Author: BD STAFF

Sandbars move over time, storms can physically alter inlets and tides and erosion may shift a channel. But charts are only updated every few years (if you’re lucky). With so many changes taking place on a regular basis, Navionics, a leader in electronic charting and navigation data, came up with what it calls the Freshest Data program which includes User Generated Content (UGC). Delivered in real-time to mobile devices, and available daily through the Navionics World Application to Navionics chart cards for compatible chart plotters, Freshest Data with UGC provides customers with complete control of their charts and the peace…

The American Sportfishing Association (ASA) applauded the February 14, 2012, decision by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson to reject a second sweeping petition to ban lead in all fishing tackle. The petition, which was submitted on November 16, 2011, by the Center for Biological Diversity and two other groups, requested that the EPA study and ultimately ban lead in fishing tackle on all U.S. waters under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). This most recent attempt to federally ban lead fishing tackle came on the heels of the EPA’s November 2010 decision to dismiss a…

The latest rendition of the Furuno NavNet line of marine electronics received a ton of attention at its unveiling at the Miami International Boat Show. With the new NavNet TZtouch, Furuno offers its customers a touch screen system with pinch-to-zoom capability, two-finger course rotation and other multi- and single-touch gestures. Taps, pinches and swipes are instantly transformed into useful actions and commands. From the standard drag and drop to custom multi-touch gestures that you create, this interface is so easy to understand and use. Furuno also incorporated its RotoKey rotary knob, which allows you to make adjustments, such as range…

Top 10 Boat Names For 22 years and counting, the Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS), has released its annual Top 10 Boat Names. The group polls its 500,000-plus members to come up with the list every year. This year’s top 10 features a few new names as well as several favorites: Boat Names 1. Seas the Day 2. Nauti Buoy 3. Aquaholic 4. Dream Weaver 5. Pegasus 6. Serenity Now 7. Second Wind 8. Liquid Asset 9. Miss Behavin’ 10. Blew ByYou This year’s list included three newcomers: Nauti Buoy, Serenity Now, and Blew ByYou, a popular…

Anglers, captains and mates make up the the heart-and-soul of The Billfish Foundation’s (TBF) conservation program committed to billfish tag and release. Each tagged and released fish in the 22nd annual International Tag & Release Awards program supplies valuable data that is critical to science and fishery management. Since 1990 anglers, mates and captains have helped marine researchers learn the migratory habits and growth rates of the world’s billfish stocks. In return for their efforts, TBF awards these men and women for their conservation work. TBF’s Overall Tagging Winners for all species (blue marlin, black marlin, striped marlin, white marlin,…

2 Salt, Fresh or Fly… You are going to love this! No matter where you do most of your fishing — inshore, offshore, fresh water or salt — the website www.tightlinz.com offers discounts up to 80 percent off for all your fishing gear, apparel and accessories. Special thanks to photographer Sam Root (www.saltyshores.com) for these great images. 4 When fishing for large sharks, you need quality terminal tackle. You don’t want that swivel or hook to snap. Especially when you are the guy in the water taking the photo. 6 Few lures can hold a candle to live bait. But…

  Costa debuted a new pair of performance sunglasses to kick off the new year, the Double Haul. Constructed with the serious angler in mind, the Double Haul features Costa’s patented vent system on the front of the frame to alleviate lens fog while providing full eye coverage to give the angler a wide range of vision while on the water. Thanks to the Hydrolite no-slip nose pads, sturdy integral hinges and durable co-injected molded temples for a comfortable “forget-they’re-on” fit, you can wear these shades all day without any fatigue. The frames are available in three colors including tortoise,…

Yamaha Marine Group recently announced the launch of its first mobile application for the iPhone and iPod Touch, just in time for the Miami International Boat Show, which takes place February 16-20. The app is available free of charge through the iTunes App Store and offers users a host of tools and information about their Yamaha outboards. Additional information about the app is also available through this online video. “When we sat down to design this app, we had several main objectives in mind,” said Todd Grondzki, Assistant Department Manager, Advertising. “We wanted to develop an app that provided real…

