Innholdsfortegnelse for November/December 2019 i Salt Water Sportsman

1 Caravan MAG The Caravan MAG from Smith Optics offers interchangeable lenses that easily swap out to match light conditions. Lens options include bronze mirror, brown, gray-green and black for bright light, and a ChromaPop Igniter for low-light situations. $249; smithoptics.com 2 Wet Sounds Carry drinks and tunes in the same package with the Wet Sounds SHIVR-55 bluetooth sound bar cooler: a 58-quart, roto-molded cooler with rope carrying handles, featuring a built-in six-speaker 200-watt sound bar with rechargeable lithium-ion battery for eight hours of play via bluetooth connection. $249.99; wetsounds.com 3 Slow-Roll Shiner Injected Core Technology in the LiveTarget Slow-Roll Shiner lure accounts for the realistic look of this paddletail swimbait, while the Exo-Skin generates vibration that creates a subtle and enticing rolling action on the retrieve. Available in 3-,…

CONTROL FLOW Regulating water flow to the tuna tubes is a must. Water blasting like a pressure washer will not allow proper bait oxygenation. ADJUST TEMP Cooling the water supplying the tuna tubes is often required to ensure the survival of baits caught well below the surface. PURGE CO2 A good overflow lets you eliminate any carbon dioxide produced by the bait. “If you fish tourneys and want to compete with the big sport-fishers, you have to live-bait.” Anglers are always looking for any advantage to produce more bites. Targeting big game such as marlin and tuna often requires catching bonito, skipjacks or small blackfin tuna for bait. Returning the liveys to the water immediately after bridle-rigging them is ideal, but the fishing spots and the place where you make…

Diesel Display Yanmar YD25 and YD42 multifunction color displays offer full monitoring of compatible Yanmar marine diesels, including engine speed, engine load, oil pressure and coolant temperature on four customizable screens. The YD25 features a transflective monochrome 2.5-inch LCD screen. The YD42 has a 4.1-inch screen. Both are weatherproof and NMEA 2000-compatible. Starting at $550 and $826, respectively; yanmarmarine.com Radical Radio Featuring a touchscreen handset, Vesper Marine’s Cortex combines a Class BAIS transponder and remote vessel monitor with VHF. SmartAIS technology monitors hazardous situations, sending alerts on the handsets and Wi-Fi-connected smartphones. If you’re ashore, the system alerts a smartphone via an app. It also warns of changes in wind speed and direction, and water depth. Starting at $1,799; vespermarine.com Satellite Savvy Garmin’s GXM 54 satellite receiver supports SiriusXM’s new…

LENGTH: 53'5" BEAM: 14'8" WEIGHT: 26,500 lb. (plus power) DRAFT: 31" MAX HP: 2,510 DEADRISE: 18 degrees FUEL: 875 gal. PRICE: $2,342,019 w/quad Yamaha 425 XTOs WATER: 100 gal. SCOUT: scoutboats.com IF ONE THING EXEMPLIFIES SCOUT BOATS OVER THE YEARS, IT WOULD BE THE BUILDER’S DESIRE FOR INNOVATION AND CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGY IN EVERY NEW MODEL. WHEN WE SET FOOT ABOARD THE 530 LXF, THE COMPANY’S 53-FOOT FLAGSHIP, THAT TRAIT WAS UNDENIABLE. The design, construction, and fit and finish are all top-notch. The epoxy-infused carbon-fiber and E-glass hull ensures maximum strength and light weight, and wood-free stringers and bulkheads promise lasting reliability. The layout smartly uses the available space above- and belowdecks, providing roomy areas for fishing, running the boat, lounging and entertaining. At the bow, aft of the dedicated anchor…

