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Count up the costs associated with spending the day fishing offshore -- gas for your boat and tow vehicle, bait, and so on. Then factor in the time spent at the end of the day cleaning the boat and tackle, cleaning fish, and towing the boat back home; and it's easy to see that chartering can be a cost-effective alternative to all the above. One other distinct advantage is the fact that you actually get to fish, instead of being tied down at the helm position all day. Plus, the captain and crew know the places to go and the techniques to use that will deliver a higher percentage of hook-up's, especially if you're new to the area.
Virtually every charter captain I know is happy to share their knowledge and experience with their customers, after all their job is to provide you with a great day on the water. But don't expect them to give you the Lat/Lon's of their favorite spots.
A guided trip, whether it's on a trout stream in the mountains, or the blue waters of the Gulf Stream is an excellent way hone your 'catching skills' and enjoy the day with a group of buddies or your kids.
On this week's Nuts & Bolts adventure, Capt. Cefus McRae joins a group of Weekend Warriors who chartered a fun fishing day aboard the Pressure Drop with Captain Kamen Miller of Carrabelle Charters. Learn how to make the rigs that entice deep dwellers like grouper and amberjack to bite, and how to use circle hooks. And you'll see the damage a 10 foot Bull Shark can do to a big grouper!
Book your trip with the Nuts & Bolts crew this Sunday morning on Fox Sports Net-South in the Southern Outdoors block at 7:15am.
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LOOKING FORWARD
It's hard to believe that this newsletter has been going out for more than a year. We've made some layout improvements along the way, and hopefully, we've provided some information you can use to help make you a safer boater and a better angler along the way.
We've introduced you to some great guides, destinations and fishing tactics. We've launched new products like the Twin Troller Electric Boat and WhoopAss jigs; and we will continue to showcase products we feel are worthy for you to check out.
As we look forward to another year, there are some things we would like to maintain a focus on, like conservation, boater safety, keeping you abreast of the boating and fishing industry trends, and of course what's biting and where. Additionally, we want to include more adventures, pictures and input from our readership.
Lofty goals? Maybe. But who would ever have thought a renegade TV show, hosted by a country boy from North Carolina, would rise to capture an average 500,000 viewers per month in its first 6 months on the air? I guess we've got a little bit of a maverick spirit, and moreover we've got a great group of loyal viewers.
So, as part of this new initiative, we're soliciting your help. Over the next few months, Nuts & Bolts will be engaging our newsletter subscribers, message board members and TV audience to provide product reviews, fishing reports, and basically be our eyes and ears across the country. We want to hear from you. What you like, what works, and what doesn't. Why? Because we can all benefit from each other's knowledge and experiences. And because it will be a lot of fun too.
So if you'd like to be a part of the Nuts & Bolts Field Test Team or provide some fishing reports and destination reviews, then Drop us an email and tell us how you'd like to participate. Each month, we'll be picking a few folks to help us out.
And yep, we will continue the Nuts & Bolts Getaway Giveaways, and Internet Giveaways throughout the year.
They say if you don't continue to grow, then you become stagnant. At Nuts & Bolts, we ain't sittin' still.
welcome aboard....and hang on.
Capt. Cefus & Buck.
P.S. I'm serious... send me an email and we'll consider you for the team. Email Capt. Cefus now. | |
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GET READY FOR A NEW NUTS & BOLTS GETAWAY CONTEST!
STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT NUTS & BOLTS GETAWAY |
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The 5 Commandments
As the skipper of your boat, whether it's a 12 foot canoe, or a 60 foot sportfisher, you are responsible for the safe operation of the vessel, and the safety of its passengers and crew. And, any damage your boat might do to other boats, persons or property. That's a fact that more people need to take seriously.
Boats are one of the last few motorized 'things' you can buy and operate without any formal training or certification of competency. Unfortunately, ignorance is no excuse for lack of knowledge or skills. As much time as I spend on the water, I am constantly amazed at the number of accidents and mishaps that could have easily been avoided if the operator had a grasp of basic boat operation and navigation skills. And it's not rocket science.
As a fellow boater, I expect the person behind the wheel of the other boat to know how to safely maneuver their boat. But all too often, that's simply not the case. I highly recommend every boater take a U.S. Power Squadron Safe Boating Course. It's not expensive and definitely worth the time.
Nuts & Bolts produced a DVD for new boaters (and as a refresher for the experienced boater) called Back To The Basics of Boating. It contains a wealth of knowledge on topics including trailering to launching, maneuvering and docking skills, float plans, safety gear, and much more. It's perfect to share with the rest of your family and friends should they ever need to take the helm for a while. 
Back To The Basics of Boating is packed with real-world skills to help you become a better, safer boater.
This brief video clip from the DVD outlines my 'unofficial' guidelines for keeping yourself out of trouble on the water; and we call them
The Five Commandments of Boat Operations.
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How Much Does Your Tongue Weigh?
How many times have you seen a boat being towed down the road and the tow vehicle looks like it's about to take flight or about to dig its front bumper into the pavement? Both of these situations could represent an improperly balanced trailer load. And both of these conditions have the potential to cause big problems for the driver, especially if you had to make a sudden maneuver, or if you're driving on wet pavement.
In addition to its towing capacity your tow vehicle is rated for a specific tongue weight on the hitch. There's a way to measure this, and a way to adjust the weight if needed.
The folks at BoatTest.com have produced a very informative video that will help you understand tongue weight and the effects it has on your tow vehicle. Take a look, it's good stuff.
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Catch A Monster!
Some of the biggest fish ever caught were tackled by anglers fishing from small boats. Catch Big Fish From Small Boats from the Nuts & Bolts Fishing Series gives you the information you need to start catching the big ones from a small boat. Topics include - safety, boat rigging tips, bait and tackle choices, and much more. Over an hour of useful knowledge for anglers who want to target big fish both nearshore and offshore.
And if you want to see how to handle a 400 pound Goliath Grouper, take a look at this excerpt from the DVD. Captain Ken Roy puts his tackle and his stamina to the test with a monster fish in the waters off Crystal River, Florida.
CLICK HERE to order your copy of Catch Big Fish From Small Boats or any of the other DVDs from the Nuts & Bolts On-Line Store. |
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CATCH MORE NUTS & BOLTS ACTION ON MYOUTDOORTV.COM If you missed last week's Nuts & Bolts episode, don't fret.
You can fish with the Nuts & Bolts gang anytime you want, right from your computer.
Now you can catch all the action, fishing tips, recipes and new product showcases by going to www.MyOutdoorTV.com , click on the Nuts & Bolts link and select the program you want to see.
Spend your coffee break with Nuts & Bolts. |
| Contact Information |
Our goal with this newsletter is to bring boaters and anglers practical, real world information that can be of value on the water and in other outdoor experiences. If you would like to have your product considered for a review in a Nuts & Bolts television episode or newsletter, Contact Mark Bolen, Director of Marketing at mark@nutsandboltsfishing.com
And if you've got a great boating or fishing tip to share, email it to Capt. Cefus at cefus@nutsandboltsfishing.com If we use your tip, we'll send you a neat prize. |
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