We would be remiss if we didn’t talk about fishing. These days, it seems almost any boat can be customized for fishing. Be it new gear, tournaments, events, or a featured angler story—Southern Boating knows that fishing is an essential piece of the boating lifestyle.
Boatsetter Expands Further Into Fishing Experiences
Boatsetter, the leading boat rental and charter marketplace in the U.S., recently expanded its focus on experiences with the launch of Boatsetter Fishing, a team and service dedicated to fishing charters and fishing boats for rent on the platform. The launch makes it easier for anglers to find and book fishing experiences across the U.S., from the Florida Keys to San Diego and Hawaii, and in international destinations like Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and the Bahamas.
An Easier Way to Book Fishing Charters
The Boatsetter Fishing team is led by founders of a previous marketplace for fishing charters and guides, Fisher Guiding. Boatsetter acquired Fisher Guiding and brought over their charter supply and expertise for its fishing launch in Spring 2021. Now, the Boatsetter fleet includes over 825 fishing charters and fishing boats for rent with the goal of making it simpler and more accessible for clients and captains to arrange fishing trips through the Boatsetter website or app (available for iOS and Android).
Send messages or request to book for a specific date(s)
Pay online & conveniently access trip details
Give and receive reviews following trips
Airbnb for Boats
Boatsetter has over 4,500 boats available to book, from charters offering all types of experiences to boats available for rent with or without a captain from fellow boat owners.
Peer-to-peer boat rental is made possible by Boatsetter’s exclusive insurance partnership with BoatU.S. and GEICO Marine. For boat owners without a commercial insurance policy, the peer-to-peer boat rental insurance policy covers rentals booked through Boatsetter. This enables boaters to rent many types of vessels they might not find from the average rental operation or marina.
Similar to renting a home from hosts on Airbnb, local boaters often share tips for navigating their local waterways. Many owners of fishing boats point out favorite fishing locations marked on their GPS or fish finder. Some boat owners also provide fishing gear including rods & tackle for renters unable to bring their own.
Rent a boat near you or when traveling, from 2 hours up to multi-day rentals
Charters for fishing, cruising, parties, etc.
Sea trial boats by renting before you buy
Make Money Renting Out Your Boat
Listing a boat for rent is a way to share access to the water and meet fellow passionate boaters. Users with a boat listed on the platform also benefit from increased trust when renting boats since the owner or operator they’re interested in renting from can see they have boating experience as a member of the Boatsetter owner community.
Boatsetter enables choosing to rent your boat with or without a captain, with access to one of the largest databases of USCG licensed captains to keep your boat in good hands.
Listing is free and takes less than 15 minutes to complete
Set your price, availability and choose which bookings to accept
Manage rentals with the Boatsetter Owner app (iOS and Android)
All-New Permit & Payment Options Make Fishing in The Bahamas Faster and Easier
Anglers heading to the Bahamas by boat can now easily apply and pay for their required fishing permit online in advance of their trip. Just submit an electronic declaration or apply for a permit through one of the three official permit vendors: Click2Clear, Bahamas Sea-Z Pass, and Go Outdoors Bahamas.
Once you register online, you will be asked to submit the following information:
Vessel’s registration
COVID-19 Travel Health Visa
Passenger/crew identification documents
Permits for pets
List of firearms and ammunition
Those who choose to pre-register will still have to proceed to Bahamas Customs and Immigration at the Port of Entry.
Applying online is not mandatory, and you can still obtain a fishing permit upon arrival at Bahamas Customs and Immigration. Fees can be paid with cash, credit, debit card, or check. For more information visit Bahamas.com
There’s nothing like experiencing bonefishing in the Bahamas firsthand.
Bahamas bonefishing. It’s a simple alliteration that conjures marvelous visions of silver flashes slicing though beautifully pristine, calf-deep waters, a brightly colored fly-line tightly stretched in the foreground.
“That shouldn’t come as a surprise,” says Greg Vincent, co-owner of H2O Bonefishing lodge on the isle of Grand Bahama (h2obonefishing.com). “After all, the name Bahamas comes from the Spanish word bajamar (pronounced ba-ha-mar), meaning ‘shallow sea.’ That’s the defining attribute of our country. We have two thousand, four hundred cays (coral reefs) and seven hundred islands, of which only thirty are inhabited. Almost all of them are edged by significant flats where bonefish and bonefish habitat flourish. It truly is a magical place to wet a line for the ‘ghost’ of the flats.”
Tremendous Resources
Indeed, it’s a phenomenal wealth of marine resources that draw both the shy bonefish and anglers looking to stalk them to this Caribbean-based archipelago that stretches some 760 miles from near the Florida coast in the northwest almost to Haiti in the southeast. The flats, of course, are simply massive, extending for miles in some areas. Vincent says that were you to compare the total acreage of all the other bonefish flats in the world to those in the Bahamas alone, they couldn’t match the total here.
“He’s right,” confirms Prescott Smith, veteran bonefish guide and proprietor of Stafford Creek Lodge on Andros Island (staffordcreeklodge.com), and president of the Bahamas Fly Fishing Industry Association. “It’s the totality of our marine resources that make these waters so wonderfully rich. Many areas support huge swaths of red mangrove which provides cover for juvenile fish to hide and larger predatory species to ambush their prey.”
The Bahamas not only sport the largest set of shallow flats in the world, continues Smith, who is also president of the Bahamas Sportfishing and Conservation Association, and a founding member of the Bahamas Natural Resources Foundation, “We host the largest population of bonefish on planet Earth, the third-largest barrier reef, the premier mangrove nursery in the Western Hemisphere, plus the most coral reefs in the Caribbean. It’s all one huge, interconnected system; a classic example of a sum far exceeding the value of its individual components.”
No arguments there. Still, for anglers, it’s the nitty-gritty of pursuing “bones” that is the draw. To be successful at this game, you need plenty of bonefish to target, a decent shot at trophy-sized fish for an extra adrenaline rush, and ample area with minimal fishing pressure. You’ll find all three prerequisites in the Bahamas, but if this is one of your first trips to the region, you’ll need a guide to unlock the secrets as bonefish are notoriously shy and easily spooked. Don’t worry though, that’s part of their charm.
Come Prepared
New York fly-fishing enthusiast Howie Solomon has been making trips to the Bahamas in pursuit of bonefish for more than 30 years. For him, as for many other bonefishing fans, the Bahamas have far surpassed their reputation for super action in spectacular surroundings.
“This really is a bucket list destination for anglers,” he says. “If you love shallow-water sight fishing, a visit will be worth every penny. My wife and I like to go to Grand Bahama Island and stay in Freeport because there are ample hotels, restaurants, and entertainment venues to choose from, plus plenty of guides available. If you want to be more off the beaten track, try Abaco, Andros, Bimini, Long Island, or Crooked Island. Each has plenty of bones in the two- to four-pound class, and some offer shots at fish that push into the double-digits. No matter which island you choose, a guide is vital in the beginning to locate safe and productive water, learn where to look and how to spot the fish, and to coach you on the gentle presentations necessary to entice bonefish without scaring them off.”
Solomon also advises bringing everything you need for fishing as there are few places in the Bahamas to purchase gear. To be sure, most outfitters can supply basic fly-casting and spinning outfits, but you’ll be more comfortable casting your own rod and selecting offerings from your personal fly box. Standard tackle for bonefishing here is an 8- or 9-weight fly rod with a 9-foot, fluorocarbon leader, tropical floating fly line, and a 12- to 16-pound tippet. That should be sufficient to battle any bonefish you hook while still offering a fair shot at landing surprise encounters like barracuda, permit, or small tarpon.
“Don’t forget to bring sunblock, a buff, wide-brimmed hat, long-sleeve fishing shirts, long fishing pants, waders or hip boots, and polarized glasses. Keep in mind that the sun on the flats is merciless. If you aren’t fully prepared, you’ll get burned in places you never knew you had,” adds Solomon, only half-jokingly
On the Hunt
“One thing newbies to the bonefish game need to understand out of the gate,” says Capt. Vinny Catalano, a fishing guide who runs charters out of Biscayne Bay, Florida, in the colder months and Greenport, New York, during the summer and fall (longislandflyfishing.com), “is that bonefishing is more like hunting than actual fishing. You’ll be scouting a lot of water and trying to spot fish without being spotted yourself. Working with your guide, your goal is to quietly sneak close enough to drop a cast in front of your quarry, leading it by three or four feet. That approach builds a lot of anticipation and the fish win out more often than not, which makes every hookup something to savor.
More important than which fly you choose is keeping a low profile as you cast, advises Catalano, although he does admit to strongly favoring size 2, tan, Peterson’s Spawning Shrimp or Mantis Shrimp patterns, and lightweight flies with rubber legs because they land softly on the water. “Be as delicate and stealthy as possible with your presentations,” he cautions. “You’ve got to think of yourself as a ninja. You’re in your quarry’s house, they have big eyes, and they are exceptionally aware of their surroundings.”
