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00:00I'm Nick Hanaszewski. As a professional saltwater fishing journalist, I've explored the world's wildest fishing destinations.
00:07Now, I'm bringing you there, into the saltwater underground.
00:30Out of all the Florida Keys, Isla Morata holds a special place in my heart.
00:47It was the first key I ever fished as a high school kid driving down from New Jersey on a mission to visit the legendary Bud and Mary's Marina.
00:55Isla Morata is not just a destination, but represents a sublime way of life, filled with an enclave of salty fishermen, eclectic artists, splashy colorful hotels, and suspect dive bars.
01:08The sprawling chain of islands beckons children of the salt to come find their soul.
01:13For flats anglers, it's fishing gold. Remnants of a prolific bone fishery still exude here, and there's always a shot at scoring a prize permit in the backwaters.
01:22Over the years, I had become friends with Captain Richard Stanzik Sr., owner of Bud and Mary's Marina,
01:28and he crafted a plan for us searching out not only bonefish, but hopefully coming tight with an elusive permit on the flats.
01:41My jumping off point in Isla Morata started out at the Immaculate Chica Lodge, a sprawling 27-acre palm tree paradise in the heart of Isla Morata.
01:51A storied history of true legendary flats fly fishermen, outdoor writers, and even presidents have stayed at the lodge over the decades.
02:00Chica's inherent beauty immediately puts you at ease, walking the sand pathways under crisscross palm trees,
02:06taking a deep plunge into either of the two pristine pools sipping a mojito poolside,
02:11or laying along the beachfront to watch the sunrise over the Atlantic Ocean.
02:15Amenities on site abound for relaxation, as you can shoot the back nine holes at their golf course,
02:21sip a tasty drink at the Tiki Hut,
02:24and even score a bike to easily maneuver around the town of Isla Morata,
02:28sampling spots like the Isla Morata Brew Company,
02:31or exploring the various art shops, restaurants, and activities.
02:34After a hearty breakfast at Chica's Atlantic's Edge Cafe to get me prepped for a day of fishing,
02:40I popped by Bud and Mary's Marina to set a game plan with legendary Captain Richard Stanzik and his son, Nicky.
02:48All right, now that I got to the iconic Bud and Mary's Marina,
02:51I'm going to look up Captain Richard Stanzik Sr. and his son, Nicky,
02:55and we'll see if we can dial in some bonefish or permit, see if we can rustle Richard up.
03:13Bonefish, you're down here now to try to find one of those.
03:18Right.
03:18I'll be honest with you, the wind's blowing, we've got king tides,
03:21the fish are offshore spawning, and our best guy in the marina hasn't had any luck today,
03:26so we're going to go out there.
03:28All right.
03:28We're going to go out there.
03:30But I'd rather be lucky than good, so let's see what happens.
03:33Just so you know, the influence that Bud and Mary's and the whole Stanzik family has had,
03:37not only within your, amongst yourselves, but kids like me who would come down here in high school,
03:43you know, driving from New Jersey, renting a car at 16, 17 years old,
03:47and the first stop when we get to Isla Morata was going to Bud and Mary's
03:50and rent in one of the hotel rooms here and just get our first real experience of Florida Keys fishing.
03:55And honestly, it's probably you guys that really introduced me and my friends to Isla Morata when we were young.
04:01Well, you know, that's one of the things I take the most pride in.
04:03We have a t-shirt.
04:04It says B&M University.
04:06Right.
04:07And, you know, there is no place for young people to go who want to be involved making a living in the sport fishing business.
04:13You can't get that at the University of Miami.
04:16Let's go see if we can catch a bonefish or two.
04:18And who knows, maybe there will be a permit around or something that might be, you know.
04:21Yeah, a permit, that's a long shot.
04:24We'll try.
04:25It'll take a lot of luck.
04:26You know, you've been lucky, Nick.
04:28Yeah, yeah.
04:28We'll see.
04:29All right, let's do it.
04:30All right, sir, we're on our way.
