The post Solace 37CS appeared first on Salt Water Sportsman.
]]>The 37CS represents the latest model to emerge from Solace Boats, based in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. True to the innovative Stephen Dougherty-led design team at Solace, this center-console brings to the industry cutting-edge elements, including a twin-step ventilated hull with tracking chines for predictable, comfortable turns at speed. Along the hullside where the chines emerge from under the running surface, Solace has incorporated spray rails that deflect the aerated water away and downward to keep the aft cockpit area as dry as possible. Carbon-fiber reinforced pillars integrate with the hardtop and the tempered-glass windshield, which opens fully at the push of a button. Available with twin or triple outboards, the 37CS features a pair of 40-gallon transom livewells with a 44-gallon fish box in between. The dash features dual Garmin 16-inch multifunction displays. Inside the console is an air-conditioned cabin with an enclosed head and a 7-foot-9-inch berth. A workstation abaft the helm seats features a sink, a freshwater faucet and a 180-quart Frigid Rigid cooler.
Read Next: Solace 30 HCS
Length: | 37’7″ |
Beam: | 11’0″ |
Draft: | 2’0.5″ (engines up) |
Weight: | 14,000 lb. (w/o engines) |
Fuel: | 512 gal. |
Max HP: | 1,200 |
MSRP: | $913,572 (base w/ twin Merc 400s and joystick) |
SŌLACE – Edgewater, Florida; solaceboats.com
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]]>The post Vermilion Rockfish Limit Cut in Half in California Waters appeared first on Salt Water Sportsman.
]]>No species is more closely associated with California rockfishing than the popular vermilion (aka red) rockfish. But with the 2024 season about to get underway (on April 1 in the state’s southern waters), anglers in much of the Golden State are learning that they can keep far fewer of these popular ocean bottom fish.
Fishery regulators have slashed the daily sub-limit for vermilion rockfish to just two per day in four of California’s five Groundfish Management Areas. In those four areas, the new limit represents a 50 percent cut from the 2023 season and 80 percent cut from the 2022 season. In the Northern Groundfish Management Area, the sub-limit remains at four.
Rockfish are part of the federally managed groundfish species that include rockfish, cabezon and greenling. The Pacific Fisheries Management Council establishes the seasonal regs, and California’s Fish and Game Commission follows suit to ensure uniform codes. In other words, the decision to cut the vermilion sub-limit in much California’s ocean waters was made at the federal level.
But many anglers stand puzzled. “There are so many reds out there on deep stones, it’s hard not to catch them,” says Joey Engel, an avid angler and professional deck hand on sportfishing boats based in Dana Point Harbor, which lies within California’s Southern Groundfish Management Area. “I don’t understand the reasoning behind this.”
The PFMC made it recommendations based on the “best scientific information available” or BSIA—an acronym used a lot in fishery regulatory meetings and processes. But some leaders in the California sportfishing community point out that relying on BSIA can lead to poor decision making.
“In this case, there really isn’t enough solid data in the BSIA to inform the models on the stock assessment side,” says Wayne Kotow, executive director for the Coastal Conservation Association of California. “While BSIA seems harmless, there are times when that means little data or incomplete data is available, then statistics are used to extrapolate what the number could be.
“While the math may be right, reality could be completely different,” Kotow adds “These models and decisions have real world impacts to fisheries, fishermen, families, businesses and communities. What’s worse is being forced into a management action because of due process when everyone knows that the data is incomplete. CCA Cal and others are all working hard to fix the many issues that got us here.”
To help forestall issues with species identification, sunset rockfish (which look very much like vermilion rockfish) will count as vermilions for the purposes of a daily bag sub-limit. In other words, you can keep two vermilions or two sunsets or one vermilion and one sunset. In addition, the daily sub-limit for copper rockfish—another other popular species among anglers—remains at just one fish, same as last year. Also beginning with the 2024 groundfish season, all boats are required to carry descending devices when fishing for rockfish. Enjoying protected (no-take) status for 2024 are bronzespotted rockfish, cowcod, quillback rockfish, and yelloweye rockfish.
To learn more about the season, take and depth regulations for 2024, you can read the proposed language here or visit the webpage for California’s Summary of Recreational Groundfish Fishing Regulations once the regs are approved and effective on April 1, 2024.
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]]>The post SeaVee 400Z appeared first on Salt Water Sportsman.
]]>Celebrating a half-century in the boatbuilding business this year, SeaVee ranks as one of the most vaunted names in the center-console fishing-boat market. Such longevity is not to be taken lightly, as many boat brands have come and gone in the 50 years since SeaVee launched its first model. Perhaps that’s because SeaVee never lost sight of its mission of building the highest-quality custom-ordered boats for serious anglers.
The new 400Z serves as a shining example. It replaces the wildly popular 390Z, and is 4 inches longer and 3 inches wider. The hullsides are also 8 inches taller, and the hull floats about 4 inches higher.
The beam-to-length ratio offers large platforms fore and aft to create plenty of fishing room, and the entire boat is loaded with clever ideas, all surrounded by solid construction. Available in quad- or triple-engine configurations, our test boat was rigged with triple 400 hp Mercury V-10 Verado outboards. With three of us aboard, 335 gallons of fuel and 60 gallons of water, the 400Z jumped on plane in under 8 seconds with little to no bow rise, thanks to SeaVee’s patented cross-ventilated, twin-stepped Z-hull.
