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Table of Contents / Features
50
2017 Spring Gear Guide PREVIEW THE HOTTEST NEW APPAREL, FOOTWEAR AND TOOLS TO HELP MAKE YOUR DAYS ON THE WATER GREAT.
56
62
68
Stripers of a Lifetime
Wahoo Mastery
Gulf-Style Snookin’
ABUNDANT MENHADEN PUT TROPHY BASS IN JERSEY ANGLERS’ REACH.
FORGE A WINNING STRATEGY FOR STRIPED TORPEDOES.
PICK A FIGHT WITH FLORIDA WEST COAST LINESIDERS.
By Jim Freda
By George Poveromo
By Nick Honachefsky
HE ON T R E COV
RACING STRIPES: displays its distinctive purple markings. PHOTO BY: Jason Stemple
4 SALTWATERSPORTSMAN.COM - MARCH 2017
B I L L D O ST E R
By SWS Staff
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Table of Contents / Departments
TALK ON THE DOCK
FLOAT PLAN
TACTICS + TACKLE
P.12
P.36
P.29
34 / Angler’s Galley Charcoal-Roasted Snapper Collar with Harissa Lobster Broth
12 / Casts + Blasts 20 / Reader’s Catch
BRANDON MCGLAMERY
22 / Salt Water Kids
36 / Boat Talk Useful Upgrades CAPT. DAVE LEAR
P.22
40 / First Look 40 / World Cat 280 CC-X 42 / NauticStar 227 XTS 44 / Electronics Tracking Success
24 / Conservation Choosing Sides
JIM HENDRICKS
RIP CUNNINGHAM
P.24
48 / New Electronics
P.29 Beam ’Em from the Chair Let the gear work for you and win more big-game battles.
P.48
GEORGE POVEROMO
10 / Editorial Chasing Fish
FISHABILITY
GLENN LAW
P.74
P.74
74 / Fishability 74 / Boston Whaler 230 Outrage 78 / Contender 39 Fisharound 82 / Traveling Fisherman 90 / Backcast Pay to Play
P.78
DOUG PIKE
SALT WATER SPORTSMAN MAGAZINE Volume 78 Number 3 (ISSN 0036-3618, USPS 478-380) is published monthly, except for combined Aug./Sept. and Dec./Jan., by Bonnier Corp., 460 N. Orlando Ave., Suite 200, Winter Park, FL 32789. Copyright 2017 by Bonnier Corp. All rights reserved. Reprinting in whole or part is forbidden except by permission of Bonnier Corp. Mailing List: We make a portion of our mailing list available to reputable firms. If you would prefer that we don’t include your name, please write us at the Harlan, IA, address. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Salt Water Sportsman magazine, P.O. Box 6364, Harlan, IA 51593. Periodicals postage paid at Winter Park and additional mailing offices. Subscription rates: $24.97 for one year, $41.97 for two years and $53.97 for three years. Please add $14 per year for Canadian addresses and $28 per year for all other international addresses. Canada Post Publications agreement number #40612608. Canada Return Mail: IMEX, P.O. Box 25542, London, ON, N6C 682. Printed in the USA.
6 SALTWATERSPORTSMAN.COM - MARCH 2017
THIS PRODUCT IS FROM SUSTAINABLY MANAGED FORESTS AND CONTROLLED SOURCES.
THE FISHING AUTHORITY FOR 78 YEARS
E DI TO R - I N - C H I E F Glenn Law
BORN OF DURABILITY
SENIOR EDITOR SENIOR MANAGING EDITOR MANAGING EDITOR DESIGNER WEST COAST EDITOR CONSERVATION EDITOR COPY EDITOR DIGITAL EDITOR
Alex Suescun Stephanie Pancratz Megan Williams Keilani Rodriguez Jim Hendricks Rip Cunningham Nicole Paskowsky Devin Golden
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Karl Anderson, Gary Caputi, Nick Honachefsky, Lefty Kreh, George Reiger, Mark Sosin REGIONAL EDITORS Joel Arrington (Carolinas), Ron Ballanti (California), Ric Burnley (DelMarVa), Pete Cooper Jr. (Louisiana), Angelo Cuanang (California), Rick Gaffney (Hawaii), Al Ristori (New York/New Jersey), Robert Sloan (Texas), Dave Vedder (Pacific Northwest)
COREPROTECT, applied to the roller clutch, the body and the line roller, provides water resistance without creating a heavy rotation feeling.
The high-precision, coldforged, HAGANE Gear provides unmatched strength, smoothness and durability.
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For reprints, email reprints@bonniercorp.com.
8 SALTWATERSPORTSMAN.COM - MARCH 2017
Editorial
Chasing Fish By Glenn Law
Never leave fish to find fish. hat’s a maxim every angler eventually learns. Maybe it’s a beter strategy to wait for the fish to come to you?
That’s what seems to be happening in many cases as the fish in our oceans refuse to stay in one place. Increasingly, they seem to be swimming to where they feel more comfortable. Last month we received a letter from a New York angler asking us to identify an unfamiliar fish caught from local waters. It wasn’t even a challenge: We recognized it at once as a mangrove snapper, aka gray snapper. We catch them all the time in Florida. We’d been aware for some time that fish populations were likely to shift in reaction to climate change. In fact, our Conservation editor, Rip Cunningham, joked in one of his monthly columns a year or so ago that he’d welcome the appearance of tarpon in his home waters around Boston. A little poking around revealed a lot of fisheries seem out of whack over the past couple of years. Plenty of fish have been relocating at a pretty good clip. An article in the New York Times in January detailed the diiculty commercial fishermen in
North Carolina are having finding enough black sea bass to fill their quotas. To do so, they have to make a long, long run north to New Jersey waters where the sea bass are now abundant. And the state of Maine has had to do some fast shuling to account for the recent appearance of black sea bass in its waters, a species it has never had to manage before. Some observers of New England fisheries speculated the appearance of black sea bass could wreak havoc on the juvenile lobster populations. But there was little cause for worry. It seems that the lobsters lit out for cooler climes and started heading for Nova Scotia. Fish moving north due to climate change give a new meaning to ecosystembased management. Now we not only have dynamic fish populations that we can’t keep from swimming of while we’re trying to get an accurate head count, but the very ecosystems are also in flux, providing an additional layer of sportiness to stock assessment. Granted, a lot of the
warming is taking place around the Gulf of Maine, which is warming faster than 99 percent of the rest of the world’s oceans. But things are changing elsewhere as well. The Pacific Coast is seeing the same confusing
We’d been aware for some time that fish populations were likely to shit with climate change. situation. In kelp forests of Southern California, warmwater species are replacing native coldwater species. Admittedly the California coast is a complex system, with periodic El Niño and La Niña warming and cooling. But our West Coast correspondents
report some real extremes. The last El Niño was a doozy, stronger than most. Striped marlin fishing, usually marginal, went of the charts, and anglers landed both blue marlin and black marlin in the traditionally cold waters of Southern Cal. Somebody caught a tripletail in San Diego Bay. Someone else caught a cubera snapper of Redondo Beach. And sea snakes were washing up along the shoreline. Don’t they belong in Tahiti? Conditions have stabilized now, but anglers are anticipating a possible albacore run — the first in 15 years — as the temperature extreme reverses itself. Could it be that many of us are getting so old that we are actually witnessing geological change? I’d rather believe that the change has accelerated to the point that it is observable. At least, that’s my story, and I’m sticking with it. At press time we learned that 2016 was the hottest year ever since recordkeeping began in the late 1800s. Last year claimed the record from 2015, which had taken the honors from 2014. In fact, each of the past three decades have been successively the warmest ever. So who swims where next is anyone’s guess. Sit tight, Rip. Your tarpon may be along any time.
Glenn Law Editor-in-Chief glenn.law@bonniercorp.com
10 SALTWATERSPORTSMAN.COM - MARCH 2017
Talk on the Dock CASTS + BLASTS
WARNING: Anglers (older than 12) now need a license to fish Bahamian flats.
New Bahamian Flats Regulations in Effect In an attempt to better control and protect its shallowwater fishery, the Bahamas has finally regulated its flats fishing, which, according to a recent economic study, is worth $235 billion to the local economy. “Flats fishing is an important part of the Bahamas tourism product and is responsible for the employment of hundreds of Bahamians,” says Alfred Gray, minister of agriculture and marine resources. “Because it was not governed by 12 SALTWATERSPORTSMAN.COM - MARCH 2017
any form of regulations, those involved in the industry acted as they desired, without rules and without any safeguards for conservation and sustainability,” he adds. The result of collaborative eforts between the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism,
Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources, Ministry of Immigration, the Royal Bahamas Defense Force, the Oice of the Attorney General and the Bahamas Fly Fishing Industry Association, the new flats regulations require anyone guiding or fishing on the flats to have a license issued by the Department of Marine Resources in New Providence (Nassau) or the Family Island Administrators located in the Family Islands. Visiting flats anglers must pay $15 for a single day, $20 for a week, $30 for a month or $60 for a year in
A L EX S U ES C U N
NEWS LINES
fishing-license fees. Meanwhile, flats fishing guides, who must now be certified by the Ministry of Tourism and the Department of Marine Resources, are required to pay $100 a year and get approval from a fly-fishing association in the islands nation, which burdens them with the need to first complete a training course or provide proof of a minimum of 10 years of employment as a guide. According to details published by the Bahamian government, all anglers over the age of 12 now need a license to fish the flats; Bahamian certified fishing guides must be employed whenever two or more anglers fish the flats by means of a vessel; only Bahamians are allowed to act as guides; do-it-yourself anglers don’t need a fishing guide; only Bahamian registered vessels are allowed on the flats; the species covered by these regulations include bonefish, permit, snook, tarpon and cobia; and no commercial fishing is allowed on the flats. Infringement of the various articles in the new flats fishing regulations carry fines of $250 to $750, which escalate to as much as $5,000 and three months in prison for anyone who fails to pay the fine and is later convicted of the respective ofense. Detractors claim the new regulations do little for sustainable development of the fly-fishing sector and nothing to address habitat loss and degradation of the water, two of the main threats to the Bahamian flats fishery. Half the newly imposed licensing fees (for both guides and anglers) is slated to go into a “conservation” fund that remained a vague concept even after the regulation went into efect January 9. A major question mark is who would police Bahamian shallows. Assigning fisheries inspectors falls under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources which, as of midJanuary, had not yet announced those tasked with said duty. Nevertheless, anglers planning to fish the flats in the Bahamas must submit an application and payment (online or in person at the administrator’s oice) for the required fishing license, which must then be stamped at a Bahamian port of entry prior to the fishing. For complete regulations and license application, visit bahamas.gov.bs
NEWS LINES
Mutton Snapper Limits The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council approved Snapper Grouper Amendment 41 for review by the Secretary of Commerce. It addresses management measures for mutton
snapper in the South Atlantic and includes regulations to designate April through June as spawning months, retain mutton snapper in the 10-snapper aggregate bag limit, set the mutton snapper bag limit at five per person, per day year-round, and increase the minimum size from 16 to 18 inches.
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MARCH 2017 - SALTWATERSPORTSMAN.COM 13
TOD / Casts + Blasts
NEWS LINES
New Study Finds Sailfish Go on Tour groundbreaking data on the behavior, population connectivity and biophysical interactions of sailfish, and shows sails embark on yearlong migrations that include stops at popular hot spots like Florida, the Bahamas, Mexico’s Isla
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Vacation hot spots are key stops along Atlantic sailfish annual journeys.
