Author: BD STAFF

Guy Harvey Daughter Guy Harvey is used to being in the spotlight of the sportfishing world, but on a recent expedition to Isla Mujeres, Mexico, it was his daughter Jessica that got all the attention. Jessica Harvey showed that saltwater fishing is a family trait for all of the Harveys. The 22-year-old angler fought and landed a massive 600-plus pound swordfish — the largest caught on a rod and reel by a female angler in the last 30 years. The Guy Harvey Expeditions Team was in Isla Mujeres to film the renowned whale shark aggregations as part of a new…

The Bill Poole Memorial Angling Tournament, named in memory of legendary long-range fishing pioneer and sportsman Bill Poole, is scheduled to take place this weekend, running Friday, July 27 through Saturday, July 28, with a gala awards barbeque and fundraiser the following day, Sunday, July 29. Proceeds from the contest go to furthering the Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute’s (HSWRI) white sea bass stock replenishment program, which is the largest in the world. Since 1983, HSWRI has released more than 1.8 million juvenile white seabass back into the ocean, ably fulfilling its mission to “return to the sea some measure of the…

Danny Coll almost didn’t fish the Drambuie Key West Marlin Tournament that ended Saturday. He simply couldn’t find anyone to fish with on his 35-foot Cabo express dubbed Risky Business. “Normally, when I fish a tournament, I prepare the boat extremely well,” said Coll, a Cudjoe Key, Florida, real-estate investor. “But all the way to early (last) Monday morning, I couldn’t find anyone who wanted to go.” Fortunately, at the last minute, friend Bernard Davis of Big Pine Key, declared his availability. It’s a good thing he did, because the Risky Business team won the top prize of $25,000 releasing…

We just caught up with Capt. Cary Dodson of the 60-foot charter boat Success out of Point Loma who caught the first striped marlin of 2012, fishing just west of the Rock Pile in 70 fathoms. Cary’s been out on the water pretty steady since they caught that marlin on a tuna feather on July 15th. The angler was Ben Chastain, of Oregon. The Chastain family fishes on the Success two to three times each year. “It was a nice one,” Cary said. “I was pretty surprised when we saw it. We’d seen a few between here and Mag Bay,…

We all know that chum attracts fish. So do teasers and lures. So why not combine the two into one rig? That’s exactly what the folks at Scent Blazer did. Scent Blazer lures have a detachable chamber that you can load up with pieces of bait, aritifical attractants, weights, strobes, rattles or anything else you think might help get a bite. When you troll the lure, water enters through holes in the front, passes over the bait inside the chamber and exits leaving a trail of scent and small pieces of bait directly behind the lure. It sounds a bit…

Thirty ladies, chosen by a lottery drawing, experienced a variety of saltwater fishing activities as participants in the 2nd Annual Women in the Wild program. The ladies got to target Louisiana’s legendary game fish on the weekends of June 8 and 29 under the direction of LDWF’s Education Section and Fisheries Extension Office. Each participant had previously attended a Fishing Basics Workshop sponsored by Cabela’s. With the basics covered they were able to test their fishing skills during two June weekend trips to Grand Isle presented by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF). The ladies began their weekend…

The 2012 recreational and commercial spiny lobster seasons will open soon, beginning with the two-day spiny lobster recreational season July 25 and 26. The regular commercial and recreational lobster season starts August 6 and runs through March 31. The special two-day season occurs on the last consecutive Wednesday and Thursday in July each year to let recreational fishermen collect spiny lobsters before commercial lobster traps are placed in the water. Commercial fishermen may begin putting their traps in the water August 1, and recreational and commercial fishermen may harvest spiny lobsters starting August 6. Spiny lobsters must have a carapace…

We just got wind of the first striped marlin caught by a Southern California boat for the 2012 season. The fish was caught on July 15th. Capt. Cary Dodson of the 58-foot charter boat Success out of Point Loma found the fish west of the Rockpile. The striped marlin hit a jig, a tuna feather, trolled on an 80-pound outfit. We’re still working on gathering more details as the captain is out at sea for the next few days. We do know that the angler was Ben Chastain, a member of the San Diego Marlin Club. According to reports, other…

