Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2016 i Sport Fishing

STANDING ON THE FORWARD CASTING DECK, I HEAVED ANOTHER BIG POPPER, STILL FULL OF DETERMINATION AFTER SEVERAL DAYS FISHING OMAN — ONE OF THE GLOBE’S GIANT TREVALLY HOT SPOTS — WITHOUT A MONSTER GT. OF COURSE, CHASING HUGE FISH ANYWHERE CARRIES A CRASH-AND-BURN RISK. THAT THOUGHT WAS IN MY MIND WHEN, HALFWAY THROUGH MY RETRIEVE, I NOTICED A GREAT COMMOTION SEVERAL HUNDRED YARDS ACROSS THE REEF — A BUST-UP, AS WE CALL IT OUT HERE. Initially I wasn’t sure what sort or size of predator was going off, but as our captain motored us closer, I could make out a pack attack of trophy GT, some well over 100 pounds. Before the boat had come to a stop, my buddy Stewart Newnham, from England, fired into the melee. Almost the…

One reason why licensing laws remain more relaxed for boaters compared to car drivers might simply be that boats are easy. On a single-engine outboard boat, a wheel and a throttle control virtually all functions. Waterways host less traffic than roads and offer fewer twists and turns. Boats are recreation; cars are transportation. But as fun as boats can be, anglers should enhance their basic skills to boat more safely and economically. To help you do that, I asked five boat-handling pros to share their tips for running a variety of vessel types, from deep-V and stepped hulls to catamarans and skiffs. THROTTLE UP The first and most important step to take before throttling up: Make sure your crew knows what you’re about to do. Make sure they’re secure and…

A dry fall wind buffeted the spartina grass, churning the creek into a frothy tea brown as a mid-November cool front approached south Georgia. Despite the untenable trout-fishing conditions, Capt. Scott Griffin and Sea Born Boats’ Wally Bell met me at Hickory Bluff Marina, in rural Camden County. The Sea Born LX22 bumped and jostled against the floating dock. We all shook our heads. The fishing spirits give and they take away. Bell’s father, Seaborn Bell, the company’s 80-year-old namesake, stood on the dock as we boarded. He gave us a wry smile, the kind that signals amusement at ridiculous human behavior. Had this been a charter, we surely would have canceled. But when everything finally comes together on board a test boat, all you can do is try. So…

SOUTHPORT HAS UNVEILED a tournament-edition layout on its traditional 27-foot center-console hull. An 80-gallon coffin box replaces the forward wraparound seating, and Southport has improved the 30-gallon livewell in the transom, redesigned the console and helm pod, and reconfigured the T-top and leaning post. The new T-top is structurally lighter, while the leaning post is a semicustom aluminum design with plush seating, storage beneath, and a multirod rocket launcher with cup holders mounted aft. Southport also placed twin fish boxes in the sole and arranged more than ample rod storage in and under the gunwales. The oversize anchor locker holds two anchors and plenty of rode and chain. Nearly a foot wider than many of its competitors, the 272 TE delivers more interior space and more stability, plus a single-level…

1. AUSSIE APPAREL Created by a team of avid Australian anglers, Bigfish Gear shirts are made from the company’s custom fabric, BF Maxflow, a knitted polyester. The moisture-wicking material carries UPF 50 protection. The long-sleeved shirts feature a champion collar; short-sleeved versions should be released this month. Available with colorful illustrations of game fish such as tarpon, redfish, dolphin and sailfish, Bigfish Gear shirts cost $59.95. 2. GOING ROUND Shimano has expanded the Calcutta Conquest line with four new 300- and 400-size models for 16- to 25-pound-test monofilament. These larger, round reels feature a 5.6-to-1 gear ratio and can be spooled with 50- to 80-pound braid. The 400 and 401 hold 300 yards of 50-pound braid. All feature Shimano’s S Compact body design, Stable Spool and Infinity braking system. They…