Vincent agrees with Catalano’s assessment. “When it comes to sight fishing, it’s all about presentation. It’s about getting the fly where it needs to be and having it land as quietly as possible. You don’t have to cast huge distances—forty- to sixty-foot casts will get you plenty of action. My favorite patterns also include Peterson’s Spawning Shrimp, plus the McKnight Crimp, and Puglisi Spawning Shrimp.”
Can It Last?
As for Smith, he’ll throw the world-famous Crazy Charlie bonefish pattern as much as possible. “My father, Charles Smith, invented that pattern right here on Andros Island in the late 1970s,” he revealed, “and it still works great today.”
It was Smith’s late father who opened the first bonefishing lodge, Charlie’s Haven, on Andros Island in 1970, and he offered his son some great fishing advice. “He told me once that you get only one life,” recalls Smith, “but it takes two lifetimes to learn all the intricacies of bonefishing, so keep an open mind. I’ve followed that credo all of my life, and it’s paid off with some amazing fishing opportunities.”
You can read about bonefishing in the Bahamas all you want, concludes Smith, but you must come to the Bahamas to experience the best of it. “I’d get here as soon as possible,” he says, with a hint of concern in his voice. “This place is amazing, but it is under a lot of pressure from developers and big business these days. I hope we stay on the right path and continue to protect our resources because, once destroyed, they will be gone forever. The more anglers we can introduce to this unique ecosystem, the more the world will realize how valuable it is. That, in the long run, may be our best hope for keeping it so productive and pristine.”
LIVETARGET brings lifelike reality to fishing lures.
By Tom Schlichter, Southern Boating June 2020
There’s a wide-held belief among veteran anglers that many lures are designed to catch fisherman as much as they are to catch fish. No doubt, the premise is true to some degree. In order to turn the heads of prospective buyers, new designs, shapes, colors, scents, and even flavors of lures are introduced every year and touted as features and then packaged in bright colors and marketed under catchy names.
“Somewhere along the way, a lot of manufacturers strayed from making lures that had realistic appeal to their ultimate targets, the fish,” says Victor Cook, a founding partner of LIVETARGET, headquartered in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada. “We’ve always taken a different approach. While we certainly understand the value of good marketing, we built our company from the ground up by making lures that are as lifelike and anatomically correct as possible. ‘Match-the-Hatch’ is our credo, it’s in our company DNA. Simply put, we believe artificial lures can be better fish catchers when they look like the natural forage that predators hunt.”
Indeed, that would seem to be the case as LIVETARGET lures do look amazingly realistic. Most of their offerings come in natural color schemes, their baitfish imitations have perfect profiles, dark eyes, scaled bodies, and precisely placed pectoral fins and gill slits. But the company has gone further than simply replicating the appearance of baitfish species, they’ve actually invented new technology to do it.
“Lures not only have to look great to be most effective,” says Cook, who is largely involved with the development of saltwater products for LIVETARGET. “They have to perform well, too. They need to move naturally in the water and give off a little flash as their backs roll from side to side. They must be able to stop, go, and twitch just like the real baits they are meant to emulate. In other words, you need both form and function to build the ultimate lure. Tying these two aspects together is where we’ve spent much of our research over the past several years.”
To reach that goal, LIVETARGET invented a new, specialized injection manufacturing process called Injected Core Technology (ICT). Introduced at the 2019 ICAST show, the world’s largest sportfishing trade show, ICT allows the lure’s inner core to host a precise minnow profile encapsulated in an exo-skin covering that drives its vibrating tail or body action. Proprietary metal powder in the inner core ensures vibrant, lifelike flash, and the kind of high-quality realism game fish can’t resist while the clear, soft plastic exo-skin virtually vanishes beneath the surface. The result is a lure that looks anatomically perfect and sports the action to back it up.
“We know from science and our own experience that predator fish primarily focus on baitfish profile, so that’s really where we start,” explains Cook. “We take the forage we want to mimic and match it as precisely as possible. But matching the hatch is not just about appearance, it is about replicating a baitfish’s movements and swimming action, too. With ICT, we’ve been able to blend the natural appearance with the natural action of the baits we’ve produced. The results have been really impressive.”
LIVETARGET’s Slow-Roll Shiner, Flutter Sardine, and Twitch Minnow baits illustrate well the ICT advantage. All three are built around flawless reproductions of minnow baits, yet they have vastly different actions. The Slow-Roll Shiner has a fairly thick profile and hard-thumping soft-plastic swimbait action that incorporates a slight side-to-side roll to give off extra flash along the lure’s flanks. The Flutter Sardine, in contrast, performs like a spoon or jig with the inner core producing a vibrant flash and a feathered tail hook creating just enough drag to hold the points in the ideal strike position as it shimmies to the bottom. Watch it sink and you will see it not only wobbles, it also rocks forward and back. The Twitch Minnow is a small profile, soft-plastic baitfish imitation that can be rigged weedless-style or impaled on a jig. This lure lies on its side as you twitch it during the retrieve. It looks like a dying or feeding minnow, gliding and quivering with the slightest jig of the rod. All three offerings can tempt anything from redfish, snook, jacks, and sea trout down south to stripers, weakfish, sea bass, and fluke in Mid-Atlantic or Northeast waters.
“It’s important to get the appearance right, but it’s the clear, soft-plastic exo-skin that drives all the action,” explains Cook. “With it, we can refine, balance, or create new swimming motions, include a side-to-side roll, or add casting weight without disfiguring or changing the size or profile of the visible target. Because the exo-skin is nearly invisible, we can hide the action generator, such as a paddle tail, twitch tail, or spoon shape, for a more natural, appropriately sized appearance.”
LIVETARGET draws on a wealth of underwater video footage and extensive databases it has complied over the years to help match the hatch with each new product. They have an extensive lineup in both the freshwater and saltwater realms, and they were quite successful even before developing their ICT technology. Last year, their Slow-Roll Shiner, Flutter Sardine, and Erratic Shiner, all ICT products, each won Best in Category New Product Showcase Awards at the ICAST show. Eight additional lures in their lineup have captured New Product Showcase awards since 2011.
“We are really proud of our ICT options,” says Cook. “But we have plenty of other lures in our saltwater lineup that can stand on their own. In fact, for redfish, snook, and sea trout down around Sarasota and Tampa Bay, where I do a lot of my saltwater fishing, I love throwing our Scaled Sardine Twitch Bait. I can catch anything and everything on it. Just twitch, twitch, pause, and repeat. It’s a blast to see that lure get smashed. Our Fleeing Shrimp is another awesome saltwater lure. It looks incredibly lifelike, and you can cast it a mile. Let it settle and then just skip it back across the bottom where sea trout, snook, and summer flounder like to hang out. It has a shrimp-scented body with an embedded glass rattle that makes a ‘tic, tic, tic’ sound, perfectly imitating a fleeing shrimp.”
Just before we went to press, the 2020 ICAST show, which had been scheduled for July, was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. Still, LIVETARGET has no plans to sit on its laurels.
“We’re going to take this opportunity to finish working on an incredible, groundbreaking project,” reveals Cook. “Imagine lures that provide their own unique strike-triggering action or that can flee and duck for cover like actual live forage, no batteries needed. With these, we plan to take the ‘match the hatch’ theory to a higher level than ever before, combining lifelike appearance with ultra-realistic action all driven by revolutionary new designs that will benefit anglers everywhere.”
What’s better than a weekend boating and fishing trip? Not much in our book. Whether you like rivers and creeks, or the open ocean, the Southeast has something to offer every angler. We’ve put together a list of what we think are the top 5 fishing spots in the Southeast. Have we missed one of your favorites?
5. Louisiana Bayou, Louisiana
The Bayou is unique in that it offers anglers both freshwater and saltwater settings to fish. This region of Louisiana offers wetlands, shallows, waterways and off-shore and deep-sea fishing into the Gulf of Mexico. When it comes to freshwater fishing, Louisiana’s system of waterways is unmatched in the United States.
4. Lake Guntersville, Alabama
Lake Guntersville offers 70,000 acres of beautiful open water. This area is host to many of the top fishing tournaments including the Bassmaster fishing series. There are lots of bass in this lake and plenty of local guide services who would love to help you catch a trophy.
3. Lake Okeechobee, Florida
“The Big O” has been a bucket list lake for bass anglers for decades now. Lake Okeechobee is a lot like an enormous pond with its miles and miles of healthy grass and shallow water. The Sunshine State is the Fishing Capital for trophy bass fishing, as well as other sports fishing. Simply put, Lake Okeechobee is one of the premier fishing destinations in the world.
