Author: BD STAFF

Shimano’s line of Stradic spinning reel got a bit of a facelift for 2012 and they are now better than ever. The new Stradic FJ series features Shimano’s X-Ship, an innovative double bearing supported pinion gear design that guarantees a smooth, effortless retrieve. There are seven new reels in the Stradic FJ series, including the ST-1000FJ, 2500FJ, 3000FJ, 4000FJ, 5000FJ, 6000FJ and 8000FJ. On the surface, anglers will be familiar with Shimano’s return to the Stradic white color, but that’s about the only feature that pulls from previous designs. “That was the simple step in how to make the Stradic…

The dates for this year’s Aruba Caribbean Cup are Oct. 20-23, 2011 and once again, it is expected to be one of the most prestigious events of its kind in the Southern Caribbean. Team entries are still available for any who wish to participate–for more information please visit www.preschallenge.com. Miami, FL–The second phase of the Adopt-A-Billfish white marlin tagging study will begin Monday, Sept. 12 on the Southern Caribbean island nation of Aruba, where NOAA scientists will meet with participating local boats before the start of fishing on Tuesday morning. Armed with ten state of the art pop-up satellite tags, these…

What To Do With A Trailerboat In A Hurricane ALEXANDRIA, Va. – As hurricanes approach the US mainland, it used to be that boaters on the coast only had to worry about making storm preparations. However, Hurricane Irene’s large destructive path recently showed that trailer boaters located far inland need to make preparations as well. For those who keep a trailer boat in their backyard, driveway or marina parking lot, Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) has these helpful hurricane storage tips as we enter the “peak” 2012 hurricane season, which runs through November 30.Do a trailer check-up…

DAIWA SEAGATE REELS Daiwa introduced five new Seagate saltwater conventional reels that offer saltwater anglers a solid trolling reel with a good value. Add up features like a corrosion-proof composite frame, dual anti reverse, CRBB corrosion-resistant ball bearings, helical cut brass gears and an advanced carbon drag, all at a price within any anglers reach and what do you have? The new Seagate reels from Daiwa. For more information, visit www.daiwa.com. Features: 3 CRBB corrosion resistant ball bearings plus roller bearing Helical cut, High Brass gears UT Carbon Drag Aluminum spool, anodized for saltwater protection Corrosion-proof composite frame and side…

Spinning reels have evolved into very high-tech tools capable of extreme drag pressure that can successfully whoop up on any species of game fish. Ideal for jigging and popping, these heavy-duty spinners are starting to surface in all types of fishing styles. And, Daiwa has made its top-of-the-line spinning reel even better. Daiwa has revamped the Saltiga Spinning reels, adding some very cool, high-tech features. Daiwa Saltiga Spinning Reel | Daiwa Saltiga 2 Speed The first thing Daiwa tackled was water intrusion. One of the most susceptible areas to saltwater intrusion on a spinning reel is the rotor bearing. To…

Daiwa’s new super-compact DAIWA’S PX Type R Baitcasting reel weighs in at just 5.3 ounces. And although this reel is compact in size, it offers the finesse angler an exceptional performance envelope when fishing with extremely light lines and lures. The PX reel offers a fast retrieve with a ratio of 6.8:1. It’s also got a centrifugal casting break and 10 ball bearings for a smooth retrieve. The reel comes complete with Daiwa’s Magforce Z anti-backlash system so even novice anglers can fling it a mile without worrying about a nasty birds nest. This light reel is full of features that…

Shimano introduced a new lineup of Curado baitcasters in specific gear ratios for any type of bass fishing technique and situation. But have no fear, the Curado still comes in the same green color anglers know and love. The new Curado G series(shimano curado 200 g5) include the CU-200G7 and left-hand retrieve 200G7, the CU-200G6 and 201G6, and CU-200G5. “Anglers can rely on proven Curado performance and reliability — and features including High Efficiency Gearing (HEG), our Variable Brake System and quality ball bearings,” said Kenichi Iida, who heads up Shimano American Corp.’s reel development efforts. “You can slowly work…

