Innholdsfortegnelse for May 2018 i Sport Fishing

YOU CAN’T FIX STUPID. INLETS AND IGNORANCE DON’T MIX. For a great many readers of this magazine, traversing inlets is simply a fact of life. Inshore anglers, who fish inside bays and estuaries, have no worries about “crossing the bar.” Offshore anglers in some areas, such as the Florida Keys, can head offshore without negotiating an inlet. But more often, fishing off the coast means first traveling through an inlet—and of course, later in the day, heading back through it again. On calm days, particularly with a flooding tide, that crossing should be a non-event. I’ve made many such crossings in inlets with shallow bars (the area where the ocean shallows up at the mouth of the inlet) where it was impossible to tell from water conditions at what point…

The first evidence of leather garments can be dated back about 40,000 years; cotton clothing appeared in India at around 5,000 B.C.; and the earliest proof of silk clothing dates back to about the same millennium in Japan. In all of these times, and every day since, sweaty anglers have wished for cooler clothing. There’s not a person reading this who hasn’t felt a trickle of sweat running down his or her brow as the sun rose high in the sky and the morning’s comfortable clothing suddenly became overly hot. There’s not one angler among us who hasn’t stripped down to the bare necessities in a quest for cooler casting. And there’s not one set of eyes passing across these pages that hasn’t been stung by sweat while sending lures…

Pending as the all-tackle record, this 13-pound, 3-ounce snubnose pompano [A] caught by Russian angler Ilya Sherbovich went for a well-placed crab fly in the Seychelles this past February. After a 12-minute fight, the pompano (in the same genus as permits) was quickly weighed, documented, photographed, and released alive and healthy. The current record is 11 pounds, 3 ounces. Among nearly 1,800 species of fish caught by Californian Steve Wozniak, none is more surreal in appearance than this 7-pound, 8-ounce gorgeous swallowtail [B] that he caught off Kenya this past January. If approved, Wozniak’s will be the first of the species ever to hold the title of IGFA world record. Fly-rodder Dotty Ballantyne of Bozeman, Montana, joined guide Doug Kilpatrick to catch this 10-pound, 4-ounce bonnethead shark [C] near Sugarloaf…

COMBO DECK BRUSH IN THE PAST, I used two deck brushes when scrubbing the boat with soap and water after a day of fishing. A brush with soft bristles covered 95 percent of the boat, but I had a stiff-bristle brush standing by for stubborn spots of dried blood and tracked-in dirt on the deck. Today I use only one brush—the Combo Deck Brush from Shurhold (about $34). A ring of long, soft bristles cleans most of the deck and the smooth fiberglass surfaces, while a core of short, tough fibers rests in the center. I deploy these stiffer bristles simply by pressing down on the brush when I need the extra scrubbing power. Combine this brush with a Shurhold 9-foot telescoping aluminum handle (about $38), and you can wash…

1 BOW OR STERN FIRST You might be tempted, particularly with two people, to pick up a kayak from each end, hold it away from the gunwale, and lower it to the water. But from even moderately high-freeboard boats, it’s easiest to simply slide the kayak bow or stern first (at 90 degrees to the gunwale). Be sure to first secure a dock line to the ’yak to keep it from drifting away. Reverse this procedure when retrieving your kayak. 2 BOARD THEN LOAD Don’t try to put all your tackle and gear into a kayak before you launch, or some might slide off. Or your kayak might roll over as you are trying to sit down in it, and that will dump all of your precious tackle and expensive…

When it comes to fishing laws governing seasons, limits and lengths, life used to be pretty simple for anglers and captains. But these days, there are strict regulations governing fisheries for a great many species popular around and off Panama City—including (but not limited to) red snapper, red grouper, gag grouper, amberjack, gray triggerfish, cobia and kingfish. Bottom line, if you hope to keep some fish for the table or freezer, know the latest regulations. If fishing with a professional captain, ask him before you go so you’ll know what’s in season and what’s not—and to avoid any unpleasant surprises when you land that big one. Or look up the regs yourself; they’re easily found by visiting myfwc.com.…

Block Island offers a new opportunity for fishermen, thanks to the island’s eco-minded officials. On the southeastern side of the island sits a wind farm only 4 miles from the coast, with five windmills producing enough energy for the entire island. Completed in 2016, these turbines are expected to attract increasing numbers of fish. The huge supportive bases of these windmills offer bait convenient places to hide, which attracts larger fish such as stripers, sea bass, flounder, scup, false albacore and other hungry piscine swimmers.…

SEBASTIAN, FLORIDA “Sebastian is one of the worst—not the one where you want to test your boating skills.” —Capt. Eric Davis, Vero Backcountry Fishing ST. LUCIE, FLORIDA “The St. Lucie Inlet has a reputation for being one of the most treacherous in Florida.” —Florida Oceanographic Institute JUPITER, FLORIDA “The most dangerous inlet in Palm Beach County.”—Palm Beach Post BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA “You’d better have the right boat and know what you’re doing.” —Capt. Chip Sheehan, Chips Ahoy Charters OREGON INLET, NORTH CAROLINA “I’m nervous every single time I run the inlet.” —Brendan Strum, Manteo, North Carolina INDIAN RIVER, DELAWARE “Indian River Inlet is extremely dangerous.” —U.S. Coast Guard Station Indian River Facebook post MORICHES BAY, NEW YORK “Strong currents can mix with brisk winds to create a melee of waves,…