2. Pamlico Sound, North Carolina
With North Carolina’s mainland to the west and a string of narrow islands to the east, Pamlico Sound is the perfect breeding and feeding water for a wide variety of saltwater fish. From shallow flats to offshore fishing, the area is a haven for anglers who want a variety of options. It’s one of the best places in the world to catch mullet, sheepshead, redfish, and shark.
1. The Florida Keys, Florida
The Florida Keys are one of the most stunning, vibrant, and action-packed fishing locations in the world. The year-round warm and tropical temperatures and beautiful scenery all add to this Floridian fishing experience. With a 125mile long arc of islands to that make up the keys to explore, there’s a trophy fish for any angler. Here you’ll delight in Bonefish, Redfish, Yellowtail, Barracuda, and in the deep sea for Dolphinfish, Marlin, and other open-water predators.
Did we miss any of your favorite fishing sites? Let me know in the comments!
Hooking into a big gamefish on the open ocean and then fighting it to your boat is both a thrill and an addiction second to none. But a serious angler must endure sun, heat, humidity, wind, and salt water, so it’s imperative to dress for comfort if you want to thoroughly enjoy (and survive) the day.
What’s more, unless you want to put your dermatologist’s kids through college, you’ll need to protect your skin from the elements. Speaking of which, two skin protection ratings are often confused. Sun Protection Factor, or SPF, is the rating for sunscreen lotions applied to your skin. Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) is what to look for in clothing. UPF is rated from 15-50. A UPF above 30 gives about 97 percent UV protection, so that should be your minimum. Try this angler apparel to keep your skin safe from the sun.
Picking an outfit for a day on the water used to be simple: cargo shorts and a T-shirt. Now, it’s full of terms like polytetrafluoroethylene, hydrophilic and hydrophobic. Clothing for fishing has gone technical, but the bottom line is it should keep you shielded, cool, dry, comfortable, and looking good.
Here are some examples for the well-protected, well-dressed angler:
Jackets
In the tropics or during the summer months, you (usually) don’t need a jacket to keep warm, but keep one handy for those occasional rain squalls. Look for jackets that are breathable and waterproof (not water-resistant). Check that zippers and stitching are
waterproof and that there are sealed pockets inside and out for your stuff. Storm flaps over the zippers are a bonus as are cuff closures to keep water out and chafe protection that goes easy on your neck. Tip: If you’re fishing offshore, stay away from camo jackets
worn by fishermen on rivers and streams—if you fall overboard, you’ll be hard to spot.
WindRider’s Pro Foul Weather Jacket
WindRider’s Pro Foul Weather Jacket is designed by boat builders, and is waterproof and breathable with fully taped seams, roll-away hood with a bill, and has a double storm flap and zipper to keep water out. A high, fleece-lined collar protects from wind.
Gill knows a thing or two about being around water. The new women’s OS24JW fishing rain suit is a combination of hydrophobic and hydrophilic technologies to keep you 100 percent protected.
Don’t even think about spending a day on the water in just a T-shirt, you’ll fry your arms—long sleeves and high collars are the way to go. Shirts should shed heat through vents or special fabrics. Go for high UPF ratings; many have antimicrobial treatments that control odors (after eight hours, you’ll thank me) and fabrics that are soft on the skin.
AFTCO’s Barracuda Geo Cool hooded long-sleeve shirt uses its Geo Cool fabric to cool you while wicking away moisture. It features vented mesh panels on the sides, an integrated vented face mask in the hood, a UPF 50 rating, and thumb loops to keep sleeves from riding up.
Guy Harvey Women’s Turtles Haven Long-Sleeve Shirt
It’s not just guys that have to worry about the sun; ladies do, too, and the Guy Harvey Women’s Turtles Haven long-sleeve shirt has performance and styling with Guy Harvey’s artwork. The 88 percent poly fabric is comfy, antimicrobial and moisture wicking with a UPF 30 rating.
The PFG Bahama II long-sleeve shirt from Columbia is practically an angling tradition—as
capable in the cockpit as it is stylish at the yacht club with its button-down collar. The shirt is made with fast-drying, lightweight nylon (Omni-Shade, UPF 30 fabric) and features mesh-lined back vents and tabs on the upper arm to roll up the sleeves. It has four chest pockets to store your essentials and comes in a variety of colors.
The sun doesn’t care if you have a thick head of hair; it will bake your noggin anyway. A visor won’t cut it, nor a baseball cap (even if you wear it backward to be trendy). You
need a serious hat.
Sunday Afternoons’ Sun Guide Cap
Sunday Afternoons’ Sun Guide Cap provides head protection, neck shade and a face mask in a stylish package that adapts to your needs. It’s a baseball cap with a clamshell brim that folds so you can stuff it in your hip pocket. It uses a convertible ventilation system
on top to release the heat. Its microfiber cape is lightweight, ventilated and removable so you can wear the cap ashore. Even better, the cape snaps in the front to become a mask to protect your face.
When the action is a little slower, go with the traditional lifeguard’s hat. The Quicksilver
Pierside is made of 100-percent straw with an adjustable chin strap and gives all-day sun protection that looks cool and keeps you cool.
The “booney” hat has been a fave for decades. It combines a floppy brim with a chin strap for breezy days. You’ll find it at a number of stores from the classic Tilley to West Marine
to Columbia.
The Ultra Sun Hat from Coolibar is an astounding UPF 50+ in a booney style with removable face drape that has a shapeable wire around the nose piece. A chin strap and sizing cord in the crown make for a custom fit.
There are a few folks that like flip-flops in the cockpit, but to fight a fish, opt for shoes that keep you planted on the deck.
Pelagic’s Pursuit 6” Deck Boot
Most of the time, it’s nice to keep your feet dry, and Pelagic’s Pursuit 6” Deck Boot is 100 percent waterproof.
The insole and cooling liner provide arch support, and the non-slip, non-marking sole has gutters to rid water whether you’re backing down on a big one or hosing down at the
dock. A nice touch is the stomp pad for easy boot removal.
The Cognac & Vanilla Deck Shoe from Tucket is the perfect cockpit to cocktails footwear—it looks terrific, feels great and has drains built in to empty any unexpected water douse.
Rinse it off, stamp it dry and you’re off to the club.
Perfect for the sportfishing angler, these stretchy masks cover your neck, your face and nose, and the dermatologist’s favorite part, the ears. They protect from the sun, wind and cool air.
Grundéns Fish Head Neck Gaiter
Long a supplier for commercial fishermen, Grundéns offers the Fish Head Neck Gaiter, a stretchy nylon/spandex mix with a UPF 50 rating that wicks away moisture and is quick-drying. When not used as a mask, the gaiter works as a bandanna or headband. Available in several colors and designs.
Patagonia’s sun mask with UPF 50 protection sports a tapered design to cover the neck and stay in place. Seams are flat-sewn for minimal chafe, and the fabric minimizes instances of eyewear fogging and voice muffling.
Not only an excellent source of healthy, lean protein, mahi mahi is also fun to catch.
I don’t know if there’s a fish in the sea that’s more beautiful when airborne than the amazing mahi mahi. Twisting wildly and shimmering gold with water droplets sprayed in a full arc against a cloudless bright blue sky, it’s a sight I can watch again and again.
Call them mahi, dorado, dolphinfish, or any of a half-dozen other nicknames, they are all one and the same: the unmistakable, irrepressible and iridescent Coryphaena hippurus. From the canyons of the mid-Atlantic to the Florida Keys, Gulf Coast and deliciously warm waters off the west coast of Central America, mention the name in any language and anglers nod their heads with full approval. Some consider them the ultimate offshore gamefish for light-tackle pursuit. I concur.
Size Matters
Lean, mean and able to swim for short bursts at speeds up to 50 mph, mahi mahi don’t grow huge compared to other offshore sportfish, but they do grow exceptionally fast. They can spawn at five months, which they do every four to six weeks to the tune of about 400,000 eggs per session. They’ll weigh more than 20 pounds by age one and 30 to 40 pounds at three years old. Fewer than three percent reach age four, but those that do can weigh 50 to 60 pounds or more. The current International Game Fish Association (IGFA) world record for the species stands at 87 pounds.
The largest mahi on record is 87 pounds.
A beast of a bull, as big males are known, was caught off
Costa Rica in 1976. That fish, believe marine scientists, was probably no more than four years old. Given their acrobatics, speed and incredible growth rate, it’s no wonder that mahi has a loyal following. They would make a great “everyman’s” fish across their range except for one small detail: Their love of warm water keeps them far off the beach.
