The fish covered here can be caught in other locations too. For example, black marlin are regularly targeted and landed off Australia. But when the conditions are right, the hot spots listed below can’t be beat, especially if you’re there at the right time with the proper presentations.

Best Place to Catch Tarpon

• Where: Gasparee Island, Tobago
• When: Fall
• How: Live baiting Spanish sardine or herring

Diehard tarpon fanatics need to add Trinidad to their travel itinerary. That’s because double-digit days are a routine occurrence for guests of the Monsta Tarpon Lodge on Gasparee Island. Located near the mouth of the prolific Orinoco River, anglers often release up to 40 large tarpon per trip, many 100 pounds or heavier. Stout spinning tackle with braided line and circle hooks is the ideal arsenal for these deepwater fish.

With an abundance of bait during the wet summer months, Spanish sardines or herring are the bait of choice. Tarpon are located by spotting rollers on the surface of the green, nutrient-rich water. The tarpon spawn in the deeper channels between islands and return to the rocks and remote shoreline to feed. Trips are scheduled around the prime windows, typically early mornings or late afternoons when feeding is more active. Rising tides are another favorable condition since the tarpon don’t have to swim against the hard outgoing currents. 

Best Place to Catch Trout and Redfish

• Where: Lower Laguna Madre, Texas
• When: Late winter and early spring
• How: Casting Bendback, Deceiver and EP Minnow flies

Sight-fishing enthusiasts need several conditions to successfully pursue their targets: clear water, light winds, bright sunshine and cooperative quarry. For those hunting trophy seatrout and redfish on light-tackle and fly, that describes the Lower Laguna Madre in South Texas perfectly. 

“Late winter and early spring are the best months for big trout on lures,” says Capt. Eric Glass, a long-time guide in the South Padre Island area. “But I prefer the summertime when the winds aren’t as strong and we have bright sun for better visibility. Any tide is good as long as it’s moving. Redfish are our bread and butter here on real shallow flats, 12 inches or less. Trout can be as shallow, but they prefer flats with deeper adjacent water. Soft plastics rigged on a ¹⁄₁₆-ounce jig head are the top lure choice. “Big trout on fly are our permit. They are very difficult to catch and one 28 inches or larger is a true prize.”

Glass starts by stalking reds, but if trout are around he’ll try to entice one into eating a weighted crab fly. Trout-specific flies include weedless baitfish patterns like Bendbacks, Deceivers and EP Minnows in chartreuse/white or olive/white on an 8-weight outfit with floating line and 12-pound fluorocarbon leader without a shock tippet.  

“It’s a challenge to talk a trout into eating a redfish fly,” he adds. “My client caught a 29-inch-plus fish this summer and it was one of the most memorable of the season. If we find both species in an area, I’ll put the reds on the back burner for an hour or so and try to catch a trout. But I’m scared to death of getting skunked so we typically pivot back to the reds,” he says with a laugh. 

Best Place to Catch Spearfish

• Where: Kona, Hawaii
• When: Springtime
• How: Trolling skirted bullet lures

Spearfish are one of the more difficult species to record for anglers trying to complete an IGFA Billfish Royal Slam. That rare accomplishment consists of tallying Atlantic and Pacific blue marlin and sailfish, white, black and striped marlin, swordfish and one of the three sub-species of spearfish over a lifetime. The best chance for scoring the latter are shortbill spearfish out of Kona, Hawaii. Known as Hebi in Hawaiian or chuckers among the locals, shortbill are only found in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. They are a consistent catch among the charter and private boats fishing the calm, lee side of Hawaii’s Big Island.  

Sleek, acrobatic and strong for their size, Kona’s spearfish can get up to 50 pounds but average 30 to 35. If you’re prepared to lose tackle to monster blue marlin or yellowfin tuna in the same vicinity, light conventional gear is the perfect match for spearfish. They are typically caught on heavier outfits, however, which subdues the sport and fighting spirit of the fish. 

Late winter through early summer are the peak times to target spearfish in the Aloha State. Skirted bullet lures with either jets or solid bodies in blue/white or pink to mimic flying fish and squid are the top offerings. 

Best Place to Catch Permit

• Where: Lower Florida Keys
• When: March
• How: Bucktail jig tipped with shrimp

Permit are one of the flats trilogy (with tarpon and bonefish) and the Lower Florida Keys are one of the top permit spots on the planet. Longtime Conch guide Capt. Steve Impallomeni targets these challenging targets from early February through March when water temperatures range from the mid- to high 70s after a front to the lower 80s. Moving water, the last two hours of the incoming and first of outgoing, are preferred. 

“I look for floaters off the flat edges at lower tides,” he says. “The reef lines with sea fans and ledges that hold crab and shrimp are good, too.” 

Tan, white or pink bonefish bucktail wiggle jigs tipped with a fresh piece of shrimp are an excellent offering for permit in shallow water. Small live blue crabs are deadly or Impallomeni will use the largest live shrimp he has if bait-stealers aren’t around. For fly-anglers he ties on a Gotcha in tan or pink or a Merkin crab if the water is deeper. 

Best Place to Catch Milkfish

• Where: Seychelles
• When: Year-round
• How: Flies with large, bushy profiles in green to match the forage algae

Adventuresome anglers looking to tussle with the Pacific equivalent of tarpon should pack their gear and jump on a plane to the Seychelles. Once there, Chanos Chanos or milkfish await those with patience and a 10-weight fly rod. Featuring a long, slender body with large forked tails and equally large eyes, milkfish have silvery sides and white bellies. These toothless omnivores can top 50 pounds and live up to 15 years.

Milkfish are easy to spot on the crystalline Seychelles flats. When feeding, they often tail like bonefish or swim in schools, creating wakes as they move. The heads and collagen-like lips can be spotted as they work the surface. Neap tides are preferred with more uniform water on the flats. New and full moon tides when invertebrates spawn are good also. 

With algae and associated tiny marine life their primary forage, milkfish are ideal targets for the long wand. Since they aren’t predatory, the fly must be nearly stationary on approach. The only initial reaction should be long, slow strips to eliminate slack. Once the line changes direction on a pick-up, a steady strip-strike will seal the deal. Strong, powerful runs and gravity-defying leaps mandate medium fly tackle to win a milkfish battle, which can be lengthy. 