For the second consecutive year, the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce, has released formal, national-level data for the outdoor recreation industry, now identified as a unique sector of the U.S. economy. And for the very first time, the BEA also released preliminary data on outdoor recreation’s economic impact at the state level for all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The facts that outdoor recreation makes up 2.2 percent of U.S. GDP, generates $778 billion in gross output, supports 5.2 million jobs, and is growing faster than the nation’s economy as a whole are among the highlights of the new report. In terms of economic output, boating/fishing, RVing, motorcycling/ATVing, hunting/shooting/trapping and equestrian sports are the five largest conventional outdoor recreation activities,…

Braving the summer heat, John Trahan took full advantage of his local knowledge. While fishing his home waters near Maurice, Louisiana, he caught this 48-inch bull redfish while working the shallows with a spinning rod. He baited with a dead shrimp, suspended under a popping cork, to draw the attention of his trophy catch. 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…

Every year, NOAA Fisheries puts out the Report to Congress on the Status of U.S. Fisheries, listing stocks that have been rebuilt, i.e., the good news. And it lists stocks with rebuilding plans, as well as stocks now listed as “Overfished” or “Experiencing Overfishing,” i.e., the bad news. There is more hype for stocks that have been rebuilt, and who wouldn’t want to thump their own tub? Under the regulations put in place by the Magnuson-Stevens Act, a lot of depleted stocks have been recovered. For those stocks important to the recreational fishing community, that is good news. More fish equals more participation and more fishing trips. Having fish in the water is critical. A stock is listed as Experiencing Overfishing when the harvest rate of that species is too…

The Salt Water Sportsman National Seminar Series kicks off its 33rd year on January 4 in Fort Myers, Florida. The series then heads to Hampton, Virginia, January 11; Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, January 18; Islamorada, Florida Keys, January 25; New Bern, North Carolina, February 1; Atlantic City, New Jersey, February 8; Trumbull, Connecticut, February 22; and Port St. Lucie, Florida, February 29. All seminars are held on a Saturday—from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.—and each stop is tailored to the local saltwater fishing. Learn from the Pros Headlining the Seminar Series is George Poveromo, host of George Poveromo’s World of Saltwater Fishing on Discovery Channel and SWS contributing editor. Joining Poveromo at each location will be some of the very best national and local pros, such as Mike Goodwine, Harry…

Belzona 27CC Ample seating and storage lead the extensive list of features packed into Belzona’s new 27-foot center-console. Bow seating includes a bench with storage underneath, which can be upgraded to the optional wraparound bow seating with more storage. The forward console seat holds a 45-quart cooler inside, while a considerably larger 65-quart cooler slides out from below the leaning post serving as helm seating. To keep the day’s catch chilled, the Belzona incorporates three insulated and macerated fish boxes: two offering a 340-quart capacity up front, and a single 222-quart in the cockpit. There’s also a standard 29-gallon livewell to port, and an optional 17-gallon starboard well, which is smaller to accommodate the Jumper Door, a compact version of the slider door on Belzona’s 32- and 40-foot models. A…

HOURS PASSED AS CAPT. ROM WHITAKER AND I WATCHED FROM THE BRIDGE OF THE HATTERAS-BASED RELEASE AS FIVE BIG BAITS SMOKED AND SPLASHED BEHIND THE BOAT. I WAS DOZING OFF WHEN MATE ANDY TRANT BROKE THE SILENCE. “HE’S ON THE SHOTGUN!” I SEARCHED THE WATER FOR A SIGN, BUT THE FISH WAS GONE, SO WHITAKER TURNED THE BOAT IN A WIDE CIRCLE TO CROSS THE SPOT AGAIN. On the second pass, the marlin came back with a vengeance. All I saw was a swipe and boil as the huge predator engulfed a skirted ballyhoo on the short rigger. With an 80-pound-class reel dumping line, the crew quickly cleared all the other lines while Whitaker put the single-engine boat in a hard turn to chase the fish. The next time the…