Where the Fish Are
In Florida waters, for example, anglers encounter smaller specimens about 10 miles offshore, but the bigger fish tend to hold at least 15 to 25 miles out. Head to the northeast, and the biggest ones concentrate from 40 fathoms (240 feet) on out to the canyons. The investment in time and money to run such distances cause most skippers to focus on tuna and marlin which leaves mahi as a by-catch north of the Carolinas, but they often fill the gaps between bigger bites and can salvage a trip when the big guns refuse to play.
As a rule, mahi tend to follow the Gulf Stream up from the south and try to stay in water temperatures of 75 degrees or greater. As warm-water eddies break off from the Gulf Stream and spin toward the coast, some mahi remain in the hot pockets which bring them closer to shore from the Carolinas to New York. While points south see mahi caught to some degree on a year-round basis, mid-April through early September finds the most intense action. At the northern end of their range, the season can be much shorter running from mid-July through early September.
There are two primary points to keep in mind when seeking mahi mahi: the need for warm water and their love of shadow-creating surface structure. These gamesters also prefer to be near sharp water temperature breaks of two or three degrees because such breaks stack up baitfish schools.
Shadow Hunters
Fish the warm water side of a significant temperature break along a substantial weed line or shadow source and you are on the right track. On the offshore scene, this means looking for lines of drifting sargassum weed, floating logs, a piece of cardboard or timber on the surface, or any other flotsam you can find. Anything that provides a shadow is a potential mahi hot spot. I once found more than two dozen mahi in the thin shadow line of a single, floating two-by-six.
Leaping, twisting, shimmering.
As noted, most offshore anglers try to score mahi while trolling for tuna, sailfish and marlin. Since mahi will smack the same basic lures and baits, especially the smaller ones in the spread, skippers try to bring their offerings as close to lobster pots, buoys, flotsam, or weed lines as possible. The closer the lures swing, the better the odds of hooking up. It’s amazing just how tight and strong mahi will hold to structure.
On one of my first mahi encounters years ago, we were on the troll for tuna in 8- to 10-foot seas a bit shy of Hudson Canyon (off New Jersey). A clear miss on the weather forecast found us with a stinging wind out of the east shearing wave tops. As we pulled our Tuna Clones past a lobster buoy, we slid into a gully and above my head off the starboard side, I actually spotted a mahi holding in place beneath the float. Apparently, like me and my crewmates, he wasn’t in an eating mood, and we soon turned for home.
Chum it Up
Although it can take some time to find the perfect mahi water, these fish are generally easy to provoke if you can pin them down. Many captains simply break out a bucket of ground chum and then use little chunk baits or whole small squid hooked once through the top of the mantle while drifting alongside a weed line or structure point.
Southern skippers proficient with cast nets are more likely to offer live pilchards gathered before leaving the bay, while northern captains sometimes try peanut bunker. Trolling is another option, with small chartreuse, yellow or purple Tuna Clones, Jets or similar lures placed on outriggers to tempt the mahi while larger lures are positioned at center-spread in the hopes of calling bigger game up from the depths. Off the New Jersey and New York coasts, tossing white bucktails tipped with small strip baits or small diamond jigs are also common options.
Tricks & Tips
Like most other kinds of fish, mahi have their lockdown days. That’s when it helps to have a couple of extra tricks in
your arsenal. One trick that works when the fish are visible on the troll but simply refuse to respond is to click the reel with the lure closest to the fish into free-spool as it goes past the target. Allow the lure to sink for a few seconds, then kick the reel back into gear. When that lure suddenly pops back to life and powers toward the surface, it’s likely to get blasted.
Another trick is to bring along a bucket of the smallest baitfish you can find, such as live killies. Drift in quietly on a school and toss a handful of the tiny baitfish overboard. Then flip a tiny hook baited with a single little baitfish right into the middle of the mayhem. Mahi find the smallest baitfish most irresistible and the bite often fires up instantly with this tactic.
Keep in mind that because mahi tend to school by size, what you see is what you get when targeting these feisty speedsters. If you set up on a pack of smallish fish and want bigger ones, keep looking. One spot may hold five-and six-pounders, the next 10- to 12-pounders. The biggest mahi, those topping 25 pounds, tend to be loners or are found in small pods.
There is one last trick that mahi experts like to use that is worth considering: leave the first mahi hooked to struggle a few feet behind your drifting boat. As long as that fish keeps swimming, the rest tend to follow. When the school finally begins to break apart, reel in your decoy and return to your starting point or simply move on to cover new ground.
What’s in a Name?
There’s no shortage of names to describe the savory and acrobatic mahi mahi. Dorado is Spanish for golden. The term dolphinfish probably comes from the early classification of the species in the genus dolfyn. Large males, known as bulls, have huge foreheads. Meanwhile, small fish that weigh five pounds or less are chicken dolphin. Mahi mahi, a name that has risen to the top of the rung in recent decades, means “very strong” in Hawaiian, yet another place where these tasty treats are loved both in the air and on the plate.
There’s more than meets the eye when fishing an inlet. There’s much find in the rips, currents, and eddies.
The solid snook hit exactly where I expected, inhaling a large swimbait just as it fluttered out from beneath a bridge spanning a small pass along Florida’s southwest coast. As I hoped, the intersection of the boulder-lined shore with the fast current flowing between the bridge pilings caused my lure to sweep in a tight arc and drop into a small groove of deeper water as I drifted on the outgoing tide. It was there the snook was waiting to ambush anything that might struggle in the current. This is fishing in an inlet.
Releasing the 12-pounder back into the pass, I marveled at its trim, gold appearance. No monster, this one, but it was double the size of fish I had been catching on a set of nearby flats. “That’s the beauty of inlets,” I remember thinking to myself. “They always have a few big fish on the prowl.”
Open Secret, Open Season
It’s no secret that serious inshore predator fish species favor inlets. In fact, most expert anglers spend a lot of time working these areas with the hope of catching their largest fish of the year. Sure, you can tempt a few monsters in shallow backbay waters or pick big snook, channel bass, gorilla blues, and monster stripers out in the open ocean depending on where you are stationed along the coast, but inlets and passes concentrate predatory fish like few places can and allow sharpies to maximize their efforts.
“There’s a lot going on in an inlet to favor large predators over baitfish species,” says “Crazy Alberto” Knie of Tactical Anglers, a tackle company known for its popular Smart Lure series. “If you aren’t already looking for big fish there, you should be.”
According to Knie, who has fished inlets and passes from southern Florida to the northeast and hooked plenty of trophy-class stripers, snook, tarpon, and other species along the way, inlets feature a great combination of current and structure. “Any time you can bring those two factors together,” says Knie, “you’ve got a starting point. It’s a place where big fish are likely to congregate because they have an edge in power to deal with the current and ambush points in which to hold while waiting for baitfish overwhelmed by turbulence.
Read the Tides
Consider, too, where all that bait is coming from on an outgoing tide,” he adds. “Most inlets drain shallow flats, bays, and harbors. On strong new and full moon tides, entire schools of baitfish get sucked into the inlets and flushed out to sea. Down south, pilchards and finger mullet, along with big shrimp and the occasional menhaden, make up most of the menu. Up north, spearing, bay anchovies, and bunker are among the usual fare. The end result is a giant chum slick extending from protected shallows right out into the open
ocean, sound or gulf. No self-respecting trophy fish can pass up that buffet.”
As strong currents slice through sandy bottoms and create cuts, bars, and troughs, the rapid changes in depth also form rips and eddies. At the same time, bends in an inlet or pass make coves and points where baitfish gather to rest and regroup. Here, gamefish slice through schools of smaller critters pooled up by the current. Adding a bridge to the equation offers even more structure plus overhead lighting that creates late-night shadow lines where tarpon, snook, drum, blues, and stripers explode on passing baitfish silhouettes.
In the Night
“It amazes me how many serious anglers overlook the potential of fishing inlets after dark,” says Knie, who recommends tossing a Tactical Angler’s SubDarter lure under such conditions because it’s easy to work in a variety of ways from a straight, unbroken retrieve to a series of jerks and direction changes. “Either way, it presents a big silhouette and big fish like big baits. I’ve had bull reds on it, tarpon, snook, and even a few sharks. In the mid-Atlantic and northeast, it’s also accounted for cow stripers, big weakfish and slammer blues.”
Another great lure for fishing southern inlet waters is a Flair Hawk jig. It’s like a cross between a bucktail and a parachute lure. Work it close to the bottom with a pumping action to make it pulse during the day, and it will catch a multitude of species. Offshore Anglers makes a version they call a Redtail Flair Hawk that is a popular choice for targeting snook, redfish and jacks.
In northern waters, I favor bucktails and large soft plastic swim baits, although I’m likely to use a popper if bass or blues show on the surface. Live bait is yet another option, of course, with pilchards or shrimp favored in southern passes and live eels or bunker the preferred offerings from New Jersey north.
