Sport Fishing February 2017

By the time these words see the light of day in this issue of Sport Fishing, Charlie Melancon might have been fired. If so, many thousands of folks across Louisiana will be rejoicing. During his one-year tenure, in 2016, as Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries secretary, Melancon has with remarkable efficiency trashed his department, walked back the progress of his highly regarded predecessor, Robert Barham (who approved the impressive LDWF tuna-research program featured on page 68), and destroyed the strong relationships Barham had developed with anglers and the sport-fishing industry. The Great Melancon Mess merits national attention of a state issue for a couple of reasons. For one, Louisiana’s world-class saltwater sport fisheries are of keen interest to anglers all over the country, many of whom come to fish…

DIVERSE OFFSHORE-FISHING STYLES ignited angler resourcefulness throughout the decades to produce innovative leader setups. See a need, fill a need. The ingenuity among experienced fishermen is ongoing, with captains quick to recognize and change tactics whenever better leader options are created. At many fishing destinations I visit, I often learn a fresh twist or new leader system from a local captain. Many techniques are versatile, allowing off shore anglers across the globe to utilize the leader setups. Leaders from the past still have value today; new leader systems stretch the capabilities of today’s tackle. You’ll find both in this column. Below, three respected veteran captains describe tried-and-true leaders. At least one of these leaders will almost certainly work for your preferred style of off shore hunting. TROLLING FOR MARLIN Capt.…

THOUGH SOMETIMES CERO MACKEREL ARE MISTAKEN FOR THEIR SMALLER COUSIN, THE SPANISH MACKEREL, ONLY THE CERO HAS A SOLID GOLD LINE RUNNING FROM JUST BEHIND THE GILL COVER NEARLY TO THE TAIL. THIS FABULOUS LIGHT-TACKLE GAMESTER IS LIMITED TO CLEAR TROPICAL WATERS, FEEDING NEAR THE SURFACE AROUND CORAL REEFS THROUGHOUT THE CARIBBEAN AND THE FLORIDA KEYS. THE WORLD RECORD OF 18 POUNDS CAME FROM BIMINI, BAHAMAS, IN JUNE 2013, THOUGH THE GREATEST NUMBER OF CERO RECORDS IS FROM THE KEYS. CHALLENGE OUR EXPERTS (And Win Up to 10,800 Yards of Line!) SEND IN YOUR QUESTION and any relevant photos of your mysterious catch or observation for our experts’ ID and feedback. If we publish your question and you have a shipping address within the United States or Canada, you’ll win…

HAVE YOU COUNTED the fibers in your braided line recently? Yeah, me neither. But even if the naked eye can’t identify different carriers woven together to create polyethylene (PE) fishing line, thread count still matters. Just like men’s suits and bedsheets, right? Consider how braided fishing line is constructed. Polyethylene microfilaments are gel spun (spun together while in partial-liquid form, producing a stronger interchain connection) to create carriers — or strands — often under trade names Dyneema or Spectra. The term “carrier” is sometimes replaced with “end” or “yarn” in braided-line parlance. What’s misleading about the braid moniker is that carriers are actually woven together (a small but specific difference some manufacturers pointed out to me) to create braided line, forming what’s known as “pics” at points where they intersect.…

1. HANDS ON Deep Apparel’s Leadering Gloves are compatible with all touchscreens, and include dexterous fingers that allow you to open and close your hand. The quick-drying Spandex top stretches easily, and the Velcro wrist strap and gripped palm keep the gloves from slipping. The gloves come in medium, large and extra large, and are gray and black with blue accents. They cost $34.99. 2. FISHY FAVORITES Designed to dry quickly and offer UPF 30-plus sun protection, Heybo Outdoors’ longsleeved graphic performance tees come in five original designs, featuring tuna (pictured), marlin, wahoo, dolphin and sailfish. Sizing runs from small to XXXL. The shirts cost $29.99. 3. TAKE CHARGE Accurate Fishing Products has introduced two new models to its popular Boss Valiant series: the BV-400 Single-Speed ($459.95) and BV2-400 Two-Speed…

The waters around Guadalupe Island off Baja’s northern Pacific coast paid off for fly-rod angler Paul Chukar Tutunjian of Irvine, California, this past September, when he caught a 39-pound, 8-ounce California yellowtail [A] on 16-pound tippet. A one-hour battle ensued. The current 16-poundtippet record is 34 pounds, 14 ounces, from Cerralvo Island, Baja. Ten-year-old Daniel Lazarevski of Melbourne, Australia, battled a 256-pound, 10-ounce southern bluefin tuna [B] for two and a half hours off Portland, Australia, this past September before the fish could be boated. If approved, the catch will blow away the current small-fry record of 98 pounds, 12 ounces, caught in 2014. A 31-pound, 2-ounce Pacific barrelfish [C] is pending as the all-tackle record for the species. Caught off Amino, Japan, by Takanori Nagasawa of Osaka, this past…