Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2020 i Salt Water Sportsman

As has been our custom for the past few years, we kick off this year with our Essential Skills Issue, one we especially enjoy working on because it gives us a minute to look at our basic DNA—that of providing information that makes us all better anglers. While putting these stories together, we find we invariably learn something, which is one of the joys of the sport: No one ever knows it all. Or remembers it all. Some fundamental skills we learned young and use every day on the water, without thinking about them. Others we dredge up when we need them for a particular situation. Some of them we study to learn and incorporate into our fishing. Others we just stumble into. Rare is the trip I take when…

Family Snapper Success Inspired by a recent SWS cover shot, Dan Brenneman sent this picture of father-and-son team Kent and Carter Harman as proof of their recent success. Fishing off Ponce Inlet, Florida, father Kent landed a 23-pound red snapper, while son Carter pulled in a 10-pounder. Both were fishing live baits on 80-pound tackle. 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…

Although it was 40 years ago, it doesn’t seem like that long. In geological time, it is less than a blink of the eye. For the average human, it is half a lifetime. I remember wondering if my children would experience striper fishing at the level I saw in my teens. I wondered if they would ever catch a single fish. My concern may have been well-founded, but from the mid-’70s to the mid-’90s, it was unnecessary. Moratoriums or curtailed quotas rebuilt the striped bass stocks to levels never seen, due to sacrifice by all users. In some cases, this drew the wrath of user groups, but managers held fast. Everyone was in the same boat. A little luck and successful natural activity made the sacrifice worthwhile. Some scientists might…

This year’s crop of electronics reflects an expansion of digital integration, much of it in touchscreen multifunction displays to access, view and control onboard systems, from navigation, fish-finding and safety systems to satellite communications, cameras and security. If you think integration is solely the purview of battlewagons and mega-consoles, think again. Companies such as CZone, FLIR, Garmin, Mercury Marine, Simrad and Siren Marine offer compact, simpler and ever more affordable products with an amazing array of technology and networking capabilities for boats as small as 20 feet or less. LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT SOME EXAMPLES OF THE LATEST MARINE ELECTRONICS—PRODUCTS YOU WILL SEE AT BOAT SHOWS THIS YEAR. MARINE CAMERAS The FLIR M300 series marine cameras, with five models, feature robust pan-and-tilt housings. All network with the latest-generation MFDs,…

TEST CONDITIONS WEATHER Partly sunny LOCATION Vero Beach, Florida WIND NNE 17 knots SEA STATE 1- to 2-foot chop TEST LOAD Two adults, 20 gallons of fuel PATHFINDER, A BAY-BOAT INNOVATOR, CONSISTENTLY LEADS THE WAY IN SIZE AND FEATURES, BUT THE LATEST MODEL REVERSES THE TREND. IT’S A DOWNSIZED OPTION THAT PERMITS SHALLOW-WATER ACCESS YET HANDLES A CHOP BETTER, HAS GREATER RANGE, AND CARRIES MORE GEAR AND CREW THAN A FLATS SKIFF. The Pathfinder 2005 TRS delivers true bay-boat performance in a 20-foot package that’s simple to run, maintain, trailer and store, and endowed with 16 degrees of deadrise and the desired higher freeboard to safely and comfortably navigate and fish big water. And thanks to its 13-inch draft, the boat is quite capable of cruising the shallows and stalking…

After reviewing the results of a recent stock assessment and hearing concerns from anglers, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission approved several rule changes—including reduced bag and size limits—it hopes will benefit the spotted seatrout fishery while continuing to provide angling opportunities. Going into effect on February 1, the new measures modify the recreational slot-size limit from 15 to 20 inches, to 15 to 19 inches in length, allowing the harvest of one seatrout over the slot per vessel instead of per angler. In addition, the Northwest spotted seatrout management zone has been split into two zones: Western Panhandle (including Escambia County through portions of Gulf County) and Big Bend (the remaining portion of Gulf County, plus Indian Lagoon and Franklin County through Fred Howard Park Causeway in Pinellas…

Anthony O’Connor 6, Virginia In the summer, Anthony frequently visits his grandparents on Long Beach Island, New Jersey, where he fishes in the surf and off their boat, aboard which Anthony caught his very first sand shark. Emelia Montero 5, Florida Emelia has been fishing with her dad since she turned 3 and loves every second of it. This trout, her biggest catch to date, gave her quite a tussle. Now she eagerly awaits open season in hopes of keeping one for dinner. Chase Wycall 13, Rhode Island Though barely a teenager, Chase has fished extensively from Florida to Massachusetts. He caught this striper, his best ever, on a topwater while fishing with his dad off Westerly, Rhode Island, on the family’s Cobia 256. NOMINATE A KID: SWS recognizes kids who…

