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July/August 2008
Big Game Fishing Journal

    Read Captain Len's Editorial -- OUTRAGEOUS FUEL PRICES
    Is this the end, or a new beginning for sport fishing?
May/June
Feature Articles
PLEASE BE SEATED
by Jeff Merrill

  The focal point of the cockpit on most sportfishing vessels, the fighting chair has evolved significantly over the years from the early models which were simply a seat to fight fish from. Although early chairs looked as though they were assembled in a garage with material leftover from a construction site, they indeed proved effective for anglers battling large game fish. more

SMOOTH BOTTOMS FOR HIGH FUEL PRICES
$4.49, $4.99, HOW HIGH WILL FUEL PRICES GO?
by Robert Donat

  Many sportfishing boat owners spend considerable time looking for the latest chart plotter, the best fishing tackle, and all the latest tricks to catch more fish. This year, more than ever, many owners and captains are also looking for ways to get the most out every gallon of fuel. Aside from making sure your motors are perfectly tuned, using fuel-monitoring devices and an autopilot, and keeping the propeller(s) clean, there is one area often overlooked when trying to get the most out of each gallon of fuel…your boat’s bottom. more

SUMOS IN THE SEA OF CORTEZ
by Captain David Jones

  The southern Sea of Cortez, in the area around the city of La Paz, offers a constantly changing menu of fish worthy of pursuit. With no major currents in the Sea of Cortez the surface temperatures in this area bottom out at 62 degrees or so in late February, and will reach a high of 92 to 94 degrees in October, especially after the intense tropical sun has had seven relatively windless months to do its work. more

SUMMERTIME TACTICS FOR TEXAS ANGLERS
by Captain Peter Young
  In this day and age when the price of boat-go juice nearly doubles in little more than six months, it has become increasingly harder to find any article in a fishing rag that doesn’t at least mention the price of fuel. Until recently, the trend seemed to be heading towards a tendency to go farther and faster in a bigger boat. Now, it’s a pretty safe bet that a lot of these guys are wishing that they hadn’t sold their grandaddy’s old single screw trawler on eBay. more
THE BOTTOM LINE TO FUEL SAVINGS: YOUR PROPELLERS
by Captain Ray Teel
  O.K., your boat’s bottom is perfect and coated with the latest in ablative paint technology. Your engine is tuned with all its filters and fluids changed and cleaned. Your hoses, belts, alignment, etc., have all been checked and adjusted. Everything is dialed in to maximize fuel efficiency. But what about your props? more
ISN'T FISHING SUPPOSE TO BE FUN?
by Captain George Gianacopolos
  In this modern day of hi-tech fishing equipment and the use of the Internet, cell phones, satellites, etc., everyone is looking for instant gratification. Well in our very busy personal lives, we are moving at warp speed. But remember, fishing is suppose to be a hobby for most and relaxation, a time to unwind and enjoy nature and your crew.
  In today’s world there are no more fishing secrets. The use of GPS puts you at the exact spot. Auto pilots, radars, Loran, chart plotters, depth machines, forward-scanning sonars, satellite sea temperature charts, etc., take a lot of the mystery out of where to find fish. more
MANAGING FUEL & RANGE
by Captain Tom Ohaus
  Editor’s Note: This article was published in the Fall 1996 issue of the Journal. We decided to reprint it because the informattion provided is still timely and fits perfectly in this fuel saving issue.

  Picture this in your mind’s eye: You’re 80 miles offshore catching yellowfin like crazy. You look toward the west, toward home port, and lined up across the horizon are nasty looking, anvil-topped thunderheads. It’s the cold front the weather man has been predicting, but it looks like it has a lot more punch then the last forecast indicated. So you pull in your gear and prepare to make a run for it. more