Author: Capt. Scott Goodwin

Penn fishing reels have been and integral part of fishing’s history and now a big part of it’s future too. Penn has developed, tested and launched several new models of reels; the Torque Lever Drag 2-speed and the Squall in a lever drag and level wind version. Lets start with the Torque whose body is machined from aluminum and anodized for protection. It features a stainless steel pinion and main gear and has six shielded stainless steel ball bearings. A lightweight forged aluminum spool will hold plenty of line of any type, while the sealed Dura-Drag system will wear them…

I just returned from the Penn Media Summit. It was held out of the famous Sailfish Marina, in Palm Beach, Florida. The crew at Penn Fishing brought together a talented group of South Florida captains and a diverse group of outdoor writers, editors and photographers from around the country to fish with the latest innovations from Penn and more. Each day we split into small groups and fished with a different captain. Each captain had their own style and specialty, but all of them demonstrated their vast knowledge of the area, its fishy inhabitants and the versatility of the gear.…

Boat Outfitters Just ask any of the mates that have worked with me and they will agree that I’m a stickler for preparation and organization. I truly believe these two items are a big part of making the most of fishing opportunities that present themselves. Boat Outfitters obviously understands this and has designed many tools of the trade to help us all stay organized. They have many quality accessories they have built that will hold up to the harsh salt environment as well as looking good on your fishing rig. One handy, easily mounted item is their tool and leader…

PEI Tuna Fishing Trip Summary We have all heard it, and if we are lucky we have spoken the words ourselves, “that was the trip of a lifetime”. I feel very fortunate to have uttered the phrase many times in my life. I don’t think I’ve said it lightly or taken it for granted, but I know that the latest trip to Prince Edward Island to fish with Tony’s Tuna Fishing was worthy of this illustrious title. What qualifies a trip for this label? I believe it is a combination of factors that come together to make unforgettable memories. Good…

PEI Update 2013 Part of the BD team and our race to PEI winner, Gilbert Saucedo, are fishing with Tony’s Tuna fishing charters in Prince Edward Island. Gilbert won the drawing and joined the team for this unique fishing adventure. He started off the trip big when he harnessed up for the stand-up battle of his life. He fought tooth and nail and brought his first PEI Bluefin to boat side. Capt. Bradley estimated the tuna to be about 900-pounds. We took our pictures and Gilbert got to lean over and cut the leader close with a Bubba Blade. He…

Why does it seem like some of the best fishing is always far away. Whether it takes a run to an exotic local or just way the heck offshore to fertile waters, we all dream of taking our own boats to these fishy places. So often one of the main obstacles to living the dream is having enough fuel to get there, or more importantly to get home. It is no secret that boaters have used many methods to carry that extra fuel, but often the containers are a pain to deal with even after they have been emptied. Plastic…

Tucker Hanks and his family took his uncle’s boat to a remote submerged atoll that few have even heard of. They ran for six hours out of Naples, Florida and went forty miles past the well-known Dry Tortugas to drop a line on Pulley Ridge. The structure is a series of atolls that have about a 30-foot relief from the 260-foot depths. It has been explored by scientist and they were surprised to find a high percentage of shallow water species of coral and fish. The ridge is situated on the edge of the loop current, which brings nutrients and…

Igloo Yukon Cooler Review I recently took my Yukon 50 on a 12-hour yellowfin tuna trip out of Port Canaveral, Florida. I was working with Capt. Joe Palermo aboard the new Sea Wrangler II on a tuna trip to fish the locally named “other side”. The name refers to the long run to the east side of the Gulfstream, which is generally 70 to 80 miles offshore. I’m elaborating on the length of the day because it has a bearing on the ice we must carry for a trip like this. The Yukon 50 was the perfect size for a…

If you have teak trim on your boat, then at some point you will be sanding it to maintain it. Whether it is by hand or with power tools, you have to be careful of the surfaces around the teak. I put two or three layers of painters tape down on the perimeter of the wood to protect adjacent surfaces from the inevitable accidental slip of the sandpaper. It protects the paint or metal and gives you a indicator that you are touching where you don’t want to. The multiple layers of tape give you some forgiveness if you hit…

Heat Shrink Tips I use heat shrink for many purposes other than electrical connections on a boat. I am using it here to cover and streamline rope splices on our outrigger set up. We do it for looks, to strengthen connections, and to minimize places that lines might catch. I also use it to clean up the ends of dock lines. Shrink tube is used in building hook-sets for lures or “jigs” as my So Cal amigos say. I like the good stuff that has epoxy built into it. It melts and makes a great, lasting seal. Using a heat…

Bahamas Island Hopping BD Outdoors’ Scott Goodwin runs the 57′ Ocean “Miss Kary Lee” to the Bahamas for some out island hopping in the Abacos. Miss Kary Lee Boat I recently had the pleasure to run the 57′ Ocean Miss Kary Lee to the Bahamas for some out-island hopping in the Abacos. Owned by Dr Noah and Kary Babins of Winter Park, FL, the Miss Kary Lee makes for a comfortable fishing platform. Capt Kyle Larson Mate My good friend Capt. Kyle Larson of Merritt Island was my mate for the trip and was an integral part of the trip.…

When I rig a boat’s outrigger system, I often include a stainless ring on a dedicated halyard to pass the teaser line through. This allows you to position the teaser where you want it and also to pull it down within reach of the cockpit for maintenance or removal. It is important to use chaff guard to protect the mono loops that hold the ring as the teaser line passing over under pressure can wear through them. I really like the chaff guard that is a small, firm plastic tube that you cut to size. I also like to use…