Mujeres and Cancun, and South America. Dr. Molly Lutcavage, director of the Large Pelagics Research Center and research professor at the School for the Environment at University of Massachusetts Boston, who led the team of researchers, says sails spend late winter and spring feeding in major hubs, like the waters off Mexico’s Isla Mujeres and Cancun, then go off on “road trips” to various West Atlantic regions and off the northeast coast of Brazil, eventually returning to the Yucatan region. A total of 34 pop-up satellite archival tags (PSATs), each valued at approximately $4,000, were attached to sailfish off the coast of Isla Mujeres and monitored for up to one year, enabling the researchers to construct waypoints for the sailfish journeys and closely examine connectivity between sailfish fisheries hot spots. “This represented the longest deployments of PSATs on sailfish to date,” adds Dr. Chi Lam, co-author of the study. “Electronic tagging offers information that can help us understand movements, migrations and behavior without needing fishermen to recapture a fish.” The activity of the tagged sails was mostly shelf-associated in the Yucatan current near Isla Mujeres for up to five months, then they dispersed to preyrich coastal areas in the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean and the South American coast. Tracking also revealed previously undetected connectivity between western Atlantic sailfish fisheries and pelagic longline catches. Sailfish are currently managed under the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas, and in 2016 the stocks were assessed to be overfished, yet huge uncertainties exist in the assessment process. Studies like the one conducted by the LPRC team could help fill in many of the gaps and determine management actions for sustainable fisheries. 16 SALTWATERSPORTSMAN.COM - MARCH 2017
A L EX S U ES C U N
A three-year field research study shows sailfish travel long distances to reach many of the same destinations humans include in their vacation travel plans. The study, published in Scientific Reports Nature, has provided
NEWS LINES
Electronic Reporting for Charter Boats Moves Forth Charter vessels participating in the snapper, grouper, dolphin, wahoo, and coastal migratory pelagic (mackerel and cobia) fisheries along the Atlantic Coast could soon report their landings and discards electronically. During its recent meeting in Atlantic Beach, North Carolina, the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council approved measures to implement electronic reporting by mid-2017, ahead of federally permitted charter-vessel mandatory reporting to begin in 2018. If approved by the Secretary of Commerce, the electronic reporting requirements are expected to improve accuracy and timeliness of data available for stock assessments and management, letting managers gauge the impacts of regulations on the for-hire industry in federal waters more precisely. For-hire charter vessels (six-pack boats) are currently considered part of the recreational fishery for datacollection purposes and have no logbook reporting requirements, so getting a handle on the number of fish they harvest and release has been a daunting task, involving estimates made using data collected through dockside intercepts, phone surveys and mail surveys — all conducted through NOAA Fisheries’ Marine Recreational Information Program. Data from federally permitted charter boats is currently included as part of the MRIP along with estimates for private recreational anglers. The new reporting requirements are expected to affect some 2,000 charter vessels with federal for-hire permits. Federally permitted headboats or “party boats” that carry more than six customers are currently required to submit weekly electronic reports through the Southeast Region Headboat Survey. The For-Hire Reporting Amendment would also change reporting deadlines for headboats to improve timeliness. “Having a voluntary program in place will help NOAA Fisheries address reporting-system issues and allow charter captains to become familiar with the reporting system,” explains Mel Bell, chair of the council’s data-collection MARCH 2017 - SALTWATERSPORTSMAN.COM 17
committee and representative for the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources Marine Resources Division. “We intend to keep reporting as simple as possible so captains can complete electronic reports while offshore or at home.” The council received an update on a pilot electronic reporting project conducted in partnership with the Atlantic
Coast Cooperative Statistics Program and the states of South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. A total of 24 charter vessels are participating, using onboard tablets to test software and ease of reporting. The project also involves testing a dockside validation mobile app, an electronic measuring board, and a mobile app for law enforcement.
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TOD / Casts + Blasts
NEWS LINES
Fisheries Management Realignment Needed? The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council allowing commercial fishing to “share” the uncaught recreational allocation of king mackerel has the angling community crying foul and the Coastal Conservation Association calling for a federal fisheries
management realignment. Anglers are not catching every king mackerel in their quotas, so the Gulf council has moved with surprising speed to allow commercial boats catching their entire king mackerel quotas too fast, resulting in the early shutdown of their
seasons, to continue fishing by “temporarily sharing” the uncaught portion of the recreational king mackerel allocation. This comes after about 50 percent of the Gulf red snapper fishery was given away and privatized in the commercial sector, and another 20 percent is on track to be privately owned. This new concept outlined in Amendment 29 is designed to provide relief to the commercial sector yet again, and CCA believes it’s the first step to an even more hostile federal management regime in which recreational fishing is penalized when it goes over its quota in a fishery, but stands to lose fish to the commercial sector if it doesn’t catch every fish it is allocated. When NOAA Fisheries released its Fisheries Allocation Policy in 2016, CCA reported it hoped that it was the start of a serious commitment to examine fisheries allocations in a standardized, systematic manner with an established set of criteria; however, Amendment 29, a de facto reallocation that skipped the customary process and analysis that a reallocation demands, is a reminder that NOAA policies carry little clout when it comes to management decisions at the council level. NEWS LINES
NOAA Releases Plans for Climate Change
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NOAA recently released five regional action plans (RAPs) to better track changing conditions, provide moreaccurate forecasts, and identify top strategies to reduce impacts and sustain marine resources. Dramatic changes are taking place. In New England, ocean temperatures have risen faster than many parts of the world, affecting distribution and abundance of species like cod and lobster. Southern states are also being impacted. Louisiana loses a stretch of wetlands the size of a football field every hour due to rising seas and sinking lands, losing in the process essential nursery areas for shrimp, oysters, crabs and many other important species. Building on NOAA Fisheries’ Climate Science Strategy released in 2016, the RAPs help address the growing demand from decision-makers for information and tools to prepare for and respond to changing climate and ocean conditions. 18 SALTWATERSPORTSMAN.COM - MARCH 2017
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TOD / Reader’s Catch
Redfish Blues
READER’S CATCH
Lorraine and Philip Blue caught and released this pair of large red drum off the Sea Cabin pier in Cherry Grove, South Carolina, just a few days after Hurricane Matthew in October 2016. While regulars at the pier, this catch came during one of the best weeks they’d ever had fishing there.
YOUR CATCH To send in your catch photo, email us at catches@saltwatersportsman.com.
DROP US A LINE Got a piece of good news to share? Want to gripe? Like to see your thoughts on the pages of Salt Water Sportsman? Send your letters, manuscripts and any relevant comments to editor@saltwatersportsman.com or via U.S. mail: SWS Editor, 460 N. Orlando Ave., Suite 200, Winter Park, FL 32789. Unsolicited manuscripts are welcomed but will not be acknowledged or returned unless accompanied by an SASE. We are not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts or photographs. CUSTOMER SERVICE AND SUBSCRIPTION INQUIRIES: saltwatersportsman.com/cs or 800-759-2127. Outside the United States: 800-979-6828; Back Issues: 800-464-2819; Bulk Reprints: 877-652-5295, ext. 117.
TOD / Salt Water Kids
1 NOMINATE A KID: SWS recognizes kids who represent sportsmanship, passion and proficiency in saltwater fishing. To nominate an exceptional Salt Water Kid, email us at swkids@saltwatersportsman.com.
2
3 1. Zeke Green 7, North Carolina While fishing Barden Inlet in North Carolina with his grandfather, Zeke caught this false albacore on light tackle and then released it after a 20-minute fight. He is a passionate angler who never misses an issue of Salt Water Sportsman and saves all his extra money to buy new lures for his tackle box.
New Skitter V
2. Heather Marinello 10, California
Shaped like a boat hull. And fish are hoppin’ aboard.
Heather’s favorite part of fishing is the fight to bring her catches boat-side. She recently landed this 12-pound lingcod while fishing with her parents in Santa Cruz, California. Once Heather’s fish have been caught and safely released, she likes to take time to feed the birds.
3. Cole Randall 7, Texas
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Cole loves nothing more than enjoying the great outdoors. A recent fishing trip with his dad aboard a charter boat out of Galveston, Texas, led to a day of competitive fun. After several impressive catches, including this black drum, Cole beat his dad and celebrated the victory.
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TOD / Conservation
C O N S E R VAT I O N PA RT N E R BASS PRO SHOPS
By Rip Cunningham Changes may resolve any need for an MSA overhaul but hurt stock rebuilding.
Choosing Sides A HEALTHY RESOURCE LIES AT THE HEART OF THE MATTER.
Yes, I’m biased. As this is written, we are in the final moments of what I can only describe as a bizarre presidential election.
If an author of fiction had written this script, no one would have believed it could happen. There have been many twists and turns along the campaign trail, with prodigious finger-pointing, accusations of complete dishonesty and ample
claims of media bias. There has not been much in the way of in-depth discussion of all the real issues that face the country. Constant name-calling makes for an uninteresting debate and does little to address the concerns that the average
24 SALTWATERSPORTSMAN.COM - MARCH 2017
American has. For me, it has been provocative to watch how both sides blame the media for all their shortcomings. Being a member of the media, which is defined as the collective communication outlets or tools that are used
to store and deliver information or data, I wonder about how some elements within the media world blame others for being part of the bad old “media establishment.” Is the collective media establishment really to blame, or are there individual actions that cause the majority of the angst, real or perceived? Folks on the left-leaning side of the spectrum (my intent is not to take sides, but to comment on what I see) think that the conservative media are unfairly treating, conspiratorially attacking and lying about their candidate. Folks on the right side of the equation think that their candidate is being unfairly treated, conspiratorially attacked and lied about by the liberal media establishment. Each thinks the other is goring their ox, while the truth, whatever that may be, lies somewhere in the middle. This is not to deny the fact that there have been shenanigans galore on both sides. And while each side will disdainfully say, “Who, me?” their biases do come through. The irony of this is that third-party candidates would be happy for the media establishment just to utter their names, much in the way that the infamous mayor James Michael Curley proclaimed that he did not care what they wrote about him in the paper just as long as his name was spelled correctly. Without the media establishment, all of the candidates would have a much harder time getting continued
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TOD / Conservation
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Choosing Sides continued from page 24
their message out, and right, wrong or indiferent, the general public would have far less understanding of who the candidates are and what they say they stand for. We all know that what they do once they get into oice may be entirely diferent. I also believe that the candidates downplay or ignore the ability of the average voter to sift out the facts from the fiction. So why am I bringing this up at all? Well, I thought that I would declare my bias, which I hope has been fairly evident for a number of years. When I look at the major issues facing recreational fishing and the resources that support recreational fishing, I will always have a bias toward supporting the long-term sustainability of the resource. I guess that makes me conservationminded, or “conservative.” In my opinion, the resource needs the most support in light of the collective users or managers. The concept of support is a little backward, as we don’t really manage fish; we manage the activity that catches fish and/ or impacts the habitat that supports fish. If we just left the resource alone, it would do fine on its own. Yes, I support the notion that we can utilize these resources in a sustainable fashion, but it has always been a human tendency to take more than we should. As we look ahead, my bias will show itself. I am taking a cautionary stance on NOAA Fisheries’ recent changes to some of the National Standards in the MagnusonStevens Act. The National Standards guide the Regional Fishery Management Councils’ decisions, and changes
to National Standards 1, 3 and 7 were in large part a response to both commercial and recreational cries for greater “flexibility” in setting annual catch limits, timelines for stock rebuilding and ending overfishing. Flexibility rarely means taking fewer fish. The good news is that these changes may resolve any need to push for an immediate overhaul of the MSA. The bad news is that they will likely lead to some short-term increases in catches and longerterm stagnation of stock
I support the notion that we can utilize our resources in a sustainable fashion, but it has always been a human tendency to take more than we should. rebuilding. The outcome of these changes may vary in diferent regions, according to how individual RFMCs interpret the guidelines. Yes, I am biased and admit it upfront. I want to see more resources swimming in our oceans. I know that will mean more vibrant and successful recreational fisheries. That is a proven fact. There are likely folks who disagree with me. That’s OK because that is what makes America great, yesterday, today and hopefully tomorrow.
26 SALTWATERSPORTSMAN.COM - MARCH 2017
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TACTICS + TACKLE Boat offshore trophies from the hot seat
ANGLER’S GALLEY Snapper collars with lobster broth BY
GEORGE POVEROMO
Tactics + Tackle
ON THE FLY ONLINE What is the best all-around fly outfit for salt water? saltwatersportsman.com
/ONTHEFLY
GAME OF THRONES: A fighting chair is often the only means to best leviathans.
Beat ’Em from the Chair G EO R G E P OV E R O M O
L E T T HE G E AR WO RK FO R YO U AND W IN MO RE BIG-GAME BATTLES. George Poveromo It takes precise adjustments, tuned fighting tactics, and pacing to succeed.
Taking to the fighting chair with 80- and 130-pound tackle isn’t for the faint of heart. Experience, or lack thereof, greatly influences whether a fish is whipped quickly and eiciently, or the angler suffers through a long and agonizing struggle instead. Success in the chair starts well before you hop into it. continued MARCH 2017 - SALTWATERSPORTSMAN.COM 29
Tactics + Tackle
continued from page 29
Although most of my big-game experience is with stand-up gear, I’m no rookie when it comes to using a fighting chair. Yet before we left the dock during a trip to Prince Edward Island, Canada, for giant bluefin tuna, I spent 15 minutes reviewing fighting strategies with Capt. Mark Jenkins and adjusting the chair for the 130-pound-class tackle I’d be using. The payof was several victories and a 701-pounder boated.
Prefight The chair footrest was adjusted so my feet were firmly planted and my legs straight out. In this position, the forward edge of the chair lined up with the bend behind my knees, establishing the maximum pumping position — the farthest back I could extend in the chair. With me sitting shy of the maximum pumping position, we clipped the bucket harness straps onto the reel, which was even with my knees. We then carefully adjusted each strap to support the reel and share the pressure evenly. If one strap were shorter, it would unfairly tax one portion of my body and make for an uncomfortable and cumbersome fight. By precisely adjusting the footrest and bucket harness, I would be able to apply pressure evenly with my legs and lower body while pumping, and I could alleviate that pressure when I slid forward on the seat to gain line. The rod angle representing the highest amount of drag pressure (at full pumping position), incidentally, was 30 degrees for our curved-butt rods. If that leverage point were exceeded, the power curve would decline.
Key Fighting-Chair Adjustments
3
4
1
2
1
Adjust gimbal height to provide comfortable clearance of the reel over your thighs.
30 SALTWATERSPORTSMAN.COM - MARCH 2017
2
Set footrest with your legs straight and back of knees at the front of the chair seat.
