March 2016 Angler Magazine

2016

issue #3

march

LOST BOYS DO IT AGAIN!

LOST BOYS BAG SBC TOP SPOT AT STOCK ISLAND

STANMAN

IS THE MAN!

BOAT SHOWS

ARE BACK! POUND OF FLESH UNDER ARMOUR MISS 1ST PLACE BY HALF A POUND, TAKE 2ND IN OPEN CLASS

BADA BING LANDS 2ND IN SBC

PRO PROFILE :

JEFFERY DUNBAR

NEW

SOUTHERN KINGFISH ASSOCIATION

US POSTAGE PAID TAMPA, FL PERMIT NO. 2397 PRESORTED STANDARD

CHRISTOPHER SPRAGUE

4404 N TAMIAMI TRAIL SARASOTA, FL 34234

JUNIOR SPOTLIGHT

Time to make the play.

Coaches always barked, “keep the play in front of you.”

Didn’t matter what sport. I still try to keep it all in front of me. So I see and control everything – charts, radar, all my sonars, including CHIRP and scanning, even my music (gotta have tunes) – at my Garmin helm. One fully networked team working together to catch fish.

Feels good to be part of a team. Even when I’m out here by myself.

IT’S YOUR TIME.

G PSMAP 76 00 XSV ser i es ®

Garmin.com

© 2016 Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries

Roll with the Best!

“Launch and Load like a Pro”

813.689.3096

10105 Cedar Run • Tampa, Florida 33619 • www.loadmastertrailer.com

03.2016 on the

cover

Lost Boys do it again LOST BOYS BAG TOP SMALL BOAT AT STOCK ISLAND

10

POUND OF FLESH

UNDER ARMOUR MISSES 1ST PLACE BY HALF A POUND

F E AT U R E D T O U R N A M E N T

BADA BING LANDS 2ND

10

IN SMALL BOAT CLASS

boat show

STOCK ISLAND MARINA VILLAGE KMT 20th Annual Stock Island KMT a Smashing Success Despite Inclement Weather

s e a s o n

16

Abounds With Opportunities

18

pro-profile jeffery dunbar

2

Angler 03.2016

columns

05

the legend of stanman SKA Hall of Fame Member & Hardcore Competitor at 79!

BY GARY CAPUTI

22

little bites Junior Angler Spotlight and kid's section.

This month features Christopher Sprague ofTeam Tuppens.

8 SKA Membership 20 Mercury Trail Schedule

26 Gears&Gadgets 31 Points 34 member2member advertising 36 Corporate Partners

Angler

Official Publication of the Southern Kingfish Association

FROM THE HELM

by PATRICK FARRELL

CORPORATE OFFICES 4404 N. Tamiami Trail Sarasota, FL 34234 Phone | 1-800-852-6262 Fax | 941-360-6888 www.FishSKA.com Editor Patrick Farrell patrick@fishska.com Magazine Director Caley Curchy anglerpages@fishska.com Director of Operations Jim Butler jim@fishska.com Director of Communications Erin Henshaw erin@fishska.com Program Relations David Worsham david@fishska.com Contributing Editors Meeka Anne David A. Brown Gary Caputi John Minetola CORRECTIONS TO FEBRUARY ISSUE 24th Annual Fall Suncoast Kingfish Classic Recap (pg. 30) The division of the tournament was Division 6. The payout was $50,000 (not $70,000).

And the largest kingfish caught was 34.12 lbs.

Contributions: Angler magazine welcomes stories, art, and photos.

SKA will consider, but assumes no responsibility for, unsolicited proposals, manuscripts, and photographs; all such material not accompanied by self addressed stamped envelopes will not be returned, SKA retains reprint rights for resale, republication. Copyright 2015. Angler magazine is mailed to members of the Southern Kingfish Association and is paid for in part by the yearly association dues.

MIAMI SHOWS HER STUFF

T

he glitz and glamour of Miami was on full display this year at the Miami International Boat Show. Taking a look around at all the incredible displays out there, there is no doubt the boating industry is back.

As we tooled around the new layout on Virginia Key, it was great to see many familiar faces and meet some new ones as well. The weather was great and both buyers and sellers seemed upbeat. From a sales standpoint, it sounds like the show was a huge success according to the NMMA. However, for those of you who went, you no doubt spent some time in the traffic and long lines (my Uber could have bought a boat). But, if you survived the traffic it was, and is always, a great event.

Speaking of events, a big thanks goes to our friends at the Stock Island Marina Village for hosting the first SKA event of the 2016 season. Although the sporty conditions made it tough to land some fish, SKA members made a strong showing. More on that in the pages ahead. Great job, guys.

Bonefish Boatworks' Bohemian 17’

A BIG WELCOME ABOARD TO OUR NEW CORPORATE PARTNERS: Bonefish Boatworks LLC: Founded in 2011, Bonefish boats are sleek looking fishing boats that work as good as they look. For the 2016 Mercury Tournament Trail, they will be giving away an awesome Bohemian 17’ for the Single Engine Class Champion. This is an incredible prize for the class.

Check out the boat above and also be sure to visit bonefishboats.com.

With the addition of Bonefish Boats, as well as Sea Pro Boats, the trail now has a prize for both Small Boat and Single Engine classes. More to come for the Open Class.

Sweetwater Brewing Company: Welcome aboard the Official Craft Beer of the SKA! Founded in Atlanta in 1997, this company is serious about its brews.

With enough capacity to brew 400,000 barrels a year, rest assured they’ll be enough to quench your thirst. Look for Sweetwater at our upcoming events.

Strike-Zone Fishing: The SKA is thrilled to announce our renewed partnership with Strike-Zone Fishing. Owned by three time SKA Angler of the Year Dave Workman Jr., this fishing megastore is the place to go for all your fishing, hunting, and outdoor needs. Check out one of their 2 locations (Jacksonville, FL or Melbourne, FL) or visit them online at strike-zonefishing.com.

Well, that’s all for now. The SKA crew is working hard to help bring more value to your membership. See above for a few of the newest partners to come on board for 2016. With the season almost upon us, we are getting the final things in place to help make this a terrific year. Tight lines everyone, stay safe, and good luck!

Here’s to your Success,

Angler 03.2016

3

TGHEEND LE OF

STANMAN

by GARY CAPUTI

SKA HALL OF FAME MEMBER & HARDCORE COMPETITOR

AT 79!

Y

ou’d never know Stan Jarusinski was about to become an octogenarian by looking at him. He’s active, lean and in excellent health. He is a member of the SKA Hall of Fame and a competition member gearing up to fish in Divisions 4 and 5 this year. And please, don’t go calling him a “senior angler” even though his age more than qualifies him for that honor. Stan doesn’t just ride along as an angler, he’s still captaining competition boats, running them as hard as any of the younger guys and soaking up poundings that would leave most anglers over 50 wishing they had stayed back at the dock. And he does it in the small boat class just to make it that much more physically demanding!

But Stan has always been aggressively competitive regardless of what he’s involved in and going fast in boats has been in his blood since he was a young man.

Born in Chester, Pennsylvania in 1936 Stan told me that when people ask him how old he is he tells them, “I’m about 25 mentally, 45 physically and chronologically is none of your business!”

When I asked him how a guy from Pennsylvania got into competitive fishing he told me his life has always revolved around boats and fishing from the time he was a kid and that fishing took an even more prominent role in his life after marrying his wife, Barb. “We were always planning fishing trips someplace and more so when our kids came along.”

Stan grew up on the banks of the Delaware River.

His first boat was a wood rowboat he found along the banks of the river. It was sunk in a few feet of water so he pulled up onto the beach and went about making it usable again by plugging the holes and sealing it with hot tar. He christened it the Hotsy Totsy and was boating at the age of 12.

Number two was his first experience with a power boat. This boat was a kit he built with his father that they powered with a massive 7-1/2 HP Scott/ Attwater outboard. His first introduction to ocean fishing was when his dad took him on a head boat out of Atlantic City. They filled canvas ice bags full

Angler 03.2016

5

of porgies and when the fishing slowed down he learned about seasickness. On a trip to Delaware Bay for weakfish he got seasick again, “But my dad let me lay in the bottom of the rowboat while he kept fishing,” Stan said. “He told me I would be fine when we got back to shore and that I would never get seasick again. And I didn’t!”

