Salt Water Sportsman

3 days ago | saltwatersportsman.com | George Poveromo

“A 50-pounder is the new 40-pounder,” quipped Rick Mola. “Trophy bass fishing in Western Long Island Sound has been exceptional over the past 10 years, and nothing short of incredible during the last few years.” As the owner of Fisherman’s World in Norwalk, Connecticut, few people know the Western Sound’s fisheries as thoroughly as Mola. I’ve fished the Western Sound numerous times over the years, primarily out of Norwalk and Long Island’s Port Jefferson.

1 week ago | saltwatersportsman.com | Ric Burnley

I smell the tree blossoms and hear the screeching osprey. Salt spray coats my lips and warmth returns to the sea breeze. That’s when I know April fishing is in full swing. Local fish are hungry, and transient fish are on the move. Get ready for spring’s best fishing at these early-season hotspots. Everyone knows about the phenomenal striped bass fishing in Long Island Sound, but Capt. Bobby Tambascio is excited about tautog.

1 week ago | saltwatersportsman.com | Ric Burnley

There are 24 hours in a day, and roughly half are illuminated by the sun. The other half of the hours are in the dark, but that doesn’t stop me from fishing. Over two-thirds of my fishing trips are after work or before my family wakes up on a weekend, so I rely on boat lights to keep me safe, attract fish and to see in the dark. Over the past few years, the latest technology in materials and construction allows anglers to use lights to turn night into day.

2 weeks ago | saltwatersportsman.com | George Poveromo

A few seasons ago, I dropped a ballyhoo-tipped 10-ounce jig along the deep edge of a Bimini reef in the Bahamas. I did not hook my intended target; instead, I found myself battling a massive shark. After fighting the fish for over an hour on 30-pound jigging tackle, I placed the outfit in a bow-mounted Lee’s swivel rod holder. It was time for the fish to wear itself out, not vice versa.

4 weeks ago | saltwatersportsman.com | Gary Caputi

I was sitting in my office daydreaming about a bluefin run I made a while back. Catching these amazing gamefish creates vivid memories. It was on a day in early May, well before first light, when I left Manasquan Inlet aboard my friend Roger’s 32 Regulator. The weather was mild, the seas obliging, and our destination 55 miles away was the Triple Wrecks area. The first lump had no signs of life, and nothing showed on the depth finder, so off to the next we went.