It was midnight aboard the 92-foot party boat Royal Star when the captain’s voice crackled good news over the PA. He had detected a school of bluefins swimming about 200 to 250 feet under the boat.

While most anglers had sacked out in the bunk room, two brothers—Ron and Steve Ballanti—remained on deck with a handful of other anglers and crew. As the diesels throttled down, the duo grabbed their rods and quickly dropped flat-fall jigs to intercept the fish.

“My jig stopped sinking about 200 feet below the surface,” Ron says. “I felt a tick in the line, as if it had hit the bottom.” But it was not the bottom. The tick was the jig hitting the back of the throat of a 60-pound bluefin. “I wound down, set the hook and got solid on the fish.”

Bluefins are brutally strong, but Ballanti applied heavy pressure. After about 15 minutes, the fish was close enough to flash color, illuminated by the glow of Royal Star’s floodlights. Moments later, crewmembers gaffed the tuna and it hit the deck.

Both Ballanti brothers went back to work, each landing two chunky Pacific bluefins and filling their daily bag limits within 40 minutes of the new day before any other anglers even woke up.

Night Fishing for Tuna

Over the past six years, bluefin tuna fishing has exploded off the coast of Southern California. Anglers fishing from private and party boats have landed fish weighing more than 300 pounds. With a steady supply of forage, including massive schools of pelagic red crabs, anchovies and squid, and influxes of less-mature school tuna in the 40- to 80-pound range every season, there’s every indication that the bluefin numbers will remain strong as long as the food holds.

A number of effective techniques have emerged for targeting SoCal bluefins, including run-and-gun fishing when tuna feed at the surface, slow-trolling with live baits, and kite-fishing with rigged flying fish. Yet for anglers willing to sacrifice some sleep, jigging at night can be the most effective method of all.

Party Boat Fishing for Bluefin Tuna

Finding the right area to fish for bluefins represents the first step to success. Party boats such as the San Diego-based Royal Star and others have a leg up on private boaters in this particular regard.

Members of the tight-knit party-boat community constantly share information. This allows them to focus on the last-known coordinates of nomadic schools of bluefins, and then, if necessary, expand the search. Many times, the fish are found relating to undersea ridges and seamounts, such as Desperation Reef south of the lower end of San Clemente Island or the 43-fathom spot to the southeast of the island.

Ocean-satellite-imaging websites, like tempbreak.com, and on-water satellite services such as SiriusXM Fish Mapping can offer more clues, particularly sea-surface temperature and chlorophyll breaks. Bluefins often hunt along these edges for schools of anchovies, squid and other forage. When the chlorophyll and temp fronts align, fishing can turn spectacular, both day and night.

Bluefin Tuna Movement at Night

The quest to find bluefin tuna at night often starts where they were discovered when the sun was up. It’s not unusual for bluefins to be frustratingly hard to catch during daylight hours. Some blame boat traffic. Others point to the predominant forage, such as tiny anchovies. Tuna might be spotted whipping the surface to a froth as they feed on the minuscule morsels. But once bluefins fixate on these, matching the hatch and coaxing a bite turn difficult.

At night, however, bluefins tend to retreat to the depths, some believe to intercept schools of squid and other forage rising from the abyss each night with the marine biomass known as the deep scattering layer. It is at this time when bluefins become especially susceptible to deep jigging.

Locating Tuna in Deep Water

There’s no magic bullet to locating deep-dwelling schools of bluefin tuna. It takes turns on the props and sometimes hours of scanning the depths with a fish finder. But there is a prime depth zone in which to search, says San Diego-based angler Capt. Barry Brightenburg.

“Thirty to 60 fathoms (180 to 360 feet) is the prime zone at night,” Brightenburg says. “Tuna found above 50 fathoms tend to bite better than those found below that depth.”

If you mark just a few fish, say from four to 10 tuna, they are usually big ones—of 150 pounds or more—that travel in wolf packs, Brightenburg says. “Those can be tough to stay on top of, so you really want to see a lot of fish on the screen. They might be smaller, but they will be more eager and easier to catch.”

Jig Fishing for Bluefin Tuna

Anglers need to drop their jigs as soon as possible once tuna are located. The jig of choice for nighttime bluefins was first popularized by Shimano with its Butterfly Flat-Fall series, but the success of these lures has spawned a host of imitators.

Shimano’s Flat-Fall jigs, ranging from 130 to 300 grams, prove the most popular in shades such as Super Glow, Purple Silver and Blue Sardine. In a mild drift, lighter weights work, but as the drift speed increases, so does the need for heavy jigs.

The fluttering action as the lure descends is often what triggers a strike, and the theory is that it mimics a squid darting downward. “Seventy to 80 percent of the bites come during the sink,” Brightenburg says.

Working the lure up and down once it is in the strike zone also can be effective. “I like to wind up with 10 to 15 turns of the reel handle and let it drop again,” Ron Ballanti says. “But it is usually when I drop back down that it gets bit.”

Fishing the Best Depth for Tuna

Knowing the approximate depth of the jig is critical to success with this technique. To ensure that it’s not too far above or below the fish, Ballanti marks his white 80-pound braided line with a black Sharpie marker at 100 feet, and then at 50-foot intervals after that.

“If the fish are showing on the fish finder at 200 feet, I’ll drop down about 250 feet of line before I start working the lure back upward,” he explains.

Brightenburg also uses 80-pound line, but prefers a multicolored braid such as PowerPro Depth Hunter, which changes color every 25 feet. “If I want to let out 250 feet of line, it’s simple, counting 10 colors,” he explains.

Dead Sticking for Bluefin Tuna

When preceded by a long day of hard fishing, spending the night trying to catch fish might not appeal to all anglers. “Some people think night is for sleeping,” Brightenburg jokes.

“When we overnight offshore, I put out a couple of sticks in the rod holders, drop jigs to the approximate strike zone, and let them bounce with the wave action,” he says.

“This kind of fishing is not feasible on a party boat, but on a private boat we hook a fair number of bluefins using dead sticks,” Brightenburg reveals. He suggests loosening the drag a little and keeping the clicker on to alert everyone to a strike.

Bluefin Tuna Feeding Frenzy

Curiously, hooking one bluefin tuna at night frequently leads to many more. “The more people hook fish, the better the fishing gets,” Brightenburg says.

He theorizes that a hooked fish activates others through its panicky vibrations and by spitting up food as it fights in the deep, which chums other bluefins into a feeding frenzy.

During these times, the school might also ascend in the water column. “Make sure you’re paying attention to the captain or the fish finder,” Ballanti says, “so that you’re keeping the jig in the strike zone all of the time, especially if the school of tuna is coming up closer.”

Pacific bluefin tuna ranks as one of the most skittish of all pelagic gamefish during daylight hours, but that changes considerably after dark. If you want the best chance of success, just head to the dark side and get ready to work the night shift.