“When I got my first bicycle I started fishing for largemouth bass in local ponds,” Stan continued the saga. “Fishing kept me from getting into trouble. I was hanging around with a bad crowd and some of them ended up in jail or worse. An older gentleman by the name of Steve Gombaski, everyone called him Stoch, took me under his wing and we did a lot of carp fishing together. When I was 17, I met Steve Hudak.

Who was into saltwater fishing in a big way and, after he got to know me, eventually asked me to go fishing with him. On one of those trips, this one out of Ocean City, Maryland, I caught my first marlin” Stan was bitten by the saltwater fishing bug hard and he started fishing Delaware Bay for weakfish, black drum, flounder and stripers regularly. His first solid saltwater boat was a 25’ Chris Craft lap strake dory with a Chevy V8.

He went through a few Starcraft aluminum boats before purchasing an 18’ Biddison with a 150 hp outboard in 1985.

“Barb and I used that boat to fish for stripers in the Chesapeake Bay with my son Rob,” Stan reminisced. “He learned to walk on that boat.” At the time Stan was doing investigative work for insurance companies handling things like insurance fraud cases. The job eventually took him to Wilmington, Delaware where he worked a lot along the Eastern Shore area where he discovered lots of great places to fish in his travels.

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Angler 03.2016

“I’M ABOUT 25 MENTALLY, 45 PHYSICALLY AND CHRONOLOGICALLY IS NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!”

Boats weren’t just for fishing with Stan. He liked fast boats and got into building and racing utility skiffs in races sanctioned by the American Power Boat Association.

They were small, outboard-powered boats that were little more than surfboards with engines, very quick and very squirrelly to drive. Racing was where he picked up the nickname Stanman that has stuck with him to this day. “After a race one of the guys said I was, ‘Stan the man,’ but I thought he said Stanman. I sort of liked it and painted it on the side of my race boat. Whether I was racing or fishing competitively I was Stanman from then on.”

In July of 1995, the family moved to Swansboro, North Carolina and a new fish found its way onto Stan’s radar screen—king mackerel. “I’d heard about king mackerel tournaments and thought that competing would be a lot of fun,” he said. “I stopped by and spoke with some tournament guys about getting involved, but they wouldn’t give me the time of day. A year or two later I was in Key West and there was an SKA tournament going on. I met Jack Holmes and got into a conversation with him about how the tournaments were set up and run. I gave him my take on it telling him I didn’t think it was right having the pros fished against the locals. He was of a different opinion and he basically told me, ‘Well, if you don’t like the way the trail is set up, don’t

TOP LEFT: No matter what the weather and sea conditions are when it comes to competition count Stan in. He runs hard and fishes hard because he just doesn’t know how to do it any other way.

TOP RIGHT: Stan has been featured in a number of educational articles in Angler and on his website where he loves passing along the knowledge he has gained over the years. Most recently he taught up his techniques for making composite rigs using titanium cable and wire.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> join.’ That was Jack Holmes, but within a few years we’d become good friends.”

Stan purchased a 23 Regulator with a 250 Yamaha in 1999 from 70 West Marina in Morehead City and told the owner he liked to fish competitively. The dealer was holding a local kingfish tournament, he entered and the rest is history. In a short time he was fishing SKA events in the North Carolina Division and he was doing quite well at it. He took second place in the second SKA sanctioned event he ever entered and was approached by Yamaha with a sponsorship offer. That started a long term relationship with the engine company that is still going strong today. In 2002 Team Stanman won the US Angler Championship; in 2005 his team won the SKA Nationals; in 2007 he was inducted into the SKA Hall of Fame. There have been many other wins and many more accolades with more to come.

In 2016 Stan will be running David Albritton’s Yamaha-powered Contender in the small boat class in Divisions 4 and 5 and the beat goes on.

The thing that many of you, myself included, find amazing about Stan is how he keeps in such great condition and I made sure we discussed it during my visit to his home in St. Lucie, Florida.

“I’ve been lucky to have never been fat, but I guess that goes with the fact that I live a very active lifestyle,” he told me. “I am always doing something—boating, fishing, I used to raise beagles and train them for hunting and competition. If you can believe it, within a few years of getting into it

mis t er

stANMAN

my dogs won trophies in field trials all over the country and one even won the Purina Beagle of the Year beating out thousands of entries. Whatever I get involved in for fun quickly transitions into competition. I played basketball until I was 70, fast-pitch softball for years and never batted under 500 and even though I am small was pretty good at football for a lot of years.”

Stan never had any significant health problems until he had a minor heart attack in 2004 and ended up going in for triple bypass surgery. His cholesterol was high, the cause was probably hereditary, but whatever, he was sidelined for a very short time.

“I was in the hospital for five days after the surgery and all the while I was planning out how I was going to win the SKA Nationals the following year,” he said. “And I did! I remember telling one

of the nurses who liked fishing that I wanted to learn how to throw a 12-foot cast net. She thought I was crazy, went home and told her husband, who was into fishing and had heard of my exploits. I went to rehab and then to the gym on my own. I put myself on a healthier path and never stopped the regimen. I was already pretty strong, but I still work out several times a week to stay toned and limber. Weight management is critical to staying active and healthy!”

Stan’s wife Barb is a big believer in eating a healthy diet and helps him maintain his goals. “We eat very small amounts of meat, mostly chicken and lean pork, lots of fresh vegetables and fruit, and supplements,” she told me. They take Mega EFA omega 3 and 6 to help control cholesterol and for heart and joint health, also hyaluronic acid, glucosamine/chondroitin/MSM, and CoQ10.

Stan walks a brisk 1-1/2 to 2 miles every day, lifts weights, mostly on machines at the gym, and does a lot of work on his abs and core muscles, which is important for keeping back issues at bay.

It seems like good advice from a couple who are living the good life long after most people their age have become couch potatoes or are getting around on electric scooters. I know one thing, Stanman is my hero and he keeps me striving to stay in good shape so I can still be doing what I love when I get to be his age—fish!

TOP RIGHT: Stan has been associated with Yamaha from the first year he fished the SKA and dresses accordingly.

BOTTOM LEFT: As you can see, the Mr. Stanman nickname goes back to his younger days when he was racing utility skiffs and hydroplane boats in events sanctioned by the American Power Boat Association.

Angler 03.2016

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JOIN. FISH.

WIN. Whether you’re a first timer, ready to jump in or a seasoned veteran renewing for another fin-tastic year, the time to sign up is NOW! Visit www.fishska.com and click on the “Join Now” link.

SEE YOU ON THE TRAIL!

8

www.fishska.com Angler 03.2016

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DIV.

feature tourney

10

STOCK ISLAND MARINA VILLAGE KMT

{ location} Stock Island Marina Village, FL

{ dates} Jan. 22-24, 2016

The SKA’s UNDER ARMOUR FISHING TEAM just barely missed 1st with a 39.8.

20th Annual Stock Island KMT a Smashing Success Despite Inclement Weather 10

Angler 03.2016

by MEEKA ANNE

Things did not look good for the 20th Annual Key West KMT, as the weather forecast was formidable. Yet, 51 optimistic teams showed up for the Friday night captain’s meeting on January 22. The tournament was slated to be two full fishing days, January 23-24. It was up to tournament director, Lee Murray to make the call to go forward or cancel. It turned out he had good instincts. He cancelled Saturday fishing, but kept the tournament alive with a full day of fishing on Sunday. The seas on Saturday were brutal, with reported 16 feet waves. As it turned out, the weather Sunday was good enough to provide respectable results for some teams.

Tournament director, Lee Murray threw some spice into the pot for the 20-year anniversary of the Stock Island KMT. Key West is known to grow some big fish, and a record king was caught here last year, weighing in at 78.66. Murray offered up 25,000.00 to anyone that could beat that record.

Now, that’s some inspiration. However, conditions were not conducive for a record fish this year.

