Author: BD STAFF

Forecasters called for big weather as the 18 teams gathered in Harbour Island for the second leg of the 2012 Bahamas Billfish Championship (BBC). No one realized, at the time, that the forecasted weather system would adversely affect the tournament and go on to become Tropical Storm Beryl. The BBC’s new format allows teams to fish three out of four days with a required captain’s choice lay- day. And, since the worst of the weather was predicted for day two, the fleet was anxious to fish on Wednesday, or day one. With five blue marlin and three white marlin releases…

Costa just released three new styles of glasses that have pushed the envelope of what you might expet from rimless sunglasses. The new styles — Galveston, Rockport and Seadrift — are sleek and sporty yet they still provide full eye coverage with a lightweight fit. Costa has managed to do all of that without compromising durability. The Galveston features large square-shaped lenses for optimal coverage on the water, while the Rockport offers thicker, wider temples to block light from entering on the sides. The smaller, super lightweight Seadrift is ideal for high-impact, velocity sports where speed is key. All three…

California recently completed a study that details the amount contaminants found in fish caught off the state’s coastline. According to the study, methylmercury, a toxin that damages the nervous system of humans, was found in high concentrations in more than one third of the locations sampled. The study was conducted by the state’s water quality agency, and provides detailed information for anglers as far as which species of fish tend to accumulate the most mercury. Seven species showed high concentrations of mercury, including leopard sharks, brown smoothhound sharks, spiny dogfish, copper rockfish, rosy rockfish, china rockfish and striped bass. It’s…

California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) wardens have arrested two repeat abalone poachers for poaching and possession of abalone for sale on the black market. Paul Chak Po Mak, 61, and Samuel Xing Sin, 41, both of Oakland, have been charged with poaching a total of 84 abalone for commercial purposes between April 23 and May 21. The two were arrested by DFG’s Special Operations Unit (SOU) after they were observed taking large overlimits of abalone during an intensive investigation dubbed “Operation Scoop and Run.” Wardens served search and arrest warrants on the suspect’s homes on May 24 and…

A blue marlin release late on the final day of fishing in the Cap Cana International Billfish Shootout helped secure the victory for the crew on Shark Byte, a custom 73-foot Bayliss. “The bite was really kind to us,” said Capt. Rich Barrett who ran Shark Byte, which is owned by Pete Cherasia. “We were fortunate to hook just about all of the fish we saw.” Shark Byte wasn’t the only boat in the fleet that the bite was kind to. On Day One the crew on the Dona Lucy tallied 1,560 points to take home the daily, while Peje…

A California interagency effort battling the spread of invasive quagga and zebra mussels urges boaters to remain especially vigilant over the three-day Memorial Day weekend. Those who launch vessels at any body of water are subject to watercraft inspections, and are encouraged to clean, drain and dry their motorized and non-motorized boats, including personal watercraft, and any equipment that comes into contact with the water before and after recreating at a waterway. “Quagga and zebra mussels present a serious threat to our aquatic environment,” said Department of Fish and Game (DFG) Director Charlton H. Bonham. “These invasive mussels can be…

Luke Landry and Nash Roberts made it to the scales with a two-fish total of 15.82 pounds in the Louisiana Saltwater Series (LASS) redfish tournament this past Saturday in Lafitte to beat out a fleet of anglers from across the Gulf. “We left Lafitte and ran about 30 miles south of Empire. We sight-fished all day with nice conditions and caught roughly 50 fish using Berkley Gulp Shrimp and Mud Minnow,” said Landry. “There was plenty of grass which helped clean the water. We probably caught 40 fish over 27 inches.” The 53 participating teams brought in a total of…

The recreational halibut fishery off the north coast of Washington will reopen on Thursday, May 31 and Saturday, June 2, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) announced. Anglers have a daily limit of one halibut a day. Heather Reed, a WDFW fish biologist, said there is sufficient poundage remaining under the north coast halibut quota to allow a fishery in marine areas 3 (LaPush) and 4 (Neah Bay) on those days. “Once we tally the catch during those two days of fishing, we’ll see if we can provide another opening,” she said. During four days of fishing earlier…