Dating back to 1995, Shimano’s Citica baitcasting reels have always been know to provide anglers with solid, fish-catching performance and reliability. And now, the Citica series starts a new life with the introduction of the Citica G Series 200G7, 200G6 and left-hand retrieve 201G6, and 200G5. Identical in size and features, the reels differentiate themselves with their gear ratios, allowing Shimano to provide the right Citica at the right speed for every possible bass fishing technique. Anglers will instantly notice proven Shimano features on all four Citica reels. “We offer our High Efficiency Gearing (HEG) to provide more leverage and…

The Marina Del Rey Anglers recently announced that they will again host the Annual Marina Del Rey Halibut Derby, keeping the long-standing tradition of LA’s largest saltwater tournament alive. The 2012 event is scheduled to take place June 9-10. “We expect a great turn-out this year. Saltwater anglers are always looking for an excuse to get out on the water, and we aim to give them a great one,” said MDRA club president Joshua Gerson. “The last few years have seen a large resurgence of fish and other marine life in our local waters, and we have moved the derby…

Louisiana Fishing Regulations The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission extended the closure for the recreational harvest of gag grouper in state waters until June 2, 2012. According to the state, this action “ensures that regulations in Louisiana waters are consistent with those of federally managed waters.”This closure also prohibits anyone on board a vessel for which a federal commercial or charter/headboat permit for the Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish fishery has been issued from harvesting or possessing gag grouper in state waters of the Gulf of Mexico.For more information, visit www.wlf.louisiana.gov. Louisiana Grouper Closure

AFCTO New Guy Harvey Backpack Let’s be honest fellas, we need something to carry all of our crap. Most of us don’t leave the house without a phone, wallet, keys, hat, sunglasses, a book or magazine and most likely an iPad and maybe even some gym clothes. Unless you like to carry a purse, it’s tough to hang onto all that stuff. Board shorts only have so many pockets. But a backpack is easy to carry and stows quickly just about anywhere. If you’re looking for a quick-and-easy way to stow all your gear as you head to the office…

Yamaha Marine Group recently announced “The Proven Choice Sales Event,” a new promotion that gives consumers two ways to build-in additional value with the purchase of a new Yamaha outboard. “With this new promotion, consumers really have the opportunity to extend their purchasing power,” said Dale Barnes, Division Manager, Marketing, Yamaha Marine Group. “The Proven Choice Sales Event offers real value. It’s very hard to say ‘no’ to an offer like this one.” The promotion applies to eligible, new Yamaha 2.5 to 350 hp four-stroke outboards and provides the purchasing consumer a choice of either five years of warranty protection…

The Hotel Buena Vista Beach Resort decided to take a conservation step as its New Year’s resolution with a switch to circle hooks. The hotel recently announced that its sportfishing fleet will lead the conservation charge on Baja Mexico’s East Cape by converting exclusively to Mustad circle hooks when fishing with natural baits. The hotel’s decision to only utilize circle hooks was a long time coming. “Our commitment to conservation and the releasing of billfish began decades ago,” said Axel Valdez, Buena Vista Beach Resort’s Director of Marketing. “Numerous studies during the past 10 years have conclusively indicated that the…

When cold fronts descend on Florida’s Atlantic coastline, the sailfish bite goes into free-spool. And for some reason, the Silver Sailfish Derby seems to always take place just at the right time. The first day of the 75th annual Derby kicked off yesterday, January 5th, and literally shattered every record in the book. The fleet of 46 boats released a total of 659 sailfish in one day! As of 1:20 p.m., the fleet had released 422 sailfish, shattering the best single day ever record during any previous three-day Derby. The previous record was 397 set in the 2006 Derby by…

If you think sushi is expensive now, try shelling out three quarters of a million dollars for a single fish! A recent article posted on MSNBC.com reports that a 593-pound tuna sold for a record $736,000 in a Japanese fish market. The bluefin tuna, caught off northeastern Japan, fetched 56.49 million yen, or about $736,000, in the first auction of the year at Tokyo’s Tsukiji fish market. This price beat last year’s record of 32.49 million yen or about $416,000. The record tuna sold for $1,238 per pound — also a record. According Bloomberg News, the average price during the…

Some things in life you just can’t control — one of them being the weather. Don’t listen to the forecasters out there, they’ll only end up getting you in trouble. Your best bet is to always be prepared and never head out on the water without some quality foul-weather gear. The Gill OS2 Offshore Jacket is a high-quality piece of foul-weather gear that will keep you protected during any storm at any time of year. Gill is known for making durable, protective gear that will keep you dry and comfortable in even the worse conditions. The OS2 is definitely one…

