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16 Articles

The weird, wild year of 2020 gave us many things: the term “social distancing,” an education on N95 masks, and time to finish all 73 episodes of Game of Thrones in two weeks. It also gave us a huge influx of new anglers and boaters. Then the world went back to normal, and the fishing industry, like a scorned lover, is trying to figure out what’s next. In early September, I was invited to a seminar titled “The Psychology of Churn” hosted by the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation. The RBFF is a beneficiary of US Fish and Wildlife Services’ Sport Fish Restoration Program, established in 1950 to provide resources to support access to fishing and boating. With the help of research giant Ipsos and support from sponsors, including Yamaha…

Talk on the Dock

WHERE TO FISH IN FEBRUARY There’s no escaping it: February is cold, wet, windy and nasty. For hardy souls willing to suffer the weather, the payoff is great fishing and uncrowded waters. To escape the cold, fish congregate in their winter grounds and give anglers shots at epic offseason action. Wait for the weather to break, dress in layers, fill a thermos with hot chocolate, and gear up for giant bluefin tuna, trophy blackfin, 100-pound yellowfin and big black drum. From the mid-Atlantic to the Southeast and the Gulf Coast to the Hawaiian Islands, we found four gems of winter fishing guaranteed to keep anglers warm until spring. HATTERAS, NORTH CAROLINA Hatteras is famous for two things: great fishing and terrible weather. Capt. Andy Piland of Good Times Sportfishing braves…

Talk on the Dock

The Wicked Problem

I vividly remember visiting the Florida Keys as a kid in the 1970s. Coming from Ontario, Canada, we were escaping the cold and experiencing things that we didn’t have on the Great Lakes. This was a time when local conch was still on the menu, as was all-you-can-eat shrimp fresh from the Gulf. Once, I asked my parents to stop at a marina in Islamorada after the charter boats docked, not to see grouper or snapper, but to get up close with sharks. Up until that point, I had only seen sharks on The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau or National Geographic. What was different on that day in Islamorada was that all the sharks were dead, hung up by their tails. The heads of the large tigers and great…

The Wicked Problem

Get the Feel of It

We were 70 miles offshore of Destin. Intently focused on the rod tip for a bite, Capt. Adam Peeples and I were slow-drifting a skirted strip bait 1,500 feet deep for swordfish. That’s when the rod tip straight-ened up from a lack of weight. A swordfish was swimming upward with the bait. I rushed to the outfit, reclaimed the slack, came tight to the fish, and settled into battle. Just shy of an hour later, Peeples did the gaffing honors on a memorable fish. Knowing precisely what to watch for combined with a keen sense of feel for when to set the hook resulted in us going 5 for 7 on swords that day. A non-seasoned angler would likely have neglected the subtle rod-tip hint and missed the fish. ACQUIRE…

Get the Feel of It

Five Considerations for Saltwater Baitcasters

The comments on the Salt Water Sportsman Facebook page were contentious. George Witeley insists: “You can keep those baitcasters. I’ll take spinning all day.” Victor Tornado spits back: “Levelwind, hands down! Coffee grinders don’t make it here!” Readers were responding to an article on saltwatersportsman.com comparing baitcasting and spinning reels. While spinners and baitcasters each have ardent supporters, most of the responses echoed Raymond Francisco, who writes: “That’s like comparing a claw hammer to a ball peen or rubber mallet.” Of course, Francisco is correct: Baitcasting and spinning reels each have their purpose. The general consensus is spinning reels are for light lures and baits, while baitcasters are for everything else. But baitcasting reels get a bad rap because they can be more difficult to cast, hold less line and…

Five Considerations for Saltwater Baitcasters

Keep Those Dogs Happy

1. Pelagic Pursuit 6-Inch Deck Boot According to Pelagic, its deck boots run a half-size larger than typical shoes, which allows for thicker socks and the addition of insoles. It’s also a boon for anglers with wide feet. Pelagic’s Pursuit 6-inch deck boots are heavy-duty, with 100 percent waterproof construction. The nonslip sole is very grippy to keep you upright on slimy boat decks. A Neotech cooling liner makes these boots as comfortable as a pair of sneakers, and the reinforced toe is perfect for kicking your buddy when he botches a gaff. $99; pelagicgear.com 2. Simms Challenger Slip-On Simms designed its Challenger Slip-On shoes for waterproof protection on wet decks and muddy boat ramps. Fishermen are finding these tough boat shoes do double duty as around-theyard beaters because they…