The 37 boats participating in the 9th Annual Los Sueños Signature Billfish Series put up some huge numbers, releasing a total of 624 billfish in three days of fishing, including 11 marlin and 613 sailfish. With sailfish worth 100 points each and marlin worth 500 points, teams scrambled to find the marlin and make each bite count, and it was a close race all the way to the finish line. Crush’em, a 48-foot Ocean Yacht with Capt. Josh Ruskey at the helm called in the first release on Day One. Bandolera, a 66-foot Paul Spencer captained by Ronnie Fields followed…

Visit the Rancho Leonero Resort’s booth at the Fred Hall Shows in California, and you could get an amazing deal. Rancho Leonero will be exhibiting at the show, which runs from March 7-11, and offering discounted rates to stay at their East Cape resort. To get the special Fred Hall rates, you must schedule a trip to Rancho Leonero between August 20 and September 20, 2012. The special rates are as follows: • Standard Room Double Occupancy Daily Rate: $93.75 • Deluxe Room Double Occupancy Daily Rate: $138.75 • Garden View Double Occupancy Rate: $138.75 • Ocean View Double Occupancy…

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) voted to change how fishing efforts for gag grouper are managed in Gulf of Mexico state waters (excluding Monroe County). According to the FWC, “The decision will achieve consistency with federal management efforts while potentially providing a region-specific recreational season in four counties.” The FWC manages marine fish from the shore out to nine nautical miles in the Gulf of Mexico. The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council manages Gulf of Mexico waters farther than nine nautical miles out. The following changes will make state gag grouper management efforts the same as…

The waters off the coast of Canada’s Prince Edward Island provide the best opportunity in the world to battle giant bluefin tuna. These storied fishing grounds aren’t the easiest to get to, or the cheapest… Until now. One lucky angler will win the fishing trip of a lifetime — for free — as the big winner in The Race to Prince Edward Island contest, brought to you by BDoutdoors.com. Join the BDoutdoors.com team and travel to PEI for three days of giant tuna fishing. This is BD’s way of saying “thanks” for being a part of our growing online community.…

Southern California’s new Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) went into effect January 1, 2012, closing or restricting a total of roughly 354 square miles (or about 15 percent) of coastal waters to both recreational and commercial fishing. Jeppesen’s newest Fall 2011 release of C-MAP 4D, MAX and NT+ cartography for Southern California helps saltwater anglers with one of the most important obstacles to obeying these new rules — knowing precisely where the closures are. The boundaries of both existing and new Southern California State Marine Reserves (SMRs) are marked clearly on C-MAP by Jeppesen charts as “Fishing Prohibition Areas” displaying “X-d…

Fishing in California as we know it is currently at risk. The Marine Life Protection Act and its associated protected areas and no-fishing zones have pushed out anglers, but the fight to keep California’s waters open is not over. Not by a long shot. Several groups have banned together to combat the MLPA closures. And the latest supporter, AFTCO, has stepped up in a big way. AFTCO’s sales manager Greg Stotesbury recently announced that AFTCO will donate $50 to the Ocean Access Protection Fund for every pair of shorts the company sells in California until the company reaches a $50,000…

The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission adopted a variety of new sportfishing rules and increased the number of multiple-season hunting permits for deer and elk issued each year. The Commission, a nine-member citizen panel appointed by the governor to set policy for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), adopted new fishing rules for the 2012-13 season that will: • Close fishing early for steelhead and other game fish in several river systems in Puget Sound and along the Strait of Juan de Fuca to protect wild steelhead. The early closures, ranging from mid-January to mid-February of 2013, apply…

The Cards are some of the best-known fishermen in Bermuda. Capt. Alan Card has been fishing these storied waters for more than 40 years, and has caught six blue marlin weighing more than 1,100 pounds over the course of his career. Alan’s son Ian Card has worked on sportfishing boats for more than 20 years and is currently the first mate on the Challenger, which Alan captains. Ian is one of the best big-game mates in the business and made headlines in 2006 when an 800-pound blue marlin jumped across the cockpit, speared him through the chest and pulled him…