3
4
Set length of both bucket harness straps so they support the reel evenly.
Apply a little liquid soap between seat and bucket harness for easier sliding.
The Spotter Being harnessed to heavy tackle and chair-bound is inherently dangerous business. Should something go wrong (a footrest breaking or the chair base pulling up), you could find yourself in a precarious situation. Therefore, as in benchpressing in a gym, make sure you have a capable spotter standing by. It’s the spotter’s duty to turn the chair and keep you aimed at the fish, squirt liquid dish soap on the chair to facilitate sliding back and forth, remove the backrest should you wish to extend your pumps, and, most important, spot you in case of an emergency. Friend Carl Grassi assumed spotter duties on my Prince Edward Island trip, and I returned the favor when he was in the chair. Slide Job Early on, if a fish such as a big marlin — or, in our case, a giant bluefin in 80 feet of water with nowhere to go but straight away — is in a horizontal fighting mode, settle into the slide routine. When it’s time to regain line, lower the rod tip, slide forward on the seat, and reel. The objective is to relieve some line pressure for ease of retrieving, yet maintain a tight line to the fish. Next, cup at least one hand over the reel face and push back with both legs, bringing the rod up to its maximum efective angle. Slide forward and repeat the procedure. Keeping a hand over the reel face prevents injury should the rod snap back when the hook pulls or the line parts. An occasional squirt of liquid soap between the fighting harness and chair minimizes friction and expedites angler pumping efort. Once a fish is under continued
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Tactics + Tackle
continued from page 30
control, it’s up to the angler to choose a fighting strategy based on comfort and efectiveness. Short pumps take more of a toll on game fish than do long pumps; the former cuts a fish’s oxygen supply and wears it out more quickly, as compared with letting the fish breathe more easily during long, extended pumps. If you need to briefly catch your breath after a series of short pumps, however, you can take slower, longer pumps while still keeping tight to the fish. Then go back to wearing out the fish once you’ve had your breather.
Pivot Time The most diicult part of any fight is trying to pump up a large fish from depth after it sounds. When traditional
pumping isn’t working, it’s time for pivoting. With your legs locked in the maximum pumping position, try pivoting yourself over the rod by rising some 30 degrees from the chair, reeling as you bend forward over the rod. Make certain your spotter is on his game at this point in the fight, in case the fish surges, a wave upsets your mobility, or the pedestal collapses. Once you’ve taken up line, place both hands over the reel face, apply extra drag if needed by cupping the spool, and fall slowly back onto the chair, with your legs still extended. The advantage of pivoting is that you’re using your entire body weight against the fish. You may gain only a turn or two for every pivot, but it’s a proven way to muscle large, stubborn fish to the surface. In fact, even
HOT-SEAT PERK: Proper fightingchair techniques yield catches like this giant bluefin.
in 80 feet of water of Prince Edward Island, the end stages of one giant bluefin battle involved the fish circling stubbornly near the bottom. It took a pivoting routine — and extra drag — to bring it to the surface. The great thing about cupping the spool for extra drag is that it can be instantly released by removing your hands (read: no broken lines or pulled hooks if the fish races of ).
Winning Rod Transfer Should a hookup take place while a rod is in a gunwale holder with full drag on: 1. Wait several seconds to make sure the fish is solidly hooked. 2. Slightly reduce drag and lift the outfit from the gunwale. 3. Keep the rod tip aimed at the fish during transfer to the chair. 4. Set the rod in the chair gimbal, connect the harness to reel lugs, and advance the drag to full fighting position. 5. Slide back, lock your legs, and put pressure on the fish.
Rest Points If there’s ever an opportunity to gain line, take it. Granted, a fish going straight down makes for a taxing fight, but it’s essential to keep gaining line to wear it out. If you need to relax some muscles or catch your breath, wait until the fish digs deeper. Even if the break is brief, take it. The trick is to keep pressure on the fish and gain line at each opportunity, all while settling into a rhythm that lets you pace yourself. To preserve leg stamina when battling those giant bluefins, I occasionally alleviated just a bit of pressure on them by clutching the rod foregrip and pulling back on it during a slide pump. I still maintained leg support and pressure during the pump, but to a lesser degree and only at brief intervals. The pivot pumps ofer a little more leg relief, as once you’re up on the rod, you’re using your body weight to pump the rod as you slowly fall back into the chair. Precise adjustments, the right tactics and pacing yourself are three key ingredients to beating big fish from a fighting chair. A combination of all of the above resulted in our besting four giant bluefin tuna at Prince Edward Island.
32 SALTWATERSPORTSMAN.COM - MARCH 2017
G EO R G E P OV E R O M O
Beat ’Em from the Chair
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T+T / Angler’s Galley
Delicacy Alert Use a serrated knife or shears to cut the top and bottom of the clavicle 1 , make a knife cut behind the pectoral fin, and free the portion 2 .
1
2 1
Recipe Snapper Collar
For video instruction, go to saltwatersportsman.com
/snappercollar
Charcoal-Roasted Snapper Collar with Harissa Lobster Broth
3. Close the lid and let the fish cook for 10 minutes, turning after seven minutes. 2 cups lobster, fish or chicken stock 1 ⁄4 cup heavy cream 2 tablespoons harissa paste Finger-lime juice and salt to taste
4. Bring stock and cream to a simmer and reduce mixture for two minutes.
F
34 SALTWATERSPORTSMAN.COM - MARCH 2017
2. Season the snapper collars with salt and pepper, then place them skin-side down in the skillet.
5. Remove from heat and add harissa paste. 6. Season with finger-lime juice and salt. Special Twist: Finger lime provides a crisp citrus punch to the harissa broth.
7. Use a hand blender to create a bubbly froth and spoon it over the snapper collars. 8. Garnish with almonds and cilantro.
Pair Well
Flip Side: Turn the collar in the skillet after two-thirds of the cooking time for even browning.
Wine: Dry German Riesling such as Von Winning “Winnings” Riesling or a crisp, unoaked chardonnay such as Chehalem Inox Chardonnay from Oregon. Beer: A light lager such as Cigar City Lager to offset the spiciness of the dish.
Z AC H STOVA L L ( B OT TO M L E F T ) ; B I L L D O ST E R ( 3 ) ; I L LU ST R AT I O N BY ST E V E SA N FO R D
is head chef and partner of Luma on Park (luma onpark.com) and Prato (prato-wp .com) in Winter Park, Florida, as well as the author of 9 Courses.
1. Set charcoal roaster temperature to 400 degrees and place the oiled skillet inside to come to temperature.
• • • •
By Brandon McGlamery
Brandon McGlamery
Big Green Egg or similar charcoal roaster Cast-iron skillet Snapper collars Canola or another high-temperature oil Crushed almonds Cilantro
Harissa Lobster Broth
GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR SNAPPER CATCH: YOU MAY BE THROWING AWAY THE BEST PART.
ish collars, the meat from behind the gills to just beyond the pectoral fin, are usually neglected when the fish is filleted. When cooked, this rich, boneless meat falls away easily from the bony clavicle, or collar. Harissa, a Tunisian hot chili paste, is available powdered to mix with olive oil, or as a paste. For the lobster stock, simmer lobster heads, legs and tail shells with onions, celery and carrots, and add tomato paste at the end of cooking. Fish frames or chicken may be substituted for the lobster. A covered charcoal cooker insulates for even cooking and preserves the moisture in the snapper collars.
• • • • • •
The road to paradise Isn’t
Actually a Road.
Where you’re going there are no roads. No stop lights. No traffic jams. Because paradise doesn’t have a street address. It’s the water kissing the sky along the horizon. The sun on your face. Paradise is out there for you to find. You just have to pick a Cobia and go.
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Float Plan / Boat Talk
By Capt. Dave Lear Gear up for safety and comfort in time for the coming fishing season.
Useful Upgrades THERE’S PLENT Y OF NEW GEAR FOR THE BOAT TOO.
The peak fishing season is just around the corner, so now is the perfect time to get the boat ready to go. Here are some of the latest gear and gadgets available to upgrade your ride. Garmin AIS VHF Radio Garmin’s latest VHF offers full integration capability, plus the security of AIS. The 210 AIS radio boasts 25 watts of transmitting power and DSC compatibility, plus a twoway hailer system and direct calling with Maritime Mobile Service Identity. NOAA weather alerts and the position-tracking feature, to keep tabs on up to three boats, are standard. The VHF boasts a heavy-duty housing and sleek look and has three soft keys that allow the operator to intuitively select the desired functions. $599.99; garmin.com
Aqualuma Spreader Lights LED technology meets the cockpit, and that’s always illuminating. Aqualuma’s compact spreader lights are available in flush- or bracket-mount models with wide beams to light up the working end of the boat. Made with powder-coated aluminum housings and polymer lenses, these lights include 12 high-output LEDs. Engineered for either 12- or 24-volt DC power, they have a current draw of less than 2 amps at 12 volts. They also have a built-in thermo control to monitor heat if they’re accidentally left on. $575; aqualuma.com 36 SALTWATERSPORTSMAN.COM - MARCH 2017
ACR Personal Beacon This compact device could truly be a lifesaver in an emergency. With integrated advanced AIS, digital selective calling and GPS, the AISLink beacon sends an alert to vessels with an AIS receiver or plotter within a 5-mile radius. It also triggers the DSC alarm on the VHF, warning if a crew member is overboard. With automatic activation, a high-intensity strobe light and 24-hour-plus operational life, this beacon would be a prudent addition for any offshore crew. $240; acrartex.com continued
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Useful Upgrades continued from page 36
MotorGuide X5 Trolling Motor The GPS-integrated trolling motor evolution continues, but many anglers still prefer the simplicity of hand-controlled units. MotorGuideâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new X5 Saltwater model caters to that segment. Available in 24- and 36-volt options, the X5, with a bow mount, features a rugged composite shaft that will bend but not break. Shaft lengths range up to 60 inches with 105 pounds of thrust. An ergonomic handle with a 6-inch extension provides flexibility and comfort. The digital variable speed allows precise operation and extends battery life. Starting at $989.99; motorguide.com
GoPro Remo Control Recording angling adventures is now easier than ever with GoProâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Remo, a waterproof, voice-activated remote control for the Hero5 and Hero5 Session digital cameras. It enhances the voice control of the camera in windy and noisy conditions, like those typically found on the water. The Remo also functions as a remote control from up to 33 feet away, clips to clothing or gear, and has 13 commands and a one-button shutter. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s waterproof to depths of 16 feet for gaff and release footage. $79.99; gopro.com
Weego 66 Power Pack
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The Weego 66 Power Pack jump-starts boat engines of up to 10 liters and provides up to three years of standby power on a single charge. It recharges in just three hours and accepts more than 1,000 charging cycles. The USB port also charges phones, tablets and other portable devices. The power pack is water-, dustand dirt-resistant, can be stored in a watertight bag, and includes a 600-lumen LED flashlight with strobe and all the clamps and cables for quick connections. $199.99; myweego.com
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Float Plan / First Look
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LENGTH: 27'6" | BEAM: 9'2" | DRAFT: 14" WEIGHT: 7,500 lb. | FUEL: 220 gal. | MAX HP: 600 PRICE: On request | WORLD CAT: worldcat.com
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Float Plan / First Look
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LENGTH: 22'6" | BEAM: 8'6" | DRAFT: 13" WEIGHT: 2,175 lb. | FUEL: 58 gal. | MAX HP: 250 PRICE: $55,821 w/ Yamaha F200 NAUTICSTAR BOATS: nauticstarboats.com
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Float Plan / Electronics
Tracking Success USE YOUR CHART PLOTTER’S TRACKING FUNCTION TO INCREASE YOUR HOOKUPS. By Jim Hendricks The versatility of the tracking feature lends itself to effective fish-finding.
We were fishing along the backside of Santa Catalina Island, in 90 to 100 feet of water, and our first drit produced a trio of 20-pound California yellowtail. Expectations were high as we set up to make the same drit. But on this one, we blanked.
A glance at the chart plotter indicated why. Our track showed that the boat had drifted at an angle that was slightly diferent from the course of our earlier drift. A subtle shift in the wind had pushed us out of the narrow strike zone. On the third and subsequent drifts, I compensated by changing the starting point a bit, and that did the trick. Soon we were on the fish again.
History Lesson This example illustrates the usefulness of the track function — also known as “trails” or “bread crumbs” — on your chart plotter, no matter where you fish. By referring to the history of the boat’s movement, you can double back on a
Managing Tracks
productive drift or trolling course for a repeat performance. You accomplish the same thing by inputting a series of waypoints, but the track appears automatically, freeing you to concentrate on fishing rather than fiddle with your electronics. Chart plotters from all major brands include this function. With most units, you simply turn it on to begin recording your track.
