Author: Capt. Scott Goodwin

Throughout our country, there are so many epic struggles going on in the natural world.  We as sportsman appreciate nature as much or more than those who don’t immerse themselves in Nature’s wonders. Food Thought Tools Action Right now in Florida, one of the fishiest places in the country, our most precious resource, water, is in a total crisis from multiple contributing factors.  Most of these are man-made and have been accumulating negative effects for decades.  Now we seem to be at a tipping point in many areas and it is a drastic reminder of how we continue to interfere…

I’m not sure what the best part of our recent Steinhatchee scallop trip was. Certainly a chance to share good times with family is a central focus, but there are so many aspects to this purely simple trip.  I guess I consider it so simple because compared to the rigors of offshore fishing that takes days to prepare and equal days to clean up, snorkeling for scallops is as simple as it gets. This year was no exception except for the exceptional amount of scallops that invaded the warm, shallow grass flats of Florida’s Gulf Coast. We don’t get to…

As one soars across the marshes and the mighty, muddy Mississippi River at 500 knots, you can’t help but feel a sense of history and nature mashed together with modern technology. Incredible natural surroundings meshed with mind-blowing feats of man, have created one of the best places to fish in North America. Of course I’m referring to the incredible fishery in Louisiana, U.S.A. Each year for the past four years, BD Outdoors has run it’s most popular Race to Somewhere Contest. We spent the first three taking unsuspecting winners to do battle with giant bluefin tuna in PEI, Canada with…

Using release clips plays an integral part when trolling offshore. While just about everyone uses clips on their outrigger halyards (some prefer tag lines), the use of “flat-line” clips is little less common. The flat line refers to the bait or lure that is placed closest to the boat. Most crews run a flat line off of each corner. I like to keep the flat line just behind the teaser. If you use a flat-line clip, it keeps the angle of the line lower to the water, which helps the bait stay down and swim better while also giving the…

Shimano has created a new class of electric reel that is a true “force to be reckoned with”. The Forcemaster series currently consists of two models, the 9000 and the 6000. Both reels benefit from Shimano’s HAGANE design, which is an excellent example of how quality design and manufacturing can result in an extremely rigid body that translates directly into efficient cranking power by eliminating flex in the frame. The Forcemaster is a fully tricked out electric reel that offers anglers a wide variety of programmable modes or manual modes depending on your preference and usage. You can use it…

Red Snapper Closed Well we’ve been anxiously awaiting the “official word” from NOAA and their “experts”.  They’ve officially declared it a no go for red snapper fishing for the East Coast.  That includes commercial and recreational fishing. They say that in 2015 we caught too many red snapper, so none for 2016, despite the fact that there was no 2015 season either for the same reason in 2014 when anglers were allowed 9 days in the Atlantic. How can this be you ask?  Its the beauty of statistics; you pretty much make them say whatever you want and NOAA wants…

Nothing is more aggravating than opening a new tube of caulk that costs near 20 bucks, knowing that $19.50 of it will go to waste because it cures in the tube. Here is a quick tip for caulks like 5200 and 4000.  Put the tube in the refrigerator, maybe in a ziplock.  The low temperature keeps the caulk from curing and I’ve pulled it out and used it many months later. That would not be possible if you left it out. Every little bit helps.  Especially when you only need to bed a few little screws. More Caulk Tips

Any time you’re working with caulk or marine adhesive, you’ve got a chore on your hands that can get messy real quick if you don’t take the necessary steps before busting out the caulk gun. First, choose a caulk that suits your purpose and read about its cure times and cleanup methods on the side of the tube. Once you know the product you’re working with, mask off the seam with painter’s tape. Press down the edge of the tape near the seam and leave the excess loose to facilitate easy peeling off. When you need to make curves, you…

Capt. Scott shares this rigging tip for swimming ballyhoo that will catch anything without teeth, like dolphin, tuna and sailfish. The chin-weighted ballyhoo on mono is a very popular way to rig trolling baits for any pelagic fish without teeth. This rig is versatile and can be made lightweight with small ballyhoo for “dink” fishing or beefed up for tuna and marlin. The weight under the chin of the bait acts as a keel and makes the ballyhoo stand up and swim like the real thing. It can also help keep the baits down in the water on a windy…

If you own a boat or ever think you might own a boat, you are going to deal with stubborn boat hoses and connections at some point. Using hose barbed fittings is an essential part of the equation and they come in several types.  White nylon, gray PVC, and bronze are the main types and of course there are many other less common options. White Nylon The white nylon fittings are common, user friendly and the wimpiest of the choices. I only use them for the most light-duty plumbing chores.  You have to be careful not to crush them with the…

A Day in the Life The Fourth of May finds our Stormtrooper in the grind of cleaning up after the evil Emperor’s pool party. There Must Be More We’ve all been there little buddy.  Dreaming of what potential the day holds out on the water. I Could Be Famous I could have my own fishing show!  Travel, easy hours, exotic locations. Ladies Man If I had my own show the Fishin Chicks would flock to me. The Imperial Feather I could become the most famous flyfishing host in the galaxy. Plan B If they won’t eat the fly, I could…

Check out this Discovery Channel segment of How It’s Made featuring the Okuma Makaira big game offshore reel. If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to make a reel able to catch giant fish and withstand the corrosive elements, check out this video.