Know your Season
Water temperature enters into play with inlet productivity as well. In many areas, ocean temperatures can run as much as five to seven degrees cooler than those inside a bay or harbor. Early in the season, warm bay water flowing out of an inlet can turn on lethargic fish. Later in the season, rising tides usher cool water into the shallows to refresh summer species. Often, these fish will move up into inlets to feed.
“When you really get down to it, there’s little difference between fishing an inlet or another one,” says Knie. “Sure, there are more species to catch in southern waters than there are up north, and baits and lures might change from one place to the next, but the basic theory holds the same. Consider the tides, line up the structure, and work any holes, rips, eddies, or seams you can find. Keep an eye on other boats in the vicinity for safety’s sake, and never pass up the chance to work shadow lines beneath bridges on the graveyard shift.”
Having discussed the strong currents, rips and varied bottom configurations common to most inlets and passes, it should come as no surprise that these are not areas where you can let down your guard. Many skippers I know keep their engine running at all times, even while on the drift when fishing an inlet. That way, they can react quickly to stray waves or boat wakes bounding off the rocks, changes of direction in the current or a rapidly rising bottom.
Safety First
“Even though your engine’s running,” advises Knie, “keep your lights to a bare minimum and your music muted if fishing at night. Despite all that rushing water, big fish can still be quick to spook. The less they realize you are around, the better your odds of hooking a monster.”
Be aware, too, that you need to hold a secure position as you drop your bait or lure over the side. We’re talking heavy fishing sticks, big baits and, possibly, monster fish at the end of your line. Toss in a rogue wave or two, bouncy rip water, plus other skippers that may not quite possess your fine and courteous seamanship skills, and you’ve got an accident just waiting to happen.
Keep your drifts short and targeted to specific areas. Always watch the water, and be aware of boaters around you at all times. If you can do all that, and maintain your footing, you just might be able to haul a lunker or two from the inlet depths.
Lance Thomas, forward for the New York Knicks, is up for any challenge be it on the court or the fishing grounds.
It was a tough year for the pro basketball team New York Knicks, so when the season ended this past April, forward Lance Thomas headed south to go fish—not the card game, but for game fish in the Gulf of Mexico. After all, he’s a professional athlete, so why not the intense, competitive world of sport fishing?
The Knicks didn’t make the postseason, so Thomas headed to the 2019 fishing tournament season that began at the Orange Beach Billfish Classic. He heads over to the Mississippi Gulf Coast Billfish Classic June 3-9 in Biloxi and finishes the series back at Orange Beach, Alabama, for the Blue Marlin Grand Championship July 10-15, a serious schedule for someone who only started fishing in the Gulf about five years ago.
The First Time
Thomas didn’t even pick up a fishing rod until he was in college. His best friend, Kenjuan Nichols, took him out fishing on Falls Lake, a short way from Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, where he studied and was a member of their storied basketball program. They caught croaker and crappie, and “I didn’t like it,” he says. “I didn’t want to touch any of the fish. I’m a city boy and didn’t want to touch worms; it wasn’t something we did as kids growing up.” Thomas was born in Brooklyn and raised by his mother in New Jersey.
“We kept going and eventually had a few trips when every cast we threw, we got a hit. It got to the point where he wasn’t able to help me take everything off the line anymore, so he said, ‘You need to do it.’ I was having so much fun while we were doing it that I was like, ‘You know what? Forget it. I’m just going to knock it out.’” That was the beginning. He finally got his hands slimy and became a fisherman.
Going Big
Thomas got the call from the NBA in 2012 and went to play with the New Orleans Hornets (now the Pelicans). In his second season, he and Nichols joined a local captain and a few friends and headed out on the Gulf of Mexico for some deep-sea fishing. Off the southern tip of the Mississippi River, his reel went for a whirl and was front and center with fish on. “I remember holding the rod, and I was like what the…what am I doing right now?” he says. “My adrenaline was pumping, everyone on the boat was excited and being an athlete, I manned up to do what I had to do.” What he did was fight for what seemed like two days (but really, about an hour) to pull in his first offshore catch, a 107-pound yellowfin tuna.
“I got whooped pretty bad and I had no idea what I was getting myself into. It literally felt like there was a Porsche at the other end of the line and somebody put their foot all the way down and floored it,” he explains. “I remember being completely exhausted after I landed the fish. I couldn’t even pick it up. My fingers were cramped, and my body was cramping up; it was an all-out battle that made me have high respect for the sport and for the fish knowing that they started as something so small and grew into something so massive. Everything was sore,” he says, adding that he would have lost his job if had to go pick up a basketball after that. “I never experienced anything like that.”
From that day forward, Thomas was hooked. “This is what I want to do,” he recalls. “I want to be able to do this; I want to be able to create that moment for someone else. I remember how excited I was when I got back to land. I called all my friends to tell them about it.”
Gulfside
He bought his first boat the following year, a Sea Hunt Gamefish 25. “I took that boat all over the Gulf,” he says. “I’ve never been afraid of taking it anywhere. I was always the tallest guy with the smallest boat, but I love the sport, and I was always out there. I learned a lot from some of my friends who are captains down there. Capt. Brett Ryan has been a big help with teaching me the fishery out of Venice, Louisiana, as well as Capt. Andy Cook. Those two helped me out early on when I was getting my feet wet (pun intended).”
Pay it Forward
His excitement at that first big catch led Thomas to start Slangmagic, a tournament fishing team, in 2017 that includes Capt. Ryan and his friend Nichols along with seven other diverse talents. They won the first event they entered at the Faux Pas Rodeo in Venice, Louisiana, and there was no stopping him.
Left to right: Jared Parfaite, John Cole, Kenjuan Nichols, Lance Thomas of SLANGMAGIC
He became an avid angler and earned his U.S.C.G 100-ton master license. To sharpen his skills, he learned all he could about technique, gear, how to read the weather and seas, and began to “trust his work.” As a kid, Thomas participated in the New Heights program that is designed to educate and empower youth to become leaders, champions and student-athletes through academic support and sports. “It was a gamechanger for me in regards to leadership,” says Thomas.
For the Kids
His focus on basketball helped him become the ultimate student-athlete with accountability for his actions on and off the court. “As an adult, when you look back and see how things were done, it’s amazing how well-rounded the organization is, and I want to do the same thing through fishing.” In that spirit, Thomas started Slangmagic, not only to go fishing but also to share the thrill of it with today’s youth.
“I’ve always been great with kids, and I think about things I wish I had when I was growing up,” he says. “I wish I would have been introduced to the sport of fishing at an earlier age and that wasn’t the case for me, but shouldn’t be for others. I’m always thinking of ways to give back and involve the youth, and it was a no brainer to bring on ambassadors for our program.”
The Slangmagic Ambassador program involves avid anglers, male and female, up to age 18. One reason Thomas started Slangmagic was to shed light on how amazing the sport is and to give them an understanding of the game and how it can affect them. “I recently added fifteen youth ambassadors to the fishing team.”
Ambassadors
The ambassadors live in different parts of the country with one in Lebanon. “I encourage them to be outdoors and go fishing to get away from video games and the TV,” says Thomas. “I send them free merchandise from the Slangmagic apparel line and encourage them to create free content for us—their catches, what they’re doing—it’s something unique for the youth to let them feel a sense of ownership and give them the responsibility that they can do it, too, and be whatever they want to be. They’ll also be part of a youth leadership and personal development program I started called Trust Your Work.”
The program teaches kids to be ultimate leaders and how to understand the importance of giving back to their community through a detailed leadership curriculum that includes the awareness of core values, different ways to lead and leadership styles.
“These kids are going to be the future of the sport, and we want to make sure they are fully aware of how everything works and how to lead,” explains Thomas. “When it’s their turn to be in a position of power, we want these kids to be confident leaders and know how to work in group settings.”
In addition, Thomas and the Slangmagic team will host an event before each tournament this season called The Slangmagic Experience. “We’ll bring about forty kids and their families to the tournament grounds. We’ll give them an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour with a mini captain’s meeting to show how tournaments work.” They’ll get a chance to look at the tournament boats, tour Slangmagic, and finish with a private lunch.
The Boat
Thomas moved from the Sea Hunt to a Yellowfin 36. “I loved that boat. It was great. But when I started hitting the Gulf Coast Triple Crown circuit for blue marlin, I needed a bigger boat, so I bought an Invincible 40-foot catamaran,” says Thomas. “The catamaran is a game changer, especially in the Gulf where the seas have a mind of their own and can flare up on you at any time. I think the beauty of the Invincible is that in certain seas, it rides like a monohull, really smooth. There’s not a sea condition it can’t handle.”Thomas wanted a more spacious boat due to his height and the number of people on the team.
Lance Thomas and Slangmagic showcase their haul.
