Innholdsfortegnelse for June/July 2025 i Salt Water Sportsman

Conspiracy theories are best consumed with a grain of salt. I’ll admit that. Yet, I have one conspiracy that is absolutely true, so get ready. An anti-fishing entity has begun representing itself to fishery managers, regulators, politicians and even rank-and-file fishermen as an angling group. It’s called FishOn. A good name for a group of anglers, I think. Its mission, as outlined on its website (fishon.us), is to “represent conservationminded anglers and spearfishers in meaningful, ambitious ocean-protection policy.” Though these words might sound simpatico with your beliefs, do not be fooled. Be informed. FishOn is using a smoke screen to obscure its true intentions. Its board members hail from extreme environmental organizations, such as the Natural Resources Defense Council and Azul, known for anti-fishing stances. FishOn is a spin-off of…

SCAN THE QR CODE FOR DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS AND VIDEO ON BREAKING DOWN A BLUEFIN TUNA. Powerful, fast, large and delicious, bluefin tuna demand respect from anglers around the world. The thrill of hooking into a bluefin is unlike anything else in fishing. But beyond the fight, bluefin tuna are a marvel of the ocean, a species built for speed, endurance and, if handled properly, one of the best meals you can put on a plate. ¶ Unlike most fish, which are cold-blooded, bluefins have a unique ability to regulate their body temperature. This thermoregulation is present in other tuna species, but not to the extent of bluefins. It gives them the ability to thrive in a range of water temperatures. ¶ Thermoregulation also affects their flesh, leading to the incredible…

PUT YOUR BIG-GAME FACE ON! June kicks off the best big-game fishing of the year. From the Atlantic canyons to the Gulf oil rigs and California coast, tuna, blue marlin, swordfish and sharks rule the blue water. Before you go, get your head right—going toe-to-toe with a sea monster is a lopsided battle in the fish’s favor. MAKOS ON THE FLY San Diego native Capt. Conway Bowman says fly-fishing for sharks is better than ever. “The last five years, the makos have been getting bigger and bigger,” he says. Last year, Bowman’s anglers hooked 17 makos that he estimates weighed between 500 to 800 pounds. To catch makos on the fly, Bowman finds structure and current within a few miles of the beach. Then he chums and drifts. He describes…

Live sonar has launched an angling revolution, and like it or not, there’s no going back. Among freshwater bass, crappie and walleye fishermen, live sonar (aka forward-facing sonar or FFS) has become required equipment. The reason is simple. From weekend warriors to tournament pros, sweet-water anglers without live sonar rarely stand a chance against those who employ these systems from Humminbird, Garmin and Lowrance that display motion pictures of fish and bait in real time—imagery startlingly similar to medical ultrasounds. Yet, acceptance of this technology has not progressed as quickly among saltwater anglers. This is reflected in retail sales. To give you an idea, only about 10 percent of Garmin’s LiveScope live-sonar systems are sold to saltwater anglers, says David Dunn, senior director of marine and RV sales for Garmin.…

When you think of bluewater fishing in the Gulf, you could be forgiven for visions of livebaiting around oil rigs for big yellowfin and giant blue marlin. You might also think of 60-, 80-or 100-pound wahoo piling onto Ilanders trolled down weed lines. Then there are the bluefin tuna—800-pounders that are caught every year, sometimes on purpose, sometimes by accident. There is, however, another world-class fishery that resides beneath all of these top-of-thewater-column pelagic hunters. These monsters of the deep are generally targeted over bottom structure in depths ranging from 1,100 to 1,800 feet. That the Gulf is home to an incredible swordfish fishery might come as a surprise to the uninitiated. For those who target them here, the Gulf is a swordfishing wonderland. ALL-IN FROM THE BEGINNING Capt. Jeff…

SAILFISH 232 CC EARNS INDUSTRY HONOR The new 232 CC from Sailfish Boats serves as an example of a great design in a small package. Backing up that assertion is a major industry accolade. Boating (our sister publication) has recognized the 232 CC with a 2024 Boat of the Year award in the small-fishing-boat category. ¶ “We are deeply honored that the 232 CC has earned an award,” says Sailfish President and CEO Rob Parmentier. “As our owners and dealers experience every day, Boating magazine recognized the exceptional construction, smooth ride, comfort, ergonomics, safety and innovation that define Sailfish—even in a compact yet versatile 23-foot center-console.” ¶ With an 8½ -foot beam, Sailfish’s newest model features an integrated full-height windshield built into the T-top frame. There’s also bow seating with…

Specifications LENGTH 28'5"  BEAM 9'11" DRAFT 1'7" FUEL 231 gal. WEIGHT 7,250 lb. (w/engines) MAX HP 700 PRICE Starting at $200,841 (w/twin Yamaha F200 outboards) cobiaboats.com Let’s imagine for a moment that time travel is a reality. Using our Acme time machine, we transport a group of saltwater anglers from 1975 to a presentday boat show to ask for their reactions to advanced centerconsoles of the 21st century.What would they say? “Why so much seating?” might be the first question. Indeed, center-consoles from 50 years ago neglected frills like seating—some even lacked helm chairs. Since then, the number of places to sit has grown dramatically. Yet, our guest anglers point out that extra seating can interfere with the mission of a centerconsole—to provide ample deck space to pursue and battle fish.…

One thing I’ve learned in my years as a boating angler is that attempting to engage in an unfamiliar fishery can seem like a daunting proposition. And when it comes to saltwater fishing in Southern California, the striped marlin tops the list of fish that people assume is too difficult to learn how to target, so much so that many boating anglers don’t even try. The thing is, striped marlin aren’t difficult to catch, they are just hard to find because there aren’t huge numbers of them in SoCal at any given time. The good news is that by combining today’s modern charting technology with a basic understanding of striped marlin behavior, they’ve never been easier to find. Striper Season Before we get into the details of where to find…