| The series uses large screens to make sure no one misses a trick. |
Are you ready to learn what it takes to catch more and bigger fish? Then get ready, because the Salt Water Sportsman National Seminar Series is coming soon to a city near you!
Now entering its 17th consecutive year of touring, the National Seminar Series, presented by Interlux Yacht Finishes, is the nation’s most popular and longest-running educational course on recreational marine fishing techniques. When it comes to dispensing impressive amounts of how-to and where-to information in a professionally produced manner, the Seminar Series has no equal. In fact, it continues to sell out in most locations in advance of its arrival.
Hosted by Salt Water Sportsman contributing Senior Editor and ESPN2 fishing-show host George Poveromo and fellow SWS editors Barry Gibson, Gary Caputi and Al Ristori, the 2004 tour will once again be packed with how-to and where-to information. As is the case every year, plenty of proprietary techniques and fishing spots will be revealed by the panel of National experts, which includes noted fishing authorities Don Hammond, Frank Johnson, Harry Vernon III, Louis V. Volpe, Dave Workman, Jr., Ray Waldner, Dr. Mitchell Roffer and Captains Jimmy Price, Greg Bogdan, John T. Pirie and Ed Mecchella. Joining this National Faculty at each location will be Regional Teams comprising local captains and pros. A minimum of ten faculty members will be on hand at each location (check the ad in this issue for the respective teaching teams).
One attendee will win a new Honda-powered Mako fishing boat with a float-on trailer.|
Here’s how it works: Flanked by twin 10′ by 10′ screens, a team of four instructors will lead a specific session dealing with a certain species or fishing tactic. As these pros discuss in detail their most productive tactics and techniques for catching the species in question, supporting visuals in the form of slides, line-art, diagrams and video clips help reinforce the key points being covered. Furthermore, a closed-circuit television camera is ready to zoom in on the faculty members as they show how to rig their favorite lures, baits and terminal tackle. The camera also delivers close-up shots of fishing charts when these pros point out their most productive spots.
When a particular team completes its session, a team of four new faculty members take the stage to tackle another specific topic. And, as always, you can meet and chat with the pros in the lobby during breaks or after the show.
“The unique thing about having four faculty members on stage at one time is the incredible amount of information that comes out during a session,” says Poveromo. “When there’s one person giving a seminar, the audience only learns how that one particular pro catches fish. But when you have four pros on stage, you get four different approaches to catching the same fish. This can be very valuable, as success often depends on knowing when to switch tactics or making a slight change to your bait, lure or terminal gear.
“Then there’s the competition factor. With four experts on stage, it always seems that each one wants to ‘one up’ the next guy with a productive fishing trick or tip. And when that happens, you’ll be amazed at the secrets that fly off that stage. Regardless of your experience level, you can’t leave the seminar without learning at least a few new tricks.”
In keeping with Seminar Series tradition, the 2004 tour will play in acoustically clear performing-arts theaters and concert halls (no high-school gyms, here!). In addition to meeting and learning from some of the top names in salt water fishing, attendees can see the latest fishing and boating gear displayed in the lobby by the Seminar’s sponsors. Manufacturers representatives will be on hand at the sponsor booths to answer questions.
In what has come to be regarded as one of the best bargains in salt water fishing, a ticket to the seminar is just $45 – less than what it takes to provision your boat for a day’s fishing! Each attendee also receives a 122-page course textbook, a one-year subscription or extension to Salt Water Sportsman, one Roffer’s Ocean Fishing Forecast Analysis and one log of Double-Strike Chum. Attendees also receive a chance to win valuable door prizes that are awarded throughout the day at each Seminar location. The Grand Prize at each Seminar is a fishing trip for two to the famous Bimini Big Game Resort and Marina in the Bahamas. The Super Grand Prize, which will be awarded in a drawing held one week after the conclusion of the 2004 tour, is a new Mako 1901 Bay Shark powered by a 130-hp four-stroke Honda outboard. This special Seminar Series Edition Mako will be outfitted by the tour’s sponsors and includes a FLOAT-ON Trailer.