Albemarle Boats has long been a highly regarded builder, and its craftsmen continue to raise the bar in terms of construction, fit and finish, and overall quality, all clearly evident on the 31 DC, the newest addition to the Albemarle fleet. This latest dual console builds on the features and innovations that made the 27 DC a hit, but with the increased versatility that comes from greater size and additional amenities. Owners can chase fish offshore in the morning, then enjoy a variety of family activities in the afternoon and evening, knowing the hull’s 24-degree deadrise and the superior weather protection ensures a safe, dry ride, no matter what King Neptune has in store. The boat has everything needed for fishing offshore, including an uncluttered cockpit, macerated in-deck fish boxes,…

KEEP IT BRISTOL Neat and tidy, but readily accessible, are key to housekeeping afloat. Short dock lines and tie-off lines are easily organized with a simple coil that stays in place and prevents tangling. Make a set of overhand coils with the line, leaving a few feet uncoiled. Wind that end snugly around the middle of the coils from bottom to top, taking four or five turns. Pass the bitter end through the top of the coils and snug it up. The end may then be clove-hitched around a railing or pipework, where it stays out of the way, yet handy and ready to easily deploy whenever needed. Successful fishing and effectively enjoying your time on the water are as often as not the sum of myriad tricks and small…

1 Boss Woman Women’s Deck Boss Ankle Boots from Grundens—100 percent waterproof, slip-on boots—feature nonmarking siped-gum rubber outsoles for sure traction on all surfaces, keeping anglers planted on deck. Available in four colors, in sizes W5 to W11. $84.99; grundens.com 2 Cold Steel Combining the rugged durability of the brand’s legendary drink ware with the cold-holding legacy of its coolers, the Yeti V Series coolers feature stainless-steel exteriors over vacuum-insulated panels, cast-aluminum hinges, and a simple single latch closure for years of continued service. $800; yeti.com 3 Sharp Choice Whether filleting fish, cutting bait, or breaking down frozen chum, the Dexter SG142-8TE 8-inch knife with Sofgrip handle offers comfort and control. The proprietary coated high-carbon, high-alloy and stain-free Dexsteel blade shrugs off everything the saltwater environment throws at it. $55.30;…

PROPELLED AT CRAWLING SPEED BY THE TROLLING MOTOR, MIKE LARAMY AND I SCOURED A WINDING LOUISIANA BAYOU FOR SIGNS OF REDFISH. With spinning rod in hand, my tournament partner stood on the forward casting deck while, atop the poling platform, I held a baitcasting outfit. Soon, a wake materialized 40 feet off the port side. Instinctively, Laramy opened the bail, lobbed a weedless spoon, and connected with a member of the pack causing the V-shaped disturbance. The rest altered course and came right at us. So I flipped a swimbait, landed it softly ahead of the reds, and received the same aggressive response. A moment later, we netted the doubleheader. Versatility Wins One thing my years in the pro redfish tournament circuit taught me is the importance of versatility. Anglers…

FIND the wreck and pinpoint the fish’s position in relation to the structure. ASSESS the situation and existing conditions to pick a plan of attack. DEPLOY the baits and rigs best suited for the chosen game plan. So, you make an hourlong run, arrive to the intended wreck, and slow the boat down to idle to watch for signs of structure on the fish finder. Soon, you spot it. It’s right there on the screen, and above it, a cloud of blue and green marks, indicating fish. What are they? Will they bite? Wreck-fishing may be a roll of the dice, but a solid game plan often produces surprising results. From May to October, wrecks in 50 to 100 feet of water off the mid-Atlantic coast hold a treasure chest…

TEST CONDITIONS LOCATION Atlantic City, New Jersey WIND East 10 knots SEA STATE Bay calm; ocean and seas 2 to 4 feet TEST LOAD Three adults, 290 gallons of fuel WHEN VIKING YACHTS ANNOUNCED THE INTRODUCTION OF THREE CENTER-CONSOLES UNDER THE VALHALLA BOATWORKS BANNER, ARTIST RENDERINGS POSTED ON SOCIAL MEDIA IMMEDIATELY CREATED MAJOR BUZZ. BY SEPTEMBER, EXPECTATIONS AT THE MEDIA DEBUT IN ATLANTIC CITY WERE HIGH, AND THE NEW VALHALLAS DID NOT DISAPPOINT. After closely inspecting and spending time aboard the V-37 out on the water, it became clear this fishing machine is a winner. Reinvented naval architect Michael Peters—in concert with Viking’s head of design, David Wilson—designed the Valhalla hulls. The V-37s incorporate twin steps and an innovative tunnel on the aft planing surface, resulting in superb boat handling.…