Innholdsfortegnelse for October 2019 i Salt Water Sportsman

How many rods and reels do we need? I need those I already have, plus a few more, and I suspect I’m not alone in that. Is this wants versus needs? When it comes to fishing tackle, the fact that you want it means you need it. Given that, the annual tackle trade show, ICAST, last summer was either the worst or the best place to be. The amount of gear can be overwhelming, but the show also offers insight into how anglers demand tackle that expands their toolbox of skills. There was a time when applying maximum pressure on a sailfish could put a spinning reel seriously out of commission. Manufacturers stepped up, and spinning reels, now big-game-tough, produce enough drag to put an angler out of commission. While…

First-time saltwater angler Lisa Perschino of Connecticut caught this 15-plus-pound bluefish off the south end of Block Island, Rhode Island, in July. She was fishing with her brother Chip and Capt. Matt King of Hula Dog Charters. Lisa’s now looking forward to going back next year for a big Block Island striped bass. YOUR CATCH To send in your catch photo, email us at catches@saltwatersportsman.com. 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, FL 32789. Unsolicited manuscripts are welcomed but will not be acknowledged or returned unless accompanied by an SASE.…

Three-blade props afford the desired performance for a wide range of boats and conditions, but more blades often help improve hole shot, minimize cavitation and prop slip on takeoffs and turns, and maintain acceleration in situations when part of the prop breaks the surface. Some flats skiffs and bay boats, especially those with a transom step or pocket, or a jack plate for shallow running, benefit from a four-blade prop. High-performance boats often opt for five-blade props to increase top speed.…

Power Displays Garmin’s EchoMap Ultra series includes keyed-assist touchscreen chart plotters that support high-definition scanning sonar and Panoptix Live-Scope. All models come with Garmin’s most detail-rich cartography. The 10-and 12-inch are available with the new Ultra High-Definition GT54UHD-TM all-in-one transducer featuring Clear-Vu and SideVu scanning sonar plus high-wide chirp sonar. $1,599.99 to $2,799.99; garmin.com/marine In the Zone The Polk Ultramarine UM2 audio system offers independent volume control for up to four different zones. The control head mounts on the dash while the module can be easily installed out of sight. The stereo incorporates a 4.3-inch full-color TFT display and Bluetooth connectivity. It is SiriusXM-ready, and offers 18 FM and 12 AM presets, as well as a seven-channel NOAA weatherband radio. $999.99; polkmarine.com Cell Mate Shakespeare Marine’s Stream service takes advantage…

The array of fishing lines on the market offers a sometimes boggling set of options, but look at the bright side: This also means the right line for you is somewhere on a tackle-shop shelf. Match the fundamental qualities of a line with your particular fishing, and you’re well on the way to finding the perfect line. Monofilament Monofilament line is one of the most significant advancements in sport fishing’s history. Ever since Dupont engineers melted nylon and extruded it into a single long, thin strand, anglers have had the advantage of a thin, strong and nearly invisible single-polymer line strong enough to best the biggest fish. From the time nylon mono first hit the water, chemists, engineers and anglers have worked together to develop lines to meet specific needs.…

IT IS OFTEN SAID THAT ALL BOATS ARE A COMPROMISE, BUT EVERY SO OFTEN COMES ON THE SCENE AN IMPRESSIVE NEW FISHING MACHINE THAT SEEMS TO AFFORD ANGLERS EVERYTHING THEIR HEARTS DESIRE, WITH NO TRADE-OFFS OR CONCESSIONS. THE SOLACE 345 IS THE LATEST EXAMPLE. From the broad scope of building materials and processes to the radical design elements, top-notch metal fabrication, fit and finish, and finetuned—and often reinvented—features and accessories, the 345 epitomizes forward thinking, and states loudly that boatbuilder Stephen Dougherty and his team have set their sights on taking the fishing-boat market by storm. The Solace’s use of space is also commendable. The gunwales hold stowage for tackle, fenders and other cumbersome items, leaving the three insulated in-deck compartments with overboard discharge—an 80-gallon forward and twin 68-gallon in…

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced it was rescinding its original veto and greenlighting the Pebble Mine, a polemical mining project sure to impact the Bristol Bay watershed, home to Earth’s largest remaining sockeye salmon run, as well as the other four Pacific salmon species, several other gamefish, and the many animals that depend on them for sustenance. The announcement came just one day after Alaska’s Gov. Mike Dunleavy, a Pebble Mine supporter, met with the president aboard Air Force One this summer—while refueling in Anchorage on the way back from the G20 summit in Japan. EPA staff planning to oppose the project on environmental grounds believed they would still have weeks or months to reassess previous findings and stop the project permanently, but were taken aback when they received…

