Author: BD STAFF

BD’s HALLOWEEN PUMPKIN-CARVING CONTEST sponsored by MAXIMUM ANGLER Fillet a pumpkin and you could win $300 worth of fishing gear! In the spirit of Halloween, BD is hosting a pumpkin-carving contest. The rules are simple: 1) Buy a pumpkin and carve it up with a fishing or hunting theme. 2) Take a photo of your pumpkin. 3) Post the photo to the BD fishing forum HERE, the BD Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/Bloodydecks or email them to info@bdoutdoors.com. ALL ENTRIES MUST BE IN BY OCTOBER 26th Once all of the entries are in, we will create a gallery on Facebook. The…

Sometimes there is no better gift than getting away. Located in the East Cape region of the Baja Peninsula, Rancho Leonero is a laid-back, fishy resort that caters to those anglers and families looking for a relaxing vacation with plenty of diving and fishing. Leave the loud bars of Cabo behind and unwind with fantastic food and comfortable accommodations. Rancho Leonero With a fleet of pangas and charter boats available, you can target a wide range of species in the Sea of Cortez, including dorado, tuna, billfish and wahoo as well as one of the best roosterfish bites in Baja.…

If you’re looking to get a gift for the outdoorsman who has everything, you can never go wrong with a quality knife such as the new knives offered from Bubba Blade. The blade of the knife is 9 inches while the entire length of the blade and handle measures 15 inches overall. The knives are offered in two models, a stiff blade which makes a great big fish or hunting knife and a more flexible model for filleting your catch. The stiffer knife has very little flex so you can power though bigger fish or big game with total control.…

While women can never have enough pairs of shoes, a fisherman can never have enough reels. And when it comes to picking out a reel, you want to invest in a quality product that is built to combat tough predators and won’t let you down. Okuma’s Makaira line of two-speed lever-drag reels feature the durability, super-strong drag system Okuma Makaria Gift Guide and toughness that tournament crews and long-range anglers seek. You can put some serious pressure on your quarry with a Makaira — the 50 puts out 60 pounds of drag pressure while maintaining freespool. The Makaira comes in…

With its lipless shape, anglers can cast, jig or troll the Halco Max 130, making it a true all-around lure. Halco, an Australia-based company, builds its lures to last over the long haul, and the Max 130 is no different. This hard-body lure can stand up to any fish you throw it at. The Max 130 comes in one size, 13 cm (5.1 inches) and rigged with 2/0 Mustad 3XX trebles. Halco Max 130 Best Color The lure’s streamline shape makes it a versatile lure that any angler would want in his or her tackle box. It’s a great casting…

Thanks to a grant from Fish Florida, 200 foster children were able to experience the thrill of fishing off the coast of Destin, Florida. Fish Florida is a non-profit organization that raises money through donations and a speciality Florida license plate to donate fishing equipment, grants and scholarships to help organizations teach people, especially children, about fishing and Florida’s environment. Fish Florida gave a grant to the Larry Hatchett Fishing Foundation who put the money towards a fishing trip for 200 foster children. This was a first for many of these kids. For some of them, not only was it…

Ducks Unlimited, the world’s largest nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving North America’s waterfowl habitats, released multiple iPhone and Android apps for this fall, providing DU supporters with new tools for waterfowling and conservation. Ducks Unlimited Mobile Apps DU has two Android apps and three iPhone apps available, which include conservation news, event listings, migration reports, sunrise and sunset calculator and a waterfowler’s journal. “Mobile access to DU information is paramount in our constantly changing conservation climate, and combining that with waterfowling tools allows our supporters to stay in touch, even from the duck blind,” said Anthony Jones, DU web director.…

The top rod builders in the country will be heading to Texas in early 2012 to take part in the Texas Custom Rod Builders Show. Whether you’re a custom rod builder, supplier or enthusiast, you won’t want to miss this event, scheduled for February 17-18 in Lake Jackson, Texas. The show welcomes rod builders, rod makers, lure makers, fly tiers and anyone who loves fishing! The show will have manufacturers, rod builders, outdoor gear, and much more offered throughout the 40 vendor booths. There will be demonstrations given by this industry’s top rod builders and a surprise presentation that you…