While the 68-pound landlocked striped bass that Rodney Ply landed back in February won’t take the Arkansas state record, there is still a chance it could net the angler a cool $1 million in Mustad’s Hook a Million contest. On February 18, Rodney landed the 68-pound bass from Bull Shoals Lake, shattering the current Arkansas state record by 4 pounds. The big beast also weighed more than the current world record by half a pound. Unfortunately, Rodney’s striped bass did not not stand as an Arkansas state record. According to the story, Rodney weighed the fish at 125 Marina. At…

GUESS AND WIN! Below, you will find a swatch showing close-ups of three different fish. All you have to do is tell us what each fish is. Fill out the fields below and let the guesses begin. The winner will receive two pairs of the latest board shorts from AFTCO. We have a winner! The new board shorts are so lightweight and comfortable that you will hardly know they’re on. They’re made from a stretch microfiber fabric with a charcoal bamboo backing. It might sound strange, but it’s super soft so you won’t ever feel like you’re sticking to the…

California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) biologists are trying a new tactic to help California’s ocean-bound juvenile salmon, in hopes of increasing survival rates. On May 3, for the first time in state history, DFG staff used a boat to move approximately 100,000 young Chinook (called smolts) down the Sacramento River to San Francisco Bay. Upon arrival, the smolts were released in the Bay, where they will grow to adulthood before returning upriver to spawn. “We’ve been using trucks to transport smolts to points downstream for years, but we’ve never moved them by barge, and we’ve never moved them…

Jigging and popping are two of the fastest growing segments of the sportfishing industry. Seeing a massive game fish crush a top-water lure is such a rush that it will infect you and leave you craving more. Most anglers use heavy-duty spinning outfits to throw these big poppers. And today’s new spinning reels capable of 50 pounds of drag or more have made it possible to land triple-digit fish on these popping plugs. But when you’re tossing a lure at a 100-pound giant trevally or over a reef where a thick-shouldered grouper could dart out and destroy it at any…

Pompano Beach Saltwater Shootout Bumpy seas did not deter 121 teams from competing in the 14th annual Mercury/SeaVee Pompano Beach Saltwater Shootout on Saturday, May 12. A strong easterly breeze kicked up the seas and improved the fishing action. Tropically Impaired/Tito’s started the 2012 season the same way they finished it up in 2011 — with a victory. Capt. Ryan Tubbs, Kyle Peterson, Ryan Peterson, Chris Lemieux, Leyna Lemieux, Shane Pompa and Travis Suit won the August Saltwater Showdown event in 2011 — the championship event in the three-leg PBSC series. Nine months later they returned for the start of…

The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) today announced that in 2011 U.S. retail sales for recreational boats, accessories and marine services increased six percent to $32.3 billion, new power and sail boat retail sales increased 0.8 percent to 214,405, and boating participation increased ten percent to 83 million. The recreational boating industry has not seen an increase in retail sales since 2006, and the jump in participation is the largest proportion of adults (34.8 percent) who went boating since 1997, when 35.8 percent participated. The new data signals the beginning of a recovery for the U.S. recreational boating industry. Leading…

The guys who head up Fishworks Proven Products know what anglers need when it comes to their apparel. Lawrance “Squig” Quigley, the company founder, has fished up and down the West Coast and Baja for more than 30 years. He spent 12 years working on long-range boats and he saw a need for technical fishing clothing that functioned well and could stand up to the rigors of hard-core use. He used his fishing background and his design sense to begin Fishworks, and started producing casual clothing for anglers that fit a technical need. Fishworks Clipperton Shorts Fishwork’s latest products show…