04:31Saltwater Underground with Nick Honoshefsky is brought to you by the Florida Keys and Key West.
04:58Nick Honoshefsky on Instagram and Saltwater Underground on YouTube, Fisherman Supply, Grumpy's Tackle, and these fine supporting sponsors.
05:08Saltwater Underground with Nick Honoshefsky is brought to you by the Florida Keys and Key West.
05:14Nick Honoshefsky on Instagram and Saltwater Underground on YouTube, Fisherman Supply, Grumpy's Tackle, and these fine supporting sponsors.
05:22Well, Nick, we're on a famous flat.
05:30More big bonefish have been caught on this flat over the years than they've placed in the entire world.
05:35What we're going to do, though, we're not going to pull after these fish like the old days.
05:38And we're going to hunt for them.
05:39Okay.
05:40We're going to let them find us.
05:41All right.
05:42So we're going to put a few baits out there.
05:43And, you know, bonefish, they eat crustaceans.
05:46And this is a crustacean here.
05:47This is a shrimp.
05:49Right up in there, Nick.
05:50So what we'll do is if you get that big fish on.
05:53Right.
05:53Remember, we're using a very light line, very small hooks.
05:55Don't pull real hard.
05:57Let him run.
05:58When he's done, do it this way.
06:00When he's done fighting, then you reel on him.
06:02Okay.
06:02Don't try to reel on him when you're fighting.
06:04The other thing you might have to do is get around this boat.
06:06And as you notice, it's a little small, a little clustered side.
06:09Yeah.
06:10So let's see what happens.
06:11I've done the dance around the boat a few times.
06:13You've shown me.
06:15And if we're patient, the sun, once that sun gets a little more angle to it,
06:18chances are going to improve.
06:19Yeah.
06:19I feel like every time we've ever had that sundown bite, you know,
06:22and then we had that one big permit that one time too.
06:25Maybe we'll see one of them.
06:26Let me have that run.
06:26Come into the slick.
06:27Yeah.
06:28You never know.
06:29We do catch a few permit.
06:30They're rare though.
06:31Yeah.
06:32Oh, yeah.
06:33I love how we're just right back here, right?
06:35Like pretty close.
06:36It wasn't a far run, you know?
06:38Oh, you know, when fishing's tough,
06:39there's two things.
06:40If I start telling fish stories,
06:43you've got problems.
06:43The bite is slow, man.
06:45And then I start telling you,
06:46well, at least we're going to have a great sunset.
06:48Right.
06:49Both of those things are true.
06:50Right.
06:50Go home with sunset pictures.
06:52That's what we're here for.
06:53You're going to get that.
06:53Yeah.
06:58Hey, so we just saw the permit, right?
07:00We did.
07:01So if there's a permit like flittering about,
07:03do you think there's like bonefish following that?
07:05Or does life bring life like that?
07:06Definitely.
07:07There's life here.
07:07You know, my dad was,
07:08we're drifting in on the spot.
07:10You know, he tried to cast the permits.
07:12We're drifting in there to put the push pole in.
07:13Yeah.
07:14And bonefish are the main target.
07:15But there's always a shot at a permit.
07:17Yeah.
07:17If we can get one, it'd be special.
07:19So, but it's good to see life here.
07:20You know, there's fish feeding here,
07:21which is important.
07:21Yeah.
07:27There it is.
07:28There's a bonefish.
07:28There it is.
07:29There's a bonefish.
07:30Yeah, I just felt a serious head shake, though.
07:32There's a bunch of mud back there,
07:33actually, where he was.
07:34Yeah.
07:36Yeah.
07:37It'd be nice if I had that permit we saw somewhere.
07:39Yeah.
07:40He feels heavy.
07:42I can stand from here.
07:43I think it's the permit.
07:44Yeah.
07:45Oh, man.
07:46Look at that.
07:46Look at that.
07:47It just jumped.
07:47It's a permit.
07:48Oh, jump.
07:49Come on.
07:51I won't.