At 4,500 rpm, the 400Z moved along at 41.2 mph burning 40.6 gph for 1.01 mpg. At wide-open throttle, the triple V-10s turned 6,350 rpm, vaulting the 400Z to 65 mph while burning 100 gph for 0.64 mpg.
SeaVee has perfected its interior’s easy-to-use features. For example, the anchor locker is user-friendly whether deploying ground tackle manually or using the optional windlass. Inside, you’ll also find cleverly designed fender storage on the port and starboard sides. Under the forward gunwales on both sides are molded-in shelves with hatches that house salt- and freshwater coiled-hose washdowns. Forward seating is set back from the bow as to not impede anchoring or fishing.
The forward seating hatches have gasket seals and proprietary latch hardware to access the fully molded interior. The electrically actuated backrests are raised with a Carling switch recessed in the seat face. A 161-gallon storage/fish box resides along the centerline. Just forward of the console, I found another insulated storage bin that can also be optioned as a 71-gallon forward livewell. There are 90-gallon in-deck storage bins that extend 8 feet forward that can house rods. The 400Z can be rigged with 240 gallons of live-bait capacity in four wells.
A new console on the 400Z offers 6 inches more width, a spacious interior, a larger forward seat and an expansive helm area. Twelve gunwale rod holders line each side. Utilizing an electric actuator, the forward seat of the console slides open to reveal a fully finished interior with a molded sink and countertop, an optional electric head, side storage shelves, and access to the back side of the electronics.
The business end of the console features a raised helm pod on centerline, with a cleverly executed, custom-illuminated push-button switch panel with a Mercury VesselView display as the centerpiece. Switching integration allows for complete control of vessel functions. The design also creates a massive dash for a pair 24-inch electronics displays. Under the helm, SeaVee molds in a dedicated footrest.
The molded hardtop with beefy pipework offers molded aft spreader lights and speaker pods, a forward-facing light bar, and flush-mounted overhead LED lights. Our test boat had six rod holders across the back and Gemlux Bluewater carbon-fiber internal outriggers, ideal for targeting tuna or other pelagics.
The 400Z is offered with either a single row or optional dual-row helm seating; each row offers three helm chairs with armrests. The forward seat bases lift up in unison for storage underneath. There is tackle storage on both sides of the leaning post as well as on the aft side, with a drop-down hatch up high, two pullout drawers behind the backrest, and an insulated drink box under the seat. With dual-row seating, the second row comes with either captain’s chairs or a bench seat, and features a tackle center, rigging station, and a slide-out insulated cooler below.
Read Next: SeaVee 420Z
The cockpit is also new, with 43-gallon livewells in each corner, and two storage compartments for 5-gallon buckets in-deck on each side of the lazarette access hatch, which is larger than the previous 390Z. It offers easy access to the bilge bump, livewell sump box, and the fuel manifold system. Forward of the lazarette on centerline is a 100-gallon storage bin, optional livewell or, as our test boat had, a compartment for the optional Seakeeper 3 gyrostabilizer. On both sides of that are 100-gallon insulated fish boxes. Our test boat had 15 rod holders along the transom in two rows. A portside hull inward-opening door features a massive stainless hinge, and a molded compartment with a pullout swim ladder.
With over 50 years of building quality center-consoles, it’s no surprise that the new 400Z hits all the marks. It provides a solid ride and well-thought-out appointments for comfort and fishing success. The folks at SeaVee have applied the unending lessons of long days on the water over many years in various-size boats to create another fine center-console that will no doubt bring many of today’s most discerning anglers great days on the water.
Length: | 39’4″ |
Beam: | 11’3″ |
Draft: | 2’4″ |
Weight: | 15,182 lb. (w/o engines) |
Fuel: | 650 gal. |
Max HP: | 2,000 hp |
Price: | $740,200 (base w/ triple 400 hp Mercury V-10 outboards) |
SeaVee Boats – Miami, Florida; seaveeboats.com
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]]>The post 8 Top Soft-Sided Tackle Bags and Backpacks appeared first on Salt Water Sportsman.
]]>My grandfather’s tackle box sits in a place of honor on a shelf in my basement, still filled with a handful of terminal tackle organized neatly in the trays. Sometimes I daydream about the fish he caught; those were the days when the bays were paved with winter flounder, and weakfish attacked lures on every other cast. I’m not sure of its exact vintage, but based on when he passed, I must assume the box was made no later than the mid- to late 1970s.
For the time, it was an engineering marvel. The molded plastic wouldn’t rust when exposed to the rigors of salt water, and the cantilevered trays let you access all of the box’s contents without emptying it. The bottom of the box was deep enough to hold the jars of pork rinds he used to sweeten his bucktails. And there was still room for a pair of pliers and enough lead to serve as an anchor if needed—a place for everything, and everything in its place.
Those boxes were so well-designed that they stood the test of time. A quick search of the Plano catalog reveals a model remarkably similar to the one that now serves as a shrine over my workbench. While a box like this still does the trick, there are a variety of different models on the market that work even better.
