Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2023 i Salt Water Sportsman

Pursuit Boats’ new S 248 Sport is a class-leading entry-level center-console packed with features. It’s powered by a single Yamaha F300 outboard with electronic controls and steering. The S 248 cruises comfortably at 28.9 mph with a range of 261 miles. Top speed is 45.8 mph. Anglers will love the insulated port and starboard fish boxes with a diaphragm discharge pump, four transom rod holders, four gunwale rod holders, a 24-gallon recirculating lighted livewell, undergunwale rod racks, and abundant storage throughout the boat. The integrated hardtop features a tempered-glass windshield, optional wiper and washer, and four rod holders. Contoured seats with optional forward-facing backrests provide comfort in the bow. A fold-down transom seat provides additional seating. Plush, diamond-pattern upholstery offers a refined look. A transom gate on the starboard side…

We were fishing big gear for bluefin tuna—which had shown up relatively close to shore—when one of the rods goes off. A few short, uneventful moments later, and I’m freaking out because we’re looking at the largest striper I’ve ever seen. After a quick measurement and photo, we sent her on her way. A whopping 55-inch fork length, and this thing was fat! Well over the 60-pound mark. That was just the beginning. For weeks, from right up on the beach to a few miles out, the largest concentration of 30-pluspound bass I’ve ever witnessed were crushing plugs along the edges of massive bunker schools. I mean, seriously. We saw more 50-pound-class fish in the space of a few weeks than I’ve seen in the two decades I’ve been running…

Each Sailfish boat I’vetested demonstrates one overarching principle: The company’s design team consists of experienced saltwater anglers and accomplished skippers. This wealth of knowledge leads to features and building techniques that favor hardcore fishability, exemplary seakeeping abilities in the roughest waters, and the durability to support an extended warranty and make owners proud for decades to come. Just as important, Sailfish keeps family and crew comfort in mind, making its boats ideal candidates for boaters with diverse views of recreation afloat. In a sea full of center-console sport-fishers, finding one that stands out in the fleet requires the builder to pay special attention to making the deck suitable for doing battle against big game. Sailfish knew how to check all those boxes in the design and construction of the new…

RED SNAPPER POACHERS CAUGHT NEAR TEXAS The Coast Guard recently detained 22 Mexican citizens for allegedly poaching nearly 600 pounds of red snapper and sharks near the Texas coast. Boat crews, air crews and the Cutter Jacob Poroo caught the group in five lanchas—speedy, open boats the Coast Guard says are often used for fishing and drug smuggling—south of Corpus Christi in December. Video from the Coast Guard appears to show one lancha making a run for it, unsuccessfully. Aboard the lanchas were 590 pounds of red snapper and three sharks, along with gear, radios, GPS devices and high flyers. The Mexican nationals were allegedly fishing in the exclusive economic zone, which extends 200 miles beyond the 12-mile territorial sea of the United States. Coasties “detained the Mexican fishermen and…

You can just about stop a truck with a conventional reel that fits in the palm of your hand these days, but when big-game fishing was in its infancy, reels were little more than direct-drive winches. The evolution took a little over 100 years, but now anglers can beat 1,000-pound fish with reels that weigh mere ounces. W.H. Wood was widely credited with the first rod-and-reel tarpon, a 93-pounder taken at the mouth of Florida’s Caloosahatchee River in 1885. While landing a silver king of that size is a feat, it is even more impressive when the angler is using their fingertips and a patch of leather to slow the reel’s spinning spool. This accomplishment inspired New York-based tackle manufacturer Edward vom Hofe to develop a reel with an internal…

Amid the sweltering heatand bustling throngs of boat shoppers during the Palm Beach International Boat Show two years ago, I reached a moment of clarity. It was then, while attending the introduction of Scout Boats’ new 350 LXZ, that I realized for the first time that lithiumbattery-based auxiliary power systems were not only viable for boating anglers, but also represented the wave of the future for saltwater fishing machines. Scout—always the innovator—had employed a truly practical and advanced lithium-battery-based system in place of an old-school internal-combustion marine generator. While the 350 LXZ was not exactly a hardcore fishing boat, it served as an example of what’s possible today and in the future. The lithium battery system on board this model incorporated a host of features, including solar panels, to supply…

History counts many notable kings on land, but there is only one true king of the sea, and that is the tarpon. My wife’s late uncle, a Californian, asked if I could put him on a tarpon during a summer visit long ago. Longtime friend Capt. Jim Leavelle offered his boat, tackle and skills, and off we set enthusiastically to nearshore Gulf of Mexico waters. Sharks ate most of our baits and nearly broke Uncle John’s will. But with precious little time and energy left, a final line came tight, and the long-range tuna fanatic from California took control—then promptly lost it when a basketball-size mouth pushed through the surface. In a single package, the silver king is massive, unforgivingly powerful and unpredictably explosive. The fish landed broadside with more…

Thank God for the mahi. It never fails. When someone learns that I’ve fished all over the world, they immediately ask me, “What’s your favorite fish to catch?” Lucky for me, the mahi makes this easy. Naming Coryphaena hippurus is almost a no-brainer. Does any other gamefish species tick as many boxes? These amazing critters are: • Abundant in all warm and temperate oceans• Aggressive and usually eager to strike most baits or lures• Great sight-casting targets in blue water• Fabulous high-jumpers, leaping at the first sting of a hook• One of the fastest fish in the sea• Unforgettably and incomparably colored, with everchanging brilliant electric blues, yellows and greens• Fast-growing, reaching 2 to 4 feet in length in a year• Among the finest-eating of fish In part because the…

Specifications LENGTH 41'2" BEAM 12'0"  DRAFT 3'10" DEADRISE 23 degrees FUEL 500 gal.  WEIGHT 22,500 lb.  MAX HP 1,350  PRICE Starts from $1,203,200 w/ triple Mercury Verado 300 outboards Formula Boats formulaboats.com Sometimes when a companysteps out of its lane, it doesn’t end well. But Formula, best known for its luxurious performance boats, has nailed its first fishing boat in 37 years. The company designers clearly sweated the details to bring a new perspective to the offshore center-console. A common offshore problem is peering through a windshield that’s speckled with spray when looking for birds, weed lines and feeding fish. Formula’s 387 CCF features an electronically actuated flip-up windshield that not only improves visibility but also adds much-needed airflow to the helm. We gave the 387 CCF a real-world test…