On most boats the isinglass windows on an enclosure will touch the metal support structure of a hardtop or tower leg. Over time this contact and rubbing against the aluminum or stainless will etch a permanent line in the plastic window of your enclosure. The simple solution is to put a suction cup on the plastic so the little nub of the suction cup touches against the metal and keeps the isinglass from getting damaged. Enclosures are pricey and this little tip can help you get a few more years out of your isinglass.

Bolt Cutters for Hook Removal All offshore fishermen working with large hooks have the potential of getting hooked themselves. It’s almost unavoidable. No matter how careful you are, accidents happen. We go to great lengths to ensure the safety of the crew, but the risk is always lurking. And if and when someone does get a big offshore hook in their flesh, you’re going to need to do your best to get that baby out. Simply put, a pair of bolt cutters is a must have on a boat! Bolt cutters provide the easiest means to cut an angler free…

I recently got the opportunity to try out the newest offering for fishermen from Under Armour; the Coolswitch line of long sleeve performance shirts. From the well-known Under Armour company, the Coolswitch line follows the company mantra to create gear to allow you to reach new levels of performance in comfort.  The great outdoors subject you to the elements, which can wear you down without the proper gear working for you. The Coolswitch technology developed by Under Armour uses a special blend of chemistry and fabric to draw heat from your body, delivering a cooling sensation to your skin. The…

 Sushi Wagon I just got back from a special trip aboard the Sushi Wagon out of Port Canaveral.  My long-time great friend Charlie Tudor invited me again, but this time the planets aligned and I was able to say yes. We loaded up his new 37′ Freeman and eased out of the slip at 2 am.  With confidence from the Flir infrared camera and the radar, we ran 120 nautical miles in the dark to arrive at a distant weather buoy at first light. The buoy is anchored in several thousand feet of the bluest water and becomes an amazing…

You may already be familiar with the bright blue tools that are gaining popularity in the fishing world and on store shelves. Cuda Brand tools are earning their place on angler’s hips and boats everywhere. Why the surge in popularity? Everyone likes quality functional products that give great value for your money. Cuda Brand tools and knives were born out of necessity. Avid angler Rick Constantine grew up in the fishing and hunting world thanks to his father, Capt. Ted Constantine. Rick’s passion for the water led him to become a charter boat captain and commercial fisherman. This line of…

Let’s Save Our Indian River Lagoon The Indian River Lagoon’s tragic fish kills and algae blooms have continued and hopefully the giant of public awareness and action has awakened!  Many have seen the problems, desire to help, but are at a loss of where to start. Let it be said again that there is no quick fix to this decades old issue.  But lets not take that as an excuse to not start the process now. We have to start as individual citizens in our own back yards! Derek Redwine, our creative director, has applied his talents of artistic expression…

Indian River Lagoon Fish Kills I’ve heard it described many ways, the massive degradation of the Indian River Lagoon, and there are many fingers pointing in all directions.  Each level of blame is probably true to various extents and we all share some part in the problem, either directly or indirectly. The most apt description I’ve heard of the problem is “death by a thousand cuts”. Meaning it is not just one factor or event that has triggered the problem, but more likely the culmination of many smaller man-made and natural factors that have had this storm brewing for decades.…

Little Flash Mylar For Me So we all like to play the colors game; “which color is best when, for this lure and these conditions?”  I personally believe that most of the time, color choice is a matter of personal confidence. Which ever color you believe in, you use more, so you catch more, so you believe more. It is a self fulfilling prophecy with colors and everyone is only catching them on “insert color”.  Trouble is they are all different. One aspect I do believe helps is the addition or use of shimmering bait-like flash from mylar is various…

Offshore Academy Skin Labels Normally we catch a variety of different fish after a good day of fishing offshore. It’s nice to bag the fillets separately after you fillet them up so that you can savor the different flavors and textures. Usually we don’t have a permanent marker to label the plastic storage bags of fish at the cleaning table, or the bag is wet and won’t mark. So I came up with a simple labeling system that will help you keep up with what species of fish is in each bag until you get home to do your final…

I would venture to say that most boaters, myself included, have been on the bittersweet end of a towrope. It is sweet because you’ve obviously gotten help and are on your way towards land. Bitter because for a myriad of reasons; your boat or engine has left you stranded. If you are a boater and you have not been on the hind-end of the rope; give it time. If you want your towing experience to be more sweet than bitter, then listen up. This is where a Sea Tow membership is your spoonful of sugar to help the medicine go down.…

We here at BD would like to let you know of an important decision about to be made that could have direct affect on your favorite past times. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife have two vacancies to be filled on the Fish and Game Commission.   The last two vacancies, filled by the governor, are individuals who mean well, but they do not even fish or hunt. Therefore it is crucial that the sportsmen of California are duly represented by leaders who understand, appreciate and enjoy our passion to fish and hunt. It is for this very reason that…

Double Hook Strip Rig Trolling strip baits for offshore pelagics is one of my favorites. They are durable, easy to rig and will catch everything that swims. I rig belly strips in a variety of ways and this double hook rig is the one of the simplest, yet very effective. I’m using single strand wire leader ranging from #7 to #10 depending on the type of lure head and the tackle size we are using. I use #7 wire for 30-pound class trolling and heavier as you step up in gear size. I also use heavier wire with larger lure…