 400 lbs.; but is significantly smaller than the Atlantic and Pacific Bluefin Tunas, which can reach over 1,000 lbs, and slightly smaller than the Bigeye Tuna and the southern Bluefin Tuna.

Yellowfin Tuna are pelagic fish that inhabit the mixed surface layer of the ocean above the thermocline. Sonic tracking has found that although Yellowfin Tuna, unlike the related Bigeye Tune, mostly range in the top 100 meters of the water column and penetrate the thermocline relatively infrequently; they are capable of diving to considerable depths.

Yellowfin tuna often travel in schools with similarly sized companions. They sometimes school with other Tuna species and mixed schools of small Yellowfin and Skipjack Tuna in particular are commonplace. They are often associated with various species of Dolphins or Porpoises, as well as with larger marine creatures such as Whales and Whale Sharks.

Yellowfin Tuna prey include other fish, pelagic crustaceans, and squid. Like all Tunas their body shape is designed for speed, enabling them to pursue and capture fast-moving baitfish such as Flying Fish, Sauries, and Mackerel. Large Yellowfin prey on smaller members of the Tuna family such as Frigate Mackerel and Skipjack Tuna.

Yellowfin are able to escape most predators because unlike most fish, Tuna are warm-blooded, and their warm muscles make them strong swimmers, with Yellowfin Tuna reaching "speeds of up to 50 miles per hour." They can navigate enormous distances, sometimes crossing entire oceans. And… they make awesome mounts and of course they are great to eat! Sushi anyone???

Tip of the month - MULTIPLE FISH SALES

When the box if full, the “big one” is not the only mount for the wall. Dad, 2 kids and mom run offshore; dad catches and mounts a monster - bragging rights for all??? Well, maybe for dad. The untold story is the 2 kids caught awesome, monster fish too; however, no-one mentioned mounts for them! Both kids were first timers and once home, they called to get them done as well. We took care of them of course and Captain and crew were happy, but the message is, when mounting ONLY the “monster” without looking at the whole picture, you are missing out on more business, don’t let those mounts walk off your boat.

When a big fish gets shipped out, it goes first class, fully insured in a big box. What is not realized is that box can take more than one fish, which means on those additional fish, the customer is saving on crating and shipping. The second or third fish (of smaller size) SHIPS FOR FREE. Gray Taxidermy offers a full line of baitfish that can be added to any mount box and doesn’t add to the shipping costs. Your customers want them, so don’t be afraid to add a baitfish to every order. The baitfish are a great way to turn a normal wall mount into a scene on your customer’s wall.

Just give us a call for more info regarding multiple fish orders, we are here to help.

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