Author: BD STAFF

The terminal end of your tackle is by far the most important when it comes to keeping a fish on. When dealing with large offshore fish, you really need to make sure you get a clean connection from hook to leader or you will lose fish — plain and simple. More often than not, achieving a solid connection requires tools. You may need to remove a split ring, place a crimp or secure a haywire twist. But nobody wants to carry along three or four different tools to get the job done. Offshore guru Dennis Braid saw the need for…

The California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) recently completed its first-ever stock assessment of California halibut. Completed in July 2011, the assessment examined two separate halibut stocks off the coast of California, with the boundary drawn at Point Conception. The results from central California indicated that the halibut stock in those waters is healthy and that fishing is currently not the major factor in controlling the abundance level of the central California population. Instead, abundance in that area is driven by pulses of large numbers of young halibut which only occur in some years. These pulses are likely environmentally…

West Marine, the nation’s largest specialty retailer of boating supplies and accessories, is accepting nominations for its third-annual Green Product of the Year Award. The company expanded the contest this year to include all of the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada. The Green Product of the Year is a component of West Marine’s BlueFuture initiative to help create a sustainable future of our planet. The Green Product of the Year will be announced and the award of $10,000 will be presented to the designated Official Winner at the 2012 Miami International Boat Show. “West Marine strives to be a…

Tickets for the Win A SeaVee raffle sold out nearly a week before the August 7th drawing, so there was no shortage of people waiting to see who would become the ultimate winner of a brand new 29-foot SeaVee center console on August 7th. Contestants from eight different states made the first round of 30 in the drawing, including several ticket holders from as far away as California. But when it was all said and done, Andrew Nixon, of Delray Beach, Florida, held the winning ticket, #0699, and became a proud owner of the 29-foot SeaVee package, including twin 225-hp…

More than 20,000 people recently joined a viral campaign on the social website Change.org, asking California lawmakers to approve A.B. 376, a bill that would ban the sale of shark fins in the state. Change.org is a website that allows social activists to ban together and gain support for a range of causes. More than 73 million sharks are killed every year through finning, a process where fishermen slice off a shark’s fins, then throw the fish overboard to bleed to death or drown. Hawaii, Washington, Oregon, and several countries have already passed bans on the sale of shark fins.…

Mix a beautiful Southern California day with a group of youngsters eager to catch a fish (any fish), and a hard-working group of volunteers and you get the second annual IGFA 2011 Oceanside Pier Kids’ Fishing Derby. Sponsored by the International Game Fish Association (IGFA), United Pier and Shore Anglers of California (UPSAC), NOAA, and the Oceanside Pier Bait and Tackle, the event was declared a rousing success by all. Free loaner rods and reels, free bait, free lunches (more than 300 served), and help from more than 25 volunteers greeted the 109 young anglers and their parents. Although the…

Jarrett Bay Honored Jarrett Bay Boatworks, located in Beaufort, North Carolina, was recently presented with the 2011 Award of Excellence “Boatyard of the Year” designation from the American Boat Builders & Repairers Association (ABBRA) at the association’s Annual Conference, held in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Jarrett Bay Boatworks was one of six to receive a prestigious ABBRA award presented on an annual basis and designed to recognize individuals and companies from the boatbuilding and repairing industry for their excellence throughout the year. ABBRA’s “Boatyard of the Year” award is given to the service or repair facility that demonstrates excellence in all…

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (FWS) National Fish Hatchery System (NFHS) is responsible for stocking many of our nation’s waters with the fish that anglers enjoy pursuing. Federal hatcheries across the U.S. raise and release millions of recreationally-important species such as rainbow trout to mitigate for the loss of native fisheries due to water development projects. Budget cuts are putting those hatcheries at risk. In response to recent cuts in the federal budget, the FWS has proposed an $11 million reduction in NFHS funding, with $6 million coming from the account for operating mitigation hatcheries. If approved, this large…