Whether they bloop, swish, chug, rattle or plop, all topwater plugs make noise as they move through the water. And all anglers agree that the explosive smash of a game fish on topwater is an adrenaline-charged strike that’s tough to beat. But when does the pop of a popper or the chug of a chugger draw in game fish, and when does it turn them off? When does walking the dog top the pop? How does an angler know which to choose, when and why? To find out, I talked to a number of pros from a wide geographical range of topwater fisheries. Shockingly, they all agreed on which choice to make, and when. Almost. I DON’T THINK THE POPPER RESEMBLES ANYTHING IN NATURE, BUT THE NOISE DOES GET THE…

Just a little over a year ago, researchers at Stanford University announced that they had developed a fabric that might be able to provide even more relief from the heat. Nanoporous polyethylene has pores between 50 and 1,000 nanometers in diameter, which scatter visible light yet allow infrared energy to pass through. In other words, the sun can’t get in, but your body heat can escape out without being blocked (as happens with other fabrics). The researchers believe that they can coat the fabric with polydopamine (a material designed for the biomedical industry, used to coat nanoscale surfaces to change their physical properties) to give it wicking properties. Tests prior to coating show a temperature drop of almost 5 degrees Fahrenheit, so when combined with wicking, this fabric might one…

Panama City is part of what is widely termed Florida’s Emerald Coast, after the color of nearshore waters, at times having a distinct clear-green hue. Many of the activities that attract visitors are water oriented, not surprising given the inside waters of several sprawling bays and, outside, the Gulf beyond the sandy beaches. To get more information on all that Panama City has to offer, visit destinationpanamacity.com. TO BOOK FISHING TRIPS INSHORE Capt. Matt Smith—panamacityinshore.com OFFSHORE Capt. Matt Parramore—facebook.com/parramoreoffshore ACCOMMODATIONS There are plenty of options of many types at many prices in and around Panama City. We stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn, which offers an excellent central location. DINING If you visit Panama City, arrive hungry. The place is loaded with eateries of all sorts and, as you might…

Narragansett Indians first settled Block Island, calling it Manisses, which translates to “island of the little god,” according to island tourism officials. Dutch explorer Adrian Block sailed to the island in the early 1600s and gave the place its current name. Today, visitors can access Block Island by high-speed ferry. Passenger-only vessels leave from Point Judith and Newport, Rhode Island, and from Fall River, Massachusetts. If you want to cross with your car, you must leave out of Point Judith. The island features two bait shops as well as two marinas that can accommodate boats: New Harbor, accessible on the western side of the island, and Old Harbor on the eastern side. New Harbor offers dockage and moorings, while Old Harbor is more of a ferry port with some mooring…

When challenging a nasty inlet, make sure everyone dons a life jacket and knows to secure themselves for a run fraught with lumps, bumps and spray, Strum says. Brief everyone on what to do should catastrophe strike. Batten down any loose gear before making your run. Get all crewmembers on deck and, if possible, have them seated. They need to stay out of the cabin or other enclosure. If you must remain in an enclosed space such as a pilothouse, wear an inflatable life jacket with a pull tab only—not one with an auto-inflation feature. This helps ensure your escape in the event of a capsizing. It is the same reason passenger-airline crews instruct you not to inflate your life jacket inside the plane. If water rushes into the cabin (be…

Not to be confused with the little tunny, aka false albacore, this albacore is the real thing, distinguished from other tunas by its amazingly long pectoral fins. An important commercial species worldwide, labeled “white-meat tuna,” albacore are targeted by recreational anglers in temperate waters of the Pacific Ocean (including off California, Oregon, Washington and Hawaii). The IGFA all-tackle world record albacore of 88 pounds, 2 ounces came from the Canary Islands in 1977. FLAMBOYANT FLATTIE Q I photographed this flatfish in Bonaire where I saw dozens of them, around the island, picking off glass minnows. None of them looked to be larger than a couple of pounds. What is it? Jason Arnold Fort Lauderdale, Florida A That’s a beautiful photograph of a peacock flounder (sometimes called a plate fish), Bothus…

BEACH BULLET Shimano’s newest Ultegra CI4+ surf reels—in 5500XTC and 14000XTC models—offer anglers the latest technology in long-casting spinning reels. Both offer CI4+ construction, featuring a light, rigid material; X-Protect; and Hagane gearing. The reels retrieve up to 41 inches per crank; the larger 14000 includes Shimano’s Super Slow 5 oscillation system for perfect line lay. With a 5.3-to-1 gear ratio, the 5500 handles up to 270 yards of 40-pound-test braid. The 4.3-to-1 14000 size can load 460 yards of 50-pound braid. The 5500 costs $319.99; the 14000 costs $339.99. TUNE UP Fusion says its redesigned Signature Series speakers feature a new look with an elegant finish to blend with any vessel décor. Available in 6.5-, 7.7-, and 8.8-inch sizes and in Classic White, Sports White (pictured), and Sports Chrome,…

Look for the safest line through the waves. Gaps in the froth indicate areas of relatively calm water. When heading out, maintain enough speed to keep the bow high. If you go too slow, the bow will drop and you will nose into the oncoming waves. If you go too fast, you’ll get beat up. Head into the waves and do not slow down, even if you take water over the bow. Maintaining your speed forces any shipped water astern and out the scuppers. If you slow down, the water will surge forward and push the bow down, possibly resulting in a catastrophic swamping and rollover. When returning, retract the trim tabs and maintain sufficient throttle to keep the boat running straight and in a position on the backside of a…