He customized it to include Garmin electronics at the helm, Direct TV for long overnight trips, air-conditioning at the helm and in the cabin, four tuna tubes off the transom to keep tuna alive for bait, quad 350 Mercury Verados custom painted with the team name, JL audio system with 28 speakers, Marsh Tacky outriggers, Connley rods, Lumishore underwater lights, and more.
The Reel Reason
Thomas uses fishing to escape from the crowds. “It was peace of mind,” he says. “I was able to disconnect and, you know, really enjoy the tranquility that came with fishing. Obviously, catching is amazing, but even on days when it’s been slow, I find great joy in being out there, the camaraderie with friends. Fishing is something that’s been helpful not only from a sport aspect but from a therapeutic aspect. It’s been something that is an important part of my life. It keeps me focused.”
Anytime you’re on the boat, pay attention to your surroundings to avoid unfortunate fishing fails.
“Did I do that?” Fans of the early ’90s television sitcom Family Matters might remember this as the catchphrase of Steve Urkel, a fictional character around whom things often went awry.
It’s a phrase repeated to this very day and usually recognized as a tension-breaking mea culpa when one’s actions have unintentionally led to an unfavorable outcome. Mistakes, of course, are bound to happen, both on dry land and aboard boats. Add an activity like fishing to the day’s itinerary, and the odds generally compound for something to run amiss. Here’s how to avoid some fishing fails.
Some fishing fails can be funny and relatively harmless while others have serious consequences. Most fall somewhere in the middle. The vast majority are probably avoidable when taking proper precautions, especially those that occur on fishing trips.
I hate “dumb mistakes” the most. These are the ones that arise from carelessness, laziness, arrogance, or inconsideration. Virtually all are preventable.
Take a seat
Consider an afternoon fishing trip with my brother Bob some 30-plus years ago. It’s a somewhat humorous anecdote now, but it could have been tragic when it occurred. Bob was puttering around the back of my 20-foot center console as we headed for home following a successful day tempting summer flounder just outside of New York’s Fire Island Inlet. With the wind pushing against an outgoing tide, the seas were beginning to build as we returned to the inlet.
“Find a seat,” I shouted over the engine as I chose our course. “It’s a little bumpy.” Bob sat down on the starboard transom. “Find a real seat!” I hollered, “or you’ll end up in the drink!” Turning forward to face the rips, I pointed the bow into the sloppy chop and pushed the throttle ahead. At one point, we took a pretty good pounding, and I turned back to laugh at my brother whom I expected to be quite wet. He wasn’t there!
Bob had given a head-fake like he was going to move, but never actually shifted over to the cushioned cooler behind my leaning post. Scanning the horizon, I could see his
head bobbing up and down at the inlet mouth 100 yards aft. Lucky for him, there were no other boats trying to make time in my wake.
Never did the words “I told you so” roll so sweetly off my lips as they did when I extended the boat hook after circling back to catch him just shy of the open Atlantic. My brother had been both headstrong and lazy. He knew better than to sit on the transom but did it anyway.
It was a dumb move, but in retrospect, there was plenty of blame to go around.
As skipper, I should have checked to make sure he had followed my orders. I also could have headed back a little earlier in the tide to beat the swelling rips. Bob may have ignored my warning, but I shouldered the blame as well.
Most boating anglers are more than willing to heed advice from their captain. Most are also well versed in fishing and boating etiquette and do a great job at keeping things smart and sane on the water. Still, there are dozens, if not hundreds, of possibilities for fishing fails at sea.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baZbajtQ_xo
Hooks are for the fish
Allowing hooks and sinkers to dangle from the end of a fishing rod while under power is one mistake anglers make far more often than common sense should dictate. Anglers
usually know how to suspend their hooks from rod guides or wrap the sinker around the reel to keep the line secure when a fishing pole is in a rod holder. Still, every year, anglers are snagged or bashed by unsecured hooks, lures, and sinkers.
One acquaintance took this slip-up to new levels when an unanticipated wake from a passing boat caused him to stumble into a free-swinging umbrella rig. He was exceptionally fortunate to have only two hooks embedded in his arms; both extracted without a trip to the hospital. On the bright side, the line held tight and probably saved him from toppling over the side. Like knives and other sharp, pointy instruments,
unattended hooks and weights should never dangle anywhere.
While this is especially true for boats under power, it also applies to vessels on the drift, at anchor or even at the dock. Any rod to be left unattended, even for a minute or two, should have its terminal end secured. Don’t make your fishing fail cost you.
Double check
“A lot of the dumb things anglers do are set in motion before they ever leave the dock,” says Capt. Clay Hughes of Sea Tow International’s Ocean Isle, North Carolina, franchise.
A surprising number, Hughes explains, head to prime fishing waters without checking if their batteries are sufficiently charged. “In some instances, they’ll head offshore and out of cell phone range before turning off their engines to anchor or drift. When the engines fail to restart, they have no way to let anyone know their location or predicament.”
Some also fail to leave a float plan with a responsible person so the Coast Guard and search teams will have an idea of where to start looking when they don’t return in a
reasonable amount of time, adds Hughes. “In that same theme, be sure to let someone know if you deviate from your plans,” he says. “To not do so is foolhardy, but it isn’t an
unusual occurrence.”
Hughes also suggests that anglers take some time to learn how to fully use their electronics. “You’d be surprised how many times fishermen give us the coordinates of where they were headed instead of where they have broken down.”
A lapse of judgment
There are, of course, plenty of other fishing fails and miscues made. Fish blood, slime and discarded bait on deck is a recipe for slips, falls and broken bones. Temporarily placing hooks, lures and fillet knives on surfaces where they might roll or fall off onto the floor doesn’t go well with flip flops or bare feet. Holding a fish out of the water to take a dozen or more photographs before releasing it half-dead back into the sea, and failing to check fuel and oil levels before casting off all come quickly to mind.
So does rushing to get to the bite after a late start. If you pack the night before, get a good night’s sleep and arrive at the marina on time, you’ll generally be off to a great start. To be honest, I’ve been guilty on all counts above at some point in my angling career, but I have taken each lesson to heart.
Finally, it’s important to draw attention to a few stats that apply to all boaters, not just anglers. Approximately 1,000 people die in boating accidents every year. Nine out of ten drown—about half involve alcohol. 50 percent of men who drown are found unzipped flies. Think there’s a correlation?
If your vessel has a head, use it. If it doesn’t, take a seat and use a plastic container with a replaceable screw-on cap. Leaning over the side places you in a vulnerable position, especially considering you’ll have one free hand at best with which to grasp onto the boat if a rogue wave smacks the side.
As for alcohol, it’s probably best to wait until you return to the dock where everyone can more safely toast the day’s success. Just be sure to designate a driver for the car ride home because fishing boats aren’t the only places where unfortunate things can happen.
Drone fishing gives new meaning to finding fish and delivering bait
If you have fished offshore for tuna or any other large pelagic species, you may have lofted your bait far from the boat using a balloon rather than dropping the bait and motoring some distance away. Now there is another way. You can use a drone to precisely drop your bait where you want it, in some cases up to half a mile from the boat,
provided your line is long enough to not disturb feeding fish.
Get a Drone
The first step is to get a drone. Many drones are sophisticated enough that you can avoid crashes into the sea, primarily caused by pilot error. I suggest that you avoid buying a drone for less than $500 unless it is used. Most drones under $500 do not have the lifting capability or a long battery life.
A drone that costs between $500 and $1,500 will give you the best choices, according to experienced drone operators. Battery life is a primary consideration, especially if you want to place several baits far from the boat. Batteries have improved over the last few years and can last up to 30 minutes which allows time to go a long distance and get back. Keep
spare batteries on board along with a charger to enable you to keep flying all day if you want.
I suggest a minimum of two spare batteries; it can take up to two hours for a charge. The typical price is between $60 and $140 per battery depending on the drone. Another important consideration is range; you don’t want to fly the drone beyond its limit and lose connection; you may lose the drone.
There are different configurations that allow the fishing line to connect to the drone. Drones with long landing legs give you plenty of room to secure your outrigger clip. Ideally, you should balance the bait line directly below the middle of the drone. You can make a simple harness from leg to leg (using lightweight fishing line) to suspend the downrigger clip from the center point. There are also bait release systems that mount to drones and are operated through the controller.
The drone should also have a return-to-home function. It’s important to make sure the function is set to return to the controller and not the takeoff point; boats move. Drones
with this function automatically return when the battery is low or the connection is lost. You can also engage it if you lose its location.
Practice Makes Perfect
The second step is to learn how to fly the drone. Take it to an open area, such as a ball field, and practice using it. There are a number of YouTube videos that can get you started with the basics. Today’s drones are so smart that it should only take a couple of hours to become fairly proficient. Learn how to take off and land. Practice catching it in the air.
