Innholdsfortegnelse for October 2017 i Salt Water Sportsman

The Red Snapper Act, a bill introduced with bipartisan support in both chambers of Congress, could strike the right balance between angler access and sustainability of the Gulf of Mexico recreational red snapper fishery, which has been in a downward spiral for the past decade. The act would allow the five Gulf states to manage their own fishing seasons for red snapper within their 9-mile state territory as well as out to 25 miles or 25 fathoms, whichever is farther from shore. Fishing beyond 9 miles would have to be managed in accordance with national standards and a Gulf-wide catch limit. The bill would also give more weight to state harvest data to help provide more timely information about catch rates and effort, as well as require the inclusion of…

The Salt Water Sportsman community mourns the loss of Pete Cooper Jr., longtime friend and regional editor, who lost his valiant battle with cancer on July 5, 2017. Pete grew up in Shreveport, Louisiana, and attended LSU before marrying and moving to south Louisiana in the late 1960s, first to Buras and then Broussard, where he parlayed his passion for fishing and hunting into a long career as an outdoor writer, during which he authored some 1,000 articles and five books. Inducted into the Louisiana Sportsman’s Hall of Fame in 2003 for his contributions to the outdoors, Pete was also an ardent conservationist and was most proud of his participation with the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission management plan for flounder, striped bass and tripletail. He is survived by his…

I am a commonsense kind of guy. I’m prett y sure the sun will rise tomorrow in the east and will keep that up until, in the words of Shakespeare, I “shuffle off this mortal coil.” A new study on forage species doesn’t pass the “common sense” smell test. It also seems to be common sense that in the natural world there are predator and prey relationships that have developed over tens of thousands of years. Mankind’s efforts to disrupt those relationships with our ongoing exploitation of fisheries worldwide are only a blink of the eye at the end of that timespan. In the world of fish, it seems that the relationship of predator to prey is pretty straightforward. There are some predators (fish and other critters that eat smaller…

A scanning sonar system, if you can afford one, offers a huge advantage in finding fish. Capt. Jeff Jones knows scanning sonar inside and out. Not only has he used these systems for more than 30 years to find fish, but he has also installed them — most recently aboard the 36-foot Fresh One that he regularly skippers off Southern California. Soon after completing the intricate installation of the Furuno CH-270 scanning sonar on said boat, Jones put the system to good advantage, finding a school of white seabass under a kelp bed at San Clemente Island. Having spied them at a distance of more than 50 yards, Jones set anchor outside the kelp and scored 10 of the prize croakers. This is just one example of how scanning sonar…

With models ranging from 42 to 92 feet, Viking Yacht Company has dominated the offshore-fishing market. And certain that bluewater anglers will quickly recognize its fish-catching prowess, the famous builder now offers its new interpretation of the classic day boat, with the unmistakable look of models originated in the early 1960s, but more refined and with an array of modern enhancements. LENGTH: 37'8" BEAM: 13'10" DRAFT: 32" FUEL: 440 gal. DEADRISE: 12.8 degrees WATER: 66 gal. DISPLACEMENT: 29,329 lb. PRICE: $730,000 w/ twin Cummins QSB 6.7 550 hp turbo diesels VIKING YACHTS: vikingyachts.com TEST CONDITIONS WEATHER: Cloudy, patchy fog LOCATION: Atlantic City, New Jersey WIND: NE 10 knots SEA STATE: 2- to 4-foot chop TEST LOAD: Four adults, 440 gallons of fuel, 66 gallons of water As its name denotes,…

The EFP was granted to Dr. David Kerstetter of Nova Southeastern University to evaluate pelagic longline (PLL) catches and catch rates of target and nontarget species from two subareas in the northern portion of the closed area, compare them to those from an area open to fishing with longlining gear, and evaluate the effectiveness of existing closures. The EFP allows Kerstetter to conduct the so-called research with a fleet of six longlining vessels active at one time. The project would be authorized for 12 months and, pending annual review of environmental conditions or impacts, catches and catch rates of all species, and individual vessel performance, could be reauthorized for two additional 12-month periods. In response to public comment, NOAA Fisheries is limiting the research to 720 sets per year split…

In the article “Yellowfin on Top” by John McMurray [August/ September], one of the photos appears to be a bluefin tuna. The second picture on pages 50-51 is most definitely a yellowfin. Am I correct in my observation? Either way, it is an interesting article, as I fish offshore out of Cape May, New Jersey. Fred Welsford Via email McMurray Replies: Having been the one who snapped the photo, I can say with little doubt that it’s a yellowfin. I understand the confusion though; the pectoral fin looks short and a bit like a bluefin’s in the photo, but that’s only because of the angle.…

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 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.…

Built on the platform of its 21 Hybrid and borrowing some attributes from the popular 24 Carbon Elite, Yellowfin’s new bay model is a high-performance 21-footer designed to float skinny and scoot across open water while conquering a chop with ease. Large fore and aft casting decks offer ample fishing room, and a sizable livewell, strategically placed aft of the centerline, is flanked by a pair of spacious compartments that can be plumbed to double as release wells. Helm seating incorporates tackle storage and allows the skipper and a companion to sit or stand while underway. Yellowfin offers the new 21 Bay with a 200 hp motor, GPS, jack plate, Power-Pole and trailer at a special introductory price. LENGTH: 21'9" | BEAM: 7'9" | DRAFT: 12" WEIGHT: 2,525 lb. |…