Keep Those Dogs Happy

RETURN OF THE REGULATOR 25 After a three-year hiatus, the Regulator 25 has returned to the company’s storied lineup with more features than ever, including the availability of more rod holders. You can also add five rod holders across the aft hardtop and up to eight in the forward gunwales as part of a suite of optional fishing upgrades. A new Signature Series leaning post/tackle center boasts a seatback rocket launcher, a handrail, cup holders and tackle storage, including eight Plano trays stored below the seating. Standard electronics include a factory-installed Garmin 16-inch GPSMap 1643xsv multitouch wide-screen chart plotter/sonar display, Garmin 215 VHF with dual 8-foot antennas, and Garmin chirp transducer—with the option to upgrade to twin Garmin 16-inch displays. A Fusion marine stereo feeding JL Audio premium backlit marine…

Tow It or Rent It?

For anglers up north, cabin fever hits hard in March when you can’t even fish through a hole in the ice. The desire to do some real fishing is strong, and one of the best ways to get a fishin’ fix that will hold you until real spring arrives is to head south to the Florida Keys, where the peak fishing season is just starting to light up. But do you wake your boat from its winter hibernation and trailer it down, or should you rent a boat there? A lot depends on how much time you have available. If you only have a week off, getting your boat and trailer in good working order will eat up a day, and even if you pull a marathon road trip, that…

Tow It or Rent It?

New Tech For ‘25

There’s no dearth of innovation in this year’s new crop of marine electronics. You’ll find new products and systems to help boating anglers find more fish, navigate more safely, communicate on the water, create a smoother-riding boat, and provide the abundant electrical power for today’s electronics. What’s more, some of the new products boast more-affordable pricing than we have seen for comparable items in the past, a trend we’d love to see take hold across the entire marine electronics spectrum. Here are examples of the latest in marine electronics and technology for 2025. 1. FLIR OCEAN SCOUT PRO FLIR’s compact new Ocean Scout Pro handheld thermalimaging scope provides a 500-meter detection range and a 32-degree field of view to enhance nighttime boating safety. A one-finger button controls zoom, brightness, standby…

New Tech For ‘25

Valhalla V-29 Hybrid

Specifications LENGTH 29'6" BEAM 9'8" DRAFT 25" (engines down) FUEL 180 gal. WEIGHT 9,800 lb. (full load w/twin 225s) MAX HP 600 BASE PRICE $369,000 valhallaboatworks.com Once again, the talented Valhalla Boatworks crew at the Mullica, New Jersey, facility has built a winner—the V-29 Hybrid. Backed by the design, engineering and boatbuilding prowess of the parent company, Viking Yachts, the V-29 Hybrid is supremely suited for its inshore and offshore fishing missions. This model and the new V-28 Bay represent the first of their kind in the growing Valhalla fleet, which now consists of eight models from 28 to 55 feet. This center-console combines a highly effective angling layout and plentiful seating and storage with a hull that features a lower freeboard and modified-V running surface. Valhalla has made a…

Valhalla V-29 Hybrid

Specifications LENGTH 31'11" BEAM 9'11" DRAFT 2'8" (motors down) FUEL 224 gal. WEIGHT 10,563 lb. MAX HP 600 BASE PRICE $418,156 pursuitboats.com Since 1977, Pursuit has built a reputation for solid and seaworthy offshore fishing boats. But when it first offered a dual-console model, let’s just say that a few eyebrows were raised among serious anglers. A dual-console boat could never be a genuine offshore fishing machine. That requires a center console—wrong. The DC 306 joins the Pursuit line of five other dual consoles, and each provides the perfect compromise between a hard-core war wagon and family fun. From the 26-gallon lighted livewell (with an Oceana Blue interior) in the transom to the insulated in-sole fish lockers, this is an angler’s dream—especially one with a family. Starting with the well-proven…