Current Direction Capt. Mark Maus uses the tracking function on his Simrad NSO Evo2 chart plotter to determine the direction in which the current is running while he fishes ofshore wrecks in the Gulf and along the southeast Atlantic coasts. “Bait schools and game fish tend to be up-current of a wreck, but with no
OPTIONS: The tracking function helps you repeat a course, top, or scout new grounds, above.
visual cues, it’s hard to know how the current is running,” Maus explains. The tracking feature helps. If there’s no wind, let the boat drift: The boat’s track will point the way. On days when the wind is up, Maus still uses the tracking function, but then calculates how much the drift is influenced by wind versus current. If, for example, the wind is out of the north but the track shows a southeasterly course, the current is running from west to east. Capt. Sean Hill does the same thing with his Furuno TZtouch2 when fishing wrecks of his home state of Georgia, continued
If you plan on keeping tracks from past trips, it’s important to manage them. Otherwise, the tracks may obliterate the chart view and become indistinguishable from one another, says Jim McGowan, marketing manager for Raymarine. “It is a good idea to create a file for each new set of tracks,” McGowan suggests. “You can also assign different colors to each set of tracks to tell them apart.” Exporting tracks to an SD card is also helpful. That enables you to create an archival backup or transfer it for use in another Raymarine chart plotter.
44 SALTWATERSPORTSMAN.COM - MARCH 2017
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Float Plan / Electronics
Temp Tracks Setting temperature parameters on the Furuno TZtouch2 records the completed track, plus logs the water temperature traversed over the course of that track. Userassigned colors and temperature triggers allow for refined custom records.
Tracking Success continued from page 44
but he uses his chart plotter in northup mode to keep the screen relatively stable. “In course-up mode, the chart flips around too much, and it becomes a bit disorienting,” he explains. When fishing two or three days in a row, Hill also uses diferent colors to designate the track for each trip. This helps him tell if the fish are shifting to one particular side of the wreck on a given day.
Trolling Tricks The tracking function also provides guidance when trolling for pelagics such as mahimahi, marlin, tuna and wahoo in waters surrounding a promising spot
By the time you land the fish, you might be a mile away, but you can shoot right back to the hot spot by analyzing your track.
46 SALTWATERSPORTSMAN.COM - MARCH 2017
such as an undersea mount, a frigate bird that dips briefly, or breaking fish that appear and then quickly sink away. With the spot marked as a waypoint, use the tracking feature to troll a pattern — such as a figure eight, an ever-widening spiral or a quarter-milewide box — around the spot to cover the water in a systematic way. When slow-trolling with live bait, Maus uses the tracking function to remind himself of where bites occur. “Even if you don’t create a waypoint when you hook a fish, you can tell where it occurred by reviewing your track,” he says. “Look for the sharp deviation in the track. This is where the boat suddenly stopped or changed course to chase the hooked fish.” By the time you land the fish, you might be a mile away, but you can shoot right back to the hot spot by analyzing your track, Maus says.
Pinpoint Drifts Ofshore, abrupt temperature changes often hold fish, and the tracking feature helps you stay in these zones, says Capt. George Mitchell. “My Furuno TZtouch2 lets me set the parameters for the color of the track to automatically shift based on changes in the water temperature,” Mitchell explains. The captain then makes a benchmark drift to establish the line using the tracking feature. Once he knows the line, he sets up the boat to drift
across areas where online satellite imagery indicates sudden temperature breaks. “When we start catching fish, I check the color of the track,” he adds. This helps him refine each subsequent drift to spend more time and focus attention on the most productive zones to maximize results. When the dynamic forces of wind and current alter the drift, the track function helps Mitchell determine how to change the starting point to get back on the fish.
Navigation Benefit The tracking function also allows you to navigate more knowledgeably. While that might not directly produce more catches, it gets you to your fishing grounds faster and with greater safety. In the course of competing in a number of kingfish tournaments each year, Maus runs out of diferent bays and inlets, with many starts before daylight. To help ensure a greater level of safety, he takes his boat out a day or two before the tournament, during the day, to record a track through the channel. “There’s a comforting feeling in knowing that I created a safe track,” says Maus. “It helps me get out of the inlet and to the fish ahead of others.” Whether you’re drifting, trolling or navigating tricky inlets, learning to efectively use your chart plotter’s tracking feature gives you an advantage when it comes to catching more fish.
THERE’S NOTHING ELSE LIKE IT ON THE WATER THE NEW 280CC-X FROM WORLD CAT When creating the new 280CC-X, we didn’t change a single thing. We changed everything. From the hull beneath you to the dash in front of you, from bow to stern, from how it looks to how it rides, you’ve never experienced anything like the new 280CC-X. Now you can.
See your local World Cat dealer for details.
A BETTER WAY TO BOAT™ WorldCat.com
Float Plan / New Electronics
FAMILY ADDITIONS
COLOR-CODE COUPLINGS
NEW GENERATION
Garmin recently updated its line of GPSMap chart-plotter combo units with the addition of the GPSMap 7x2 and GPSMap 9x2 touchscreen chart plotters and GPSMap 10x2 and 12x2 keyed chart plotters. The new 7- and 9-inch GPSMap units are available with and without built-in sonar, and they incorporate sunlight-readable touchscreens. The 10-inch GPSMap 10x2xsv and the 12-inch GPSMap 12xsv feature sunlight-readable screens with a keypad and rotary dial controls. $799.99 to $2,999.99; garmin.com
The new Ancor NMEA 2000 connectors and cables feature color coding to simplify networking marine electronics. T-connectors, backbone cables and terminators sport a yellow-and-black color scheme, network power cables are red, yellow and black, and drop cables and elbow connectors are all black. Premium gold-plated connectors resist corrosion, and all are molded with a tactile feature to aid proper alignment and enable easier and faster installation. $109.99 for NMEA 2000 dual-device starter kit; ancorproducts.com
Lowrance’s latest generation of HDS multifunction displays, the HDS Carbon series, features dual-core processors, StructureScan, dual-channel chirp sonar and SolarMax HD touchscreen displays with in-plane switching technology for more clarity and sharpness and a wider range of viewing angles. C-Map Insight cartography is built-in, plus the units support Navionics SonarChart Live and network with many Lowrance broadband radar, Outboard Pilot and other systems. Available in 7-, 9- and 12-inch models. $2,099 to $3,399; lowrance.com
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2017 NEW GEAR GUIDE B Y S W S S TA F F
Satisfying days on the water result when a lot of variables come together. The contents of your tackle cabinet determine your fishing success, but myriad other accessories ensure you’ll be efficient, comfortable and safe. What you wear and the tools you use have a lot to do with an enjoyable trip. Here’s a lineup of new gear for the coming season to help make all your days great ones.
1. Get a Grip
2. Sharp Safeguard
Donnmar pliers, with an easy-to-grip design and internal spring loading for easy one-handed operation, are handcrafted in the U.S. and built of military-grade titanium or marine-grade stainless steel. The pivot bearing is nickel-plated and machined from solid brass. The pliers are available in either standard or side-cutter versions, with replaceable tungsten-carbide blades. $129 to $349.99; donnmarpliers.com
Cuda’s Fishing Rescue/Safety knife, with protected cutting edges and large bows for a secure grip, cuts rope and mono in any emergency. German 4116 stainless steel and titanium-bonded technology strengthen blades and hold an edge longer. Full-tang construction provides strength and support to the cutting blades, while the oversize Cuda scale-pattern bows offer the secure grip vital in emergencies. $19.99; cudabrand.com
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B I L L D O ST E R
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3. Tool Up
4. Edgy Lineup
Crafted from 304 and 420 stainless steel wrapped in a titanium-black nickel coating, every tool in Penn’s lineup performs when you need it. The collection includes: 6.5-inch parallel pliers with bypass cutters; 7-inch wire cutters; 10-inch crimpers; spring-loaded pliers; 6.5- and 8-inch bull-nose pliers with replaceable side cutters; and a 13-inch pistol-grip hook extractor. Each comes with a holster. $24.99 to $49.99; pennfishing.com
The Rapala Angler’s Tools series includes fillet knives crafted by Marttiini. The Angler’s Curved fillet knife, in 10- and 12-inch sizes, offers a tapered, corrosionresistant blade that takes and holds an edge. The Straight fillet knife, in 6- and 8-inch sizes, excels for precision cuts, and the Slim fillet knife, in 6- and 8-inch sizes, offers maximum flexibility. All models come with a vented sheath for quick drying. $34.99 to $39.99; rapala.com
MARCH 2017 - SALTWATERSPORTSMAN.COM 51
2017 NEW GEAR GUIDE
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1. Box Lunch This may be the last lunchbox you’ll ever need. The Hopper Flip 12 from Yeti offers a widemouth design for easy loading and access to contents. The DryHide fabric shell is waterproof and resistant to mildew, punctures and UV light. Coldcell insulation provides the cold-holding power that Yeti is famous for. $279.99; yeti.com
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2. Shallow-Minded Costa’s Whitetip sunglasses, designed for flats fishing, feature wraparound style with 580P lenses to enhance colors and boost contrast, a heavyduty TR90 bio-resin frame, and gripper temples. The Whitetip affords 100 percent UV light blockage and 100 percent polarization. Available in four frame colors, with polycarbonate or glass lenses. $159 to $239; costadelmar.com
Keep gear protected and organized with West Marine's Deluxe Offshore Tackle Bag. At 13 inches by 19.5 inches by 10 inches, it offers ample storage while polyurethane construction protects against moisture and abrasion. Features include adjustable dividers, a detachable shoulder strap and three utility boxes. $129.99; westmarine.com 52 SALTWATERSPORTSMAN.COM - MARCH 2017
B I L L D O ST E R
3. Grab ’n’ Go
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4. Slip Not Xtratufâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 6-inch Ankle Deck Boot is crafted for offshore anglers. The lightweight design features the XpressCool anti-microbial, evaporative and cooling liner that wicks moisture. Another addition, the Riptide Deck Shoe, boasts three-layer mesh construction that allows water to flow in and out freely, blocks sand and other debris, and dries quickly. The new deck shoe is available for men and women, and incorporates a perforated PU/EVA-blend insole that provides all-day comfort. Both the Ankle Deck Boot and Riptide Deck Shoe include Xtratufâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s slip-resistant, no-scuff chevron outsole. Ankle Deck Boot $79.99, Riptide Deck Shoe $80; xtratufboots.com
5. Flat-Footed Shimano developed its new Flats Wading Boots for anglers intent on wading saltwater shallows. Constructed with durable vulcanized rubber and 5 mm neoprene, incorporating nonmarking, spine-resistant soles and corrosionresistant nylon front zippers, the new wading boots offer a wide opening for easy on and off, and include a belt-loop ankle closure to prevent sand and shell intrusion. Available in whole sizes from 8 through 13. $79.99; shimano.fishing-store.us
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6. Extreme Kicks
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Columbia introduces the Force 12 OutDry Extreme PFG shoes, lightweight footwear built to take on whatever Mother Nature dishes out while providing comfort and superior traction. The new shoes feature TPU shanks for torsional stability, Vibram Wavegrip nonmarking outsoles for incomparable grip on wet surfaces, Vibram PU-like midsole compound for long-lasting comfort, plus waterproof and breathable OutDry Extreme construction. $150; columbia.com MARCH 2017 - SALTWATERSPORTSMAN.COM 53
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1. Performance Threads
2. Breathable Shield
The Second Skin Rashguard Hoodie from Bluefin USA, the ideal technical shirt for on-the-water performance, promises comfort and rapid heat dispersion. Designed with flatlock construction, the long-sleeved hoodie is dye-sublimated for durability and made of soft anti-microbial microfiber spandex, offering SPF 50+ sun protection. Blue camo in sizes XS
The Raid NXTLVL all-weather jacket from Huk provides 100 percent water and wind protection with nonbinding stretch. The lightweight, three-layer, waterproof shell keeps moisture out while maintaining breathability. Features include front-collar venting, reflective branding and welding around zippers for safety, and neoprene storm cuffs with Velcro closures. Sizes S to 3XL. $349.99; hukgear.com
5. Coolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the Rule Pelagicâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Argonaut boardshorts offer eightway Octo-Stretch technology for top comfort and freedom of motion. The new shorts are ultra-lightweight, have anti-microbial and Quick-Dry properties, and include a zippered pocket on the side, Velcro pocket in back, and hidden reinforced pocket for pliers. Available in several custom seascape patterns in sizes 30 to 40. $66; pelagicgear.com
B I L L D O ST E R
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3. Pro-Proven
4. Totally Dry
Grundéns’ Stormlight jacket is crafted from super-light nylon neo-stretch material, waterproof and breathable, with many features from Grundéns’ commercial-grade rainwear, such as an adjustable hood, waterproof zipper, zippered
AFTCO’s latest, the Anhydrous System, includes a jacket and bibs constructed with three-layer eVent DValpine nylon for 100 percent waterproofing. Top features include taped seams, articulated sleeves, cuff gaiters and AquaGuard water-resistant zipper with polyurethane laminated tape and plastic-molded teeth to reduce weight. Charcoal gray, sizes S to 2XL. Jacket $395, bibs $345; aftco.com
6. Cargo Comfort
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Under Armour adds the UA 4-inch Inlet Shorts to its line of women’s outdoor apparel. The four-pocket design, with side cargo pocket and stretch waistband with belt loops, delivers functionality and comfort, and features scalloped crossover hem detailing and the UA Signature Moisture Transport System to wick away sweat. For men, the UA Fish Hunter Cargo Pants offer 30+ UPF sun protection and feature anti-odor technology. Pants $89.99, shorts $49.99; underarmour.com
MARCH 2017 - SALTWATERSPORTSMAN.COM 55
Abundant menhaden put trophy bass in Jersey anglersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; reach.
