7GREAT LIVE-BAIT BOATS / GUIDE TO FISHING HAWAIIS BIG ISLAND

SPORT

FISHING
SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2014

GET HIGH
TO SEE MORE
FISH P 80

TA G G I N G
AND
TRACKING

MAKOS
30

T R O P H Y - S E AT R O U T
SECRETS FROM
10 TOP GUIDES

USING THE
TOOLS OF
TECHNOLOGY
TO FIND FISH
P 74

CRANKBAITS:
PLASTIC OR
WOOD? P 22

BY
GUY
HARVEY

HOW EXPERTS
BEAT THE
DREADED
WIND KNOT

W H Y B O AT S R A I S E
MARLIN AND HOW
YOURS CAN DO IT BETTER

P 10

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CONTENTS

50
SEPT EMBER/OCT OBER 2014 V OL UME 29 ISSUE 8

FEATURES

30 TROPHY-SEATROUT SECRETS
FROM TOP CAPTAINS 36
 How to Target Big Specks from Texas to Virginia
By Chris Woodward

70

MISSION FOR MAKO 44

 Tagging Mako Sharks to Unlock Secrets of Their Abundance

and Migrations By Guy Harvey, Ph.D.

RAISING HAVOC 50

8
10
16
22
28
32
34

 The How and Why of Using Your Boat to Attract

Big-Game Pelagics By Jim Hendricks

A GUIDE TO BIG FISH OFF

THE BIG ISLAND 56

 Why Kona Remains One of the Worlds

Prime Destinations for Blue-Water Game Fish
By Jim Rizzuto

28

DEPARTMENTS

ON THE COVER:
Photographer Andy
Murch, expedition leader
for Big Fish Expeditions,
shot this massive makos
portrait near Catalina
Island off California.

64
70
74
78
80

EDITORIAL
GAME PLAN
FISH FACTS
GEAR GUIDE
NEW PRODUCTS
IGFA PENDING RECORDS
SF DIGITAL
SF BOATS
FISHING MACHINES
FISH TRIAL
ELECTRONICS
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90 LAST CAST

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OCTOBER 2014

This product is
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controlled sources.

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EDITORIAL
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DOUG OLANDER

EDITORIAL

SENATE MELTDOWN SMELLS

These
lawmakers
talk a good
game when
it comes
to assuring
constituents
how much
they care
about
our great
traditions
of shing
and hunting.

n a period of just three days in our esteemed

U.S.Senate, the Bipartisan Sportsmens Act went
from a widely popular piece of legislation with
broad support on both sides of the senatorial aisle
to a legislative corpse.
The root bill described as historic and
crafted over years would have been a major boon
to the nations 40 million sportsmen, expanding
public access, improving habitat, protecting
hunting/fishing rights and more.
So how did it end up suddenly DOA in July?
Something stinks like a week-old herring. The
source of the foul odor? Politics. More specifically,
the politics of self-interest and partisanship.
Ironically, the Senate proved very bipartisan
in its partisanship, with plenty of blame to go
around among both democrats and republicans for
the death of what should have been a no-brainer
win-win success.
With tough re-election races coming down
to the wire, many senators viewed the bill not
as legislation that would benefit the nation and
many of their own constituents but rather simply
as a vehicle for them to curry favor with specific
interest groups back home. The result? More
than 80 amendments tacked on, often with little
significance to fishing and hunting, and some even
contrary to their interests.
Just a few examples:
Q An amendment that would have ended the
exemption on lead fishing weights and lead bullets
as toxic substances by Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.).
Q An amendment that would have effectively
prevented the Environmental Protection Agency
from clearly defining headwater streams and
wetlands to be protected under the Clean Water
Act, by John Barrasso (R-Wyo.).
Q An amendment that would have ensured guns
couldnt be purchased by individuals under
court-ordered temporary restraining orders, by
ChrisMurphy (D-Conn.) and Richard Blumenthal
(D-Conn.).
Q An amendment that would have allowed guns in
U.S. post offices, by Rand Paul (R-Ky.).
And the list goes on.
Capitol Hill insiders refer to amendments
like these as poison pills. That is, much as their
sponsors would deny it, these self-serving and/
or controversial amendments would assuredly
poison the whole stew. Thats just what happened,
particularly and inevitably with gun control in
the mix, pro or con a surefire recipe for bitter
discord and deadlock.

OCTOBER 2014

There has been criticism aimed at Sen. Harry

Reid (D-Nev.) for effectively tabling the bill rather
than allowing debate of all 80-some amendments.
But those amendments clearly not germane to
sportsmens interests could and should have been
left for another time and place; had Reid allowed
debate on them all, the bill would have become a
hostage to endless rancor.
The depth of cynicism and self-interest to which
both sides have sunk is further evident by republican charges that democrats simply wanted the
Sportsmens Act to help them in tough re-election
bids, while democrats accused republicans of killing
the act to make sure that didnthappen.
Of course you can bet most of these lawmakers
talk a good game when it comes to assuring their
constituents just how much they care about our
great traditions of fishing and hunting. But their
actions speak much louder than their words, at
least for anyone paying attention.
And this countrys sportsmen need to be paying
attention. As one insider on the Hill told me: In
general, sportsmens groups dont have PACs
(political-action committees), dont do scorecards
or endorsements or enemies lists, etc. Theres
a whole set of political tools our community of
40million generally doesnt use that others use
every day to influence members of Congress.
The death of the Sportsmens Act seems to
prove that claim. Ironically, those who attached
poison-pill amendments ended up helping the
animal-rights groups that had been lobbying
against provisions in the Sportsmens Act.
Such political posturing by senators has killed
other broadly supported and much-needed
legislation this term as well, most recently a
bipartisan energy-efficiency bill.
With elections just around the corner, voters
who are passionate about their opportunities and
rights to fish and hunt should see through all the
partisan finger-pointing to hold accountable those
politicians who helped kill legislation the National
Shooting Sports Foundation called a historic and
a once-in-a-generation bill.

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SAM HUDSON

GAME PLAN

TIED UP IN KNOTS
I

really thought I had wind knots figured out. Those

annoying braid boogers and bird nests were
no-shows through my rod guides for months. But
on a recent flats-fishing trip, a nasty wind knot in
my 10-pound braid forced me to rack my rod. The
truth is that wind knots in gelspun polyethylene
line (commonly known as braid, whether Spectra
or Dyneema) are almost entirely the fault of the
angler. Blaming my tackle wouldnt fix my tangle.
ITS SCIENCE; DONT FIGHT IT

Wind knots this tight

require cutting, not
untangling. One x
is to replace your
depleted braid with
a higher pound-test
with a brand such as
Spiderwire (above).
10

Numerous line companies independently

admitted to me that there wasnt a silver-bullet
solution to their manufacturing processes that
could help anglers prevent wind knots.
One of the most prominent characteristics of
braid that allows wind knots is its lack of memory
on the spinning spool, says Ben Miller, project
manager at Sufix. Braid releases and unwinds
far better than traditional nylon monofilament

OCTOBER 2014

for much longer casts, but this freedom has its

pros and cons.
A wind knot is created by an overrun of slack
line thats slipped off your spinning-reel arbor. The
slack line then forms a loop within the spinning
reel when the bail is closed. Once its time to cast,
you might be able to cast away that looseness, but
chances are a snarl, tangle or knot is inevitable.
Wind knots are truly a byproduct of spinning
tackle, says Miller. A wind knot to a spinning reel
is the same as a backlash to a baitcasting reel.
Manufacturers often add proprietary coatings
tobraids for numerous reasons, one of which isto
give the line some body. Braided lines used for
extended periods eventually lose their coatings,
increasing the potential for wind knots.
Im not a fan of braids with minimal coating,
says Joe Meyer, product-development manager
at Spiderwire. They trap water and get heavy, but
also they become very limp without much body

ADRIAN E. GRAY (TOP)

Prevent Obnoxious Wind Knots in Your Braided Line

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GAME PLAN
to them. A little more body, or simply
moving up to heavier weights of line,
tends to cause fewer tanglingissues.
TIGHT IS RIGHT

Finger the main line as

your cast nears completion
to keep braid taut. Then,
manually ip the bail to
prevent loops and twists
from entering the spool.

to really help cut down on the break-in

period, when I see the most wind knots.
When casting while fishing, I keep
my hand near the spool, and finger
the line just as the lure is about to
hitthe water. Braid closest to the lure
stops, but if youre not careful, line
closer to the reel keeps coming off the
spool, causing loops. I always close
thebail by hand making sure not

44
LONGER

HOLDS

ICE

to turn the handle to close the bail

before reeling. If theres a wind-blown
bow in your line from casting, reel in
your line carefully to pick up slack
before working your lure.
DITCH THE ROD TWITCH

One apparent paradox that even an

experienced fisherman must contend
with is how to prevent wind knots

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The most important mindset an angler

can have when it comes to braid is to
always keep his line tight. And that starts
when adding line to your spool; doublecheck that your braided line is applied
under pressure. Anglers who use a line
winder to fill their spinning reels must
be careful, says Miller. When anglers use
line-winding machines to load spinning
reels, the line doesnt rest on the spool
the same way it does once a reel has
beencast.
Do not overfill the spool on a
spinning reel, since that can easily cause
wind knots, says Capt.JotOwens, of
Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina.
I like to go about three-quarters full,
leaving - to 116-inch space to the
outside edge.
Many anglers complain that freshly
spooled braid causes wind knots, but
Owens has found a helpful solution.
I will tie on a 1-ounce sinker and cast
hard a dozen times, he says. This seems

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GAME PLAN
Wells often
Watch out for loose
line thats slipped
doesnt move the
rod tip at all to work off your reels
arbor that slack
a twitchbait he
is often the catalyst
controls all movefor wind knots
ment at the reel
and headaches.
using a half-crank
and pause retrieve.
Light soft-plastic baits that require
twitching and jigging mean less line
tension on the spool. That loose line
often digs into the reel when put under
the pressure from a fighting fish, so

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OCTOBER 2014

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expect the next couple of casts to be

short as the line frees from itself.
For a bait that does require
twitching of the rod tip, make
thetwitches as small as possible,
says Wells. Reel as you twitch to help
cut down on the amount of slack in
theline.
S E L F - E X A M I N AT I O N

If youre certain its not your actions

causing the wind knots, take a detailed
look at your spinning-reel setup.
Wind knots may occur after a
sudden acceleration at the beginning
of the cast, when the braid collides
into the rod guides and causes a loop
that continues to accelerate, says
Capt.John Stacey, Northeast regional
sales manager for Cortland Line.
Some new rods use low-profile
guides designed specifically for thin,
braided lines. Older rods used for
throwing mono traditionally needed
larger guides to reduce the friction of
the mono against the guides.
Braid guides should be smaller,
because braid is thinner and subtler,
says Stacey. If youre using an olderstyle mono rod with big circle guides,
you are just asking for trouble in
rivercity.
Examine your spinning reel, and
confirm that the spool rotates properly
when winding or it could cause knots,
points out Meyer. I make sure my braid
is stacking consistently from top to
bottom, and not bunching up at either
end. Also, see if theres any wobble in
your spool when cranking. Inspect
the line roller at the bail to make
sure its clean and free moving. If the
roller is stuck in place, it can force line
twists into the line without an angler
everknowing.
And about that spinning setup
that I had to rack? I realized the old,
faded braid didnt have a chance
when I fished topwater in windy
conditions. I respooled with heavier,
20-pound braid and havent had any
troublesince.

SAM HUDSON

when using baits such as soft-plastic

jerkbaits and walk-the-dog topwaters
that continually require suddenly
slacking off in a tight line. Add wind
into the equation, and its very tough to
keep all slack out of the line.
What I try to avoid is broad
movements of the rod, says Capt.
Billy Wells, of Venice, Louisiana, and
a Seaguar pro staffer. Zero stretch in
braid means you dont have to move
the rod tip as much to walk the dog or
set the hook.

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JON SCHWARTZ

FISH FACTS

Pacic
sailsh

BILLFISHES
DROOPY EYES
SF
FISH FACTS
EXPERTS
NORTHEAST

Mike Fahay,
Sandy Hook Marine Lab,
New Jersey
SOUTHEAST

Ray Waldner, Ph.D.,

Palm Beach Atlantic
University, Florida
GULF OF MEXICO

Bob Shipp, Ph.D.,

University of South
Alabama, bobshipp.com
WEST COAST

Milton Love, Ph.D.,

University of California
at Santa Barbara,
lovelab.id.ucsb.edu
FAR PACIFIC

Ben Diggles, Ph.D.,

Queensland, Australia,
digssh.com
BLUE-WATER PELAGICS

Eric Prince, Ph.D.,

courtesy of NOAA
Fisheries Lab, Miami

16

OCTOBER 2014

Q While reading your March issue of Sport

Fishing, I came across a stunning revelation in
the photos of billfishes. The similarity among all
those images of live billfish lay in the eyes. Every
sailfish or marlin had its eyes looking down. I
realized that the majority of pictures of such
fish I had seen elsewhere had the same issue:
The billfish looked sad or ashamed to be
captured, and thus didnt smile for their photos.
Ive found the same drooped eyes on the marlin
and sailfish that I have captured as well, and am
wondering about the cause for this. I know fish
have no eyelids, so perhaps this could be a
response to the bright light of day?

Matt Allen
Tilloo Cay, Bahamas

thing I have not seen is the eye rolled upward.

Eyeballs are in a bony cup with one open side for
the iris and pupil. The eyes of billfish are much
more mobile in the socket than those of other
pelagics such as tunas, mackerels, jacks, etc.
When a billfish is swimming normally, the eye
looks straight out or is angled slightly down, as
far as my photos and observations go. When you
look at a billfish head from above, you cannot see
the pupil; when you look at a billfish from
directly below, you can see the pupil. Hope this
helps. Tight lines! Guy Harvey
TUNA WITH PUS SACS
Q

Bula, experts! While fishing here in Fiji, we

came across a massive school of yellowfin tuna.
We boated a few fish and got back to the beach
to fillet our catch, and found that one of the
tuna had these odd white bumps
throughout the entire fish. As
my knife went through the
fillet, it would slice through
Kudoa

Probably no scientist on Earth has spent more

time observing billfish underwater than
GuyHarvey has, so we put this one to Guy, and
heres his response. Ed.
A Eye have an answer for you! Billfish roll their
eyes back and down particularly when hooked or
while jumping, etc. This is to protect the eyeball
from the irritation caused by hook or leader. One

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FISH FACTS
some of these white bumps and create
slime on the knife. Id never seen
anything like this before, nor had
anyone here. Limited information on
the Internet. We did not eat this fish.
Can you help us with the mystery?
Fiji Pete
Fiji
A Although I cant be sure without
examining some of that white stuff
under a microscope, I think you have a
fish infected with a protozoan parasite
called kudoa. There is a number of
species, many of which infect fish
muscle. These form those white,
pus-filled sacs you quickly noticed.
Each sac contains very high numbers
ofmicroscopic organisms that
producean enzyme that dissolves the
surrounding muscle.
A live fish can more or less cope with
these parasites; however, after the host
dies, the parasites continue to live for a
short time, busily dissolving muscle
tissue, thus creating a hole where a
white sac used to be. These hole-ridden
fish are unsalable and can form a
considerable problem for fish

distributors. Are these parasites

dangerous to humans? Well, if you cook
the fish, the parasites are dead and just
more protein. And, until recently, it
was thought that consuming kudoa
from uncooked fishes was also harmless. However, a kudoa that caused
intestinal issues from flounder eaten
raw was recently reported in Japan, so
you never know. Milton Love
BIZARRE BUTTERFLY KINGFISH
Q I read in SF recently of a pending
all-tackle-record catch of a species
called the butterfly kingfish. The
91-pounder was caught off Australia on
a trolled Rapala lure. This was the first
Ive ever seen of this totally bizarrelooking fish, and Id love to know more
what its related to (the back looks
like a mackerel or tuna, but not the
front!), where its found, and what are
its habitat/food, maximum size, and
commercial/food value.

