Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2015 i Salt Water Sportsman

Different fly lines can impact not only your casting, but also your fishing overall. Every fly-rudder should, therefore, understand the basics of line design and learn what to look for when selecting a fly line that best suits his or her needs. Due to space constrains, I’ll limit this discussion to floating lines. CORE VALUES A fly line comprises two components: the core and the coating, and both can affect the casting. Cores made of the stiffer single-strand or braided monofilament are used for warm water. They keep a fly line from wilting and becoming excessively limp in tropical climes, but they tend to develop memory and resist stretching in cold weather. That’s why braided nylon or Dacron cores, more supple in cooler temperatures, are most commonly used for cold…

LENGTH: 22'6" | BEAM: 8'6" | DRAFT: 18" WEIGHT: 4,450 lb. | FUEL: 100 gal. | MAX HP: 300 PRICE: $79,087 w/ single Yamaha F250 Contender rounds out its small-boat class with the all-new 22 Sport, the boatbuilder’s first familyfriendly package in a vessel under 25 feet. This model not only comes standard with forward and aft seating, it also has a step-down console with optional head. And the 22 Sport is definitely built with the fisherman in mind, with features like a 26-gallon transom livewell, six undergunwale rod racks and four flush-mount rod holders, three large fish boxes and plenty of insulated storage. contender ofshore.com…

It’s always a pleasant surprise when expectations are met. After hearing good things about Pioneer Boats but never actually running one, I finally got the chance earlier this year when I tested the 222 Sportfish. My conclusion? This is a well-built model with a practical design and excellent angling capability. Plus it can also handle double duty with the family without skipping a beat. With help from Bluewater Yacht Sales in Mobile, Alabama, we picked a perfect day for a real-life boat test. An approaching cold front, a strong north wind and a full-moon tide dropped the water level and blew what remained into a respectable chop. Regardless, we were able to skirt the shallows and zip into nearby Perdido Bay. With its aggressive entry paired with a 20-degree deadrise…

Pacific Blue Marlin: In Australia, solid numbers of blues in the 200- to 400-pound range await anglers traveling to Port Stephens (a 21⁄2 -hour drive from Sydney), where targeting marlin with ultralight and fl y-fishing tackle is really catching on. In Ecuador, larger blues remain available off Manta and Salinas for another month or so. Atlantic Blue Marlin: Big blues continue to patrol Brazilian waters. Royal Charlotte Bank and a major drop in the Continental shelf off Cabo Frio are the top places to look for fish. While April is considered the start of blue marlin season in the Bahamas, a number of fish show up early, especially off Bimini, Chub Cay and Great Abaco. Black Marlin: The fertile fishing grounds off Panama’s Pacific coast are still tops for anglers…

The New Jersey Marine Fisheries Council approved an option for a daily two-fish limit for the 2015 striped bass season. The approved option allows for one fish between 28 and 43 inches and another at 43 inches and above. The new limits would comply with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) Draft Addendum IV, which calls for a reduction of 25 percent in the recreational harvest of striped bass. The new size and bag limits must now meet with legislative approval. Both Senate and Assembly bills should soon be passed , followed by review, discussion and approval of the proposed change before the full legislature votes on it.…

Spooling Mono Light nylon monofilament up to 20-pound-test goes on spinning reels easily. The main trick when spooling spinners involves loading the line off the end of the spool in a counterclockwise direction. An old saw states that all quarter-pound spools of light mono have their label stuck to the end off which line should flow when spooling a spinning reel, but a quick survey of line spools at your local tackle store will quickly dispel that myth. Point the end of the spool toward the reel so the line comes off counterclockwise no matter which end the label got stuck to. This lays the line onto the reel spool in a natural direction, as it will come off the reel clockwise. I prefer to spool line onto my spinning…

Choosing the right outboard propeller can be perplexing, but it doesn’t have to be. With a basic understanding of prop dynamics, you can maximize performance for your particular boat. Several elements — pitch diameter, rake, cup and blades — determine which style is right for you. In a propeller designation, diameter is the first number listed, followed by pitch. Diameter is measured across the outer circle of the blade tips, while pitch is the distance a prop theoretically moves forward in a single revolution. So, a 15x17x 3 designation indicates a 15-inch diameter and 17-inch pitch with three blades. “There is no perfect propeller that can do it all,” says David Meeler, Yamaha Outboards propeller information manager. “There are too many variables in boat design, and performance. Each propeller is…

If we could drain the ocean, you might be surprised at the number of wrecks, reefs, rock piles and live-bottom areas that you never knew existed. I’ve skippered boats along my home coast for 35 years, and I still find one or two new spots each season. Lately, I’m finding even more thanks to side-scanning sonar. SIDEWAYS STRATEGY Side-scanning sonar from brands such as Garmin, Humminbird, Lowrance, Raymarine and Simrad scan abeam of the boat, exponentially multiplying bottom coverage and the chances of finding a new structure spot versus conventional down-looking sonar. For comparison, a conventional fish finder with a transducer that broadcasts a 20-degree cone angle straight down covers only a 21-foot circle in 60 feet of water; that expands to a 42-foot circle in 120 feet of water.…

