Author: Yamaha Fishing Series

One of the oldest and most basic pieces of equipment found aboard any boat is the anchor. Some of the earliest anchors discovered by archeologists date back over 2,500 years to the Sea of Galilee, and they were little more than circular, heavy stones with holes drilled through them to attach a rope. A simple yet effective invention, motivated perhaps by the rumor that seamen of old hated the job of pulling the anchor almost as much as boaters do today. For this reason, an enterprising mariner invented the earliest windlass, which consisted of a wooden wheel with a lever…

Yamaha Pro Mike Iaconelli – Mike Iaconelli Fishing Tournament  On Saturday, August 6, 2016, the Ike Foundation®, in conjunction with the Mid-Atlantic Youth Anglers & Outdoors Program, held its first celebrity Pro-Am Bass Tournament, charity dinner and kids fishing fun day on the waterfront in Camden, New Jersey. The goal was to generate funds and awareness for introducing America’s children, especially inner city and disadvantaged youth, to fishing and the outdoors. Yamaha Pro Mike Iaconelli was all smiles while meeting kids, signing autographs, and interacting with the crowd throughout the day. The Ike Foundation® is the brainchild of professional bass angler…

Does spinning tackle have a place offshore? If you like offshore fishing imagine this—three days running around the Gulf of Mexico in a triple Yamaha-powered 42-foot Invincible center console doing nothing but fishing for yellowfin and blackfin tuna with surface plugs. The excitement of watching tuna attack a popper right before your eyes, not once, but again and again and again, is enough to give any saltwater angler heart palpitations. The Yamaha team recently spent some time with Bill Butler, owner of Venice Marina, aboard his tournament-rigged boat. Using his vast knowledge of the Gulf, Bill really put our team on…

This past May, while practicing for the Bassmaster® Elite tournament at Lake Havasu, Brandon Palaniuk tied on a big topwater lure to use in the ultra-clear water. The Yamaha Pro finished 10th in the event, and now, three months later, he still has that same surface plug on his rod. “It’ll be there until late October or early November, too, as long as the water remains warm and clear,” laughs Palaniuk, “because to me, summertime means topwater time whenever I’m fishing in clear water. Once the water temperature reaches about 70-degrees, baitfish normally start moving closer to the surface, and…

Ethanol and Boats Don’t Mix Unless you haven’t put fuel in your car in the past ten years, you’re probably familiar with the term E10. It refers to the 10 percent ethanol that is blended into the gasoline you buy at the pump. If you’ve owned an outboard-powered boat during that same time period, you are far more familiar with E10 than your over-the-road counterparts. The introduction of ethanol into the U.S. gasoline supply was the result of an EPA regulation called the Renewable Fuel Standard, and it caused a lot of costly headaches for boaters at the 10 percent…

Great news for the newly emerging CCA of California as Immediate Past President, Phil Dyskow, was recently named a legacy lifetime member of the newly formed Coastal Conservation Association (CCA®) California. The appointment is a testament to Dyskow’s continued efforts to fight for the rights of U.S. recreational angler and boaters. “Phil Dyskow is a true champion for all U.S. recreational anglers and boaters,” said Bill Shedd, President, CCA® California and AFTCO. “Through his membership, CCA® California gains an incredible, experienced, and talented resource who will, without a doubt, help our mission to unite California’s anglers for conservation.” In addition…

Saltwater Fishing “Daddy, take me fishing,” are four words any fishing father loves to hear from his son, but it has become a more common refrain from daughters—and it’s just as welcomed. In fact, it’s not just daughters showing a greater interest in the sport, but women across the spectrum. That’s a great thing! While fishing is still a male-dominated sport, there has been a steady increase in the number of women fishing alongside men, and a new breed of distaff anglers who get out there and do it on their own. How you manage any newcomer’s introduction to fishing…