STRIPERS OF
S T O R Y A N D P H O T O S B Y C A P T. J I M F R E D A
A LIFETIME
SWS Planner: Trophy striped bass What: Trophy striped bass Where: Monmouth County and northern Ocean County; Sandy Hook to Island Beach State Park, New Jersey When: May through July Who: Boating and surf anglers with the desire to catch the striped bass of a lifetime. No saltwater fishing license is required, but New Jersey anglers 16 and over need to be part of the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Saltwater Recreational Registry Program (nj.gov/dep/ saltwaterregistry/ index.html). Charter boats have their clients covered under their registries. These pros can put you on the fish: Manasquan Inlet Shore Catch Guide Service 732-762-0870; shorecatch.com Point Pleasant Andreasâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Toy Charters 732-672-1561; andreastoycharters .com Reel Class Sportfishing Charters 201-248-5281; reelclassfishing.com
PROUD TRIO: Three young anglers proudly hoist a massive Jersey striper.
SWS Tackle Box: Trophy striped bass Rods: Live-lining bunker, 7 1⁄2- to 8-foot fast-action conventional; plug casting, 9- to 10-foot fast-action mediumheavy spinning Reels: For boat, lever-drag conventional; for casting, baitrunner-style spinning Line: 65-pound braid tied to a 12foot, 40-pound fluoro leader Lures: 8- to 10-inch metal lipped swimming plugs, 3- to 4-ounce pencil poppers Terminal Tackle: For bunker, 7/0 to 10/0 Gamakatsu Big River hooks; for swimming plugs and poppers, attach to leader with 175-pound Tactical Anglers power clip
W
H E N T H E P H O N E R A N G A T 9 P. M . T H E NIGHT BEFORE MY CHARTER, I KNEW I T WAS BA D N E W S . B U T T H E CA N C E L -
These kids were already good fishermen and had caught striped bass, but never to the tune of the 30- to 50-pounders that I knew awaited us. Dreams of catching trophy-size bass have now become reality in Monmouth County, New Jersey, and
L AT I O N TO O K A P O S I T I V E T U R N : I T
M E A N T T H AT I H A D A N O P P O RT U N I T Y TO S H A R E THE STRIPED BASS OF A LIFETIME WITH MY 1 6 - Y E A R - O L D S O N , T O M M Y, A N D H I S B U D D I E S .
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Hook ’Em Right The proper hook placement ensures the desired presentation in several different situations.
I L LU ST R AT I O N S BY ST E V E SA N FO R D
EASY PICKINGS: When bunker are schooling, large striped bass don’t waste any time.
northern Ocean County waters from May right on through the middle of July, thanks to the millions of adult menhaden, aka bunker, that pull in these trophy bass. Active Pods Prime time is always a predawn bite, so Tommy’s buddies arrived at 4 a.m., just as I had instructed. In a good year, hundreds of thousands of bunker school in an area only a few miles wide, so recognizing which pods have actively feeding bass in them is key. I gave the boys a quick lesson in what to look for. Bass thrashing and exploding on the bait is a no-brainer, I told them. And the pods that are flipping around without a care in the world are the ones that we are going to pass up. A subtler sign is when the pod balls up tightly, appears dark beneath the surface, and looks as though it is shimmering. When this happens, the bass are right beneath the pod, ready to attack — so all eyes on deck. Successful Methods As we broke the Manasquan Inlet, Tommy spotted the first active pod several hundred yards away. “Grab the snag rod!” I yelled. The snag rod should carry a weighted 5/0, 7/0 or 10/0 treble, which is cast into a bunker pod, allowed to sink, and then retrieved in quick jerks through the bait. A snagged bait is then free-lined and allowed to swim injured and sink. Then you wait for a bass to pick it up. Tommy, who had done this before, did a textbook job, and our first 35-pound bass came alongside for release. Snagged bunker can also be livelined by rehooking them on a single hook, which is a better option for catch-and-release. Place the hook a quarter-inch below and forward of the dorsal fin. An alternative to snagging is to throw a 10-foot, 1-inch mesh cast net. With one throw, I can fill my
Hook the live bunker on the back, about a quarter-inch forward of the dorsal fin, for free-lining.
Flash ’n’ Slash When bunker schools congregate along a stretch of coast, pinpointing those actually under attack greatly increases your chances to score. If surface feeding isn’t evident, find a pod of tightly packed baitfish nervously shimmering underwater, a sign of stripers on the hunt directly below.
Trophy Tactics All morning we found bass busting and feeding in bait pods. But we missed several fish when the boys pulled the trigger too quickly. When a bass picks up the bait, you have to be patient before you set the hook, I explained to them. Bass swallow a
bunker headfirst, so after they pick it up, they have to turn it in their mouth. They do this on their first long run. I coached the boys to wait at least six seconds, until the runof smoothed out, before setting the hook hard. Once they caught on, our catch rate climbed. As the morning slipped away and the bite slowed, it came time for some advanced lessons. Casting a bait directly into the center of a pod creates what I call the doughnut hole, where-
With the hook just ahead of the anal fin, a bunker swims toward the bottom, where the larger stripers lurk.
When liveys become scarce in your well, hook a dead one through the lower lip and snout and let it drift away.
livewell with all the bunker I need for the day. Netting the bait keeps them alive much longer, ready to be pitched to an active pod.
MARCH 2017 - SALTWATERSPORTSMAN.COM 59
Ring Around the Bunker Hook a live bunker, drop it in the middle of a school, and you’ll see frantic menhaden dash away from your bait, interpreting the sudden splashdown as a predator attack. This “doughnut hole” attracts hungry stripers, which quickly key on the isolated bunker and pounce.
Claim to Fame The real trophy-bass accomplishment comes when you catch them on artificials such as lipped swimming plugs, surface poppers or pencil poppers. This trip ended up being one I will never forget, as Tommy and his buddy Max did just that. In the afternoon, BAIT ’N’ SWITCH: the winds came up Swimming plugs hard at 20 to 25 mph fool plenty of out of the northwest, stripers chasing and so did the big the real deal. fish. When we saw FINE REWARD: them, Max grabbed a When bass prey rod rigged with a JP on bunker, angler Surfster swimming efforts are repaid plug, and Tommy a handsomely, top. rod rigged with a Lex Lures pencil, and both cast into a melee of busting bass. The result was a doubleheader: a 49-pound lifetime fish for Max and a 39-pounder for Tommy. This part of New Jersey is known
for having the best custom plug builders in the Northeast. My favorite custom swimmers are RV plugs, TB swimmers, Cyclone lures, Sunset Customs, Lefty lures, Skippies, T-Bone plugs and JP Surfsters. For poppers, I use M. Fischer poppers; for pencils, Lex Lures and Guides Secret Shore Catch series get the nod. The Trolling Game We rounded out our day with a lesson in trolling. Tony Maja bunker spoons, Mojo lures or deep-diving plugs all take trophy bass and become especially efective on the big stripers when bunker pods are thin. I showed the boys my go-to trolling lure, a white No. 4 Tony Maja adult bunker spoon, paired with Maja’s custom 8-foot bunker-spoon rod. Trolling at 3.1 knots, it wasn’t long before the port rigger went of and Jack, one of Tommy’s buddies, got his own fish of a lifetime, a 40-pounder.
I L LU ST R AT I O N BY ST E V E SA N FO R D
in the bunker scatter, leaving the cast bait by itself. This gets the attention of stripers. A second trick is trimming the tail of a bunker by three-quarters and casting it into a bait pod. With the tail cut, the bunker flutters around slowly, as if injured. Another option: hooking the bunker in the rear of the belly, which causes it to swim to the bottom, where the biggest bass lurk. I showed the boys how dead bunker in the livewell can be fished efectively by hooking them through the bottom lip and out the snout, rather than in the dorsal. Cast out and allowed to drift away from the boat, the bunker flutter from side to side enticingly. You can also fish a chunk, normally a head, on a fish-finder rig when the bass hang deep and you are marking them on the sonar.
Don’t Let Your Last Time On The Water Be Your Last , drinking alcohol has been a part of the boating culture for a long time. Drinking while boating can have the same consequences as drinking and driving a car. Alcohol is the leading known contributing factor in fatal boating accidents*. Be smart, be safe and have a designated skipper to ensure that your crew makes it back to the dock.
DON’T DRINK AND BOAT IT’S JUST NOT WORTH IT *
2015 Recreational Boating Statistics
To Learn More About Safe Boating Visit www.boatingsafetymag.com
SWS Planner: Wahoo in the Caribbean and U.S. waters What: Wahoo Where: Caribbean and U.S. waters When: Winter through spring. The full moon is a good time, but a few days leading up to it and a few days coming off it are best. Who: Anglers with boats properly equipped for offshore fishing. Targeting wahoo is a specialty of the following captains: Capt. Charles Ebanks Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, BWI charlesrunthings@ gmail.com 345-928-5180
FORGE A WINNING STRATEGY
WAHOO FOR STRIPED TORPEDOES. BY GEORGE POVEROMO
Capt. Justin Ebanks Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, BWI justntimecharters .com 345-922-4836
G EO R G E P OV E R O M O
Over Under Sportfishing San Salvador, Bahamas overundercharters .com 866-682-8862
SWS Tackle Box: Wahoo in the Caribbean and U.S. waters Rods: Conventional, 50-pound class
MASTERY
Reels: Penn International 50 for mono, Penn Senator for Monel wire line Line: 50-pound monofilament for most reels, Monel for one or two wireline outfits Leader: No. 12 (200-pound) single-strand wire Baits: Ilander lures tipped with large ballyhoo (aka Cayman Crushers) rigged with two 10/0 or 11/0 hooks, with 480-pound cable connecting the hooks Other: Trolling sinkers, 16 to 32 ounces
MAN THE TORPEDOES: A happy crew poses with a solid dayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s catch.
Fast Facts for Success
Speed Kills: High-speed trolling (upward of 20 knots) pays off, but most wahoo are caught trolling at about 10 knots.
Keep â&#x20AC;&#x2122;Em Low: Wahoo rarely hit on top. Troll baits 5 to 30 feet down using downriggers, heavy jet-heads or weights.
Mark and Return: Wahoo stack up in strategic areas, so mark the spot where you get bit to go back for more.
MARCH 2017 - SALTWATERSPORTSMAN.COM 63
S Several hours after leaving the dock at Grand Cayman, Capt. Charles Ebanks eased off the throttles a half-mile from Pickle Bank, where the bottom of the deep Caribbean rises to 180 feet from the surface. We arrived right before daybreak, a prime feeding period, and were trolling within
minutes. As soon as the sun appeared on the horizon, the first reel screamed, and then a second,
Our trip coincided with peak wahoo time in the Caymans, and before the sun rose entirely above the water, we’d hooked five fish, boating three beauties and losing two that shook free during the fight. Timing Is Key Wherever you chase wahoo — of the Carolinas, South Florida, the Bahamas, the Gulf of Mexico, Southern California or elsewhere — there are peak periods on which to capitalize. For instance, major feeding occurs from just prior to sunrise to early post-dawn. “Wahoo go wild during this time. The bite might last only 30 to 45 minutes, but it’s aggressive as hell,” Ebanks claims, which is why we ran the 84 miles from Grand Cayman in the dark to reach the bank before sunrise. The moon plays a role too. We scheduled our trip around the November full
moon, in a repeat of my last visit to the Caymans, five years prior, when marine artist Carey Chen and I scored 15 wahoo, 10 of which hit between 6:30 and 8:30 a.m. By the way, my largest wahoo to date is a 143-pound monster caught of San Salvador, Bahamas, one of five wahoo we caught during a half-day of fishing on a full moon. Ebanks says the full moon is OK, but the few days leading up to it and the few days coming of it are best. Prime Tides Even way ofshore, where tides seem insignificant, there’s still something about a transition period that triggers a wahoo bite, so it pays to know when such periods will occur. Tides are especially crucial when fishing for wahoo close to shore, as in the Bahamas, where Capt. Ron Schatman, the undisputed wahoo king,
64 SALTWATERSPORTSMAN.COM - MARCH 2017
RAZORLIKE: Wahoo’s sharp dentures demand the use of wire or cable leaders.
says the tides trigger their feeding. “You can pull up and down your best stretch of wahoo bottom for hours and not get bit,” he says. “Fish there prior to and into a tide change, and it’ll be a diferent story. I can’t tell you how many Bahamas wahoo tournaments we’ve won by fishing the tides.” Under stable weather, explains Schatman, lack of
action during an earlymorning falling tide usually means a good bite during the afternoon incoming tide, and vice versa. He’s also had times when wahoo bit on all tides, but his anglers often post double-digit numbers during a tide, and once the bite ceases, he moves a little deeper and bides time trolling until they reach another area, sometimes as far as 40 miles away, to fish a later tidal change and crush the wahoo again.
