Bluewater Fishing Ranch

[OnTheFlats]

This is the place for everyone to discuss their experiences at Bluewater Fishing Ranch. If you haven't been, you should check out this great fishing opportunity -- see the ranch’s big advertisement in the April issue of Sport Fishing on pages 18-19.

[Seth]

This is the place for everyone to discuss their experiences at Bluewater Fishing Ranch. If you haven't been, you should check out this great fishing opportunity -- see the ranch’s big advertisement in the April issue of Sport Fishing on pages 18-19.

Somebody obviously has way too much time on their hands.
btwhttp://www.inthegarageonline.com/forum/images/smilies/worthless.gif

[mlutz95]

hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!! i was getting ready to post a thread on another forum about how much i disagreed with this!!! that is the funniest thing ive ever seen!!! Great prank; you totally got me.

[dick313]

This was the greatest, I have to get the old man of the sea package with the mako's inculded.

My wife and son's realize my passion for the sport of fishing after sending me to the keys last year on my 50th bday. We were looking to do another trip and even though the prank only lasted til we got on line we had the best time trying to imagine hand lining a marlin in a row boat. The best part was the pen's ( from the australian tuna farmers I presume) would never let you get to far away like the story then you throw in a couple of makos an hang on. Although the experience would not be a true sport but it would be a good story to add to the list. Keep them coming, you have a reader for life.

Rich Lanza

[DOLPHIN_HUNTER]

That was great. "Old Man and the Sea package", lol. Instant classic right there. The two things I found a little disbelieving was 1. How they're going to import an 800# Black Marlin alive to the Gulf of Mexico, and 2. That you were allowed to put Makos in with people in there with no lawyer complaints. But I just figured that "BFR" found a way around all of that.

Nice job photoshopping the fishing boat inside the tanks, lol.

Oh man, that was too good. But don't be surprised if within a year something exactly like this happens. It wouldn't be that hard to believe - just maybe minus the Makos.

I just can't wait for next year's prank. They keep getting better and better.

Tight Lines,
Clarke

[DOLCEVITA]

Got me!. I did called all my offshore fishing buddies. I'm glad it was a joke and hope blue water fishing never comes to that.

DV

[ed87gn]

I was going to send an email to the editor asking what kind of fishing magazine would let this kind of add be run in it. I was thinking about cancelling over it great job very funny now.

[salmotisi]

This is the place for everyone to discuss their experiences at Bluewater Fishing Ranch. If you haven't been, you should check out this great fishing opportunity -- see the ranch’s big advertisement in the April issue of Sport Fishing on pages 18-19.

Thank's for the laugh. I nearly forgot April was almost here ( except for the tax thing). I got it right away. I'm on alert with you guys after that crazy knot you yanked us with a few years ago.

[Capt Rick]

To funny........................

[BigMall]

O.K. I'll admit that I was completely taken, but I just couldn't believe the absurdity of the whole thing. The old man of the sea package was completely ridiculous! Then the package where they have you fish with two pound test and BFR petitioning the IGFA to allow penned fish was just over the top, but the site was so well put together that I believed it!

-JB

[Fred6944]

I will admit that i took the bait but, it doesn't surprise me. Some how I could see an operation like this being the next logical step in a progression of lazy outdoorsmen. It has already happened with hunting especially in Texas where you can shoot African game and trophy "grown" whitetail deer within the confines of a fenced ranch. So yes, a bluewater ranch is extreme but, the question how far will people go to say that they have caught a giant marlin or tuna. They already grow the deer why not just grow the gamefish too?

[sgtsean]

I saw this and then looked at the spine of the mag to see the date. yep, it is that time of the year. The pictures were the first thing that caught my eye (the sportfisher in the pen, the guy in the chair going over backwards)(I'm a guy and do pictures first THEN read). Ya, I want to do the old man and the sea.

What else have I missed? I spent hours in the reading room (bathroom)looking at every ad. Had to call the fire department to pry me off the seat! Good job, good fun. Hope someone doesnt take it too seriously.

[hershdog]

You completly fooled me. I showed one of my coworkers your ad and told him your not going to believe this. we were both shocked, i was disgusted by the idea but intriged, why else would we check out the site? im not even a salt water fishermen, not that i wouldnt love to be, but there was still a couple things that didnt seem right to me. first thing, your not going to fight a marlin in a pen and second theres something about the boats in the pens that didnt look real but still a great gag, and hey it had to be true it was in your magazine right?