Order tickets now, as many venues sell-out. Tickets can be purchased with Visa, MasterCard and America Express by calling (800) 448-7360, or through the Seminar Series website, www.nationalseminarseries.com. Also see the color spread ad in this issue. To pay with a check or money order, write to Outdoor Associates, Incorporated, 9930 N.W. 59th Court, Parkland, Florida 33076.
| ### SEMINAR COURSESPalm Beach, FL, January 10 Can’t-fail swordfish tactics; reading and fishing the Gulf Stream (water temperature, color changes, rips and slicks, plus how to locate and fish the Stream’s eastern edge); how to catch offshore fish on the troll (dolphin, wahoo, tuna); advanced dolphin tactics; new tricks that take more and bigger wahoo; refined bottom-fishing tactics; how to locate and catch big grouper and snapper; quality yellowtail fishing; catching kingfish like the pros; kingfishing at night; targeting smoker kings; how and where to catch live bait; successful live-chumming strategies; catching monster snook; how to find and catch snook in the inlets and around ICW bridges; trolling for snook; catching tarpon in the inlets and ICW; secrets of fishing the inlets and ICW; variety fishing in the inlets (African pompano, permit, gray snapper, cobia, bull redfish and monster jack crevalle); how and where to catch quality fish within the ICW system; plus how and where to catch fish off Freeport and Bimini (bottom fishing for groupers and snappers and chunking for Bahamas yellowfin tuna).Ft. Myers, FL, January 17 Beachfront tarpon fishing; river fishing for tarpon; new tricks that take bigger tarpon in the passes; snook on the beaches; catching snook on the flats; chum fishing for snook; hot snook trolling tactics; how and where to catch trophy snook; speckled trout by the numbers; nighttime monster trout tactics; trout on topwater plugs; taking redfish year-round; redfish on topwater plugs; targeting trophy redfish; chumming for redfish; light-tackle fishing for tripletail and Spanish mackerel; trolling dead baits and artificials for kingfish; nighttime kingfish tactics; live-chumming for more and bigger kingfish; kite fishing for kingfish; tournament tricks for catching trophy kingfish; catching more and bigger grouper; live-baiting for bottom fish; trolling for grouper; how to consistently catch mangrove snapper; targeting permit on the wrecks; fishing the shrimp boats (cobia, blackfin tuna, bonito); kite fishing; how to read and fish the local offshore waters (locating the loop currents, thermal breaks, warm-water fingers and structure for wahoo, sailfish and dolphin); successful offshore trolling strategies, plus a special session on catching fish off Bimini (bottom fishing for grouper and snapper and chunking for Bahamas yellowfin tuna).Jersey Shore, NJ, January 24 Trophy stripers on ultra-light tackle; live-lining for trophy stripers; top trolling techniques for stripers; chunking for bluefish; bluefish on surface lures; inshore wire-line techniques; jetty tactics; how to catch more and bigger fluke and blackfish; targeting trophy fluke; secrets for catching big blackfish; no-nonsense weakfish tactics; how and where to locate weakfish; variety fishing in and around the inlets; how to locate and fish productive bottom (blackfish, fluke, spot and sea bass); back-bay stripers; can’t-miss tuna-trolling patterns; chunking for tunas; live-baiting for tunas; advanced methods for bluefin and yellowfin tuna; cutting-edge lure-trolling tactics; subsurface offshore trolling; reading water temperature charts; targeting trophy makos; basic and advanced sharking techniques; offshore kite fishing for sharks and tunas; specialized tactics that take more and bigger wahoo off the Jersey coast.Raleigh, NC, January 31 How to win a king mackerel tournament; fishing dead bait and artificials for king mackerel; kite fishing for king mackerel and offshore game fish; fool-proof red drum tactics; red drum on the flats; taking red drum on topwater lures; chunking for trophy red drum; no-nonsense trophy red drum tactics; taking trophy trout on lures; selective live-baiting for trout; trophy trout strategies; catching trout at night; how and where to catch winter trout; flounder by the numbers; targeting doormat flounder; secrets of fishing the inshore waters of Morehead City and Pamlico Sound; variety fishing around the inlets, jetties and beaches (red drum, sheepshead, jacks, tarpon, sharks, Spanish mackerel and cobia); targeting quality bottom fish; locating and fishing productive bottom structure for grouper and snapper; fishing the wrecks and artificial reefs; offshore trolling strategies; new tricks for yellowfin tuna; chumming and chunking for yellowfin tuna; how to create and fish a deadly offshore trolling spread; subsurface trolling tactics for wahoo and tuna; live-baiting for offshore game fish; winter bluefin tuna strategies; using water temperature to locate offshore game fish; tricks that take more and bigger dolphin; how to troll and run-and-gun for dolphin; can’t-miss nighttime swordfish tactics.Annapolis, MD, February 7 Chunking and chumming for rockfish (striped bass); light-tackle surface techniques for bluefish; trophy rockfish on live bait and artificials; refined rockfish trolling; inshore wire-line techniques; bluefish on surface lures; targeting jumbo bluefish; more and bigger fluke; how and where to catch weakfish and speckled trout; successful