Kari Sherman
Anchorage, Alaska
A

Good question, Kari. The butterfly

kingfish (Gasterochisma melampus) is

Buttery
kingsh

a species rarely encountered byanglers

but more commonly by commercial
longliners targeting southern (Pacific)
bluefin tuna and swordfish. This
species is mainly found in deeper
oceanic waters of the Southern Ocean,
where surface-water temperatures
range from 46 to 54 degrees F, though
occasionally isolated specimens are
encountered in the north Pacific. One

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18

OCTOBER 2014

Ocellated
frogsh

notably large specimen of nearly 6 feet

and 135 pounds was taken 400 miles
north of Hawaii on a longline set overnight at a 100-foot depth. It took a bait
of squid, but stomach-content analysis
suggested it had also been feeding on
fish. The species grows to a maximum
size of around 6 feet and more than
150 pounds. Youre right about their
looking like a cross between a mackerel and a tuna, because like both of
those groups, butterfly kingfish are
classified as a primitive out-group of
the family Scombridae. They get their
common name because juveniles have
massively oversize pelvic fins, which
reach up to 30 percent of the fishs
total length. However, the pelvic fins
stop growing once the fish reaches
around 28 inches in length, and they
begin to look in proportion to the rest
of the fish as they grow into large
adults. Butterfly kingies are too rare to
have much commercial value, but they
are good to eat. Ben Diggles
MAMMOTH FROG
Q

During a recent fishing trip off the

coast of North Carolina, we caught this
interesting-looking fish. It was hooked
while we bottomfished in about 70 feet
of water. The pectoral fins were very
much like a hand and arm, and the
pelvic fins looked like feet. Ive never
seen anything like it, but I think its a
type of frogfish. Can you tell me the
exact species and a little bit about it?

HAWAII SURPRISE:
A PEACOCK AMONG FLOUNDER
Q

I have been fishing in Hawaii for

more than 30 years, and until this past

weekend, I had never caught or seen
this fish. I think its a peacock or

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Josh Humphrey
Swansboro, North Carolina
A You caught an ocellated frogfish,
Antennarius ocellatus, Josh, and a fairly
large one. This member of the frogfish
family, Antennariidae, differs from
other frogfishes inhabiting the Atlantic
Coast of North America in a number of
characteristics, particularly its size: It
can reach a length of more than
15inches, while no other frogfish in the
area grows larger than 8 inches. The
three ocelli, or eyespots, on each side,
from which the fish derives its common
name, are also diagnostic. This species
is known to range from North Carolina
to Venezuela, includingthe Gulf of
Mexico; its also known from the
Eastern Atlantic. Ray Waldner

MORE FISH FACTS

Visit our Photo Galleries at
sportfishingmag.com/fishfacts.

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19

FISH FACTS
flowery flounder, but I didnt know we
had flounders in Hawaii. I caught three
in one day, on flies, while stalking
bonefish on flats near Joint Base Pearl
Harbor/Hickam. All three were
between 5 and 8inches in length. Could
you please verify the species and how
common they are in Hawaii? Also, how
big can these get?
Mike Hogan
Aiea, Hawaii
A

Mike, youre correct in your

Flowery
ounder

identification of this pretty little

flatfish as a flowery (or peacock)
flounder (Bothus mancus). This species
is a member of the left-eyed flounders
(family Bothidae), which means that
both of their eyes are found on the left
side of the body in juvenile and adult
fish. Flowery flounders were originally
described from Tahiti but occur
throughout the tropical and subtropical
coral reefs of the Indo-Pacific region,
including the Hawaiian Islands. They
are relatively common throughout

their range, and frequent coral-reef

flats as well as sandy or rubble reef
edges down to at least 400feet. Flowery
flounders are not a large flatfish,
growing to a maximum reported length
of only around 19inches, but they are
supposedly very tasty to eat. Like other
flounders, theyre a master of camouflage, able tochange their color within
seconds to match their background.
They also commonly bury themselves
in the sand, completely covered except
for their eyes. Thus camouflaged, they
lie in wait for passing prey mainly
small fish, crabs and shrimp to pass
by. Once theyre within range, the
flounder launches a lightning-fast
strike to capture its unsuspecting prey,
which is why these flatfish were vulnerable to your bonefish presentations.
Ben Diggles

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OCTOBER 2014

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GEAR GUIDE

SUPPORTING CAST
T

Striped bass (top)

and others hit
hard-body plugs
without restraint,
making the case to
pack plenty of plastic
and wood (above) for
your next trip.

22

odays hottest topwaters, lipped baits and

subsurface plugs are built from modern plastic
blends, manufactured to last longer and attract
more fish than ever before. The largest lure manufacturers shy away from timber, leaving woodwork
to custom companies that specialize in the handcrafted production process. The effort and time
that goes into each wooden plug is immense.
Plastic and wood baits both have worthy spots in
any anglers tackle box. In fact, many of todays top
hard-plastic baits mimic the mesmerizing motion
that wooden lures once monopolized. If youre not
utilizing both types plastic plugs with innovative
features or the classic wobble of crafted wood
Istrongly suggest diversifying yourarsenal.
D I S T I N C T A D VA N TA G E S

Wood and plastic plugs each offer unique

characteristics. Its up to the angler to decide
exactly what hes looking for in the lure, and in

OCTOBER 2014

what scenario he wants to fish the lure. With

plastic hard baits, expect to get consistent action
straight out of the box, while the movement of
a specific wooden lure model can differ slightly
from plug to plug. Still, when a wooden plug is
tuned properly, its tough tobeat.
What makes us different is that we start with
an actual bait and 3-D scan it, says Mike Bennett,
of Savage Gear. From our 3-D scan, a positive
is made to use as a temporary mold to adjust
swimming action. After adjustments, we make a
permanent mold.
Plastic baits like Savages Manic Prey and
Freestyler also tend to have brighter and morevibrant colors, along with a larger range of actions
and styles.
Patrick Sebile specifically sets out to design his
baits for given techniques and applications, says
Chris Pitsilos, Sebile Lures product manager. For
example, the power keel on a Stick Shadd allows

ETHAN GORDON (TOP), NICK HONACHEFSKY (LEFT)

Keep Both Wood and Plastic Plugs in Your Tackle Arsenal

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GEAR GUIDE

WOOD

PLASTIC

PLUG AND PLAY

MODEL

LENGTH
(INCHES)

WEIGHT
(OUNCES)

STYLE

HIGHLIGHTED FEATURE

PRICE*

Bomber Mullet

5 8

Twitch

Realistic nish

$5

Rapala X-Rap SubWalk

2 to 6

8 to 2

Walk the dog

Internal holographic foil and rattles

$10 to $15

Savage Freestyler

5 to 6

1 to 3

Glider

Suspending and uttering action

$10 to $13

Sebile Bull Minnow

4 to 5

to

Lipped

Xternal Weight System

$8

Shimano Orca 190 Topwater

Pop and dive

Aerodynamic design; weight system

$30

Yo-Zuri Sashimi Bonita

6 to 8

4 to 10

Trolling

Sashimi color change

$55 to $65

Gibbs Polaris Popper

3 to 68

1 to 3

Popper

Sugar pine; gurgler action

$17 to $19
$19 to $22

5 8

Lemire Needlesh

5 to 10

1 to 4

Twitch

Birch; slow sink tailward

Phase II Bunky

Darter

Cedar; dives deep on retrieve

$11

Rapala BX Waking Minnow

Lipped

Balsa core; copolymer shell

$13

*Rounded to nearest dollar

the bait to cut through water and aid

in the swim action. For Sebile, its not
about a specific species to target, but
rather modifying molds and designs to
get the exact action hewants.
Wooden baits rely on the materials
from which theyre crafted to attract
fishspecies.
What started years ago in the
surf-fishing community has to lead to
quality custom wood plugs across most

24

OCTOBER 2014

fishing scenarios, says Capt.Gene

Quigley, of Shore Catch Charters
in Manasquan, New Jersey. Cedar
plugs are naturally buoyant, floating
completely level in the water; thats
hard to replicate with plastic.
Also consider that wood is heavy
and solid much heavier than plastic
so its easier to cast wooden plugs
longer distances. They often reach fish
when other plugs cant.

ALLURE OF THE MOTION

I believe a wood lure has the best

action in the water, especially in the
hands of a skilled fisherman, says
DickFincher, of Phase II Lures in
Westport, Connecticut. Its important when picking a wood lure to
know what that lure is designed to
do. Popular Phase II wood plugs
like the Scooter Floating Popper and
Junior Darting Swimmer come with a

fishing-suggestion card for this reason.

Anglers steeped in the history and
tradition of fishing are more apt to
consider wooden plugs. If an angler
learned about wood lures from a
previous generation, and if he himself
is skilled in casting, says Fincher,
chances are, he will have a wood plug
tied to a rod.
For plastic plugs like the Shimano
Orcas, sometimes the action is all
about mayhem. Orcas are made from
ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene)
thermoplastic, an impact-resistant and
tough material. Polycarbonate, polypropylene and ABS plastics differ in density,
weight and cost, but each is extremely
durable. Lure manufacturers pick one
plastic over the other when designing a
lure to act a certain way, whether thats
a strong, lipped swimming action, durability and strength during high-speed
trolling, or a hollow plug that utilizes a
weight-transfer system.
Orcas topwater version is meant to
be worked fast and erratically, while
the sinking-pencil version works well
around feeding fish and panicked
baitschools.
Shimano Orcas are built from

PLASTIC

Shimano
Orca

Yo-Zuri
Sashimi Bonita

Bomber
Mullet
Sebile Flatbelly
Walker

plastic to allow for mass production,

but also so they can be molded into a
distinct round profile, says Ted Sakai,
senior brand manager at Shimano.
The main targets with the Orcas are
tuna. You really want to be able to jack
the lure, causing it to dive and roll, but
also to skip across the top of the water.
B U I LT T O L A S T

Some of the toughest hard baits in

todays market utilize polycarbonate,

a plastic resin also used in applications

such as bullet-resistant windows
and Blu-ray discs. Yo-Zuris Crystal
Minnow and Sashimi Pencil incorporate polycarbonate, as do many of
Bombers saltwater plugs, such as the
MagnumLong A.
Nonwood-lure companies have
an advantage as they continue to
experiment with new materials.
Manufacturers such as Yo-Zuri
can build tougher lures, but also

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25

GEAR GUIDE
Mongo poppers come in
both wood and plastic.
This lit-up bluefin trevally
was fooled by timber.

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WOOD

Phase II
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26

OCTOBER 2014

WOOD

Gibbs Danny
Surface Swimmer

product, says Smalley. Each lure has

its own knife, a sharp-cut piece of
steel used to shape each specific lure,
he says. Then theres a drilling portion
for the through-wire it must be
perfect, completely dialed in. Sanding,
sealants, drying, primers, painting and
assembly all follow, illustrating why
wooden handcrafted lures will never
be mass-produced.
Anglers love the action of our
metal-lipped swimmers, often called
Dannys. Its action in the water is
difficult to replicate with plastic, says
Smalley. Add the sex appeal we give
with paint, plus the natural buoyancy
and weight of wood, and coastal anglers
catch all kinds of fish on ourlures.
Wooden plugs are most popular in
the Atlantic striped bass and bluefish
fisheries, but they also catch seatrout,
redfish, tarpon, and snook. Even if
the wood loses some of its finish, it
doesnt stop attracting fish. As Fincher
explains, Its fair to think of wooden
plugs as an art, but art with a purpose
which is to catch fish!

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incorporate fish-attracting features

such as hollow bodies, rattle chambers,
weight-transfer systems and 3-D
prismfinishes.
Yo-Zuri alters polypropylene into
a foam material called Power Body
for its balance, action, and strength
when producing Sashimi Bonitas and
Sashimi Bull Poppers, says Chris
Bishop, national account manager at
Yo-Zuri. We have not received a single
broken Sashimi Bonita or Bull Popper,
even from anglers targeting species
such as wahoo.
Wood-lure manufacturers cant
build their lures via injected molds,
but instead start from dowels of wood
consisting of birch, pine, balsa and
cedar. Our popular Danny and Pro
series of swimmers and topwaters
is built from Pacific sugar pine,
says Matt Smalley, of Gibbs Lures.
Our Tuna Candy plugs are made
from birch, a harder and moreresistant wood that handles strikes
frombluefins.
From those blocks of wood, its
a 55-step process to the finished

NEW PRODUCTS

CHRIS WOODWARD

Animal Nature
Abu Garcia says it built the Revo Beast baitcaster for
throwing big lures and wrestling heavy sh. Everything
from its 22 pounds of max drag to its deeper spool
for extra line capacity and oversize ergonomic handles
speaks to power. Abu even coated the Beasts side
plates with titanium. The Beast features an alloy body,
7.1-to-1 gear ratio and Carbon Matrix drag system. The reel
weighs 9.35 ounces and holds 180 yards of 30-pound
braid or 12-pound monolament. It costs $349.95.

Deep Diver
Simrad Yachtings new BSM-3
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and resolution. The module is optimized for Simrads NS Series, including
the new NSS evo2 and NSO evo2
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Sounder Shorts
Pelagics 4TEK Fish Finder Boardshorts feature a high-denition
sonar graphic, complete with bottom structure, baitballs and
game-sh marks. The four-way stretch, ultralightweight, quickdrying fabric is antimicrobial; the shorts come with side and back
zipper pockets and a lined utility/pliers pocket. Available in even
sizes from 30 to 40, Fish Finder shorts cost $64.

28

OCTOBER 2014

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NEW PRODUCTS

KING

(INSHORE)

KICKER

(OFFSHORE)

Sun Style
Boll has announced 13 styles for its polarized Marine Collection,
featuring two lens tints: Inland Glow for low-light conditions
and Offshore Blue for open water. The lenses also feature antireective treatment to reduce glare and a hydrophobic coating to
repel water. Thermogrip temple tips and nose pads keep the frame
t comfortable and secure. All frames are made from b-88 nylon.
(Pictured are the Kicker, for offshore, and the King, inshore). Most
sunglasses in the Boll Marine Collection cost $129.99.

Breeze Catcher
Sailors arent the only ones who benet
from wind information. Knowing accurate
wind speeds can help anglers log and plan
their shing trips. Vaavud has introduced
a wind meter that plugs directly into
your smartphone, and operates using
a free (iOS or Android) app. As the
two-cup anemometer spins, it calculates
wind speeds from 4 to 45 mph with
plus-or-minus 4 percent accuracy, and
provides current, average, and maximum
readings. The app interface also gives users
access to wind measurements made by
other Vaavud users globally. Available in red,
green or white, the meter costs $49.95.

Road Rods
Okumas new three-piece
Nomad Xpress travel
rods include seven 7-foot
models: Four are boat
rods with pound-test line
ratings of 20 to 40 and 30
to 60; three are inshore
rods with line ratings from
8 to 17 pounds and 12 to
25 pounds. Blanks are
made from 24-ton carbon;
Okuma uses a European
spigot ferrule connection for a one-piece rod
feel. The rods come with
double-foot guide frames
and aluminum-oxide
inserts. Boat rods feature
EVA grips; inshore rods
feature cork handles and a
split-grip design. The rods
cost $99 each.

The A-List
Raymarine has added the a9 (9-inch) and a12
(12-inch) multitouch multifunction displays to its
a-Series lineup. The units allow pinch-to-zoom and come
with a 10 Hz, 50-channel internal GPS; theyre also powered by the
companys latest Lighthouse II user interface (and include U.S. vector and
raster charts). Designed for speed, the a9 and a12 employ a dual-core processor
and a dedicated graphics processor, and can be controlled via Wi-Fi networking and
Raymarine mobile apps. Anglers can also sync with Navionics mobile apps to immediately upload
waypoints, routes and even charts. Available in three congurations chart plotter only, plotter/
sonar, and plotter/sonar with CHIRP/CHIRP DownVision the units cost $1,899.99 to $2,999.99.