Mia Rose Panar 5, New Jersey Seriously into fishing since the age of 4, Mia is a fourth-generation angler who enjoys fishing in Barnegat Bay and various freshwater lakes. Her list of saltwater catches so far includes flounder, bluefish and houndfish. Gadsden Lee 8, Florida Gadsden may be short in years, but not in experience. He has caught snook, jacks, sheephead and catfish from his family’s dock, and recently, while trolling in Sarasota Bay, added Spanish mackerel to his list of catches. Emily Jacobsen 10, Massachusetts Emily takes great pride in her role as first mate on her family’s boat, and has fished with her dad for everything from flounder to bluefin tuna. She caught this 16-pound striped bass in Cape Cod Bay. NOMINATE A KID: SWS recognizes kids who represent…

Chittum Islamorada 21 Following the success of its 18-foot models, Chittum Skiffs has added a 21-footer to the Islamorada series, taking advantage of the company’s cutting-edge designs, technology and materials to achieve the performance and shallow-water capabilities of a true poling skiff on a scaled-up version. The builder succeeded in keeping the weight down and the draft skinny while affording a wealth of fishing features. Additional length, width and height provide a better, drier ride in rough water, and greater passenger capacity. The Islamorada 21 boasts a huge 45-gallon livewell in the aft deck that can also serve as dry storage, augmenting that provided by two other aft compartments and a third in the forward deck. Four batteries fit in the center console, enabling use of a 36-volt trolling motor,…

STRATEGY Heavily pressured fish respond to a novel presentation. ACTION Lures cover a broad swath of water on the retrieve. GEAR Fast-retrieve reels and slow-recovery rods work together to animate the lure A calm ocean off Miami Beach presented an ideal opportunity to jig over a series of deep wrecks and bottom structure, such as the rubble patch in 430 feet of water where Benny Ortiz hooked up. His long, whippy rod—bent nearly double—appeared more art deco-like than a serious jigging outfit. Yet the magic unfurled as Ortiz fought the fish off the reel (read: no rod pumps) until he boated a beauty of a snowy grouper. Back with a Vengeance Ortiz had joined Harry Vernon III, Carl Grassi and me aboard Marc VI, to showcase the finer points of…

It would be appropriate to use the famous Yogi Berra line: “It is déjà vu all over again.” However, that may really not fit the current situation. This resembles a fisheries version of the Greek mythological Hydra, a creature whose severed heads would grow back double. We need a Hercules to put to rest the fourth attempt to pass the “Strengthening Fishing Communities and Increasing Flexibility in Fisheries Management Act.” That might be an overreaction, but I am getting tired of writing about this. It is also a waste of congressional time and eff ort on changes that would make sensible fisheries management more problematic, impact the long-term sustainability of stocks, and hurt the recreational users. This act started with Congressman Hastings (R-Wa.) when he introduced the “Strengthening Fishing Communities…

In August 1995, Jim Bertken, 37, outdoor editor for the Los Angeles Daily News, was on assignment on an overnight tuna trip off the rugged, wind-swept central coast of California. No one truly knows the precise chain of events that night, but the Coast Guard report concluded that Bertken had likely fallen into the chilly waters of the Pacific Ocean sometime between 2:30 and 3:30 a.m. while suffering from seasickness. He was not missed until a good two hours later and, despite an extensive search, Bertken was never found. He left behind a wife and two young sons, as well as many good friends—myself included—who always pondered if that tragedy at sea could have somehow been averted. Avoiding Calamity Prudent seamanship and vigilance play vital roles in preventing and responding…

BERKLEY Night Shift Glow-stick rods from Berkley incorporate a fiber-optic cable powered by AAA batteries that lights the length of the rod for guess-proof bite-detection after dark, designed for the special challenges of surf and pier fishing. Available in 8-, 9- and 10-foot models. $79.99 to $89.99; purefishing.com PENN Gen2 Star Nine reels in the second-generation Fathom II Star Drag series from Penn include a Fast Gear-Access Side Plate that allows quick and efficient servicing and lubrication. Power Gear ratios on the 25N, 30 and 40 boost torque. The size 15 Casting Special adds a magnetic casting brake and upgraded bearings. $199.95 to $219.95; pennfishing.com ALUTECNOS Mighty Mite Alutecnos adds a little sibling to its line of machined aluminum reels: the Gorilla 20 Wide 2S, a two-speed reel offering the…

THE ADVENT OF DUALCONSOLE BOATS THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS POINTS TO AN INCREASE IN ANGLERS LOOKING FOR MULTITASKING MODELS WITH A FAMILYFRIENDLY LAYOUT. WORLD CAT’S 400 DC-X LETS POTENTIAL OWNERS CHECK THAT BOX AND OFFERS MORE THAN 200 SQUARE FEET OF USABLE SPACE, PLUS A LONG LIST OF COMFORTS, AND THE STABILITY AND SOFT RIDE OF A CATAMARAN. The World Cat’s customizable layout features a single-level deck and any of 12 different transom designs—with port and starboard modules abaft the centerline transom door—to best suit the owner’s needs. The big cat also incorporates a number of seating options. For starters, there are four double-wide benches—two facing aft and two forward—sporting dedicated backrests, and there’s substantial storage with overboard drains beneath three of them. Recessed grab rails line both sides…