An Angler’s Journey Chasing the World’s Fastest Fish
Last Updated on April 24, 2025 by Boatsetter Team
The son of ocean-loving parents, Enrique Calderas has been boating since he was just one month old. What friends and his wife call an obsession, Enrique describes as a deep passion for the saltwater life. His journey began learning the basics of hooking bait in Los Roques, Venezuela, and eventually led to the competitive sailfishing scene in Miami. When sailfish season hits, even his wife knows the drill: “He’s tracking the weather every single day, hunting for that perfect window when the bite just goes off. It doesn’t matter if it’s a weekday or there’s an important event—sailfish is the priority.” That dedication once paid off with a personal record of 27 sailfish caught in a single day—a number that still makes seasoned anglers do a double take. Here, Enrique shares all he knows about sailfishing, stories from competitions, and advice on how to get into the sport.
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What is the earliest memory you have of on-water exploration, whether it’s boating or fishing?
I was blessed by two ocean-living parents, so I’ve been boating since I was 1 month old. I remember waking up at 5 a.m. when I was about 4 or 5 years old to go fishing with the captain in Los Roques, Venezuela, which in my opinion are some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. It was an amazing experience to me as a little kid to throw some bait on a hook, put a lead on the line, throw it overboard, wait a minute or two and get a bite.
What’s a typical day like sailfishing?
A typical day starts right about 6 a.m., a few minutes before sunrise in the winter. We’ll load up the boat with rods, kites, tackle, ice, drinks and food, then head out. We get to our spot to catch herrings around 7 a.m. Do that for an hour or so. We try to get around 40 to 60, depending on how long we’ve got to fish and how the bites have been. Once we’ve got our herring in the livewell, we’ll stop by and buy about four dozen goggle-eyes, then head out through Government Cut and start looking for some nice blue water between 100 to 200 feet of depth. We sit there for a few minutes, testing the current and conditions. If the captain likes it, we deploy the kites and throw seven baits in the water, sit back and wait for the action.
Have you gone sail fishing in other parts of the U.S.? What makes sail fishing unique in Miami versus elsewhere?
Only from West Palm Beach down to Key West, haven’t really done it on any other bodies of water. What’s unique to Miami is that you are out hooking sailfish with the skyline as your backdrop. It’s pretty special to run in and out of Government Cut—having the most expensive ZIP code in all of the U.S. on one side (Fisher Island) and South Beach on the other.
What’s your approach to sailfishing?
We test every single piece of equipment thoroughly before using it during a tournament. Buy the best tackle, as every other team out there has the prime gear. Bait fishing is the name of the game. It’s really the hard work that happens behind the scenes. Someone who doesn’t fish tournaments cannot comprehend how much work, sweat and tears go into having the right bait. For the big tournaments, we aim to have our scaled baits in the bait pens about three to four weeks before the event.
Who has been your biggest mentor or inspiration?
Easy one. My dad, from whom I inherited my love of the ocean. He’s been my lighthouse and has always supported and encouraged me to stay in the maritime industry. I thank him for that. In terms of competitive fishing, it would be Team Utopia’s Captain Luis Coll. He took me under his wing and got me hooked on the sailfishing circuit. In 2016, he won Captain of the Year for the Quest for the Crest Sailfish Series. Luis, Team Utopia and I have gone through all the highs and lows a sport can throw at you. And by the way—fishing is a sport.
Could you tell us how you found the Utopia Fishing Team?
One of my friends was Manuel, who happened to grow up with the Utopia family. Luis had been looking for a new crew for Utopia, as some of their existing anglers had moved across the country or had stopped fishing altogether as life got in the way. Manuel knew this, so he urged a couple of us to consider fishing the tournament season with Utopia. We met with Luis, signed up for a couple of local tourneys and got fishing!
What’s the most memorable catch or moment you’ve experienced with the Utopia Fishing Team?
The day that comes to mind was not during a competition, unfortunately, but it was an epic day regardless. It was a practice day with amazing fishing conditions, and all we had to do was throw the bait in the water and we got chewed up right away—it was like that all day long until we ran out of bait. It was one of those rare days where there was constant action in the cockpit, not a lot of time to sit down and wait for a bite. I forget exactly how many sailfish we released, but it was deep in the teens—not bad for a half day of fishing.
Are you currently working toward a goal — winning a another championship?
Fishing for me, like any other sport, is about chasing perfection. The best way to come close to perfection is to spend a ton of time in the water, which is our goal this year. In past years, we’ve relied on our skills for tournaments but weren’t finding enough time to put in some practice, and it cost us dearly. Like anything in life, being skilled is great, but if you don’t grind consistently to improve, then it becomes more unlikely you will achieve great things. The big tournament we have an eye on this year—like most boats in the Southeast Florida tournaments—is the Jimmy Johnson Championship Fishing Tournament.
For beginners or people trying out new hobbies, do you recommend going with a guide?
Absolutely, Miami is a tough fishery. It takes knowing the area so going with a local angler is key to have a productive fishing. Especially if we’re talking kite fishing for sailfish—you need at the very minimum three to four anglers who know what they’re doing. Each kite has three lines hooked onto it, so you can imagine how easy it is to get your lines tangled in a gnarly way that’ll have you spending a good deal of time re-rigging everything. I would go on an excursion with experienced angler to see firsthand how the pros do it.
What’s your biggest piece of advice for people looking to get into the sport?
Go into it with no expectations. Fall in love with the process more than the outcome. It’s almost not about catching the sailfish but about enjoying the little things—the early morning sunrises full of hope, catching the baits, setting up the kites perfectly, etc. The sailfish are just the cherry on top.
Enrique Calderas is the Business Operations Manager overseeing U.S. growth at Boatsetter and a licensed yacht broker with Miami Maritime Group. With over a decade in the marine industry, Enrique got his start at Boatrax, a marine IoT startup, where he led operations through the challenges of a global microchip shortage. He’s passionate about connecting people with life on the water—whether that’s helping first-time boaters or guiding seasoned pros through their yacht purchase. Since 2021, he’s also been competing in sailfishing tournaments with Team Utopia. When he’s not scaling Boatsetter’s marketplace or closing deals dockside, you’ll find him offshore, chasing sailfish off the coast of Miami.