30

OCTOBER 2014

Fishing Is Only One Part Fish.

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IGFA PENDING WORLD RECORDS

B
D

XCasting a Savage Gear lure from the beach this past May at
Cabo rewarded Wesley Brough of Shingle Springs, California,
with a pending all-tackle-record 19-pound, 6-ounce Pacic
agujon needlesh [A]. The existing record is a 16-pounder from
Islas Secas, Panama.
W Missing the century mark by mere ounces, this 99-pound,
12-ounce narrowbarred mackerel [B] made the mistake of nibbling
on a Sebile Koolie Minnow lure trolled by South African D.C. Lubbe.
He shed off Mozambiques Bazaruto Island and landed the pending
all-tackle record in 25 minutes. If approved, the sh will narrowly
defeat the existing record of 99 pounds caught off Natal, South Africa, in 1982.
XA handsome 20-pound, 9-ounce yelloweye rocksh [C] made Florida angler
Raleigh Werkings day out of Seward, Alaska. He made the pending 16-pound
line-class-record catch in June while shing a herring. The current mens
16-pound-class record is 19 pounds, 6 ounces, from the Gulf of Alaska in 2006.
W Pending both as the womens 50-pound line-class and the junior-angler record
for the species, this 80-pound, 12-ounce almaco jack [D] would shatter the
present womens 50-pound-class record of 46 pounds, 1 ounce from Costa Rica
in 2008, and defeat the girls junior-angler record by 3 pounds, 12 ounces. Allison
Erinakes of Burleson, Texas, made the catch while shing out of Tropic Star Lodge
in June. Amazingly, she boated it in just eight minutes.

International Game Fish Association,

300 Gulf Stream Way, Dania Beach, FL 33004
ph: 954-927-2628; fax: 954-924-4299; igfa.org

32

OCTOBER 2014

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34

OCTOBER 2014

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In mid-July, the tackle industry unlocked

its new-product treasure chest of
innovative fishing gear and accessories at the premier U.S. tackle trade
show the International Convention of
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Perpetuating the sport,

passing off good fish to kids,
practicing catch-and-release,
and praying Darcizzle ends up
on your boat! Kelly Robertson

Knowing exactly how

much pressure your fishing
gear can take, and being
able to take it to that limit.
Jonathan De La Rosa

Knowledge of the targeted

species, including habitat,
forage base and techniques
to catch them. Bill Martin

Keeping cool, calm and

collected under pressure,
and actually caring for the
fishs well-being. Brandon Lee

Being able to listen to new

ideas, and understanding
that no matter the experience
you might have, theres always
more to learn. Thats what drives us
to keep fishing. Thomas Smart Jr.

Y
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To become a proficient
angler takes years. Observe
the people who are catching
when you are not. It is not
luck; they are doing something
different than you. After you have
become a proficient angler, the
one thing that will make you a
great one is the ability to still learn
and adapt. Every trip is productive either you catch, or you
learn why you didnt. Bob Mchugh

Knowledge ... to find the fish,

of what gear and rigs to use
to target sought-after species,
and of how to work the rod to
get the fish into the boat. Lynda Oreal

This is just a sample of what youll find on

our Facebook Fan Page. Join the conversation
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Learn More
SPORTFISHINGMAG.COM

35

30
TROPHY SEATROUT
SECRETS FROM
TOP CAPTAINS
BY CHRIS WOODWARD

36

OCTOBER 2014

WILL DROST

How to Target Big Specks from Texas to Virginia

Some anglers classify trophy

seatrout as bucket-list fish. Giants
weighing more than 15 pounds are
caught in Floridas Indian River
Lagoon, but specks to 10 pounds are
found throughout their range.

SPORTFISHINGMAG.COM

37

The first trophy spotted seatrout I ever caught seemed like an alien. I had
picked at 1- to 3-pounders throughout the morning, when all of a sudden
this 6-pounder piled on my D.O.A. Bait Buster in Floridas Indian
RiverLagoon. When I brought that slab boat-side, I thought it must be
another species. And it was only a 6-pounder. Ive seen photos of trout over
10 pounds, and I know some anglers who target Cynoscion nebulosus like
any rabid fly dropper after the holy grail of bonefish.
The all-tackle world-record 17-pound, 7-ounce
seatrout hailed from Fort Pierce, Florida, near
where I caught my trophy. But line-class records
have fallen from Texas to Virginia. To better target
these gator trout and cull out the ankle-biters, I
asked 10fishing guides and top anglers to give us
some tips. Below are 30 suggestions they provided.
Several captains mentioned using oversize baits,
and many talked about the need for stealth. So
those similarities certainly hammer the ultimate
take-home message. Each fishery does differ in its
tidal frequency and amplitude, water conditions,
bottom composition and weather patterns, but the
more general tactics can cover broad regions.
The guides are listed from west to east and
south to north, starting inTexas.

CAPT. KEVIN COCHRAN

Corpus Christi, Texas

361-688-3714

WILL DROST

(guide-service owner and pro photographer)

Lake Charles, Louisiana
337-302-9455

Capt. Gary Dubiel

Oriental, North Carolina
(Tips 25-27)

Will Drost
Lake Charles,
Louisiana
(Tips 4-7)

Capt. Greg Hildreth

Brunswick, Georgia
(Tips 23-24)

Capt. Jason Stock

Bradenton, Florida
(Tip 12)

Capt. Geoff Page

Sarasota, Florida
(Tips 14-16)

38

OCTOBER 2014

Capt. Ed Zyak
Jensen Beach,
Florida
(Tips 17-22)

Captains and
pro anglers
throughout the
Southeast and
Mid-Atlantic
offered their
trophy trout tips.
This popular
species tops the
inshore list for
many saltwater
anglers. Truly big
trout require the
utmost stealth.

WINTERTIME IS THE RIGHT TIME

The majority of seatrout Ive caught over 8 pounds

are in 6 inches or less of water and have been
hooked on days more suitable for duck hunting.
In the throes of winter on the Gulf Coast, the only
food source available for gator trout is mullet. In an
all-out effort to survive, mullet must seek shallow,
muddy waters because these areas are the fastest
to warm from chilly overnight conditions. This is
where you find true trophy trout.
5 USE EXTREME STEALTH
AND PREPARE FOR LONG CASTS

These shallow waters call for either drifting (without

WILL DROST (2)

Capt. Sonny Schindler

Bay St. Louis, Mississippi
(Tips 8-11)

SAFETY IN NUMBERS

Giant trout often show up in the same small area in

numbers. If an angler manages to catch one, more
are probably present. It pays to be persistent once a
big fish is caught.

Capt. Chris Newsome

Gloucester, Virginia
(Tip 28)

Capt. Kevin Cochran

Corpus Christi, Texas
(Tips 1-3)

FEEDING STATIONS

Big trout ride out cold snaps in channels and deep

basins. They tend to use protected channels early in
the cold season, and then stubbornly stick to deep,
open basins in the second half of winter. Because
big seatrout feed on other fish, they show up after
cold fronts wherever the mullet and small trout
are located. Normally, the feeding station will be
associated with either a shoreline or the fringe of
some major structural element lying near the deep
basin or channels.
3

Capt. Robert Capt. Walt Walter

Pocomoke City, Maryland
(Tips 29-30)

FISH LOW LIGHT

Jumbo trout can be much easier to catch in lowlight conditions, when they feed more actively,
particularly in areas with clear water. Fishing for
trophy trout at night is productive in winter, when
the water is more oftenclear.

the trolling motor) or wading. Long casts are key.

I use 20-pound PowerPro double-uni-knotted to
30-pound fluorocarbon, a Shimano Core baitcasting
reel and a 7-foot Waterloo rod. These rods are built
for true trophy-trout fishing. They are light yet have
the backbone for chucking big suspended baits and
topwaters a country mile. They also still possess the
power and finesse to feel a subtle bite.

NO RATTLING LURES
A 10-pound trout didnt get that big being reckless.
I think these fish are smart and easily spooked. In
this shallow water, I rarely use lures with rattles.
I usually choose MirrOlure Floating Paul Brown
lures. They were made for this type of fishing. I
like bright colors in extremely clear conditions
and dark colors in muddy water. I might add that I
would rather have off-color water. When throwing
topwaters, I like MirrOlure She-Dogs.

KEEP THE DRAG

I use more drag than you would think a 9-pound

trout is no weakfish. They have very tough mouths.
I like to be aggressive with the hook and wont back
off the drag until I know things are going my way.

Hooked trout
occasionally thrash
and jump, offering
some unexpected
acrobatics. Their two
spiked teeth (inset)
latch onto prey with
vengeful intent.

CAPT. SONNY SCHINDLER

Bay St. Louis, Mississippi

228-342-2295

8 USE THE WIND OR THE

TROLLING MOTOR TO SET UP

I see people lose their trophy fish before they even

make the first cast. Most of the areas where we look
for big trout are in 4 feet of water or less. When
people idle in on a quarter-throttle and throw a
big wave over the area, theyre as good as done. We
have had four or five of our boats working the same
SPORTFISHINGMAG.COM

39

50-yard area of shoreline bringing in big trout on

every boat. Then, another boat comes in, pushing a
wake into the bank. Its like a light switch when that
wave rolls in on thebank.
9

BIG BAITS USUALLY MEAN BIG TROUT

The problem we have targeting big trout on the

barrier islands off the Mississippi Gulf Coast and in
the Louisiana Marsh is the small trout. You might
hook a trophy trout on one cast, and then on the
next cast, a 6-inch speck nails the same lure or live
bait. Your best bet is to use the biggest artificial
baits you can, like the Zara Super Spook or jumbo
Savage 3D Shrimp. If you know one of the bait
shops has larger live shrimp or larger croakers, get
up early and get the good stuff.

KEEP A VARIETY OF
LIVE BAITS IN THE BOAT
10

Floridas Capt.
Geoff Page fishes
suspending baits and
D.O.A. Shrimp, using
a twitch-twitchpause method
with excellent
results on big trout.

40

Some mornings we get up at an ungodly hour to

fill the livewells with a variety of bait. I have three
livewells in my boat, and I like to put them all to
good use. During certain times of year, I am rolling
with one well full of jumbo shrimp, one full of big
finger mullet, and another full of palm-size pogies

OCTOBER 2014

(menhaden). I cant tell you how many times those

trout will turn up their noses at beautiful live shrimp
and not let a pogy touch the water before they inhale
it. Variety is the spice of life.
11 FISH THE DAYS LEADING UP TO AND
FOLLOWING THE NEW AND FULL MOONS

Weather permitting, we fish almost every single

day from April to December, so we fish every moon
phase. Our guides do agree that the few days leading
up to and following the new and full moons are the
best. When you get light winds and find yourself
casting at first light in May and June, three to five
days before or after the new or full moon, that is
when the deck is stacked in your favor.
CAPT. JASON STOCK

Bradenton, Florida
727-459-5899

12

LOOK FOR MULLET

Big trout love to get shallow with big schools of

mullet as a buffer against the dolphins trying to
sneak up on them.

SEASONAL VARIATION

13

The bigger gator trout like to push in super shallow

in the winter months, and in summer, they move
to deeper, moving-water grass flats. I prefer to use
the Sebile Stick Shadd with a twitch-twitch-pause
routine. During summer, they go to deeper flats with
points and rock jetties to actively feed. If I am using
live bait, I want the biggest live bait in the well, and I
want it as far away from the boat as possible.
CAPT. GEOFF PAGE

Sarasota, Florida
941-586-3756

14

SET THE STAGE

In spring and fall, find clean grass flats that arent

run over by boats daily. Ideally, you will also find
schools of black mullet and pilchards or glass
minnows. February through April are my favorite
months for targeting big gator trout.
15

KEEP YOUR DISTANCE

Fish around the new or full moons, and stay as far

off the area you plan to fish as you can.
16

TWITCH-TWITCH-PAUSE

I use three types of lures topwater (Super Spook),

subsurface (MirrOlure MR 17 MirrOdine) and
soft plastics (Saltwater Assassin 5-inch jerk bait).
With the subsurface suspending baits use a twitchtwitch-pause action. I also fish D.O.A. Shrimp with
the samemethod.
CAPT. ED ZYAK

Jensen Beach, Florida

772-485-3474

CHRIS WOODWARD (OPPOSITE), SAM ROOT / SALTYSHORES.COM (TOP)

17

GET OUT OF THE BOAT

Wading is my preferred method when fishing for

trophy trout. It makes you stealthier and lets you
fish an area more thoroughly. It also keeps you in
tune with subtle changes you might miss in the
boat, like water-temperature fluctuations, change
in bottom composition, and the pull and direction
of the tide. I fish several spots where the outgoing
tide runs one direction for the first few hours, and
then changes as more land gets exposed with the
lower water.
18

FISH LOW-TIDE STAGES

I like to fish lower stages of the tide. This helps

concentrate fish and narrows the search a bit. I like
the last of the falling and first of the incomingtide.
19

20

HUNT TROPHY TROUT

I use a lot of the skills Ive learned in the woods

when I target these fish. I scout an area before I fish
it; I wait for a clear, sunny day and try to learn an
area. I look for how fish travel on and off the area. I
look for sand holes, sand cuts, drop-offs and potential ambush points for big trout. I look for a way
Ican quietly get into the area, whereI want to be
casting when the sun comes up, and how I want to
fish as the tide rises or falls. This is huge; you dont
want to be stumbling around, spooking good fish
because you really dont know where you are. It is
hard to watch those giant wakes pushing off.
21

SLOW DOWN AND HAVE PATIENCE

If I know there should be a big fish in a spot, I pick

it apart sometimes spending hours there and
covering every inch. Many of my really big trout
have been a true test of my patience and confidence.
When nothing is happening, it will make you want
to move. If you know they are there, stick and stay.
22

USE THE RIGHT LURES

Here are some of my top-producing lures over the

past 20 years: D.O.A. Shrimp -ounce in glow/
gold, D.O.A. Airhead in Arkansas Glow, MirrOlure
5M and 7M in green-back silver-side, and full-size
ZaraSpook chrome andbone.
CAPT. GREG HILDRETH

Brunswick, Georgia
912-617-1980

AVOID THE CROWDS

I look for out-of-the-way or overlooked places. A

small piece of good habitat that does not get pressured much might hold big fish. I look for good
tide flow, a food source and nearby deeper water.
Amazingly, some of these places are right next to
popular boat ramps.

Concentrating on
low-tide stages for
trophy trout means
fishing shallower
water, which helps
to concentrate the
fish and narrows the
search area.