These new offerings often utilize the now-ubiquitous utility boxes. These boxes come in a variety of sizes and feature removable dividers that allow you to customize their interiors. Some are molded with a vapor-corrosion inhibitor built in, such as Plano’s Rustrictor series, which helps prevent rust by slowly releasing an odorless, colorless compound into the compartments.
Perhaps the biggest trend is soft-sided tackle bags and backpacks. These bags offer massive tackle-storage potential, but are easy to transport thanks to their comfortable suspension systems, and offer plenty of organization through the aforementioned utility boxes. You can swap these out as needed, taking only what you need each trip.
Plano’s Atlas tackle backpack and shoulder bags are built with a waterproof HDPE base and durable, water-resistant EVA panels. In addition to the large interior compartment that easily swallows 3750-size utility boxes, the Atlas series also features Plano’s patented magnetic Dropzone, which keeps tools at the ready. Other notable features include molded side pockets, zippered mesh pockets, water-resistant cellphone storage, and a bungee-cord rod holder.
Daiwa’s D-Vec Tactical Backpack is easy to load, thanks to its rigid frame. Inside, you can stack the three included utility boxes. A protective, fitted sunglasses case provides fast access to what is probably your most used accessory on the water. A pliers holder and an elastic strip allow for easy tool management, keeping often-used items at the ready. The built-in leader wheel is a nice touch, with two spools of line ready to go. Zippered pouches on the front and sides provide organization, as does the zippered cellphone holder. Everything is covered in a water-resistant fabric complete with saltwater-resistant Delrin zippers.
Bass Pro Shops just might take the crown for capacity, stashing up to 11 3600-size utility boxes into its Advanced Angler Pro Backpack tackle system—it even has the option of removing the center divider to hold five 3700-size boxes. Beyond the impressive volume, the backpack has a host of convenient features, such as line-spool pockets, built-in rod-tube straps, a pliers sheath, and even a rain fly to keep everything dry in a downpour. The pack is built with rugged 600-denier ripstop polyester wrapping a rigid frame, with comfortable shoulder straps that can handle the weight of 11 fully loaded boxes.
There is also the classic backpack, which typically is a little easier on the wallet than some of the more tactical designs. Columbia’s PFG Terminal Tackle 28-liter backpack has a familiar form and comfortable suspension system with a breathable back panel and straps to handle heavy loads. The outside features a rod-carrier strap, an external zippered pocket, and a pair of water-bottle holders that double as stuff pockets for easy access. The interior has two main pockets, a laptop sleeve, a key clip, and a fleece-lined sunglasses pocket.
If you prefer backpack-style tackle bags but need a little more protection, consider a model such as Grunden’s Rumrunner. This pack is built from 500-denier, PVC-coated tarpaulin material with RF-welded seams and features a roll-top closure, which makes it completely waterproof. Inside, you can store your camera and other sensitive items without worrying that they will get wet, and the outside offers a variety of stash pockets that keep oft-used items at hand.
Shimano’s Tonno offshore tackle bags take a different tack, designed specifically for the offshore angler who likes to play fast and loose. Available in two sizes, each is designed for offshore anglers who want to transport and organize jigs and popping lures. The large size is equipped with hard plastic tubes for lures and has dedicated jig-storage slots in addition to space for tools, terminal tackle and leader material. The extra-large model has large plastic tubes for lures, jig slots, and a custom 3600-size utility box secured on the inside flap with Velcro for quick access. A water-resistant outer pocket provides storage for personal belongings, and PVC mesh construction allows anglers to give everything a rinse at the end of the day.
Read Next: How to Choose the Right Dry Bag for Fishing
It’s pretty hard to beat duffel-style tackle bags for transporting a lot of stuff, tackle included. I used a high-capacity bag like Pelagic’s Heavy Duty duffel for years, stashing my rain gear, lunch, and all the tackle I needed for a day on the water. Pelagic’s 50L duffel is constructed out of a PVC-coated material, so it is water-resistant, shrugging off rain, salt spray, and even the occasional wave. The reinforced, padded bottom protects gear and boat decks alike, and the full-width zipper makes it easy to find everything.
There’s a bag for you, however you fish. Consider your style, and grab whichever one of these works best.
A well-stocked tackle box should include a variety of lures (crankbaits, jigs, spinnerbaits, etc.), hooks, sinkers, bobbers, line, pliers, scissors, and other essential fishing accessories. The contents will vary based on which type of fishing you do, and the species you target.
To organize a fishing tackle bag, use separate pockets or compartments for different types of tackle (e.g., one for hooks, one for lures, etc.). Label each section clearly and arrange items by size or color for easy identification. Use the pockets and dividers to keep everything accessible and prevent tangling.
It’s called a tackle box because the term “tackle” refers to the equipment and gear used for fishing, including rods, reels, lures, hooks, and various accessories. The box is designed to hold and store these items, hence the name “tackle box.” The term has been used since the early days of recreational fishing.
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]]>The post Five Underrated Fish appeared first on Salt Water Sportsman.