Flat-Fall Jigging for Bluefin Tuna

Most flat-fall jigs come standard with two assist hooks at the bottom, but SoCal bluefin anglers often transfer the assist hooks to the top and add a single hook, such as a 9/0 Owner Offshore or Mustad 7691, to the bottom of the jig with a heavy-duty split ring. This adds a hook, and also provides some insurance in case a big bluefin tuna chews through the cords (used to attach the assist hooks) during a prolonged fight. To further prevent biteoffs, anglers use 150- to 200-pound fluorocarbon leaders ranging between 4 and 5 feet in length, crimped (with chafe protection) to the jig and a heavy-duty swivel at the top of the leader. The main line (80-pound-test braid) is tied to the swivel with a knot such as the San Diego jam.

SWS Planner: Bluefin Tuna from 40 to 300 Pounds

• Where: Offshore banks and ridges along the coasts of Ventura, Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties
• When: At night, from May to November
• Who: Anglers with boats of 25 feet and up. Looking for a charter? Here are three choices:
  • Lucky B. Sportfishing (private charter), 760-445-4834, luckybsportfishing.com
  • Royal Star Sportfishing (party boat), 619-224-4764, royalstar.net
  • Pacific Dawn Sportfishing (party boat), 619-269-2186, pacificdawn.com

SWS Tackle Box

• Rods: 7-foot heavy-action jig rods rated for 40- to 60-pound-test
• Reels: Medium-size, two-speed lever-drag reels such as an Okuma Makaira MK 20II or a Shimano Talica TAC20II
• Line: 80-pound braid, white or multicolored
• Terminal Rigs: 4 to 5 feet of 150- to 200-pound fluorocarbon leader
• Lures: Jigs such as the Shimano Butterfly Flat- Fall in 130- to 300-gram models in colors including Super Glow, Purple Silver and Blue Sardine

The post Southern California Bluefin Tuna Fishing at Night appeared first on Salt Water Sportsman.

Anglers in South Florida are blessed to count wahoo among their potential targets year-round. But veteran offshore captains who pursue the striped torpedoes specifically know there are peak periods when the action goes from decent to superb. One such pro, Capt. Chris Lemieux, says fishing before and after the full moons in July and August produces the most memorable catches.

“Generally, it’s the best time for bigger fish,” says Lemieux, who runs charters out of Boynton Beach, Florida. “We catch a lot of wahoo during the winter and spring, but mostly smaller ones in the 12- to 25-pound range. During the summer, our average fish are definitely a lot bigger. That’s when we catch those 30-, 40-, 50-, 60-pounders, even the occasional 80- to 100-pounder. It’s definitely a great time of year.”

Some anglers swear the best wahoo bite is three days before the full moon. Others insist they catch the most and biggest wahoo following the full moon. Lemieux says it varies.

Proper Timing

“I’ve had some cases where the week before the moon is on fire, and I’ve had some where the week before stunk but the week after is on fire. You’ve just got to go,” Lemieux explains. “It’ll be slow before the full moon, then two or three days coming off the moon you’re suddenly getting chewed up.”

There is no scientific reason for the summer full-moon bite, but it happens every year. “If you’re serious about catching wahoo that time of year, you’ve just got to put your time in three or four days before and three or four days after.”

Bait Is Key

Little tunny (commonly called bonito) are plentiful during the summer, and big wahoo feast on them. For that reason, Capt. Stan Hunt fishes where bait is plentiful. “There might not be a wahoo there at that moment, but stay with the bait,” he urges. 

Some anglers slow-troll live bonito weighing 3 to 15 pounds. But Hunt, Lemieux and other top wahoo captains favor a Sea Witch with a bonito strip or something bigger, such as ballyhoo or swimming mullet. Hunt removes most of the meat from a bonito fillet, then carves tapered 8-inch strips that come alive when he trolls them. The Sea Witch-bonito-strip combos, which he fishes on the surface and 40 to 50 feet down off planers, also catch sailfish, dolphin, tuna, kingfish and more bonito, which become tomorrow’s baits.

“A Sea Witch-strip combo has caught them for years, and it’s going to keep catching them for years to come,” says Lemieux, who fishes that combo on his short planer line. The long line, which might employ a planer or a 24- to 32-ounce trolling sinker to get the bait down, will have a ballyhoo with a Sea Witch or a plain swimming mullet.

He counts to 20—one-one thousand, two-one thousand—when deploying the short line, which will have a No. 6 planer digging close to his transom. The long line gets a count of 35 or 40, but everything is subject to change.

“There are some days when I’ll mark fish deeper and I’ll dump the bait back 50 feet. Sometimes it’s the opposite, and I keep everything short because I’m getting bites higher in the water column,” Lemieux says. “If there’s a strong north tide, the fish hang a little deeper to try to stay out of the current, so I’ll drop baits back a little farther on my planers to get them down a
little deeper.”

He also fishes a flat line 100 yards behind his boat, which produces a lot of bites because there’s no turbulence or noise from his boat’s twin outboards, and a short flat line. “If I’m not getting bites and I know there are fish in the area, I’ll put them out farther, bring them in closer, just try to change things and make something happen.”

Tides and Depth 

Fishing depths vary, and Hunt says the tide plays a role in his decision-making because it determines where the bait will gather. On the last day of an incoming tide, bait will be close to an inlet. During a low tide, Hunt fishes around wrecks and other baitfish attractors in 200 to 400 feet.

Hunt famously caught a 74.2-pound wahoo trolling in just 95 feet off Pompano Beach to win a South Florida tournament and the nearly $100,000 payoff. With a high tide at 7 a.m. when the tourney started, he knew wahoo would be shallow, feeding on bonito. “In the summertime, your big wahoo are nailing bonito and little tuna, and we saw a lot of bonito chasing flying fish and ballyhoo in 60 to 100 feet.”

Lemieux follows a similar doctrine. He trolls as shallow as 80 feet on out to 400 feet, depending on the water quality and where the bait is. “If the water looks like pea soup in 300 feet, I keep going until I find blue water. Sometimes it’s out in 400 or 500 feet. It’s all situational and always changes. I’ll zigzag in and out, looking for nice water and current.”

Battle Plan

When he hooks a wahoo, Lemieux maintains his speed. “Don’t ever stop the boat,” he says. “It’s the absolute worst thing, and I see people do it all the time. They slow the boat way down or even stop. You’ve just got to keep the boat going.

“If it’s a really big wahoo and it pulls really hard, just back off the drag some and let the fish run and tire itself out. Keep the boat going at a good clip and, once the fish slows down, bump the drag back up and start reeling.” When a fish hits the short planer line, Lemieux leaves the other three lines in the water. But if the wahoo is on the long planer line, he reels in the short planer to avoid tangles. 

Gearing Up

During the week of a full moon in the summer, Lemieux trolls two planers and two flat lines for wahoo. He uses Avet 30 reels spooled with 80-pound line attached straight to each planer, and runs 80 to 100 feet of 60-pound fluorocarbon from the rear of the planer  to the bait.

“For the most part, I fish straight 60-pound fluoro all the way to the hook,” Lemieux says, adding that you can simply tie a uni, improved clinch or fisherman’s knot to a long-shank 9/0 or 10/0 hook. “You’ll get cut off every once in a while, but you’ll definitely get way more bites.”