STRICTLY FISHING’s Peter Weisberg, Robert Weisberg, Freddy Rodriguez and Jeff Zebrasky with a 27.37.

RIGHT

TEAM TUPPENS/ GARMIN - Steve Sprague, Billy Brodbeck, James Gilchrist, Jason Phillips and Christopher Sprague with their 31.60 lb. catch.

LEFT

TOP

SKA teams dominated the tournament and took home five of the top seven spots. Even though the winning fish of 40.37 went to Miller Tyme, SKA Captain Arik Bergerman was a close second with a 39.81.

TOOL TIME on their Yellowfin powered by Yamaha with a 26.51 lb. catch.

About the day, Arik said, “There were 10 ft. seas everywhere and very muddy water. The exact opposite of what kingfish like. In order to find that fish, we had to run 95 miles into the Gulf of Mexico. Having the advantage with a 39’ Yellowfin powered by Mercury quad 350’s, we were able to push through the conditions to make it to the promised land.”

The prize king was caught by Seth Fundt and his brother Jordan Fundt gaffed the fish. This makes two years in a row, Captain Arik placed in this tournament, so taking top SKA team this year was very exciting. He said, “I’m fortunate to have a great team who is willing to practice like any other professional sport to get the results needed to win.”

Angler 03.2016

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Team Tuppens was next in line with a double delight. Not only did this team win 4th overall and 3rd SKA, Captain Steve Sprague’s 11-year old son Christopher also won the top junior angler. Steve said, “We spent most of the day running. We went to our first spot 43 miles from Key West and quickly realized there were no fish there. Water was very cold and cloudy.” Finally, they made the decision to go towards some warmer water to the west even though it was 6-10 foot seas, they knew their Jupiter 38’ could do it.

About the catch, Steve said, “We could see the temperature break

in the water and as we got closer we could see the water go from milky color to blue. Not long after we passed into the blue water, fish on!!” The 31.60 was caught

by James Gilchrist and gaffed by Billy Brodbeck.

Steve’s motto is we will always put in 100% effort from start to finish. He said, “Win or lose, we enjoy our time on the water with family and friends.

Captain Sprague and his team want to thank Tuppens Marine & Tackle, Jupiter Marine, Yamaha, Garmin, Loadmaster, Fusion, AFW, and High Seas.

NOTE: In regards to points on the Mercury Trail the Lost Boys Fishing Team was the Top Small Boat and Bada Bing took 2nd place at Stock Island. The tournament directors allowed Lost Boys to move up into the Open Class to win more cash and prizes, which in turn allowed Bada Bing to claim Top Small Boat at the tournament (for cash and prizes).

Small Boat Class winner, LOST BOYS FISHING TEAM on their Island Runner powered by Mercury.

BADA BING’s Sammy Papia, Christopher Joiner and Eric Sidor snagged a 11.89 to catch 2nd place in the Small Boat Class.

STANDINGS TEAM

BOAT/MOTOR

TEAM MEMBERS

1. Miller Tyme

Captain Bergerman wants to thank Under Armour, Yellowfin Yachts, Mercury Marine, First Choice Marine, Cannon Downriggers, Sign Zoo, Dogfish Tackle, Cuda Brand Tools, Mako Trailers, Shimano, Rigid Industries and Oakley Fish.

Captain Rich Cook powering a 26’ Island Runner proved a small boat can do the big job and hauled in a 33.52. This is one of the favorite tournaments of the year for this team, so they got there early and did their bait fishing on Thursday morning. Rich said, “On Sunday, we headed to our spot, which due to conditions took over two hours. The water quality was not good, and the closer we got, it didn’t get any better.” Finally, they did try the spot, but with no luck so the team decided to head back towards Key West. Rich said, “We passed Cosgrove shoal and as we arrived at the end of the bar, the water quality was a little better. We stopped and deployed our spread and no time we were getting hits on runners on top. After a second pass, our king hit a ribbon on the downrigger. Andrew Pepsny grabbed the gaff and the fish was in the boat. He wasn’t a monster, but after listening to all the chatter on the VHF, we thought we may be in the money.” It turns out he was right, and Lost Boys pulled in 3rd place overall and 2nd SKA team.

Rich wants to thank Lee Murray and Murray Marine, as well as everyone at the Stock Island Marina for making them feel at home. He also wants to thank Andy at X-Generation custom rods, Mercury Marine, and Power Plus Marine in West Palm Beach. And finally a shout out to Terry McCray and his son Ryan aboard the All In.

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Angler 03.2016

2. UNDER ARMOUR FISHING TEAM 3. TEAM TUPPENS/ GARMIN

LBS.

40.37 Yellowfin / Mercury Jupiter / Yamaha

Arik Bergerman, Randy Keys, Daniel Hamilton, Seth Funt, Jordan Funt

39.81

Steve Sprague, Billy Brodbeck, James Gilchrist, Jason Phillips, Christopher Sprague

31.60

4. Reel Fresh

28.00

5. STRICTLY FISHING

Contender / Mercury

Peter Weisberg, Robert Weisberg, Freddy Rodriguez, Jeff Zebrasky

27.37

6. TOOL TIME

Yellowfin / Yamaha

Eric Myers, Noah Alexander Myers, David Haynes, Jr.

26.51

7. UNLIMITED TITO'S

Blackfin / Yamaha

John Jackson, John Mitchell, Jonathan Wright

25.05

8. Lion's Share

24.00

9. AUGGY ONE

Contender / Mercury

Marcus Davila, Wayne Davila Jr., Wayne Davila Sr.

23.82

10. SPICED RUM III

Contender / Yamaha

William Wummer, Sherri Beswick, Wayne Beswick, Freddie Joseph, Don Lamb

21.88

SMALL BOAT CLASS 1. LOST BOYS FISHING TEAM

Island Runner / Mercury

Rich Cook, John Heiser, Andrew Pepsny

33.52

2. BADA BING

Competition / Mercury

Sammy Papia, Christopher Joiner, Eric Sidor

11.89

TOP SENIOR ANGLER TOP LADY ANGLER TOP JUNIOR ANGLER

Randy Keys

UNDER ARMOUR FISHING TEAM

39.81

Sherri Beswick

SPICED RUM III

21.88

Christopher Sprague

TEAM TUPPENS/GARMIN

31.60

AUGGY ONE – Marcus Davila, Wayne Davila Jr. and Wayne Davila Sr..

SPICED RUM III on their Contender powered by Yamaha with their 21.88 lb. kind.

SKA TOP JUNIOR ANGLERS 1. Christopher Sprague

TEAM TUPPENS/GARMIN 31.60

2. Luke Woithe

THE REEL WON 15.08

3. Chase Perry

CHOPPY 12.20

For the complete standings visit fishska.com

Congratulations to Captain Sammy Papia and Bada Bing Fishing Team for claiming top Small Boat at the tournament. They brought a 11.89 to the weigh station and went home with $1,100 in cash, as well as a bevy of prizes and a beautiful trophy. Those of you who think a fish is not worth bringing home, keep this in mind next time!

SKA wants to thank Murray Marine for promoting this SKA sanctioned event for 20 years. What a great kick-off to the 2016 season!. n

gear apparel | marine buckets | art donraygear.com 800•905•0903

DEALERS WELCOME Angler 03.2016

13

by

DAVID A. BROWN

season

BOAT SHOW ABOUNDS with OPPORTUNITIES FOR EDUCATION, PRODUCT TESTING AND INDUSTRY NETWORKING

a

wareness, education, hands-on testing and familiarization — that’s the essence of boat show season. It’s a time for marine manufacturers to introduce new products, continue their branding and field questions, input and opinions from their customers. Throw in a healthy dose of industry networking and it’s easy to see why vendors and anglers alike greatly anticipate these annual productions.

Pamela Paulsen, President of longtime SKA sponsor Loadmaster Trailers said the value of face time cannot be overstated.

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Angler 03.2016

“Boat shows are great venues to get your company and product out there for the consumer to see,” Paulsen said. “It is an opportunity to show what your company has to offer over other manufacturers by being able to actually talk and explain all the different features”.