The Dolphin Fish, Dorado,and Mahi-Mahi are all regional names for the same popular and prevalent game fish. Great sport, good looks and excellent eating make this offshore predator a prized catch in most anglers’ books. The dolphin fish is an extremely fast growing fish and can reach sizes of 50 to 80-pounds in as little as five years. It is a true case of “eat or be eaten”. This normally gives the dolphin fish a healthy appetite, thus making them willing targets for anglers. But like all fish, sometimes it still takes a few tricks to get them in the mood. Dolphin fish…

Dry Storage Dri Dek Often the storage areas of a boat get wet and are not well ventilated. The items you have laying on the floor stay wet and begin to mildew or get ruined by water. Life jackets are a prime example. These moist items also invite invasion from various insects like roaches. I like to line these types of areas with a material called Dri Dek. It is sold in one foot squares and can be snapped together and trimmed to create custom shapes. They also have edge and corner pieces if you want it to have a…

When it comes to filleting fish, most of us, including myself, were taught to skin the animal to maximize the meat and discard the undesireable parts. But when it came time to skin a dorado, we would always cut the perimiter of the fish’s skin, find a couple buddies to hold the head, and yank as hard as we could on the super-slippery skin to tear it off of the flesh. “In doing this we covered the table, meat and everyone with tiny dolphin scales. If you weren’t careful, you could even take out the guy next to you when…

Double Wrap on the Spool When you are re-spooling your reels, take two wraps with the mono or braid around the spool and then tie a uni knot.  The uni knot is good because you can tie it above the reel and then it will slide down and snug up tightly against the spool of the reel. This will allow the line to grip the spool and not let the line slip as you start to reel it. This is also a good time to clean and oil the spool that is normally covered up with line. Don’t forget to…

Maintenance Boat Prevention Disaster I have had the privilege to work on some sport fish boats that were fine crafted pieces of art as much as they were fishing machines. Acres of teak and varnish make a fragile working environment where it is easy to take one step forward and ten steps back. We develop an awareness of what I have called “D P”. This stands for “Disaster Potential” and we work hard to control it. For example, never leave tools perched in places where they can easily fall and chip paint or dent surfaces. Lay your cordless drill on…

Tool Cable Cutter If you have ever tried to cut multi-strand cable with the wrong tool, you know how difficult it is to cut and how smashed the end becomes. The resulting mangled end is near impossible to pass through the opening of a crimp. CABLE CUTTERS are the tool for the job and leave a nice clean-cut end. Sometimes you need a slight re-twist in the direction of the wire’s twist to smooth the ends. This will help it pass the crimp and itself when it is doubled back. I use copper crimps for cable as aluminum crimps and stainless…

Double Nuts Maintenance So many times when dealing with tight spots on boats, you can barely reach the hardware your working on or installing. In the picture you can see I am reaching in a hole for a stereo speaker to install a hand rail. I could just touch the bolt with my fingertips. When you finally work a wrench onto a lock nut you have to fight it for the entire length of the bolt because the nylon lock nut never loosens to finger loose. Now in open spaces I prefer a nylon lock nut because it resists vibrating…

Keep your boat pristine with this simple step. Pristine Boat Chamois Quick and simple, the Absorber is a very effective synthetic chamois. If you dry your boat’s metal, enclosures, and smooth surfaces after you wash it, your boat will stay looking great for years. It prevents hard water build up and gets any salt you may have missed during cleaning. Another thought is to dry the sunny side of the boat first as it will dry and leave hard water spots first. Rinse your chamois often to get rid of any grit you may have picked up so you don’t…

Prepping Rigs – Double Hook Ballyhoo Rig Take advantage of those windy days by rigging and getting organized, so that when the wind stops, you will be ready to fish. The more organized you can get, the more fish you will catch. I pre-build my rigs so I can grab and go. When you hear that the bite is hot, or when the weather finally turns perfect, the last thing you want to be doing is rigging. If you bag them and label the components, such as by hook size and leader type, it will save time and ensure you…

Having the proper tools makes any job easier, and fishing is no different. When we are using heavier mono leaders and crimps, a pair of sharp mono cutters is the tool for cutting the mono cleanly so that it slides in the crimp easily. Other tools, such as your pliers, often mash when they cut, leaving a flared end that you have to fight to get in the crimp. If you use crimps in your rigging, pick up a pair of mono cutters. You will not regret it.

Spooling up a spinning reel is different than spooling a conventional reel. Here are a few tricks to help keep the twists from driving you crazy. First we peel off the old line and put on the new line by only threading the first eye on the rod (closest to the reel). This eliminates the line jumping around the rod tip and halting the process over and over. Use a gloved hand and pass the line over and under a few fingers to apply pressure as you reel. You want to pack the line firmly on the spool. The refill…

Freshwater Trolling Lures Sticky Skirts Trolling lures aren’t getting any cheaper, and it always seems like our favorite lures take the most beating— probably because we run them the most. Sometimes older lures will still be in great shape but the skirt becomes a little stiff or sticky. If the Trolling lure sticky skirts starts to show signs of wear, it can change the way the lure swims, so I found a few easy ways to get them back into shape. First I clean them up using regular soap and water. Then I spray the skirts with a plastic dressing…