Innholdsfortegnelse for August/September 2017 i Salt Water Sportsman

NorthCoast Boats, Rhode Island builder of semicustom boats, recently launched its new 24CC, a rugged and seaworthy 24-foot offshore center console loaded with features usually found in considerably larger craft, like a console with standing headroom, sleeping room for two adults, and marine toilet with optional freshwater system. Other key amenities include a large forward lounging area, leaning-post helm seating, transom folding bench and raw-water washdown. Anglers will appreciate the deluxe riggingstation option with sink, livewell and storage drawers, the 72-gallon fish box, additional tackle storage units, rocket-launcher-style rod racks, transom door and the flexibility to personalize their boat. LENGTH: 24'6" | BEAM: 9'1" | DRAFT: 17" WEIGHT: 4,500 lb. | FUEL: 175 gal. | MAX HP: 450 PRICE: $102,649 w/ 300 hp motor NORTHCOAST BOATS: northcoastboats.com…

Fast Facts for Success: Weather: Overcast days are best. Temperature: 56 degrees starts the bite. Depth: From 30 to 100 fathoms. BUSINESS END: Makos are renowned for their ferocity and dentures. + SWS Planner: Mid-Atlantic mako sharks WHAT: Mid-Atlantic mako sharks WHERE: New Jersey to Hatteras, North Carolina WHEN: May to October, best early and late WHO: These top guides can hook you up with high-flying mako sharks: HATTERAS Capt. Kenny Koci wasabisport fishing.com 252-293-6799 VIRGINIA BEACH Capt. Jake Hiles matador charters.com 757-749-6008 OCEAN CITY, MARYLAND Capt. Mark Sampson bigsharks.com 410-726-7946 A finappeared in the back of a wave. It’s not a tuna’s sickle or a marlin bill; this looks like Jaws, and it’s hot for a pink Ilander on the left short. An explosive strike full of spray and…

TEST CONDITIONS WEATHER: Partly Cloudy LOCATION: New Smyrna Beach, Florida WIND: SE 16 knots SEA STATE: 1-foot chop TEST LOAD: Three adults, 75 gallons of fuel L eading Florida builder Everglades Boats hit it out of the ballpark with its 243CC, a hybrid inshore/offshore model that soon became a big seller. With the launch of the new 273CC, it now offers many of the same attributes on a larger, more seaworthy platform, with a skinny 18-inch draft and upgrades sure to tickle every die-hard angler’s fancy. Hop aboard and you immediately recognize this boat is designed and equipped for serious fishing. For starters, the forward seating configuration allows unobstructed passage to the bow, where a crew member can easily climb to net bait from a higher, unobstructed vantage point, and where…

SPECIES 1ST CHOICE Panama U.S. Virgin Islands Australia Virginia North Carolina Guatemala Mexico North Carolina Louisiana Massachusetts Bahamas Florida Florida Florida Louisiana Massachusetts Florida Texas Massachusetts Panama 2ND CHOICE Costa Rica Bermuda Panama Maryland Virginia Mexico Ecuador Bermuda Panama Prince Edward Island Turks and Caicos Belize Belize Belize North Carolina New York New York Louisiana New York North Carolina COMMENTS Pacific Blue Marlin: In Panama, blue marlin are plentiful enough to share the spotlight with blacks this time of year. While most fall in the 250- to 350-pound class, a few exceeding 500 pounds are bound to oblige. Costa Rica’s offshore FADs are the Pacific’s next best bet for blues; they require long runs and often overnighting at sea. Atlantic Blue Marlin: The North and South drops, the deepest in…

The so-called “Idle Iron” policy meant Gulf anglers had to watch as many of their favorite fish-attracting platforms were deconstructed and carted away on barges. As recently reported by the Times-Picayune, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries hopes to keep more of that structure in the Gulf and has selected several additional special artificial reef sites (SARS) in near- and offshore waters off the state’s coast. Artificial Reef Program Manager Mike McDonough presented details of the plan to the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission during a meeting in Baton Rouge. The state already has areas where properly permitted oil and gas companies are allowed to drop parts of decommissioned rigs and platforms. The proposed SARS are new and expanded areas that will make the process more cost-effective for corporations…

