Angler Edition: 67lb Bull Mahi Aboard Waterproof Charters — A Boat Record & Ponce Charter Record

Some fish make the angler famous, others prove the boat, the Captain, and the crew were built for the moment.

On Wednesday, April 29th 2026, aboard Waterproof Charters out of Ponce Inlet, a group of longtime fishing friends found themselves in the middle of the kind of offshore chaos anglers dream about. Captain Tim Garrett was at the helm, and First Mate Cody Gartrell was in the cockpit. The crew was fishing in roughly 900 feet of water, already hooked into good fish, when the ocean sent up something unforgettable.

David Stansberry of Oxford, was the angler who was lucky enough to fight the fish of the day; a massive 67-pound bull mahi that became a boat record for the Waterproof and is likely a Ponce Inlet charter record. While slightly larger mahi may have been caught out of Ponce Inlet over the years, none this large have been landed aboard a charter until now.

Also on the trip were Aaron Keegan of Melbourne Beach, John Stansberry of Tallahassee, and Richard Chapman of Tallahassee. But this was not just a random offshore trip. This was an annual tradition. The group has been meeting in Ponce Inlet once a year for the past three years, continuing a bond that started with their fathers, who fished together for many years and brought their sons along. Their families have been fishing together for well over six decades. So when the fish showed up, it was more than just a catch. It was another chapter.

At 12:05 p.m., while one of the anglers was already fighting a 20-pound mahi, a much larger bull suddenly appeared beside the fish.

“I was fighting a 20-pound mahi when I saw the monster one run up next to my fish,” the group recalled. “I told Cody, and he grabbed a rod and started pitching to him.”

A rigged dead ballyhoo was pitched, and the bull mahi committed. Then it was David’s turn.

The fight lasted about 20 minutes, from hookup at 12:05 p.m. to landing at 12:25 p.m. The fish stayed mostly on top, broke the surface twice, and never gave the crew much reason to believe he would be lost, at least not on the outside. Everyone stayed calm, but anyone who has watched a big bull mahi turn sideways near the boat knows how quickly calm can turn into chaos.

After the drag was tightened, one line stuck from the fight:

“That got his attention.”

And after about 10 minutes of steady pressure, Cody added another classic:

“Maybe we’ll drown him before we run out of time.”

The fight was described best by the anglers themselves:

“Long and slow with a spectacular finish.”

At the same time David was working the 67-pound bull, the cockpit was still alive with action. The boat had been quadrupled up when Cody hooked the big fish, and he still had to help land three other quality mahi while David kept steady pressure on the monster. Captain Tim worked the boat throughout the fight, maneuvering to keep the fish broadside and give David the best possible angle. Cody coached the fish all the way to the deck.

When asked what advice they would give someone who has never fought a bull mahi of that size before, the answer was simple:

“Just keep the line tight, reel every time you can. When the fish wants to go, let him go. And always, always, always listen to the first mate. He coached that fish on board.”

For the anglers, the fish was incredible. But so was the crew. They made it clear the catch would not have happened without Captain Tim and First Mate Cody. The group books two charters with Waterproof Charters every year, and this trip gave them a memory that will be hard to top: a 67-pound bull mahi, a boat record, a likely charter record, a calm cockpit full of controlled chaos, and a fishing tradition that has already lasted generations.

Around here, fishing isn’t just about the fish. Sometimes it is about fathers, sons, old friends, annual trips, and the kind of offshore moment that ties all of it together.