10 Ways to Lose a Fish

You’ve stayed at the rail all day, changing your bait frequently and looking for the liveliest sardine you can find in the baitwell. You dropped down to 20-pound line with matching fluorocarbon leader and a No. 2 light-wire hook. Finally, your bait takes off like a terrified cat with a growling dog hot on its tail. Then there’s that thump, and you’re bit. You count to three, put the reel in gear and swing. You’re on! This is a familiar experience for anyone who has fished off the Pacific Coast, especially anglers on single- and multiday boats. Now the fight begins. However, sometimes an angler can make one little mistake, and it’s over. So, what are those blunders that will take you from hero to zero? Here are 10 things…

10 Ways to Lose a Fish

Need-to-Know Essential Skills

Every angler has to walk before they run, and essential fishing skills are the baby steps. Many of us are already off and running every time we head out. But what if you missed a step or two along the way? Think you have all the basics learned? Those timeless essential fishing skills you picked up along the way haven’t let you down. Still, there are plenty of new techniques worth acquiring as technology advances. These skills might quickly become essential to your fishing today. When fishing techniques change and improve, make sure you’re ahead of the game. Catch Big Bottomfish on Light Spinning Gear Capt. Richard Black, of Black Fly Charters, downsizes to 10-pound-test braid when bottomfishing with spinning reels for mutton snapper. “With a spinning reel, I…

Need-to-Know Essential Skills

Time-Tested Essential Skills for Your Repertoire

Fishing is a sport of learning and evolving. Every skill and technique in your arsenal is an adaptation for situational necessity that makes you a better angler. Here are 16 tried-and-true tricks from the annals of Salt Water Sportman’s 86-year history of helping people catch more fish. Whether you’re a beginner or an old salt, there should be something here for you. Gaff Like a Pro Keep the gaff behind the leader to prevent tangles and break-offs if you miss. Reach the gaff hook-down across the back of the fish and aim for the upper shoulder just behind the gill plate to control the fish and minimize damage to the meat. Pull the gaff firmly into the fish and use the momentum to lift and swing it into the boat…

Time-Tested Essential Skills for Your Repertoire

AMERICA’S NUMBER 1 SALTWATER FISHING SEMINAR TOUR

FEATURING GEORGE POVEROMO HOST OF WORLD OF SALTWATER FISHING ON DISCOVERY! Along with teams of top net ion aland regional angling authorities! Inshore ■ Near shore ■ Offshore! SATURDAYS, 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. LEARN HOW TO CATCH MORE AND BIGGER FISH IN YOUR LOCAL WATERS! The Seminar Series “No Holds Barred” format requires our experts to reveal their prime fishing spots, the best times to fish them and the best baits and lures to use! DATES & LOCATIONS February 1, 2025 — Mobile, AL Daphne Civic Center 2603 US Hwy 98, Daphne, Alabama 36526 February 8, 2025 — Islamorada, FL Keys Coral Shores, HS 89901 Old Hwy, Tavernier, FL 33070 February 22, 2025 — Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun Casino 1 Mohegan Sun Blvd., Uncasville, CT 06382 March 1, 2025…

AMERICA’S NUMBER 1 SALTWATER FISHING SEMINAR TOUR

YELLOW JACK: THIS HIDDEN GEM IS LIKE FLORIDA HAMACHI

SCAN THE QR CODE FOR MORE ON YELLOW JACK AND DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO CLEAN AND PREPARE THEM. If you’ve ever dined at a sushi restaurant, you’ve likely encountered hamachi, kanpachi or hiramasa on the menu. What you might not realize is these are all members of the jack family. Jacks in the South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico have historically held a lower market value due to lack of demand. However, in recent years, the yellow jack (Carangoides bartholomaei) has gained a reputation for quality rivaling its highly prized sushi relatives. ¶ Yellow jacks thrive in tropical and subtropical waters, especially around reefs, wrecks and rocky outcrops in the South Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean. Trolling or bottomfishing with live bait, such as pilchards, sardines or pinfish,…

YELLOW JACK: THIS HIDDEN GEM IS LIKE FLORIDA HAMACHI

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