Daiwa Saltiga 50 reels with 25- or 30-pound monofilament are his choice for the flat lines. He ties a Bimini twist or spider hitch, and attaches a 30-foot top shot of 40-pound fluorocarbon with 18 to 24 inches of titanium wire. “You get bit off a lot more on the flat lines because they’re not as tight as the planer lines,” Lemieux claims.

Hunt uses 2 feet of 30-pound titanium leader because “it’s smaller in diameter, so fish don’t see it as much, and it doesn’t shine like stainless-steel wire.” He places a single hook well back in the bonito strip or ballyhoo because it enables baits to swim better. And before he deploys a bait, Hunt puts it in the water close to the boat to make sure it swims properly and doesn’t spin. 

Hunt uses some flashy Mylar to make his own Sea Witches, which he then pairs with bonito strips or whole ballyhoo. His favorite color scheme is blue-and-white. On overcast days, however, he often opts for purple-and-black and straight black. Lemieux prefers Sea Witches in pink-and-white, blue-and-white, black-and-red and straight blue, all with a little Mylar.

He starts fishing with a pink-and-white on the long planer and a blue-and-white or solid white on the short planer. “If you keep getting more bites on one particular Sea Witch color scheme, just switch all to that one to increase your chances.” 

Basic Wahoo Trolling Spread

A spread of just four lines is effective for wahoo, given the baits are properly presented at staggered depths and distances from the transom. Flat lines, one short and one long, deployed from rods on opposite gunwales cover the top of the water. A pair of planers, inexpensive but highly effective alternatives to downriggers, pull the other two baits down 30, 40 feet or more. If the deeper baits trigger more strikes, consider adding trolling weights to one or both flat lines to increase your chances.

Trolling Must-Haves

• Pink-White Sea Witch – Capt. Lemieux’s fave
• No. 6 Planer – Perfect size for wahoo
• Purple-Black Sea Witch – Preferred by Capt. Hunt
• Titanium Wire – Thinner and less visible than stainless wire

The post Targeting Wahoo Under a Summertime Full Moon appeared first on Salt Water Sportsman.

Capt. Marco DeStefano flipped his landing net upside down and spilled a 6-pound summer flounder onto the deck with a solid thud. Sliding smoothly across the stern, he immediately slipped the net under a second solid keeper and lifted it aboard. As anglers Bernie Reynolds and Mike Owens exchanged high-fives before quickly unhooking their catches and returning their rigs to the bottom, I realized I had witnessed this scene before.

Only last summer, the pair had put me to shame when it came to hauling big fluke from the hallowed doormat waters south of New York’s Montauk Point. In the words of the great Yogi Berra, it was “deja vu all over again,” leading to the kind of day that makes you glad you agreed to pool fillets.

Although neither would ever tell you so, Reynolds, 68, a retired Xerox field technician, and Owens, 74, a retired school administrator, are bona fide fluke experts. DeStefano (montauk-charters​.com), 38, is an experienced skipper who knows how to put his customers on the fish. All three excel at deepwater, light-tackle fluke fishing. 

“It’s hard to beat Montauk for big fluke because it has so many factors in its favor,” DeStefano says. “There’s plenty of hard bottom and structure here, which is what the biggest fluke have favored in recent years. There’s deep, cool water within a half-hour of port, and plenty of doormat bait, like squid, spearing, sand eels and bunker. A lot of guys can haul a limit here with some impressive flatties mixed in, but Bernie and Mike are among the best. A big part of their success comes from fishing as light as possible given the conditions, which makes for a ton of fun on my boat, since that’s how I most enjoy fluking too.”

Light indeed. While most serious Montauk fluke fans drag baits and bucktails on conventional gear with 20- to 40-pound-test line and 6- to 8-ounce sinkers, this trio targets flatties with light spinning or low-profile conventional gear, braided lines in the 10- to 20-pound class, and 2- to 4-ounce -bucktails or weights. 

“Really, the point of using lighter line for fluke is that the thinner the diameter, the less resistance it has in the water,” Owens says. “That equates to less weight needed to get your bait to the bottom, the ability to make your jig dance more enticingly, and greater sensitivity when it comes to detecting any strikes.” 

DeStefano likes that logic, noting that it’s important to not only get down to the bottom, but also keep your line as vertical as possible. The best way to accomplish that, he reasons, is to use braided lines, eliminate snaps and swivels from rigs, and select jigs and baits that are as streamlined as possible.

While the three fish similarly at first glance, their gear is slightly different, and each has his own techniques. Owens’ favorite outfit for this specialized fishing is a Van Staal PS50 -spinning reel spooled with 10- or 12-pound-test Spiderwire Ultracast Invisi-Braid line with an 18- to 24-inch fluorocarbon leader that provides protection from the rough bottom. He matches this setup with a Black Hole Challenger Bank Series rod that he built using a 701L blank. “It’s super-responsive, the perfect length, and just right for me,” he says. “I also use it in depths greater than 40 feet for fluke and blackfish.”

Reynolds favors a Penn 2500 spinning reel with 10-pound-test braid matched to a 7-foot Seeker Inshore Series Graphite Composite rod (BCSW705-7) designed to handle 3/8- to 3/4-ounce lures. If he needs to go heavier than a 5-ounce sinker, he’ll switch to a slightly sturdier conventional stick with a Shimano Calcutta 400 reel and 15-pound-test braid.

DeStefano, by comparison, swings back and forth between a 7-foot-6-inch off-the-rack, medium-light St. Croix Mojo (JIC70HF) and a 7-foot-6-inch custom rod built on a Rod Geeks blank by Nick Meola of Chunkz Customs Inc. (chunkzcustoms.com). Both are paired with 200 or 300 series low-profile reels.

“I like the St. Croix when I need a little more backbone,” DeStefano explains. “I love it for diamond-jigging bass and pulling on blackfish, sea bass and porgies. It’s a good choice if I want to drag bait instead of jigs or Gulp! [lures] because it can handle the extra weight. My Chunkz rod is my absolute go-to when the current is light. Using a low-profile reel with either of these options lets me hold the rod and reel in the same hand for increased sensitivity.”

For line, the crafty skipper goes a little heavier than Reynolds or Owens, opting for 12- to 20-pound-test braid because he deals with Montauk’s brutal bottom on a daily basis. For the same reason, he’ll lead with a 3-foot length of 40-pound-test, abrasion-resistant Ande blue mono leader that makes it easy to swing short fish over the gunwale.

To be sure, light-tackle fluking can be limited by factors such as wind, strong currents and additional depth. “Bring a heavier outfit along whenever you plan to go the light-tackle route for big fluke,” Reynolds says. “If you need more than 5 ounces to hold bottom, it’s time to break out traditional deepwater gear.”

As for working baits and lures, these sharpies like to keep their offerings moving constantly, mostly with short, sharp twitches—but the rate varies faster or slower based on the aggressiveness of the fish. “When the current is soft, I like to feel my jig hit the bottom and then just jig it in place, twitching the line but not lifting the jig,” Owens explains. Another point to keep in mind, Reynolds says, is to track what others are doing to see what’s working best. When fishing with friends, for example, everyone can try a different type or color of bait.

