Innholdsfortegnelse for July 2018 i Salt Water Sportsman

Danny Gould, captain of the 37-foot Intrepid BiteMe, caught this wahoo, his personal best, trolling a ballyhoo off Port Everglades, Florida, in 200 feet of water on March 12, 2018. YOUR CATCH To send in your catch photo, email us at catches@saltwatersportsman.com. DROP US A LINE Got a piece of good news to share? Want to gripe? Like to see your thoughts on the pages of Salt Water Sportsman? Send your letters, manuscripts and any relevant comments to editor@saltwatersportsman.com or via U.S. mail: SWS Editor, 460 N. Orlando Ave., Suite 200, Winter Park, 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…

If you live and fish along the Atlantic Coast, you are about to see some real structural changes to your fishing grounds. The jury is still out on what the cumulative impacts will be. Some say they will be good. Some say they will wreak havoc. Most did not even know they are about to happen. By the early 2020s, if all goes according to plan, wind turbine towers will be erected and blades will be turning, with more to follow. This whole process started in 2005 when the Energy Policy Act (EPAct) authorized the Department of the Interior to craft regulations that provide a framework for issuing leases, easements and rights-of-way for outer continental shelf (OCS) activities that support production and transmission of energy from sources other than oil…

A small group of sooty shearwaters bobbed about on a glassy ocean. As we idled closer, the birds eyed us suspiciously, then lit out. No sooner had the shearwaters taken off than a school of yellowfin tuna erupted in their place. Ron Ballanti and I cast live sardines to the foaming school and hooked up immediately, and within 15 minutes, a pair of gleaming 30-pound yellowfins decorated the deck. For many Southern California anglers, yellowfin tuna represent the most prized of offshore targets. Some fish range upward to 80 pounds, but most yellowfins here run 15 to 40 pounds. Yellowfins typically arrive within striking range of SoCal ports in late July and early August. Migrating from southern latitudes, the first fish are often caught off northern Baja California by anglers…

Mako Boats recently improved on a great inshore concept, changing the layout of its popular 19 Pro Skiff, and adding a tower and elevated helm that provide an ideal vantage point for running in skinny water and scouting for fish. Built with shallow-water performance in mind, the Advanced Inverted V (AIV) hull of the 19 Pro Skiff is capable of carrying large loads and integrates design elements that deflect water downward and mitigate spray to keep occupants dry. The inverted V also improves acceleration by reducing drag on the wetted surface. Extending all the way to the transom, the addition of clear water channels allows the engine to be raised vertically, which facilitates jumping up quickly as well as scooting effortlessly across just a few inches of water. The hull…

Following the assessment that purple sea urchin populations have grown to more than 60 times their historic density in northern California, emergency regulations have increased the daily bag limit for these spiny echinoderms off Mendocino and Sonoma counties. Purple sea urchins fall under the general invertebrate bag limit of 35 per day, but the new regulations recently put into place allow a daily bag of 20 gallons, with no limit on possession. These voracious herbivores can easily wipe out vast expanses of kelp and other algae. In fact, about 90 percent of all coastal kelp from San Francisco to Oregon has been mowed down by purple sea urchins, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW). Climate change and warming ocean temperatures struck the first blow by weakening…

Is stealth necessary to score more fish? Quietly approaching a fishing spot is one of the first tactics we’ve learned. Therefore, we continue to cut the motors and drift through zones, gingerly lower anchors, idle through bay and sound waters to prevent spooking fish, and speak in whispers. Yet, at times, we still score impressive catches under completely opposite scenarios. A few years back, heading in from a successful dolphin outing, Carl Grassi and I happened upon a large ship rope and more dolphin. With plenty of fish to clean, Grassi was content to sit this one out, but I wasn’t. The ocean was flat, enabling me to stand on the bow and release a few more dolphin. I was about to swing another one aboard when a blue marlin…