[tomrosenbauer]

So you really got me. Somebody left a copy of Sportfishing in the bathroom here in the Orvis headquarters and I happened to read the ad. I do a fair amount of saltwater fishing but just with a fly rod and I thought "Jeez, I'm really outa touch with what the big game market is doing. I had no idea." So I pulled up the web site because, having chased football blufins with a fly rod for a decade, I was really curious how someone could get them to eat while being inside what looked like a tiny net pen, and then what the heck the fish would do once hooked. Run around in vicious circles?

Anyway, I'm known as a practical jokester and am usually on the other end, but you guys got me. Totally and completely.

Great stuff! Sometimes fishermen take everything way too seriously and I'm glad to see there are still people out there with a bent sense of humor. Ed Zern must be laughing in heaven.

[TOP SHOT]

http://www2.worldpub.net/images/FSW/144-lisa.bmp

for the record: thanx to tom rosenbauer for a GREAT response and thanx to all the readers who've posted here (and in lots of other forums as well as a zillion emails)!

almost to a man/woman, the reaction has been tripartite: 1--shock, 2--complete outrage, 3--hilarity. (one exception from a fellow pointing out his age (77) in montana who didn't find the joke funny at all -- that's one out of a couple hundred.) tom -- you're so right -- even the best fishing mags (like, i hope, SF) are dead-serious about catching more fish etc. but few give us a chance to laugh at ourselves, with in-jokes only anglers would appreciate. and everyone HAS been a very good sport indeed. that make the time and effort that go into these crazy things each year worthwhile. so thanks (my gawd: this sounds like some sort of academy-award acceptance speech....)

with apologies to nelson, of the simpsons: fool ya next year!

http://www2.worldpub.net/images/SF/107-nelsonzzz.bmp

-- doug

[billgow]

That was perfect!

I got my latest issue and put it in the bathroom library basket. I just finished my morning constitutional and was literally running for the computer to let IGFA know my thoughts about sanctioning something like this.

April Fool! – I’m glad I waited until this morning to read this!

[codewill]

This would be great for the limited expierence indiviuals missing the means to do a big expensive trip. I personaly love the idea of the old man and the sea. Just put in an extra pin that you could do some spear fishing.

[Special Trout]

I was already wondering how in the world most of the guys that I know would pass a physical! Very very funny, I have sent it to several of my fishing friends and can't wait to hear their responses!!!

Thanks,

[royb]

The way that some people set up canned hunts, i.e. exotic animals in a small area, for those who did not know about canned hunts. Sometime in the near future someone will try this, anything to make a buck, and there are people that would pay to do it. Unless you do just the "old man and the sea", that would be a REAL challenge.

[liem_tran74]

That was a great prank. It was too odd to be true at first but then again, it was an add in your mag. I showed it to all of my coworkers who thought that it was real too. We thought that people would have to be crazy to go considering the min. pkg price of $3,800. I'll be more cautious on the next april issuance.

[coongyver]

Didn't get me! Sounded to much like the open fisherman with 42 rod holders.
I did have to look though. Great gag.

[ptyed]

I admit it. My palms were getting sweaty and my heart was racing imaginig myself in that 14 foot skiff racing across the ocean, the handline tightly wound around my gloved hand, me yelling out spanish obsenities at the big blue dragging me towards Galveston (it'd have to be a trained Marlin right?)
Goin' to Cabo on tuesday, I'll have fun with this article on the flight down.

[freezorburn]

Very Good!, I'm going to try and fool some poeple on other forums!

[hookedup]

had my wife convienced that this would make a great 50th birthday present she said ok go ahead and book the trip. Was i disappointed because when she found out it was a gag she said now you have used up your birthday wishes. Crap had her in the mood and could have gone on a long range boat. I think I'm getting steak and lobster for my birthday now.mike

[rhutch]

Got me good, I was starving and eating lunch at 3:00 and grabbed the magazine to thumb through when I saw this add, read it and could not believe it, I was going to give up my third trip to Panama in two years to see this! Told my brother and my co-worker about it as we are offshore fish a holics so we called the number to check it out and again the voice mail was done prefectly! I wanted the Old man and the sea with a bang stick instead of the club! It must have taken all year to dream this one up