“That makes a much bigger impact when a consumer can ask questions and see the product firsthand to make their comparisons of what is important to them.”

Carly Hysell, Media Relations Manager for Garmin International agrees and points out the benefit of how these large-scale events focus the spotlight on innovation. This attention, she notes also serves as a gauge for overall industry vibrance.

“Boat show season is always an exciting time in the marine industry; it’s a great opportunity to introduce new products to customers, dealers and OEMs,” Hysell said. “It’s often an indicator of how the industry is doing as a whole. There’s no better stage to show off new innovative technology and get everyone excited for the season ahead.”

Anglers also look forward to the opportunity of walking the boat shows and seeing what new developments might potentially offer them a competitive edge. For Ron Hildum, captain of the Sweet Caroline, attending five to six shows a year provides a pretty good look at the industry’s developments.

“We try to take the whole team and we’re looking at new products — new radar, new chart plotter, new boats,” Hildum said. “It’s like buying a Cadillac, compared to a Pinto. You want to look at the new stuff that’s out there and see if it’s going to fit your way of fishing.”

reel

REPRESENTATION On the flipside, Hildum and his teammates exemplify another aspect of boat show season — sponsor representation. At various events, the Sweet Caroline IV crew will help staff the Mercury booth for the purpose of sharing their knowledge of the products, as well as their applications.

“We’re very proud to be sponsored

by Mercury Marine and we try to educate people on the (engines) and the lifestyle of owning a Mercury product,” Hildum said. “We enjoy answering questions from normal people who fish every day; whether they have 900 hp on the back of their boats or 9.9.”

Hildum said he commonly fields inquiries related to company support.

His team’s personal experience through many years of Mercury sponsorship enables them to bring an authentic perspective to the boat show audience.

“The most typical question is ‘How is Mercury looking out for you?’”

Hildum said. “I tell them, Mercury has always taken care of me and they took care of my father. Three generations of my family have been with Mercury”.

“Consumers want to know that, if they spend $1,000 or $40,000 for motors, Mercury is going to stand behind them. I tell them that they will stand behind you.”

latest& greatest And speaking of standing behind the product, Loadmaster has a long tradition of keeping SKA competitors on the road with quality components. This year, the company debuts its Vortex Hub — a 100,000-mile lubrication system with lithium complex fortified with rust and oxidation inhibitors. Boasting a high degree of water resistance and washout properties, this “no touch” lubrication system includes a 6-year limited warranty.

“This Vortex hub especially allows the SKA anglers that travel long distances to compete on the tournament trail and even the National Championship, with the piece of mind in knowing that this (component) will ensure a safe trip and minimize the worry,” Paulsen said.

Many more kingfish-friendly vendors from boat builders like Contender and Sea Pro, to engine manufacturers like Mercury Marine and tackle companies like Malin Wire will have a presence at various boat shows. Electronics, of course, is always a popular category and this year, we got a sneak peek at some hot new items coming out from a couple of SKA sponsors.

GARMIN GPSMAP 8600 • All-in-one “glass helm” MFDs available with 17-, 22-, & 24-inch displays • New processors for increased performance and video processing • Highest screen resolution on the market today • Full HD in-plane IPS screens with multi-touch control • Fastest chart drawing offered in a Garmin MFD • New One Touch presets for sonar, charts, radar, cameras, media & digital switching • $7,399 - $11,999 (available 1st quarter 2016)

GARMIN GMR PHANTOM RADAR • First 40W solid-state pulse compression, Doppler open-array radars • MotionScope Doppler technology provides instant target detection • Pulse compression provides high resolution while maximizing target size • Close- and long-range detection from 20 feet to 72 nm • $6,999 & $7,499 (available 2nd quarter 2016)

Angler 03.2016

15

1,599.99

$

RAYMARINE QUANTUM CHIRP RADAR • World’s first radome scanner with CHIRP pulse compression technology • Amazing short range performance (targets as close as 18-feet away) as well as exceptional long range performance (up to 24 nautical miles.)

• CHIRP processing produces radar images that are clear, crisp and clutter-free.

FLIR OCEAN SCOUT TK • The smallest and most affordable thermal marine vision camera in the FLIR Ocean Scout Series.

• Simple installation with built-in Wi-Fi connectivity.

• All of the radar’s command-link and picture can travel wirelessly over Wi-Fi to the Raymarine MFD. • Compatible with all of Raymarine’s LightHouse II compatible multifunction displays including a-Series, c-Series, e-Series, eSSeries and gS-Series displays.

RAYMARINE DRAGONFLY 7-PRO SONAR-GPS with CHIRP DOWNVISION • 7-inch screen, GPS and mapping, and Raymarine’s award-winning CHIRP DownVision sonar system.

• Built-in Wi-Fi networking, allowing you to stream, pause, rewind and playback sonar video on your SmartPhone or tablet.

• Comes ready-to-fish with a CHIRP DownVision transducer included.

• Mounts easily with its included balland-socket mounting bracket, and is also compatible with the full line of mounting solutions from RAM mount.

• $619.99 ($150 mail-in rebate available through April 30, 2016)

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Angler 03.2016

• Designed for day or night operation the Ocean Scout TK creates high-contrast images using heat, rather than visible light.

• See the differences in temperature and heat emitted by boats, buoys, landmarks and obstacles in total darkness or bright solar glare.

• Spot people and pets overboard as well as marine mammals breaking the surface of the water.

• Pocket-sized and designed for one-handed use, the Ocean Scout TK is designed to withstand rain, wind, and even a drop in shallow water.

• Stores up to 1,000 JPG images and 4-hours of thermal video.

• 5-hour rechargeable battery • $599.99

Raymarine Maritime Marketing Manager Jim McGowan said the boat show venue provides a vital window of opportunity that’s otherwise difficult to replicate. These events, he said, are all about maximum impact and one of the most fundamental ways of achieving that objective is through accessibility.

“From an electronics perspective, a boat show is likely going to be the only opportunity a boater will have all year long to see a manufacturer’s entire lineup all in one place,” McGowan said. “Even the beststocked marine electronics dealers can only display a fraction of the systems they sell”.

“Plus, if you’re looking to compare products and features between different manufacturers, there is no better place to see and try them all than at a boat show. The boat show is a great place to compare different product families, see accessories, and get to know the full capabilities of each system.”

converse& connect Of the personal interaction experienced at boat shows, Hildum said it’s important to carve out some time for friends and fellow competitors. Sometimes, that may mean comparing notes on products and their benefits; while other

MAKE IT

WORK FOR YOU

Step one in getting the most out of a boat show is simply attending.

You’ll see and hear plenty by simply walking the show floor and visiting the outdoor and in-water displays. However, a reasonable amount of forethought and planning will help you achieve a fuller experience. > LOADMASTER Vortex

instances may be just a casual catch up that strengthens those important bonds.

“We network with other Contender owners because it’s very important to have that bond and a good group of family-oriented fishing people that you can turn to throughout the season,” he said.

Hysell encourages interaction with vendors. Nothing beats that faceto-face, along with a healthy dose of inquisitiveness.

“Boat shows are a great time to get hands-on experience with new products and to really understand their functionality and usability,” Hysell said.

“Ask questions, get a product demo, push buttons, and play around with the devices until you know what’s going to work best for you.”

As McGowan notes, the ability to get answers to questions from factory representatives is a rare opportunity unique to boat shows.

“Whether you are shopping for a new system and are unsure of a feature, or you have a question about a system you already own, the nice folks at the boat show are there to help,” he said. “The folks in the booths are not just salespeople; most manufacturers also bring a large contingent of technical support, engineering and product management staff to the shows too”.

“We love to field questions from real boaters and fishermen because in addition to helping them to better enjoy our products, it also gives us insights as to how they are using them in the real world.”

“At many of the major shows, many electronics manufacturers will offer sea trials, product seminars, or other hands-on demonstration opportunities,” said Raymarine Maritime Marketing Manager Jim McGowan. “Sessions like these can be enormously beneficial when you’re trying to decide where you want to invest your hard-earned boating dollars. Definitely check the show guide, or ask in the booth, what special events and opportunities are going on”.