The Florida Keys is home to one of the most diverse fisheries in the United States. From stalking bonefish on the flats to chasing sailfish on the reef, there is always something biting in the Florida Keys. Each year, this area is also home to hundreds of fishing tournaments. There are big-money events like the World Sailfish Championship and smaller, more intimate tourneys that don’t cost a lot but are tons of fun. Below, you will find all of the Florida Keys tournaments for 2012. 2012 Florida Keys Fishing Tournament Schedule Jan. 6-8: Key Largo Sailfish Challenge. Key Largo. At…

Public access to the Moss Landing Wildlife Area in Monterey County will be restricted between October 15 and December 20, 2011, to accommodate habitat enhancement work on the site. During the closure, the Highway 1 parking lot, salt ponds and trail access through to Seal Bend will be off limits to the public to ensure the work can be completed on time. Boat-only access to the balance of the wildlife area north and east of Seal Bend will still be available. Planned project work includes construction of shallow-water depressions in the pond bottoms and a new public access observation platform…

Phenix Hybrid Rods is one of the premiere rod makers on the market today, using a blend of materials to create rods that are lightweight but have enough backbone to meet any fishing application. If you’re looking to get a high-end, all-around rod for the holidays, check out the PHD888MH rod by Phenix. Built on the company’s proprietary blend of high strength, woven carbon fiber and Kevlar, this hybrid blank makes a great choice for fishing live bait or casting light iron. At $379, these rods aren’t cheap but you end up with an 8-foot, 8-inch rod that’s lightweight and…

The Venezuelan International Super Slam posted a strong tournament with a total of 50 billfish caught in two days of fishing. The catches included three grand slams, or three different species of billfish in the same day. Uncharacteristically, there were more sails than whites released during this event held on October 1-2, the traditional height of Venezuela’s white marlin season. The fleet caught a total of nine blue marlin, 12 whites and 29 sailfish. All catches were on 30-pound-test line and verified by highly qualified observers on each boat. The team aboard the Venezuelan-based 58-foot Viking, Plastika, skippered by Capt.…

Officials looking for cost-effective ways to stimulate the economy should look no further than out their own windows. A new economic study shows that the great outdoors and historic preservation generates a conservative estimate of more than $1 trillion in total economic activity and supports 9.4 million jobs each year. With the unemployment rate still over nine percent according to the third quarter Labor Department jobs report, it may be a good idea to support more outdoor recreation. “As a former Secretary of the Interior, governor, senator and mayor, I have witnessed firsthand how historic preservation, conservation and outdoor recreation…

Since its formation in 2008, the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation (GHOF) has supported numerous initiatives to encourage conservation and best management practices for sustainable marine environments. The group has been front and center with its support — in both science and grants — to provide common-sense solutions to reverse overfishing, pollution and other threats to the marine ecosystem. The GHOF will host its fourth annual fundraiser on Wednesday, October 26 in the Don Taft Center at Nova Southeastern University in Davie, Florida. Guests will join marine artist Wyland and host Guy Harvey for an “island casual” evening of great food,…

The 2011-2012 California Hunting Digest, Upland Game and Waterfowl issue will be available online only this year, the Department of Fish and Game (DFG) announced today. It will not be available in print. “The Digest is a valued magazine,” said Bernadette Fees, DFG’s assistant deputy director for education and outreach. “We are proud of its popularity with California’s sportsmen and women.” By publishing the digest online, DFG saves taxpayers thousands of dollars in printing and distribution costs. Publishing online is also beneficial to the environment and is in step with DFG’s Going Green initiative. It also allows California’s hunters to…

Rough weather did little to stop the anglers who showed up in Islamorada, Florida, to fish 4th Annual Mad Dog Mandich Fishing Classic. A total of 92 anglers took part in the tournament despite wind, non-stop rain and 5-foot-plus seas. It was worth it! The 21 participating boats weighed more fish than ever before and everyone managed to enjoy the weekend, all while helping to raise money for Mariners Hospital. The tournament, which benefited the new Oncology Services at Mariners Hospital, is named after Jim “Mad Dog” Mandich, a former tight end for the University of Michigan and a Miami…