]]>In some cases, these lowly species gain attention during the offseason. On other accounts, the unappreciated species is a plan B after a high-profile species is depleted or strictly regulated. But a small group of anglers have elevated these unloved species to a higher level. They’ve discovered there’s a lot to love about these underrated fish.
“Nothing ruins a mahi spread faster than a pack of albacore,” says Matt Stone of Black Hall Outfitters in Westbrook, Connecticut. While offshore anglers detest false albacore, inshore anglers chase the little tuna with a passion. “After my first albacore on light tackle, I was obsessed,” Stone admits. In hotspots like New England and the Carolina Outer Banks, a culture of false albacore aficionados descend on the area during the season. That’s because these speedsters offer a drag-screaming battle unmatched in shallow water.
For Stone, albacore fishing is a social event. “Most of the year I avoid people, but during albacore season I rely on a network of friends to track the fish’s migration.” On the water, albacore present another challenge. Chasing albacore requires covering miles of water looking for birds swirling and breaking fish. Once he catches up with a school of Alberts, Stone makes a long cast with a small lure to avoid spooking the fish. “Albacore are notoriously fickle and sharp-sighted, requiring impossibly light leader.” He cycles through a half dozen lures until he dials in the picky fish’s appetite. The payoff is one of the best inshore battles as the little tuna bend the rod and smoke the drag. “If I catch one albacore the whole day is worth it.”
Ribbonfish win the award for strangest looking sportfish. Shaped like a sword blade, measuring up to 5 feet long but only a couple inches wide, the shiny silver fish are also called cutlass fish. Ribbonfish have long, thin dagger-like teeth and they use their sharp, pointed tail to slash like a knife. While the ribbonfish’s appearance scares away some anglers, Capt. Stan Gold of Blind Date Charters in Virginia Beach embraces the plentiful and aggressive predators. “I first caught ribbonfish while trolling for Spanish mackerel,” Gold recalls. Initially, the sharp-toothed ribbons destroyed Gold’s mackerel spread. After some research and adjustments to his tactics, the captain learned how to catch the strange sea monsters with light tackle.
Gold uses a 6-foot medium-action jigging rod and compact conventional reel to work a small bucktail or vertical jig baited with a strip of cut bait. “Ribbonfish hit like a freight train and use the long body to put up a good fight,” Gold says. When ribbonfish are schooled up and feeding, the action is fast and furious. On one of his best runs, Gold and another angler caught 1,400 ribbonfish in two days. To measure a trophy ribbonfish, Gold uses his fingers. “The average fish is three to four fingers wide, when they get to five fingers that’s a trophy.” Gold’s longest ribbonfish was over 6 feet long and seven fingers wide! While local anglers turn away from ribbonfish in favor of Spanish mackerel, cobia and redfish, Gold points out another important advantage. “Ribbonfish are easier to catch.” Did we mention they taste pretty good, too?
There is a long history of shore-based squid fishing in Puget Sound, but Capt. Paul Kim of Fish PNW Guide Service says there is a growing number of recreational anglers targeting them from boats. “I started taking my kids squid fishing on the piers and docks downtown,” Kim says. However, unsafe fishing conditions and a crowd of salty characters prompted Kim to try squid fishing from his boat. “The first time I took the family squid fishing we had a great time,” he recalls. In recent years, squid fishing has become more popular. Kim explains, “There are fewer salmon and stricter regulations, so people are turning to squid fishing.”
For the past three years, Kim has been a featured speaker at the local boat show. “The first year we posted a YouTube video about catching and cooking squid and it went viral.” The most recent seminar attracted a full house. When the squid bite is on, Kim says the action is fast and furious, with anglers catching the tasty treats on specialized jigs almost as fast as they can get them back in the water. The squid are 12 to 15 inches (market size, Kim says) and they are feisty. “Fighting several squid while they dart and pull is too much fun,” Kim points out. He says they are underestimated, but the lightning fast predators are actually intelligent hunters. And then there is the ink. Kim laughs, “People say I don’t want to get ink all over my boat.” The reward is one of the most energy dense proteins that tastes delicious in a variety of preparations. As opposed to uber-competitive salmon fishing, Kim says squid fishing is friendlier. “When multiple boats are anchored in one area and the anglers are helping each other get on the bite, everyone is having fun.”
Capt. Bryan Cuevas from Mega-Bite Fishing Charters in Biloxi, Mississippi spends most of his time chasing redfish and sea trout, but he has noticed growing demand for sheepshead. “People love to eat them before they realize how much fun they are to catch.” Cuevas says sheepshead offer an exciting challenge. “Sheepshead are very picky and hard to fool. They will often will only take live shrimp or fiddler crabs, forget about artificial lures. They don’t hit and run like redfish or trout.” Instead, sheepshead nibble the bait, which forces the angler to stay on their toes.
Cuevas adds another appeal; the little fish pack an explosive fight. Cuevas laughs, “Sheepshead run side to side and up and down trying to break the line in the structure.” He’s seen a client break off a sheepshead, re-rig and hook the same fish. Cuevas marvels, “The sheepshead still had the first hook in its mouth.” A decade ago, sheepshead were ignored by guides and light tackle anglers. Cuevas says a change in attitude followed the BP oil spill. “People couldn’t catch snapper but they discovered sheepshead taste just as good.” Since then, he’s seen the popularity grow as people target the fish with light tackle over shallow structure. But, Cuevas admits some anglers consider sheepshead too ugly to eat, “I’ve had people tell me sheepshead don’t look appetizing.”