“We're offering some pretty generous mail-in rebate incentives on our most popular Raymarine and FLIR products including multifunction displays, thermal night vision cameras, sonar, radar, and autopilots.

If anyone is thinking about starting the season with some upgrades, now is a great time to buy.”

Organization is essential, as the scope of most boat shows makes casual wandering an ineffective approach. Each event offers online resources for advanced planning, along with directories with maps, vendor listings and show details.

“If you are planning on going to a boat show looking for something specific or just browsing to see all the new things the industry has to offer, I suggest getting the boat show directory or program to get an idea of the products and locations of the things that are of interest to you and then enjoy the day,” said Loadmaster Trailers President Pam Paulsen.

Ron Hildum, captain of the Sweet Caroline IV agrees and notes that his team arrives at every boat show they attend with a solid game plan of what they intend to accomplish and how they’re going to do so.

“We plan out our visit so we know when we get there where we’re going to be at the start of the day, where we’re going to be at the end of the day and where we’re going to be in the middle of the day. We’ll also have an alternate plan (in case we need to adjust)”.

“IT MAKES A MUCH BIGGER IMPACT WHEN A CONSUMER CAN ASK QUESTIONS AND SEE THE PRODUCT FIRSTHAND TO MAKE THEIR COMPARISONS OF WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO THEM.”

“We’ll go online and see where the vendors are going to be setting up.

I’ll check it out weekly down to daily until we arrive so we know where we need to be. We don’t want to be chasing down vendors all over the place. We want to know exactly where they’re at so we can spend the majority of our time with vendors so we can try to get new sponsors.”

And make it a family event whenever possible. Hildum enjoys bringing his wife and three daughters as often as possible. Most boat shows are held in areas that are rich in cultural and entertainment attractions, so work the show and then enjoy the local color.

Angler 03.2016

17

Pro Profile

Captain

FISHDANCER

by CALEY CURCHY

Jeffery A. Dunbar Hometown Fernandina Beach, FL Team Member Nancy Dunbar Boat Contender 35 ST Motors Triple Mercury Verado 350s Sponsors Mercury Contender Raymarine Loadmaster

Q&A When did you begin fishing?

Nancy and I have been on the water most of our lives diving and fishing. I learned to fish back in the 1970s in New Jersey on the head boats chasing blues and stripers. One of our first dates in fact was night fishing for bluefish on the Miss Belmar.

How did you first hear about the SKA and what prompted you to join?

While living in Atlanta, Nancy and I used to visit Amelia Island for long weekend getaways. We would charter the Amelia Angler, with Terry Lacoss for a day. One trip in 1997, when we called to book a fishing trip with Terry, he said he could not take us because he was fishing a king mackerel tournament that weekend. He apologized and we told him no worries thinking we would catch up with him on our next visit. Ten minutes later Terry called us back and invited us to fish Golden Isles with him. Not sure what we had gotten ourselves into, we began to wonder what this tournament thing was all about.

Long story short, we made the shotgun start in his twin engine Hydrasport, caught a high 20 pound fish at Caberetta and weighed in. We were hooked.

We bought our first boat several weeks after and today consider Terry as our fishing mentor. We haven't looked back since.

What do you like about tournament competition and what is most challenging?

For Nan and I, tournaments are all about three things: preparation, execution and performance.

We enjoy all three equally and do not measure our performance in terms of placement in tournaments but rather in terms of were we prepared properly, did we execute well and how did we fish. If we do these three things well the rest takes care of itself.

Any advice for teams considering the Pro Tour?

My advice is to work hard and prepare your team but, know that you too can compete with 'the best of the best'! I remember when we fist qualified for the Pro Tour in 2002, we were a bit intimidated about competing against the best of the best Teams like Bandit, Reel Won, Strike Zone, Thumpin, The Chase, Team Donzi and the like were intimidating. The funny thing is, today we call Ron, Dave, Linwood, Jan, Dan and many others we have met along the pro tour some of our closest friends.

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Angler 03.2016

What are your goals/dreams with regards to tournament competition?

Nan and I have always talked about catching a 78 pound fish. Our largest was 61.1 and we have scaled fish in the 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 pound ranges - but we are stilling looking for one in the 70’s.

What’s a common misconception about fishing with the Pros?

There is so much keyboard angst in so many fishing forums, with many people commenting about the Pro Tour. The biggest misconceptions are created by well intentioned, but nevertheless, incorrect assessments of the pros. For Nan and I, fishing the pro circuit has been the most fun, competitive and adventurous part of our SKA career.

If you want to know about the pros, ask someone who has fished it for a long time.

Tell us something most would be surprised to hear about you.

Nancy and I will celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary in March of 2016, fishing pretty much the entire time.

» Stats At A Glance Member Since: 1998 Pro Captain Since: 2002

This high energy husband and wife team joined the SKA Professional Kingfish Tour after qualifying in SKA Division 4.

Tournaments are all about three things: preparation, execution and performance.

Some of the FishDancer team achievements over the years include: · 1st place Kingfish Division in the Offshore Blitz · 1st place Lady Angler in the Two Way KMT · 2nd place Lady Angler and 9th overall at the Halfmoon KMT · 1st place SKA Pro Tour in Port Fourchon, Louisiana · 5th place in the ASWSC 20th Anniversary Sailfish Tournament, in Palm Beach, FL. · 18th place overall in the Junior Angler Jacksonville King Mackerel Tournament · 8th place at the SKA PRO tour stop in Brunswick, Georgia · 4th overall at the Brunswick, Georgia SKA Pro Tour

Team FishDancer has had 17 top ten day one performances on the SKA Pro Tour and 11 top ten finishes. Nancy has claimed Top Lady honors at both the Golden Isles leg and the Jacksonville leg of the SKA Pro Tour. The duo has been ranked in the top 10 kingfish Pro teams with Nancy having been ranked as high as 3rd in the Lady Angler Category. The team has completed the SKA Professional Kingfish Grand Slam weighing in fish in the 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 pound classes. They also held the SKA big fish (61.1 lbs.) for Port Fourchon, LA. The team has competed in all 9 SKA divisions and has fished in the class of 23, Open, Pro, Lady Angler and recently Senior Angler categories. Nancy is considered one of the top Lady Kingfish Anglers in the nation and Jeff has received the prestigious SKA Director's award for his 'unselfish contributions to our sport’.

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19

2016 SCHEDULE DIVISION

1 3 4

5

Please note that tournament dates and information is published from the sanctioning agreements received. Dates are subject to change and tournaments may be added or deleted throughout the year.