23

GO LIVE

While Georgias speckled trout grow nowhere near

as large as they do in other states, if I were targeting
nothing but trophy trout, I would use live bait such
as 3- to 4-inch finger mullet, river pogies or small
pinfish. Most of the oversize trout are caught in
SPORTFISHINGMAG.COM

41

deep water (12 to 20 feet) around structure such as

docks and bridge pilings.
24

TIDE MATTERS

In areas with large tidal amplitude such as coastal

Georgia, fish a slip-float rig that adjusts as the water
level rises or falls. Youll find most larger trout very
close to the bottom. Wait until the tide slows a little
so the bait stays longer in the strike zone.
CAPT. GARY DUBIEL

Oriental, North Carolina

252-249-1520

SEARCH SHALLOW, GRASSY

AREAS AND MARSH EDGES
OVER SHELL BOTTOMS

25

Big trout in my area like to get in shallow water,

and are typically in small groups or removed from
groups of smaller fish. Many of our creek systems
42

OCTOBER 2014

have grass blooms each spring, and trophy specks

move into holes in the grass to ambush mullet. We
also find trophy fish tight to the marsh grass along
the main river shorelines over shelled bottoms.
26

USE A SLOW RETRIEVE

With any size hook, the retrieve remains unchanged

and vital: three or four slow cranks with the reel,
then pause and allow the bait to fall, anticipating
the strike on the pause. Our big trout are very lazy.
With massive amounts of bait, they rarely run down
a bait, so slow is better.
27

BRING LONG-CASTING TACKLE

In my area, the water has some tannin to it, and

its not possible to sight-fish or see potholes. Long,
accurate casts are often necessary. Tackle selection
makes all the difference in the world with trophy
fish. High-modulus, lightweight fast-action rods
like Temple Fork Outfitters new GTS TWS S693-1,
6-foot-9-inch ML-action spinning rod are perfect

JASON ARNOLD / JASONARNOLDPHOTO.COM (TOP), WILL DROST (OPPOSITE)

Sandy patches
within grass beds
generally hold trout.
Stealth is key to
finding the biggest
fish. Keep the noise
and boat wakes to
a minimum.

surface commotion as it feeds, so its possible to

determine which species is feeding. We look for
large swirls with a sucking/popping noise when
targeting trophy specks.
CAPT. ROBERT CAPT. WALT WALTER

for this very technical fishing. Adding a light Penn

Conflict 2500 reel spooled with 10-pound-test braid
gives you better distance without increasing weight.
I also find it important to use a smaller-diameter
fluorocarbon leader, and not to fish more than
15-pound-test.
CAPT. CHRIS NEWSOME

Gloucester, Virginia
804-815-4895

28

LIVE CHUM

I fill my livewells with peanut bunker (small

menhaden), and then live-chum over the flats.
The baitfish scatter, and we look for trophy specks
crashing the bait on the surface. My clients then
cast lures to the surface action. This technique
helps locate fish over a broad area. I run across
specks, reds, stripers and bluefish here on the
Chesapeake Bay. Each species makes a different

In Texas and
Florida, anglers
commonly get out
of the boat to better
approach likely trout
haunts, and to learn
the subtleties of
different locations.

Pocomoke City, Maryland

410-957-1664

29

FIND FAST, CLEAR WATER

To target the larger, trophy Chesapeake Bay

speckled trout, I begin by finding specks feeding. I
look for clear, fast-moving water, so I target structure that blocks the tide. The water meeting the
structure is then pushed more rapidly around it.
Sod banks (both submerged and sticking out of the
water), points, rocks (submerged piles as well as
jetties), grass beds and wrecks fit thebill.
30

BUMP UP BAIT SIZE

When we find specks and start catching them

regularly on a particular structure, we remove the
smaller lures weve been using, and tie on either a
5-inch Storm lure (chartreuse or white) or a 6-inch
Hogy Lure Texas-rigged with an 8/0 hook. Smaller
specks still try to hit the lures, but you usually cant
and dont hook them.
SPORTFISHINGMAG.COM

43

TAGGING MAKO SHARKS TO

UNLOCK SECRETS OF THEIR
ABUNDANCE AND MIGRATIONS

MISSION
FOR MAKO
44

OCTOBER 2014

DOUG PERRINE

BY GUY HARVEY, PH.D.

Tagging the majestic

mako shark is a challenge;
learning about where
these global nomads go
is fascinating.

THE POPULATION OF MAKO SHARKS that lurks in the swift,

north-flowing current off Mexicos Caribbean coast is not a
complete secret. Capt. Anthony Mendillo, who operates Keen
M International, can tell you as much. Makos attack his dredges
when hes fishing for sails and white marlin. Sometimes they
grab hooked sailfish, and they love to chew on the jumbo-size
bonito (little tunny) that frequent these waters.

SPORTFISHINGMAG.COM

45

JOINED MENDILLO IN LATE MARCH WITH MAKO IN MIND.

MENDILLO HAD HOPED TO GET HIS FAVORITE BAIT FOR
ISLA MUJERES MAKOS, DOLPHIN FISH (DORADO). BUT
DOLPHIN, WHICH WOULD BE MORE ABUNDANT LATER IN
SPRING, WERE SCARCE AT THAT TIME. THE SOLUTION:
MAKE DECOY DOLPHIN.
NEXT THING I KNEW, WE WERE TROLLING TWO HOOKLESS DOLPHIN DECOYS ON THE RIGHT SHORT AND LONG
RIGGER LINE. ON THE LEFT RIGGER, MENDILLO PULLED
DEAD BONITO ARMED WITH A LARGE, SINGLE J-HOOK.

We had been working the

edge of the current line in 200
to 300feet of water when
kaboom! a 400-pound mako
skied on the short decoy. We
watched it go airborne with
the decoy firmly in its jaws not
30feet off the transom.
The shark arched and flipped
in midair, landing heavily on the
waters surface, then mounted
another attack on the decoy in

46

OCTOBER 2014

a burst of foam. Not happy with

the taste of pinewood, it crossed
our wake like a blue marlin to
grab the swimming bonito.
Then we were truly hooked
up, line pouring off the Shimano
reel as the mako raced away
across the surface, throwing
curtains of water.
This, I thought, is very much
like marlin fishing, but for
sharks. But we were there for

The latest Guy

Harvey original: In
the absence of mahi,
Harvey and Capt.
Anthony Mendillo
(right) came up
with wooden teaser
decoys for makos.

more than just the (amazing)

sport of hooking makos.
KIWI MAKO:
6 0 M I L E S P E R D AY

Three years ago, Nova

Southeastern Universitys Guy
Harvey Research Institute began
tagging and tracking makos from
Isla Mujeres. At that time, I
deployed three pop-up archival
transmitter (PAT) tags, two of
which went the full six-month
term before popping up.
Shortly after that, the
GHRI sent satellite-reporting
SPOT (Smart Position and
Temperature) tags to New
Zealand for deployment on
makos there by our colleagues
Dr. Malcolm Francis, Scott
Tindale and Dr. Clinton Duffy.
Based on their results,
Dr.Mahmood Shivji, director of
the GHRI, realized that these
tags were working extremely
well (which was gratifying, since
theyre not cheap at $1,700 pertag

COURTESY GUY HARVEY / NSU-GHRI (OPPOSITE, TOP), GEORGE SCHELLENGER / NSU-GHRI (RIGHT),
M. SHIVJI / NSU-GHRI (BOTTOM)

plus about $1,000 moreper tag

for satellite time per year). The
tags were providing information
on these sharks movements in
unprecedented detail because the
makos were coming to the surface
multiple times each day.
More so than the PAT tags,
SPOT tags provide accurate,
multiple daily detections, helping
scientists to a rare view of the
migration patterns of makos. A
SPOT tag enabled us to follow a
Kiwi mako dubbed Carol as she
covered nearly 10,000 miles from
northern New Zealand to Fiji
and back, and then up to Tonga,
in just under a year. She made
headline news in the process,
averaging 60 miles per day.
At the same time, Shivji
and Dr. Brad Wetherbee were
deploying SPOT tags on makos
out of Ocean City, Maryland.
From our previous studies on
tiger sharks in Bermuda and the
Bahamas, we know that tigers
and oceanic whitetip sharks
spend a great deal of time at the
surface; this allows a SPOT tag
to transmit its approximate location to satellites. Successes like
that of Carol sparked our decision to switch from PAT tags to
SPOT tags for Mexican makos.
For that operation, we turned
to Mendillo. He has been fishing
his 41-foot Mike Fitz (a singleengine boat, and the best day boat
I have fished anywhere) off Isla
Mujeres for more than a decade,
concentrating on different

species at different times of year.

The run of makos off Isla occurs
during March and April, along
with sailfish in the early part of
the year. White marlin go off in
May and June, whale sharks from
June into September, and swordfish whenever its calm enough to
catch them while deep-dropping
in the daytime.

Its hard to miss

the SPOT tag
attached to the fin
of this mako, about
to be released.
Dr. Brad Wetherbee
checks over a SPOT
tag attached to
the dorsal of a
shortfin mako.

GEARING UP

Armed with several SPOT tags,

Wetherbee, filmmaker George
Schellenger and I all went back
to Isla Mujeres at the end of
March 2013. The weather gods
were against us, and we battled
horrendous seas for four days
but still managed to deploy three
SPOT tags. Unfortunately, we
could not work on the sharks
secured alongside the boat

Carol one movin

mako: In less than
a year, this small
female put about
10,000 miles on her
odometer, traveling
from New Zealand
to Fiji to Tonga,
averaging 60 miles
per day.

Track individual sharks

interactively in the
Atlantic and Pacific at
ghritracking.org.

because it was so rough. We

brought them into the boat,
secured them, covered their eyes,
and irrigated them whilethe
SPOT tag was attached to
thedorsal fin and then released.
It was definitely not as easy as
that might make it sound.
Schellenger and I filmed all
the releases and watched asthe
chunky makos took off into
theblue very gratifying. On our
first day, we had four mako bites
but caught just one. Throughout
the week we also raised sailfish,
white marlin and blue marlin.
I booked Mendillo for 10 days
at the end of March this year
too. Little did I know that he had
embraced this project big-time
so much so, he had actually built
an aluminum derrick and lifting
platform on the stern of Keen M
before we arrived.
The platform could be moved
on rollers across the transom,
and would allow us to load
a mako on the platform and
SPORTFISHINGMAG.COM

47

then raise it out of the water.

Scientists could attach the SPOT
tag easily and without having
200pounds of charged-up shark
actually in the boat.
SUCCESS, TIMES 11

Graced with beautiful weather

this time, we trolled decoys and
fresh bonito for makos with
astonishing results. While a
few makos would sneak up and
bite just on the rigged bonito,
the majority, particularly the
bigger fish, would launch on
the dolphin decoy from underneath or by coming across from
the inside out and crash the
decoy just as crazily as would a
500-pound blue marlin.
But with makos, theres never
any warning. Veteran fishing
photographer Scott Kerrigan, on
board for several days, waited
patiently on the flying bridge
for the shot. But neither he nor
any of us were fast enough to get
that first jump.
TV-fishing-show host Diego
48

OCTOBER 2014

As a stream of
saltwater courses
over its gills, this
mako is quickly
tagged and measured
by scientists out of
Ocean City, Maryland.

Toiran joined me for a day and

caught a fine 200-pound mako,
which hed show later as an
episode of his show, Fishing the
Keys. His SPOT-tagged mako is
named Diego; all of these sharks,
as well as other pelagic species
we work on, can be followed on
the interactive GHRI tracking
site: ghritracking.org.
Schellenger did rig GoPros

on each dredge, and we were

fortunate to have a couple of
makos devour the mullet off a
dredge (after taking a shot at the
camera housing!). This footage
makes for very exciting content,
with makos fast and agile, and
their black, expressionless
eyesmenacing.
Typically we would catch one
of every three makos that we
raised. Many that seemed well
hooked came off; in fact, some
were hooked several times and
still got away. I considered the
likelihood that they were simply
holding onto the bait, not wanting
to let go. We did hook a couple
of makos using the pitch-bait
approach, so bait-and-switch
tactics with the decoys did work
to a certain extent.
We raised 36 makos, all
but four of which bit, during
this expedition. From those
32strikes, we caught and tagged
a total of 11 in this expedition
not great catch numbers but
some incredible action.

Prior to releasing it, we

measured each shark, took a
fin clip for DNA analysis, and
removed the hook as the platform was lowered into the water
so we could release the mako.
Schellenger and I went into the
water with each mako to get shots
of the SPOT tags in place underwater, and to get the departure
shot. We also revived them when
necessary by towing thembehind
the boat using a small barbless
hook in their lower jaw.
This approach to fishing makos
which is still evolving is much
more exciting than drifting or
being at anchor to set up a chum
line. It allows you to fish in heavy
current where makos frequent,
and where there might be no
opportunity toanchor.
MARYLAND MAKOS
ADDED TO THE MIX

Given the incredible results we

were getting in New Zealand
and Mexico, the GHRI expanded
its mako shark research in the
Atlantic off the United States in
May of this year by joining forces
with Capt. Mark Sampson, who
operates Fish Finder Adventures
based in Ocean City, Maryland.
With Sampsons long-standing
shark-fishing and shark-handling
experience, the GHRI team
deployed eight more SPOT tags
on makos although this time
by lifting the 5- to 6-foot sharks

into the boat and onto a mat with

specially designed tailers.
After a very short struggle and
expert handling by Sampson,
including quick removal of
the barbless circle hooks, the
sharks calmed down astonishingly quickly. The eyes of the
sharks were covered with a wet
towel, and a seawater hose was
inserted into the sharks mouth,
keepingthe gills well aerated.
Thats when the GHRI pit crew
moved in to quickly attach a
SPOT tag, under the watchful eye
of Sampson. The entire process
from lifting the makos into the
boat to tagging, measuring,
DNA sampling and release took
justminutes.
To release the fish, the mat
with a shark on it was lifted over
the gunwales, allowing the shark
to dive into the ocean. This
diving action seemed to really help
revive the sharks quickly, as they
all swam off very strongly. All eight
tagged sharks have been reporting
multiple times daily following
their release (see Project 3 on the
GHRI tracking website).

Mako sharks figure

prominently in many
of Guy Harveys
original paintings,
such as The Hunter
Hunted. His work
helps fund research
projects like this.

LOOKING FOR ANSWERS

The important bottom line for

this whole exercise is to learn
more about the abundance and
migrations of this species in the

COURTESY GEORGE SCHELLENGER / NSU-GHRI (OPPOSITE, BOTTOM),

GUY HARVEY / NSU-GHRI (2), GUY HARVEY INC. (TOP)

THE GREAT MAKO RACE

The GHRI is promoting the Great Mako
Conservation Race, scheduled for March
and April 2015 off Isla Mujeres. The projects
goal is to increase public awareness and
understanding of this fascinating shark in a
fun way, while at the same time increasing
participation in citizen science and conservation involvement I find so many recreational fishers appreciate and are passionate about. Anyone
who wants to be a part of this event and study can sponsor a SPOT tag and the satellite time for $3,500.
This private sponsorship of tags will allow the study of the movement behavior of these makos in
exceptional detail, a key requirement for proper management and sustainable fishing.
You can also charter one of Anthony Mendillos game-fishing boats and catch your own mako; the
shark will be given your name. The tag batteries last nine to 14 months, depending on how frequently
the tag is able to report information to satellites. Our record with makos is 16 months (and counting),
and three-plus years on two different tiger sharks.
The Great Mako Conservation Race winner (the longest distance achieved in six months from its
tagging date) will receive a fishing trip with hotel accommodations in Isla Mujeres.

western Atlantic and the Gulf of

Mexico. We hope it will produce
answers to questions such as: Is
there a connection between these
makos and those that roam the
western Atlantic farther north in
cooler climates? How much time
do they spend in Mexican waters?
How much time in U.S. waters or
roaming the Caribbean? Where is
the greatest fishing effort and by
which country? Who is managing
these fish?
According to latest catch statistics, approximately a half-million
mako sharks are killed each year
in the North Atlantic. Makos have
the best-quality meat, plus their
fins and teeth fetch a high price.
One of our tagged makos,
JoAnn, was caught by a commercial fisherman from Isla Mujeres
in March this year after being
at large just short of a year and
providing the GHRI with valuable
data. Two makos tagged off Ocean
City last year were caught and
killed by commercial fishermen
off Nova Scotia and Newfoundland
at the end of summer.
We have definitely only
scratched the surface when it
comes to understanding the movement patterns of these amazing
sharks, but much remains to
belearned.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Dr. Guy

Harvey has invested considerable

funds (generated from royalties on
licensed merchandise) and time/
effort into marine research, education and conservation, particularly
concerning large pelagic species.
Long-term projects like tagging
and tracking these fish will add
greatly to the database on highly
migratory species.
SPORTFISHINGMAG.COM

49

RAISING

HAVOC
THE HOW AND WHY OF
USING YOUR BOAT TO ATTRACT
BIG-GAME PELAGICS

MARC MONTOCCHIO

By
JIM HENDRICKS

50

OCTOBER 2014

A HEART-THROBBING SCENE
UNFOLDS ON THE DECK OF A
SPORT-FISHER AS A MARLIN
POPS UP IN THE TROLLING
SPREAD, DORSAL FLUNG HIGH
AND PECTORALS AGLOW. WITH
POWERFUL, STACCATO SWEEPS
OF ITS MASSIVE TAIL, THE
BILLFISH BURSTS TOWARD THE
RIGHT FLAT LINE. ALL HELL
BREAKS LOOSE AS THE BILLFISH
ATTACKS. THE CREW SCURRIES TO
ACTION. A ROD BENDS DOUBLE. A
CLICKER SCREAMS. LINE MELTS
AWAY IN A HIGH-SPEED BLUR.