“I love bluefish more than striped bass,” Capt. Brian Coombs of Get Tight Sport Fishing happily admits. Famous for their voracious appetite and nasty attitude, big bluefish are called choppers. A head like a cinder block, a long, thick body of muscle and a mouth full of sharp teeth don’t help the bluefish’s bad reputation. But considering striped bass are one of the most popular sportfish in Coombs’ native Boston Massachusetts, favoring much maligned bluefish is a scandalous confession. Coombs backs up his opinion, “They fight harder than a bass, smashing a topwater, jumping and thrashing.”
Coombs comes to his appreciation honestly. “When I was a kid, striped bass were scarce but big bluefish were everywhere.” His first encounters with trophy fish on lures came at the jaws of big blues. Over the past decade, striped bass rebounded and anglers turned away from big blues. Still, Coombs still carries a torch for bluefish. “When I find bluefish, I usually find a lot of them.” His best days produce dozens of big blues up to 15 pounds on topwater lures and medium-weight tackle. Coombs understands why some anglers ignore the bluefish bonanza. “People say bluefish don’t taste good, but that depends on the size of the fish and where I catch it.” Coombs says fish feeding on squid taste better than blues that have been gorging on menhaden and mackerel. And, smaller fish under 10 pounds aren’t as oily as bigger blues. The bluefish’s great appeal is the fight. “On light tackle with a topwater lure, you can’t beat the fight,” Coombs says. While striped bass numbers are always fluctuating, Coombs says bluefish action has been strong in recent years. “I couldn’t be happier,” he laughs.
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]]>The post Salt Water Sportsman On Board: Boston Whaler 365 Conquest appeared first on Salt Water Sportsman.
]]>The Boston Whaler 365 Conquest—a vessel that revolutionizes versatility and innovation. Tailored for both fishing and entertaining, it features a customizable cockpit, versatile helm deck, and an optional upper station for an elevated vantage point. Fully equipped with Simrad electronics and an award-winning dynamic cabin, this boat promises unparalleled on-water experiences with powerful performance and an estimated 350-nautical-mile range.
LOA: | 36’6″ |
Beam: | 12’0″ |
Draft: | 31″ |
Weight (dry, no engine): | 17,603 lbs. |
Transom Deadrise: | 19 degrees |
Max Horsepower: | 1,200 |
Fuel Capacity: | 410 gal. |
Seat/Weight Capacity: | 16/3,405 lbs. |
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]]>The post Pathfinder 2200 TRS appeared first on Salt Water Sportsman.
]]>The Pathfinder 2200 TRS is likely Pathfinder’s most popular bay boat, which begs the question: Why retool it? Short answer: To make it even better. And in this effort, Pathfinder succeeded.
It is unlikely any fisherman will ply salty coastal waters without encountering at least one or more Pathfinder boats out there. Anybody who knows boats knows what is meant by the utterance of Pathfinder. So, as I stepped aboard the new Pathfinder 2200 TRS, I felt a mixture of giddy anticipation and Missouri “show me” attitude—until I began opening hatches.
The foredeck was covered in comfortable, removable cushions, and included innovative forward-facing backrests that turn when not in use to create more space. The casting deck under the upholstery is divided into four hatches. Rod lockers on port and starboard open from the aft end, which allows you to load them when the boat is on the trailer. Stainless-steel gas shocks hold the hatches open and work conveniently, even with the cushions on. The rod lockers flank a center dry locker and a forward anchor locker. With oversized gutters and drain, the lockers will stay very dry. This deck treatment definitely panders to anglers while also pampering sun worshippers with the cushions.
Thanks to the new longer running surface, the cockpit provides more space to move about. This is especially evident behind the newly designed optional leaning post with four rod holders and a large slide-out Engel cooler.
The aft casting platform now features a comfy two-person foldout seat set in the center, thus staying true to the TRS (Third Row Seating) designation. This replaces a pair of single jump seats port and starboard and accomplishes four things. First, it moves anglers from the gunwales on the old 2200 TRS to the center, with protection provided by the helm, leaning post and hardtop. Second, it moves crew weight to the centerline, improving balance and ride. Third, it grants more convenient access to the standard livewell portside and the optional well to starboard. Finally, access to the bilge, pumps and plumbing is improved by swinging the new, large center seat forward to reveal a lift-out fiberglass storage “bucket.”
The hardtop and leaning post stand on highly polished aluminum pipework with the option to powdercoat white or black. Four rod holders, flanked by kingfish rod holders, reside there. The hardtop is slotted to accept longer rods in the four rod holders on each side of the console. EVA foam mats under the gunwales protect rods stored there. It is clear Pathfinder’s goal is to keep anglers’ tackle in top shape.
Artful may be the best way to describe the wiring of the boat. Move the removable console cooler seat and the entire front of the console opens up with double Dutch doors for great access to the back of the electronics and batteries. More impressive is the quality of the wiring. Few production boats boast such clearly laid out schemes, with wires labeled at all terminals, and switches easy to reach and diagnose if ever required years down the road. The circuit breakers are visible and easily accessible.