Out of ten West Coast groundfish species found to be overfished at the turn of the century, five had bounced back, and two more species just joined the ranks of the rebuilt stocks. NOAA Fisheries recently declared bocaccio and darkblotched rockfish rebuilt, both ahead of schedule, thanks to a combination of sound science and well-designed management policies that included lowering harvest levels, according to Barry Thom, regional administrator of NOAA Fisheries’ West Coast Region. “By working together, we’ve brought bocaccio and darkblotched rockfish back to where they will again be part of a sustainable West Coast groundfish fishery,” said Thom. Bocaccio and darkblotched rockfish are two of the more than 100 groundfish species managed by the Pacific Fishery Management Council, one of eight regional fishery management councils that manage ocean…

Fisheries scientists with the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources are tagging redfish and asking local anglers for help to learn more about the fish’s movements. Original plans called for tagging 20 reds — with a blue external dart tag under the dorsal fin and an acoustic transmitter placed in the stomach cavity — in the Back Bay of Biloxi by the end of July, and MDMR hopes to tag more later this year. “Red drum is one of the most popular sport-fish species we have in the Gulf,” said Wade Hardy, fisheries scientist for MDMR. “We want to define their movements and the relationship between environmental conditions and stages of their life cycle. We are particularly interested in the fish’s movement patterns as juveniles mature and become spawning-capable before they…

This simple preparation makes an ideal, quick dinner. The fig, chili and fennel create a pleasing balance of flavors to complement the richness of the halibut. Removing the seeds from the chilies reduces the heat while retaining the desired smoky flavor. Brandon McGlamery Chef and partner at Luma on Park (lumaonpark.com), Prato (prato-wp.com) and Luke’s Kitchen & Bar (eatatlukes.com) in Orlando. + Ingredients 4 halibut portions, 6 ounces each 3 black mission figs, halved 3 cups fennel, shaved on a mandoline 1⁄4 pound butter 2 garlic cloves 1 cup white wine 1 cup fish stock (made from halibut bones; chicken stock or water and butter may be substituted) 1 teaspoon dried chili pods, cracked and seeds discarded 1⁄4 cup canola oil Smoky Accent: Seeded chilies lose heat but retain flavor.…

The Freedom 215 is the latest addition to Grady-White’s popular dual-console series. This beamy 21-footer offers a dry, sports-car-like ride with the wave-cutting ability of larger models, as well as roominess and a smart layout with many innovative features, like built-in port and starboard swim-platform extensions, and swing-away aft-seat backrests that pivot out of the way to access the swim and dockside boarding platforms. There’s also a lockable starboard console compartment with tackle storage trays, four vertical rod holders and horizontal rod racks, plus a recessed cockpit shower, a 64-quart cooler that can be plumbed as a 16-gallon livewell, and more. LENGTH: 21'3" | BEAM: 8'6" | DRAFT: 16" WEIGHT: 3,150 lb. | FUEL: 80 gal. | MAX HP: 250 PRICE: $76,315 w/ Yamaha F200 GRADY-WHITE BOATS: gradywhite.com…

+ SWS Planner: Northeast yellowfin tuna WHAT: Yellowfin tuna WHERE: 30 fathoms, from New York to Delaware WHEN: August and September WHO: The following captains excel at the topwater tuna game: New York Capt. John McMurray and Capt. Cory Crochetiere nyctuna.com New Jersey Capt. Gene Quigley and Capt. Jim Freda shorecatch.com IT WAS A SLOW DAY, AND WE HAD JUST BEGUN THE JOURNEY IN. A FEW SMALLISH YELLOWFINS IN THE BOX, BUT NOTHING TO WRITE HOME ABOUT. We were a few miles into it when I noticed some splashes. “Looks like more skipjack,” I said to my clients. But we stopped for a few casts anyway. A couple of pulls on the popper and a boil formed behind it. Not unusual to get small skippies to follow, so I didn’t get…