DATE

TOURNAMENT

LOCATION

CONTACT

July 29-30

RALEIGH SALTWATER SPORT FISHING CLUB KMT

Raleigh, NC

Jason Fant 919-802-2799

Aug. 19-20

ROTARY CLUB OF SNEADS FERRY KMT

Sneads Ferry, NC

Renee Rhodes 910-548-4879

Sept. 23-24

BONE SUCKIN SAUCE KING OF THE CAPE OPEN KMT

Ocean Isle Beach, NC

David Lucas 252-290-0925

Oct.14-16

NORTH CAROLINA TROOPERS ASSOCIATION SALTWATER CHALLENGE

Morehead, NC

Al Morris 252-269-1346

July 30

JAMES ISLAND YACHT CLUB

James Island, SC

Pete Ferrara 404-617-6521

Oct. 21-22

MARLIN QUAY KING MACKEREL SHOOTOUT

Murrells Inlet, SC

June 17-18

TWO WAY SPORTFISHING CLUB OFFSHORE TOURNAMENT

Brunswick, GA

Rick Smith

July 15

35TH ANNUAL SAPELO OPEN KMT

Townsend, GA

Mamie Maso 912-213-4382

Aug. 19-20

GOLDEN ISLES KING MAC ATTACK

St. Simon’s Island, GA

Howard Poe 912-577-0552

Sept. 5-6

CAPTAIN HAP’S BASH ON THE BLUFF

Darien, GA

Howard Poe 912-577-0552

July 7-10

ANCIENT CITY GAME FISH CHALLENGE

St. Augustine, FL

Matt Morse 410-925-3671

July 18-23

35TH ANNUAL AT&T GREATER JACKSONVILLE KMT

Jacksonville, FL

Steve Thompson

July 30

34TH ANNUAL NSFA FISHING RODEO & KMT

Fernandina, FL

David Smith 904-557-6374

Aug. 19-20

GOLDEN ISLES KING MAC ATTACK

Darien, GA

Howard Poe 912-577-0552

wildturkeyrick@yahoo.com

DIVISION

6 7

8

9

10

DATE

TOURNAMENT

LOCATION

CONTACT

April 7-9

25TH ANNUAL SPRING SUNCOAST KINGFISH CLASSIC

Treasure Island, FL

Ryan Farner 813-695-2984

May 12-14

GULF COAST OPEN

Sarasota, FL

Erin Henshaw 561-351-9393

Oct. 6-8

25TH ANNUAL SPRING SUNCOAST KINGFISH CLASSIC

Treasure Island, FL

Ryan Farner 813-695-2984

June 9

FLORABAMA RODEO

Pensacola, FL

Angelo DePaola 50-287-3440

Sept. 24

KAJUN SPORTMAN ORANGE BEACH CLASSIC

Orange Beach, AL

Anthony Toups 985-696-9900

May 6-7

K92.3 SALTWATER CLASSIC

Cape Canaveral, FL

Wes Halliwell 407-694-6088

May 20-21

DOWNTOWN SHOWDOWN KDW

West Palm Beach, FL

Grant Portier/ John Jackson

June 17-18

MILLIKEN'S MAC ATTACK

Cape Canaveral, FL

July 8-9

SAILFISH MARINA BIG DOG FAT CAT KDW

West Palm Beach, FL

Bill Wummer/ Ken Kaufman

Aug. 26

FT. PIERCE SUMMER SLAM

Fort Pierce, FL

Joy Yancy 772-201-6099

Sept. 8-10

CHASEN TAILZ KDW

Jupiter, FL

Summer Warren 561-201-7757

June 16-19

YELLOWFIN/YAMAHA JOLLY MON KING CLASSIC

Ocean Isle Beach, NC

Brant McMullan 910-367-2945

July 8

EAST COAST GOT-EM-ON CLASSIC

Carolina Beach, NC

Donna Gurganus 910-470-1374

July 15-17

S.H.A.R.E. KING MACKEREL TOURNAMENT

Hampstead, NC

Briana Kelly 910-431-6418

Oct. 7-9

YELLOWFIN/YAMAHA FALL BRAWL KING CLASSIC

Ocean Isle Beach, NC

Brant McMullan 910-367-2945

Jan. 22-24

STOCK ISLAND MARINA

Key West, FL

Lee Murray 305-296-0364

May 5-8

SALTWATER SHOOTOUT

Pompano Beach, FL

Jamie Bunn 954-650-5982

May 20-21

DOWNTOWN SHOWDOWN KDW

West Palm Beach, FL

Grant Portier/John Jackson

June 9-12

SALTWATER SLAM

Pompano Beach, FL

Jamie Bunn 954-650-5982

Adrian Martinez/ Steve Goff 321-508-8897

www.FishSKA.com

LIL' BITES NAME ] Christopher Sprague AKA "Little Man" AGE ] 11 TEAM NAME ] Team Tuppens BOAT/ENGINE ] Jupiter 38 with Triple Yamaha 300s HOMETOWN ] Lake Worth, Florida What's your favorite thing about fishing? The surprise of not knowing what your going to catch and the thrill of the fight!

Do you remember your first time on the water? I remember Bahama trips with my family when I was very young.

What's your best fishing story/memory? Catching and releasing my first Sailfish during an SKA Tournament when I was 8 and I got tossed in the water back at the Marina while catching my first billfish.

Do you have any superstitions or rituals that you follow before fishing a tournament? I believe in karma – do good things and good things will come to you.

Who is your role model? My Mom and Dad are my role models.

Besides fishing, what else do you like to do? I enjoy paintball, basketball, golf, gardening and surprisingly, beekeeping.

SKA Jr. Angler Scholarship Program

junior jokes ANGLER 1: Where does a fisherman go to get his hair cut?

ANGLER 2: Where?

ANGLER 1: The bobber shop.

22

Angler 03.2016

ANGLER 1: Did you hear about the fight at the seafood restaurant?

ANGLER 2: No, what happened?

ANGLER 1: Two fish got battered!

Mercury Marine sponsors a Junior Angler Program for the Southern Kingfish Association. Mercury will award a $500 college certificate to the top SKA Jr. Angler fishing on a Mercury powered boat in each of the SKA sanctioned events. At the end of each event each Jr. Angler is recognized for his or her accomplishment. The captain of each boat is required to fill out the official 2016 SKA Jr. Angler Registration form verifying the accomplishment within 30 days of the tournament end date.

THE WORLD’S BEST BOAT WASHES Super Cleaning Action

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STARBRITE.COM (800) 327-8583

Angler 03.2016

23

Your Fishing, Hunting and Kayak Store.

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Strike-Zone Fishing has everything you need to get ready for your next day on the water or your trip to the woods.

When you’re ready, come meet the most knowledgeable and friendliest staff in Jacksonville.

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1 Block East of 9A • 11702 Beach Boulevard • 904-641-2433 Store Hours: Monday – Friday 9:00-7:00 – Saturday 9:00-5:00 – Sunday 11:00-4:00

Angler 03.2016

25

GEAR GADGETS

by JOHN MINETOLA

W E N Y L L A T TO

R A D RA In low visibility, you can have equipment that allows you to be on the water safely and comfortably.

New radar and night scopes make it simple.

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Angler 03.2016

R

adar technology is changing to CHIRP in much the same way as in fishfinders, but the benefit to you is better all around in radar. You get lower radar prices, easy installation, and lower current draw on your batteries, besides getting a better display image.

Raymarine’s Quantum Q24C radar is first-to-market with CHIRP in an enclosed radome, but watch for other brands of CHIRP radar to come. Simrad’s award-winning Halo radar has a lot of features, but their smallest antenna is a 3-foot open sweep for now. Garmin has not officially announced their CHIRP radar product line but watch for it. Furuno has teaser video on the Internet about their new NXT radar to be introduced in early 2016.

The really cool part is that radar and night scopes have been designed to answer your demands, not just designed because new technology makes it possible.

You said, “I want a solid-state CHIRP radar, but I can’t afford it.” Raymarine said list price is $1599. It’s less if you don’t need a data cable, as described below.

BETTER, EASIER P L U S L OW E R COST be 18 to 24 inches in diameter. The Quantum antenna is lighter by eliminating most of the metal parts and is less than 24 inches across.

You said, “I can’t fit a fat radar cable through my T-top tower legs.” They said, new radar antennas send wireless signals to the display. You only need to run a power cord to the Quantum radar if you have a Lighthouse II MFD, or you run power and a small Ethernet cable to other types of Raymarine MFD’s. Furuno has had a wireless radar for a while. It transmits to an iPad, but not to their display screens.

You said, “I don’t want a radar that draws too much current for my little boat’s batteries.” They said, New CHIRP radar doesn’t draw much current. The pulses transmitted are only 17 watts average, whereas a traditional radar with a magnetron puts out 4500 watts from a small boat. Plus a magnetron has a relatively short life.

You said, “I want a radar to navigate at night, but I don’t want a big, heavy open sweep on my T-top where there simply isn’t room.” Raymarine’s Quantum antenna is only 12 pounds.

That’s half the weight of a comparable magnetron, old-style antenna in a radome.

You said, “I want bird radar but I don’t want a 10-foot array and S-band.” They said, here’s Bird Mode. With the new signal processors in solid-state and CHIRP radar you can tune out rain and birds, along with interference, or you can increase gain and learn to interpret the images to see weather and birds. This is very much like the way a CHIRP fishfinder works.

Any closed-radome radar antenna is lighter because the radome enclosure protects the spinning part from wind load.