Typically, a new model introduction brings out minor deck features, and upholstery and accessory changes, but Pathfinder’s retooling of the 2200 TRS is far more extensive and a clear nod to angler feedback on the long-running success of the model. But this boat also featured a new flat transom design to accept a pair of Power-Pole shallow-water anchors, while still allowing room to keep the integrated swim platform with a foldaway stainless-steel ladder for easy boarding. The boat can also be optioned with an Atlas jack plate allowing for even better shallow-water capability. However, another benefit of the jack plate is to tune the performance of this sweet-running hull. We used 1 inch of elevation for optimizing speed and handling. In heavier chop, a pair of tabs was helpful and the 2200 TRS ran though the waves with ease. But with tabs retracted and the jack plate skillfully elevated, we made 50 mph with the 250 hp Yamaha outboard.
I would order the max 250 hp with this boat, and here’s why. In a trial, straight-ahead speed is a measure of performance, but not really an attribute that matters most in everyday fishing. What does matter is a quick hole shot and jump-to-planing speed. That extra horsepower also gives the vessel the ability to stay on plane with power to spare at lower speeds, important when spanning chop. Also important is the ability to hold the boat on top during turns. While the sharp, hard-over turns we do in testing aren’t typical to boating, they were demonstrative to the rig’s ability to stay on plane and come around the turn sweetly.
Read Next: Pathfinder 2400 Open
That said, one of my fishing buddies has an older 2200 with Yamaha’s four-cylinder 200 hp outboard. It hits mid-40s in speed, trims well, and holds its own against rough water. In addition, the lighter motor on the transom can improve skinny-water access, depending on how you load it, and it can save bucks at the contract signing. But ignore promises of saved fuel. In everyday boating, we want our boat to run the way we want it to run, and we’ll press the throttle deeper to get it.
Usually, the enemy of best is better, but Pathfinder’s engineers outsmarted that old saw. This new bay boat is destined to become the new favorite.
Length: | 22’5″ |
Beam: | 8’6″ |
Draft: | 1’1″ |
Weight: | 3,275 lb. (w/ Yamaha F150) |
Fuel: | 65 gal. |
Max HP: | 250 |
Price: | Starts at $78,054 (w/ Yamaha F150 |
Pathfinder – Fort Pierce, Florida; pathfinderboats.com
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]]>The post EdgeWater 325CC appeared first on Salt Water Sportsman.
]]>EdgeWater Boats has built tough, stylish saltwater fishing boats for nearly 35 years. Its stable of engineers and designers are steeped in the secrets of durable construction, have a seasoned eye for style, and are schooled in the needs of saltwater anglers. So, when I stepped aboard the 325CC, I wasn’t surprised to find it battle-ready for offshore action and equipped with features that also make it an ideal family fun machine.
When we tested the 325CC, it took full advantage of twin Yamaha 300 hp outboards to push its 32-foot hull through scruffy seas set in motion by 20-knot winds. The sloppy mess was rough enough to spill a Yeti—but not in this center-console. Edgewater boats boast a single-piece infusion hull system (SPI) that employs vacuum infusion to perfectly saturate fiberglass cloth with optimal amounts of resin, fusing it to the integrated deck and stringer system, which is then foam-filled. The result is a single-piece hull that can’t be shaken by serious weather.
The boat rode softly through the chop on a 23-degree transom deadrise hull, and it turned smoothly in tight channels, keeping our crew comfortable all day.
Yamaha power with Helm Master EX controls, a joystick, and the Full Maneuverability integrated autopilot is a pleasure to operate. The autopilot will take you to your spot, slow down, and stand over the hole while you drop your lines.
Maximum horsepower on the 325CC is 700 ponies, and now that Yamaha has revealed its new 350s, we expect to see this boat with a pair of those. Yamaha’s 350s look similar to the 300s, but under the cowl, which is reshaped to improve airflow and streamline the look, there are hard part changes that increase aspiration fuel flow and displacement and give an authentic 50 additional horsepower, not just a mapping change. We look forward to a test of this motor soon.
The 325CC’s three-panel tempered-glass windshield is set in sturdy, weight-saving fiberglass struts that support a durable hardtop. The dash holds dual 16-inch Garmin multifunction displays, and the hidden Icom black-box VHF exposed only the Command mic on the dash. This keeps it clean, which I like. Our test boat had factory-installed outriggers bolted firmly in the hardtop and set so that, if necessary, the top of the mount and outrigger poles could be conveniently accessed by standing on the gunwales to reach the topside of the hardtop.
There are three livewells in this boat: two in the transom, including an extra-large (and extra-long) one in the center, and another in the port quarter. The third is in the rigging station aft of the leaning post. Together they keep baits lively and allow different types to be carried and made easily accessible, one type in each tank. The rigging station is equipped with a stainless-steel sink and a bait cooler beneath a faux-granite counter, and rod holders are in place to keep rods handy while rigging. Below the counter are six large drawers for tackle.
Other rod storage includes four shotgun holders, locking rod holders under both gunwales, and cup/rod holders lining the gunwales from the transom to the bow.
