Rubber Ribbons
The Live Ribbonfish trolling lures from Williamson Lures produce the same snake-like action and appealing profile of natural ribbonfish. When trolled at two to six knots, the soft-plastic lures are irresistible to big predators, such as kingfish and amberjack. Rigged with Perma-Steel VMC hooks attached to a stainless-steel cable, Live Ribbonfish are available in black, natural and blue, and packs of two sell for $18. Williamson Lures, www.williamsonlures.com.
Digital Capture
Bushnell’s Outdoor Digital Camera is built with the fisherman in mind and features oversized buttons for easy operation and a sealed, water-resistant body. The 3.2-megapixel camera has a digital zoom, a date-time stamp and is plug-and-play ready on PCs with Windows 2000 or XP. The camera comes with a USB cable, a carrying case and wrist strap for extra protection. Available in yellow (shown) or green, the camera sells for $300. Bushnell; (800) 423-3537; www.bushnell.com.
The Straight Skinny
Ande Braid is a smoother, rounder line that helps anglers make long casts. In our field test, the Spectra fiber-spun braid had no memory and reduced the occurence of wind knots. With a smaller diameter than other braided lines, Ande Braid increases the line capacity of reels and is available in eight- through 125-pound-test. The line comes in teal green or hi-vis yellow (shown) and retails for $12. Ande Monofilament; (561) 842-2474; www.andemonofilament.com.
Rigging Big
Pro-Magnum Series rigging components from ProFishCo. include ball-bearing swivels and welded steel rings with Delrin grommets. The grommets are grooved to accept crimped line or leader and provide a high-strength connection without binding. The Teflon-coated components come in various sizes and packages and prices start around $6. ProFishCo.; (866) 677-6776; www.profishco.com.