A FLOATING SHEET OF PUMICE THE SIZE OF MANHATTAN IS DRIFTING TOWARD AUSTRALIA, and could bring with it the key to the recovery of Great Barrier Reef corals, half of which have died as a result of climate change. First spotted by sailors on August 9, days after an underwater volcano near the Pacific Island of Tonga is thought to have erupted, according to a CNN report, the giant raft of volcanic rock is filled with holes and cavities that make it float like an iceberg, and it’s expected to drift with the current to the Australian coast over the next seven to 10 months. If it makes its way to the Great Barrier Reef, scientists believe the countless organisms the pumice is likely to be carrying could help replenish…

Brian Velon Jr. 5, Delaware Fishing with a family friend on the bay out of Ocean City, Maryland, Brian warmed up with a flurry of sea robins on the first drift before getting down to business, and capping off his day with this flounder. Collin McNally 12, Virginia Colin enjoys catching speckled trout, redfish, croakers and sharks on the boat with his dad off Norfolk, Virginia. He recently caught this striper off the marina docks in Wanchese, North Carolina, with his grandfather. Ethan Ball 13, Florida A capable offshore and inshore angler since he was 4, Ethan already boasts a lengthy list of catches, including seatrout, dolphin, sailfish and even blue marlin. He caught this tripletail sight-fishing off Florida’s Treasure Coast. NOMINATE A KID: SWS recognizes kids who represent sportsmanship, passion…

Imagine the heartache of finding your boat stripped of its electronics, leaving your helm with vacant cutouts and tangles of snipped cables and wires, the sad remnants of larceny. Such scenes seem to be occurring too often as thieves increasingly eyeball marine electronics, particularly multifunction displays, to turn a quick profit on the black market. “MFDs are highly visible, they cost thousands of dollars, and are essentially bolted to their host boats,” says Daniel Harper, founder and CEO of Siren Marine, which markets electronic security and monitoring systems. Indeed, a 16-inch MFD retails for as much as $6,000, and many saltwater fishing boats are equipped with two, three or more. Many thefts occur while a boat is in winter storage, says Scott Croft, vice president of public affairs for BoatU.S.,…

THE BLUEFIN BITE ON THE 30-FATHOM CURVE OFF NEW JERSEY WAS HOT AS WE SET OUT THE TROLLING PATTERN NEAR THE WRECK OF THE ATLANTIC PRINCESS. THE LUMPS AND RIDGES IN THE AREA HAD BEEN INVADED BY MASSIVE SCHOOLS OF SAND EELS, AND FINBACK WHALES AND LONGBEAKED DOLPHIN WERE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE BOUNTY. BUT THEY WERE NOT ALONE. BLUEFIN TUNA RANGING FROM 35 TO 200 POUNDS WERE IN PLAY, AND IN A BIG WAY. THE VHF WAS ALIVE WITH CHATTER AS THE FIRST HOOKUP OF THE MORNING WAS ANNOUNCED. “Whatcha get bit on?” came the first query. “Purple-and-black Joe Shute’s,” was the reply. That refrain would be repeated many times as the day wore on, with some fish falling to spreader bars, but most hitting ballyhoo adorned with those…

LENGTH: 38'8" WEIGHT: 8,800 lb. BEAM: 10 MAX HP: 1,250 DRAFT: 21" PRICE: $311,103 w/triple Mercury 400R Verados and trailer DEADRISE: 22 degrees FUEL: 419 gal. YELLOWFIN: yellowfin.com THE YELLOWFIN 34 OFFSHORE STANDS AS ONE OF THE BESTKNOWN CENTER-CONSOLE FISHING MACHINES ON THE MARKET TODAY. DESPITE ITS POPULARITY, WYLIE NAGLER, OWNER AND PRESIDENT OF YELLOWFIN, DECIDED TO CHANGE THIS MODEL—FOR THE BETTER. As Nagler tied up the 34-footer to the dock at Sarasota’s Centennial Park, we saw the changes firsthand. Since the layout of the previous Yellowfin 34 was familiar, the refinements were evident. While this model retains its proven twin-step running surface, sweeping sheer and bow flare, the interior has undergone a redesign to improve fishability. We put the revamped 34 through its paces in the Gulf of Mexico,…