Four new non-native aquatic species have taken up residence in San Francisco Bay, according to a new report published by the California Department of Fish and Game (DFG). The 2011 Invasive Species Report includes the first records of the appearance of four species previously found only in other parts of the coast. These organisms include: • Caprella simia, a Caprellid, or “skeleton” shrimp, which was first discovered in California’s Long Beach Harbor in 2000. C. simia is a Japanese species, probably introduced by fouling or ballast water and considered likely to spread north. It is now widespread in San Francisco…

Attention anglers in south Florida — it’s time to get out your rods and reels and hit the skinny water in pursuit of spotted seatrout. The recreational harvest season for spotted seatrout in southern Florida reopened on January 1. The opening rings in 2012, a recreational closure-free year that will include several spotted seatrout management changes that go into effect starting February 1. The maximum daily bag limit for spotted seatrout in the southern region of the state is four fish per person. Harvest of seatrout in the southern region of the state has been closed since November 1. The…

Based on intensive surveillance over the last several weeks, California game wardens arrested two suspects for commercialization of sport-caught fish and dungeness crabs. Tam Van Tran, 62, and his wife Lanh Thi Nguyen Tran, 59, both of San Jose, were arrested on December 30th during service of a search warrant related to an ongoing poaching investigation. Department of Fish and Game (DFG) wardens observed the suspects routinely taking fish, including sturgeon, and crab under the authority of a recreational fishing license, then illegally selling their catch on the black market. Neither suspect has a commercial fishing license, and both are…

The Eastern Fishing & Outdoor Expo will return to the DCU Center in Worcester, Massachusetts, February 10-12 for its 36th year of bringing the best in outdoor gear and tackle as well as information and instruction from some of the nation’s most experienced and respected hunters and anglers. The Expo is the perfect place for anglers, hunters and all outdoor enthusiasts to stock up on gear for the upcoming season as well as get involved in “hands-on” activities that are sure to excite and entertain your entire family. “The Eastern Fishing & Outdoor Expo is the premier and longest-running outdoor…

New Years Fishing Report The ball has dropped, the date has changed and it’s officially 2012. Man, time really flies when you are having fun, and last year whipped by like a center console powered by four outboards. But it is all good because this year is going to be a big one for www.bdoutdoors.com. As you know, we relaunched the site back in May of last year. We added several key guys to the BD team and gave the site an entire new look and way more functionality. Thanks to BD’s Creative Director, Derek Redwine, the site looks better…

Miami anglers Matt McClean and Dan Haassen, fishing on the Reel McCoy, in Islamorada, Florida, captured a pre-Christmas gift by winning grand champion honors at the 12th annual Don Gurgiolo Sailfish Classic. Florida Sailfish Tourney Led by Capt. George McElveen, the duo concluded their weekend of action with a total of 17 sailfish releases, enough to blaze ahead of the rest of the fleet. Capt. William Chapman, on board Capt. Cadillac, led teammates Mike and Julie Havener of Naples, Florida, to second place with three sails. Hillbilly Deluxe, also with three sails, placed third based on the time of release.…

New marine protected areas (MPAs) in California, known as the South Coast Study Region, will go into effect January 1, 2012. This area stretches from Point Conception in Santa Barbara County to the U.S./Mexico border. The state Office of Administrative Law approved the regulatory package put forward by the California Fish and Game Commission (Commission) that sets rules and boundaries for the south coast MPAs. The California fishing industry is fighting back against these unwarranted closures and has created a legal fund to battle the organizations behind the MLPA process. Every angler can do his or her part by donating…

Florida recently announced that it will increase the recreational red grouper bag limit in Gulf of Mexico state waters (excluding Monroe County) on December 30 from two fish to four. And, on January 1 the season for shallow-water grouper in Atlantic state waters will close. The red grouper bag limit increase is one of several fishery management changes made at the November Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) meeting in Key Largo. Management changes in 2012 will also affect the gag grouper season, which is currently closed to fishing in Gulf of Mexico state waters (excluding Monroe County) and…