Flies with large, bushy profiles in olive and green to match the forage algae fill the fly boxes of Seychelles anglers. Some patterns add pink or red highlights to simulate crustacean eggs or strands of crystal flash for other tiny marine life. Milkfish can be targeted year-round on the remote Seychelles flats. 

Best Place to Catch Striped Bass

• Where: New Jersey
• When: October
• How: Trolling live eels behind planer boards

Once a near unicorn catch, 50-pound-plus striped bass are now not quite as rare due to a harvest moratorium in New Jersey. Devotees looking to etch a half-century cow mark in the rod blank have a couple options for a release, though. “We now have the best big striper fishing that I’ve seen in years,” says veteran New York/New Jersey guide Capt. Frank Crescitelli. 

“The deadliest method for scoring a 50 is by trolling live eels behind planer boards,” Crescitelli says. His personal best so far is a 52-pounder, taken by that method. “Those big fish are mostly in deeper, open water up to 60 feet. There’s not a lot of structure along our shoreline, so by trolling you can cover more ground and work the bunker pods. It’s all about the bunker. Sixty-degree water is ideal and the big ones tend to stick together. Prevailing northerly winds are best, especially on the back side of the full moon starting about the third week of October.” 

Crescitelli says anglers tossing artificials and flies have ample opportunities for trophies as well. “Working in close to the shore on the trolling motor will offer shots at big fish in the shallows,” he adds. He ties on bunker flies on sinking lines for a quiet presentation and works transition points with bait and rips/eddies. He also keeps one live bait in the water to send off distress signals to feeding stripers. 

Best Place to Catch Black Marlin

• Where: Piñas Bay, Panama
• When: January and February
• How: Slow trolling live bonito

With hundreds of IGFA line class records on its ledger, Tropic Star Lodge, located on Piñas Bay on Panama’s remote Pacific coast, consistently ranks as the top big game fishing lodge in the world. It is also a reasonably accessible destination for those looking to cross black marlin off their checklist. Western novelist and angler Zane Grey is credited with discovering the area’s most prominent underwater feature, subsequently named in his honor. The Zane Grey Reef is a trio of rocky columns that jut to within 125 feet of the surface. Only a short run from the lodge, it intersects a major migratory path for marlin and other pelagics. 

Live bonito are caught, bridled and slow-trolled around the reef to entice a strike. Because of the likelihood of encounters with large fish, heavy conventional tackle is used. January and February are the peak months for black marlin, along with big blues, plus triple-digit yellowfin tuna and sailfish. Grand slams (blue, black and sail or striped marlin) are possible in February. Black marlin are also around in good numbers in April and May.

The post The Best Places to Fish appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

Capt. Richard Stanczyk stays busy overseeing everything at Bud N’ Mary’s Marina in Islamorada. But this time of year, when the weather cools in the Florida Keys, he always sets aside a few afternoons to take family and friends bonefishing.

Thanks to a combination of factors that has greatly improved the water quality in Florida Bay around Islamorada, flats fishing has flourished. “When I used to take people bonefishing, I would tell them, ‘I guarantee you one thing: a beautiful sunset.’ Now I can almost guarantee them a bonefish,” Stanczyk says. “The flats are better, there’s no question. The overall water quality has been the best this year that I can remember in many, many years.”

Best Flats and Conditions for Bonefish

Although anglers can endure the heat and catch bonefish during the summer, Stanczyk says fall ranks as his favorite time of the year to pursue the gray ghosts. “Temperature is important, and usually we’re just coming off extreme heat,” he explains. “You’ve got to fish real early in the morning because of the cooling effect that takes place overnight, and then there’s a window late in the afternoon.”

However, bonefish become difficult to catch on the flats when water temperatures dip below 72 degrees. When a November cold front approaches, Stanczyk says the bonefish leave Florida Bay and move to the deeper, warmer water on the ocean side of Islamorada.

While Florida Bay’s water temperatures remain comfortable for bonefish, Stanczyk hunts a variety of flats. With more than 40 years of experience fishing those shallow waters, he has a pretty good idea of where the fish should be based on the tides and the wind direction.

He looks for a mix of healthy, green grass and sand and gravel. He avoids flats with brown, matted algae and what he calls “rusty-looking dust,” which indicates low water flow.

“Sometimes you get big broad flats, and you’ve got a lot of sunlight, and those types of flats [the fish] don’t like to commit to them so much, so they’ll stay around the edges, and that’s especially during calm weather. The wind will help you a little bit,” he says.

He also finds fish around what’s called a strip bank—where a narrow strip rises up, and the water churns as it flows over the obstruction. Fish often mill around those locations and want to feed, he says.

Fishing Live Shrimp for Bonefish

When he first came to the Keys in the 1970s, Stanczyk exclusively fly-fished for bones. He’d propel his skiff across a shallow flat and look for tailing fish or the shadows from swimming fish.

Of course, water levels have risen over the last 20 years, he notes. Bonefish flats that once featured 6 inches of water now flood with 2 or 3 feet of water, making the fish harder to see.

Some sharp-eyed backcountry guides still pole across the flats, but at this stage of his life, Stanczyk prefers a technique known as dead-boating or staking out. “Instead of me hunting them down, I let them find me,” he says.

Stanczyk eases his skiff onto a flat where he believes he’ll intercept bonefish, and where the wind and current move in the same direction. He plants his push pole in the sandy bottom and secures the boat to the pole with a rope.

Once settled, he baits two to four spinning outfits with live shrimp and casts them to specific spots on the flat.

Stanczyk thinks of the flat like a road map with one route on and off the zone. With the right conditions, he knows the bonefish will travel that route and find the shrimp.

Rigging Light Tackle for Bonefish

One of Stanczyk’s other keys to dead-boating bonefish involves putting the bait on an edge with grass and sand. That makes it easier for the fish to find the shrimp by sight and scent.

He recommends using light spinning outfits with 12-pound monofilament line. “You don’t want to over-tackle bonefish,” he says. “It takes away the excitement, the challenge and the fun.”