Simrad recently invited several members of the Southern California outdoor media to a demo day in Long Beach to show off their latest toys. Simrad let us test out the new line of NSS multifunction touch-screen displays and the network based accessories they control on the water, where we could really put the units through the paces. The test boat was a badass 36-foot Yellowfin center console powered by triple 300-hp Yamaha outboards. Rigged up on the helm were a 12-inch Simrad NSE (non-touch screen) and a 12-inch Simrad NSS touch-screen display. Both units were connected to a full line…

The new owners of the California Billfish Series have redesigned and improved the tournament website, www.catalinaclassic.com, to provide anglers with everything they need to know about fishing the series and allowing teams to register online. The California Billfish Series is the largest big-money offshore tournament series in California. Now owned and operated by the owners of www.bdoutdoors.com, the series promises to be the biggest event on Catalina Island this year. We’re bringing the good times back to the tournaments! The series consists of three striped marlin tournaments, which all take place on historic Catalina Island. The Zane Grey Invitational kicks…

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries plans to launch a Yellowfin Tuna Tagging Program, an initiative unique to the Gulf of Mexico. The program promotes a culture of catch, tag and release in the recreational fishing community and contributes to the scientific data necessary to further understand the behaviors of yellowfin tuna. Tagging tuna can provide data about the fish’s movements, migrations, stock structure, growth, population size, mortality, schooling behavior and physiology. NOAA acknowledges that the size and number of yellowfin caught is decreasing, and this downward trend has been happening since 1999. “The new tuna tagging program will…

All kids under the age of 15 are invited to fish in the Huck Finn Kids Fishing Derby, scheduled for this weekend, on August 13 at the Huntington Beach Pier. The event is free for all kids and there are thousands of dollars worth of prizes up for grabs. Young anglers are encouraged to compete in the tournament from 9 a.m. to noon. “Bust out your favorite Huck Finn-era costume and you could win the prize for best-dressed angler.” There are prizes for the largest fish caught by the various age groups as well as other cool stuff to take…

The Quantum Smoke Baitcasting reel garnered so much excitement, purchases and pro tournament wins that the company decided to build on the momentum and offer a new Smoke Spinning Reel. The brand new series offers anglers a light, tough and smooth-operating spinner for all their freshwater needs. The Smoke baitcasting reel is known for being remarkably lightweight, and that’s the first impression anglers get when they pick up the feathery but formidable 7.5-ounce Smoke spinning reel. Smoke features a skeletal aluminum body design that minimizes weight but won’t flex, even under the heaviest loads. And speaking of strength, much like…

Bass superstar Kevin VanDam, a four-time Bassmaster Classic Champion, worked for several months with his career-long reel sponsor, Quantum, to design a lighter-bodied 5.3:1 ratio reel specifically suited to the cranking system he used to win his two most recent Bassmaster Classic and Angler of the Year titles. “Based on the success of the Smoke series of reels, I asked Quantum to build me a reel styled similar to the lightweight, low-profile Smoke frame with the 5.3:1 cranking ratio I love,” VanDam said. “They nailed it. It’s a significantly lighter reel we’re calling the Tour KVD Cranking Classic. It has…

Quantum’s much talked about EXO Spinning Reel features a futuristic look as it’s built with an all-metal frame with an exoskeleton design. To cut down on weight yet maintain the reel’s strength, Quantum removed any unneeded portions of the reel. The EXO spinning reel is constructed out of high-strength aluminum and lightweight composite materials, to give anglers an option that is lightweight and tough with a cutting-edge look. By placing “metal where it matters,” Quantum created a frame structure for EXO that the company says is 38 percent stronger than magnesium and 6 times stronger than a frame made from…

Pick up the new EXO Baitcaster from Quantum and you’ll likely have the same reaction as just about everyone else does when they lift up this reel. As you weigh the EXO in your hand, it just doesn’t seem right. How the heck did Quantum get this reel so light? The trick is removing any excess weight and using nothing but the very strongest, lightweight materials available. The name itself, EXO, is a take on exoskeleton, because that is what the cutting-edge look of the reel resembles, an exoskeleton of a reel. The EXO turned many heads at the 2011…

