Author: Capt. Scott Goodwin

kFred Hall Show Longbeach, CA The 2017 Fred Hall Show kicked off it’s series in Longbeach, California in stellar fashion.  Huge crowds poured through the doors of the five day fishing gear binge.  There was something for everyone at the show.  BD created a Digital Show Guide for the second year. CCA CAL The CCA CAL continued to recruit anglers and outdoorsmen to the cause.  Preserving our access to the amazing natural resources of the State and providing a common sense approach to stand up for the public’s access to these resources. Penn Reels Penn had a full display of…

Crocodile Bay Resort is located in the charming town of Puerto Jimenez, Costa Rica. Join Silvie Spakova as she introduces you to this sleepy seaside village in Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula.

Like everything else in the marine world, dock lines are not cheap. You want to do your best to keep the lines you have clean and in good shape so they’ll last you a while. One of the best things you can do is to secure the end of the rope so the dock line won’t fray or unravel. Some guys melt the nylon end of the rope which might keep it from fraying but creates a big, round piece of goop at the end of the rope that can get caught up on a cleat. Other guys like to…

Bridling live baits is nothing new to the fishing world, but is still very localized in geographical zones. The benefit is a quick way to attach a bait to the hook that is very secure and allows free motion of the bait. It does not close the mouth or hinder the enticing quiver of a live fish. Often used to attach a circle hook, the method can be used on other hook styles. A little practice helps you perform the operation quickly, thus ensuring the survival of the subject, at least till he is eaten. Bridle Baits Let’s get started.…

Just before Christmas, we whisked our Race to Guatemala winner away to Casa Vieja Lodge for some epic offshore sailfish action. Of course we volunteered to tag along to make sure he had a great time. Each year for the last five years, BD Outdoors has run its most popular contest, The Race To Somewhere. We take the winner of a random online drawing to experience a bucket-list fishing trip, all expenses paid. This year’s lucky winner was hometown SoCal angler, Cole Coscino. Cole was already a diehard fisherman and member of BD. He described the moment when he found out…

Penn Clash and Crocodile Bay Resort Recently, Penn Fishing put together a diverse group of fishermen who are all involved with outdoor media and we gathered at Crocodile Bay Resort in Costa Rica.  Travel was a cinch for some, while others underwent a pilgrimage from as far as Australia. Almost There All visitors fly into San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica and then take smaller flights to more local destinations.  We flew to Puerto Jimenez airport which is no more than a stones throw to Crocodile Bay Resort. Welcome Home As the schedule worked out, we arrived early the first morning.…

Rigging Ballyhoo Ballyhoo are one of the most widely used trolling baits in offshore fishing for two basic reasons. First, they are readily available for purchase, typically sold frozen in sealed bags, but you can also catch them off the coast of South Florida. Secondly, rigged ballyhoo are a deadly bait for just about any offshore game fish — especially tuna, billfish and dorado. There are endless ways to rig ballyhoo, but the first steps to preparing ballyhoo remain the same. If you have frozen ballyhoo, you can thaw them in a bucket of salt water or leave them on…

Did you ever get a whiff of a certain smell and have it whisk you into the past and flood you with memories; good or bad? Well the memories were all good when the distinct smell of anise, plastic and elapsed time came wafting up the moment I cracked the seal on my old tackle box. I’ve been cleaning up in the garage on the mornings I can’t sleep. Too many years of waking up early to head to the boat are engrained in my habits and sleeping until the alarm clock rings is rarely and option. But that’s okay,…

Born and raised in Southern California’s Orange County, Cole Coscino has always loved to fish but it has evolved into a full-blown obsession as he grew up. While still majoring in business management in college at Point Loma and playing baseball, Cole maintains the goal to work on boats during the summers and should soon have his 100-ton captain’s license. Therefore we are happy to announce that Cole is a perfect match with the fact he is our lucky winner of BD’s Race to Guatemala Contest.  Cole will join the BD team at the five-star Casa Vieja Lodge for some of the best…

Jig Tipping Tips I thought I might share a quick tip about tipping jigs with belly strips or any kind of fish flesh to entice the bite.  We often tip a heavy bucktail jig with a strip to enhance the action, but more importantly the smell or flavor. A variety of grouper and snapper are suckers for this combination. We use a variety of strips depending on what we are catching.  We save the belly meat from dolphin we catch and the sides/belly of the bonita or little tunny.  Mullet can be used in a pinch, but are much softer…

All boats new and old need lots of maintenance. No doubt your cleaning regiment requires a wide variety of cleaners, lubes, solvents, waxes and other products. These products come in all types of containers, many of which are metal. These metal cans have been known to scratch and or leave rust rings on your boat. Rather than spending time and elbow grease trying to scrub a rust ring off of a bright-white piece of fiberglass, I have a simple solution to completely avoid the problem. It only takes a minute and will prevent the risk of rust rings anywhere you…

So many factors have to work in unison to achieve the moment when a fish is brought to the boat.  You had to rig and maintain the vessel, prepare and rig the rods, reels and baits, and find the time in everyone’s crazy schedule to get a day off at the precise moment the weather is good. All of this preparation and anticipation for is for this one moment in time; but “no pressure” as the gaff man makes his approach.  We’ve all been there, when the plan goes awry and the fish makes his boat-side escape.  Often bearing the…