He places an egg sinker weighing 1/8 to 1/2 ounce, depending on the strength of the current, above a swivel tied to 12 to 18 inches of 12- to 20-pound monofilament leader. He completes the rig with a 2/0 Gamakatsu Offset Worm EWG hook. A smaller hook could be swallowed by a bonefish.

Read Next: Bonefish on Artificial Lures

Stanczyk breaks off the tail off a shrimp and threads it tail-first onto the hook, so the entire hook is concealed. After casting the shrimp, he puts the spinning outfits in rod holders and watches the tips for movement.

“What you’re really watching is the bonefish trying to pick up the shrimp,” Stanczyk says. “As he’s nosing down on your bait, he’s sending you a signal. Pick up the rod, but don’t spook him.”

When the fish takes the shrimp, reel, don’t jerk. “If he’s not there, stop reeling. He’ll pick it back up,” Stanczyk notes. “If he is there, he’s going to be off and running. Let him make his first run, because you’re not going to stop him.”

After another run or two, the bonefish tires, and that trophy comes boatside for photos. Once you notch the first fish by letting it come to you, you can try hunting and scouting. Look for tails and shadows. But if you strike out, remember, you can always stake out.

The post Fishing for Bonefish in the Florida Keys appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

World Record Pacific Bonefish from Honolulu, Hawaii

Triana holds seven all tackle and line class records for Pacific bones, including one 10-pounder.

“Pacific bonefish on ultra light tackle in Hawaii has been the most challenging record to break,” notes Triana. “It’s difficult to find a Pacific bonefish large enough to eclipse an existing record, because those
larger specimens are few and far between, and spook so easily.”  

World Record Yelloweye Rockfish from Seward, Alaska

Triana has captured 19 IGFA records in this small town two and a half hours south of Anchorage. Among the record-breaking species: yelloweye rockfish and Pacific cod.

“These species are some of the oldest fish on the planet, reaching 80 to 100 years old,” says Triana. “Having the opportunity to fish for large specimens gives you multiple chances to encounter that perfect fish.”

World Record Grass Carp in Miami, Florida

Triana’s hometown has provided him access to myriad oddball species including hornet tilapia, Orinoco sailfin catfish, Oscar, and a record-breaking 48-pound, 12-ounce grass carp caught in the suburb of Palmetto Bay.

“Grass carp were introduced into the South Florida canal systems decades ago to control the rapid growth of hydrilla weed that completely choked the waterways,” Triana explains. “They are the largest member of the minnow family, and grow to massive proportions.”

World Record Andalusian Barbel from Portugal

As Triana does for all his travels, including family trips, he researches species that are unique to the area. The Andalusian barbel record came in the summer of 2022 during a family vacation to Portugal, where they spent a good chunk of their time in the southern region of Algarve.

“The barbel is a common and popular freshwater game fish in the United Kingdom and throughout Europe,” Triana says. “They belong to the carp family, and can be found in river systems and reservoirs.”  

World Record Talang Queenfish from Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Before it was the megalopolis of today, Dubai was a fishing village, and Triana’s research revealed that Talang queenfish is a popular game fish in the Persian Gulf. Triana made the trip with his family in March 2022.

“I rigged a Clouser fly with 6-pound tippet, and waited for the chance to cast,” he says. “Like a light switch, schools of talang queenfish appeared all around the boat chasing small minnows. A queenfish attacked the fly. It fights down and dirty like a jack crevalle, but jumps like a tarpon. After multiple loops around the boat, I landed the fish.”

World Record Black Durgon from Varadero, Cuba

Triana wanted to explore the untapped reef fishery, but Cuba only allowed government-run fishing vessels that troll outside the reef line.

“We anchored in the clearest water I’ve ever seen, and I break out my light spinning rods with 6-pound-test line, and diced-up lobster for bait,” Triana recalls. “I can see the school of black durgon on the bottom.” He caught a 2-pound fish, topping the existing record of 1 pound, 14 ounces.

World Record Tiger Trout in Salt River, Wyoming

Call it world record by bycatch. While fly fishing along the banks of the Salt River in search of brown trout, Triana caught a baby tiger trout. He quickly made his way back to his car to reference the IGFA yearbook he always travels with to check the tiger trout records.

“I saw there was only a 2-pound fish as the existing record on 6-pound-test line class. I quickly put together my 6-pound spinning outfit and began casting a fly. It wasn’t too long before caught another tiger trout in the same exact area.” Except this time, it was a much larger specimen.

World Record Collared Large-Eye Bream from the Great Barrier Reef

Triana traveled to Australia in 2001 hoping to catch a black marlin. After the liveaboard anchored up one evening, “I rigged up one of my light tackle rods and began bottom fishing, catching a multitude of species,” Triana recalls. “One of them was a very big collared large-eye bream. I kept it on ice until I had a chance to do some research the next day.” It turned out he had caught an IGFA world record.

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“Straight ahead is Poland and to the left is Estonia,” said Capt. Björn Persson, as he navigated the calm waters en route to the Baltic Sea. We were on our way to catch Baltic salmon, which are the same species as Atlantic salmon — ray-finned fish in the Salmonidae family. The Baltic’s Atlantic salmon are known for their massive size, with world records caught in Sweden, Denmark, Poland and Russia. And we were targeting the big ones: 30 pounds and up.  

We left minutes prior from the port of Trosa, located about an hour southwest of Stockholm. The boat ride through the Stockholm archipelago (Skärgårdens in Swedish) was calm and picturesque with World War II cannons visible on several of the small islands. This area forms the second largest archipelago in the world, containing approximately 30,000 islands. On this day, there were just as many sailboats as motorboats on the water.

Within 20 minutes, we arrived at the deep waters of the Baltic Sea. Persson switched over to the trolling motor. One by one, the captain let out line on his Abu Garcia Alphamar LC level winds, line-counting reels with large artificial spoons rigged to them.  

Unsure of the exact depth of the Atlantic salmon, we set out eight lines at depths of approximately 130, 165 and 195 feet. The captain used fluorescent planer boards to ensure the lines did not tangle and to help stagger the lines at different depths. Four more lines were set deeper, clipped to a pair of downriggers off the stern of the 21-foot center console. With twelve lines out in total, we were optimistic.