“I don’t know how many times I’ve watched guys stick with their tried-and-true presentations right to the end, when a simple change could have made a big difference in their score,” he says. “It doesn’t have to be a big change; a different color grub, faster jig twitch, or a switch to spearing instead of fluke belly might be all that it takes.”

After watching Owens, Reynolds and DeStefano once again rack up several solid fluke on that last trip, I finally broke down and agreed to try one of the captain’s rods for the last hour of our excursion. I iced a pair of healthy keepers shortly before day’s end, just in time to save face.

“Note to self, Tom,” smiled Reynolds on the ride home, “bring along that light stick next time we get out.” 

Switch Hands, Lose Fish

If you’re lucky enough to hook into a deepwater doormat with light tackle, don’t panic. A lot of big fluke are lost right after the hook-set, when anglers transition the rod from one hand to the other so they can start reeling. “As they switch hands,” DeStefano says, “they often drop the rod tip slightly, momentarily creating slack in the line that allows the hook to drop out. It happens a lot with fluke because you are in deep water. These fish have big mouths, and they shake their heads violently after they feel the hook point dig in. To lessen the chances of loose transitions, I’ve trained myself to reel left-handed when fluke fishing. That way, I can jig my bait, set the hook and start cranking without ever changing hands.”

A Simple Setup

The gear you use for shallow, inshore waters also works great for deepwater fluke.

• Berkley Gulp! Saltwater Grub: Its fluttering action draws strikes. Great scent and texture make fluke hold on longer.
• Quantum Accurist: This lightweight reel’s Flippin’ Switch thumb bar lets you release and engage the spool one-handed.
• Tsunami Ball Jig: The round head snags less and sinks quickly. Tip the hook with squid or spearing in lighter current.

The post Deepwater, Light-Tackle Fluke Fishing off Montauk appeared first on Salt Water Sportsman.

As my friend Driscoll edged the bow of his 32-foot Fortunate Son up to a high-flyer pot buoy, splashes of green and gold flashed around the underwater line keeping the floating marker in place.

“Dude, there’s mahi littering this pot,” I said over my shoulder. Seconds after flipping a 1/2-ounce white bucktail, 2- to 4-pound chicken mahi were frantically swiping at the undulating lure. Then a large, blue shadow came creeping from below. “Holy smokes! It’s a huge bull,” I yelled while cranking in my lure at record speed. With a flick of the wrist, I dropped the bucktail smack in front of the looming shadow. A quick pass was followed by a turn, then a swipe and a solid take. “Bull on!” I announced, marking the start of a wild air show that ended with a 25-pound dolphin on deck.

Floating Structure

Off New Jersey shores, commercial fishermen drop lobster traps and sea bass cages affixed to submarine ropes tied to high-flyer marker buoys on the surface, each with a flag waving from a 6-foot-tall PVC mast. The pot lines, which can extend from a couple of hundred yards to a few miles, are a welcome oasis in an otherwise barren plain, with the buoys offering prime opportunities to tangle with mahi, as well as wahoo, bar jacks, almaco jacks, triggerfish and other species.

Watch the Water

“Whenever we’re out tuna fishing, we always stop on the pots to see who’s home,” states Capt. Freddy Gamboa of Andrea’s Toy. “Pots can be anywhere from 3 miles off the coast to the canyon 80 miles out. Generally, chicken mahi are closer inshore, and we find more 20- to 30-pound bulls the farther offshore we go.”

When deciding to hit the pots, Gamboa’s tactical plan revolves around water quality. “First, I check the chlorophyll charts to find the clean water. You want it crystal-clear. Water that holds major schools of mahi needs to be that deep-blue, almost-purple shade. After heavy rains, the water inshore near the Mud Hole—from about 8 to 15 miles—will get dirty from the Hudson River outflow. That’s not conducive to holding mahi schools, so we have to head out farther to find clean water.” Capt. Christian Palmisano of Knee Deep concurs with Gamboa regarding water quality, but also keys in on water temps. “Late July, August and early September, when waters hang in that 75- to 82-degree range, are prime time for mahi on the pot lines,” he says.

Pick Your Pots

When it comes to choosing the right pots to fish, the dirtier their ropes, the better. “You want the ones with lots of algae, barnacles and other marine growth on the tether lines,” Palmisano says. “I’ll creep up on a pot and peer under the surface, following the rope down some 50 feet. If it looks brand-new, it probably won’t hold much, so I hop over to the next pot.”

Pots are rarely solitary; they’re usually set in bunches, making it easier to maximize opportunity. “One pot could hold 50 fish and the next few nothing, so I search for long lines of 10 pots or more. Then it’s easier to hop from one to another to find congregations of fish,” Palmisano explains. “Many times, the beginning or end of a pot line will hold the most fish, as there is usually a big, orange poly ball connected to the high-flyer buoy, which creates even more structure.”

Palmisano relies on visual cues, and he will even dive on the pots, gaining valuable insight on the behavior of mahi relating to the pot lines. “Those high-flyer markers attached to big, orange poly balls usually have 30 feet of line connecting them, and the schools will move back and forth from one to the other. If you spook them, they generally come back to the original high-flyer buoy or poly ball where they were hanging,” adds Palmisano, who also notes that other species, like triggerfish, almaco jacks, blue runners, bar jacks and wahoo also gravitate toward the pots.

Pot Shots

Set a proper drift and use stealth when approaching pot lines to avoid spooking fish. Gamboa’s game plan includes three tactics to entice dolphin from the pots. “I’ll have the first angler toss out a 3/0 Octopus hook baited with a 1-inch chunk of sardine, live peanut bunker or 4-inch squid strip. A second guy will fan-cast a popper around the pot, causing a commotion to get fish to come investigate. Even if the popper doesn’t draw strikes, it will bring the fish closer to our boat, where you can see them. That’s when we set up to drift and bring the party to us,” he says.

“Many people pull up to a pot, don’t see any mahi under the waterline and will then leave. That’s a big mistake, as the fish could be hanging 50 feet down,” Gamboa continues. When that’s the case, he likes to drop 1- to 3-ounce metal jigs, snapping them all the way to the surface to draw the fish upward. “Even if you only bring one up, you know there are more down there. So, repeat the jigging process until you finally pull the school to the top of the water column.”

Palmisano’s strategy starts by setting up to drift past the buoy at a safe distance of about 20 yards. “Before I make the first cast, I toss five or six live peanut bunker toward the buoy to rile up any fish and draw them up from the depths,” he explains. “Then I send out 1-inch chunks of cut butterfish, sardines or squid on 2/0 to 3/0 octopus hooks with 20-pound fluorocarbon leader. Usually, I’ll position four guys on the bow, two tossing the baits and two working green, pink or silver Joe Baggs 1/2- to 1-ounce epoxy jigs or 1/2-ounce bucktails tipped with squid heads.”

Bonus Pot Luck

“Amazingly, we also find wahoo holding on the pot lines. ’Hoos stay up high in the water column and won’t go deeper than 50 feet,” Gamboa says. “If they’re around, wahoo are the first species to hit when we drop jigs, and they usually cut the line. When that happens, we scale up to 60-pound fluorocarbon to land some fish.”