weakfish tactics; catching trophy weakfish at night; how to locate and fish productive bottom (for tautog, fluke, spot and sea bass); secrets for catching big tautog; Spanish mackerel on light tackle; hot methods for catching yellowfin and bluefin tuna; can’t-miss dolphin tactics; subsurface offshore trolling for tuna and wahoo; how to mix and troll natural baits and lures; trolling tactics that raise and catch more white marlin; how to create and effectively troll a deadly offshore teaser system; kite fishing for tunas; live-chumming and baiting for tunas; secrets of fishing the canyons; how to chunk for inshore and offshore tuna; successful inshore and offshore tuna-trolling tactics; chumming and trolling for sharks; new tricks for Mid-Atlantic makos; finding and fishing offshore temperature breaks; plus comprehensive sessions on fishing the upper, middle and lower Chesapeake Bay.West Islip, NY, February 21 Live-lining for trophy stripers; refined striper trolling tactics; stripers on topwater lures; chunking for stripers and bluefish; diamond-jigging for striped bass and bluefish; targeting jumbo bluefish; bluefish on surface lures; inshore wire-line trolling techniques; how and where to catch more and bigger fluke; bucktailing for fluke; how and where to catch fluke by the numbers; secrets for catching big blackfish; can’t-miss blackfish tactics; how to locate and set up on productive bottom (for blackfish, fluke and striped bass); chumming and chunking for bonito and false albacore; no-nonsense weakfish tactics; how and where to locate weakfish; comprehensive sessions on how and where to catch fish on Long Island’s north and south shores; how to find and use temperature breaks to your advantage; trolling for sharks; light-tackle shark fishing; strategies that produce more and larger makos; can’t-miss tuna-trolling patterns (includes subsurface trolling techniques); can’t-miss tuna chunking tricks; live-chumming and live-baiting for tunas; kite fishing for sharks and tunas; how to create and troll a deadly offshore teaser system (includes dredges); canyon trolling strategies; secrets of fishing the canyons.Mobile, AL, February 28 Foolproof cobia tactics (sight fishing and rig tactics); trolling for cobia; cobia on the shrimp boats; how to win a king mackerel tournament; dead-baiting for king mackerel; secrets of fishing Mobile Bay; scoring around inlets, jetties and beaches; live-baiting for trophy trout; taking trout at night; big trout on topwater lures; fishing for bull redfish; taking bull redfish on topwater lures; basic and advanced redfishing (live bait and artificials); light tackle and surface lures for redfish; flounder by the numbers; how and where to catch trophy flounder; how to score inshore year-round; comprehensive sessions on fishing the Mobile Bay system (including Dauphin Island), Mississippi Sound, and Pensacola, and Perdido Bays; successful bottom-fishing tactics; chumming snapper to the surface; trophy-snapper strategies; grouper fast and easy; how to locate and fish productive water-temperature breaks and ocean-circulation features (color changes, thermal edges, rips, slicks, loop current); offshore trolling techniques; how to create a variety trolling spread for dolphin, wahoo, tuna and marlin; offshore lure-trolling strategies; chumming and chunking for yellowfin and blackfin tuna; live-chumming and live-baiting for tuna; offshore kite fishing; subsurface wahoo-trolling strategies; jigging for wahoo; offbeat techniques that take big dolphin; successful trolling and run-and-gun tactics for dolphin; can’t-miss nighttime swordfish tactics.Boston, MA, March 6 Live-baiting trophy striped bass; spinner-and-worm fishing for striped bass; stripers on topwater lures; diamond-jigging for striped bass and bluefish; chunking for big striped bass; inshore wire-line techniques; how to locate bluefish when they’re not plentiful; bluefish on surface lures; targeting jumbo blues; secrets of fishing Boston Harbor; how to choose, rig and fish the most productive New England artificials; how and where to catch winter flounder and fluke by the numbers; trophy fluke tactics; bottom-fishing for inshore table fare (fluke and tautog); how to find offshore cod, pollock and haddock (including local hot spots); secrets of fishing Stellwagen Bank; chumming and chunking for bonito and false albacore; bluefin tuna on light tackle and artificial lures; no-nonsense bluefin tactics; can’t-miss tuna trolling patterns; how to create and troll a deadly offshore teaser system (dredges included); live-chumming and live-baiting for tunas; kite fishing for sharks and tunas; hot methods for catching mako, blue, thresher and porbeagle sharks; trolling for sharks; taking sharks on light-tackle and artificial lures; how to find and fish temperature breaks. National Sessions will focus on: How to design and fish effective offshore teaser systems; using electronics to locate productive bottom and game fish; how to keep track of migrating game fish; how tides, barometric pressure and moon phases affect your fishing; sub-surface trolling techniques (includes downriggers, wire line, planers, and trolling weights); kite fishing for nearshore and offshore game fish; how to choose, rig and fish artificial lures (inshore and offshore); how to fine tune your tackle to catch more fish; effective terminal tackle systems; successful chumming tactics. |