Soon enough, a rod bent over and the captain uttered something in Swedish that probably meant “fish on.” I grabbed the rod. The fight was fun, but I quickly reeled the fish to the boat. The captain looked at it and immediately flipped it off the line. We were on a mission for giant salmon, and Persson wanted a 2-plus-footer to keep, not what we had landed. Not the fish we were looking for. No time for pictures.

“You should have been here last week,” summed up the reminder of the day. Eventually time ran out, and the captain cooked up hamburgers and hotdogs on the bank of a small island. He told stories of giant Baltic salmon he caught in these waters, the size of the fish only limited by the length his arms stretched.

When to Go

Baltic Salmon season in Sweden is from June through August. It’s also a great time to catch northern pike and hundreds of European Perch in the many lakes in Sweden. If you are looking to make it a family trip, or want to do some sightseeing, I recommend going during the festival of midsummer that marks the summer solstice. That’s when one of the earth’s poles has its maximum tilt toward the sun and thus the longest day of sunlight in the year. Midsummer also happens to be one of the biggest holidays in Sweden. The locals dress in traditional Swedish outfits and sing and drink throughout the day.

Where to Go and How to Get There

The New York airports typically have several direct flight options into Sweden’s capital of Stockholm. If your bucket list is to see a pristine 196-foot, 400-year-old Viking warship, visit Vasa Museum in Stockholm. From there, take a car or train to Trosa, a lovely fishing and coastal town about an hour southeast of Stockholm. The area offers local markets to buy fresh seafood and produce from vendors and plenty of restaurants. 

What to Expect

Visiting Sweden in the summer is similar to going to the Great Lakes or Canada, so bring plenty of layers in case a hot summer day turns cool. A good day trolling for Baltic salmon might result in one or two keepers. Mix it up by scheduling a day of catching lots of perch and large pike at nearby lakes. Don’t worry, most of the locals speak English and are happy to point tourists in the right direction.

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Around 10,000 years ago, the massive glaciers that once blanketed much of North America retreated for the last time. In present-day central and western New York State, what was left behind can only be described as heaven on earth for freshwater anglers. Covering almost 9,000 square miles and spanning 14 counties, the Finger Lakes Region is made up of eleven glacially carved lakes in total.

A quick scan of Google Earth will reveal that the lakes run north-to-south and are strikingly narrow, perfectly described as fingers. The region locally is referred to as the “banana belt” of upstate New York as the massive amount of water helps keep winters slightly warmer and summers cooler than nearby areas. From East to West, the lakes are positioned as follows: Otisco, Skaneatles, Owasco, Cayuga, Seneca, Keuka, Canandaigua, Honeoye, Canadice, Hemlock and Conesus.

As temps begin to dip and fall bites grow red hot, hook up the boat, and take part in some of the finest multi-species fishing along the East Coast.

Top Species to Target at the Finger Lakes

The Finger Lakes read like an Eagles album with a collection of the greatest hits of freshwater fish found in North America. To add a dose of local insight, I caught up with Kurt Hoefig, a local guide and fixture in the area’s fishing scene.

“I tell my clients all the time, there are not a lot of places in the country that have access to all the natural bodies of water that we have in this region,” said Hoefig. “The DEC does an exceptional job managing our fisheries, there is no off-season when it comes to fishing in the finger lakes.” 

By and large, all eleven lakes support booming populations of both largemouth and smallmouth bass as deep rock and expanses of shallow structure exist in ample quantities. The same can be said with panfish opportunities as yellow perch, crappie and bluegill are found in impressive numbers region-wide.

The fun does not stop there, as select lakes offer golden shots at lake trout, brown trout, landlocked Atlantic salmon and rainbow trout. While there are plenty of productive northern pike fisheries in the Northeast, many lakes lack the forage and open water necessary to grow large specimens. The Finger Lakes kick out true monsters in the 20-pound class year after year. Also, as an added Esox bonus, there is consistent tiger muskie fishing to be had for those willing to put the time in.

The gem of the Empire State, the mighty walleye is also present in large numbers and they grow to impressive sizes in multiple lakes. Other species that should be on your list of species to target include include channel catfish, longnose gar, bowfin and freshwater drum.

The Best Finger Lakes for Fishing

With eleven lakes in total, keying in on desired species and techniques is critical to maximizing time. For the bass crowd, Cayuga Lake is a must-fish as the lake has become a consistent stop on high-level tournament trails. It is home to the New York state record smallmouth bass of 8 pounds, 6 ounces, and it recently produced the state record largemouth bass, a brute that tipped the scales at 12 pounds, 6 ounces. It is not just a warm-water fishery, as Cayuga’s populations of trout and salmon greatly benefited from the introduction of round gobies. Hoefig mentioned that “in 2013, gobies were first found in the lake. It did not take long for lake trout to key in on the new food source and feed on them in relatively shallow water areas. This has created world-class opportunities to cast for big lakers.”

For a truly unique angling experience, Seneca Lake, the self-proclaimed, “lake trout capital of the world,” reaches depths of more than 600 feet. The impressive depths and rare instances of ice coverage also make Seneca Lake home to the sonar testing facility of the U.S. Navy. This is where the sonar units used on nuclear submarines are put through their paces. In addition to a thriving lake trout population, landlocked salmon are ubiquitous and susceptible to downrigger fishing year-round.

My favorite, located half an hour from the city of Syracuse, is Otisco Lake. Essentially, it can be fished as two different lakes, as a causeway splits the lake on the south end. The lower basin is chock full of dirty water and weed beds, perfect for largemouth and panfish. The upper end is clear and deep with endless structure and great populations of smallmouth and walleye. Be warned, tiger muskies roam the entire body of water and can show up out of nowhere. Otisco is also one of the more consistent bets for safe ice for ice fishing on an annual basis.