Next time you fish offshore off Jersey in the summer, don’t pass up the high-flyer pot buoys. Be prepared with an arsenal you can quickly deploy, and make a few passes along a pot line to boost your chances. Pot-shotting mahi and other pelagics can turn a good day into a great one fast.

Read Next: All About Dolphin

SWS Planner: Pot-Line Dolphin

• What: Dolphin, wahoo and more
• When: July through September
• Where: High-flyer pot buoys off the New Jersey coast
• Who: These two captains are experts at the pot-hopping game:
  • Capt. Freddy Gamboa, andreastoycharters.com, 732-672-1561
  • Capt. Christian Palmisano; Brielle, New Jersey, Knee Deep, 973-954-1216

SWS Tackle Box

• Reels: Shimano Stradic spinning reels, 4000 series for small fish up to 15 miles out, 6000 series for 20- to 30-pounders farther offshore
• Rods: 7-foot moderate to fast action, medium-power spinning rods rated for 10- to 30-pound line
• Line: 20- to 30-pound braid; 20- to 40-pound fluorocarbon leader; use 60-pound if wahoo are around
• Hooks: Gamakatsu 2/0 to 3/0 Octopus hooks for bait, or equivalent
• Lures: Joe Baggs resin jigs in 1/2- to 1-ounce; Savage Gear Panic Poppers in sardine or green mackerel schemes; Stillwater Smack-It poppers; 5.75-inch Fin-S Fish in Bubblegum Ice color (rigged on 1/2- to 1-ounce jig heads); 1- to 3-ounce Mustad Daggerman jigs; 100- to 150-gram Shimano Benthos jigs; and white or pink 1/2- to 1-ounce bucktails

Light-Tackle Mahi Lures

• Epoxy Jigs: Long casting lures like a Joe Baggs Resin Jig help you reach distant fish without spooking them with your boat.
• Fin-S Fish: Soft-plastics fished on lightweight jig heads fall slowly and stay in the strike zone longer.
• Mustad Daggerman: These 1- to 3-ounce vertical jigs are useful for prospecting in deeper water below buoys and lines.
• Panic Popper: The frantic topwater splashing action on this great bait from Savage Gear draws heart-stopping strikes.
• SPRO Bucktail: Low-cost, versatile and easily sweetened with bait, it’s hard to beat this old standby.

The post Pot-Hopping for Mahi appeared first on Salt Water Sportsman.

Conventional marine autopilots offer amazing angling benefits, including the ability to automatically steer boats with precision toward fishing destinations and even run complex trolling patterns at the push of a button, freeing the helmsman of the tedious task of manning the wheel over long periods of time.

But today a new breed of autopilots is adding even more angling benefits, thanks to integration with electronic marine engine throttle-and-shift controls and steering, GPS, chart plotters and heading sensors.

At least five systems are taking autopilot technology to new levels. Leading companies include Mercury, Suzuki (in conjunction with Furuno), Volvo Penta and Yamaha. The functions of these integrated systems reach beyond automatic steering; they can also fine-tune boat speed, keep a boat in position, maintain a heading while drifting, and more. Most—but not all—are part and parcel of low-speed joystick steering systems.

Digital Development

Facilitating these new autopilot features is the advent of digital throttle and shift, sometimes known as drive-by-wire controls, for marine engines. For example, any new outboards no longer rely on mechanical cables to connect the helm controls to the engine. Instead, digital throttle-and-shift commands are delivered through wires to the engine via computer modules. An autopilot system integrated with digital throttle and shift opens up a world of new features.

Smooth Touch

Among the many new benefits to emerge is automatic slowing of the boat’s speed during turns as the boat follows a programmed chart-plotter route to a fishing spot. On the new FishHunter Drive autopilot system, which integrates Furuno NavPilot 300 (updated with the latest software) with Suzuki’s SPC 2.0 controls on 2022 engines ranging from 115 to 350 hp, this feature is known as Route Smoothing. It works with single or multiple Suzuki outboards.

“On turns of more than 30 degrees on a chart-plotter route of waypoints, the FishHunter Drive will gradually slow boat speed as it approaches the turn,” says Eric Kunz, senior product manager for Furuno USA. This helps ensure the safety of the crew, who might otherwise be jostled about during sudden hard turns at speed.

The FishHunter Drive will perform this function on any kind of route plugged into a networked chart plotter, such as Garmin’s Auto Guidance function, which automatically calculates the safest route around land masses, shallows and other hazards based on chart data and the selected waypoint.

Stop and Fish

New-age autopilot systems will—in a literal sense—deliver your boat to a fishing spot, not only steering a course to a selected waypoint, but also slowing and stopping the boat when it arrives. 

Take, for example, Yamaha Marine’s Helm Master EX. By using the Track Point feature with the Waypoint Arrival function, the boat will cruise on a course toward a programmed waypoint. As the boat approaches your spot, it will slow gradually at the distance you choose, and then enter whichever SetPoint function you select (StayPoint, FishPoint or DriftPoint) at the final waypoint. It works with single or multiple Yamaha outboards.

“This will give you and your crew an opportunity to get tackle ready and decide how to fish the spot based on the sea conditions,” says David Meeler, manager of new product introductions for Yamaha Marine. 

Read Next: Fishing With Autopilot

The FishHunter Drive can also slow the boat as it approaches and stop the boat when it arrives. “The boat will automatically slow down and enable Point Lock to stop and hold the vessel over your favorite fishing spot or destination,” Kunz explains. 

Virtual Anchors

Think of a virtual anchor as a form of autopilot, but instead of taking your boat to a destination, it keeps your boat at the destination. Guided by GPS and other sensors, it generally requires multiple, independently steered engines.

The concept was first introduced about seven years ago by Mercury Marine with the Skyhook system in its Joystick Piloting system. Since then, it’s been augmented with additional features. Volvo Penta and Yamaha introduced similar functionality. 

“Skyhook was a game-changer,” says Rob Hackbarth, director of controls and rigging for Mercury. Skyhook functions are available for boats with multiple Mercury outboards, MerCruiser sterndrives or Zeus diesel pod drives.

One of the most useful features for boating anglers is BowHook, which maintains the boat’s position—over a wreck, for instance—but allows the boat to take a natural heading. If you need to adjust the heading, you can do so with a twist of the joystick control.

“You can use the original Skyhook feature, which maintains both position and heading, but it can also require a great deal more steering, throttle and shift,” Hackbarth says. BowHook serves as a gentler means of holding position.

Suzuki’s Point Lock and Yamaha’s FishPoint systems are similar. FishPoint offers the additional benefit of choosing whether you want to put the boat’s bow or stern directly over the spot. This helps anglers accommodate different fishing styles, currents and wind conditions. 

Drift Control

For anglers who like to drift-fish, functions such as the Mercury DriftHook, Suzuki/Furuno Sabiki Lock and Yamaha DriftPoint can provide big advantages. All are designed to maintain a boat’s heading (as chosen by the skipper) while allowing for a natural drift with wind and current. 

All are great for kite-fishing or effectively working a wreck. Yamaha enhances its DriftPoint feature with DriftPoint Track, which guides the boat to drift along a route programmed into a networked chart plotter. This is particularly handy when trying to follow a depth contour for species such as flounder or halibut.