07:55I remember this from last night.
07:57It's a permit.
07:58Yeah, it's a permit.
07:59Is it?
07:59See him in the water there.
07:59Yep, it's a permit.
08:00That's him.
08:02All right.
08:03Yeah, that's the permit we saw.
08:04Oh, my God.
08:05A permit in the water.
08:06Oh, look at that.
08:08See him?
08:10In the bottom.
08:11Look at that.
08:12That's beauty.
08:16Look at that.
08:18You got a leap?
08:19Hey, hold on there.
08:20Turn it back.
08:20Hey, get that tail.
08:24Get that, too.
08:29Oh, man, dude.
08:30It's serious, dude.
08:32Dude, holy, holy, dude.
08:33Here we go.
08:36Oh, man, this is insane.
08:38God, that's such a beautiful fish.
08:40Yes.
08:41Yeah, that's too funny.
08:42We're drifting in here to put the stake in, you know, and I saw him sitting around.
08:45I saw the permit.
08:46The chance of seeing that fish on the bottom is difficult.
08:48I mean, they got 15 that wind, and there it was.
08:51That's a good fight.
08:51Light tackle braid on that.
08:54Quick picture with him.
08:55Yep.
08:55Let's get some quick pictures.
08:56Oh, yeah, dude.
08:58Oh, man.
08:58This is my second biggest permit ever in Isla Morata with Captain Richard once again.
09:04Man, I can't believe the fight on this.
09:06It took about 15, maybe 20 minutes.
09:08Light drag just zipping.
09:10You know, the big flank, hefty flank size, just kind of like stay in that water and test your drag and your willpower, man.
09:16But we got him, Richard.
09:17We got him.
09:20That's a good awesome.
09:21Oh, my God.
09:22With the Stanzig family, man.
09:24Richard, Nicky, man.
09:25Yeah, we made the wall.
09:26Bud and Mary is the wall of snake.
09:28Oh, my gosh.
09:28This is so unbelievable.
09:30And the cool thing is, Nicky called it.
09:31He saw the permit earlier and stuck around, took that shrimp bait just like you put out, Richard, you know, and a perfect hit, long flight, you know, and slow and steady reel to get him in, you know.
09:46That's how to get it done with the Stanz, fam, brother.
10:12Richard and Nicky helped me check a permit off the list.
10:15But now we were on the hunt for bonefish.
10:22Oh, man.
10:23Oh, it's bumping.
10:23There's the zipping bonefish.
10:25It's a good bump.
10:26It's looking at that rod.
10:28Not a little one.
10:28That's a big one.
10:29There we go.
10:34Yeah.
10:36Nice bump.
10:37Look at him.
10:44Oh, yes.
10:45Yes.
10:48Permit and bonefish, Captain Richard and Nicky.
10:50This is a good one here.
10:51Nice fish, brother.
10:52Oh, just hit that shrimp and started zipping.
10:57This one?
10:58Yep.
10:59I think it's a junk fish.
11:01Turn it into the fish.
11:02Yeah, that's him.
11:03There you go.
11:05Oh, no.
11:05Oh, no.
11:05Oh, yeah.
11:06Just set the hook.
11:07Yep.
11:08Oh, look at him go.
11:09Yeah.
11:09Yeah.
11:09He's ripping, dude.
11:11Oh, yeah.
11:12Look at that.
11:13Look at that.
11:14Here we go.
11:16Here we go.
11:16Look at this.
11:17He's going to be right at the...
11:18I know.
11:18Look at that.
11:20Look at that, dude.
11:22Oh, fish on the right.
11:23Get that one in the back.
11:26What is that?
11:27What is he?
11:28You got one?
11:29Nice, dude.
11:29Now we're on.
11:30Double bump, baby.
11:31Double bump.
11:31Oh, yeah.
11:34Oh, yeah.
11:34Chunk rip.
11:37Yeah.
11:38Look at that guy.
11:41Oh, man.
11:42Double header bonefish.