Yamaha Outboards Yamaha Marine Group introduced today the latest iteration of the most popular four-stroke 150-horsepower outboard of all time, the 2.7-liter F150. Like its predecessor, the new F150B has 16 valves and the sophisticated, proven design that has become its signature. With the improvements, the F150B now offers even better reliability, easier fishing, quieter operation and an improved appearance. “Demand is as high as it’s ever been for the F150 for three reasons: performance, reliability and customer satisfaction,” said Ben Speciale, President, Yamaha Marine Group. “The advanced-technology, DOHC 2.7-liter block is a time-tested platform that has been proven again…

Brian Rice is a charter fishing captain who plies the inshore and offshore waters off northern New Jersey with his 2006 31-foot Contender® center console. The boat is powered by the original 2006 Yamaha F250 outboards, and the hull and motors have over 2,200 hours of use on them without a major repair. The boat has been fished hard, but sitting on the trailer in the warehouse, gleaming under three coats of wax as Rice finished up the process of getting it ready for the 2014 fishing season, it looked to be in excellent condition. Brian walked us through the…

When Russ Lane gave up a promising baseball career to become a fulltime professional bass fisherman, he quickly realized he had to change his normal fishing strategies if he wanted to compete successfully against the best bass anglers in the world. The Yamaha Pro’s initial decision—looking for alternative lures—turned out to be one of the most important he’s ever made. “Not only was I fishing against excellent fishermen, but we were all competing on heavily-pressured lakes where the bass had apparently already seen all the lures in my tackle box so they ignored them,” laughs Lane, who has since qualified…

Plugging Backwater Stripers While the Mid-Atlantic states are still dealing with a long, cold winter, there are signs of spring showing up every day – like the robins seen pecking away on the front lawn this morning or the tiny buds of new leaves sprouting on bushes and trees. Even though it’s still cold, we are only a few weeks away from some early season striper fishing. Time to get your gear ready for action. From North Carolina’s Roanoke to New Jersey’s Nevasink and north to the Connecticut, numerous tidal rivers will see the early influx of schooling striped bass.…

Gasoline—it was once so cheap it was a non-factor in everyday life. You stopped at the gas station and filled up that gas guzzling four-wheeled monster without a second thought. The same went for your boat. Gather up the family, fill the tank and away you’d go for an afternoon of fishing, waterskiing or cruising because fuel expense was just no big deal for the average middle class family. As we all know, those days are gone and things have changed significantly. Gas prices now fluctuate between three and four dollars a gallon, and even more for marine gas purchased…

It was January 2, and a snowstorm had just passed through central New Jersey. The temperatures were in the teens, and the wind was blowing so the wind chill was pushing zero. The marina was empty except for four boats still floating in their slips, and all four just happened to be Yamaha-powered center consoles in the 24-to-32-foot range. Without doubt, all of these were hardcore recreational fishing boats. From the footprints in the snow you could see that three of the owners had already been there to shovel the decks, the fourth would likely be along shortly. What would…

While most tourists consider a visit to New Orleans the highlight of any trip to Louisiana, if fishing is your passion aim your sights a little further south to the famed Mississippi Delta and the town of Venice. The quality and variety of the fishing opportunities available from Venice are quite simply unsurpassed by any place in the United States, or many of the heralded fishing destinations around the world. The little town is the southernmost outpost in the state, but from a base at Venice Marina you will have access to a variety of passes leading into the open…

Although many bass fishermen have already put away their soft plastic lures and replaced them with crankbaits and jigs now as water temperatures get cooler, Todd Faircloth isn’t one of them. Instead, the veteran Yamaha Pro is still using soft plastic jerkbaits, creature baits, and worms because he can fish them slower but still impart a lot of action to them. “On many lakes, bass are still feeding predominantly on shad, and I just believe the soft plastic lures imitate that type of forage better,” explains Faircloth, who will be fishing his 11th Bassmaster Classic® in February. “I can also…

For more than two decades, Yamaha Pro Bobby Lane has relied on a technique and presentation known as “Carolina rigging” to propel him to the top of tournament leader boards, but, as in almost every professional bass fishing technique, Lane adds his own personal touch. In his case, the difference is concentrating in extremely shallow water. “I fish water only about eight feet deep or less,” explains Lane, who used this presentation for three top 10 finishes in Bassmaster® Elite competition during the 2013 season. He ranked fourth in the Angler of the Year standings, and in February will fish…