“When you want to repeat the drift, simply choose the waypoint at the top of your drift route and select Track Point,” Meeler explains. “Helm Master EX will use its autopilot to take you back to the beginning of your drift to start over again, entering Waypoint Arrival before it gets there.” 

New Electronics

Ocean Signal’s SafeSea EPIRB1 Pro is the world’s most compact emergency position-indicating radio beacon, offering a 30 percent smaller footprint than other EPIRBs. The floating beacon has a 10-year battery life and easy operating controls that help prevent accidental activation. It is fitted with an LED strobe light and comes with a Category I automatic release housing that deploys the EPIRB if immersed in water. $589.95; acrartex.com

Garmin’s Boat Switch digital-switching system allows operating up to 20 circuits from a Garmin GPSMap or EchoMap chart plotter. It offers four different switch types: on/off, press-and-hold dimmers for cabin lights, and momentary outputs for horns and timers to circulate your livewell pumps. A built-in tank sender can monitor fuel, water and graywater. You add and name functions on the chart plotter. $999.99; garmin.com

Dometic’s SeaStar standard trim tabs have an intelligent actuator system and intuitive dial. Turn the dial in the direction you want to level the boat. There’s also single-press manual Bow Up and Bow Down inputs and a Favorite button to save a desired tab position. LEDs indicate port and starboard tab positions. Actuators feature planetary gearboxes, high-torque DC motors and ball-screw mechanisms. Starting at $1,115; dometic.com

The post Integrated Autopilot Systems Offer Amazing Fishing Features appeared first on Salt Water Sportsman.

The adjustment was dead-on. Soon we had a shoal of fat yellowtails in our chum slick off the lower Keys, but they totally ignored every offering free-lined on 15-pound fluorocarbon leader. Dropping to 12-pound fooled a few, but with 10-pound we had a fish on every bait. The proverbial light switch had flipped.

Compared to lightly pressured destinations like the outer Bahamas, where one can bail yellowtails all day on 20-pound leader, scaling down terminal tackle is a prerequisite for success at more accessible, harder-fished locations. For yellowtails in the Florida Keys, a 20-pound leader is about as noticeable as an anchor rode.

Scaling leaders and hooks way down beyond one’s comfort zone generates bites. However, the tactic isn’t without some consequences.

Pay the Piper 

Quality ’tails can chafe through 12-pound leaders, and certainly 10-pound. Such light leaders also limit the amount of heat one can apply to a fish during the fight. The sizable ones will sometimes bulldog their way back to the bottom, fraying off the line or becoming a meal for a grouper, amberjack or shark. This is reel-them-in-as-fast-as-possible fishing.

Using inline circle hooks—in this case, no larger than 1/0—greatly diminishes these disadvantages, even eliminating them altogether. That’s because the hook eye and leader remain outside the fish’s jaw. The tiny J hooks used extensively for yellowtails commonly get swallowed, subjecting leaders to seesawing across the fish’s teeth. 

Range of Species

Scaling down terminal tackle works for more than just snapper. The tactic is key to catching bottomfish, coastal favorites, and even offshore pelagics, especially in areas under pressure from other anglers. That puts the tactic under constant evolution.

Dolphin fishing off heavily populated South Florida is a good example. Whereas 100-pound leaders for trolling (billfish are possible) and 60-pound leaders for pitch-baiting are still common, those dialed in consistently catch big dolphin using 50- to 60-pound trolling leaders and 30- to 40-pound leaders for pitching baits. For live-baiting sailfish, 50-pound leaders are typical, yet 40-pound is now standard among the pros, who will even use 30-pound for pitch-bait outfits, especially during a tough bite. When chunking or live-baiting for blackfin, yellowfin and small bluefin tuna, dropping to 30-pound leaders often leads to success.

The same applies for striped bass, snook, tarpon, redfish, tripletail and other inshore species. If you want to turn a difficult day around, get out of your comfort zone and go way light. The uptick in action will surprise you.  

Tripletail Throwdown 

Tampa Bay’s Capt. Mike Goodwine calls tripletail a “stupid fish,” one that readily consumes anything dropped in front of it. But even tripletails refuse to eat when pressured heavily. When that happens, switching to a light leader and a tiny hook might be the only way to earn a strike. 

Goodwine can pluck fish off markers and buoys in Tampa Bay using 40-pound leader, but tripletails huddling tight to debris floating offshore in clear Gulf Stream or Loop Current waters tend to be far more discerning. Sometimes even 20-pound fluoro is still too obvious to coax a bite. 

To fool offshore tripletails, I forgo the leader and use a 1/0 or 2/0 circle hook tied straight to 12-pound mono line. If that doesn’t work, I pick up an outfit with 8-pound mono and a 10-pound fluorocarbon leader. Granted, the size of our offshore tripletails rarely matches the brutes in Goodwine’s home waters, but they sure taste just as good. 

“In our area, you’ll get your feelings hurt if you use 20-pound leaders,” Goodwine says. “These fish will take you around a buoy or piling fast, so a light leader won’t cut it.” In his defense, Goodwine’s local waters aren’t as clear, so a heavier leader may not be as visible. Case in point, we caught a 12-pound tripletail on light tackle and 30-pound leader during a recent trip with Goodwine. Of course, there’s no structure to worry about offshore, so one can go as light as the bite requires.

How Low Can You Go 

Aggressively scaling down terminal tackle does increase the odds of losing fish. While I’ve caught a number of sails on 30-pound leaders and 4/0 circle hooks when the bite seemed dismal, I recently lost one that wore through the 30-pound leader a few minutes into the fight. 

Sometimes those are the breaks, but there are some tricks to minimize the number of fish lost and still increase your hookups with scaled-down leaders and terminal tackle.

Use Circle Hooks: As mentioned earlier, the eye of a circle hook properly set remains outside the fish’s mouth, preventing a light leader from coming in contact with its dentition. Circle hooks enable the use of leaders considerably lighter than J hooks allow. Nevertheless, select small ones that, when combined with a light leader, will pass inspection from keen-eyed gamefish. We’ve taken yellowfin tuna as heavy as 63 pounds on 30-pound leaders and 3/0 circle hooks.

Lighten the Drag: Don’t pressure fish as much as you would with a stouter terminal system. A small, light-wire hook might straighten or rip free. Furthermore, the heavy tension on a lighter leader increases its vulnerability to wear and abrasion. Let the fish run off line under adequate, but not overbearing, drag pressure. Let it set the pace and don’t try to take control early.

Hot Pursuit: Never let a fish strip a lot of line off the reel. Whether it’s a sailfish, tuna, cobia, big mahi, tarpon or striped bass, give chase and stay within 100 feet or so. In close-quarters situations, like around buoys, bridge groins or over a channel ledge, remain closer, sometimes on top if the fish is deep. The boat operator might need to chase it around or off such obstacles. As the fish tires, they might need to assist with the landing or release by motoring right up to it. But, if possible, avoid handling a light leader.