So, the motor can be smaller and lighter. Radome radar can

You have probably heard that high-power radars can cause brain damage if you stand right at the level of the antenna. The new CHIRP radar uses low-power pulses.

They are not dangerous to people in the radar beam level and you can leave them on in the marina, for instance. They also start up quickly, unlike a magnetron which needs warm-up time.

For those of you who will get your first radar now, there’s something called MARPA. You can highlight a target on the radar screen, and the radar will watch it for you. It helps avoid collisions by marking the closest point of approach easier to see. With fishing lines and kites making for limited maneuvers, MARPA is a bigger help than simply reciting “constant range, decreasing distance” as your warning.

It’s not a big issue for smaller boats, but digital processing and low-power radar designs before CHIRP had reduced target strength at longer ranges.

For larger boats and cruising sailboats the Simrad Halo, which combines all the new technologies, are definitely growing in popularity. CHIRP, just as you have seen in depth sounders, easily shows both small and large targets, even at long distances in deep water. I am sure that the new CHIRP radars will appear on lots of center console boats now.

SCOPES AND BINOCULARS You said, “I can’t afford an infrared camera.” FLIR said, here’s a handheld infrared scope (which happens to be more intuitive to aim on a bouncing boat anyway.)

You said, “Thanks, but if I drop it or use it in the spray you get in an open boat, it’s not going to hold up.” They said it is waterproof this year. The new FLIR Ocean Scout handheld scopes are submersible.

唀匀䔀 圀䠀䄀吀 吀䠀䔀 倀刀伀匀 唀匀䔀⸀ 䐀刀䐀䄀一匀匀䬀䤀一䌀䄀刀䔀⸀䌀伀䴀

You said, “My 8 x 35 binoculars are fine.” I say you should step up to 8 x 50 or higher. The magnification of binoculars that are even higher than 8-power makes them harder to hold steady, but it makes for a great second pair when conditions are calm or you can lean them against something that isn’t vibrating like your T-top leg. Going up to better light-gathering like a 50 instead of a 35 lense is well worth it. You will see things in dim light that you wouldn’t see otherwise, plus you will see new things in daylight, too.

A distant daymark or a flock of birds will surprise you. Many times you will scan the horizon and see nothing. Pick up the binoculars and you see these things clearly. I am still amazed and I keep telling this story like a little kid.

The FLIR scopes are available in several models with different resolution chips. This concept is like the number of pixels in an older digital camera.

In infrared cameras it’s more difficult and expensive to increase the pixel count. Higher resolution allows you to see an improved picture, especially at longer distances.

Once you try it on the water, you’ll see that a distant coconut or board in the water may be only a few pixels in your viewfinder. You want the highest resolution that you can afford. You’ll also find more uses for your infrared scope than you ever imagined. It’s fun, too, in a gadget kind of way. I hope you can justify the higher resolution.

It’s common for tournament fishing to take you to areas where you’re not familiar with, waterways and inlets. Radar, infrared cameras and binoculars will get you out before dawn to do your pre-fishing and can make the difference you are looking for. Confidence, safety, and better fishing are improvements that we all want. n

Angler 03.2016

27

’ 7 1 n a i m e h o >>> b

2016

SINGLE ENGINE CLASS WINNERS PRIZE

THE BOHEMIAN 17’ IS BUILT USING A PROPRIETARY BLEND OF CARBON FIBER, KEVLAR AND INNEGRA THAT IS LAMINATED USING AN EPOXY VINYL ESTER RESIN. THIS RESULTS IN A LIGHTER SKIFF WITH SUPERIOR STRENGTH AND DURABILITY. THE ADVANCED MANUFACTURING PROCESS COMBINED WITH A UNIQUE STEPPED HULL AND NOTCHED TRANSOM MEANS THE BOHEMIAN 17’ RUNS, FLOATS AND POLES IN SKINNY WATER. WHILE THE BOAT IS SUITABLE FOR WEEKEND ENTHUSIASTS, IT WAS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED FOR TOURNAMENT ANGLERS THAT HAVE TO COVER GROUND QUICKLY AND COMFORTABLY….AND WANT TO LOOK GOOD DOING IT.

1 0 0 5

G U N N

H I G H W A Y

7 2 7 . 2 4 3 . 6 7 6 7

I

I

O D E S S A ,

THE SOPHISTICATED TECHNICAL P O L I N G S K I F F.

F L

I

3 3 5 5 8

B O N E F I S H B O A T S . C O M

NORTH

SOUTH

vs.

TO

UR

IT ALL COMES DOWN TO

THIS 2016 Mercury Professional Kingfish Tour powered by

NORTHERN CIRCUIT

SOUTHERN CIRCUIT

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

Jul.

aug.

sept.

oct.

may

jun.

aug.

sept.

Carolina Beach, north carolina

Little River, south carolina

Charleston, south carolina

Morehead City, north carolina

Sarasota, FLorida

cape Canaveral, FLorida

St. Simons, georgia

Orange Beach, ALabama

9-10

5-6

9-10 15-16

13-14 24-25 19-20 23-24

Pro Championship I Nov ember 8-9 I ft. P ie r c e , f l

Catch more details at fishska.com

Images for illustrative purpose only.

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SEE RAYMARINE CHIRP SONAR IN ACTION AT WWW.RAYMARINE.COM

2016 SKA

POINTS DIV 10 | Open Class STOCK ISLAND

Please note that tournament points are downloaded from the SKA database near the 10th of each month.

BANDIT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.00 BOOTLEGGER. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.00 JUDY BEE FISHING TEAM. . . . . . . . . 0.00 EL CAZADOR. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.00 BRUTE DUSKY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0.00 SEA HUNTER / SUZUKI ONSLOW BAY / MERCURY CONTENDER / YAMAHA YELLOWFIN / MERCURY DUSKY / MERCURY RON MITCHELL ALICIA LIPSCOMB EDWARD BLAND JEFFREY HUNT DICK RUSSELL

NATIVE FISHING TEAM . . . . . . . . . . 0.00 UNDER ARMOUR FOUNTAIN / MERCURY FISHING TEAM. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39.81 JERRY SOLOVOSKOY YELLOWFIN / MERCURY ARIK BERGERMAN LIL DEVIL.COM. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.00 INVINCIBLE / MERCURY TEAM TUPPENS/GARMIN. . . . . . . 31.60 MIKE JACQUIN JUPITER / YAMAHA STEVE SPRAGUE SUNDANCE KID. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.00 YELLOWFIN / MERCURY STRICTLY FISHING. . . . . . . . . . . . . 27.37 SCOTT LAMBETH CONTENDER / MERCURY PETER WEISBERG SET 4 LIFE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.00 CAPE HORN / YAMAHA TOOL TIME . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26.51 LOUIS ARRAZOLA YELLOWFIN / YAMAHA ERIC MYERS ALL IN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.00 CONTENDER / YAMAHA UNLIMITED TITO'S. . . . . . . . . . . . . 25.05 TERRY MCCRAY BLACKFIN / YAMAHA JOHN JACKSON REEL ANARCHY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.00 CONTENDER / YAMAHA AUGGY ONE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23.82 FLOYD MILLER CONTENDER / MERCURY MARCUS DAVILA SEAS THE DAY/FLIR FISHING TEAM. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.00 SPICED RUM III. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21.88 INTREPID / MERCURY CONTENDER / YAMAHA JAMES KELLY BILL WUMMER

UNLIMITED TITO'S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.00 JUDY BEE FISHING TEAM. . . . . . . . . 0.00 JUDY BEE FISHING TEAM. . . . . . . . . 0.00 KAT'S RIVAL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.00 BLACKFIN / YAMAHA CONTENDER / YAMAHA CONTENDER / YAMAHA WORLD CAT / EVINRUDE JENNIFER JACKSON ROBERT KEANE PHILLIP BROCK FRANK LANGDON

THE REEL WON. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15.08 YELLOWFIN / YAMAHA ROBERT WOITHE SR.