We all get stuck — traffic lights, supermarket lines, crossword puzzles — but not like Derek got stuck this past summer. On a nearly slick Gulf of Mexico, after breaking off a nice king mackerel and enduring jeers from fishing partners Jeffand Jared, Derek settled onto the gunwale of the big center console to create a new leader: braid to fluorocarbon, fluorocarbon to barrel, barrel to steel, and steel to hook. When the knots were tied and the hook swung freely, Derek reached for the bottle of instant glue that they call “knot insurance” and use religiously. He pulled the tiny brush from the bottle and dabbed glue onto the intersection of the braid and fluorocarbon. Phewww, phewww, phewww. His breath cured the glue. He redipped for adhesive to secure…

Tom Fellner of Plant City, Florida, caught this hefty red snapper on a whole squid, fishing the offshore reefs in the Gulf of Mexico. He bested the beauty in 100 feet of water, aboard the Boston Whaler Deep Pockets. 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@salt water sports man.com or via U.S. mail: SWS Editor, 460 N. Orlando Ave., Suite 200, Winter Park, FL32789. Unsolicited manuscripts are welcomed but will not be acknowledged or returned unless accompanied by an SASE. We are not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts or…

GREAT VIEW: Raymarine’s Axiom series offers multiple views, above. Capt. Billy Harbaugh knows a lot of wrecks off the Florida Keys, but this veteran skipper also knows that the rusting hulk comprising the main portion of every wreck is not always the best place to find fish. Harbaugh proved it to me as we targeted mutton snapper around a wreck in 120 feet of water off Islamorada. He found the wreck using sonar, but instead of fishing directly over it, Harbaugh let the boat drift away, placing our live baits amid the debris field that stretched northward along the bottom for 100 yards. Drift after drift, we caught big, beautiful mutton snapper, as well as a couple of black grouper, not on the wreck itself, but in the adjacent rubble,…

AN AUTUMN TRIP TO A DEEPWATER WRECK OFF LONG BEACH , CALIFORNIA, IN PURSUIT OF ROCKFISH HAD ALREADY RESULTED I N A FULL COOLER. AS THE BOAT DRIFTED AWAY FROM THE ENCRUSTED, ROTTING HULK, I DROPPED A LIVE SARDINE ON THE SANDY BASE AT THE EDGE OF THE WRECK, AND A FISH POUNCED ON IT . The first surge pinned me to the rail and pulled the rod tip underwater. This was no rockfish. I regained a grip on the rod, then put some turns on the reel. Slowly, the beast succumbed to the pressure and appeared in the depths. “Big halibut!” yelled my youngest son, Grant. He grabbed the gaff, and as the fish came into range, he sunk the gaff and hoisted the bruiser aboard. On the scale,…

Fast Facts for Success: Camouflage: Tripletail try to blend in with sargassum and other floating debris for safety and to ambush prey. Slackers: Slack water between tides is when the fish are most active. Otherwise, look for them behind structure. Go-round: Hooked tripletail often run around pilings and crab-trap ropes, requiring quick boat maneuvering. + SWS Planner: Gulf of Mexico tripletail WHAT: Tripletail WHEN: May through early October WHERE: Mississippi Sound, including Pascagoula, Biloxi, Gulfport and Pass Christian WHO: Tripletail fishing is well-suited for DIY anglers, but the following captains can shorten the learning curve: CAPT. MATTHEW MAYFIELD 228-326-7476 CAPT. STEVE PERRIGAN 228-217-0458 strictlyfishing.com EVEN IN THE MURKY, GREEN WATER, THE FLASH WAS AS BRIGHT AS A SIGNAL MIRROR. I T DISAPPEARED JUST AS QUICKLY, BUT NOT WITHOUT CONSEQUENCE. A…

TEST CONDITIONS WEATHER: Sunny LOCATION: Charleston, South Carolina WIND: Light and variable SEA STATE: Smooth TEST LOAD: Two adults, 34 gallons of fuel T here are good reasons why sales of larger bay boats are shooting higher than a mackerel after a lost pilchard. This popular style provides access to a range of waters, from tidal creeks to nearshore reefs, plus the layout and storage for multiple types of fishing. South Carolina-based Sea Hunt Boats is the latest to add to this genre with the launch of the BX 25 BR, which replaces its 24-foot predecessor. There’s plenty to like about this new ride. The size of this bay boat made a strong first impression. With the clean layout and seemingly endless bow, it looks much larger than its advertised 25-foot…