Just about all of us carry binoculars on our boats. But just about all of us carry the wrong type. Regular marine binoculars, which are commonly 7X magnification, are dated, old technology. Back when discussing Under-Rated Boat Gear You Need […]
Gyroscopic Image-Stabilized Binoculars: Yes, You Do Want Them! Read More »
We get so carried away these days with our high-powered center consoles and fancy fishing machines, that we often forget just how much fun—and good fishing—you can have in a small, simple skiff. We also forget that we don’t have
$1,500: The Super-Cheap (But Still Super) Skiff Read More »
I know this sounds a little nutty, but it’s true: you can put air conditioning on your small center console, more or less, with a mere $300 and an afternoon of work. I say “more or less” because what I’m
Put Outdoor Air Conditioning on Your Boat for $300 Read More »
I’m betting you’ve never heard of the Corcl before. In fact, I’d bet a lot—because this is a brand-new type of boat, which was just introduced to the world this past summer. In fact, it’s so new that you’ll have
The Corcl: An All-New Kind of Boat Read More »
When it comes to boat hulls, there’s a whole lot of misinformation out there. What’s a deep-V? Ask 10 different people, and you’ll get 10 different answers. What do steps do in a hull bottom? Again, everyone seems to have
Boat Hull Basics: Steps, Deep-V Deadrise, and More Read More »
If you own a fiberglass boat you have a million and one waxes, polishes, and protectants to choose from, but what sort of protectant are you supposed to use on your aluminum boat? Whether you have a hunting skiff or
Protectants and Cleaners, for Aluminum Boats and Pontoons Read More »
Electric trolling motors are incredibly useful on fishing boats; they can help you hold position in a breeze or current, work along a shoreline, or slowly creep over fish-holding structure. And the newest, most advanced motors have some spectacular features
Electric Trolling Motors: What Nobody Ever Tells You Read More »
Many of us rig our own electronics, especially on relatively small, simple boats. And truth be told, there’s no great mystery when wiring up a fishfinder or a chartplotter. You have power leads, maybe a transducer cable or a NMEA
Rigging Boat Electronics? Don’t Do This! Read More »
Side-scanning fishfinders are all the rage, but there’s little doubt that there’s a lot of marketing hoo-ha that just doesn’t live up to reality. That’s why I spent a day on the water testing units from most of the major
Side Scanning Fishfinders: Marvelous or Myth? Read More »
Looking for a new boat? With the summer season growing a bit long in the tooth, it’s time to start thinking about those fall and winter boat shows. These not only give you a chance to look at a large
The Boat Shows are Coming – 3 Tips to Get Your Best Deal Read More »
Okay, this was a BIG fish. In fact, it’s a 157-pound bigeye tuna, which my brother Bill (you see him here) cranked in during an offshore trip last week. But it looks one heck of a lot bigger in this
Photo Tips: Make Your Big Fish Look Bigger Read More »
Last week, we took a peek at a red-hot high-performance pontoon boat that hits 60 MPH. But what about us anglers? While a lightning-fast pontoon is nifty, it doesn’t exactly fulfill our needs for hard-core fishing machines. Well, never fear.
A Saltwater Center Console Pontoon Boat? Yeah Again!!! Read More »
If you’re one of those guys who still makes fun of pontoon boats, believe me, I understand the temptation. For a long, long time I thought these things were a joke among “real” boaters. But then some manufacturers started really
A 60 MPH Pontoon Boat? YEAH!! Read More »
Sure, boating fails have great comedy potential—especially if you’re not in the boat. However, we’d like to think that these mistakes also contain valuable lessons. While funny on the surface, it should be noted that many common boating mistakes can
10 Terrible Boating Fails You Have to See to Believe (VIDEOS) Read More »
If you read this blog regularly, you know it’s rare I’ll focus on a single product in it. Mostly, that’s because it’s rare that a product worth that much attention comes along. But in this case… Mini jump-starter packs made
Great Boat Accessory: The Cyntur Read More »
When it comes to fishing for striped bass, I’m something of a nut. In fact, the third book I wrote, Rudow’s Guide to Rockfish, is about nothing but striper fishing from cover to cover. So now and again, people ask
3 Striper Fishing Tips All Anglers Should Know Read More »
The popularity of fishing kayaks has simply gone through the roof. There are plenty of reasons why, and if you’re an inshore angler, you may want to consider a fishing kayak for your next boat. Let’s look at the pro’s,
Fishing Yaks: Should a Kayak Be Your Next Boat? Read More »
Yesterday was a day off, so naturally, I took the kids fishing. We were casting jigs to bridge pilings, and absolutely slamming striped bass. Within an hour there was a 31-incher and several 20-somethings in the fishbox, and we had
A little while back we talked about the proper way to call the Coast Guard on your VHF radio, and I mentioned then that having DSC active on your VHF is a great help. With DSC, when you call the
Get DSC on your VHF – It Could Save your Life Read More »
The monofilament versus braid fishing line argument will probably rage on for 100 years. In the mean-time, let’s set one thing straight: monofilament has far better abrasion resistance than braid. You’ve probably heard this before, as I know I certainly
Monofilament Versus Braid: Fishing Line Show-Down Read More »