11:43Look, me and Nicky both hooked up.
11:45This is insane.
11:47This is...
11:48You couldn't plant it better, Rich.
11:50It doesn't get much better than that.
11:51Look at that.
11:52What are you...
11:53Three, two, one.
11:55Double bonefish, baby.
11:58Killing it here.
11:59Buddy Mary's Alamorada style with Stan's family.
12:01Thank you, Richard.
12:02Thanks, Nicky.
12:03Awesome.
12:06Nice and lively.
12:08A gray ghost going back to the flats, man.
12:11Yep.
12:12And then it goes right on that hook.
12:14Real simple pluck.
12:15A gray ghost going back.
12:18Camouflage is perfect on the flats, man.
12:20Can't even see them.
12:25Did you just see a shark out there?
12:26Yeah, you can see the nervous water
12:28on the wake kind of coming by.
12:29Yeah.
12:30And usually, I guess, when the sharks come in,
12:31it kind of shuts down the bite, right?
12:33The bonefish and permanent are smart.
12:34They know that shark's around here.
12:35They don't want to feed.
12:36Yeah, you see them, like,
12:37patrolling the waters and stuff.
12:39We need that shark to leave
12:40and the fish just start biting here before sunset.
12:42Yeah, we're almost at sunset,
12:43but we'll see if we can get one more bite.
12:45We'll see.
12:48Oh, he's on.
12:49Yeah, get him, Nicky.
12:50Get him.
12:52Probably going to take off again.
12:54Got ready to rip.
12:56Nice.
12:57There's not much else like pulls like him.
12:59You got to move around.
13:00Everyone's got to work together.
13:01That's a nicer one, yep.
13:03One of them come out like that.
13:04Yep.
13:14Yes, man.
13:15Sunset bone fishing.
13:16Biting right till the sun's going down.
13:19This is great.
13:20I couldn't beat hanging with the stanzics
13:22to catch some bones and permit,
13:23but on the way back,
13:25I had to stop by
13:26and see my good buddy Pasta
13:27at his art gallery.
13:29Oh, man.
13:30When I'm in Alamorada,
13:31I always got to stop by
13:32and see my buddy Pasta Pantaleo
13:34at his art gallery here, man.
13:36I bought so much stuff from him.
13:37We'll see if he's around.
13:38Got a six-pack, too.
13:40Pasta.
13:41Yo.
13:41Where you at?
13:42Right here, bro.
13:44What's going on, pal?
13:45He's got his paintbrush in there.
13:47Good to see you.
13:47How you doing, man?
13:48Great to see you, too.
13:49You're great.
13:49You harbing your oats?
13:50Are you saving those for, like, Christmas?
13:52Yeah, they're all for me, so, yeah.
13:54Man, but I wanted to stop by the gallery
13:56any time I'm in Alamorada.
13:58Want to see how you're doing,
13:59all the new marine artwork you got going on.
14:02Yeah, man.
14:02I'm doing some stuff right now.
14:04Show us around your gallery, man,
14:05what you've been working on.
14:06You don't just normally,
14:07you know, just do marine stuff, too.
14:08You do, uh...
14:09I'm doing coastal lifestyle,
14:10I kind of coined it, right?
14:11So I started out in this
14:12port fishing world and all that,
14:14you know,
14:15and you got the usual suspects
14:16on that one.
14:17But then, you know,
14:18you got this,
14:18I'm doing a commission right now
14:20with this whole thing.
14:21If you want to take a look at this.
14:21Yeah.
14:24All right, so really kind of cool stuff is
14:27the palm trees are called
14:28The Two of Us.
14:29Right.
14:30Pretty wild, you know.
14:32A lot of real thick,
14:33good paint on that.
14:34What'd you catch today?
14:35Permit and bonefish.
14:37You mean like...
14:37Oh!
14:38Man, I'm going home with this one.
14:39Look at this one.
14:40Oh, it's funny.
14:41We were at Penicamp State Park, right?
14:43Yeah, yeah.