Southern California anglers looking to improve their tuna skills should plan on attending the FREE Tuna Seminar, held at the Southwestern Yacht Club on May 31. The event is open to the public and you don’t need to be a member of the club to attend. The event will take place on Thursday, May 31 at 6:30 p.m. The event will include talks from Luc Olfield from Anglers Choice, Bob Vanian from 976bite.com and moderators Skete Simmons and Jon Epsten will keep the information flowing. There will be a wide range of topics covered including how to read water color,…

home Maximizing every inch of storage space on your sportfishing boat plays a key role when trying to create a safe, clean fishing platform. tuna jihad Last year we purchased a 31-foot Innovator sport-fisher. While this boat was a huge step up for us in terms of size, it’s a relatively small boat and it offers zero dedicated tackle storage. We needed more storage space for gear. A buddy told me about Boat Outfitters, which specializes in building tackle storage systems, and after checking out their website I was sold. They offer tons of pre-built options as well as custom-made…

Alaskan halibut populations and the sport fishery that targets them are at risk because of out-of-control bycatch caused by commercial trawlers. The term bycatch refers to fish that are caught indiscriminently and end up going to waste because they’re either undersized or a non-targeted species. The halibut bycatch caught by commercial trawlers equates to more than the entire Alaskan recreational halibut catch. To protect halibut and the Alaskan recreational fishery, the Alaska Marine Conservation Council (AMCC) is asking the North Pacific Fishery Management Council to reduce halibut bycatch in the Gulf of Alaska by at least 15 percent, the maximum…

Each year, Friends of Rollo, a nonprofit group based in Southern California and several participating sportfishing landings put together a program called Kids Fish Free Days to get more youngsters out on the water. This year, Friends of Rollo, will host two Kids Fish Free Days out of landings from San Diego to Santa Barbara. This is a special opportunity for kids and adults who aren’t involved in organized youth groups to benefit from the Friends of Rollo youth fishing program. It’s also a great way for adults to introduce children to the wonderful sport of recreational sportfishing. All of…

President Obama recently named Ellen Peel, the much-respected president and CEO of The Billfish Foundation to the important position of U.S. Commissioner to International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT). This agency is responsible for the management of Atlantic tuna and other migratory species such as sailfish, marlin, sharks and swordfish. Peel previously served as a U.S. representative to ICCAT for three years. The announcement by the White House, along with the appointments of two others, was made on May 10. Russell F. Smith III was also named a U. S. Commissioner to ICCAT. The third appointee was…

After a few coastal cruises or fishing trips, it’s not uncommon for the displays on a boat’s chartplotter, fish finder, radar or multi-function screen to end up covered with smudges, smears and fingerprints. And with manufacturers moving to touchscreen or hybrid touchscreen display technology, the need to keep screens clean will be even more important as boaters and fishermen routinely tap and drag their grimy digits across their boat’s numerous LCDs. “Today’s color LCD displays are bigger, bolder and higher resolution than ever, and they provide an amazing amount of information to boaters. However, they can’t perform their best if…

Effective May 10, 2012, a federal ban on recreational and commercial fishing for deep-water snapper and grouper in depths greater than 240 feet in the South Atlantic is no longer in effect. Since going into effect on January 31, 2011, this closure had a significant economic impact on businesses throughout the South Atlantic region. Over the past two years, the American Sportfishing Association (ASA) and several of its individual members impacted by the ban, made it known to the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries) that the deep-water…

In a letter to U.S. Department of Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, Texas Governor Rick Perry called for a review of the federal government’s “Idle Iron” policy that threatens to dismantle what is regarded as the largest artificial reef system in the world. In the letter, Perry says that the policy, which orders non-producing oil and gas rigs and other structures in offshore waters to be removed within five years of the issuance of the directive, will have profound negative implications for marine fisheries and the local coastal communities and businesses that rely on the fishing opportunities that these structures provide…

This past weekend’s Louisiana Saltwater Series speckled trout tournament held true to form, and although there were several prized catches, the highlight of the event was inarguably the extraordinary number of fish tagged and released. The 18 participating teams caught, tagged and released a total of 45 trout and one flounder in the event. The tournament, hosted by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, allows teams to bring extra fish to the weigh-in, thus increasing the total number of tagged fish. Josh Hall and Mitchell Chevalier brought in 14 fish for tagging, earning them the title of the top…