When you feel that you have become competent at flying your drone, rig it to carry a downrigger clip and polish your “fishing” skills before you do it from the boat to get a feel for the clip’s tension and how far the line can be flown before its weight causes the clip to release. Make adjustments until you’re confident the drone can take the line the distance you want it to go. An average fishing reel can hold around a thousand feet
of line, so that should be plenty.
Scouting with your drone Before you load up your drone with bait, you can use it to
scout potential fish locations. The drone should include a 4K camera to allow you to find fish. What the camera captures in flight is exactly what you see on your monitor, tablet or smartphone. You will also be able to spot potential obstructions and tidelines where fish might gather. Provided the water is clear enough, the drone can see to a good depth,
but, by FAA rule, you can’t exceed 400 feet. Some drones will automatically stop at that height.
You should be able to notice baitfish along weed lines, rocks and shoals and if larger fish are feeding on them. This prevents spooking the fish with your boat, but keep the drone about 30 feet off the water to prevent fish from feeling any vibration from the noise or the propellers. If the drone is loaded with bait and you spot a fish, you can drop the bait ahead of it. If the bait doesn’t release, fly the drone back to the boat to check for problems. Don’t try to reel the drone in hoping that it will release the bait.
Flying and Landing
You can fly in winds up to 20 mph with the latest drones, but it cuts down on battery life as the drone tries to stay in one position and is buffeted by the breeze. In general, the lower the wind, the longer your battery will last. Keep in mind that recording video also quickly takes away battery life.
An advantage of longer landing legs is it makes it easier to catch the drone when brought back to the boat. It can be difficult to land on the deck, so hover the drone within reach
and grab it by the legs only. Wear gloves in case you fumble the drone. The propellers nick the hands—it hurts and will cut you. The avoidance sensors will react to a hand reaching up to grab the drone, but it can be done and is safer than trying to land it on a moving boat. Some drones have the capability to disengage the sensors. Once the drone is captured, shut it down immediately.
Which Drone is Right for Me?
There are a number of drones capable of fishing, including 3DR Solo, Autel Robotics, DJI, UPair, and Yuneec. I’ve included the ones I’ve had experience with and are on the upper end of the price range, but with a little research, there are drones that can do the job for less than $1,000.
Waterproof drones are available, and they work well without the fear of soaking precious electronics. The SwellPro SplashDrone 3+ can land in the ocean and take off again and
drop multiple baits at once. The fishing edition has a 2.2-pound payload capacity, .8-mile casting range and 18 minutes flight time. The base price is $1,348. The PL3 payload release and camera is $329.
The not-so-waterproof drones include DJI and Yuneec. The DJI Phantom series is a popular choice among pilots, but the latest Phantom 4 is no longer in production (the Phantom 5 is expected this year); however, you can still purchase new (and used) units at retailers. The landing skids allow room to secure an outrigger clip and has a 4K camera with 3-axis gimbal. Flight time averages around 28 minutes with a one-mile range. Prices vary for the Phantom 4 series starting around $1,000.
DJII Phantom 4 Pro
DJI’s Mavic 2 has short landing legs, but Gannet has bait release systems made specifically for Phantom and Mavic drones. Flight time for the Mavic 2
Pro and the Mavic 2 Zoom is up to 31 minutes. The Pro has 4K video resolution Hasselblad camera and the Zoom has a 24-48 optical zoom lens built-in and is currently priced at $1,499 and $1,299, respectively. dji.com
Yuneec has a few drones in its collection that make the grade for fishing. The Typhoon H Pro RealSense (six-rotor drone) has a flight time of 25 minutes with a range of 1.2 miles. A three-axis, anti-vibration gimbal rotates 360 degrees for the camera to capture 12-megapixel stills and 4K video. MSRP: $1,499.99. yuneec.com
AeroKontiki is a longline fishing drone built in New Zealand. Primarily for beach fishing, the carbon fiber drone can carry 8.8 pounds and fly in 18-knot winds. It doesn’t have
a camera but can take around 25 baits with 24-ounce sinkers more than a half-mile out. The AeroKontiki Evolution III basic package is $4,387; aerokontiki.co.nz
Rules and Regulations
Do not fly above 400 feet and keep the drone within sight of the operator.
If your drone weighs 55 pounds or more, you will need a pilot’s license.
Register your drone with the FAA. You can do this online.
Do not fly within five miles of an airport. Most of the latest drones have geofencing software that automatically stops the drone from flying in restricted areas.
The registration number must be displayed on the drone’s exterior.
Check state and local ordinances before you fly. Some states do not allow drones to scout or catch fish.
Boaters need a ton of gadgets and gear, even for just a day cruise. But anglers may need even more. Here are our top ten fishing gadgets for summer fishing.
Fishing is for everyone, experts and novices alike. Before you head out to the canyons, the beach, or your neighborhood pond, check out these top ten fishing gadgets for all your angling needs. From mugs to guns and everything in between, Southern Boating has the gadgets and gear you need to land the big one.
YETI 24 oz Rambler Mug
YETI adds to its stainless steel Rambler Drinkware collection with a 24oz mug. Available in stainless, black, seafoam, and navy colors, the unbreakable mug is designed with a cold beer in mind and features double-wall vacuum insulation, the YETI Quad-grip handle and is dishwasher safe.
Protect your eyes around the water with Rheos Gear’s new Floating Cooper Sunglasses. Embedded nose pads make for comfortable wear.
Additionally, the glasses include an enhanced grip against water and sweat. These polarized shades offer anti-scratch, anti-fog, and anti-glare lenses. They have 100 percent UV protection. The Coopers come in tortoise and gunmetal frames with a variety of lens color options, including thermal, marine, gunmetal, and emerald.
The Cressi Cherokee Ocean Speargun keeps its traditional qualities but adds cutting-edge technical solutions. Features include an oversize trigger that aligns with the barrel to eliminate inertia, new integrated rubber load assist, and stainless steel, self-lubricating Teflon mechanism. The Cherokee Ocean has 16-millimeter dual bands with Dyneema wishbone and a unique magnetic loading system.
Budget-minded baitcasters have a new choice in reels with Kastking’s Crixus Line. Named after the Roman gladiator, there are two versions. The Dark Star has seven plus one, stainless steel ball bearings and an anti-reverse roller bearing with a 7.2:1 gear ratio.
The Glacier White and Sea Spray have five plus one with anti-reverse bearing and a 6.5:1 gear ratio. Features include CNC machined aluminum spool, brass gears, aluminum handle, and SuperPolymer grips.
Capture your underwater experience with the Paralenz Dive Camera. The patented, depth-controlled color correction system eliminates filters and automatically corrects to match the depth. A pressure sensor allows real-time depth and temperature to display in videos and pictures.
This is one of the fishing gadgets best for freedivers, SCUBA enthusiasts or those who spearfish. Made from military grade aluminum, the Paralenz is durable and waterproof to 820 feet.
Livetarget’s Glass Minnow Baitball Twitchbait Lure is ideal in clear water where fish get a good look at the bait. A favorite in weedy flats because of its floating ability, the lure is versatile and simple to use; twitch with a slow cadence or an aggressive retrieve. Livetarget’s suspending twitch baits can coax fish from just above the grass without getting fouled.
Wi-Fi or cell connectivity is minimal when fishing a remote location and makes finding or marking a favorite spot on the chart difficult. The Fishidy App’s new Offline Mapping Feature allows users to download new or preferred areas before leaving the dock and makes it accessible when there’s no service.
The feature includes depth contours, local fishing reports and more. The app is free with in-app purchases.
Power-Pole’s Charge Marine Power Station is an innovative, bi-directional marine battery charging and power management system that diverts power where it’s needed and keeps batteries continually charged and monitored.
The unit weighs seven pounds but is much lighter than carrying extra batteries. Control the settings through the C-Monster app. Works on all battery types and has a built-in emergency engine start. It’s definitely one of many fishing gadgets any troller needs.
Author Steve Kantner portrays the lives and passions of 50 extraordinary female anglers in his book, Fifty Women Who Fish. They come from different backgrounds and life experiences, but all are accomplished on the water and active in protecting and restoring aquatic ecosystems—and they love to fish.
Beckson Marine’s D-5 Thru-Bulkhead Hose Fitting makes clean work when routing drainage or supply lines through bulkheads. The D-5 fits any standard half-inch hose and installs in minutes. Versatile to use in a wide range of applications, the fitting is perfect for routing drain lines from livewells, baitwells, coolers, and tanks.
You probably have a cooler or two lying around, but what about a go-box? YETI’s Cargo-Style Loadout Gobox is waterproof, dustproof and can hold and protect everything from fishing gadgets and cooking gear to rangefinders and cameras.
The LoadOut GoBox is nearly indestructible to endure the sun, negative temperatures, and rough daily activities.