ASCENT TO GLORY What

attracts pelagics such as
sailsh to a sport-shing
boat? Many say its the same
thing that draws offshore
sh to oating objects.

It is what offshore anglers live for.

Yet when it comes to big-game fish,
this scenario seems to repeat more for
some boats than others. Such lucky
sport-fishers seem to possess mythical
powers, raising innumerable fish from
the depths as if by tractorbeam.
But do boats really attract offshore
species such as mahi, marlin, sailfish,
tuna and wahoo? Are some boats more
apt to raise offshore fish than others?
And if so, what it is that causes fish to
home in on such an unnatural object as
a boat?
These are the questions to which
I sought answers from a variety of
offshore-angling experts who have
fish around the world, from Hawaii to
CapeHatteras to Guatemala.
SPORTFISHINGMAG.COM

51

RAISING

HAVOC

More than one expert has likened

a boat to a floating object on the
offshore grounds, where game fish are
attracted to things such as weed lines
and kelp paddies, as well as discarded
pallets, offshore weather buoys and
man-made FADs (fish-aggregating
devices). In their shade and sanctuary,
these floating objects often harbor a
community of marine life spanning
the food chain. So why wouldnt fish
view a boat despite its transient
nature in the same way?
Anecdotal evidence suggests that
a boat in and of itself whether
moving or stationary will attract
fish, according to most of the experts
Italked with. Whats more, most
believe that visual cues associated with
the boat have a stronger influence on
52

OCTOBER 2014

fish than do sounds or vibrations.

Supporting these assertions are
observations by Hawaiian fishing
authority and writer, Jim Rizzuto,
who tells of two large yellowfin tuna
swimming in the shadow of a 30-foot
sport-fisher as it trolled for marlin.
The ahi were snuggling up against
the hull and seemed not at all upset
at the sight and sound of the boat,
Rizzutosays.
In addition, a big blue marlin
showed about the same time. He estimated the fish in the 1,000-pound
range. All of these big fish seemed
to be attracted to the boat and didnt
want to swim away Rizzuto said.
They appeared to make the boat
their home, at least until the crew
caughtthe yellowfin, though they
failed to get themarlin.

During a recent trip down the

Pacific Coast of Baja California,
Iwitnessed a similar phenomenon in
which a huge school of mahi vacated
their residence under the floating
carcass of a dead seal, preferring the
shade of our drifting 39-foot SeaVee.
The school stayed with us as we caught
and released fish for more than two
hours until we decided to throttle up
and head for port.
BIG TEASER

In some ways, a moving boat might be

even more attractive to predatory fish
than a stationary object. This is due to
what some might call the big-teaser
effect. Like a large, hookless teaser lure
designed to create a commotion on
the surface to simulate a school of fish
attacking bait and draw the attention

PAT FORD (TOP), RICHARD GIBSON

PA S S I N G FA D

A BOAT IS LARGER THAN ANY TEASER,

ATTRACTING FISH FROM A DISTANCE. FISH
SEE THE BOAT, THE TEASER, THEN YOUR BAIT.
angling expert explains.
The type of wake a boat lays down
can also affect success, according to
Randy Ramsey, president of North
Carolina-based Jarrett Bay Boatworks.
Billfish are sight feeders, and a clean
wake allows them to see the baits or
lures more easily, Ramsey explains.
Three factors that help keep create
clean wakes include a hull thats free
of fouling, properly aligned running
gear and well-tuned propellers,
Ramseybelieves.

range may produce a set of harmonics

that raise billfish like the Pied Piper.
How does he know when he has
achieved this? The fish tell him so. I
know Im pulling at the right speed
when were getting as many or more
bites than the boats around us.
The type of hull construction might
also play a role, Ramsey contends. I
look at boats such as Big Oh, Chainlink,
Inspiration and Sensation boats that
have been successful with different
crews, he says. One thing they all

PIED PIPER

ANIMAL MAGNETISM A boat

attracts big-game sh such

as marlin using both visual
and auditory cues. Shade and
engine harmonics play roles.

of a curious predator, the prop wash,

froth, and splashing of the boat hull
may accomplish the samething.
Most big-game anglers assume that
a boat moving through the water is
your biggest teaser and the first thing
that notifies a billfish of your presence. A boat is larger than any teaser,
attracting fish from a distance. They
see the boat, the teaser, then your bait.
Some captains believe that the
boldest fish are also the largest ones, at
least when it comes marlin, and so they
are more likely to get close to the boat.
In Hawaii, the lures closest to the boat
often draw strikes from the biggest
fish, Rizzuto says. Yet,the longer
trolling lines usually take smaller fish.
As a result, big-game trollers
generally position their largest lures
just a few wakes back, the Hawaiian

Most experts agree that sound also

plays a role in how well a boat raises
offshore fish. While no one has
conducted empirical testing, boats
emitting the thrum from a pair of big
diesel engines certainly catch a fair
share of offshore fish. Yet, could this
be the result of the greater number
of twin-diesel sport-fishers out
theretrolling?
Plenty of fish have also been caught
by anglers trolling with multiple fourstroke outboard engines. That number
seems to be on the rise as more and
more supersize center-console boats
head out to pursue big-game fish.
Many assert that the key seems to
be the resonance set up between two
or more marine power plants, rather
than the type of engine. This results
in a pulsed low-frequency sound
underwater that draws in fish from
adistance.
It is been long established that
sharks are attracted to low-frequency,
pulsed white noise, much like the
sound of injured baitfish or a pair of
out-of-synch diesel engines. We can
only assume that billfish are attracted
to this noise as well.
The correct harmonics make a big
difference in whether fish will come to
the boat to look at the lures, according
to Capt. Brad Philipps, who runs
Guatemala Fishing Adventures and has
released more than 25,000 billfish.
A captains preference for a
particular trolling speed may reflect
his boats sweet spot, he says.
Engines turning at a certain rpm

Fish such as blue

marlin may rise
from the depths
to investigate the
splashing created
by a passing boat.

SPORTFISHINGMAG.COM

53

RAISING

HAVOC
blue marlin strikes as earlier in the
year. So Bagwell had the boat hauled
and ordered tune-ups on the twin
485Detroit diesels, transmissions and
running gear.
After the tune-up, Silky was again
running as smoothly as its name,
according to Rizzuto. And the fish
returned to its wake. Silky and its crew
picked up the pace, releasing a steady
stream of billfish, just as before.
The lesson here: Sport-fishers
require regular tune-ups if they are to
maintain the harmonics that attract
fish. A squeaky bearing or bent prop
blade could blow up into expensive
problems, says Rizzuto, but none
bigger than dragging down the
fishcount.
Echoing that sentiment is Jarrett
Bays Ramsey. One thing is for sure,
he says, if a boat has a bad vibration,
bearing noise, bent prop shaft or other
issues, this hurts the boats ability to
raise fish.
Ramsey points to evidence based
on the success of new boats. Have
you ever noticed that new boats seem
to catch better than older ones? he
asks. I think it is because the bearings
and running gear are tight. Crews and
owners should pay attention to this as
their boats age, and ensure everything
is running properly.

LARGE AND IN CHARGE

Bigger boats seem to

raise more sh, but
that might be simply
because more offshore
sport-shers are large.

have in common is that these are

wooden-cored boats. While these hulls
might not be popular, wooden-cored
boats might make them better at
raisingfish.
S TAY T U N E D

Sometimes the harmonics can turn

sour. This was the case with Kona,
Hawaii, Capt. John Bagwell, according
to Rizzuto. Bagwell and his boat,
Silky, had been on a hot streak. He
and his crew had won the 2013 Skins
54

OCTOBER 2014

Tournament with a 645-pound blue

marlin, and followed it up a few
weeks later with Henry Chee Award
for the highest-scoring skipper in
the Hawaiian International Billfish
Tournament (Aug. 3-10, 2013).
Later in the year, however, Bagwell
began to wonder if his 45-foot Viking
had lost its competitive edge, says
Rizzuto. The captain began to think
the engines didnt sound right.
The fish evidently felt the same,
as the boat was not getting as many

It seems that bigger sport-fishing

boats consistently rack up higher
scores than do smaller boats. But
again, this might simply be a matter of
numbers: In most parts of the world,
there are more large sport-fishers
offshore at any given time than there
are smaller boats. And because of
their size, larger boats can go biggame fishing on days when marginal
weather and large seas force smaller
boats to stay in port.
Yet, according to many experts,
fish dont care what kind of boat
you are on. In my experience, I have
found success in raising striped
marlin off Southern California
behind even smaller boats, including
a single-diesel-powered 26-foot
convertible and a single-outboardpowered 22-foot center-console. Yet
in most cases, the marlin were as thick
as fleas offshore. On tougher days,
the larger boats with twin engines
seemedto hold the advantage when it
came totrolling.

RICHARD GIBSON

S I Z E C A N M AT T E R

Running large hookless teasers,

daisy chains of artificial squid,
or dredges can help create more
commotion and enlarge your offshore
footprint while trolling in a boat
thats smaller than rest of the fleet,
and this can help level the playing field
when fishing among the big boys.
SOUNDER PROOF

How can you tell if your boats fishy?

There is a way to test its fish-attracting
power, according to Rizzuto, but it
relies on keeping your eye on the fish
finder. Sport-fishers equipped with
high-quality fish finders especially
the newer CHIRP high-definition
sounders can mark fish such as
marlin and tuna as deep as 20 to
30fathoms.
When you spot a marlin or tuna
down deep on the fish finder, turn your
head around and look at your wake,
Rizzuto advises. Then count to 20.
It takes about 10to 20seconds for a
curious blue marlin to swim to the
surface to investigate, hecontends.
If you dont see the fish slashing
at your lures or tracking them, mark

the spot on your GPS chart plotter and

circle back after you are sure your lures
have cleared the area with no interest
from a billfish, he adds. Troll over the
area again, and give the fish another
chance to investigate.
Raising fish such a marlin or tuna
in this manner will prove that your

of offshore success. It is the crews

intimate understanding of how to take
advantage of a boats fish-attracting
characteristics that provescritical. The
crews ability to select the best lures,
gauge the proper trolling distances
and choose the right speed not only
for the boat, but for the ever-changing

A SQUEAKY BEARING OR BENT PROP

BLADE COULD BLOW UP INTO EXPENSIVE
PROBLEMS, BUT NONE BIGGER THAN
DRAGGING DOWN THE FISH COUNT.
boat has fish-attracting power, Rizzuto
claims. Every week Ihear stories from
skippers who have marked fish down
deep and brought them up successfully
for a solid strike, he adds.
MEN AND MACHINE

Of course, a boat alone will not catch

fish. The experience, knowledge, and
hard work of an energetic captain
andcrew rank as essential elements

sea conditions can often mean more

than anything else.
Just as a fine guitar requires a
talented musician to make music,
amodern fishing machine requires
the skill of its captain and crew
to make fish rise to the trolling
spread. And when it comes together,
theres nothing in this world thats
more exciting. Thats why I call it
raisinghavoc.

Our members return each year

as faithfully as the tides.
DemoekjeeWh[_dl_j[Z\ehWhWh[l_i_j
jeekhb[][dZWhofh_lWj[YbkX
through the pages of EY[WdH[[\9bkXB_l_d]Magazine.
Visit our website to request your copy
or call our Membership Department to inquire
about the possibilities of a guest stay.
OceanReefClubMagazine.com
305.367.5921

>EC;IL? BB7I9ED :EC? D? K C IC7H? D7:E9AIL?BB7>EC;H;DJ7BI

SPORTFISHINGMAG.COM

55

A Guide to

BIG FISH off the

BY JIM RIZZUTO

Calm waters off the Big Island attract

abundant sport sh all year, including
blue marlin (inset), wahoo, mahimahi
and yellown tuna. Most popular port
city to leave from? Kailua-Kona.

56

OCTOBER 2014

BIG
BRIAN POWERS / HAWAIIANIMAGES.COM, BRYAN TONEY (INSET)

Why Kona Remains

One of the Worlds
Prime Destinations for
Blue-Water Game Fish

ISLAND

SPORTFISHINGMAG.COM

57

Sixty years ago, Kona skipper George Parker made

Konas consistent billfish success

sparked a worldwide revolution in
big-game fishing because these big
fish were caught on lures pioneered
and developed in Hawaii waters.
Meanwhile, big-game fishermen elsewhere had been saying you could catch
billfish only with bait. Even those
doubters caught the Kona wave and
started catching marlin on Kona-style
lures. Kona is also the perfect starting
point for novices who have never
caught a fish in their lives. It happens
every day, 365 days a year. Newcomers
are well served by a well-maintained
fleet of top-of-the-line boats and
expert captains.
Plus, Konas big fish hunt in
deep, calm waters near shore. The
100-fathom line is a 10-minute run
from Konas two main fishing fleets
at Honokohau Harbor and Keauhou
Bay. Whats more, the biggest fish of
any week is usually a marlin in the
500- to 900-pound range caught by
a complete newcomer on a four- or
Theres no better
live bait for big
marlin than a
bridled skipjack
tuna, caught
fresh from the
shing grounds.

58

OCTOBER 2014

six-hour trip. On any day of the year, a

visitor can find a suitable charter and
hope to catch one or more of Hawaiis
mighty four: billfish, ahi (yellowfin
tuna), mahimahi (dolphinfish) and
ono(wahoo).

BILLFISH OF EVERY KIND

Blue marlin, black marlin, striped
marlin, sailfish, shortbill spearfish and
broadbill swordfish Konas waters
are home to every billfish found in the
Pacific. But each has a different story,
and you should know those stories
when you make plans.
Big blues are the billfish that pay
the bills in Kona. Blues of all sizes are
here year-round, but they are usually
most common during the summer
tournament season, from June through
early September. Mid-Pacific currents
can supply a fresh run at any time,
however. For example, in 2013, April
surprised offshore trollers with fish
heavier than 500 pounds on every day
of the lunar cycle. Catches like these

show that the lunar cycle has little, if

any, influence on billfishing in Kona
(unlike the effect different phases
might have in other fishing areas).
Konas three 2013 granders were
hooked up in January, March and July.
March, which might otherwise be
considered the offseason elsewhere,
has turned up more of Konas historic
granders than any other month, and
that includes the 1,649-pound Kona alltime record in 1984. The 1,376-pound
IGFA record for 130-pound class was
caught in May 1982. Indeed, granders
have been caught in Kona waters every
month of the year. Licensed commercial fishermen are allowed to sell blue
marlin in Hawaii, but professional
skippers prefer tag-and-release for
clients who want to let vital fish go. In
any given week, more of Konas blues
are tagged than kept. Visitors should
make their wishes known when setting
up a charter.
Striped marlin cruise through
Kona waters year-round, but the big
run extends from December through
March. The Hawaii state record,
212pounds, turned up here at the end
of March 2011. Thats big for a north
Pacific stripe, which is noteworthy
because South Pacific stripers max
out at more than double the weight
of their northern cousins. Striped
marlin are most attracted to Kona
when winter waters cool down into the
mid-70s. During those chilly times,
the luckiest trollers might get up to a
dozen striped marlin bites, and hook
about a third of them.
Those same striped marlin
conditions also attract shortbill spearfish of world-record size. Konas frisky

KEVIN HIBBARD (2)

headlines around the world when he caught the first certified, world-record
grander Pacific blue marlin. Since that 1,002-pound giant in November 1954,
Hawaiis lee eddies have churned up a stream of 1,000-pound blues that
continues today. Kona waters average two or (as in 2013) three granders per
year, along with more Pacific blue marlin IGFA records than any other sportfishing hot spot. That parade of records continues. In March 2013, Alex Nuttall
boated a 958-pound blue marlin with Capt. Chip Van Mols on the Kona charter
boat Monkey Biz II to claim the IGFA womens 130-pound-class record.