Performance Leaders: The best leader material for scaling way down is fluorocarbon. It has a diameter smaller than monofilament of the same breaking strength, plus a hard, abrasion-resistant outer shell. It’s tough and just what the light-tackle doctor ordered.

Change Out Leaders: Though it might appear in good condition, a light leader, especially fluorocarbon, will be heavily taxed after each quality fish. Fluorocarbon is formulated to be more difficult for fish to discern. When it has been stressed, its breaking strength is weakened and its refractive properties compromised. 

The post Reduce Leader and Hook Sizes to Boost Your Catches appeared first on Salt Water Sportsman.

Every small-boat angler knows it’s tough to achieve the optimal trolling spread. Bigger boats have an obvious edge. Their broader beam, higher freeboard and greater number of strategically located rod holders enable the deployment and easy management of extra lines. Meanwhile, anglers aboard 25- to 35-footers are always on the lookout for alternate trolling patterns and equipment that will boost their results.

To explore some of the available options, I talked with a tournament captain and veteran anglers from companies like Tigress, Taco, DuBro, AFTCO and Tournament Cable that specialize in manufacturing trolling booms, tridents, release clips, and other aftermarket tools and accessories you can add to your boat to raise and hook more fish on the troll.

To extend the width of the trolling spread, skippers with a big enough boat (32-plus feet) can use outriggers as long as 24 feet and run two or three lines plus a dredge off each. Smaller boats are limited to 18- to 20-foot ‘riggers, which generally lack the backbone to drag a multitiered dredge. Some opt for towing a dredge from a stern cleat, but Tigress and Tournament Cable offer a better solution: 4-, 6- or 8-foot dredge/teaser booms that let you move the teaser out of the prop wash and into clean water.

Made from aluminum pipe or fiberglass, such booms fit into a gunwale rod holder or attach to a bent-butt section placed in a holder. Some feature a heavy tow line that runs through a pulley at the end of the boom. The Tigress dredge boom can be equipped with an electric reel. And all come with safety and stay lines to alleviate strain on both the rod holder and the boom.

A downrigger boom can also pull a dredge or teaser while keeping it away from the hull and the motors. Attach the downrigger ball and you’ll add depth. However, it’s important not to overload the gear, so experiment first with lighter bait rigs. Some pros advise substituting the downrigger cable with 300- or 400-pound Spectra braid to reduce drag and the ensuing strain on the boom.

Adding a center ‘rigger to the boat’s T-top is yet another way to expand your trolling spread, and it creates a better presentation for a bait run well behind the transom, keeping much of the line out of the water. It also affords the option to run a second line and place a bait closer to the boat to complete a desirable V-shaped spread coming off the prop wash. Available with bolt-on or clamp-on mounts, these telescoping outrigger-style poles range from 8 to 16 feet in length and are made from aluminum or carbon fiber. 

Though not quite as effective, adding a clamp-on or welded rod holder in the center of the T-top’s aft-facing edge provides similar benefits. Of course, clamp-on rod holders can be mounted at various angles in other areas of the T-top to spread trolling lines, a tactic popularized by kingfish tournament competitors. 

A Trident or three-pronged rod holder that fits into a vertical gunwale holder allows anglers to drift baits or suspend them from a kite more effectively. By keeping the rods in close proximity, one angler can monitor and adjust all three baits with ease.

Read Next: Bottomfishing Techniques with Outriggers

Release clips and simple rubber bands also help add lines and change bait presentations. DuBro’s downrigger release, for instance, allows you to stack lines at various depths along the downrigger cable or planer tether. 

A release clip or a rubber band can be used to run a flat line from one of the transom eyes to fish a bait close to the water’s surface. Some captains thread a piece of heavy mono through the clip and the transom eye, then crimp it to form a loop. AFTCO sells its Roller Troller, a flat-line clip that takes the rigging out of the equation and features a roller to prevent line chafing. Even simpler, twist a rubber band through the transom eye and around the line to position and hold the bait at a specific distance. Keep in mind that you can’t adjust the release tension with a rubber band as you can with a clip. 

With these options, even on a small center-console you can troll more lines or simply widen your spread for added coverage. But don’t go overboard. The number of lines you can successfully troll depends on more than your boat’s size. Also take into account the size and experience of your crew, the weather, and the presence of floating grass. Pulling four baits effectively beats messing with eight that don’t swim right and lines that constantly tangle. 

Tools for Trollers

• Dubro Downrigger Release: Water pressure slides it and the baited line down the downrigger cable or planer tether.
• AFTCO Roller Troller: Ideal for fishing flat lines off transom eyes.
• Tigress GS Trident: Instantly turns a single rod holder into three.

The post Gear to Boost Your Trolling Coverage and Success appeared first on Salt Water Sportsman.

Solace Boats burst on the scene with an in-house commitment to be innovative, focused on modern composite material integration as well as a drive to build a feature-rich boat. We got to test its new 32 CS model on a blustery end-of-March day. The boat was rigged with a pair of Mercury Cold-Fusion 300 HP V-8 Racing outboards and equipped with a host of smart features.

All Solace boats are 100 percent vacuum-infused, creating strong, uniform parts. An epoxy blend with Innegra fabric and carbon-fiber elements adds strength, durability and weight savings. The builder takes great pride in its manufacturing process, outfitting boats with premium Gemlux hardware, fully finished bilges and underdeck compartments, and precise hatch tolerances.

The 32 CS features include an anchor locker with molded-in dedicated fender stowage, along with a standard through-bow stainless plow anchor and chute, with a Profish 1000 windlass. Two Gemlux pull-up stainless cleats are on deck. The forward bow has built-in U-shaped seating for six, with storage underneath and removable, magnetic cushions. In fact, all the cushions aboard are mounted with rare-earth magnets in the laminate—with no visible fasteners—that hold them in place at any speed.

The console features an integrated lounge seat complete with molded and upholstered armrests, and a glass windshield with electrically actuated rams and a windshield wiper with a washer. On the console dash, the steering wheel is to port, with the binnacle located along the centerline and a molded glove box to starboard. Our test boat came with the optional Mercury Joystick controller along with a pair of standard 16-inch Garmin 8616 multifunction displays. A centerline-mounted cellphone induction charging bracket between the MFDs was a great touch. A well-positioned switch panel with square push switches, large labels and indicator lights is mounted above the electronics screens just under the upper dash, in plain view and within easy reach of the helmsman. 

A door situated on the port side allows entry to the console’s interior, where you find a stainless-steel sink and a freshwater head, as well as a single bunk that doubles as lockable rod storage. A tall portside window lets natural light in, and there is a ceiling-to-deck door to access the back side of the console, and its electronics and respective rigging. 

The molded hardtop features an overhead mounting panel that accommodates an autopilot interface, VHF radios, JL Audio controllers and other electronics. The underside has a drop-down panel for easy access to the back side of the aforementioned units. There are molded-in speakers and side glass panels, and a standard Razor LED Lightbar mounted on the forward edge of the hardtop. There’s also life-jacket stowage over the leaning post, Gemlux outrigger bases and poles, and the Solace offers the ability to add an aft cockpit shade as an option.

The leaning post houses the freshwater tank under its two seats, which incorporate lift-up bolsters and fold-down armrests upholstered with Sileather, which does not turn pink over time. 