We found the raw-water outlet was located ideally to clean a bloody deck, and a freshwater shower could be used to clean off beachcombers’ sand or rinse down salty rods on the cruise home.
Dual bucket seats pamper the skipper and mate. Stowable bow sun-pad cushions include forward and aft seatbacks to create an intimate seating circle on the bow deck. A cocktail table can turn the bow seating into a sun lounger. The double lounge on the forward console adds even more comfort. Stow the bow cushions and table away for a clean, battle-ready deck with insulated fish boxes in the center foredeck and under the seats. The livewell in the transom can also be used as a fish box if not needed for bait.
EdgeWater’s cockpit is roomy when the transom seat is stowed and converted to a leaning bolster. It’s spacious enough for both an angler and a wire man to maneuver easily when billfishing, easing the endgame. Four or more anglers can bottomfish comfortably.
We liked the convenient access to the anchor windlass controls at the helm and inside the windlass hatch.
Read Next: EdgeWater 340CC
In the console are an electric head and a freshwater sink. It’s a couple of steps down to it, with hand grabs for support. The headroom is generous, and LED and natural light keep it cheery. The full circuit panel with battery switches is easy to see and use, and above it is a hatch to access your electronics’ back-office rigging. There’s also convenient access to batteries and chargers. EdgeWater builds its boats knowing service going forward should be conveniently accessible. The 325CC is certainly designed to fish hard, but with so much style it will turn heads at the sandbar or waterfront restaurant.
Length: | 31’10” |
Beam: | 10’2″ |
Draft: | 1’10” (engines up) |
Fuel: | 300 gal. |
Weight: | 8,800 lb. (without engines) |
Max HP: | 700 |
Price: | $480,000 (with test power) |
EdgeWater – EdgeWater, Florida; ewboats.com
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]]>The post Unusual Tuna Hotspots appeared first on Salt Water Sportsman.
]]>This narrow strait between the east coast of Denmark and the west coast of Sweden has been starved of tuna since the 1960s. Happily, that is changing. “It is so unbelievably exciting that the tuna is back in Oresund,” says Jens Peder Jeppesen, head of the Oresund Aquarium, which runs tuna watching trips from Elsinore. Fishing for tuna in Denmark is not allowed, but tourists can enjoy the sight of big, acrobatic fish blitzing on schools of herring and mackerel. Danish scientists tagged 134 bluefin last year, ranging from 7 to 9 feet in length. One 9.5-footer was estimated to weigh 837 pounds, which would beat Denmark’s 74-year-old angling record for tuna. Tracking tags have traced bluefin caught in Denmark to the Mediterranean and the English Channel.
It would have been an unthinkable sight 20 years earlier: a forklift making its way along a Croatian waterfront with a 577-pound, 8-foot-9-inch Atlantic bluefin hanging from the forks and a Tunana Big Game Fishing crew along for the ride, beaming with pride. That 2015 catch put an exclamation point on the Atlantic bluefin’s resurgence in the Mediterranean, and Croatian anglers can now be found aboard a growing fleet from February through December. The boats fish for swordfish, amberjack, dentex, grouper, and other species, but the big bluefin is the top draw. Dubrovnik captains boat 200-pound tuna in the Adriatic Sea every year, and the chance of a bigger fish keeps business brisk.
Donegal calls itself the gateway to the country’s Wild Atlantic Way, 1500 miles of breathtaking coastline. These days the area attracts both tourists and bluefin. Ireland’s catch-tag-release program CHART, which launched in 2019, has tagged more than 1600 tuna, including one that weighed 832 pounds. Tuna caught in Ireland’s CHART program aren’t actually boated, but rather towed slowly alongside the boat while being measured and tagged. Captains are allowed to charge their sports for the excursions, which generally take place within a dozen miles of the coast. Only 25 captains were authorized to pursue tuna in the program, which ran July 1-November 12 in 2023. Inland Fisheries Ireland, the country’s fisheries agency, reports a bluefin caught off Donegal in October 2020 by skipper Adrian Molloy was captured again last September off the coast of Spain. Another bluefin caught in August off the Kerry coast was caught just 22 days later along the west coast of France, having traveled more than 460 miles in three weeks.
Picturesque Cornwall in the southwest of England is home to Bluefin Charters, which has brought many a huge tuna to hand as part of CHART, the U.K.’s version of the recreational tag/release program. The business is surely thrilled that the UK will open a purely recreational catch-and-release tuna fishery this summer. “Our bluefin tuna fishery here in Cornwall is by far the best in UK and definitely the right location for your best chance of catching that special fish of a lifetime,” its website says, noting that its sportsman-scientists have caught 250 bluefin in the CHART project, including 13 in one day and a thousand-pounder that tops the scientific leaderboard.
The return of recreational tuna fishing “has been made possible following the UK’s exit from the EU and follows overwhelming support for our proposal across the fishing industry and environmental groups,” said Fisheries Minister Mark Spencer. “It will bring social and economic benefits to the fishing industry and coastal communities, whilst ensuring the ongoing sustainable management of Atlantic bluefin tuna.”
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]]>The post Top Spanish Mackerel Fishing Tips appeared first on Salt Water Sportsman.