Kona shermen
catch other billsh
too, such as striped
marlin (pictured),
swordsh and
shortbill spearsh.

To Harvest
or Release?
Billfish tag-and-release fishing is
common in Kona. Fishermen can
choose from among a wide range
of excellent boat captains who will
respect your preference to release
marlin catches. But make sure
to come to an agreement before
booking the charter because some
captains will keep a healthy marlin if
the clients dont mind. If you wish to
weigh a billfish as a trophy, you need
to work that out in advance too.
Skippers will bring back marlin to
the docks that die during the fight or
cant be revived successfully rather
than leave the fish to languish as
shark bait. The sale of billfish is legal
in the islands. For local families,
billfish have been a desirable source
of high-quality protein for centuries.

SPORTFISHINGMAG.COM

59

SPECIES AVAILABILITY
JAN

FEB MAR APR MAY

Albacore Tuna
Bigeye Tuna
Mahimahi
Pacic Blue Marlin
Shortbill Spearsh
Striped Marlin
Swordsh
Wahoo
Yellown Tuna
E XC E L L E N T

60

OCTOBER 2014

GOOD

FA I R

JUN

JUL

AUG SEP OCT

NOV DEC

shortbills presently
hold 16 IGFA marks
for tackle as light
as 4-pound-class,
and even on fly gear.
Record-seekers troll
hookless teasers to
draw a spearfish within
range, and then present
a lure, fly or bait on
the most sporting gear
available. For most
visitors, however, the

Konas impressive charter

eet and prolic waters
allow visiting anglers
the opportunity to land
a record marlin on a
half-day, four-hour trip.

Broadbills are the secret sensations

for fishermen who know when, where
and how to catch them. Most of Konas
rod-and-reel swordies are caught at
night during ika-shibi (traditional
hand line) trips that target tuna. With
its giant staring eyes, the broadbill is
readily attracted to lights at night and
to the squid schools that gather in the
glow. The state record 503-pounder
took the bait in June 2006 at the start
of what are usually the three best
swordfish months. Only a few boats
cater to the night-fishing trade.

HAWAII TUNA FUEL

JET REVOLUTION
Fifty years ago, Hawaii troller Henry
Nishikawa ignited the jet revolution
when he caught a world-record ahi on
a metal-headed lure drilled through
and through with holes. His 269-pound
yellowfin didnt last long in the record
books after anglers in the eastern
Pacific discovered a tribe of bigger
tuna off Mexico. Yet the IGFA record
book is still overwhelmingly Kona on
the ladies side: Kona catches made
by women hold the 16-, 20-, 30- and
50-pound-class marks.
Though Kona waters attract

resident schools of yellowfin

year-round, ahi are most abundant in
late spring and throughout summer. As
schools migrate west to east through
the islands, the big runs reach Kauai
first by Mothers Day in May and Kona
by Fathers Day in June. When the
action is wide open, lucky boats can
catch as many as 10 a day, all in the
100- to 220-pound range, by trolling
orlive-baiting with aku (skipjack
tuna)or opelu (mackerel scad). During
the rest of the year, ahi specialists
target them with green-stick gear, and
continue to catch a few each trip.
Hawaiis state record ahi (a July
catch) of 325 pounds is unusually large
for central Pacific yellowfin tuna. Konas
biggest ahi each year normally hits
250 pounds (258.5 in 2013). The state
record bigeye (277 pounds in July 2013)
and the biggest albacore (89.2pounds
in April 2011) both were caught on the
Big Islands windward (eastern) coast.
The albacore weighed more than any
on the IGFA record list but did not
qualify for world-record status because
it was caught on commercial-fishing

Shore Fishing
THE BIG ISLANDS jagged reefs make shoreline
fishing difficult, and its rugged lava-rock sea
cliffs add considerable danger. Big Islanders
have developed special slide-bait techniques
and equipment for overcoming the hazards and
obstacles, but the method is more equipmentdependent than most visitors can handle. If you
know how to cast for surf fish, however, you can
easily adapt your skills and use them to catch Hawaiis many multicolored snapper,
wrasses, goatfish, jacks, barracuda and assorted other surprises.
Bring your favorite surf spinning reel with you, and be prepared to buy a matching
8- or 9-foot rod at a local tackle shop. Rig with a ringed torpedo sinker, 30-inch
length of leader and a tarpon-style hook. Tip the hook with a strip of ika (squid) or
a slice from a mackerel scad. Cast out the weight as far as you can, and reel it back
fast enough to keep it swimming just under the surface. Locals call this whipping.
A quick surface retrieve can draw strikes from omilu (bluefin trevally), lae (leatherskin jack), kaku (barracuda), aha aha (needlefish) and awa awa (ladyfish). Some
of these will bite through your nylon leader, but dont switch to wire. In Hawaiis
ultraclear waters, a metal leader will scare away wary shore fish.
If the surface retrieve gets no attention, let your bait drop down to a lower water
level. Keep it above the reef or it will snag immediately. A bait that moves 3 or 4 feet
above the reef catches moano (manybar goatfish), kumu (white saddle goatfish),
taape (blue-lined snapper), roi (peacock grouper), toau (blacktail snapper) and
other reef dwellers.
To focus exclusively on bigger game, whip with poppers and metal spoons such as
Kastmasters. Local favorites include PILI poppers and Mark White ceramic plugs.

SPORTFISHINGMAG.COM

JIM RIZZUTO, KEVIN HIBBARD (OPPOSITE)

spearfish is a surprise catch when

trolling for blues and stripes.
For black marlin, Kona is outside
the normal migration range. The entire
Kona fleet sees only a handful each
year, and these are much smaller than
the giants of the Great Barrier Reef far
to the south. Old-timers will remind
you that the state record weighed
1,205pounds, but that once-in-ageneration fish was caught in 1980.
The biggest of 2013, an August catch,
weighed 678.5 pounds.

61

MAHIMAHI, HAWAIIS
GIFT TO THE WORLD
Nearly 60 years ago, Hawaii Big
Game Fishing Club official George
Perry set the 130-pound-class IGFA
world record for dolphinfish with a
72.5-pounder. That record didnt last
long, but the name mahimahi is
Hawaiis gift to the world, because it
replaces the confusing name dolphin
on restaurant menus. Though Hawaii
has no current IGFA mahimahi
records, the state-record 82-pounder
confirms the potential. That record
fish was a September Kona catch,
but mahimahi are available any time
the current drags a floater within
trollingdistance.

Mahimahi live up to their name

(it means very strong), and the
brightly colored, agile acrobats do
their muscular tricks in Kona waters
year-round. Occasionally huge schools
gather around flotsam and jetsam for
a wide-open bite that can go on for
days. Then, skippers gear down to
match the catch with sporting 20- and

Flashy metal jet

30-pound-class
lures are a top
rods. Unless a Kona
trolling choice
skipper finds a
for ono and ahi.
floater, mahi are
This trio has an
original shape,
incidental catches on
marlin and tuna trips. dating back to
the 1960s.
By the way, the
mahimahi record
aside, Perry went on to catch the
largest blue marlin in each of the first
two Hawaiian International Billfish
Tournaments. The HIBT became an
annual Kona fishing feature in 1959
and soon inspired dozens of other
Kona tournaments. During the most
popular tournament months of June,
July and August, events compete with
each other every week.

ONO BLITZES,
SUMMER PHENOMENON
Eighty years ago, a mysterious fellow
known only as J.B. Stickney caught a
124.75-pound wahoo in Hawaii waters
to set the world record. That was five
years before the IGFA was founded, a
time when records were compiled by
VanCampen Heilner of Field & Stream
and Francesca R. La Monte of the
American Museum of Natural history.
Ono what wahoo are called in Hawaii
average 30 to 40 pounds, which makes
J.B.s catch even more extraordinary.
Big ones do show up now and then
state-record-holders Tom Brandt
and Sky Mullins surprised their
133.2-pound ono off the windward
coast of the Big Island in December
2000. The major ono run reaches the
Big Island in May of each year and
hangs around into early September.
Some ono are caught year-round,
with early morning being your best
chance. Kona skippers typically troll
the 40-fathom line at the start of each

trip to pick up any ono that might be

harassing the nearshore bait schools.
To ward off the onos sharp teeth,
skippers rig their special ono lures
with single-strand stainless leaders.
Ono slash at heavy-headed subsurface
lures like weighted jets and lead-head
feathers. On a typical trip specifically for
ono, a successful boat might catch three
or four fish. In years when ono blitz the
summer currents, boats are known to
hook as many as 40 on a single trip.
Other fishing areas might see the
diversity of big-game fish that Kona
has, but few have them in the sizes
regularly seen here. In Kona, your next
strike could come on any day of the
year, in any phase of the moon, at any
turn of the tide, on routinely comfortable seas, and be one of the Pacifics
biggest and most exciting game fish.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: In his 50-year

writing career, Jim Rizzuto has

produced more than 2,500 articles and
15 books about fishing in Hawaii.

TO HOOK UP with some top

Kona captains, call the Charter
Desk at Honokohau Marina at
888-566-2487 or visit a list of
Kona charters at sportfishingmag
.com/kona-captains.

Mahiamahi (above, left) and

ono (below) are mostly chance
catches but can bite in bunches
at certain times of the year.

62

OCTOBER 2014

JIM RIZZUTO (TOP), KEVIN HIBBARD (CENTER), ADRIAN E. GRAY (BOTTOM)

gear. Kona fishermen regularly catch

albies (tombo ahi) in the 60s and 70s on
sportfishing tackle.

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SeaVees innovative twin stepped hull with Speedrail technology makes the Z line of boats faster, more efcient,
and incredibly stable at any speed. And all those things that previously plagued stepped hull designs including
the inability to stay on plane at slow speeds or air interfering with bait well pickups and transducer performance
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Yet theres more. The Z also possess intangibles competitors cant match. The exhilarating feeling and ear-to-ear
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Experience the thrill for yourself. Contact us for a sea trial today.

SPORT FISHING

BOATS

FISHING MACHINES
BY CHRIS WOODWARD

SEVEN GREAT
LIVE-BAIT BOATS

Center-Consoles with Robust Livewells, Convenient Rigging,

Extra Rod Holders and More

SPECIFICATIONS
LOA ........................34 ft. 10 in.
BEAM ................................ 10 ft.
DEADRISE ............... 24.5 deg.
DRAFT ...............................21 in.

Contender 35ST

ive bait. Liveys. Fresh meat. Wherever you fish and

whatever you target, chances are youve tried using
live bait at some point in your angling life.
If you fish from a boat, youve already evaluated
the vessel for handling, keeping and deploying live
prey. So what characteristics make an offshore
vessel keen for live-baiters?
When I asked several top boat manufacturers
for their opinions, I heard mostly about superior
livewell systems. But while the number, location
and capability of livewells certainly rank highest
on the list of qualities for a live-bait boat, I was
sure there must be more. Besides livewells,I
suggest the following features should also
beconsidered:
1) The number and location of rod holders, including a
place to perch one or more kite rods or multiple lines to
feed a kite (i.e., a rocket launcher);

Contenders livewells
are each tted with
a 1,500 gph pump,
placed into a sea
chest. The wells drain
from the bottom, top
or both.

2) Convenient rigging station for bridling materials, dip

nets, etc.;
3) Optional bonito/tuna tubes for larger liveys or at
least room for installing them aftermarket;
4) Ample electrical outlets for kite reels; and
5) A strong saltwater washdown system for cleaning up
slime and scales.

64

OCTOBER 2014

Some qualities are subjective, of course. What is

convenient to one angler might not be for another.
And many specific live-bait-boat features must
be added as options. So as you investigate potential boats for their live-bait qualities, keep all the
details and possibilities in mind.
To get you started: Here are seven offshore
center-consoles that offer superb live-bait
amenities. They are listed alphabetically.
CONTENDER 35ST

Daryl Deka and Team Hardway run a Contender

35ST called Doing It All out of south Florida,
winning top prizes in live-bait tournaments such
as the Silver Sailfish Derby out of West Palm
Beach. This past season they took the championship title in the Quest for the Crest Sailfish Series.
Deka says their Contender features 48 gunwale
rod holders and five electrical outlets around
the boat to deploy multiple kites from any location. The teams 35ST also comes with four wells
two standard 40-gallon tanks in the transom,
a 55-gallon well in the aft deck and an 85-gallon
well in the bow deck. Each is filled using its own
1,500gph pump fitted into a sea chest.

The wells drain either from the

bottom or from an overflow at the top,
or from both, which Deka says does
make a difference to some baits.
The sardines like it best with the
top overflow closed and bottom open.
The scales fall off them easily, and
the bottom drain pulls out the scales,
keeping the bait from choking, he says.
Herring like a little overflow from
the top, like 25 percent, and the other
75 percent flowing out the bottom.
The herring swim up high in the well,
and too much suction out of the top
stresses them. The goggle-eyes and
speedos stay at the bottom of the well,
preferring the top-overflow setup.

SPECIFICATIONS
LOA ........................... 41 ft. 7 in.
BEAM ........................ 12 ft. 2 in.
DEADRISE ................... 23 deg.
DRAFT ..............................24 in.

Hydra-Sports Custom 4200 SF

HYDRA-SPORTS
CUSTOM 4200 SF

The 4200 comes with two 45-gallon,

pressurized transom livewells, each
with a seacock, two drains and two
rotary pumps connected to a highspeed pickup. We build redundancy
into all of our systems, says Alex Leva,
Hydra-Sports Custom president. Say
you were loaded with goggle-eyes for
a tournament; you might operate both
pumps (changing over the water every
twominutes) and both drains to keep
these baits healthy and alive.
Also, as the boat runs, the force of
water into the pickups spins the rotary
pumps faster than the 12-volt system
runs them, Leva says. The added
volume of water must exhaust through
the extra drains.
Hydra-Sports can add a bow
baitwell into the foredeck, and as
INVINCIBLE 42

This 42-foot-9-inch open fisherman

employs a proprietary sea chest
that feeds water to the wells at all

The 4200s pressurized livewells hold

45 gallons of water each. They feature
a seacock, two drains and two rotary
pumps connected to high-speed pickups.

many rod holders as you can fit along

the gunwales. A dry-storage locker
forward provides indents to secure
two cast-net buckets.
A tricked-out tackle center with
10drawers just aft of the leaning post
puts all bridling supplies, hooks and

leader material in easy reach. The

tackle center is lined at the back with
four rod holders, so you can easily
anchor the rod youre rigging.
Truly customize your 4200 with fore
and aft rocket launchers and tuna tubes
astern to subdue the largest live baits.

speeds. Livewells in the sole aft and

in the transom comprise 170 gallons.
Thetransom well sports an acrylic lid
to better monitor bait health.

For fast boats, its all about getting

to the fishing grounds first. But it
doesnt help if you get out there and
your bait is dead, an Invincible

LEFT: Acrylic lids allow captains to better monitor bait

health in the livewell. BELOW: Invincibles proprietary
sea chest helps feed water to the wells at all speeds.

SPORTFISHINGMAG.COM

65

SPORT FISHING

BOATS

FISHING MACHINES

spokesman says. When a boat

SPECIFICATIONS
is on plane, theres so much air
LOA .......................42 ft. 9 in.
under the hull that standard
BEAM ...................... 11 ft. 7 in.
DEADRISE ............. 22 deg.
pickups are not able to grab
DRAFT ...................... 23 in.
enough water to keep the wells
properly fed. Our pickups in the
box are fully shielded. Theres always
water in there.
Invincible can also install
above-deck wells that are removable,
with flush rigging that makes the wells
essentially plug-and-play. Customers
can also choose more optional
in-deckwells.
Anglers who pitch live baits also
appreciate the single-level deck
surrounding the cockpit. The flat
layout promotes better footing and
easier movement fore and aft.
A deluxe tackle station with rigging
space and a full tackle-box system
stands aft of the helm.
JUPITER 38 HFS

Jupiter offers its customers as many as

four livewells of varying sizes located
inthe transom, the tackle station
andin the deck. The typical setup
involves a bronze through-hull with a
seacock and a flow-control directional
inlet, enabling an angler to adjustthe
flow from the 1,600 gph pump for
thesize, quantity and health of the
bait. The livewell tubs also come with
two overflows and a dedicated drain to
enhance that flow control.
But here at Jupiter, we are all about
building the boat to the customers

SPECIFICATIONS
LOA ....................... 38 ft. 2 in.
BEAM .....................10 ft. 7 in.
DEADRISE ................ 24 deg.
DRAFT ........................... 24 in.