About the Finger Lakes Region

If I am on a fishing trip, I rarely pay any mind to other available entertainment options in the area. This is not the case with the Finger Lakes region, as the temperate climate creates an amazing lineup of breweries and wineries along with a deep selection of restaurants showcasing the fresh ingredients grown and produced throughout the area. For fans of speed, Watkins Glen International Speedway boasts world-class racing action all summer long at an affordable price. If you need a good leg stretch after a long day on the trolling motor, trails leading to scenic summits are numerous and worth the hike. For more information on the area, check out visitfingerlakes.com.

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Although Capt. Shane York is a regular at his local gym, at least a portion of his body-builder’s physique can be attributed to an annual run of bull redfish at an expansive bay near his favorite south Louisiana port. Every year in the late summer stretching through the fall, mature reds invade the flats in the lower Barataria Basin, and absolutely engorge themselves on bait stocks that must be seen to be believed. York is always there to greet them, armed with soft-plastic paddle tails under corks.

“You can throw whatever you want, and they’ll hit it, but that cork makes it pretty much a guarantee,” he said.

York has been kind enough to invite me to experience the bull-red blitz the last two seasons. Last year, we left predawn out of Myrtle Grove Marina, and caught them until neither of us could bear the thought of reeling in another fish. That was at 8 a.m. All the reds were pushing 40 inches.

“The smallest bull we’ve caught out here so far this year was 35 inches,” York said that morning.

Two years ago, I absolutely wrecked my biceps reeling in bull after bull, including my personal best, a 44-inch fish. Although mature redfish conduct their spawning duties in deep passes along the coast, that’s not where York finds the fish when they’re in feeding mode. He hunts for extensive flats of uniform 3- to 4-foot depths that hold bait, and when he finds one, success is almost assured, regardless of water clarity.

“We catch them out here in absolute chocolate milk,” he said.

The run coincides with the migration of white shrimp leaving Louisiana’s marshes this time of year. York releases every bull he catches, but if you were to cut open one’s belly, it would be jammed full.

Bull Red Drum Eat Speckled Trout

“You would find a lot of shrimp, but you’d also find some speckled trout,” he said. “They feast on those little speckled trout.”

In fact, the trout are such a significant part of the bull reds’ diet that York knows he’s in the right area when aggressive specks and white trout are the first to yank down his cork. Many of the specks are under Louisiana’s 13-inch minimum size limit, but some are solid keepers. York doesn’t mind putting those in the box if his clients want to take some fish home.

Often, diving seagulls give away the location of productive flats, so York said it pays to always be observant. He had just recently discovered the flat that produced so many fish for us last year.

“We were fishing one area, and we were moving to another area,” he said. “As we were driving across the flat, we saw two huge blowups right next to the boat. We stopped, put the Power-Pole down, made two casts and immediately doubled up.”

York’s favorite color lure is black with a chartreuse tail, but he also has success with white and straight chartreuse. He will be putting all those colors to use for the next few months. Once the fish show up in late July or early August, they stick around for a while.

“They’ll be out here really good through October or November, but you’ll still have some stretching into December,” he said.

By then, York will surely look even more ripped.

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Red drum is a highly sought-after species up and down the Mid-Atlantic seaboard. Many anglers have formed a special bond with redfish in large part because of their willingness to take a baited hook, artificial lure, or fly. Throughout their range, the strong fight of a redfish keeps anglers’ hearts pumping and adrenaline flowing.

Luckily, anglers in North Carolina have access to some of the largest red drum in the world. In August and September, mature “old drum” come inshore to spawn at the mouth of the Pamlico and Neuse rivers before moving off Outer Banks beaches where they can be targeted in October and November. People from all over the country travel to isolated destinations like Cedar Island, Swan Quarter, Ocracoke and Cape Lookout to try to catch and release a “citation” fish. North Carolina’s Saltwater Fishing Tournament, also known as the Citation Program, recognizes exceptional catches of North Carolina’s most popular sport fish. A citation red drum must measure at least 40 inches. The all-tackle world record, a 94-pound, 2-ounce giant, was landed in Cape Hatteras back in 1984.

Historically most old drum were caught by bait fishermen using large pieces of fresh cut mullet or menhaden late in the evening or at night. Anglers can also have success catching huge redfish during the day using a variety of different artificial lures. As the fishery has evolved, it has led to increased fishing pressure and sometimes very finicky fish. Capt. Mitchel Blake, of FishIBX Charters, grew up fishing the area over the past several decades and has seen the changes.

Where to Find Reds

Pamlico Sound is a large body of water with lots of depth transitions and different bottom compositions. There are no real hot spots — what was good yesterday may well be dead water today. Capt. Blake reminds anglers that the fish are always on the move, and they are significantly impacted by boat traffic. Some studies have shown that drum travel more than 25 miles a day, advancing along submerged edges and ledges in different depth ranges searching for bait and preparing to spawn.  

Successful anglers get on the water early to locate them when they are feeding in 2 to 4 feet of water. Sometimes it is obvious, as reds move a lot of water when they are feeding aggressively. Search for pushes and wakes as you move into skinny water; busting mullet and shrimp popping in the shallows are also good indicators of feeding drum in the area. As the day moves on, especially in areas where there is a lot of boat activity, reds tend to move into deeper water. But they can still be found feeding on large schools of menhaden at the surface. It’s the subtle things Capt. Blake sees that keep him on the fish as he slowly dissects the river each day, not the run-and-gun style so prevalent in the age of social media and Internet reports. 

As you approach an area that seems to have the right conditions, stealth is critical to success. Blake’s biggest piece of advice is to slow down and pay attention to the surroundings. Shut off the big motor early, before you push into the zone, and use the trolling motor as sparingly as possible to hold your position. If possible, use the wind to push you within casting range. Don’t just zoom from spot to spot, as you might be running over the fish while you stare at your phone or navigation screen. Things tend to materialize fast, so you want to be ready with several rods rigged with a couple of different offerings.  

Reviving Red Drum After the Fight

For artificials lures, there are several options that work well. I prefer to fish topwater lures, as I can make repetitive long casts with a big surface popper. Walk-the-dog-style lures work well, too. Both choices make great search baits, as they are designed to imitate the sounds of struggling baitfish. When a fish hears the commotion on the surface, they tend to rise and look for an easy meal. Having a big 50-pound redfish explode on a surface lure is about as exciting as it gets. Large popping-cork rigs work well, too, especially if fish seem skittish or are hesitant to eat a surface plug.