For all of the talented lure makers that post their creations on the BD forum pages, here’s your chance to really shine! Television host Larry Dahlberg has linked up with River2Sea to create a lure-building contest. It’s sort of like American Idol, except you don’t have to sing or dance. The Great American Lure Build-Off is a contest is for those fishermen who think they can come up with a better fishing lure to catch fish. The idea was spawned and inspired by the great response to lure-building segments Larry has broadcast over the past several years on his Hunt…

Swap Meet Used Tackle Sale The United Anglers of Southern California will host its 2nd Annual Swap Meet and Used Tackle Sale on Saturday, July 28th from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Swap Meet will take place at the UASC headquarters located at 1933 Temple Avenue in Signal Hill, California. The event will offer both UASC members and the general public the chance to purchase great fishing and boating gear at a reduced cost. You’ll find deals on all sorts of tackle including rods, reels, fishing gear, lures, jigs, camping equipment, clothing, apparel and much more. The event is…

The California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) recently announced fishing regulations for the 2012 salmon season on the Sacramento, Feather, American and Mokelumne rivers. The regulations went into effect on Monday, July 16. The California Fish and Game Commission adopts yearly regulations to help ensure the health of fish populations and give anglers an opportunity to enjoy fishing. Sacramento River: Daily bag and possession limit of two Chinook salmon for all open areas. From Deschutes Road Bridge near Anderson to 500 feet upstream of the Red Bluff Diversion Dam, open August 1 through Dec. 16. From 150 feet below…

Angler Catches 200 Swordfish It wasn’t the largest swordfish mate Hunter Barron had ever dragged over the transom of the Catch 22, but this fish marked a major milestone. The 70-pound Atlantic broadbill swordfish represented an incredible angling achievement for the 63-year-old Florida Keys light-tackle guide who caught the fish, and his close friends who worked together to pioneer fishing for swordfish in broad daylight. This catch was Vic Gaspeny’s 200th swordfish — believed to be the most ever landed by a single angler on a sport-fishing rod and manual reel. Although he did not realize it back then, Gaspeny’s…

From exhibitors to buyers to outdoor media, 9,000 representatives from the global sportfishing community converged in Orlando, Florida for ICAST, the world’s largest sportfishing trade show. The 55th International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades, better known as ICAST, is produced by the American Sportfishing Association (ASA) and represents the cornerstone of the sportfishing industry, driving sportfishing companies’ sales year round. It’s also the showcase for the latest innovations in sportfishing tackle, gear and accessories. “This year, we had a great show. Show attendance, overall, was up 23 percent and buyer attendance was up 25 percent. We had 9,000 show attendees…

Baitcasting Fishing Reels More and more anglers are turning to the low-profile baitcaster when it comes to casting jigs, stick baits and light iron. These reels are not just for freshwater any more. But to stand up to the salty environment you need a tough reel and Daiwa’s new Lexa 300 fits the bill nicely. The Lexa 300 comes in three configurations with various gear ratios. The 300H has a 6.3 ratio while the 300HS and 300HS-P have a slightly faster 7.1 ratio. Built to be light but strong, this baitcaster features a sleek new design with an aluminum frame…

For a fisherman, the International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades, better known as ICAST, is the ultimate kid-in-a-candy-shop experience. This tackle show is put together by the American Sportfishing Association (ASA) and it is by far the largest sportfishing trade show in the world! With more than 7,000 representatives from the top tackle and sportfishing brands known to mankind, you better believe that the rods, reels and lures and other fishing-related products you find at ICAST will turn some heads. This year’s ICAST will take place in Orlando, Florida, from July 11-13. The BDOutdoors.com staff will be on hand to…

Free Fishing Days California The California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) invites anglers to celebrate summer by fishing for free this coming Saturday in California’s spectacular waters. July 7 is the first of two Free Fishing Days in 2012, when people can try their hand at fishing without having to buy a sport fishing license. All fishing regulations, such as bag and size limits, gear restrictions, report card requirements, fishing hours and stream closures remain in effect. Every angler must have an appropriate report card if they are fishing for steelhead or sturgeon anywhere in the state, or salmon…

