Sport Fishing November/December 2018

“THE HARD TRUTH IS THAT THERE IS NO INDUSTRY STANDARD USED TO QUANTIFY ABRASION RESISTANCE OF FISHING LINES.” Caveat emptor is perhaps nowhere more true than when it comes to buying fishing lines. I found myself considering that fact from two pieces of content in this issue — our Holiday Gift Guide (no doubt many a spool of braid, mono or fluorocarbon will be given as gifts this season) and our Gear Guide on abrasion resistance in fishing lines. Of course, most fishing tackle is “the best” in one way or some others. But claims regarding physical properties are generally verifiable, with varying degrees of effort. Even an assertion such as “the sharpest hooks” can be checked against at least blatant fraud by simply running a hook point along a…

Oyster bars attract more cruisers than a sports pub on a Saturday night. In fact, these natural “watering holes” rank as top pickup spots for many inshore game-fish species from Maryland to Texas. Hang out at the right time, and you’re all but guaranteed to catch fish. Baitfish and crustaceans are also bar regulars, prompting a variety of predators to take advantage of ambush spots in and around oyster reefs. Choose the right tide and properly present the right bait, and you’ll increase your odds. TIDE TIMING “Tide is critical,” says Capt. Jordan Todd of Saltwater Obsessions in Port St. Joe, Florida, who fishes Apalachicola Bay in the state’s Panhandle. “We have oyster bars in different depths of water, so there are oyster bars that’ll be out of water on…

(Negaprion brevirostris) GOLD IN THEM THAR DEPTHS Q While fishing a metal jig about 450 feet down off Mitsio Island near Nosy Be, Madagascar, my good friend Philippe Pletincx caught this and another like it. What can you tell us about these fish? Jean Francois Helias anglingthailand.com Bangkok, Thailand A That is a very nice specimen of a goldbanded jobfish (Pristipomoides multidens). These fish, also known as goldbanded snapper, are deepwater snappers (family Lutjanidae) that occur widely throughout the tropical Indo-Pacific region from Samoa in the Central Pacific west to the Red Sea in the western Indian Ocean. They appear very similar to several other closely related deepwater jobfishes but are differentiated by the broken yellowish-golden stripes on the flanks and two or three golden bands bordered with faint blue…

All anglers have stories about the fish that got away, but none are as maddening as those that involve a broken fishing line. And in many cases, abrasion led to the breakage. As a result, line manufacturers tout the abrasion resistance of their products, but how does a fisherman figure out what type of line offers the best resistance to abrasion? One method of measuring the abrasion resistance of fishing lines is fairly standard: Run a piece of line back and forth over a sandpaperlike substance, and count how many times it goes across the surface before it breaks. Ben Miller, a project manager for VMC Rapala, said the company runs several different tests of this sort on its Sufix lines, rubbing lines over a nail head. “It’s really difficult…

MORE MUSCLE Garmin announced that its Fantom solid-state, pulse-compression radars now provide greater power output than previous models. The new GMR Fantom 54/56 and Fantom 124/126 offer 50 watts and 120 watts respectively, topping the 40 watts delivered by the original units. Fantom radars feature MotionScope, which uses Doppler technology to better show approaching targets. Available in 4- or 6-foot open arrays, the radars detect objects as close as 20 feet and as far as 72 nm (54/56) and 96 nm (124/126). They also offer Auto Bird Gain, making flocks easier to see at distance. Prices range from $5,999.99 to $8,499.99. COMPLETE PACKAGE Furuno has introduced two new multitouch chart-plotter/sonar units — GP1871F and GP1971F — that include many of the company’s most advanced features but sell for $1,095 and…

INTERNATIONAL GAME FISH ASSOCIATION 300 Gulf Stream Way, Dania Beach, FL 33004 PHONE: 954-927-2628; FAX: 954-924-4299; igfa.org…