We need to do everything we can to care for these fish, as they are the breeding stock for the entire population. Be mindful and use appropriate tackle to land fish quickly, so they do not exhaust themselves during the fight. Tagging data is clear; red drum survive well when released if they are handled properly. Many fish I catch are released without bringing them into the boat, but I admit I love to hold them in my arms for a photo. When landing a fish, never reach into or attempt to support the fish by the gill plate or mouth. Hold them horizontally and support the weight of the fish evenly as you cradle it like a baby in your arms. Have your camera ready beforehand. Enjoy the moment you have with the fish, but return it to the water as quickly as possible.

Spend time reviving the fish after a hard-fought battle. That means forcing water over its gills by inching the boat forward. If fishing in moving water, the water does the work for you, so hold that redfish face-first into the current. Moving a redfish forward and backward in the water doesn’t help much — no matter what the TV shows say. Watching a red drum regain its strength and kick away is rewarding, almost as much as tricking them into biting your topwater.

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Of all the Caribbean flats species targeted by anglers, permit are arguably the most coveted species for many fly and light-tackle fishermen, and when it comes to consistent and productive permit destinations, the tiny Central American country of Belize sits at the top of the list.

While Belize has always been a well-known destination for anglers wishing to pursue these elusive and — at times — difficult fish, the permit fishing throughout Belize has arguably improved over the last 10 to 15 years. With increased pressure and a significant bump in angler numbers, how could this be possible?

There are three main reasons for this uptick in permit production, with the first (and most important) reason being mandatory catch-and-release regulations and nationwide protection of permit, bonefish and tarpon implemented in 2008. Since that time, fish numbers have stabilized and gradually improved. To date, Belize is still the only country in the Caribbean to enact this type of protection.

The second reason that Belize is such a permit hotspot has to do with a nationwide gillnet ban that became law in 2019. In tandem with mandatory catch-and-release fishing, the removal of indiscriminate gillnets has had an immediate positive effect. The third and final reason for an overall increase in permit productivity? The guides are spending more time focusing on and targeting the species, and their knowledge, techniques, and understanding of the species has radically evolved as a direct result.

Permit Fishing in Ambergris Caye, Belize

Running parallel to the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, Ambergris Caye is the largest of the more than 200 islands that dot the coast of Belize — and by far the most popular tourist destination in the country. Long a famous tarpon destination, over the past 10 years the permit fishing in the waters that surround Ambergris has ramped up considerably — both with numbers as well as the average size of permit. The shallow lagoon on the back side of Ambergris is home to large schools of smaller 5- to 10-pound permit. When spotted, the speedsters will readily chase large shrimp and Gotcha-type fly patterns. For anglers seeking larger permit, the fish found in the Bacalar Chico area, north to Rocky Point, and south to Long Caye can be quite large. A guide is crucial for this part of Belize, as most flats are soft mud and difficult to wade.

Fishing for Permit at Turneffe Atoll, Belize

One of the most undeveloped, unvisited and pristine regions in all of Belize, Turneffe is home to an exceptional population of permit, which is why many seasoned traveling anglers will tell you that the atoll offers one of the best chances in the Caribbean to hook and land a “black-tailed devil.” On the outer flats of the atoll, most permit are found as singles or in small groups, feeding their way across the shallows in search of crabs, shrimp and other food sources. In the interior of the atoll on the muddy mangrove flats, more aggressive schools of permit are found on a regular basis, cruising the lengthy mangrove shorelines in schools that at times number 100 or more fish.

Permit Fishing at Punta Gorda

Punta Gorda (known throughout the region as “P.G.”) is the southernmost town in Belize and the capital of Belize’s Toledo District. Small, quiet and almost completely untouched by tourism, this has long been a popular destination for anglers serious about catching permit. The classic flats scenarios found in this area revolve around permit that feed and tail in skinny waters on shallow reef flats. It is not uncommon for the P.G. guides to poll the edges of the flats in search of tailing fish and nervous water. When fish are spotted in the shallows, the guide and angler will usually slip out of the skiff and approach the feeding fish on foot for the optimal shot.

Belize’s Hopkins and Permit Alley Fishing

This area has become world famous for its permit fishing, with hundreds of shallow, turtle-grass-covered, classic-style permit flats that are found just offshore in pristine waters surrounding Belize’s barrier reef. In this specific marine area — thick with tiny cayes and islands connected and joined by countless flats — good numbers of permit can be found year-round: often-times tailing, cruising and feeding in clear, shallow waters. These flats typically consist of hard-packed sand, mottled with patches of turtle grass and crushed coral. The shallower flats are ideal for wading, although a boat is still required to move from area to area.

Long Caye and Caye Caulker Permit Fishing

In addition to offering a healthy tarpon fishery, this central Belize destination offers great permit opportunities in the area surrounding Caye Caulker. The permit fishery is rapidly evolving here, as protection of the species continues to improve the population. This fishing differs from other areas in Belize (where permit are often found in super-shallow waters that are fished according to the tides) in that permit here are usually found in three to six feet of water, cruising and feeding over a variety of different bottoms including shallow grass, hard bottoms, and even submerged rock structures and caves. And while a moving tide is important, it is not as crucial as it is in other areas. 

When Traveling to Belize to Fish

• MAJOR AIR HUB: Belize City, Belize (BZE)
• ENTRY DOCUMENTS REQUIRED: Valid passport
• LANGUAGES: English and Caribbean Creole
• LAND SIZE: Approximately 8,867 square miles
• TIME: U.S. Central Standard Time
• FISHING SEASON: Year-round, with peak permit time March-July, October and November
• IDEAL FOR: Couples, families, first-time permit anglers, and seasoned veterans

The post The Best Permit Fishing in Belize appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

It’s a long way offshore to the Texas rigs, but those who make the trip put up very respectable numbers of blue marlin and yellowfin for the Gulf of Mexico. Consider the results of last summer’s Texas Gulf Coast Billfish Classic. In the tournament’s first year, teams caught 14 blue marlin in three fishing days. The biggest blue, landed by team Synchronicity, weighed 726.3 pounds.