TEAM TUPPENS/GARMIN. . . . . . . 31.60 JUPITER / YAMAHA CHRISTOPHER SPRAGUE

DIV 10 | Small Boat STOCK ISLAND

CHOPPY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12.20 LOST BOYS FISHING TEAM . . . . . . 33.52 CONTENDER / YAMAHA ISLAND RUNNER / MERCURY CHRIS PERRY RICH COOK SEAPREMACY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.00 BADA BING. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11.89 SEA VEE / MERCURY COMPETITION / MERCURY ALEX BURGESS SAMMY PAPIA BOOTLEGGER. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.00 BLUE JEAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.00 ONSLOW BAY / MERCURY SEA HUNT / YAMAHA BRIAN HUMPHREYS MATT CANADY SLOB CITY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.00 FRUSTRATED AMATUERS. . . . . . . . .0.00 CONTENDER / MERCURY CONTENDER / YAMAHA CARL TORRESSON ALFREDO MIRANDA THREE OF A KIND. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.00 BRUTE DUSKY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0.00 CONTENDER / YAMAHA DUSKY / MERCURY CHARLES CONE DICK RUSSELL EL CAZADOR. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.00 KAT'S RIVAL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.00 YELLOWFIN / MERCURY WORLD CAT / EVINRUDE STAN CROOKS FRANK LANGDON JUDY BEE FISHING TEAM. . . . . . . . . 0.00 CONTENDER / YAMAHA DIV 10 | Ladies PHILLIP BROCK EL CAPITANO/KINGPIN. . . . . . . . . . 0.00 SEA VEE / MERCURY SPICED RUM III. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21.88 CHAD HICKMAN CONTENDER / YAMAHA REEL EM IN II. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.00 SHERRI BESWICK CONTENDER / YAMAHA THE REEL WON. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15.08 FRANK FRASCA YELLOWFIN / YAMAHA HOW YA REELIN FISHING TEAM. . . 0.00 SUSAN WOITHE CONTENDER / YAMAHA BOOTLEGGER. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.00 ERIC NEIDORF ONSLOW BAY / MERCURY BRIANA KELLY

REEM EM IN II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.00 EL CAZADOR. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.00 REEL EM IN II. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.00 KAT'S RIVAL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.00 CONTENDER / YAMAHA YELLOWFIN / MERCURY CONTENDER / YAMAHA WORLD CAT / EVINRUDE KAYLA WORCESTER DAVID HUNTER FRANK FRASCA KATRINA LANGDON SEAPREAMACY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.00 SLOB CITY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.00 BRUTE DUSKY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0.00 REEL ANARCHY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.00 SEA VEE / MERCURY CONTENDER / MERCURY DUSKY / MERCURY CONTENDER / YAMAHA AMBER WOOD DAVID ALBRITTON BUD RANDALL FLOYD MILLER BRUTE DUSKY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0.00 DUSKY / MERCURY CHRISTINE RUSSELL REEL ANARCHY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.00 CONTENDER / YAMAHA DEANNA FOSTER KAT'S RIVAL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.00 WORLD CAT / EVINRUDE KATRINA LANGDON

DIV 10 | Juniors

THE REEL WON. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15.08 YELLOWFIN / YAMAHA LUKE WOITHE CHOPPY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12.20 CONTENDER / YAMAHA CHASE PERRY

Please visit fishska.com for the most up-to-date standings.

What does a 68.67# Kingfish EAT??

CANDY!

REEL ANARCHY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.00 CONTENDER / YAMAHA CHASE STRELEC

DIV 10 | Seniors UNDER ARMOUR FISHING TEAM. 39.81 YELLOWFIN / MERCURY RANDY KEYS TEAM TUPPENS/GARMIN. . . . . . . 31.60 JUPITER / YAMAHA JAMES GILCHRIST AUGGY ONE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23.82 CONTENDER / MERCURY WAYNE DAVILA SR. THE REEL WON. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15.08 YELLOWFIN / YAMAHA ROBERT WOITHE SR. THE REEL WON. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15.08 YELLOWFIN / YAMAHA SUSAN WOITHE JUDY BEE FISHING TEAM. . . . . . . . . 0.00 CONTENDER / YAMAHA LEWIS BROCK

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P i c k 3 J a c k p o t ove r $ 9 0, 0 0 0 Division 10

2016

M a y 7, 2 0 1 6

2015 Purse: $164,981 T he be st to u rn a me n ts l i v e h e re! www.bluewatermovements.com

Blue Moon Fish Co.

KLUCH

for info: 954.725.4010 | www.s alt wat ers hoot out .com #saltwatershootout

Angler 03.2016

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member 2 member Rusty Russ Exclusive Agent R&R Insurance Services, Inc.

910/579-0752

Allstate Insurance Company 4746 Main Street/PO Box 1276 Shallotte, NC 28459 Phone: 910.754.6596 / 800.789.4914 Fax: 910.754.7305 Email: rustyruss@allstate.com 24-Hour Customer Service

MR TIGGER TACKLE

Good Luck Fishermen!

Mr. Goodhands Fishing Team Toby Russ Licensed Sales Associate R&R Insurance Services, Inc.

Numerous Tournament Wins

We tie them to your specs, using only the finest products.

Rigs are tested for quality and strength. mrtiggertackle.yolasite.com 429 Shell Rd., Atlantic, NC 28511 Ph : 252/290-0925 Fax : 252/225-1002

Live & Dead Bait Rigs, Jigs, Flounder Rigs

Monday-Friday 8:30-5:30 Auto, Home, Business and Life

Allstate Insurance Company 4746 Main Street/PO Box 1276 Shallotte, NC 28459 Phone: 910.754.6596 / 800.789.4914 Fax: 910.754.7305 Email: williamruss@allstate.com 24-Hour Customer Service

Monday-Friday 8:30-5:30 Auto, Home, Business, Life

marina ◆ cabins ◆ slips bar & grill ◆ ice ◆ live bait fuel ◆ marine supplies 24 hr. security ◆ tackle DENNIS SERGENT, Commercial Sales Professional

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Good Luck Fishermen!

(904) 387-4041 Direct (904) 425-3404 FAX (904) 226-6633 Cell

1550 Cassat Avenue Jacksonville, FL 32210 dsergent@nimnicht.com

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34

RED INFUSION $19.95

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Angler 03.2016

• Inlaid Chrome Red Infusion • Brass Nose Bullet-produces High Frequency Sound • Mylar Acrylic Skirt 7” 48 strand outer skirt • Keel Weighted Metallic Silver Scale head • Head Rattlers - produces low Frequency Sound • Turbo Flare 5” - 70 strand chartreuse silicon under skirt

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WORSHAM CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, INC. COMMERCIAL / RESIDENTIAL / CUSTOM HOMES RONALD E. WORSHAM PRESIDENT

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ment Grade Anti-Fatigue Bo Tourna BMC Mats • Available in 5 Sizes! at Mats

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(954) 263-6177 SKA MEMBER DISCOUNTS

Good Luck and Safe Fishing from SYN-FAB INC. and the 2013 Team of the Year!

Deep Glow offers world-class underwater lighting for docks & waterfront properties.

• Attracts a wide variety of marine life • Great for dockside ambiance • Available in multiple colors • Installs in minutes without getting wet • 1-year warranty

For FREE Shipping Use Coupon Code:

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Call Mike Bjurmark, SKA Member since 2001

BALLOON the original balloon fishing clip

Alden Thornton National Saltwater Sales Manager Fishing Team Manager

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Performance aluminum boat trailers engineered to protect your investment on the road and off—see the difference!

Call Andy Dormois at 407-493-3404 or e-mail us at adormois@aol.com

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• Attaches and removes a balloon from fishing line in seconds!

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SKA MEMBERS ONLY: To see your ad on this page call Erin Henshaw 1-800-852-6262

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2016 Corporate Partners

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36

Angler 03.2016

Mercury's Latest

WINNERS!

LOST BOYS FISHING TEAM

STOCK ISLAND MARINA VILLAGE KMT

33.52

BADA BING

STOCK ISLAND MARINA VILLAGE KMT

11.89

800-MERCURY mercurymarine.com