InTheBite

The Billfish Foundation’s Awards Ceremony for the 2019 Tag & Release Competition

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Photo courtesy Billfish Foundation

The Billfish Foundation — The Billfish Foundation recently held the 2019 Tag & Release Awards Ceremony on February 14th, 2020 at Jungle Island’s Bloom Ballroom.

Award winner Jill Yates with Captain Mark Pagano. Photo courtesy Billfish Foundation

The global reception included TBF members Chris and Elisa Sheeder from Costa Rica and his family from Hawaii, Laura Jessen and her crew from Costa Rica, Samuel Urbain and family from France, and past winner Kumie Saegusa and her husband from Japan.

Award winner Laura Jessen. Photo courtesy Billfish Foundation

The first recognized were the Tag & Release Program sponsors, whose representatives from Garmin, Yeti, Costa, King Sailfish Mounts, Casa Vieja Lodge, and the International Game Fish Tournament Observers accepted plaques highlighting their dedication to conserving billfish and promoting the sportfishing community. Well-known fishing titans, including Gray Ingram and Chris Sheeder, were also recognized during the evening. Up-and-comer Jill Yates, won five awards and Luke Lulfs won eight. Winners were presented with awards made by King Sailfish Mounts.

Brycen Oquin (left, youth winner) and his grandfather. Photo courtesy Billfish Foundation

Top Overall Release Angler was Gray Ingram while Camila Ingram won Top Overall Release Lady Angler. Top Overall Release Youth Angler was Luke Lulfs, Top Overall Release Captain was Chris Sheeder. Top Overall Tagging Angler and Top Overall Tagging Lady Angler were awarded to Laura Jessen. Ben Horning won Top Overall Tagging Captain, and Top Overall Tagging Youth Angler was Hefner Appling.

A Guide to the Seakeeper 1

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We head out on the water to test the new Seakeeper 1 at the Miami International Boat Show. The new Seakeeper 1, designed to eliminate boat roll, features a flush-mount design and runs exclusively on 12V DC power. The price point of the unit  is $14,900 plus installation and it weighs 365 pounds.

The Seakeeper tested was outfitted to a Sea Hunt 27.

Touring the Highly-Anticipated Bertram 50

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Designed for the angler that wants a balance between cruising and sportfishing, the new Bertram 50 is an exciting addition to Bertram Yachts’ offshore family. Space is key on this boat, which features a 17.5′ beam and full-length hatch to the engine room. Matched with the right propellers, the Bertram 50 can reach top speeds of about 44 knots.

Bertram Product Development Manager Tommy Thompson gave InTheBite a tour of the 50-footer and broke down the boat’s specs at the Miami International Boat Show, held Feb. 13-17.

 

DIY Teak Deck Sanding with Captain Tyler Andresen 78’ Rybovich & Sons Persistence

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For those of you who are hands-on, Captain Andresen was kind enough to share a few quick tips from a decade of teak experience. His number one and most important tip is you need a good quality sander. As with most jobs, teak deck sanding takes time and of course attention to detail.

What’s New at Hooker Electric

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InTheBite caught up with Trista Evans, VP at Hooker Electric, who chatted with us about what’s new at the company and what products are going into the Valhalla boats from Viking Yachts. Hooker Electric was at the 24th Annual Viking VIP Boat Show at the Viking Service Center in Riviera Beach, Florida.

The event took place on January 31 and February 1.

How To: The Easy Way To Tie A Cat’s Paw Knot

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Simply put the Cat’s Paw knot is used to connect a wind-on leader to your main line.

In this video demonstration, Captain Kieran Pullman, a professional Big Game fisherman, connects the dacron wind-on loop to the double-line loop of a bimini twist.

What is unique in this demonstration is the way Capt. Pullman retains the wind-on leader in a coiled and compact state versus uncoiled and full length (which is common among less experienced deckhands).

The compactness of the leader saves a significant amount of time versus pulling a full-length wind-on through the loop during each step. Capt. Pullman recommends and demonstrates a 3 loop Cat’s Paw connection. The connection is extremely secure resulting in 100% of the lines breaking strength. The Cat’s Paw wind-on connection is by far the most common leader to line connection in big game sportfishing today. 

Did you find this tip helpful? For more tips like these and access to the top crews in big game sportfishing, follow us on youtube channel, Facebook or Instagram. You can also subscribe to our newsletter or magazine. Thanks for watching!   

Capt. Alex Rogers, Cabo San Lucas

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Most days, Capt. Alex Rogers can be found chartering his boat, the Protocol, off the shores of Mexico’s Cabo San Lucas where marlin are frequently seen, and caught, on these trips. Rogers’ dogs, Rigger and Makaira, featured in “Boat Dogs,” Oct/Nov. 2019, are also a common sight on the Protocol. Rogers chats with InTheBite about fishing in this area and why it’s a great place to visit, no matter what your fishing experience may be.