Built for the freshwater trollers out there, the Quantum Controller Trolling Combos are an affordable, reliable option for weekend warriors as well as full-time captains. The Controller Trolling Series is available in three sizes, each one capable of holding at least 200 yards of line. Built on a lightweight frame, the Controller reels use stainless steel reinforced sideplates for added durability. There’s also an automatic levelwind on each model, making line management a no-brainer. Durability and simple functionality were definitely at the forefront when Quantum sat down to design this series of trolling reels. Whether you tie into a hard-fighting…

The Pflueger President spinning reel is one of the most popular spinning reels in its class — and it just got better. The company has found a way to make the reel more durable with added toughness and function, yet reduce the reel’s weight up to 10 percent. The end result gives the angler more reel with less weight. That means longer fishing with no fatigue. The graphite body and rotor still represent the foundation of this reel. The President also comes with nine stainless steel bearings (six on the model 6920) plus the instant anti-reverse, one-way clutch bearing. It…

We got to check out the new PENN Squall Lever Drag reel at the recent ICAST tackle show and it instantly impressed us with its lightweight, comfortable feel and modern look. This reel is a great all-around reel for trolling and dropping back to hungry sails and marlin, or battling big dorado, wahoo and tuna. It would also perform well as a kite reel for those anglers who fish the Florida sailfish events. It’s high speed with a 6.1:1 gear ratio, so it would also make a smart choice when fishing the bottom. With such versatility, it’s safe to say…

The new PENN Fathom Star Drag conventional reel is ideal for any angler looking to get a longer cast or easily fly-line a live bait to a hungry fish. The Fathom Star Drag is perfect for a variety of applications, but it was truly designed to make longer casts for those times when you need a few extra feet to reach a tailing marlin or when throwing iron way out for yellowtail. The Bad Company team, who’s won just about all of the big-money tournaments on the West Coast, helped design this reel so you know it’s built for offshore…

If you need an affordable saltwater reel that packs enough punch to get just about any species back to the boat, check out the PENN Defiance. Although it’s light on the wallet, PENN didn’t go cheap on this reel. This conventional reel sports a sticker price of only $79.95 and features a graphite frame and sideplates along with a forged, machined and anodized aluminum spool that cuts down on weight. Defiance is built with stainless steel frame rings and uses a level wind so your line lays on the spool evenly. The reel features a machine-cut, marine-grade bronze main gear…

More and more anglers are using heavy-duty spinning reels to tame the ocean’s biggest beasts these days. Okuma Fishing Tackle’s latest spinning reel, the Raw II were built for these anglers who want to use spinning gear when battling big fish. The Raw II pumps out 50 pounds of drag pressure and is constructed from a proprietary, highly corrosion-resistant aluminum alloy. The reel is capable of such a heavy drag setting thanks to Okuma’s Dual Force Drag system with a carbon fiber drag stack. With power and corrosion resistance, the Raw II spinning reels are more than capable of taking…

For those anglers who want to upgrade to a durable baitcasting reel but don’t want to dish out big bucks, check out the new Krios reel from Okuma. The Krios low-profile baitcast reels, equipped with a dynamic combination of features and function, are available in both right- and left-hand retrieve but they don’t cost an arm and a leg. Krios has many of the features you’ll find on the most expensive casting reels on the market, such as a 7.3:1 high-speed, Alumilite Construction die cast aluminum frame, A6061-T6 machined aluminum spool and a multi-disk drag system with micro-click adjustment. The…

OKUMA HELIOS BAITCAST ROD AND REEL Okuma Fishing Tackle unveiled a new line of lightweight baitcasters that weigh in at very low levels to keep you fishing longer. The new Helios low-profile reels weigh just 6.3 ounces while maintaining a full aluminum frame and handle-side aluminum sideplate. Match it to a Helios bass rod that begins at just 3.6-ounces and you have a full rod-and-reel combo that clocks in at less than 10 ounces. Even the most powerful rod in the Helios series, a 7-foot, 6-inch heavy action weighs just 5-ounces. Okuma didn’t sacrifice strength to get the lightweight. Helios…