Editor’s Note I just wanted to share a bit of very personal experience that has happened recently.  My mom was in a boating accident last week and luckily everyone on board, while hurting now, is still alive.  They hit a tree that was fallen over from the bank in a winding creek. Mom was thrown forward into some unknown and unforgiving part of the boat and suffered fractured ribs, shoulder blade, hand and vertebrae.  Luckily all fractures that will heal on their own without further surgeries.  I also had noticed some light bruising around her eyes and across the bridge…

Marsh Madness 2016 Each year for many years a pilgrimage of sorts has taken place. A gathering of outdoor writers and outdoor companies who congregate in the Marshes of Louisana for some good-natured madness. Team Effort To pull this event off it takes a great team and the sponsors and volunteers in attendance went all out to bring their expertise to the group. Skeeter Bold Skeeter has been making fine boats for many years and they have a solid hold on the inshore/bay boat market in Louisiana and more.  They brought one of their latest creations the “Bold” version of a…

The Penn Slammer III is a classic spinning reel that has been brought back and renewed. Charter captains and avid anglers alike have trusted the Penn Slammer to catch fish after fish for many years. Now the Penn Slammer has been brought back by popular demand, but it got a few upgrades along the way. The Slammer III is built for the heavy-duty demands of modern day fishing with braided lines and the punishing pressures we can now apply. The CNC Gear technology creates a superior gear system that generates improved power thanks to the precision machining. All of the…

Fishing Floating Objects “Hey, what’s that”? Those three little words hold so much potential when spoken on a boat offshore. Either trolling or running, the sighting of an object, natural or man-made, can be a day maker. How many hours have we wished to find the proverbial “pallet” floating offshore on a slow day? Often when you do find some object, like a swamped boat full of personal items, you can’t help but ponder what happened to the people involved. I’ve had eerie feelings hoping for no bodies, as we prepared to whack whatever fish live under it now. Luckily…

Waxing the metal structures and hardware on your boat is an essential part of keeping it functional and protecting the value of your investment. Waxing metal can be a pain! I know I got carpal tunnel from the many hours spent waxing on boats as a mate and captain, but this tip makes a big difference when it comes time to spread some metal wax.  I use a two part system to wax metal.  First I use Collonite Metal Wax to clean the oxidation and stubborn residue off the metal.  I follow this with a coat of Collonite Insulator Wax.…

One can not help but be excited at the chance to visit any part of Louisiana, coined the Sportsman’s Paradise, because it is just that.   Louisiana is a unique destination in that it offers access to a pinnacle of both offshore and inshore fishing in one location within our own borders. Easy access and no passport required. If you fly, your first stop will be New Orleans, but soaring over the Delta will amaze you with its labyrinth of marsh and a lifetime’s worth of places to fish. This is where the Mississippi River flows into the Gulf of Mexico…

When you’re setting up a reel on a rod, it is hard to really get the reel seat tight by hand. Pliers will work, but can tear up the rod if you are not very careful. A strap wrench from a home improvement store is the tool for the job. Use it on one ring first and then the locking ring after.  If you put the reel clamp on first and pay attention to the alignment, it will help prevent the seat tightening from twisting the reel off center. Check when you’re done and make sure the reel is lined…

I always preach about being prepared for every possible fishing situation, having spare parts and first aid kits, but what about first aid knowledge. Imagine you are out fishing and a friend or family member goes down with cardiac arrest.  Will you know what to do? You don’t even have to be way offshore for the response time of trained professionals to be delayed by your location.  Time is of the essence and you need to know what to do to keep that person alive till help arrives. I had caught wind that there were new CPR techniques being taught,…

Florida is synonymous with water, all types of water, and right now many of our precious waters and all the related benefits are on the brink of collapse. As I type this plea for help, I know (because I saw the video last night) there are many fish taking their last breath from oxygen depletion in the Indian River Lagoon.  At the same time many South Florida estuaries are still being smothered with billons of gallons of polluted freshwater being pumped from Lake Okeechobee causing toxic algae blooms and more. Meanwhile the Everglades and the seagrass beds of Florida Bay are…

If you happen to follow my Offshore Academy tips, then you’ve probably heard me preach about the many benefits of making your own strip baits from the Cobia belly meat of a variety of species of fish. Cobia Belly – How To Cut Strip Bait? Not every fish has suitable characteristics for a strip bait(strip bait fishing). The skin must me tough, and the meat firm enough to work with. I’ve previously shown you how to make strips from little tunny (bonita), mullet, and dolphin (dorado). The last species that I use here on the East Coast is cobia. Cobia…

When we are tournament fishing, we try to be as dialed-in as possible, and the drag settings on our reels are a very important piece of the puzzle. You have to know exactly how much drag pressure you’re putting on the line. Too much could cause a break-off and too little could mean a long fight that will cost you valuable fishing time. We set our drags with a hand scale. The best way to set the drag is have the guy holding the scale on the dock. You want to test the drag from the rod tip, not straight…

Five Great Fishing Tools Each specific fishery around the world requires its own specific rigging and the tools required to do it.  Cuda Brand tools are made just for fishermen and the harsh elements where they ply their trade.  Each tool shares Cuda’s technologies including the signature blue scale-patterned grip which offers slip free handles, even when your hands are wet. Cuda offers a wide variety of tools and accessories for avid anglers at a very affordable price point. Here are 5 that I find handy! 1  Titanium Bonded Crimper Cuda’s 11-inch Titanium Bonded Crimpers are perfect for prepping rigs at…