TURNING PRO Raymarine expands its Axiom multifunction display series with the introduction of the Axiom Pro, available with 9-, 12- and 16-inch screens. The new line features RealVision 3D sonar, Raymarine’s HybridTouch, which combines touchscreen controls with a keypad, in-plane switching display technology to maximize viewing angles and reduce blackouts when viewed through polarized glasses, and a quad-core processor for super-fast response. Axiom Pro is available with a 1,000-watt CHIRP sonar. Starting at $2,299.99; raymarine.com TROLL ’DUCER The Panoptix PS22-TR transducer from Garmin mounts on the shaft of any trolling motor to generate LiveVü Forward or LiveVü Down real-time images. Switching between the two modes is a matter of changing the mounting configuration to aim the 20-degree beam forward or down. Compatible Garmin displays include the EchoMap CHIRP 7- and…

VERSATILE AND TIMELESS SPOONS GET THE JOB DONE CERTAINLY, I WAS NOT BORN WITH A SILVER SPOON IN MY MOUTH, BUT I WAS PRACTICALLY BORN WITH ONE ON MY LINE. As a kid, I was shore-bound, so if I couldn’t cast to a fish from the beach or by wading, I wasn’t going to catch it. But that limitation didn’t deter me, and I spent much of my childhood and teenage years patrolling mid-Atlantic beaches and estuaries, looking for bluefish, red drum, trout, flounder, and other fun and exciting species The tackle industry hadn’t yet erupted back then, and only a sampling of spoons and bucktails populated my elementary tackle box. But my grandfather always told me all a saltwater angler really needs to catch fish anywhere in the world…

1 Elena McDow 5, Cayman Islands Fishing since she was old enough to hold a rod, Elena is comfortable with conventional and spinning tackle, and even enjoys flyfishing. She has several impressive catches, including tarpon and grouper, and spends her free time working with the Cayman Department of Environment tagging turtles. 2 Eli Crain 6, Alabama Growing up fishing in fresh water with his dad, Eli loves his annual vacations to Florida, where he gets to fish the bays for redfish and seatrout. During a trip to St. George Island, Eli caught his largest trout yet — a 21-incher — and an 18-inch flounder in Apalachicola Bay. 3 Coral Arnold 3, Florida Coral has joined her family on their boat since she’s been able to sit up. At almost 3…

Brandon McGlamery Chef and partner at Luma on Park (lumaonpark.com), Prato (prato-wp.com) and Luke’s Kitchen & Bar (eatatlukes.com) in Orlando. For video instruction, go to: saltwatersportsman.com/jalapenotuna Light and simple to prepare, this dish comes together quickly. For the hearts of palm slaw, it’s best to use a mandoline, which shaves the veggies perfectly with little effort. Break out the blender for the gazpacho, then finish up by grilling the yellowfin tuna and serving it at it’s best: lightly seared on one side. And remember, with this combination of classic flavors and textures, less is more. Recipe Hearts of Palm Slaw: 1. Drain jalapeño, then toss all ingredients in a bowl, salt to taste, and set aside. Gazpacho: 2. Combine cucumber juice, cucumber, jalapeño, garlic and yogurt in a blender. 3.…

The 182 Fisherman, Wellcraft’s versatile new 18-footer, incorporates a number of top features found on its larger siblings, like a raised bow casting deck, aquarium-style baitwell, bench/leaning-post helm seating with room for a cooler underneath, removable windshield, a pair of flushmounted rod holders on the gunwales, rod racks below the covering boards, billet gauge panel, rear flip-up jump seats, boarding ladder, and room inside the console for an optional Porta Potti. Other available options include additional rod/drink holders, bow cushion, coaming pads, T-top and more. The boat comes with a tandem-axle trailer and is also available in a Scarab Offshore package. LENGTH: 18'2" | BEAM: 8' | DRAFT: 15" WEIGHT: 3,150 lb. | FUEL: 56 gal. | MAX HP: 150 PRICE: $30,957 w/ Yamaha F115 and trailer WELLCRAFT BOATS: wellcraft.com…

+ SWS Planner: North Carolina bull redfish WHAT: Trophy red drum WHEN: August though October WHERE: Neuse River/ Oriental, North Carolina WHO: These guides specialize in bull reds: Capt. George Beckwith 252-671-3474 downeastguide service.com Capt. Mitchell Blake 252-495-1803 fishibx.com THE SQUAWK FROM A BLUE HERON WASN’T THE ONLY NOISE DISTURBING THE EARLY MORNING STILLNESS. THE LARGE CHUGGER I WAS WORKING NEAR THE SHORELINE SOUNDED LIKE A BOTTLE ROCKET WITH EACH JERK OF THE ROD TIP AND LEFT A LARGE V IN ITS WAKE. Suddenly, the water bulged, and we watched as a bronze torpedo zeroed in on the plug. A beach-ball-size swirl punctuated by a whining drag confirmed I was tight to a truly giant redfish. Fifteen minutes and several rod-bending parries around the boat later, my trophy was wallowing…

Cliff Webb has spent more than half his life — and he’s no youngster — as a professional guide on Texas’ fabled Baffin Bay. Near the end of a conversation about something else, I asked if he had any funny stories to share — and then I listened. For a long time. The “recurring theme” category, he said, involves inexperienced wade-fishermen trying to grab fish that they, themselves, hold out of reach. “They’ll reel it up almost to the rod tip,” Webb said. “They’re holding 7 feet of rod and got 4 feet of line hanging off the tip, and they keep trying to hold the rod farther behind them with one hand and reach out with the other to grab the fish.” One of his favorites involved three police…