FAST FACTS FOR SUCCESS WHERE TO LOOK Troughs that run parallel to the beach (especially the two closest to the shore), as well as any depressions within grass or sand flats adjacent to inlets and passes. SPOTTING THE FISH Pompano’s silvery sides reflect the bottom, so they can be difficult to see. Instead of looking for the fish, search for flashes and moving shadows. PROVEN STRATEGY These fish feed on small critters that leave a puff of sand or mud when they flee. So cast ahead of them and bounce the lure or fly off the bottom as they get close. FLORIDA POMPANO PLANNER WHAT: Florida pompano WHERE: East Coast and Panhandle WHEN: December through April on the East Coast; late February through May in the Panhandle. WHO: Boating anglers…

While there’s no substitute for experience in selecting the right lure for a particular species and circumstance, successful anglers know it’s also important to keep an open mind. Sometimes a lure or a technique designed for a completely different species, in a completely different location, may be just the right option. “IF YOU KEEP AN OPEN MIND AND ARE WILLING TO EXPERIMENT A LITTLE, YOU’LL DISCOVER BETTER OPTIONS FOR A WIDE ARRAY OF GAME FISH AND FISHING SITUATIONS.” EAST VS. WEST I first discovered the value of thinking outside the familiar tackle box on a long-range trip I took aboard Royal Polaris out of San Diego, landing schooling wahoo near the Revillagigedo Islands of Baja California. When that bite came to a halt, I decided to probe the depths as…

After reading your Anniversary Issue (June ’14), I remembered your article “Uptown Tarpon” when I was scheduled on a business trip to Puerto Rico in December. I booked a trip with Capt. Rafael Vega in San Juan. We fished in a location similar to your article, and I caught several tarpon that day; the biggest was 40 pounds. Thanks for printing that article. I would never have thought to check into an inshore fishing trip that could be so promising. Scott Terefenko Via email LETTERS BE SAFE/ An ad for a boat in your February issue is just crazy. It appears the driver is operating the boat alone, and as near as I can tell, he is wearing no flotation device. I don’t care whose boat you are in, running…

Since I was a member of a Regional Fishery Management Council for nine years, I thought that I knew a thing or two about fisheries management machinations. However, the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (GMFMC) seems to be outperforming my wildest expectations. Unfortunately, it is the recreational fishing industry that is getting hurt in the process. I can only hope this concept does not spread to other areas and fisheries. The GMFMC recently passed Amendment 40 to the Reef Fish Management Plan. What this amendment proposes divides the recreational red snapper quota between individual recreational fishermen and charter/for-hire operators. Some have been calling this effort “sector separation.” Call it whatever you want; I do not think that it's good news for the recreational fishing industry. For red snapper, the…

LENGTH: 41'2" | BEAM: 12'6" | DRAFT: 21" WEIGHT: 14,200 lb. | FUEL: 410 gal. | MAX HP: 1,050 PRICE: $324,643 w/ twin Yahama F350s Following the success of its 390 Tarpon Center Console, Stamas introduces the 390 Aegean, an express sportfsherman with room for all of the amenities to keep you comfortable at sea. Sleeping for six and a fully equipped galley are among the many features down below. The spacious cockpit rivals that of the big convertibles. The helm deck is raised for unobstructed 360-degree view. The automated sole raises up to reveal a cavernous bilge with ample stowage and access to all systems. stamas.com…

Versatility rules with center consoles. That’s why I’ve owned nothing but CCs for as long as I can remember. My current boat, a Mako 284 CC, is geared primarily for of shore fishing in South Florida and the Bahamas, but it frequently ships out of state for TV shoots. And whenever I get out on the water, my boat is set up to take advantage of any opportunity that may arise, be it inshore, nearshore or of shore. I learned early on that, just because one intends to target certain species, it doesn’t mean that’s always what we’ll end up chasing. When we fished the patch reefs recently, we eventually made our way over to a deep of shore wreck and scored an African pompano. Had dolphin, tuna or sailfish…

There are boats that can do a lot of things, but there is no perfect boat that does everything. When I see a builder make a new model that is built with purpose and not meant to be “all things to all people,” I take notice. The folks at Yellowfin have stepped up and created a boat that focuses on the serious fishing family with their new 26 Hybrid. We ran the boat twice, once in a choppy 2- to 4-foot swell in the Gulf of Mexico out of Sarasota, Florida, with company owner Wylie Nagler, a former offshore racer who knows how to run a boat and likes his speed, so it’s interesting to watch him put a boat through its paces at a good clip. Our second ride,…