G EO R G E P OV E R O M O ; I L LU ST R AT I O N S BY ST E V E SA N FO R D
a third, a fourth and a fifth.
50 FEET
Killer Wahoo Spread
75 FEET 50 FEET 100 FEET 50 FEET
DISTANCE DEPTH
5 TO 15 FEET
Falling Barometer Capt. Ben Sharpe, who spends considerable time in the Bahamas fishing for marlin and wahoo aboard the 66-foot Viking Man-E-War, says pressure changes are important markers for wahoo. “When barometric pressure begins dropping, like before a cold front or a storm, it triggers a bite,” he says. “Once the pressure shoots up, as it does once a front arrives, the fish shut down. It could take just a couple of hours or a few days for them to resume feeding; that depends on the severity of the front.” Where They Lurk Wahoo are primarily structure-oriented fish that
20 FEET
30 FEET
favor aggressive bottom formations, pronounced ledges, wrecks, rips and color changes between 90 and 350 feet of water. Nevertheless, they also stack up underneath floating debris and weed lines — often in waters well beyond 1,000 feet deep — rich with bait, and even beneath schoolie dolphin, which they prey upon. Flutter jigs are ideal for dropping underneath floating debris. Rather than
work the jig radically, I wind fast to keep it racing straight to the surface. Of course, wahoo bite through most assist-hook cords on flutter jigs, so I replace them with 50-pound titanium wire, which holds up to wahoo’s sharp dentures, is small in diameter and, compared with single-strand wire, is impervious to kinking. I also add a few inches of titanium wire above the jig to prevent cutofs.
Trolling baits at staggered depths and distances is the ticket to consistent action. Fish a pair 20 to 30 feet below on wire lines or downriggers off the transom corners, and pull the rest from 5 to 15 feet down with heavy jet-heads or weights.
Dropping a live goggleeye, pilchard, herring, blue runner or even a chunk of bonito, if liveys aren’t available, with 15 inches of 40-pound titanium wire leader and a 10-ounce egg sinker secured some 30 feet up the line with a rubber band, breakaway-style, is also efective. A third option is to troll two jet-head lures in 16and 32-ounce weights, or deep-diving swimming plugs like Rapala’s CD 18 around the find, ensuring one goes at least 20 feet deep. I recall running back from Bimini once and scoring five wahoo trolling a pair of lures around a large tree drifting in the Gulf Stream. The trick to consistent action is locating where wahoo are stacking along
The Cayman Crusher An Ilander lure rigged with a ballyhoo and a tandem of 10/0 hooks on 480-pound stainless cable — dubbed the Cayman Crusher — is a primo rig to troll for wahoo anywhere they swim. MARCH 2017 - SALTWATERSPORTSMAN.COM 65
Depth and Speed For wahoo, a lure trolled anywhere from 5 to 15 feet down is far more productive than one trolled at the surface. Subsurface lures and baits trolled rapidly yield more strikes. Although high-speed trolling (upward of 20 knots) is popular for wahoo, many are caught near the 10-knot range. Our Cayman Islands wahoo spread was simple yet efective: Ilander lures rigged with ballyhoo on No. 12 single-strand wire (dubbed the Cayman Crusher; for rigging instructions, see saltwatersportsman.com/ rigging-cayman-crusher).
STRAIGHT UP: Crank wahoo into gaff range without changing retrieve speed or direction.
Light a Fire Down Below Wahoo tend to lurk well below weed lines, often under schoolie dolphin, a favorite meal. Drop a flutter jig as you drift along the floating debris and burn it up, fast and steady, to catch their eye and trigger strikes.
The hooks were 10/0, rigged to 480-pound cable, with one hook protruding from each bait’s vent, and a stinger extending just beyond the tail. These rigs miss few short-strikers, and the fluttering from the trailing hook creates fishattracting vibrations. The starboard downrigger took one bait 20 feet deep, whereas a portside wire-line outfit positioned another bait 30 feet down. The remaining baits were pulled just underneath the surface or several feet below, held at depth with the aid of trolling sinkers.
100 FEET
In for the Landing Wahoo have tough mouths, so keep the boat moving at the same trolling speed when one strikes to help drive in the hook and entice additional hookups. Avoiding slack is vital to keeping the hooks lodged, so once a fish is hooked, the captain should help the angler keep tight by bumping the boat in and out of gear. Ebanks did that on all our catches, which also helped plane the fish to the surface. Once a wahoo’s head breaks water, step up the cranking to keep it on top, where the lack of water flowing past the gills exhausts the fish quickly. A two-speed reel in high gear
is ideal for the task. Don’t slow the boat or alter its direction; just keep the wahoo coming. Even if the fish is beneath the surface, it will swim in rhythm with the moving boat and cranking pressure. Wind the wahoo steadily into range of the gaf. Once it is stuck, back of the drag and allow the gafer to lift the fish over the gunwales and deposit it right into the fish box. When landing multiple wahoo in succession, stack each headfirst in a far corner of the boat — away from legs and feet. After the last one is boated, transfer them all into the box.
G EO R G E P OV E R O M O ; I L LU ST R AT I O N BY ST E V E SA N FO R D
a structure. Sharpe swears by areas where the wind or current pushes water hard against a shelf, wreck or bank. Always mark the spot where a fish is hooked so you can return and make repeated passes. The same principle applies when fishing along a reef, ledge or other bottom structure.
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68 SALTWATERSPORTSMAN.COM - MARCH 2017
G L E N N L AW
BIG MOMMA: Snook change gender as they mature. Trophies are all female.
G U L F -ST Y L E SN O O K I N â&#x20AC;&#x2122; PICK A FIGHT WITH FLORIDA WEST COAST LINESIDERS STORY AND PHOTOS BY NICK HONACHEFSKY
SWS Planner: Gulf Coast snook What: Snook When: Year-round, but best action April through September Where: Florida Gulf Coast, from Crystal River south through the Everglades Who: Wading anglers on beaches and some mangrove shorelines, but a boat affords access to countless other areas to target the fish under different conditions. These Gulf Coast guides are snook experts: Capt. Chris Rush Cape Coral, Florida rushcharters.com 239-229-5388 Capt. Erik Flett Pine Island, Florida nativeattitudefishing charters.com 239-872-7841 Capt. Tom Walsh Captiva, Florida southseas.com/ marinas-en.html 239-472-5111
Fast Facts for Success
Live-Feed: Locate areas with schooling baitfish, and snook are bound to be around. Fish either live bait or good imitations for best results.
Find Current: Snook let the tide serve most of their meals. Find spots with moving water, where they wait in ambush, facing the current.
Be Accurate: Snook lurk close to mangrove roots, pilings, oyster bars and other structure, requiring pinpoint casts into tight quarters to score.
SWS Tackle Box: Gulf Coast snook Rods: 7-foot spinning or conventional, medium to heavy action, rated for 20- to 30-pound line Reels: Size 4000 to 5000 spinning, or 12 to 16 conventional Line: 15- to 30-pound braid Leader: 30- to 40-pound fluorocarbon Lures: Bass Assassins, Zoom Grubs, Berkley Gulp! Swimmin’ Mullets or Fin-S Fish fished on 1⁄4- to 1 ⁄2 -ounce lead-heads; 3- to 4-inch D.O.A. Shrimp; various MirrOlure plugs Bait: Live threadfin herring, pilchards or pinfish Terminal Tackle: Owner Mutu light or Gamakatsu Octopus circle hooks, size 3/0 to 4/0
Linesider Arsenal Lively or lifelike imitations of baitfish and shrimp are the best ammo to fool snook.
70 SALTWATERSPORTSMAN.COM - MARCH 2017
5-inch Shad, fished on a light jig head or unweighted
A Gulp! Swimmin’ Mullet combines scent and enticing swimming action
On a 1⁄4 offers a mix of vibration and flash
S
S N A P ! T H E 3 0 - P O U N D L E A D E R P A R T E D , L E AV I N G M Y B U D DY D E N N Y WA G N E R W I T H O N E E N D W H I L E A 2 0 - P O U N D S N O O K T O O K T H E O T H E R . “A H H ! ” WA G N E R S H O U T E D A S H E S L A M M E D D O W N H I S R O D .
BRIGHT JUVY: Young snook are bright and silvery in areas near the open Gulf of Mexico. IN THE LOOP: It pays to use a loop knot so baits swim more naturally, right.
MirrOlure’s MirrOdine mimics herring and pilchards, snook favorites, to perfection
A slow snook bite had made for a long day, so everyone on board was a bit dejected. Wagner, a former host of the TV show Shark Men, who’s hauled in 1,000-pound great white sharks, doesn’t like to lose fish, especially trophy snook. But the 20-pounder simply jumped, severed the leader and earned its freedom after a 10-minute battle. But without missing a beat, Capt. Chris Rush hooked on another threadfin herring, spying a shadow along a Cape Coral mangrove shoreline. “Right there. Thirty yards. It’s another
and similar soft plastics present a realistic profile fish can’t resist
20-pounder,” said Rush, just before deftly dropping the live bait a mere foot away from the looming shadow. Wha-boom! Just that quickly, Rush was on. Pine Island Pro Before Wagner and I ventured into the Cape Coral backcountry with Rush, I met up with Capt. Erik Flett at the T-dock of South Seas Resort on Captiva Island, where another good friend, Heather Solt Tracey, joined me aboard Flett’s 21-foot Lake & Bay to hit Gulf snook in Pine Island Sound. Flett, a seasoned pro who operates out of Tarpon Lodge, started us out casting live pilchards to mangrove roots and dock pilings along Cayo Costa’s shoreline. “Large snook stick to this particular stretch with the outgoing tide, and they stack up along the beach as bait schools funnel down with the current,” explained Flett, who likes to fish pilchards on 2/0 to 4/0 circle hooks embedded in the transparent spot between the baits’ upper
lips and eyes so they can swim unhindered. Tracey had just tossed her pilchard between some mangrove roots when a 5-pound snook pounced on it. I repeated the process right behind her, completing
the doubleheader with an 8-pounder. “You have to understand where the snook are hanging at certain tide stages, during both the incoming and outgoing. Snook always want to have their nose into the current to intercept baitfish,” Flett said. And he was right on the money. As he kept the boat creeping parallel to the long shoreline, Tracey and
MARCH 2017 - SALTWATERSPORTSMAN.COM 71
Crystal River
I hooked snook after snook, all expecting the incoming tide to serve up their favorite snacks. The prolific fishing session produced a total of 18 linesiders up to 8 pounds. Playing catch-and-release the entire day sure was fun, but to see a novice angler like Tracey add a new species to her saltwater hit list made the trip even more enjoyable. She was all smiles when we stopped at Cabbage Key for a well-earned lunch. Rush Hour The next morning, Rush, Wagner and I continued our hunt for snook. After gathering enough lively threadfins at a nearby bridge, we moved into Cape Coral’s backwaters, where oyster
bars horseshoed an area where funneling forage attracted all sorts of game fish. “Incoming tides are hot for snook,” Rush said. “Baitfish flush over the oysters and try to find shelter in shallow water, and snook patrol the area down-current. During incoming tides, they file in quickly and wait for the bait to flush out.” Rush’s go-to snook rig consists of a spinning outfit with 15-pound PowerPro braid, a top shot of 30-pound Yo-Zuri fluorocarbon, and a 4/0 Owner Mutu light circle hook on the business end, which he inserts in the nose
72 SALTWATERSPORTSMAN.COM - MARCH 2017
GOTCHA: A Southwest Florida snook guide admires the fruit of his labor.
St. Petersburg
TAMPA BAY
Cabbage Key
Cape Coral
PINE ISLAND SOUND Naples Everglades City
of a live 5-inch threadfin herring. For the better part of the morning, live-baiting along the oyster bar had produced a bunch of snooklets to 6 pounds, big seatrout to 8 pounds, and a few redfish, but no trophy snook. “Let’s get in deep,” said Rush as he pointed the bow toward the tannic waters and winding coves of Punta Blanca Island. “Trophy snook need hard tides where the bait flushes out. The big ones are pretty stationary creatures. Many times they only move a hundred yards back and forth from their haunt, and they can be lazy, so you have to go to them.” Rush put down the Power-Pole so we could cherry-pick the fishy-looking nooks and crannies in the mangroves to pitch our baits into. Rush only uses 15-pound braid, and the light line lets him set up shop a safe distance away, where his anglers remain undetected but are still able to reach likely fish hangouts with long casts. “Snook stay tight to the roots, and your cast landing just a foot short often means your bait won’t get hit,” he said. “Big snook are very particular. They see it all, and if you don’t convince them on the first shot, you may not have another chance to change their minds.”
CAPE SABLE
EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK
Gulf Snook Territory Originally found mostly in the southern half of Florida, the snook population has steadily expanded its boundaries northward. Along the Gulf Coast of the Sunshine State, the fish currently thrive from Cape Sable in Everglades National Park to as far north as the Crystal River area.
