Articles

For many private boaters and kayakers, finding and catching live mackerel is a huge part of one’s success. Many days this making-bait ritual goes according to plan; mackerel are easy to find, they bite full speed, and we’re off to the fishing grounds. Other days we can’t catch a mackerel to save our life. It’s these tough bait-making days that separate the talent. If we take a close look at some of the finer details and techniques of catching live macks in Southern California, we will see that it is not as easy as it looks. Here’s what I have seen work over my many seasons on the water.

Locating Local Swords
By Steve Lassley
 
Ever since I first began fishing swordfish in the mid to late ’70s, I always heard, “ For every sword you see on top, there are ten more below.” I don’t know how they came up with this figure, but I have to believe it misses the mark. Significantly!
 

I’ve come to expect certain things, working at this magazine. Certain writers (who will remain anonymous) will always have to be hounded for their assignments right up until the last possible moment before press time. With others, if I’ve got a question about the copy they sent me (you want me to print that the yellowtail weighed HOW much?) I’m going to have to leave multiple voicemails, send daily emails, and cross my fingers they’ll get back to me. I’ve come to accept this. With Ed Ries, who writes our Looking Astern column and the occasional feature, this is not the case. Like clockwork, his column arrives in my inbox, on time and ready to go.

A growing number of anglers are discovering that nighttime is prime time when it comes to targeting bay fish. Calico bass, sand bass, spotted bay bass, croaker, halibut, and other species all seem to go spring-break wild when darkness falls. Although some hardcore night anglers are tightlipped about their adventures, others report finding the biggest, meanest, and hungriest fish after sundown.

Everglades uses a patented construction process called RAMCAP (Rapid Molded Core Assembly Process). Hull, deck, and structural core are bonded together under extreme pressure to provide an unsinkable boat that can withstand the rigors of offshore weather. This process eliminates the air void between the deck and the hull, making that hollow feel associated with hull slap a thing of the past. Once you hit the throttles to full ahead in a four- to six-foot swell, you will appreciate the solid feel under your feet and the secure feeling you have knowing you’re going to make it back to shore – no matter what the weather dishes out.

It was just a short run out of the harbor after the shotgun start. Keith O’Brian, better known as “O.B.” set out the spread of polished handmade Hawaiian marlin lures. The shimmer off of the gold Penn 130s is just enough to make you turn away as you daydream about giant blue marlin while staring at the glassy, gin-clear, purple water. It didn’t take long for the long corner to explode. It was then that I knew we had the Kona blues.

Riviera is the largest boat building company in Australia, with a dealer network that spans more than 30 countries. One thing Riviera Yachts is not afraid to do is make changes to their models. Once they find a better way to do something, it is incorporated into a new model immediately. Take a look at the used boat market, and you will be amazed to see all of the different models offered by Riviera Yachts. They’re not afraid to make changes for the better, and they continue to receive customer input and implement these changes into their models.

Anglers ready to elevate their game to the next level need to look long and hard at the Mikelson 75 Sport- fisher. This Tom Fexas-designed beauty was built with serious multi-day fishing trips in mind. The M75 offers speed, range, and luxuriously spacious accommodations on an insanely well-thought-out fishing platform. It has a massive cockpit, optional enclosed flybridge, cavernous salon, five staterooms (three forward suites and two aft crew quarters), five heads, up to four steering stations, and enough power and range to fulfill nearly any long-range fishing fantasy.