MENTORSHIP MATTERS MORE
DECADES of highly productive EXPERIENCE and MENTORSHIP fishing many FULL SEASONS side-by-side with numerous INDUSTRY LEADERS throughout all the essential GLOBAL HEAVY TACKLE HOTSPOTS
ABSOLUTELY MATTERS MOST
Captain Dana A. Boardman, DC
Holistic Healthcare Doctor – Marlin Maven – Big Game Fishing Technologist
Although Capt. Dana has weighed many Granders, he was one of the first individuals within the industry to consciously catch and release Granders, and has caught and released 21 Granders within the Coral Sea, Pacific and Atlantic oceans.
So far, Captain Dana has weighed 7 Granders:
- 1089 lbs
- 1003 lbs
- 1298 lbs GBR FLEET – BIGGEST FISH OF THE YEAR
- 1140 lbs
- 1239 lbs GBR FLEET – BIGGEST FISH OF THE YEAR
- 1047 lbs
- 1207 lbs GBR FLEET – BIGGEST FISH OF THE YEAR
Captain Dana grew up shadowing his Father as they made custom fishing tackle and scoured through old Zane Grey fishing novels for technical information on how to catch a Pacific Broadbill Swordfish on the surface during daylight hours in So Cal long before pre-made fishing equipment could be ordered Online and drop-shipped or any technical fishing videos were available on YouTube.
At age 11, his very first billfish was a 276 lb. Pacific Broadbill Swordfish.
He would describe himself and skills as a passionate Big Game Fishing Captain with a prized catch record, strong background in mechanics, and an ongoing contributing fishing technologist to the International heavy tackle industry. Also a third generation National Board Certified Doctor of Chiropractic licensed in the states of Hawaii and California, and the ninth Holistic Healthcare Doctor in his family.
Capt. Dana has operated Big Game Fishing vessels and sailboats from 30’ to 75’ in the following ocean realms: Hawaii, Australia, Madeira, California, Mexico, the East Coast US, Gulf of Mexico, Cape Verde Islands, Azores, and Mozambique. Navigated the Pacific, including a Trans-Pacific Ocean crossing, the Atlantic Ocean, the Intracoastal Waterway, Lake Okeechobee, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Coral Sea.
Seeking discerning investors, clients and anglers as a Big Game Fishing/ Sailing/ Ocean Adventure Captain that will allow me to further my many years of comprehensive training, education, and hefty experience to empower private boat owners, their families, and guests, OR charter clients and anglers to all enjoy ocean adventures and to maximize the full potential of their vessels and fishing prowess.
Big results come from infinite real-world innovations learned over time…
WHO MENTORED YOU?
Although Capt. Dana has weighed many Granders, he was one of the first individuals within the industry to consciously catch and release Granders.
His momentous conservation role began in 1992 as a lead Big Game Fishing ecologist and Billfish Foundation champion of tag & release that influenced many captains, crews and anglers throughout many blue marlin fisheries, especially in Kona Hawaii.
He was genuinely committed to the agreements made in 1992 when fishing with Captains Gene Vanderhoek and Kevin Nakamaru when vowing to tag and release ALL of the Pacific Blue Marlin caught onboard the new 39’ Rybovich: SEA GENIE II, a historic first for the Kona fleet led by Gene; as well as being one of the first individuals to advocate Don Tyson’s Billfish Foundation tags in Kona and distributed these tags throughout the Great Barrier Reef fleet while fishing Australia onboard the new 46’ Assegai Marine: ASSEGAI.
In 1995, Capt. Dana invented the “SNOOTER” device with Captain Roddy Hays for the healthy release of giant Atlantic Blue Marlin in Madeira Portugal, which was featured in Marlin Magazine twice, 1998 and 2006. Also being honestly committed to the ongoing agreement that he made with Roddy to continue releasing ALL of the Atlantic Blue Marlin caught onboard MARGARITA, after Roddy planned to leave Madeira and asked him to take the reins of Atlantic Big Game in 1996. Capt. Dana intentionally released them all. Whether, or not, a fish appeared to be over the 1,000 pound mark. The ultimate outcome was to consciously catch and release many giant Atlantic Blue Marlin while fishing with numerous key individuals, over multiple full-seasons in Madeira Portugal 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998 and 1999.
At that time, Madeira was teeming with the Who’s Who of Big Game Fishing. All rushing in to weigh their Granders. However to Roddy and him, it was absolutely more of a statement to release these magnificent Granders. This action came purely from their opposite consciousness.
After fishing the Hawaiian, Australian, and Madeiran heavy-tackle circuit nonstop 200–300 days a year for one and a half decades, Capt. Dana grew to understand that it was better to experience the International Big Game Fishing lifestyle as a front-line researcher and conservationist, rather than a trophy hunter. The highpoint was that every one of those grand fish in Madeira Portugal was most certainly alongside the boat and available for the taking, however, they chose to carefully revive these majestic fish using the “SNOOTER” device, removed the hook by hand, and released all of the fish – swimming upright, strong and colorful.
Back in the day, Capt. Dana was discounted by International trophy-hunters and the Kona fish-money fleet when slogging as a crusader for marlin conservation. And furthermore embattled as one of the first in the industry to advocate that we consciously catch and release Granders.
Eventually his vision, passion, and ongoing debates for conservation won over most clients’ egos and their distinct lust for trophies. Witnessing these individuals’ excitement and awe when releasing big fish strong, colorful and healthy with newly found intention, better equipment, and advanced techniques was absolutely elevating.
Although a staunch advocate for healthy catch and release, Capt. Dana’s overall stance is that each captain, crew and angler should have the freedom to choose how to manage their catch, in accordance with local fishery laws.
Currently, he is developing additional equipment and techniques to ensure strong healthy fish at the moment of release. Ultimately, my goal is to deploy as many pop-up satellite archival tags (PSATs) as possible in giant black and blue marlin to establish better research data, elevate our understanding, and to gain reverence in the pursuit of these apex fish.
Marlin Magazine Features
- January 1998 Getting a Snoot Full
- March 1998 Preventing Back Lashes
- September 1998 Malolo Teaser
- November 1998 A Better Bucket
- September 2006 Getting a Snoot Full (Reissued)
Industry Contributions
- KONA LURE MAKER
- TUNA TUBE FOUNDER
- TACKLE RIGGING PROWESS
- DREDGE FISHING/ LURE INNOVATOR
- GREEN – STICK TUNA FISHING PIONEER
- HEALTHY BLUE MARLIN RELEASE VISIONARY & CREATOR OF THE SNOOTER DEVICE
- TAGGED and/ or WEIGHED MANY 1000+ lb MARLIN
- INTERNATIONAL HEAVY TACKLE CIRCUIT VETERAN
- CHAMPION OF RESUME BASED VETERAN BIG GAME FISHING CAPTAINS
BLACK BART
Alumni
KONA, Hawaii – the first window to the world of GRANDERS!