EXCLUSIVE Cockpit Confidential — Fish the Central Sea of Mind-Blowing Secret Tournament Play-by-Play Cortez from Kayaks Strategies of 8 Top Pros SPORT Plus: the magazine of salt water fishing p. 70 REVEALED HOW 5 INSIDERS SCORE INSHORE & OFFSHORE APRIL 2016 VOL 31 ISSUE 4 46 FEATURES AN EMBARRASSMENT OF RICHES 38 A Long Early-Summer Weekend Out of Virginia Beach Highlights Fishing Opportunities In and Offshore of Chesapeake Bay By Sam Hudson FISHING BAJA’S CACTUS COAST 46 Five Intrepid Kayak Anglers Explore the Central Sea of Cortez 28 By Doug Olander COME HELL AND HIGH WATER 54 A Day in the Life of Tournament Mates By Christopher Balogh WAY OUTSIDE THE BOX 62 DEPARTMENTS Try These Unconventional, Cutting-Edge Tips from Seven of Fishing’s Top Pros 12 EDITORIAL By Doug Olander 14 GAME PLAN 20 FISH FACTS 28 GEAR GUIDE SPECIAL: TOP TOURNAMENT 36 NEW PRODUCTS COMPETITION IN 2016 99 SF BOATS 70 FISHING MACHINES year’s hottest fishing tournaments. 78 FISH TRIALS 86 ELECTRONICS 92 NEW BOATS ON THE COVER: As summer approaches, mid-Atlantic 94 BETTER BOATING private-boat anglers and tourney 114 LAST CAST OP) fmisahrelirnm. 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C 6 APRIL 2016 ONE RIDE THAT’S ALL IT TAKES TO EXPERIENCE THE DIFFERENCE 39’ “INVINCIBLE HAS SET A NEW INDUSTRY STANDARD FOR QUALITY, FIT & FINISH AND CUSTOMER SERVICE BY WHICH ALL OTHER BOAT MANUFACTURERS ARE NOW MEASURED.” OUR PATENTED “STEPPED-VEE VENTILATED TUNNEL” (SVVT) HULL CREATES THE LOWEST DRAG COEFFICIENT OF ANY MONO HULL ON THE MARKET. THIS MEANS INCREASED SPEED, BETTER FUEL ECONOMY THAN CONVENTIONAL STEPPED HULLS, AND AN ALL-AROUND BETTER RIDE. 4700 NW 132ND STREET, OPA LOCKA, FLORIDA 33054 • PH: 305-685-2704 • WWW.INVINCIBLEBOATS.COM PETTIT PROTECT OVERLAPPING uses wide structural barrier sheets of mica to create a AGAINST WATER ABSORPTION. Other epoxy primers use PARTICLES NO structure ground mica with to prevent WATER ABSORPTION. OBVIOUSLY, PETTIT PROTECT PROVIDES BETTER PROTECTION. All premium epoxy primers contain mica to prevent water intrusion. Pettit Protect incorporates slate mica into the epoxy resin, which is longer, wider and overlaps like a roof, creating an impenetrable structural barrier. Other companies use ground mica and when applied, there is no structure, only minute particles, like gravel. With Pettit Protect you apply fewer coats, which means less work and less time. Want to know more? Go to: PettitPaint.com/BestProtection EDITORIAL DOUG OLANDER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF CHRIS WOODWARD EDITOR SAM HUDSON SENIOR EDITOR STEPHANIE PANCRATZ SENIOR MANAGING EDITOR MEGAN WILLIAMS MANAGING EDITOR JIM HENDRICKS PACIFIC COAST EDITOR CHRIS BALOGH DIGITAL EDITOR SAVANNAH RITCHIE COPY EDITOR ART CHRIS MCGLINCHY ART DIRECTOR KEVIN HAND ILLUSTRATOR ADVERTISING SALES SCOTT SALYERS GROUP PUBLISHER • 305-253-0555 DAVE MOREL PUBLISHER • 407-718-6891 NATASHA LLOYD MARLIN PUBLISHER • 954-760-4602 ANDREW W. 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HALEY BISCHOF GROUP MARKETING DIRECTOR KELSEY ALBINA MARKETING MANAGER DAVID ERNE BUSINESS MANAGER PRODUCTION MICHELLE DOSTER GROUP PRODUCTION DIRECTOR TRACEY VOORHEES PRODUCTION MANAGER JULIA ARANA, JENNIFER REMIAS GRAPHIC ARTISTS HUMAN RESOURCES SHERI BASS HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR CHAIRMAN: TOMAS FRANZÉN CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER: ERIC ZINCZENKO CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER: DAVID RITCHIE CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER: ELIZABETH BURNHAM MURPHY CHIEF DIGITAL REVENUE OFFICER: SEAN HOLZMAN VICE PRESIDENT, INTEGRATED SALES: JOHN GRANEY VICE PRESIDENT, CONSUMER MARKETING: JOHN REESE VICE PRESIDENT, DIGITAL AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT: JENNIFER ANDERSON VICE PRESIDENT, DIGITAL OPERATIONS: DAVID BUTLER VICE PRESIDENT, PUBLIC RELATIONS: PERRI DORSET GENERAL COUNSEL: JEREMY THOMPSON CONTRIBUTIONS: Editorial comments, articles, photography or artwork should be addressed to Sport Fishing Editors, 460 N. Orlando Ave., Suite 200, Winter Park, FL 32789. Reach the editorial staff via email at editor@sportfishingmag .com. Not r esponsible for unsolicited material. ADVERTISERS: UPS and over night delivery to 460 N. Orlando Ave., Suite 200, Winter Park, UNCOMPROMISING. LIKE THE FL 32789. Inf ormation and media kits available. Please inquire at 407-628-4802. FISHERMEN WHO SWEAR BY IT. FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE AND SUBSCRIPTION QUESTIONS m Renewals, address changes, email preferences, billing, and o account status in the U.S., call toll-free 800-879-0496 or go to: SFtorro tnhgoesr,e t wouhgoh setr,u rbobuonrdnelyr, rmeofures ea btroa suisoen arnesyitshtainngt. ufix.c s cpdwosrfrtuitfelifs ithlolim nSgepmnotra.tc gFo.imscho.im nOg/uc, tPss..i OdYeo. uBth ocexa Un6 .3aS6l.s,4 oc, aeHlmla 5ral1ail5n s-,2f IhA3c7 u5-31st65s99e73r v.o@r but the best. ALWAYS USE THE BEST LINE.™ s RetaFiol rs irnegplrei-nctos,p eym saaliel:s r:e PproriCntirsc@ Rbeotaninl Sieorlcuotiropn.sc oGmro.up, Tony DiBisceglie. 10 APRIL 2016