If you think AFTCO Bluewater only makes short-shorts for the grey-haired set, you are sorely mistaken. Not only does AFTCO continually introduce functional, comfortable gear for all anglers, both male and female, the company also understands the needs of fishermen and makes its gear accordingly. The new Guy Harvey “Strike” Board Shorts are no different. These board shorts are meant for serious anglers who prefer to wear a lightweight, comfortable board short when fishing in warm, tropical climates. You won’t even know you’re wearing the Strike shorts — they’re that soft and comfortable. The shorts are made from a quick-drying…

Just about every angler can trace his or her first fish back to a Zebco 33, push-button reel. Well, not everyone. Until last week, Key West saltwater guide Chris Trosset may very well have been one of the most accomplished young anglers to never catch a fish on a Zebco 33. Given the fact that Chris cut his angling teeth aboard his legendary angling father Robert “R.T.” Trosset’s offshore charter boat long before kindergarten, the young Trosset had very little reason to ever fish with the reel most kids use to catch their first bluegill or catfish. Normally, the highly…

Arson Arrest DFG Wardens with the California Department of Fish and Game observed Jacob Thogmartin, 26, of Ramona, California, coming out of the brush without a weapon and acting suspiciously just outside of the Wister Wildlife Area in Imperial County. When the warden contacted him, flames burst from the brush behind him. Thogmartin had received a citation for driving on a closed road inside the wildlife area and was given a warning for collecting firewood the day before. Thogmartin was immediately detained and other wardens evacuated 20 hunters, five vehicles and one camp trailer that was in the path of…

The Makaira line of reels from Okuma have gained a popular following because of their durability, drag systems and cranking power. But Okuma saw a need to offer a new Makaira reel built especially for the Southern California long-range crowd with some souped-up gearing and a faster free-spool. With that in mind, Okuma came up with the new “special-edition” or Makaira SE reels and will be unveiling the first models at the upcoming Fred Hall Show scheduled for March 7-11 in Long Beach, California. The new Makaira SE reels will come in five different sizes, including an 8, 10, 15,…

The California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) recently released adult coho salmon in Salmon Creek, Sonoma County to reestablish a coho salmon population. This is the fourth consecutive year adult salmon were released. This year 200 adults were released on two separate occasions in late December 2011 and early January 2012. The released coho included 120 males and 80 females, predominantly hybrids derived from mating between coho salmon of Russian River and Olema Creek origin, with a small number of pure Russian River coho and Olema Creek coho. “We are at a critical moment in the survival of the…

With Atlantic sailfish swarming the coast of southern Florida, conditions looked prime for a hot bite in this year’s Sea Vee/Mercury Mayor’s Cup in Miami. Fishing, however, proved to be tough for most of the fleet, except for a few outstanding teams that put up impressive numbers. With winds out of the south, conditions were less than perfect for the fleet that was fishing with hopes of winning a chunk of the more than $100,000 prize purse. Teams reportedly tried everything to get a good bite, they switched baits, switched leader color, switched kite styles and sinker weights — anything…

Sheri Daye Spearfishing Fishing Chick World-record holder Sheri Daye is extremely handy with a spear. She travels all over the globe to feed her passion for spearfishing, but she took a few minutes out of her schedule to answer some questions about the sport for us in the latest rendition of Fishin’ Chicks. Q: Where is home for you and is that where you do most of your spearfishing? A: I live in Boca Raton, Florida, and I do most of my spearfishing between the Florida Keys and Stuart, Florida, but I have always enjoyed traveling. As the host of…

Licensed hunters can now hunt white-fronted geese and white geese during the California late season for geese in the Balance of the State Zone. This is in addition to the already established late season goose hunts in the North Coast and Imperial County Special Management Areas. The purpose of these late season goose hunts is to reduce goose crop depredation complaints on private lands. Providing hunting opportunities in the late season will help reduce potential crop depredation by lowering the population(s) and shifting geese onto public areas. Most goose populations that winter in California are at or above population goals…