FAST
and furious fishing
By Kelly Merritt
When Chicago Bears linebacker
What’s a Bear to do? Get the fastest boat you can.
Brian Urlacher goes fishing, he knows
And that’s just what the eight-time Pro Bowl player did.
there are only so many hours between
Urlacher and his partners decided to invest in what’s
daybreak and sunset. He doesn’t want to spend
primarily a charter fishing boat that they could use when they
hours on the water running between the shoreline and the
come to Southwest Florida . It’s called the “Linebreaker” and
fish he wants to catch. He’d rather be, well, fishing.
there is a story behind the name. On a fishing trip prior to
Photos by Florida Watersports Parasailing
MARCO | Urlacher purchasing his boat, the line kept snapping from the
take so long to get there. The boat is a 42-foot center-
big fish they were catching. One of the guys on the boat said,
console Yellow Fin, powered by three 350 horsepower
‘you’re not a linebacker you’re a “line breaker”’ and the name
outboard Yamaha motors. It cruises at 50 mph, so to go 75
was born.
to 100 miles out, it only takes one-and-a-half hours to get
“I love to fish; I think the fishing in Southwest Florida is
to prime fishing spots. “We can go wherever we want, even
the best and my buddies have places here so that makes it
70 to 80 miles out,” said Urlacher. “We’re very lucky to be
easy,” said Urlacher. “We’ve made friends here and there is
able to travel 150 to 200 miles in the day.”
not a lot of chaos so it’s easy to relax down here.”
Urlacher’s boat charters people to deep waters for those
fishing enthusiasts who want to go way out to fish but not
The boat is extremely fast but extremely stable, with a
12-foot beam (which means it is 12 feet wide.)
Captain John Rossetti mans the helm, and when Urlacher
Cruising at high speeds
aboard the Linebreaker.
MARCO | and his partners are not in town, he charters the boat for them.
$2,500,” said Rossetti.“You catch a boatload of fish, filet the fish
“Those guys love to fish and it offers them the comfort and
and go home and cook the fish – everyone loves it.”
speed they like, and we have a very select market because the
fuel consumption is extremely high,” said Rossetti.“The owners
Urlacher is a lifelong fan of fishing in Southwest Florida
waters. He believes for anyone who has never been to
figured, if they liked it,
Southwest Florida to fish, they are missing a rare opportunity.
several other people
“This is definitely a once-in-a-lifetime thing to do — you’re
would like it also and
going to catch fish and you’re going to have a good time — and
since the average
also the sound system is great and the waves don’t bother you
customer fishes five or six
too much,” he said.
times a year, it’s way more
The Linebreaker has electrical capabilities, which allows
economical to charter a
charter customers to enjoy the freshest gourmet meals straight
boat and share the cost
from the sea. Rossetti has mad skills when it comes to cooking.
than to own one.”
He was in the restaurant business for years.“If the weather is
The boat can carry up to
six passengers. The cost varies depending how far the customer
right I’ll crank up the electric skillet and within two minutes the
fish goes from the water into the butter,” said Rossetti.
wants to go and what kind of trip interests them. A day trip of
“On a recent trip we caught about 40 black fin tuna (and)
seven hours in the 40-mile range could run a charter customer
when we got back to the dock I started cooking this tuna and
$1,500, and includes ice and tackle. The only things not included
everyone in the marina came over and we basically fed
are food, drink and sunscreen. A full day to about 60 miles
everyone in the marina that day.”
offshore for 10 hours costs about $2,000.
“To go way, way offshore, 75 to 100 miles for 12 hours is about
For more information or to book a charter, call
(239) 250-2928 or email [email protected]. M
The Linebreaker crew preparing for a day on the water. ABOVE: Brian Urlacher caught this red fish off Marco’s coast.
MARCO | 10