For serious anglers, the only thing better than catching a big fish is getting an award for doing it, which is why anglers flock to the Annual Key West Fishing Tournament.
Fishing tournaments draw anglers in record numbers each year. Fortunately, in the southeastern states, there is a tournament for just about every type of fish and every type of angler; you could fish in a different tournament nearly every weekend throughout the year. But there is one tournament that covers every type of legally caught fish in a region, is open to every type of angler (young and old, male and female, professional and amateur), doesn’t care if you’re fishing from a boat, a bank, a beach, or a bridge, and runs continuously for six months. Welcome to the 54th Annual Key West Fishing Tournament, which begins on New Year’s Day and continues until August 31st.
It was founded in 1965 by a Key West legend, Capt. Gainey Maxwell, as a way to support the Lower Florida Keys fledgling charter fishing business. Today, the tournament’s goal is to promote sport fishing, conservation, and tourism in the Lower Keys. According to tournament officials, “Each year, more than 2,000 anglers receive the Outstanding Angling Achievement award to commemorate their catch or a Sportsmanship Award for released catches.”
Awards are available for 44 different species in nine different line classes from 8-pound to stronger than 50-pound test line. Categories also include fly, spin and plug tackle. As a way to promote conservation and the release of fish, the tournament sets minimum weights in each class to discourage the loss of smaller fish. Awards are also limited to minimum lengths for some species in the release category. Entering the tournament couldn’t be any easier. Just have your catch weighed at one of the participating weigh stations by an official weigh master, fill out an entry form and mail it to the tournament office or deposit it in one of the entry drop boxes at Garrison Bight City Marina, Esky’s Rod Shop, Sunset Marina, or Sugarloaf Marina.
Encouraging the next generation of anglers is an important part of the tournament’s mission. Two of the most popular categories are the Junior Division for anglers up to 15 years of age and the Pee Wee Division for anglers under 10.
Men aren’t the only ones who fish. The female anglers are out there and they need fishing gadgets too. We have five fishing gadgets for all anglers.
There is an ever-present contingent of female anglers out there. And while 99% of the market is geared towards men, there are a whole lot of women out there changing the game for the better. We approve of these five fishing gadgets for all anglers.
Waterproof shoes
Women certainly enjoy fishing too, and SoftScience Sailfin Fishing Shoe is the latest in the company’s women’s water collection.
Incorporating their proprietary Trileon footbed, the non-slip grip and fast-draining boat shoe has a more streamlined cut and provides stability in any condition.
We put this shoe to the ultimate test: our ad coordinator is an avid angler in her own right. Plus, she’s soon-to-be-married to a charter captain. There were no reported complaints when she used these shoes over the weekend.
Need an extra rod holder? Move over boys, we have an innovative solution to the lack of rod holders on the boat. And we’re adding cup holders to boot.
Seasucker Rod Holders mount quickly, and their innovative vacuum-mount technology ensures they don’t let go.
Available for a single, two or three rods, the holders attach to a lightweight, aluminum track held by the vacuum mount. The three-rod setup with a six-inch suction mount has 210 pounds of holding power.
You might get wet when you reel in the big one, but your gear will stay dry as a bone thanks to this lightweight dry bag.
Whether on the water or alongside it, keep your gear dry with Otterbox’s Yampa Dry Duffle.
Waterproof TPU-coated nylon with waterproof zippers resists UV and punctures and incorporates a low-density foam exoskeleton to protect your stuff. The Yampa dry duffle comes in three sizes.
There are many ways to fish, but not so many ways to listen to your favorite playlist.
Even if you want to swim or spearfish, you can listen to your tunes under water with H20 Audio’s Stream Waterproof MP3 Player.
Enjoy 10 hours of play time and more than 2,000 songs, and when out of the water, pair up with your smartphone via Bluetooth for more. Submerges up to 12 feet with an IPX8 rating.
Avoid damage to your outboard’s prop and protect unseen marine mammals with Hydro-Shield. It’s a win-win for you, your boat, and unseen manatees.
The skeg-mounted hydrofoil fits on most outboards and inboard/ outboards and also improves performance with its hydro-dynamic shape that provides lift, reduces drag and controls cavitation.
It’s just after daybreak and the traffic on New York’s Long Island Expressway is in full swing. Commuters line up in neat little rows in a well-practiced routine with the aim of getting to work on time. Simultaneously, just east of the Jones Beach Inlet, another traffic jam is taking place, although not as orderly and, perhaps, even borders on chaotic.
It’s early December, and anglers have flooded the waters of the south shore in an attempt to get in one last bass fishing bonanza as the fall striped bass run is at its height for the season. There is a flotilla of boats, all filled with anglers offering different methods of luring that one prized cow onto the hook. They chum the waters, jig and set live baits, but the most consistent practice is the one that creates the notable log jam. These anglers prefer to troll.
A cold December can produce some of the best bass fishing.
The Lure of the Lure
Trolling involves the dragging of line, preferably wire, with all manner of lures secured to the end. Off of the Jones Beach Inlet, or more importantly, the “South Shore,” area natives have established a very distinct pattern for trolling while bass fishing. They cruise east to west. It is a time-honored tradition, one that is recognized by Long Islanders and respected.
However, the lure of the bass has created an influx of anglers who are not native to the South Shore, and this is where the fun begins. Instead of an east-west pattern, the visitors to the area troll north to south, and not in nice little rows, either.
They veer to the left and to the right and soon, the trolling aisles become a tangled mess with gear being cut off, or worse, wrapped up in propellers, leaving the radio chatter on channel 68 a lot more colorful than just the request for a sound check.
It’s not always this way, and there are times when the only traffic jam that takes place involves the migration of striped bass headed south to Virginia and the Chesapeake Bay in pursuit of warmer waters and a place to spend the winter before next year’s spawning run north. The striped bass are currently welled up just east of the “needle” off Jones Beach. This is where veteran charter boat captain David Mahler comes into the picture.
Trolling for Trophies
Mahler was the youngest licensed captain on Long Island. He earned his credentials when he was a mere 16 years old and has plied the waters for 41 years. He’s agreed to provide a firsthand look at just what was causing such mayhem.
The morning we embark, it’s a frosty 27 degrees outside, the deck of his 33-foot Donzi center console is a sheet of ice, and there’s some doubt as to whether this is such a great idea after all. But the cold has no effect on the twin Yamaha 225s, which fire up right on cue. As we pull away from the dock, the full moon shines down from the west as the sun rises in the east. According to fishing superstitions, it’s an ominous moment, to say the least and, hopefully, not indicative of what’s to come.
Quite to the contrary, it turns out to be an angler’s paradise on all fronts. As we break the inlet and turn east, there’s a sea of boats already in place, and the flurry of activity is simply dizzying. They’re all out there: boats trolling, boats jigging and anglers anchored up fishing with live bait. The skies are filled with terns and seagulls above the boats. The birds dive into bait balls and chirp out songs of the success. Anglers celebrate below the musical frenzy.
The other magical thing about this morning, clearly quite unusual for the time of year and location, is that the sea is dead, flat calm—perfect fishing conditions. Looking out over the fleet, there appears to be no sign of the vaunted traffic jam. In fact, everyone trolling is doing so with plenty of space and heading east and west in respected rows.
Here fishy, fishy
The radio is silent except for some gleeful shouts. That’s the sign of catching a big one. Mahler pulls out his homemade five-and-a-half-foot rods equipped with Shimano spin casters. The rods are spooled with a 15-pound green monofilament. We tie off a two-ounce diamond jig tipped with a treble hook and head off in pursuit of a monster bass. Turning east away from the fleet, the fish finder lights up like a Christmas tree.
The monitor glows with solid blocks of red and yellow signifying massive amounts of fish. The first few tosses yield some of the smaller versions of the bass species known as “schoolies.” They prove to be a feisty fight but not quite the slobs that make for the best catches of the day.
Eye on the Prize
After a few more rounds of playing catch and release with the babies, it’s time to hook into the big boys. Another repositioning puts in a solid block of mossbunker, the type of baitfish the monster bass just adore. We snag a couple, hook them to our lines, and they’re soon back in the water with the aim of seducing something worthwhile.
After a mere three minutes, Mahler’s reel begins to sing and with the line peeling off, the real fight begins. The Bellmore captain proves equal to the task, and a short while later he’s gaffing a 35-inch, 25-pound bass behemoth. With the trophy fish safely tucked away in the fish box, it’s now my turn. Consistent with the perfect day comes the prize. It’s a 31-inch striped bass that’s so fat it appears he may have eaten Manhattan.
The day continues to be perfect for bass fishing, but the best part by far is that we are nowhere near any traffic jam.
Story and Photos by Rob Caluori, Southern Boating June 2018