When it comes to bottom species, anglers have closely-held beliefs about which ones are the most challenging, the most fun and the best table fare. But one thing we can all agree on is that black sea bass are abundant, easy to catch and an epicurean delight. The species is widely distributed both in their geographical range and in the depths in which they are found. Anglers from Massachusetts to Florida can enjoy fishing for them from near-shore waters to great distances offshore. In the Mid-Atlantic, small black sea bass can be found in bays and tidal rivers, while larger…

Dan Keating has owned several boats over the years and is an avid fisherman. When he decided to replace his aging center console with a new Yamaha-powered Contender® 32ST, he realized it would take some time to acclimate himself to his new fishing partner. Anyone purchasing a new boat might benefit from his experiences with the dealer and what he did on his own in the weeks after taking delivery. Dan purchased the boat from Mike Bucskowski, the sales manager at Hoffman’s West, a Contender® dealer in Brielle, N.J. Mike went through the boat’s features and benefits during the sales…

Each year about this time, as the water cools and bass begin feeding actively on baitfish in the backs of coves and pockets, James Niggemeyer’s lure choice becomes easier and easier. The Yamaha Pro ties on a 1/4-ounce swimming jig and simply heads to shallow water. “For me, this time of year, a swimming jig performs just like a spinnerbait but without the blades,” explains the Texas-based angler and part-time Lake Fork guide, “and I fish it in many of the same types of places. A jig, however, has a much more subtle action, and with a swimming-type plastic trailer,…

“Emergency Beacon and Flotation Devices Save Two off Miami Beach”* read the headline of a recent press release sent in October by the U.S. Coast Guard. It continued, “A personal locator beacon (PLB), life jacket and an inflatable cushion likely saved the lives of two people who were rescued by a Coast Guard aircrew after their boat sank, stranding them in the Atlantic Ocean…” The unfortunate situation developed when a 22-foot catamaran in distress sank out from under two people who were boating off Florida’s East Coast. Fortunately, an emergency signal broadcast by the PLB they had with them quickly…

It may sound a little strange, but there are times when Clifford Pirch casts lures and knows bass won’t hit them. It doesn’t bother him, because the Yamaha Pro is using the lures simply to fool fish into showing their location, and when they do, he immediately throws back with a different bait to catch them. “It’s not a technique widely used among the tournament pros,” confides Pirch, a veteran FLW® competitor who completed his first year on the Bassmaster® Elite Tour this past season. “I use a big, jointed swimbait that I just reel slowly around and over visible…

Diamond jigs are the hot ticket for fast Mid-Atlantic action from now through year-end. Fishing along the Mid-Atlantic coast isn’t over so keep the boat in the water, break out the cold weather gear and enjoy some of the best inshore fishing of the year. One of the most productive techniques available from fall into early winter is vertical jigging using the simplest of lures, the venerable diamond jig. It’s just a long, shiny, four-sided piece of metal with a swinging tail hook, but this gem of a lure has been catching gamefish for a hundred years, and it is…

All bass tournament pros have their favorite lure choices for each season, and rarely do they agree with each other. The exception comes now, during the late autumn and early winter, when crankbaits seem to be everyone’s first choice. “Crankbaits offer a number of advantages, such as letting you cover a lot of water,” points out Yamaha Pro Dean Rojas, “which is important because bass are moving a lot during this period. The different models of crankbaits allow you to cover water depths as shallow as four feet or as deep as 20 feet, too, which certainly helps when you’re…

How To Find Bass During the final Bassmaster® Elite Series tournament of 2013 in Detroit, Mark Davis finished second with a four-day catch of 76 pounds, 13 ounces, all from a spot on Lake Erie the Yamaha Pro had never fished before. His secret? Fishing slowly and thoroughly “What I did on Lake Erie to find those fish is the same thing I do on smaller bodies of water, and what I tell fishermen in my seminars to do wherever they’re fishing,” Davis emphasizes. “Start by looking for a place where the bass will spawn. This is true anytime of…