14:43And as we're touring Penicamp
14:45around the marina
14:46when they have that theater in there,
14:47Right.
14:48I'm looking at this sea turtle
14:49that looked very familiar to me
14:51and I look at it
14:51and I'm like,
14:52it's past the sea turtle.
14:53Off channel.
14:54I painted that for the Parks Department.
14:56Really?
14:56Yeah.
14:56A hundred years ago.
14:57That's the one.
14:58Keys to Life,
14:59that's my signature piece.
15:01Really?
15:02Yeah.
15:02Down here, Keys to Life.
15:03The reason why I'm here,
15:04called the Keys to Life.
15:05Keys to Life.
15:06That's it, right?
15:07Yeah.
15:07I really love stopping by
15:09and seeing you every time
15:10I'm in an Alamara.
15:11I'm sorry that I'm heading out tomorrow.
15:13We would light it up.
15:14Going to Key West to go fish,
15:15so I can't yell at you for that.
15:16Yeah, we would light it up.
15:17I'd probably get called in
15:19in the principal's office by Monday
15:21if I hung out with you.
15:22All right, brother.
15:23I love you so much, man.
15:24Good seeing you again.
15:25Thank you, pal.
15:25All right, we'll be back.
15:26All right.
15:27All right.
15:28Now it was time to eat
15:29as well as learn a bit
15:30about the coral reef systems
15:32at Moat Marine Lab.
15:33Saltwater Underground
15:34with Nick Honoshefsky
15:35is brought to you by
15:36the Florida Keys and Key West,
15:39Nick Honoshefsky on Instagram
15:40and Saltwater Underground on YouTube,
15:43Fisherman Supply,
15:44Grumpy's Tackle,
15:46and these fine supporting sponsors.
15:49Bonefish permit
15:50and all reef species
15:51need corals to survive.
15:52With coral reef systems in decline,
15:55Bud and Mary's has housed
15:56Moat Marine Lab
15:57to grow corals to replenish.
15:59I stopped by to speak
16:00with Aaron Muir,
16:01Moat Community Engagement Manager,
16:03about rebuilding coral reefs.
16:05If you're ever fishing
16:06at a Bud and Mary's marina,
16:08one of the more unique aspects
16:09on site is the Moat Coral Nursery
16:12where they harvest
16:13and they grow all this new coral
16:14to replenish the coral reef systems.
16:16Let's go take a look
16:17at what's going on.
16:20Hey, Aaron.
16:21Hey, how are you?
16:22How you doing?
16:23Pleasure to meet you.
16:24You too.
16:24How's everything, okay?
16:25Great.
16:26Thanks so much for coming out
16:27to visit Moat's
16:28Alamirada Coral Nursery.
16:29Oh, it's great.
16:30I love to hear
16:31about what you guys
16:32got going on here
16:32with growing coral
16:33and then how you're
16:34replenishing the stocks.
16:35Tell us.
16:36Tell us what's happening.
16:37Well, Moat Marine Laboratory
16:38has been a pioneer
16:39in coral restoration
16:40and coral reef research
16:42for decades here
16:43in the Florida Keys.
16:44Right.
16:45This is Alamirada's
16:46first and only land-based
16:48coral nursery
16:49right here on the property
16:50in Budden Marys Marina.
16:52And at this facility,
16:53Moat scientists are really
16:54focused on propagating coral
16:56that are going to be
16:57resilient and hardy
16:58to our current
16:59and future ocean conditions
17:01so that we can restore
17:03our reefs for generations
17:04to come.
17:05Let me ask you a question,
17:06too.
17:06I know that there's been
17:07problems with the reefs
17:08being degraded.
17:09And was that the impetus
17:10to get the coral restoration
17:12program together?
17:13It certainly has inspired
17:15the need and the importance
17:16of Moat's work in this area.
17:19We're trying to get coral
17:20as big and reproductive
17:22as fast as possible.
17:24Okay.
17:24And Moat has pioneered
17:25a number of techniques
17:26that have really changed
17:27the game of coral restoration.