If you’re the type of fisherman who just has to take one more cast, make one more set or stay out one more hour — regardless of the time, weather or conditions — the new Gage Burning Daylight foul-weather gear from Grundens USA is perfect for you. The new Burning Daylight jacket and pants are part of the Gage Professional Guide Collection, designed for performance, protection and comfort under the most extreme conditions. Both garments are tailored from heavy-duty 10,000-mm waterproof material and engineered for maximum breathability. The Burning Daylight Jacket — available in Red/Black or solid Black — features…

Anglers between the ages of six and 15 are invited to take part in the free 10th Annual Young Angler Tournament, scheduled to take place this summer at the Shelter Island Pier, located at 1776 Shelter Island Drive in San Diego on August 11, 2012. This saltwater event is sponsored by the International Game Fish Association, the San Diego Sportfishing Council and the Port of San Diego. The tournament will feature a points system to award anglers for catching and releasing their fish. Winners will be selected in each age category between determined by their accumulated points for various fish…

NOAA Fisheries Service announced that the closure date for the Gulf of Mexico recreational red snapper season is being extended six days. The new closure time is 12:01 a.m. local time, July 17, 2012. Landings and effort data are not available during the season to estimate if the recreational red snapper quota will be met on July 10. However, the north-central Gulf of Mexico has experienced extended severe weather during the first 26 days of the 2012 recreational red snapper fishing season, including Tropical Storm Debby. A substantial portion of recreational red snapper harvest in the Gulf of Mexico comes…

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) voted to keep the recreational harvest of snook in Gulf of Mexico waters closed for another year to offer the species additional protection after a 2010 fish kill caused by cold weather detrimentally affected the population. The decision came at the June 28 Commission meeting in Palm Beach Gardens after staff presented an updated stock assessment that showed snook populations are improving in the Atlantic and are not in biological jeopardy in the Gulf. The next assessment is due in 2015. “If we have a bad winter this year, we will benefit…

The Louisiana coast has long been a popular fishing destination, and some of the biggest fishing tournaments in the state are held here during the summer months. There’s a tournament just about every week throughout the summer, including the great events below: Faux Pas Lodge Invitational In its 14th year, the Faux Pas Lodge Invitational is fast becoming one of southeast Louisiana’s most popular rodeos to fish, with the 2011 field including more than 800 anglers. The rodeo will be held in Venice on Thursday, July 26 through Saturday, July 28. The tournament is comprised of four different divisions: inshore,…

Luck is a strange thing. It can go from bad to incredible in a heartbeat. (Then again, it can also go the other way.) After losing his ass on a craps table during a Las Vegas getaway, Michael Medina, a 25-year-old production planner from Los Angeles got an email that would completely change his angling life. The person emailing Michael was BD’s Brant Crenshaw who was trying to deliver some incredibly good news — Michael had just won the fishing trip of a lifetime as the big winner in BD’s Race to Prince Edward Island sweepstakes. When Michael got back…

Penn Spinfisher Sweepstakes In 1963 PENN introduced a spinning reel that has grown to be one of, if not the most popular “work horse” reels on the market — the Spinfisher. Fifty years later, PENN has significantly upgraded this reel with a new watertight design, more powerful Slammer Drag and a full metal body. To commemorate the launch of the Spinfisher V, PENN is giving away 50 new Spinfishers before the reels hit the market. PENN will give away a reel every weekday for 50 days leading up to the release of the new Spinfisher. The sweeps opens on June…

Abu Garcia Revo Sweepstakes Abu Garcia recently launch of the “Experience The New Revo-lution Sweepstakes” that will give anglers a chance to win a new Abu Garcia Revo reel before they hit the market. The contest is just underway and will continue until the new Revos hit the stores. Totaled, the giveaway is estimating it will distribute more than $20,000 worth of Revo reels. Just visit the Abu Garcia website to enter the contest. Online entries are open now through August 31, 2012. “This is a tremendous promotion to get your hands on the new Revos before they even hit…