“The marlin seem to move off the Panhandle during the summer and come here,” says Texas offshore legend Dee Wallace, who is the tournament director at Fisherman’s Wharf in Port Aransas. “In late summer, the Domes reef area and the Colt 45 reef come alive with white marlin, sailfish and blue marlin. It’s just a little farther run than other places.”

That is to say, Texas blue marlin fishing isn’t like Tongue-of-the-Ocean in the Bahamas, where you duck out in the morning for the day and get back in the afternoon for drinks at the cabana, nor even like Venice, Louisiana, where pre-dawn departures get you back that night. No, in Texas, boats might leave on a Thursday and return two days later.

“You can cover three or four of the deep rigs in a long one-day trip, but most people go out for a couple of days,” says Wallace. “It’s Iron Man stuff.”

Runs into the Gulf might be 100, 250, 300 miles or more, targeting promising oceanic set-ups at oil rigs, floating platforms and drill ships that act as fish aggregating devices (FADs). It is a high-stakes, boom-or-bust sport, with plenty of tournaments in the summer for those who want to compete for big money. The Texas Gulf Coast Billfish Classic is one of the newest.

“Up and down the Texas coast, a lot of people keep their boats at their own docks,” says Robbie Carter, director of the Texas Gulf Coast Billfish Classic. “We wanted to have a tournament that lets them leave from their docks, wherever their homes are. They go out to the rigs at the tournament’s start Thursday morning and don’t have to return until Saturday afternoon. It’s a marathon. This year we’ll have two weigh-in locations, Surfside and Port Aransas. There’s catch-and-release divisions, too, and we use Starlink for live scoring by video and updates.” After a delay from Hurricane Beryl, this year’s Texas Gulf Coast Billfish Classic is set for Aug. 15-17. Other upcoming tournaments include the Texas International Fishing Tournament (July 31- Aug. 4 at Port Isabel) and the Texas Legends Billfish Tournament (Aug. 7-11 at Port Aransas).

Technology has Changed Marlin Fishing

“The days of pointing your bow offshore looking for rips and slicks are over,” says Tom Hilton, owner of Hilton’s, the fishing charts and services company. “Now, with these deep-water rigs all within range of sport fishers, and with the technology, these fishermen are checking all their charts and understanding not only where to go fish, but just as importantly, where not to go fish. The key to using charts is to find the area where you have the most overlapping favorable conditions.

“Seakeeper, omni sonar, Starlink, and what I’ve designed with Sat2Nav with our charts and also with Roff’s, all of it has changed how people fish,” Hilton continues. “Also, the introduction of more deepwater floating platforms, known as SPARs (single point anchor reservoir), has increased offshore destinations. Also, live baiting with small tunas and rainbow runners has radically changed strategies. People still pull plastic, but live baits are bringing in a lot of big marlin.”

More Texas Deepwater FADs Coming Soon

Because it is so far offshore, Texas billfishing and tuna fishing might not be as well known as other Gulf locations out of Florida’s Panhandle, Venice, and Biloxi, Mississippi, but that may soon change. Tom Hilton and his colleagues have been organizing deployment of fish aggregating devices (FADs), and Hilton says he’s close to getting approval for installation, which would change Texas offshore fishing entirely.

“Alex Fogg of Okaloosa County in Florida worked hard to install deep water FADs off the Panhandle, and it’s been a resounding success,” Hilton says. “Those were the first ‘legal’ FADs ever deployed in U.S. waters. There’s white marlin, blue marlin, sailfish, and all kinds of species are attracted to those FADs.”

Hilton has 14 FADs ready for deployment from 60 to 80 miles offshore in waters 1,100 to 1,600 feet deep. The project is a collaboration between Hilton Marine, the Houston Big Game Fishing Club and the Gulf Research Institute for Highly Migratory Species.

“These FADS would bring bluewater fishing in range to a lot more center consoles and charter boats off the Texas coast, among other benefits,” Hilton says. “Right now, we’re mired in red tape, but it’s going to be big once we get them out there.”

Another Option is Texas Inshore Fishing

For those not quite suited to the rarified air of Texas oil rig fishing, either by temperament or finances, Texas fortunately has a rich estuary system with vast and varied options for beach, bay and backcountry fishing. Major bay systems include the Laguna Madre in the south, Matagorda Bay on the central coast, and Galveston Bay south of Houston. Smaller bays like Aransas Bay and Corpus Christi Bay add more wading and boating locations. On the ocean side, beaches, piers and jetties see clean, green water in summer, with redfish, Spanish mackerel, flounder and seatrout along the shores and surf.

Capt. Charlie Paradoski has fished the Texas bay system for close to 50 years, focusing on Matagorda Bay for the last three decades, both by wade fishing and boat. Matagorda Bay covers more than 350 square miles, so there’s a lot of fishy structure to get to know. Among other species, West Matagorda Bay is known for summer tripletail fishing. Paradoski also takes to the beaches when the surf is right, and there’s nothing more beautiful than sunrise over a big Texas beach.

“People like to come down and catch seatrout, and the slot limit is now between 15 and 20 inches, but most of the fish we catch are over 20 inches,” Paradoski says. “The bag limit is three trout, and as much as people don’t like that lower limit, it’s a good thing for the resource and the future to ensure good fishing.”

As good as the fishing in summer can be, it’s even better when the water cools. “October through February, that’s when the fishing gets easy,” he says. “Redfish, flounder, seatrout, they love that cooler water.” Texas coastal fishing is nearly endless, consistently productive and highly accessible. Vehicles can even be driven onto some beaches, like part of Matagorda Beach. Waders and kayak anglers can drop into stunning sight fishing with ease. Perhaps best of all, many locations along the coast still feel as if they belong to the wild. That’s a privilege worth preserving, and Texas anglers know it.

The post Can’t Miss Blue Marlin Fishing in Texas appeared first on Sport Fishing Mag.

Like any sport, you can spend as much as you want gearing up for your next saltwater battle. However, northeast striper ace Blaine Anderson said the summer months offer plenty of opportunity for anglers with even modest tackle to engage one the region’s premier sport fish.