WHAT MAKES A BOAT popular? What’s the wow factor, the cool aspect, the gotta-have-it feature that ignites the buying decision? Is it looks? Is it fishability? Is it status, style or value? To find out, I asked a handful of boat manufacturers to name their most liked fishing model and then try to explain its appeal. For some, the question seemed easy: The most popular model was simply purpose-driven. Builders known for their kingfishtournament boats chose a hardcore-fishing model. For others, the decision proved more difficult. Boats are listed alphabetically. BOSTON WHALER 270 DAUNTLESS Introduced in 2012 as a boat that would fish offshore, nearshore and inshore, the 270 Dauntless has proven Whaler’s fast-rising star, the company says. The spacious cockpit includes a leaning post with four rod holders and…

ONE OF THREE newly designed Wellcraft boats for 2016, the 241 Fisherman bay boat offers plenty of freeboard for rough days, while maintaining a 14-inch draft for fishing shallower coastal waters. The 24-foot-4-inch hull can carry a single 300 hp outboard; Mercury, Yamaha and Evinrude packages are available. The expansive helm features space for twin 12-inch multifunction displays. Aluminum hardware comes powder-coated in black or white. In the bow, the 241 sports plenty of storage with port and starboard fish boxes, a center compartment for a five-gallon bucket and cast net, and an optional 14-gallon livewell in the step up to the foredeck. Wellcraft offers options for canvas or fiberglass tops. Families can select a package with sun-lounge cushions and backrests, as well as a portable toilet for inside the…

I pedaled along slowly in my Hobie Pro Angler kayak, the ripples lapping against the hull. The tide was starting to run in the Caloosahatchee River near Fort Myers, and as the partial cloud cover broke, I could see the moon rising above the horizon. Approaching the bridge I intended to fish, I could already see tarpon breaking the surface. These weren’t small fish; most were good-size adults in the 6- to 7-foot range, many over 100 pounds and some better than 200. I heard the violent explosions of the feeding tarpon around me, loud enough to startle even the saltiest angler. At this point I pedaled into the current to position myself for first casts, enthralled by the amazing sounds of tarpon busting bait. My first cast, with a…

The night before our October Fish Trial, videographer Michelle Makmann and I beat the brand-new Jupiter 41 Express to the dock. When it finally glided past us, pushed by four whispering Yamaha F300s, the breeze carried in that new-boat smell. Todd Albrecht, vice president of Jupiter Marine, deftly crabbed the boat sideways abeam the dock at Sailfish Marina in Riviera Beach, Florida, using the optional Yamaha Helm Master joystick. Eight years ago, nobody would have called any boat with outboards an “express.” That nomen clature was reserved for inboard sport-fishers rumbling along with black diesel soot roiling through the cockpit. That all changed when Yamaha introduced its V-8 four-stroke outboard in 2007. Suddenly the fishable cuddies we all called walkarounds burst through their 30-somethingfoot length barrier, and offshore fishing changed…

Fishermen know that all things technological out there in the wide consumer world eventually trickle down to our sport. First we saw touch screens, apps and Wi-Fi on computers and devices. Now those same technologies have come aboard our boats. Our phones and tablets interact with our multifunction displays. The first rudimentary browsers now exist on a select few of those MFDs, allowing us to connect to the Internet while in range of a wireless signal. What’s next? Well, it’s telematics, a little thing that has become more common these days in the automotive, fitness and security industries. In a nutshell, telematics is the technology that allows information to flow between your boat (or car, device or home) and the ubiquitous “cloud.” This capability is so cutting-edge for boat electronics…

Few angling moments rival the heart-pounding rush of an outrigger strike — the snap of a release clip, the recoil of a rigger pole, line zinging from a reel. For decades, outriggers have proven invaluable in presenting the biggest, most appealing spread of lures or baits possible while trolling for species such as dolphin, kingfish, marlin, sailfish and wahoo. Today, thanks to advances in mounts, poles and hardware, outrigger systems are lighter, more effective and simpler to use than ever before. Whether you fish from a 20-footer or 50-footer, there’s a set of riggers for you. RIGGER MOUNTS While manufacturers offer outriggers that mount on the gunwales or cabin sides, most center-console fishing boats utilize mounts that bolt to a hardtop or the underlying frame of a fabric T-top, says…