There are Plano 3700 tackle-storage cabinets on each side of the leaning post, with a Corian workstation complete with a sink, Starboard cutting boards, and drink holders in back. A Frigid Rigid 100-quart fiberglass cooler slides out of the base, creating an extra cushioned seat with a back bolster. 

The test boat featured an optional gyrostabilizer in the lazarette and a Danforth stern anchor holder. 

The 32 CS also incorporates a pair of large, insulated in-deck fish boxes on each side, as well as a recessed compartment for a fold-out ladder on the port side. The boat also features undergunwale storage bins with a waste basket to starboard forward, plus undergunwale racks to hold gaffs, boat hooks and brushes.

Read Next: Solace Boats 41CS

The transom has a centerline molded dunnage box with a removable partition under the cushioned seating and a fold-out footrest. There are nine rod holders lined along the back of the transom, and a 30-gallon livewell installed in each corner. The boat also has an optional engine flush system, great for keeping the engines clean. 

The twin-stepped hull with variable deadrise on the 32 CS performed nicely.

The boat showed little bow rise on acceleration, got on plane quickly and carved turns with ease. The Solace’s sweet spot is at 3,200 rpm, where it runs 33.5 mph with a yield of 1.3 mpg. Water was thrown down and away, reducing the chance of spray blowing back on the boat. The 32 CS also drifted nicely at a good angle for jigging or flying kites, and offered a fairly clean bubble trail when trolling.

Test Conditions

• Weather: Partly cloudy
• Location: Palm Beach, Florida
• Wind: East 15 to 20 mph Sea State: 3- to 5-foot chop Test Load: Two adults, 150 gallons of fuel

Specifications

Solace Boats – solaceboats.com

The post Solace 32 CS appeared first on Salt Water Sportsman.

If you are an angler whose plans include extended trips to offshore fishing grounds or the islands and are looking for your next ride, Contender might have just the right boat for you. The new 44CB (Canyon Berth) is designed to perform in demanding bluewater conditions, equipped with more than enough features to please the hardcore angler and all the comforts and conveniences for overnight stays at sea.

Built on the same high-performance stepped hull as the 44ST and 44FA, the latest 44-footer from Contender retains the level deck from bow to stern and adds a console cabin to a clean, well-thought-out layout, with ample workspace, fishing room, storage and seating.

The boat brings back the bow seating of the ST model, with its twin port and starboard seats and dry stowage inside, and swaps the broad forward-console sun pad of the FA with a smaller console lounger, allowing for 360-degree fishability without sacrificing much storage up front. 

Speaking of forward storage, the 44CB includes a sizable dedicated anchor locker, 10-foot-long in-deck rod lockers to port and starboard, and a forward-deck center hatch that opens to a massive 340-gallon fish box. 

Ergonomics were definitely top of mind when Contender designed the helm side of the center console, which features a 55-inch-wide dash where dual 24-inch multifunction displays can mount easily, with room to spare for two engine monitoring displays, two VHF radios, waterproof switches, a breaker panel with indicator lights, an audio system, joystick control and various other electronics essentials. Twin glove boxes to stash valuables, plus a pair of cup holders and charging ports on each side of the helm are well within arm’s length of the skipper and two crew sitting or leaning on the trio of adjustable captain’s chairs. Meanwhile, second-row seating, stadium-style on our test boat, comfortably accommodates three more crewmembers.

Though not quite as expansive as the 44FA’s, the 44CB’s step-down console cabin, with its fully gelcoated interior and 76 inches of headroom, incorporates a comfortable forward berth for two with 400 quarts of storage capacity underneath, as well as a countertop, stainless-steel sink with freshwater faucet, and slide-away toilet. Owners can also order optional air conditioning and vertical rod racks inside the cabin.

Rod storage is one of the many customizable things on every Contender, allowing each boat to precisely fit the fishing style and plans of its owner. Our test boat sported horizontal racks to cradle three rods on each gunwale, rocket launchers for eight rods on the aft-facing end of the hardtop and another six on the console’s starboard side, plus six flush-mount holders in back of the second-row seating and another four on the covering boards.  

The aft cockpit is truly an angler’s dream. It boasts considerable elbow room and a wealth of necessities for successful offshore ventures. Highlights include dual 55-gallon livewells on the transom, a tackle-storage and prep center complete with a hatch that turns into a rigging counter, and a slide-out cooler at the base. 

In addition, there’s a pair of 110-gallon fish boxes parallel to the port and starboard gunwales that -neatly bookend the spacious lazarette providing access to the bilge, where pumps and various systems reside.

Read Next: Contender 35 ST

With the boat surveying complete, we took the Contender out in the Gulf of Mexico and put it through its paces. The first 44CB ever rigged with quad Yamaha F300s, our test boat proved both quick and agile, even with 800 horses below the model’s maximum power rating (2,000 hp). 

Hole shot was swift and without hesitation, squatting or excessive bow rise, and the 44-footer raced from zero to 30 mph in an average time of 9.5 seconds. Acceleration was strong from midrange to full throttle, and the Contender reached a top speed of 66.3 mph while running wide open, a mark good enough for most but easily exceeded by opting for larger motors.

Turning radius, stability and overall handling were superb as we embarked on a variety of turns and sudden avoidance maneuvers at a range of speeds and angles. 

There was absolutely no worrisome leaning or sliding on the turns to report. And spray, which initially began on par with the forward-console lounger at planing speed and moved back some two feet at 5,000 rpm, never made it over the gunwales, no matter our heading in relation to the wind. 

With a Seakeeper gyrostabilizer leading the long list of available options, the Contender 44CB is one killer fishing machine with the means to get to a hot bite in a hurry while keeping the entire crew nice and comfy.

Test Conditions

• Weather: Sunny, 87 degrees
• Location: Steinhatchee, Florida
• Wind: Southwest 9 mph Sea State: 2-foot swell Test Load: Two adults, 300 gallons of fuel, 50 gallons of water

Specifications

Contender Boats – contenderboats.com

The post Contender 44CB appeared first on Salt Water Sportsman.

Stingray Boats has a new flagship, and it’s a sweet fishing center-console. The Z-plane hull design features an integrated swim platform and engine bracket that affords the builder’s renowned performance, plus the shallow draft to effectively chase fish inshore, nearshore and out in the deep blue. Key features include a sizable aerated livewell with a clear lid on the port transom corner, a pair of large, insulated fish boxes in the cockpit, flush-mount rod holders on the covering boards and transom, a dedicated anchor locker with through-hull windlass holder, forward dry storage, bow and transom showers, an enclosed head, a sink with freshwater faucet, and a cooler/storage box with an overboard drain. The helm is protected by a full-height safety-glass windshield and fiberglass hardtop, and incorporates SeaStar Optimus EPS steering, a Zipwake auto-ride-leveling system, and navigation essentials, like a Garmin 1243 multifunction display. A Fusion audio system and a Signature speaker upgrade with LED lighting are also among the many standard features.

Stingray Boats – stingrayboats.com

The post Stingray 273CC appeared first on Salt Water Sportsman.