Jupiter 38 HFS

66

OCTOBER 2014

needs. Does he want it plumbed a

certain way? OK, well do that, says
Bob Bissinger, Jupiter sales and
marketing manager.
Bissinger says a lot of customers ask
for swivel rod holders in the aft corners
to hold kite or bent-butt downrigger
rods. Jupiter also has an option for
electric-reel outlets that can be placed
wherever the customerdesires.
The 38 HFS comes standard with
a rocket launcher behind the helm
seats, a small rigging station next to the
livewell with a sink, and freshwater and
saltwater washdowns.

Invincible 42

Bissinger adds: Our hull and deck

design does away with screws and
fasteners that impede quick and safe
movement around the deck. There are
no toe bangers. Our tower pipework
terminates on the console, not the floor,
for added space and easier movement.

Regulator 34

SPECIFICATIONS
LOA ..................... 33 ft. 10 in.
BEAM ....................10 ft. 11 in.
DEADRISE ................ 24 deg.
DRAFT ........................... 27 in.

REGULATOR 34

Regulator added even more insulation

to its livewells for 2015 on all models;
the 34 comes with a 25-gallon transom
tank and an optional deluxe livewell
leaning post with 40 gallons of
baitstorage.
The 34 provides four standard rod
holders on the gunwales and four more
on the seatback, perched just above the
tackle center in the helm unit, for ease
of rigging. Adding a hardtop or T-top

increases the rod-holder number by

five, plus anglers can order many more
rod-holder pairs that can be installed
anywhere in the gunwales. Choose
from in-line holders, pipes angled to
30 degrees, or whatever you need, the
company says.
Regulator also installs a freshwater
shower at the transom-gate door in
addition to saltwater and freshwater
washdown systems, for ease of cleaning
up bait slime aft or washing yourhands.

The new triple-outboard-powered Regulator 34

offers extra rod storage inside the console.

SEAVEE 320Z
SPECIFICATIONS
LOA ....................... 32 ft. 5 in.
BEAM ...................... 9 ft. 4 in.
DEADRISE ................ 25 deg.
DRAFT ...........................20 in.

SeaVee 320Z

SeaVee builds its boats to customer

request, so the company can provide as
many as four livewells aboard the 320Z
a standard 55-gallon transom tank, a
second transom well (45 gallons), a 60or 80-gallon forward in-deck well and
a 100-gallon aft in-deck well. Multiple
livewell systems yield the ability to
better target species by choosing the
best bait for the application, says
John Caballero, SeaVee marketing
manager. Each of the four wells can
hold a specific bait such as goggle-eyes,
herring, sardines, etc.
In addition, bow livewells give
anglers quick access to fresh bait
during a hot bite. An angler can also
throw a cast net, and then conveniently
turn and deposit the bait into a bow
in-deck well without handling and
harming thefish.
SeaVees sea chests use more-robust
bilge pumps instead of livewell pumps;
SPORTFISHINGMAG.COM

67

SPORT FISHING

BOATS

FISHING MACHINES

the pumps are always fully submerged

in water, where they remain cooler and
avoid air locks. The pump strainer also
prevents damage from grass and debris.
Bearing the above in mind, the
sea chest is a more capable system in
pressurizing a livewell than an in-line
pump alone, Caballero says.
Pressurizing a well reduces the
sloshing of water inside. A wells overflow is generally closed via a seacock.
SeaVee usually allows a 2-inch overflow
at the highest point of the well and
closes the bottom drain with a removable plug. We avoid using a stem
(overflow tube or stand pipe), since it
acts as a whipping post for bait while
underway, he says.
YELLOWFIN 36

Yellowfin and Gem Products designed

a unique intake system thats flush
with the bottom of the boat, and
prevents grass and debris from clogging the livewell pumps. The 36 comes
with a 55-gallon well on the transom
flanked by rod holders so you can
bait up quickly and easily. Anglers
can alsoorder a leaning post with an
additional 80-gallon tank.
The company designs round wells
RIGHT: Yellowns round livewells bring water
in from the bottom and force it out the top to
efficiently turn over the tank in optimal time.

that bring in water from the bottom,

forcing it out the top, which Yellowfin
says is best for life-giving water flow.
Livewells are pressurized to keep baits
from sloshing while the boat is moving.

Buyers can, of course, get silly

with rod holders, and the helm seat
features tons of tackle-box storage. The
13-inch-wide covering boards allow a
mate with a cast net to move fore and
aft carrying an armload of bait, without
jumping down to the deck.
Dedicated to live-bait and
tournament fishermen, Yellowfin also
offers a suite of options throughout
its boats, from multiple console
designs to cockpit and foredeck
add-ons. Yellowfin is a custom
shop, the companys website states.
Your options are limited only
byyourimagination.

Yellown 36

SPECIFICATIONS
LOA ...................... 36 ft. 8 in.
BEAM ..............................10 ft.
DEADRISE ................ 24 deg.
DRAFT ...........................20 in.

68

OCTOBER 2014

The Micron
brand gives
me the
outstanding
performance
I expect
Ive been using Micron CSC antifouling
from Interlux for the last 20 years.
I choose it because it provides
excellent, long lasting protection.
My customers like that its low
maintenance, and great value since
they dont have to have the boat
repainted at every haul-out. Micron
CSC is reliable and we use it
on both power and sailboats.
Scan this QR code to see Cliffs video

Cliff Eastman
Owl Creek Boat Works

AN_200079_150114

, Interlux and all products mentioned are trademarks of AkzoNobel. AkzoNobel 2014.

REAL Testimonials by REAL Americans

SPORT FISHING

BOATS

FISH TRIAL
BY JIM HENDRICKS

PURSUIT DC 325
A Dual-Console That Does It All

THE FISH TRIAL of Pursuits new DC 325 in early June proved to be one of my most

Pursuits DC 325 (top)

features a new smoothriding hull. A 25-gallon
covered livewell in the port
side of the transom (right)
easily accommodates
50 lively pilchards.

70

OCTOBER 2014

This trip marked the first time Id fished

offshore from a dual-console boat. It was also
a first for David Glenn, marketing director for
S2Yachts (parent company of Pursuit Boats),
and his best friend, Sonny Hendrix, who joined
us for a day of dolphin fishing.
Before heading offshore, we rendezvoused
with a local bait boat near
the Fort Pierce Marina to
load the DC 325s 25-gallon
covered livewell on the
transom bulkheads port side
with 50 pilchards, in case
we wanted to cast baits to
dolphin or other fish.
The Pursuit cruised
out at 32 mph, powered by
a pair of counterrotating

YamahaF300 four-stroke outboards,

which were turning 4,000rpm. The DC 325
features an infused, fiberglass structural-grid
construction system, a factor I could sense in
the quiet confidence of the hull.
When not driving from the plush captains
chair, my favorite seat was the aft portion of
the lounger on the port
side opposite the helm.
It features fold-down
armrests and a backrest
thats angled perfectly when
facingforward.
I tried the wraparound
bow loungers (each with
fold-down armrests), the
aft-facing cockpit seat on the
port side, and the fold-out

JIM HENDRICKS (ALL EXCEPT TOP)

unusual boat tests in more ways than one. On a windless, sultry day, the Atlantic
Ocean off Fort Pierce, Florida, laid peaceful a welcome respite from the usual lumpy,
wind-blown conditions I had experienced on all my previous boat tests this year.

bench seats (one across the transom

and one on the port side) in the cockpit.
Theres not a bad seat on the boat.

down slightly but

kept the boat moving
a critical factor
when fighting any
sizable fish from
a dual-console. I
picked up the rod as Glenn cleared the
lines and instructed me. Were going
to keep the boat moving, and once the
fish has tired, I want you to bring it
along the starboard side of the cockpit
where I can gaff it, he said.
Thats exactly how it played out.
After a few photos, we iced the 15-pound
cow dolphin in the starboard in-sole fish
locker one of two 36-gallon insulated
fish boxes under the cockpit deck. We
cleaned up the diamond nonskid deck
with the raw-water washdown system
(theres also a freshwater shower head
in the cockpit on a retractable hose) and
started fishing again.

Keeping the boat

moving is the key
to landing sizable
sh aboard dualconsoles such as
Pursuits DC 325.

HOW DOES IT FISH?

Lets cut to the key question: How well

does this dual-console fish? I learned
that the DC 325 fishes every bit as well
as an express sport-fisher of similarsize.
Many anglers have tried to compare
dual-console boats to center-console
boats, quickly pointing out that you
cant fight a fish down the side. Yet,
thats not really a faircomparison.
A dual-console is more akin to an
express sport-fisher but with an open
bow. You cant fight a fish down the side
of most express models, but that has
not dampened desire among anglers for
that type of boat.
This boat was designed for families
who want to do a lot of things on
the water, including day cruising,
diving, entertaining and, yes, fishing,
saysGlenn.

port a county line. (Its so far back,

its in the next county, he explained
with a chuckle.) He also ran two daisychain squid rigs as teasers ahead of
rigged ballyhoo (which we kept in
the covered bait compartment in the
center of the transom).
The DC 325, which features a
completely new running surface, laid
down a relatively flat wake with clean
trolling lanes at 1,400 rpm. One of the
twin Raymarine e125 Hybrid-Touch
SETTING OUT A SPREAD
multifunction displays indicated
We found a color break about 13 miles
a speed over ground of 5 to 6 mph.
offshore in about 80 feet of water, so
The optional Raymarine electronics
Glenn decided to put out a trolling
package includes a CP300 sounder
spread, using the optional Rupp
module, 55 VHF radio and one e125
Revolution 18-foot outriggers built into
display. The second display, Raymarine
the integral hardtop. He set a medium4 kW high-definition color radar with a
length trolling line to starboard, and to
dome antenna, and the autopilot on our
boat were add-ons.
It didnt take long to
find fish; the county line
PERFORMANCE
got bit first. A dolphin went
POWER
Twin Yamaha F300 outboards
airborne. Hendrix slowed
LOAD
250 gallons of fuel, three adults, fishing gear,

UNIQUE TRANSOM DESIGN

While re-deploying one of the teaser

lines, I noted that the swim steps on
either side of the integral outboard
bracket extended farther aft than
most nearly to the back of the
outboardcowlings.
This allows you to step farther back
(via a transom door in the starboard
corner) to wrangle a hooked fish
around the outboards. For the future,
Pursuit plans to equip the exterior
transom bulkhead with a step-across so
you can move easily from one platform
to another. The starboard swim step
also has a pull-out Garelick boarding

ice, full livewell, 30 gallons of fresh water

TOP SPEED

49.4 mph* @ 5,800 rpm

TIME TO 30 MPH
BEST MPG

10.9 sec.*
1.27 @ 32.4 mph (4,000 rpm)

* on Yamaha performance tests and with a lighter load, the

DC 325 topped out at 51 mph and reached 30 mph in 9.6 seconds.

HULL
LOA

34 ft. 6 in.

BEAM

10 ft. 10 in.

DEADRISE

20 deg.

WEIGHT
DRAFT

11,775 lb. (dry w/ engines)

32 in. (motors down); 22 in. (motors up)

FUEL

300 gal.

MAX POWER

600 hp

BASE MSRP

$285,000*
*(with optional electronics and power as tested;
add $76,595 for other options as tested)

Pursuit Boats
Fort Pierce, Florida
800-947-8778
pursuitboats.com

With a wide walkthrough between

consoles, the DC 325
offers unfettered
movement along the
centerline from bow
to transom.

SPORTFISHINGMAG.COM

71

SPORT FISHING

BOATS

FISH TRIAL

FOR MORE INFORMATION about boats, electronics

and accessories, visit sportshingmag.com/new-boats.

blast, the DC 325s

wraparound windshield reaches all the
way to the hardtop.
You can completely
shield crew by closing
the center section of the windshield, but
it also has a visor you can open at the
top for a bit of ventilation. Theres also a
door to close off the walk-through.

a vacuum-flush toilet, shower, and

vanity with a Corian countertop in
the starboard console. Our boat also
featured two optional air-conditioning
systems one for the cabin areas
inside the twin consoles and the other
for the helm deck.
In an innovative touch, the
companionway to each console
compartment features a dual-action
doorway in which the overhead hatch
CREATURE COMFORTS
slides out of the way as you swing open
We took advantage of the downtime to
the door. No more banging your head if
grab some cold drinks and deli sandyou forget to open the overhead hatch.
wiches from the built-in cooler under
Speaking of innovation, I really like
the portside aft-facing seat in the
the windlass setup. Like many boats
cockpit. The seas were so flat, we could
today, the anchor is deployed and
have used the galley on the starboard
retrieved through a slot in the stem
side abaft the captains chair, which
below the forepeak. The windlass is a
featured an optional 120-volt electric
Lewmar Pro Series model, but with this
grill, to cook up some burgers. It also
system, the anchor line feeds under a
has a small Isotherm refrigerator/
special roller that maintains tension,
freezer. To power both, our DC 325
helping the gypsy keep a secure bite.
was equipped with an optional 4.2 kW
Unfortunately, the wahoo proved
Fischer Panda diesel generator, as well
scarce, so we reeled in the lines and
as a standard shore-power system.
took advantage of the calm sea condiThe DC 325 features a cozy berth
tions to gather performance data while
withinthe port console. This is in
offshore. Though carrying 250 gallons
addition to an enclosed head with
of gasoline, 30 gallons of fresh water,
live bait, ice,
drinks, food, fish
and three adult
males, the twin
F300s pushed
the DC 325 to an
impressive top
speed 49.4mph.
Our best mpg of
1.27 at 4,000rpm
and 32.4 mph
means this boat
offers a range
of more than
380 miles with
the 300-gallon
fuelcapacity.
That kind of
range is sure to
please anyone who
takes delivery of
the new Pursuit
DC 325. With the
comfort and versatility of this boat,
most crews will
want to stay out
on the water for a
long time, particularly after they
Sonny Hendrix shows off one
learn how well
of many dolphin caught during
this dual-console
the sh trial of Pursuits new
DC 325 off Fort Pierce, Florida.
canfish.

ladder for climbing back aboard after

taking adip.
The DC 325 comes standard with
a rod holder in each gunwale, with an
option for three more one additional
rod holder in each gunwale and one
in the center of the transom. There is
also an undergunwale horizontal rod
rack on the starboard side. In addition,
youll find lockable storage for four
rods inside the port console.
Where you might expect to see
rod holders along the aft edge of the
hardtop, this boat features a retractable
electric sunshade. Once deployed from
inside the hardtop, it offers shade for
the cockpit.
DOLPHIN CENTRAL

Within five minutes of resetting the

lines, we were bit. This time, other
dolphin followed as Hendrix fought
the hooked fish to the boat. I grabbed
a spinning rod, pinned on a pilchard
from the transom livewell, and cast
toa shadow fish, and we quickly had
adouble.
To keep the boat moving slowly
forward while we dealt with the fish,
we engaged the Raymarine autopilot,
which was interfaced with the optional
Yamaha Helm Master system.
The fact that we were able to fight
and land two active dolphin from the
cockpit of a dual-console serves as
strong testament to the prowess of
these boats as fishing machines. Adding
to the comfort of the experience were
coaming bolsters that rimmed the
cockpit (except the transom door).
With a box full of iced mahi, we
decided to pull in the lines and head
farther offshore to look for wahoo.
To shield the helm deck from wind
72

OCTOBER 2014

JIM HENDRICKS (2)

Pursuits David
Glenn puts the
extended swim
platform and
pull-out boarding
ladder to use.