Grady-White is ready to give luxury sport-fishers a run for their money with the Canyon 456, its 45-foot flagship that blends the virtues of a hardcore big-game fishing machine and a top-notch cruising yacht. With striking aesthetics, and chock full of conveniences and an astounding assembly of technology, the 456 is sure to please the most demanding anglers while pampering the entire crew. From plush seating to a richly appointed step-down cabin, an outdoor galley, ergonomically arranged systems with software application for remote command via mobile device, a Seakeeper stabilizer, heat and AC, this boat has it all. There are dual side doors, a transom-mounted 24-inch MFD, ample fish-box and storage capacity, twin livewells, storage for 32 rods and lots of tackle, fresh- and raw-water wash-downs, and much more.…

GIVEN THE IMMENSE HABITAT SHAKE-UP CAUSED BY IRMA, WHAT THE FISHING WOULD BE LIKE AFTER SUCH A PUNISHING STORM BECAME A MAJOR CONCERN. Anchored on a reef 40 miles from Key West, on the Atlantic side, Capt. Brad Nowicki and I had flag yellowtails fired up to the point of hitting topwater plugs. And just a few hours earlier, we kept our rods bent with muttons and grouper over shallow Gulf-side structures. Who would have guessed a major hurricane was going to hit the Florida Keys just two weeks later? But prior to New Year’s, with the rebounding process in the Keys well underway, I fished for snook and tarpon around Key Largo, trolled for dolphin off the upper Keys, and chummed up Spanish mackerel in the backcountry behind Islamorada.…

South Carolina builder Pioneer added a head-turner to its family of center-consoles with the recent launch of the 266 Pelagic, its largest model to date. Sporting the classic Carolina bow flare and sloping sheer line, the 26-footer is designed to take on big seas while the 22-degree deadrise provides stability and a smooth ride. Laid out for roominess and functionality, the Pelagic includes all the essentials for fishing and cruising: a Garmin 12-inch MFD, fiberglass hardtop, leaning post with tackle station, gunwale racks for six rods, five-rod transom rocket launcher, two macerated fish boxes, 52-gallon lighted livewell, helm seats with flip-down bolsters and armrests, fold away aft seating, port-a-potty, bow cushions and foldout backrests, 75-quart Yeti cooler, integrated swim platform, windlass, wash-down, and dual transom doors.…

YOU DON’T HAVE TO DRIVE A BATTLEWAGON TO CATCH WHITE MARLIN. JUST LEARN THE BIG-BOAT STRATEGIES OF THE PROS TO GET IN ON THE HOT ACTION. As we approached the rip line that signaled a temperature break, Capt. Jon Duffie pointed out the birds working along the edge and the marks on his depth finder. The large bait pod was clear enough, but then arches started to appear 75 to 100 feet down. “White marlin,” Duffie warned. “We’re gonna hook up.” He had barely yelled a warning to the cockpit when the port rigger went off and the water erupted under the frenzied jump of our first marlin of the morning. He slowly turned to keep the fish inside a wide circle, then the starboard flat line went off and…

Lee Williams and I were drifting Lucanus jigs over a wreck 30 miles off Virginia Beach when Lee’s line went slack. “I just broke off,” he cursed. As he cranked in his line, I spotted a gold-and-silver dolphin doing a back flip 30 feet behind the boat. The fish had his jig in its mouth. On the next jump, the dolphin threw the jig at us and splashed off into the distance. We jumped into action. In minutes we had the jigging gear stowed and a spread of ballyhoo trolling behind the boat. On the first pass, we loaded the lines with dolphin. DOLPHIN ATTACK, THEN TAKE OFF IN ALL DIRECTIONS. WEST AVOIDS CHAOS BY LIMITING THE SPREAD. YELLOW BRICK ROAD Whether you call them dolphin, dorado or mahimahi, these…

As more and more anglers juggle hardcore fishing and family fun on the water, boatbuilders carry on launching multitalented models with enhancements in design, construction and rigging. Yellowfin’s 21 Bay, a member of the latest crop, offers the coveted trifecta of performance, functionality and comfort. Yellowfin remains resolute in its commitment to craftsmanship and the quest to address anglers’ needs without sacrificing convenience. The 21 Bay, a perfect example, shines for its ergonomic design, practical and roomy layout, and the builder’s customary top-notch fit and finish. And while the new 21-footer is shorter than the rest of Yellowfin’s bay models, it remains long on fishability. Storage is substantial for a boat this size, and the spacious foredeck, uncluttered cockpit, and the ride are all reminiscent of a larger craft. Quite…