]]>Florida anglers, especially those in the Florida Keys, can practically set their watches to the start of the Spanish mackerel run. Once water temperatures drop into the low 70s, staggering quantities invade Florida Bay. Materializing by December, they’ll remain through May, barring a warm winter. After Florida, Spanish mackerel head to North Carolina in April, then as far north as Massachusetts in June.
Catching Spanish mackerel in Florida Bay involves anchoring in very shallow waters, hanging a chum block over the side, and drifting back live baits—shrimp in particular. Once chummed into feeding frenzies, they’re easily fooled with artificials. To be clear, try chumming anywhere Spanish mackerel gather, not just Florida.
This past winter, I fished for Spanish mackerel at Sprigger Bank with Capt. Jim Willcox. We left from Islamorada and made the approximate 14-mile run west. Accounting for the tide, waters here shallow up from 8 feet to about 3 feet by the bank. As easy as Spanish mackerel fishing can be, reading the water makes a hefty difference in the results.
“Clean water and a tide moving in the same general direction as the wind are key,” says Capt. Richard Stanczyk, of Bud N’ Mary’s Marina. Stanczyk has a lot of history chasing Florida Bay mackerel, and I had the opportunity to fish with him a few years ago. Faced with roiled-up waters from a persistent 15-knot wind, Stanczyk painstakingly searched for the cleanest vein of dirty water. As luck would have it, we found one. Deploying a chum bag a few minutes prior to anchoring helps spread scent over the immediate area and shorten the wait time for mackerel.
Spanish mackerel are aggressive strikers of fast-moving lures, spoons and live baits. However, given the Florida Bay run, a live shrimp is king. Stanczyk explained that these mackerel are gorging on Florida Bay’s abundant winter shrimp populations; so much so, they’ll often selectively feed just on them. It’s a similar scenario in Miami’s Biscayne Bay during winter.
When I fished with Stanczyk or Willcox, we sweetened the chum slick with pieces of shrimp. The shrimp scent permeated the immediate area along with the frozen block of chum to draw in and hold the macks. With Stanczyk, we scored Spanish and cero mackerel, the latter mainly an oceanside fish. With Willcox, it was strike after strike from Spanish mackerel until our live shrimp were depleted.
Despite the competition among large numbers of Spanish mackerel, they wise up after a bit. Initially, a 20- to 30-pound wire leader works. However, once the aggressiveness tapers off, start experimenting with leaders and hooks.
A shrimp-tipped 5/8-ounce jig head is a deadly mackerel bait. The additional weight increases casting distances and sinks easily in strong currents. When the jig-and-wire-leader bites cool, change to 30-pound mono or fluorocarbon leader. The uptick in strikes should be dramatic—just be quick on the hook-set to keep the mackerel’s jaws from the leader. Rest assured, a fair number of your jigs will be cut off, but you’ll ultimately box more fish.
A time-tested alternative for fooling leery mackerel is a long-shank hook. For example, I’ll use a 2/0 O’Shaughnessy-style hook tied to 30-pound fluorocarbon leader. I prefer fluorocarbon because it’s more abrasion-resistant than mono. Given a light wind and tide, a live shrimp impaled onto a 2/0 O’Shaughnessy hook sinks slowly. With a challenging wind or current, add a split-shot sinker in front of the hook. The long hook shank acts as a wire and protects the light leader. However, here too some cutoffs will occur. Keep a box of 2/0 hooks on the console.
Subtleties that make a difference during a slow bite or with fewer mackerel around include twitching your baits to mimic a shrimp kicking. Mackerel pick up on scent but sometimes need a visual tease to push them over the edge.
Read Next: Best Lures for Spanish Mackerel
Floating grass is often problematic in Florida Bay. If so, time the passages of scattered grass clumps and then pitch a bait into a patch of clean water. Next, use the rod tip to steer the line around the floating grass. It’s a lot of work and frustration when fishing in grassy conditions, but if you put in the time necessary, you’ll definitely catch fish.
If floating vegetation isn’t problematic, try trolling a drone spoon, Rapala plug or small yellow feather on 30-pound fluorocarbon leader to locate mackerel. This is also a good idea when you relocate to a new spot. When in these shallow waters, keep your rod tips high and maintain enough speed to keep the lures off the bottom.
As mentioned, Spanish mackerel can be chummed up and taken on topwater plugs, swimming lures like Rapala’s Twitchin’ Mullet, and even on flies. If you’ve got live pilchards in your baitwell, toss out several of them into the slick, followed by a well-placed lure once a blitz begins. On my trip with Stanczyk, he had them hyped up on live shrimp and cut pieces. Still, I caught a few on lures.
As Spanish mackerel migrate into different waters, the tactics used to catch them vary. For example, Florida Bay represents a shallow-water bay fishery. The Atlantic-run fish, by comparison, are often taken by running the beach and locating schools. Once found, anglers can cast spoons, feathers, or even live baits. Anchoring and chumming on depressions, drops and tight bottom contours off the beach works too, with small live baits like pilchards and shrimp getting the nod. Often when there’s an abundance of a specific forage, as occurs along Florida’s west coast, that bait will yield top results. Trolling in clean water is also effective wherever Spanish mackerel are found.
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