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SPORT FISHING

BOATS

CHRIS WOODWARD

ELECTRONICS

SEARCH ENGINES
I

Captains search for

new shing locations
such as rocks, wreck
pieces, even birds
using not only intel,
but also combining
side/down-scan,
radar, autopilot, and
even photo overlays.

74

know that asking anglers to stop fishing and

start searching for new structure is about as
sacrilegious as flag desecration. Being on the
wateris precious, but prospecting should actually
save anglers time in the long run, plus you can do
itwhen the bite lags or during slow seasons.
Prospecting is a difficult habit for saltwater
fishermen. Freshwater-tournament anglers have
this down to a science, says Capt. Shaun Ruge,
who runs Riptide Charters in Massachusetts. If
you always return to the same locations, you may
be setting yourself up for disappointment. Worse
yet, you dont learn anything with easy repetition.
In fact, says south Florida Capt. George
Mitchell, in years past, prospecting was really the
only way to fish. Way back when, we had only a
compass, watch and landmarks; we had to find
stuff. Sure, there were a few known locations, but

OCTOBER 2014

most of the time, wed drift an area while looking at

the paper recorder. If we got a bite, wed take note
of the landmarks, Mitchell says.
Mitchell, who uses Furuno electronics, and
Ruge, who runs Raymarine gear, employ not
only sounders, but also plotters, radars, AIS, and
autopilots to create systematic, time-effective
prospecting strategies. And while they do search
for permanent ocean fixtures, they also investigate temporary structure such as anchored ships
and bait schools. They and four other captains,
pro anglers and brand experts agreed to share
theirtips.
SOUNDER TIPS
Q When Im running, I always dial in and watch
the bottom machine. I find all kinds of stuff, says
Bill Platt, a Garmin pro-tournament fisherman

ILLUSTRATION: BRENDA WEAVER

Pros Tips for Using Electronics to Prospect New Fishing Spots

THE TIGHTEST
LINES ON
TELEVISION.
W E E KDAYS

CHECK TV LISTINGS

SPORT FISHING

BOATS
new spots at up to 30 mph. Sure,
I get better detail at slower speeds.
But at higher speeds, I am looking for
different signs. Im looking for larger,
more-obvious signs of life.
RADAR TIPS

Side-imaging technology can help anglers see

exactly how rubble, a wreck or other structure is
oriented on the bottom.

out of Texas. A lot of times, I run over

a little piece of structure. I turn around
and spend maybe 15minutes looking.
I might find the whole structure
maybe even the mother lode.
Q Anytime Im anchoring in deeper
water, I always have my StructureScan
on and set to 80feet, says Florida Keys
captain and TV host Tom Rowland,
who uses Lowrance HDS 12 units. I
have found pieces of wrecks that have
broken away that hold better fish than
the main part.
Q Side Imaging helps determine exactly
how rubble or a wreck lays on the
bottom, says BillCarson, Humminbird
marketing product manager. This
allows the captain to drop waypoints
for a wreck to include bow, stern, and
sides, providing pinpoint accuracy for
dropping on the structure with wind
and water movement.
Q While fishing for striped bass and
bluefish along the shoals, I zigzag the
drop-offs to find where fish are holding
along a piece of structure that might
stretch for a mile, Ruge says. A small
pile of rocks can be an oasis in the
sandy desert around Cape Cod. I will
drop a waypoint, and then go back on
a day when sea bass or fluke are my
targets. Ruge adds that he uses CHIRP
(CP450) and DownVision to prospect

Capt. Mike Smedley uses his Simrad

StructureScan to nd and follow bait schools as
they move so he can stay on the sh.
76

OCTOBER 2014

Q One trick is to turn on radar and

look for the local charter guys.
Theyre usually on top of each
other, says Capt. Mike Smedley, who
charters out of Youngsville, North
Carolina, and uses Simrad evo2 and
NSE systems. Then go in and look
for bait with StructureScan. With
StructureScan, Smedley says he can
also keep an eye on the bait school
as it moves because the cone reaches
200feet left and right.
Q I run radar all day long, says Ruge.
More often than not, a flock of birds
pops out of nowhere, and the grass
immediately becomes greener threequarters of amile away. Keeping an
eye on radar is prospecting beyond
what the eye can see sort of

MORE ELECTRONICS
Visit our Electronics section at
sportshingmag.com/electronics.

multitasking in another dimension.

This also lets me adjust my hunting
pattern. Now I know that some fish
are setting up deeper. If this pattern
repeats, I can adjust the depth at which
I hunt with sonar. I started shallow
maybe it is time to lookdeeper?

Capt. Shaun Ruges track line (left side) shows

him following bait. At right, his radar shows birds
over bait three-quarters of a mile away.

OTHER ELECTRONICS
Q Lets say youre out for a summer day of dolphin fishing off the east coast of
Florida, Mitchell says. You can set your autopilot to follow a general depth
contour, and then set your bottom alarm to reflect either a drastic depth
change orfish.
Q Mitchell also says that when he fishes for wahoo, he creates a zigzag route
on his plotter based on his target area. He sometimes runs the route with his
autopilot, but he usually changes the path slightly on the second pass.
Q I use my electronics to display aerial-photo overlays and to study the
areas closely, says Rowland. I often find things I was not aware of and might
haveoverlooked.
Q Sometimes I find drill ships out of Venice with AIS, says Platt. Drill ships
generally stay in the same place for a long time. I can drag around themfor
marlin and tuna.
Q Before I even get to the boat, I review bathymetric charts, using Navionics
SonarCharts, to find drop-offs and depth changes, says Ruge, who also works
for Navionics. I select them with general knowledge of fish habits at certain
times of the year. On the boat, I
program a few waypoints
and then start hopping from
structure to structure.
Captains I spoke with
all agreed that prospecting
keeps anglers in the fish.
Todays electronics make
the job so much simpler
by providing highdefinition, accurate and
versatile tools.

At left on screen, a spot Capt.

Shaun Ruge found studying his
Navionics SonarCharts paid off.

Catch BOAT SHOW

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SPORT FISHING

BOATS

NEW BOATS
BY CHRIS WOODWARD

Scout 300 LXF

livewell and tackle drawers.
Designed for a maximum of
600horsepower, the 300 LXF offers
power-assist hydraulic steering and
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Forward and belowdecks, Scout
provides cushioned comfort for the
family with ample seating and a fully
outfitted console berth. Beneath the
bow seating, fish boxes complement
thein-sole fish box.
Additional standard items include
dual swim platforms with a center
walk-through, transom door, starboardconsole storage for brushes and lines,
an electric marine head, Lenco trim
tabs, and flush-mount rod holders.
SCOUTS BRAND-NEW 300 LXF a

forward-seating, center-console luxury

model comes with the companys
Nu-V3 high-performance fuel-efficient
hull. The 300 is the fourth LXF, joining
the 275, 320 and 350.

78

OCTOBER 2014

The new 300 features a C-Zone

digital-switching electronics system,
programmable from a remote key fob.
It also comes standard with a hardtop
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2014 Kureha America, LLC

SPORTFISHINGMAG.COM

79

SPORT FISHING

BOATS

JIM HENDRICKS

BETTER BOATING

GETTING HIGH
O

n the water, elevation increases your chances of

spotting fish and indicators such as bait schools,
birds, kelp paddies, and weed lines.
Boating anglers who sight-fish for species such
as bonefish, cobia, marlin, tarpon and redfish rely
on elevation to spot their quarry. Some boats, like
convertibles, are designed from the outset with
flybridges offering built-in altitude. But there are
other ways to get high on boats.
CASTING PLATFORMS

A station on a
hardtop (top) helps
you spot schools of
bait when castnetting. A Yeti cooler
can also serve as
an elevated casting
platform (above).

80

Casting platforms are usually 12 to 18 inches

tall. Fishmasters Casting Platform ($275), for
example, is 16 inches tall, with a nonskid fiberglass platform that measures 32 inches across
the back and 23 inches across the front. A quickrelease turnbuckle device secures it to the deck.
Many anglers get double duty from a sturdy
super cooler, standing on it to look for fish and
cast, as well as using it to ice drinks and food.
Medium-size super coolers from brands such

OCTOBER 2014

as Engel, Esky, Yeti and others work best. Yetis

Tundra 45 ($349.99), for example, is rugged
enough to support most any adult, and the nonskid
feet on the bottom prevent the cooler from sliding
around. It stands 15 inches tall. Accessories
such as deck tie-down kits and SeaDek EVA foam
nonskid foot pads ($79.99) for the top make the 45
even better suited as an elevated casting platform.
POLING PLATFORMS

Flats-fishing guides long ago recognized the

importance of creating a higher vantage point. The
solution took the form of poling platforms: lightweight aluminum-frame platforms that bolt to the
aft section of flats skiffs. From on high, a guide can
spot fish, as well as pole, more effectively.
Flats boats from builders such as Hells Bay and
Maverick usually come with poling platforms. But
you can also retrofit a boat with a poling platform
from custom shops such as Blue Point Fabrication in
Titusville, Florida, which sells a basic model for $700.

COURTESY (CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT) YETI COOLERS, BOSTON WHALER,

SEAVEE BOATS, MAVERICK BOAT COMPANY, JUPITER MARINE

Four Ways to Gain a Higher Vantage Point and Find More Fish

Some bay-boat owners also buy

poling platforms but mostly for the
elevation factor, as these craft are often
too large to pole easily. Instead, bay-boat
anglers often use bow- or transommounted electric trolling motors with
remote controls, so the captain can run
the boatfrom the platform.
The platforms generally range in
height from 3 to 4 feet above the deck.
Taller models have a step or two along
the frame to make it easier to climb.
Some can be accessorized with rod
holders, removable safety rails, and
even seats or leaning posts.
TOP IDEAS

If youre ordering a new boat or

outfitting an existing one, consider
ways to get some extra elevation using
a hardtop or T-top.
A common idea is to build an
elevated lookout position on a hardtop.
This usually includes a lightweightaluminum frame (aka half-tower or
mini tower) in which the spotter can
stand, though many also have seats or
leaning posts built into the frame. Most
boatbuilders offer these as options on
new models, and can even rig them
with helm controls.

A second type dispenses with a frame;

instead you sit on a seat on the hardtop
itself with a recess below (extending
to where youd normally find the
electronics box) for your legs and feet.
If you go with either of these ideas,
think about how you will get up and
down. You might need to have steps integrated into the frame of the top. Some
tops also have openings through which
you can access the lookout position.
Another method involves an
opening in a hardtop or canvas T-top,
which allows a spotter to stand atop the
console for greater elevation. (Some
have just a frame on top of the console
with no top at all.) Adding nonskid
tape such as 3Ms Safety-Walk on the
console improves footing.
Most of the time, you need the
expertise of a custom marine fabricator
such as Birdsall Marine Design in
West Palm Beach, Florida, or Marine
Specialties in Oldsmar, Florida, to help
you design and build theseprojects.
Make sure the top is sturdy enough
to support the weight of a person or
two, and that it wont render the boat
top-heavy. The fabricator and/or the
original manufacturer of the hardtop
can help you make these critical
decisions. The cost for such custom
projects can range from $2,000 to
$15,000 or more.
TOWERS

Towers have separate frames and

platforms (aka a crows-nest), and offer
an ever-higher vantage point of view, as
Casting and poling platforms (left) lend the
extra height that a team needs to sh the ats
effectively. With an elevated station, consider how
you will get up and down. The Jupiter 38 Caribee
(below) has an access hatch in the hardtop.

A true tower has its own platform. While some

are designed solely for spotting sh, others,
like the one above, also have helm controls,
resulting in an elevated second station.

well as a higher price. Costs range from

$5,000 to $50,000 ormore.
Towers find their way onto all kinds
of fishing boats, including centerconsoles and large sport-fishing yachts.
In one of the most specialized tower
applications, boats known as Texas
sleds flat-bottom or tunnel-hull
boats with scant inches of freeboard
are rigged with towers for spotting
redfish on the skinny coastal waters of
the Lone Star State.
While many towers are rigged with
helms, a fair number are not, designed
solely for putting spotters aloft, who
then communicate their sightings to
thehelmsman.
If you are ordering a new boat,
its simpler to have the tower built
and installed as part of the original
purchase; you can integrate the rigging
and fold the cost into the financing
for the boat. If you wait until after
the purchase or want a tower for an
existing boat, youll need a company
such as Birdsall or Marine Specialties
to design and construct a tower thats
just right for your boat.
ALTITUDE WARNING

The taller your boat, the more likely

you will wait at drawbridges. Also, on a
trailer, your boat might exceed the legal
height for highway vehicles (ranging
from 13 to 14 feet, depending on the
state) or have trouble clearing overpasses. The best solution lies in having
a fold-down structure, usually just the
upper portion. A good marine fabricator
will know how to build such a system.
Whether youre buying a new fishing
boat or outfitting an older one, use
these tips to gain elevation, because the
higher you get, the better the view and
the more fish you see.
SPORTFISHINGMAG.COM

81

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or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last.
Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 12/26/14. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

LOT NO. 68528/69676/69729

LOT NO. 69675/69728
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LOT NO.
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LIMIT 5 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling

800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior
purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt.
Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be
presented. Valid through 12/26/14. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

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LIMIT 4 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount
or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last.
Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 12/26/14. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

MIG-FLUX
WELDING CART

3/8" x 14 FT. GRADE 43

TOWING CHAIN

Not for
overhead lifting.

LIMIT 8 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount
or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last.
Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 12/26/14. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

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27%

LIMIT 4 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount
or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last.
Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 12/26/14. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

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800-423-2567. Cannot
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be used with other l receipt. Offer good while supplies coupon per customer per day.
purchase with origina ted. Valid through 12/26/14. Limit one
coupon must be presen

Customers and Experts Agree

Harbor Freight WINS in QUALITY and PRICE

FISHERMAN'S MARKETPLACE

SAVE TIME
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is only a click away!

Change Your Address

Check Your Account Status
Renew, Give a Gift or Pay a Bill
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OCTOBER 2014

FISHERMAN'S MARKETPLACE

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For more information about our Premier Retailers,

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If you would like to become one of our Premier Retail Partners,
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SPORTFISHINGMAG.COM

85

FISHERMAN'S MARKETPLACE

join us today
A Million Anglers Cant Be Wrong
Through policy, science and
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Shallow Country
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87

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CHARTER BOATS & ANGLER SERVICES

FLORIDA

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Double D Charters- Miami Light Tackle

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Mako Charters now offer fishing and

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DRY TORTUGAS
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TO LIST YOUR CHARTER BOAT OR RESORT, CONTACT: Bill Simkins

Sport Fishing Magazine, 460 N. Orlando Ave, Ste. 200, Winter Park, FL 32789
Phone (407) 571-4865 Fax (407) 637-3519 E-mail: bill.simkins@bonniercorp.com
$5.00 per word 20 word minimum. Make checks payable to: Bonnier Corporation
88

OCTOBER 2014

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!$

LAST CAST

Where 1,000-pound marlin come from ... Yes, this is a blue

marlin, a larval specimen that would leave room to spare on
top of a dime. The photographer spent three years trying to
get such a shot before he nally succeeded.

PHOTOGRAPH BY DOUG PERRINE

90

OCTOBER 2014

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Scan code* to learn more about the new F200 In-Line Four or visit
YamahaOutboards.com/F200InLine.
Follow Yamaha Outboards on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
*Message and data rates may apply. May not be available on all devices. REMEMBER to always observe all applicable boating laws. Never drink and drive. Dress properly
with a USCG-approved personal floatation device and protective gear. This document contains many of Yamahas valuable trademarks. It may also contain trademarks
belonging to other companies. Any references to other companies or their products are for identification purposes only, and are not intended to be an endorsement.
2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. All rights reserved. 1-800-88-YAMAHA