17:29Some of those that we're
17:30practicing here
17:30right in this nursery.
17:32Awesome.
17:32So these little half-dollar
17:33sized pieces of coral,
17:35how long does it take
17:37until you see like a little
17:38colony start to grow
17:39or something that's
17:40like substantial?
17:41Sure.
17:41That's a great question.
17:42They will grow with us
17:44here in our nursery setting
17:45for about four to six months.
17:48And to give you a point
17:49of comparison,
17:50what would happen
17:51in Mother Nature
17:51if that coral was trying
17:53to grow and reach
17:54that reproductive size,
17:55it could take anywhere
17:56from 10 to 20 to 50 years.
17:59So we are taking decades
18:00off the restoration process
18:02by the science and techniques
18:05that Moat is using here.
18:06Truly accelerating the process
18:08to prolificate the coral process.
18:11But I know I saw
18:12the coral trees over here.
18:14You want to show us
18:14a little bit about that?
18:15Sure.
18:15Let's go check out
18:16these raceways down here.
18:19All right.
18:20The coral trees.
18:22So we're here
18:23in Moat's land-based nursery,
18:25but this is only one piece
18:26to the puzzle
18:28in how Moat approaches
18:30coral restoration.
18:30So we pair our land-based nurseries
18:33with in-water nurseries
18:35where we grow our coral
18:36on what we call coral trees.
18:38So this is going to give you
18:40a little example
18:41of what a coral tree
18:42might look like.
18:44They're going to have
18:44these branches.
18:46That's magnificent.
18:47Moat has four field nurseries
18:49here in the Florida Keys.
18:51Each one of these nurseries
18:52is permitted to hold
18:53upwards of 400 coral trees.
18:55Oh my goodness.
18:56So this is a lot of coral
18:57that we can propagate
18:59to restore out
19:00onto Florida's coral reef.
19:01This is just spectacular science
19:03that you guys are doing here.
19:04And the cool thing is
19:05if you stop in the Butter Marys
19:06and go fishing,
19:08you know, the lab is right here,
19:09you know, on site,
19:10which is cool, you know,
19:11so that people can come
19:12speak with all the scientists here
19:13and learn a little bit
19:14about the coral restoration
19:15and the nursery project
19:16you've got going on.
19:18Can't thank you enough
19:18for taking us around there.
19:19Absolutely.
19:20It's been a pleasure.
19:21Thank you again.
19:22All right.
19:23To fully put together
19:25any fishing trip,
19:26we must eat well.
19:28Back at Chica Lodge,
19:29I dropped by for sushi
19:30at the on-site Japanese restaurant,
19:32Naiko.
19:33Sushi chef Emmanuel Cruz
19:35is a master at his craft.
19:37Chef Emmanuel is a culinary artist
19:39preparing exquisite sushi
19:41and sashimi dishes
19:42of tuna crudo,
19:44tuna poke bowls,
19:45big kahuna rolls
19:46made in order to perfection.
19:48Sampling fresh sushi
19:49and Asian cuisine
19:50is a true delight at Chica Lodge,
19:52both satisfying
19:53and relaxing to the max.
19:58No matter how many times
20:00I've come back to Isla Murata,
20:01I always find soulful stories
20:03that make their mark on me
20:04for a lifetime.
20:06Getting back together
20:07with Richard and Nikki Stanzik
20:08to pull on bonefish
20:09and release a huge permit
20:11was one memory for the ages.
20:13Reconnecting with good friend Pasta
20:15to share a few laughs
20:16for a minute or two
20:17was just more icing
20:18on the cake of life.
20:19And when in Isla Murata,
20:21a trip always ends
20:23at the Lorelei Bar
20:24to watch the legendary sunsets
20:26where, of course,
20:27you always run into someone
20:28you know from Jersey,
20:30including my neighbors
20:31Dave and Debbie.
20:32In the Keys,
20:33Jersey's never that far away
20:35when you need it.
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