Finding it means finding them. But finding the rip is often the toughest part of an offshore fishing trip, because the line moves constantly, zigging close to shore one day, zagging scores of miles toward Cuba the next. And always without warning. Most days, the line holds between 20 and 40 miles off the coast, limiting access to bluewater species such as billfish, wahoo and tuna to those with the equipment to travel that far. But many anglers don't know, experts say, that the line moves constantly.
Anglers attentive to coastal and marine forecasts can catch big-game species nearer shore.
Between here and September mainly what we fish are rips. For smaller boats, this is probably the only time, because the rip comes in during the month of June, stays in the whole month and then starts fluctuating back and forth. Anglers said the rip's location fluctuates dramatically in the summer, driven by weather conditions, water temperature and vagaries in the Gulf's oceanic currents. Sometimes, blue water can hold within five miles of shore. When Ballay and McKnight set out after blue marlin Wednesday, they headed straight for the nearest rip.