Only minutes after Wagner busted of the big 20-pounder, sweet justice made a rare appearance. Rush was on and buttoned up tight, and his snook was serious game. After a long, nerve-racking moment, Wagner leaned over the gunwale, grabbed the lower jaw of the 23-pound linesider, and bear-hugged it into the boat. “This one ain’t gettin’ away!” he declared, just before Rush held it up for a couple of photos and gently returned the Gulf Coast beauty to the water for release. Time to celebrate with high-fives.
THE DAY’S BIG CATCH SHOULD BE YOUR ONLY FOCUS
ÃÕÀ> Vi V ÛiÀ>}i Ì À Õ} >Ì1°-° > ià v À > }Ài>Ì ÃÌ>ÀÌ Ì Ü >Ì V Õ ` Li > i« V `>Þ v wà }° 7i provide coverage for the things that are important to you...your boat, engine and equipment. Our policies are designed with coverages custom-made for Anglers and include 24/7 claims service from boating experts. Agreed Value Coverage for Your Boat, Engine(s) and Boating Equipment • Broad Cruising Areas Charter and Guide Coverage Options Available • Coverage for Fishing Gear • Tournament Coverage
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Boat Test / Boston Whaler 230 Outrage
Boston Whaler 230 Outrage A SMALL CENTER CONSOLE WITH A BIG ATTITUDE BY ALEX SUESCUN
B LENGTH: 23' WEIGHT: 3,800 lb.
Boston Whaler, the legendary builder that gained early fame with its unsinkable hulls, continues refining and expanding its popular Outrage series, adding a new 23-foot model thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s both a looker at the dock and a solid performer on the water.
BEAM: 8'6" MAX HP: 350
74 SALTWATERSPORTSMAN.COM - MARCH 2017
DRAFT: 18.5"
FUEL: 110 gal.
PRICE: $88,894 w/ 225 Verado
DEADRISE: 21 degrees
BOSTON WHALER: bostonwhaler.com
TEST CONDITIONS
WEATHER: Partly sunny and windy LOCATION: Captiva, Florida WIND: South 17 knots SEA STATE: 3- to 4-foot chop TEST LOAD: Three adults, 52 gallons of fuel
A removable pedestal table and seating at the bow let the crew enjoy drinks or lunch alfresco.
The roomy dash houses a pair of large displays, plus gauges, a stereo and more.
A counter nestled in the helmseat backrest folds down to enable food or bait prep.
A livewell with calming blue interior and clear lid rests in the transom, to port.
MARCH 2017 - SALTWATERSPORTSMAN.COM 75
Boat Test / Boston Whaler 230 Outrage The 230 Outrage boasts a deep-V hull designed to cut through the waves and incorporates full-length lifting strakes plus substantial flair at the bow to keep spray in check. Roominess on board, a concern on most 23-footers, was expanded by pushing the coaming around the bow farther outboard, a move that helped maximize not just space throughout but also seating and legroom. This new center console balances comfort and fishability smartly, featuring amenities like an in-console head compartment and wraparound forward seating with a cooler underneath that doubles as dry storage, complemented by an optional pedestal table that stores inside the console when not in use. The forward console seat accommodates two and lifts to access ample
storage for personal efects or rain gear. Meanwhile, a larger storage compartment hides in the floor, under a hatch just fore of the console. There are recessed stainless grab rails forward, an anchor roller at the bow, stainless toe rails in the cockpit with downrigger weight holders, and hawsepipes and recessed cleats to keep the covering boards clear of snags. At the helm, a clear acrylic windshield blocks rain and excessive wind, while the dark dash reduces glare, and the intuitive control panel with SmartCraft gauges and Raymarine electronics simplify skipper command and navigation. Hydraulic tilt steering handles prop torque and eliminates direct feedback, and recessed trim tabs instantly adjust for sea conditions or unbalanced weight
distribution for a more stable, eicient and enjoyable ride. The innovative leaning post, exclusive to Whaler, and with a patent pending, gets a big thumbs-up. It starts as a bench-style seat, but the backrest contains a convenient counter that flips down to prepare baits or snacks and easily stows away to regain maximum cockpit space. The backrest also rotates 90 degrees to form an aft-facing seat from which crew members can comfortably keep an eye on the lines. A 54-gallon cooler nestles neatly at the foot of the powder-coated leaning-post frame. Fans of live-baiting should consider upgrading to the fishing leaning post, which includes a 30-gallon livewell, adding to the standard 16-gallon one with clear lid, located on the transom. Twin in-floor fish boxes,
long enough to house sizable wahoo, tuna, dolphin or kingfish, stretch into the cockpit, next to both gunwales. An optional fishing package adds a pump-out feature to the fish boxes; coaming bolsters in the cockpit; a raw-water washdown and vertical rod holders on the transom to supplement the four flush-mounted on the gunwales; racks for four additional outfits under the covering boards; and another four vertical holders at the bow, ideal for anglers up front to keep pitch-bait rods within arm’s reach. At the stern, a bench rises to the occasion, providing rear seating when necessary and folding flat against the transom when fishing begins. A transom door afords access to the integral swim platform with a recessed telescoping swim ladder and simplifies the task of boating large pelagics.
A low-profile windlass, a fiberglass hardtop with overhead storage, a freshwater shower with 20-gallon tank, a lockable glove box with USB charging receptacle, and a portable toilet with overboard discharge are among the other desirable options. Windy conditions got the water more than a little bumpy for our test ride, which began along the Gulf beaches of North Captiva and the Cayo Costa islands, where we clocked at 11 seconds the time it takes the Whaler to go from zero to 30 mph, and quickly moved to Pine Island Sound, where we put the 23-footer through its paces in a still-significant chop, but without needing dental work afterward. At 4,000 rpm with a following sea, the Outrage cruised smoothly from wave
peak to wave peak, as if connecting the dots. Turning to face the wind, it took only 500 rpm more to repeat the feat without pounding or excessive spray. Shortly after, we got some serious air when a rogue wave launched the Outrage well clear of the surface. I’m happy to report the landing was considerably softer than I had anticipated. I braced for a big blow that never happened. The boat’s turning radius also proved impressive, making it a cinch to execute tight turns at a range of speeds. With a 300 Verado on the transom, the 230 made good on its promise of quick acceleration — especially above cruising speed, where the boat becomes most agile — and reached 50 mph (Mercury reported it exceeded 52 mph wide open during performance tests)
despite the severely rumpled waters in the sound. Boston Whaler’s cathedral hulls of yesteryear had their moment, yet I rode plenty, and testing the latest Outrage reiterated how much better today’s models are in both construction and design. But don’t just take my word for it. If you are in the market for a seaworthy center console under 25 feet that’s comfortable, fun to ride, ready to fish, and bound to retain great resale value, don’t overlook the new 230.
PERFORMANCE PEP APLENTY Pushed by a Mercury 300 Verado, the Boston Whaler 230 Outrage has no trouble reaching 50 mph at wideopen throttle.
RPM MPH GPH 4,000 28.1 10.2 4,500 34.7 13.2 5,000 39.1 16.8 5,500 43.3 22.6 6,350 52.1 29.6 w/ Mercury 300 Verado
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Boat Test / Contender 39 FA
Contender 39 FA READY FOR OVERNIGHTS, BUILT FOR 360-DEGREE FISHABILITY BY KARL ANDERSON
F LENGTH: 39' WEIGHT: 15,000 lb.
For over 30 years, wherever there’s been an offshore fishing tournament, you can bet Contender boats were on the scene. From the pro kingfish tours to the sailfish circuit, many of the top teams and captains wouldn’t dream of fishing aboard anything else.
BEAM: 10'10" MAX HP: 1,600
78 SALTWATERSPORTSMAN.COM - MARCH 2017
DRAFT: 24"
FUEL: 500 gal.
PRICE: $449,187 w/ triple Yamaha F350s
WATER: 60 gal.
CONTENDER BOATS: contenderboats.com
TEST CONDITIONS
WEATHER: Cloudy and gusty LOCATION: Key Largo, Florida WIND: ENE 10 to 18 knots SEA STATE: 2- to 4-foot chop TEST LOAD: Three people, 275 gallons of fuel, 60 gallons of water
Spacious console, set to starboard of the cabin entry, accommodates twin MFDs.
Leaning post at the helm converts to plush seating, adjustable on electric slides.
Abundant tackle storage and rigging station tuck neatly behind the helm seating.
Removable L-shaped seating in the aft cockpit makes travel time more comfortable.
MARCH 2017 - SALTWATERSPORTSMAN.COM 79
Boat Test / Contender 39 FA
I’ve tested several models over the years, and most recently I got aboard the 39 FA, Contender’s latest and largest Fisharound, to put the sleek, tricked-out 39-footer through its paces on a blustery day in Key Largo, Florida. Like a center console, the Fisharound ofers 360-degree fishability, which is what Contender is all about. However, it also ofers a modest cabin forward
of the integral console, complete with the necessary comforts for anglers who want the flexibility of doing overnight trips and weekend getaways: a fully enclosed head and freshwater shower; a galley with a two-burner cooktop with three storage drawers underneath, an overhead microwave, sink, and two undercounter Isotherm drawers to keep perishables chilled or frozen; and
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ORDINARY GEAR
DIGIGEAR
Size Does Matter. Our new super-sized Digigear is smoother winding and can take the punishment.
a queen berth set up with electric rams that lift it to access the large storage underneath. There’s also perimeter lighting above the bunk, an easily accessible overhead hatch, and a flat-screen TV at the foot of the berth, on the galley wall. A Kohler 5 kW gas generator runs the air conditioning, as well as the refrigeration and cooking appliances. The 39 FA is wired individually, like every Contender, with each wire neatly laid out, combed, tied and easy to trace. The team in charge of electrical even takes time to properly comb and lay out the Yamaha motors’ harnesses so they’re tame and match Contender’s. Back on deck, the console, which sits to starboard of the cabin access, is ergonomically molded for a center-mounted helm. The dash accommodates two large multifunction displays, Yamaha gauges, engine start/ stop station selector, a full switch panel, VHF radios, engine controls, trim-tab switches, plus the binnacle and three stainless drink holders. Our test boat had an optional tower with polycarbonate curtains to enclose the console. There’s a pullout storage bin under the forward seating, and behind the console is a leaning post with three Llebroc helm chairs — on electric slides — with fold-up arms and custom upholstery. The aft side of the leaning post features a full-length storage bin with a lift-up lid that doubles as a rigging station. The lid is carved out to make a well, and there are two tackle drawers under the storage bin, as well as a Frigid-Rigid cooler that slides out with the touch of a button. The test boat was equipped with the optional tower and a second, full helm station with electronics and all the controls necessary to run the boat. Access to the tower is via ladders on both sides of the leaning post. The boat had top-of-the-line Rupp Top Gun radial outriggers and integral antenna-mount stand-ofs. Trailering is not an issue, as the tower fully breaks down and folds away above the hardtop. The test boat also sported an electric windlass inside the anchor locker and a recessed stainless anchor in the bow, a great setup for anyone anchoring to catch bait or spending the night on the hook. There is a single pop-up cleat on the bow, plus recessed handrails and coaming pads in the forward cockpit.
Forward of the cabin, a huge in-floor bin with access hatch serves as either storage or a drop-in livewell, or hosts an electric ram for a lift-up table. The top of the cabin has a sculpted cushion for lounging, as well as a convenient flat section for sitting while drift- or kite-fishing. The cockpit is clean and features two in-deck insulated fish boxes on the outboard sides and a lazarette to access bilge and livewell pumps. There are two 50-gallon livewells on the transom, a transom door and full coaming-pad cushions, and our test boat had removable L-shaped seating in the cockpit. Based on the same high-performance stepped-hull design of the heralded Contender 39 ST, the new 39 FA handles well, carves turns at speed, and
proves stable while both running or drifting. With her 24.5-degree deadrise, she handled the choppy conditions well and kept us dry. Powered by triple Yamaha F350s, it was no trouble to reach 70 mph with three people on board, plus 275 gallons of fuel and 60 gallons of water, while running into a 15- to 18-knot breeze. Her sweet spot was 4,200 rpm, where the Fisharound
made an impressive 46.5 mph while burning 49.9 gph. So, what’s my overall view of the 39 Fisharound? I find the fiberglass work, the hardware, and the fit and finish are all top-notch. And there’s no question that this is a well-rounded boat, ofering a good ride, solid performance, and the excellent fishability we’ve come to expect from Contender.