Get your claw-crackers ready, because Florida’s recreational and commercial stone crab claw harvest is set to open this Saturday, October 15. Stone crab claws must measure at least 2¾ inches in length to be harvested legally, but claws may not be taken from egg-bearing female stone crabs. Recreational harvesters are allowed to use up to five stone crab traps, and there is a daily bag limit of one gallon of claws per person or two gallons per vessel, whichever is less. Recreational and commercial traps may be baited and placed in the water beginning October 5, but none may be…

If you’ve ever thought about trying out for a reality show such as Survivor or the Amazing Race, then you’ll definitely want to hear about a new television concept that will follow big-game fishermen as they live the life, chasing marlin and tuna. The producers of the Bisbee’s Black and Blue, the largest big-money marlin tournament in the world, has teamed up with Fischer Productions, producers of such shows as Wanna Go Fishing, Offshore Adventures and the phenomenally successful Shark Men — Expedition Great White, to create a TV docudrama series aimed at showcasing the lifestyle most people only dream…

Mojo Sportswear, a new fishing apparel company, recently joined IGFA Saltwater Adventures, the television series now in its second season airing on the World Fishing Network. Hosted by angler, photographer and BD Contributing Editor Bill Boyce, the show features some of saltwater fishing’s most exciting species and exotic destinations as well as tips and tactics for targeting these impressive catches. Mojo produces apparel that’s specifically designed to meet the demands of the tournament fishing professional and hardcore recreational angler, with a style that’s unique to the marine industry. Through the use of high-performance technical fabrics like ComfortZone, Mojo’s technical gear…

If you went out on opening day of the lobster season in Redondo Beach and came up empty, it may be because a group of lobster poachers cleaned out the area. At least they didn’t get away with it! California Game Wardens made several poaching busts in Redondo Beach, including one with suspects in possession of 132 lobsters. “We are focusing our patrols on the worst abusers of our lobster resource to protect it for responsible users,” said Assistant Chief Paul Hamdorf of the California Department of Fish and Game Law Enforcement Division. “We are successfully using a team patrol…

Hawaiian custom lure maker Bomboy Llanes uses what he sees on the water to help him design his lures. Growing up in a fishing family in Hawaii, Bomboy got an early start offshore. It inspired him to create his own lures, and he’s landed some monsters on his own creations, including a 1,258.5-pound blue marlin that hit Bomboy’s homemade Locknut lure. So, it’s safe to say that Bomboy knows what it takes to catch big fish. Bomboy’s latest creation, the Mini-G, is a micro version of his huge Magilla Gorilla lure. Bomboy says it is a killer when run in…

Governor Jerry Brown signed the California shark fin ban, AB 376, into law on Friday, making California the the fourth state to pass a ban on the sale of shark fins. Shark finning is a process by which commercial fishermen catch sharks, slice off their fins and tails, then throw the fish back into the water to die. Up to 73 million sharks are killed through finning every year, pushing some shark populations to decline by as much as 90 percent in recent years. About 85 percent of U.S. shark fin consumption occurs in California. The bill’s passage marks a…

Yamaha Marine Group announced today it has launched one of its most valuable incentive programs of the year designed to give customers a great reason to buy a packaged boat or outboard motor(Yamaha Outboard) before the upcoming, fall boat show season. The company is calling the promotion “Why Wait? Buy Now!” “Customers don’t need to wait to get a great deal,” said Ben Speciale, Yamaha Marine Group President. “Yamaha’s new promotion makes now the best time of year.” The promotion provides the purchasing consumer a 3-year Y.E.S. (Yamaha Extended Service) contract on select eligible models at no extra cost to…

The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission adopted the season dates and regulations for the 2012 turkey hunting season, as recommended by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF). The change in the turkey season framework approved by the Commission provides for a uniform statewide opening on the fourth Saturday in March. Louisiana Sets Turkey Season In 2012, the season will open March 24 in three designated areas with varying end of season dates as follows: Area A, March 24 to April 22; Area B, March 24 to April 15; and Area C, March 24 to April 8. Special private…