“It’s easy fishing and there’s a low barrier to entry,” Anderson said of the warm season’s incredible action. “They’re aggressive fish and you can catch them all summer long.”

The striper show abounds throughout this renowned region, with perennial favorites like Block Island (Rhode Island), Fishers Island (New York), Plum Island (Massachusetts) and countless reef systems such as Connecticut’s Bartlett Reef. Where current swirls through rock structure, Anderson expects his prime opportunities.

“Any of the reefs in 15 feet or less will produce, but a boat with a trolling motor will allow you to get in shallow,” Anderson said. “I’ll get in there as shallow as 3 to 4 feet. You have to be careful, because there are a lot of big boulders, but that’s what’s holding the stripers there.”

No doubt, the shallowest of these rocky minefields demand respect, so proceed with caution. Often, the reward more than justifies the effort. Just know that the attraction is all about feeding. Bunker (menhaden) and other forage are no match for the ocean’s might, but stripers are built for this.

“It’s a lot like trout in a river or a stream; the stripers will be in the eddy behind a boulder waiting for something to come by,” Anderson said. “They’re really powerful swimmers, so they don’t mind the current, but the bait is very vulnerable and they’re going to be swept across [the boulder field] and they’re at the mercy of the current at that time.

“Somedays, you may not see the bait, but other days, it may be all over and the stripers will be blowing up. It will change from one day to the next, but they will always be on the reefs and the more bait there is, the more active they are.”

Best Time to Fish for Stripers

Anderson said the fish will feed in practically any summer conditions, but he likes a calm, overcast day — maybe even a little fog. It’s as much a mood thing as it is a fishing thing, but the ambiance is undeniable.

“Everything is so quiet; you can hear fish blow up from a distance,” Anderson said. “With calm water, I think the fish can hear the rattles in your (artificial) baits, so they can home in on it a little easier.

As for time of day, Anderson calls summer striper fishing a 24/7 adrenaline rush.

“Back in the day, when I was guiding, it didn’t matter what the weather was doing or what the tides were — we’d fish from 5 a.m. until 11,” Anderson said. “You can catch them at high noon, with not a cloud in the sky, but I prefer the low light of early morning, because you’re often the first one on your spot.

“A lot of boats can put the fish down, but if you get out there first, you can go really slow and quiet with the trolling motor and catch several before anyone gets out there.”

Lures and Tackle for Striped Bass

For simplicity and undeniable fish appeal, Anderson said it’s hard to beat a big 7- to 9-inch topwater walker. His preference, the Shimano Current Sniper Splash Walk in bone white or bunker.

“The topwater bites are explosive, but even if the fish are not being aggressive, those big topwaters will still call them up,” Anderson said. “After that, you can adjust to subsurface baits. These big topwater baits allow you to cover lot of water, but the nice thing about the Splash Walk is that with sharp rod twitches, you can almost walk it in place. You’re really only turning the handle of the reel to take the slack out of the line.

“Some days they want it a little different. Sometimes you’ll twitch it and let it sit there and they’ll come up and smash it on the pause. But if there are big fish around, you’re going to know it.”

Blaine Anderson’s Tackle Preferences: A 7-foot, 6-inch medium-heavy Shimano Terramar XX Southeast spinning rod with a Shimano Twinpower XD 4000 reel carrying 50-pound PowerPro Super Slick V2 braid and a 30- to 50-pound fluorocarbon leader.

“They’re not really line shy, but I’ll start with 4- to 5-foot leader, because as I change lures throughout the day, that leader gets shorter and shorter,” Anderson said. “For hook set and for pulling them out of boulder fields, this is a good setup.”

When he’s not finding the topwater action, one of Anderson’s go-tos is a jerkbait based on forage size. Top colors are herring, bone white, and white with colored spots. Another option is a large soft plastic twitchbait like a Lunker City Slug-Go or a Zoom Super Fluke. Anderson suggests rigging these baits on 4/0 to 5/0 belly-weighted hooks (or jig heads heavy enough for the water’s depth).

Live Bait Fishing for Striped Bass

Complementing the lures, many Northeast stripers are caught on natural baits. Anderson says live eels are a Block Island favorite — especially after dark. Castnet a bunch of 12- to 14-inch bunker and you can catch stripers just about anywhere.

“The easiest way is to live line them on circle hooks in the same areas as you’d throw the topwaters,” Anderson said. “In deeper current areas, you’ll fish bunker on 3-way rigs with a heavy weight on the bottom. The trick is to keep it down and some days, you’ll need 16-ounce weights.”

Scup (aka porgies) also tempt stripers, but stow the castnet and catch these hardy bottom dwellers on hook and line. A dropper-style rig baited with squid or chunks of sand worm will deliver the goods. Then, rig scup on a bottom 3-way rig.

“If we’re live lining with no weight, I like to get up shallow and let the baits swim around the boulders,” Anderson said. “About 100 feet away is good, so when you hook up, you can change the angle on them to fight the fish out of the boulder field. With the 3-way rigs, the more vertical you can be the better. I like to fish live baits more up and down.”

Blaine Anderson’s Tackle Preferences: For live lining, a 7-foot, 6-inch medium-heavy Shimano Teramar XX Northeast casting rod with a Shimano Trinidad 12 or 14 reel spooled with 50-pound PowerPro Super Slick V2 braid. For 3-way rigging, a 7-foot medium-heavy casting rod with a Shimano Torium reel spooled with 50-pound PowerPro Super Slick V2 braid.

“If you’re going to be 3-way rigging, make sure your rod is stout enough to support the weight of whatever size sinker you’re using and still have enough backbone to fight the fish,” Anderson said. “You don’t want to strap a 16-ounce sinker on and watch the rod fully load before you get your bait in the water.”

However you engage summer stripers, Anderson describes the proper fighting style as a blend of patience and persistence. Summarily: Even pressure.

“I think the most common mistake is when people get excited and they’re pulling back on the rod too quickly so it’s fully loaded,” Anderson said. “When they make a couple of cranks and drop the rod tip, that rod is unloading and that’s when the hook ends up pulling. I like to have the same pressure on the rod whether I’m pulling on the fish or reeling down on the fish. The angle of the rod never changes.”

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