SPIDERWIRE® STEALTH™
PERFORMANCE LONG RANGER The 500-gallon fuel tank and efficient Yamaha four-strokes afford a 500-mile range at over 46 mph. RPM 4,000 4,500 5,000 5,500 6,000
MPH 44.5 50.5 55.0 62.2 69.8
GPH 42.5 54.6 62.2 88.4 104.2
w/ triple Yamaha F350s
EXTREMELY STRONG EXTREMELY CASTABLE
GO THE DISTANCE WITH STEALTH SMOOTH 8 CARRIER TIGHT-WEAVE BRAID WITH A SUPER SMOOTH, SUPER THIN COATING FOR QUIET AND EFFORTLESS CASTING
SPIDERWIRE.COM
The Traveling Fisherman
82 SALTWATERSPORTSMAN.COM - MARCH 2017
1st CHOICE
2nd CHOICE
COMMENTS
New Zealand
Panama
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Brazil
Bahamas
Australia
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Mexico
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Mexico
Florida
Atlantic Sailfish: 6DLOV DUH Ć&#x201C; QDOO\ DEXQGDQW LQ WKH <XFDWDQ Channel, and the bite turns red hot off Isla Mujeres, Cancun and &R]XPHO )O\ DQJOHUV DQG UHFRUG VHHNHUV ZRQĹ?W Ć&#x201C; QG D EHWWHU SODFH DQG WLPH WR JHW PXOWLSOH VKRWV DW $WODQWLF VDLOV 6RXWK )ORULGD DOVR RIIHUV H[FHOOHQW FKDQFHV WR FDWFK VHYHUDO VDLOV D GD\ WKLV WLPH RI year. Stuart, Palm Beach, Miami and Islamorada are hot spots.
Guatemala
Costa Rica
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Mexico
New Zealand
Striped Marlin: 6DQWD 0DULD DQG 6DQ /XFDV FDQ\RQV DQG *ROGHQ *DWH DQG 6DQ -DLPH EDQNV QHDU &DER 6DQ /XFDV VWLOO offer the best and most accessible angling. But in New Zealand, DQ LQĹ´ X[ RI VWULSHV WKDW EHJLQV EHIRUH WKH QHZ \HDU QRZ UHDFKHV LWV SHDN SURYLGLQJ H[FHOOHQW DFWLRQ HVSHFLDOO\ RII WKH %D\ ,VODQGV ZKLFK RIWHQ SURGXFHV SRXQGHUV
Louisiana
Cayman Islands
Wahoo: 7KH VWULSHG WRUSHGRHV VWDUW VKRZLQJ XS RII 9HQLFH /RXLVLDQD LQ -DQXDU\ DQG FRPH 0DUFK PRVW ERDWV WDUJHWLQJ WKHP ERDW KDOI D GR]HQ RU PRUH LQ WKH WR SRXQG FODVV $QRWKHU reliable wahoo destination this month is the Cayman Islands, ZKHUH WKH Ć&#x201C; VK FRQJUHJDWH DURXQG VHDPRXQWV DQG UHVSRQG ZHOO WR ,ODQGHU OXUHV ULJJHG ZLWK EDOO\KRR WUROOHG DW NQRWV RU IDVWHU
North Carolina
Louisiana
Yellowfin Tuna: <RXĹ?OO VHH ORWV RI WR SRXQGHUV RII North Carolinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Outer Banks this month, when they become the PDLQ WDUJHW IRU ERDWV RXW RI +DWWHUDV DQG 2UHJRQ ,QOHW <HOORZĆ&#x201C; Q DFWLRQ VWD\V VWURQJ RII 9HQLFH /RXLVLDQD ZLWK ODUJH Ć&#x201C; VK Ĺ&#x2039; VRPH RI ZKLFK H[FHHG SRXQGV Ĺ&#x2039; KDQJLQJ DURXQG WKH IDPRXV /XPSV and smaller schoolies spread widely throughout the region.
Florida
Louisiana
Blackfin Tuna: 'ULIWLQJ OLYH\V DORQJ WKH VORSHV RI PDMRU SLQQDFOHV HDVW RI WKH )ORULGD .H\V LV TXLFNO\ FOLPELQJ WKH ODGGHU EXW FKXPPLQJ DQG FKXQNLQJ RU OLYH EDLWLQJ QHDU VKULPS ERDWV DQFKRUHG RII 6RXWK )ORULGDĹ?V *XOI FRDVW LV VWLOO WKH KRWWHVW RSWLRQ IRU KHIW\ EODFNĆ&#x201C; QV )LVKLQJ WKH VKULPS ERDWV DOVR SURGXFHV ZHOO RII VRXWKHDVW /RXLVLDQD
Atlantic Blue Marlin: 2II &DQDYLHLUDV %UD]LO EOXH PDUOLQ GHFUHDVH LQ QXPEHUV EXW LQFUHDVH LQ VL]H LQ IDFW FKDQFHV WR KRRN XS ZLWK Ć&#x201C; VK RYHU SRXQGV JR ZD\ XS WKLV WLPH RI \HDU 3HDN blue marlin season is still a few weeks away in the Bahamas, but WKH ODWWHU SDUW RI WKH PRQWK VKRXOG SURYLGH VRPH FKDQFHV IRU anglers trolling the edge of the Gulf Stream, near Bimini.
Š D I A N E R O M E P E E B L ES
SPECIES
BEST WORLDWIDE FISHING: MARCH 2017
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1st CHOICE
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COMMENTS
Bahamas
Mexico
Bonefish: $V ZLQWHU EHJLQV WR \LHOG WR VSULQJ WUHQGV ERQHĆ&#x201C; VK LQ WKH %DKDPDV VSHQG PRUH WLPH RQ WKH Ĺ´ DWV EXW QRW IDU IURP deeper water. Anglers searching along channel edges this month VWLOO Ć&#x201C; QG VFKRROV RI Ć&#x201C; VK PXGGLQJ DQG D IHZ WURSKLHV FUHHSLQJ DORQJ LQ VLQJOHV DQG SDLUV %RQHV UHPDLQ DFWLYH LQ DOO WKH PDMRU bays of the southern Yucatan, and many also feed along the surf.
Florida
Costa Rica
Snook: )ORULGD UHPDLQV WKH WRS GHVWLQDWLRQ IRU DQJOHUV ORRNLQJ WR SLFN D Ć&#x201C; JKW ZLWK OLQHVLGHUV ,I WHPSV ZDUP XS TXLFNO\ WKLV PRQWK PDQ\ Ć&#x201C; VK ZLOO VWDUW PRYLQJ RXW RI ZLQWHULQJ VSRWV steadily getting closer to open water. In Costa Rica, large snook FRQWLQXH WR FRQJUHJDWH LQ 3DFLĆ&#x201C; F ULYHU PRXWKV DQG DGMDFHQW EHDFKHV IURP MXVW QRUWK RI 4XHSRV WR WKH 3DQDPD ERUGHU
Florida
Puerto Rico
Tarpon: $V )ORULGD ZDWHUV ZDUP XS ELJ WDUSRQ WULFNOH LQWR /RZHU .H\V EDVLQV ZKHUH DQJOHUV IHHG Ĺ´ LHV RU OLYH FUDEV WR ODLG XS VLQJOHV DQG VPDOO SDFNV FUXLVLQJ Ĺ´ DWV HGJHV DQG FKDQQHOV 1XPEHUV EXLOG XS LQ WKH (YHUJODGHV SURYLGLQJ JUHDW VSRUW IRU SOXJ DQG Ĺ´ \ DQJOHUV And urban lagoons in San Juan, Puerto Rico, still offer excellent DFWLRQ ZLWK WR SRXQG WDUSRQ SOXV D IHZ SRXQGHUV
Belize
Florida
Permit: 7KH Ĺ´ DWV RI VRXWKHUQ %HOL]H DIIRUG YLVLWLQJ DQJOHUV WKH most shots at cruising and tailing permit, including many in WKH WR SRXQG FODVV DQG D IHZ PRQVWHUV ELJJHU WKDQ WKDW ,Q 6RXWK )ORULGD ZLQG\ FRQGLWLRQV DOORZ DQJOHUV WR JHW ZLWKLQ UDQJH RI SHUPLW IRUDJLQJ LQ WKH VKDOORZV %LVFD\QH %D\ DQG WKH /RZHU .H\V IURP %LJ 3LQH .H\ WR WKH 0DUTXHVDV DUH WRS DUHDV
Louisiana
Texas
Red Drum: 6FKRROV RI EXOO UHGV FRQWLQXH WR JUDYLWDWH WRZDUG Breton Island, the Chandeleurs, and other outer islands and shoals DORQJ VRXWKHDVW /RXLVLDQDĹ?V FRDVW $FWLRQ ZLWK WR SRXQGHUV LP SURYHV LQ WKH PDUVKHV IURP /DNH %RUJQH QHDU 1HZ 2UOHDQV GRZQ to Port Aransas, Texas. The presence of tailers increases in Matagorda DQG /DJXQD 0DGUH HVSHFLDOO\ ZLWKLQ \DUGV RI WKH ,&:
California
Maryland
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Florida
Mexico
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Florida
North Carolina
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Florida
Seatrout: March is still a top month for trophy trout in /RXLVLDQD 6KHOWHUHG DUHDV ZLWK JRRG WLGDO Ĺ´ RZ DQG DEXQGDQW forage are prime spots, and such places abound throughout the UHJLRQ )RU IDVWHU DFWLRQ ZLWK NHHSHU Ć&#x201C; VK WU\ VKDOORZ RLO ULJV RU ORRN IRU ELUG DFWLYLW\ LQ RSHQ ZDWHU 1RUWKHDVW DQG FHQWUDO )ORULGD also produce gator trout, and now many hunt extremely shallow.
Panama
Mexico
Dolphin: Dorado are plentiful for at least another month off 3DQDPDĹ?V 3DFLĆ&#x201C; F FRDVW ZKHUH VFKRROLHV DUH VRPHWLPHV KRRNHG E\ ERDWV WUROOLQJ VPDOO MLJV DQG VSRRQV WR SURFXUH OLYH EDLW DV FORVH DV \DUGV IURP WKH URFN\ FRDVWOLQH )DUWKHU RIIVKRUH EXOOV RI WR SRXQGV RIWHQ LQWHUFHSW ELOOĆ&#x201C; VK EDLWV 7KH GROSKLQ Ć&#x201C; VKLQJ LPSURYHV VWHDGLO\ RII 0H[LFRĹ?V ZHVW FRDVW WKLV WLPH RI \HDU
MARCH 2017 - SALTWATERSPORTSMAN.COM 83
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Backcast
ILLUSTRATION BY STEVE HAEFELE
Pay to Play S OM E T I M ES P L AN B SAV ES THE DAY. BY DOUG PIKE
The fall spawning run of giant red drum along the Texas Gulf coast has been a big deal since the invention of fishhooks. This past fall, campaign veterans Nate and Jason invited rookie Chad for a nighttime sampling of that big deal on Galveston’s 91st Street Pier. They met a little early, as avid fishermen often do, loaded rods, reels, hooks, leaders and sinkers, and rolled out. Nate and Jason were dead set on using live shrimp for bait, and reasoned it was better to have way too many than one too few. They settled on three quarts — at $20 each — and picked them up from a trusted bait stand on the island. As backup, with no true intention of needing it, they added 10 pounds of
fresh-dead menhaden. Between bait camp and boardwalk, rookie Chad raised a good question. Why, he wondered, wasn’t that bubbler thing on the shrimp bucket making any noise? Jason gasped. Nate went pale. Live shrimp won’t stay that way long without oxygen, and their high-dollar aeration system wasn’t producing any “aer.” Blip. Blip. Blip. Blip. Beeeep. The first shrimp had flatlined. More shrimp certainly would join it, in those familiar death curls on their sides at the bottom of the bucket, if they didn’t get air soon.
90 SALTWATERSPORTSMAN.COM - MARCH 2017
Nate detoured to the local Wal-Mart — they’re everywhere, aren’t they? — intent on splitting a threeway tab for a new aerator, a large ice chest to better accommodate the precious cargo, and some extra beer to ease the tension. The pit stop racked up another $150 and nearly two hours to rerig everything under seawall streetlights. There were casualties in the bucket, they confirmed during transfer of the shrimp into their new digs, but most had survived and now swam comfortably thanks to the new high-volume air carrier. Nate and Jason loaded the
wagon with rods, ice chests, functioning aeration system and tackle boxes, and then instructed Chad to grab the handle and follow. The trio stepped onto a pier lined with tackle and tacklers being tested by huge drum. To their left and their right, fishermen clung tightly to long, thick rods bent nearly double. This night, they knew with certainty, was going to be a good one. And it was, after 30 minutes of stubborn futility. Those live shrimp, the ones in which the men were so heavily invested, didn’t draw a nibble, not even from a hardhead catfish. (My guess is that the reds already had killed and swallowed every fish that might have eaten a shrimp.) “The shad,” Chad humbly suggested, using the Texas synonym for “menhaden” as other anglers’ reels continued to scream. “Maybe we should try the shad.” And they did, and soon found themselves sore shoulders deep in hard fights with big fish. After they flipped to cut bait, Nate, Jason and Chad teamed to catch more than 20 monster red drum, and then unanimously hollered uncle. They’d had enough. “What are we going to do with all these shrimp?” Chad asked. “We’ll set them free,” Nate said. “They earned it.” “I want my 75 bucks back,” said Chad. “Grab the other side of the ice chest,” said Nate. The Gulf of Mexico was alive that night with aggressive, hungry drum. “This is your lucky night, boys,” Nate said as he tilted the cooler and spilled its contents gently into the moonlit water. “Keep your heads down, and good luck.”
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