World of Saltwater Fishing
Does live bait or chunked bait work better for catching yellowfin tuna?
When targeting a trophy snook, is the action better during the incoming tide or outgoing tide?
How and where can an angler catch more flounder?
Every angler wants to become a more successful fisherman. But YouTube videos and fishing magazines only can lift one's game so far.
Sometimes, it helps to get a refresher course.
The 2013 SaltWater Sportsman National Seminar Series will offer a day of intense fishing instruction when it wraps up its national tour March 2 at Jupiter Community High School.
Attendees will be exposed to six hours of fishing knowledge delivered by some of the region's most accomplished sport- fishing captains, television hosts and tournament anglers.
"We've used a 'team teaching' approach for many years," said George Poveromo, seminar director and host of the "World of Saltwater Fishing," a long-running television series and editor-at-large for SaltWater Sportsman magazine.
"From day one, since we began this seminar, the audience is looking for shortcuts. They want to know what the experts are doing to catch these fish and how can they apply that knowledge."
Poveromo said the beauty of the team-teaching approach is that during a specific topic of discussion, there are three to four instructors speaking to the crowd together.
"These guys are competitive and they have egos," Poveromo said. "When one guy shares a really good tip, one of the other guys feels as if he has to share one better to top the last one.
"The big winner ends up being the audience."
The eight-stop seminar series began in early January in Atlantic City and has been playing to packed houses up and down the eastern seaboard.
Each seminar has been localized and tailored for the audience by addressing fisheries that are popular in that region. And each seminar is taught by faculty members who live and work there, too.
Among other topics, the Jupiter seminar will feature tips on:
Targeting and catching snook and tarpon along the beach, in inlets, in the river and on the flats;
Sight and wreck fishing for cobia;
How to improve numbers and size of spotted seatrout and redfish;
Catching African pompano and permit above wrecks and reefs;
Top trolling and live bait strategies for sailfish, dolphin and wahoo;
Best bottom fishing rigs and techniques;
How to target yellowfin tuna on the east side of the Gulf Stream;
Finding that tournament-winning kingfish;
Daytime swordfishing;
How to read birds to catch more dolphin and tuna;
And how to fish near bridges.
The 11-man faculty assembled for the Jupiter seminar includes decades of experience fishing the waters in and around the Treasure Coast, including captains Mike Holliday of Stuart and Patrick Price, owner of Daymaker charters in Jensen Beach.
Holliday has been a fishing guide for 25 years and is regional host for the "Chevy Florida Insider Fishing Report" on the Sun sports network. He will share his knowledge of fishing inshore, beach and offshore waters for trophy trout, huge snook, tarpon, permit and cobia on fly and light tackle.
Price steered his clients Sunday and Monday to their first sailfish catches, dolphin to 49 pounds and is chomping at the bit to begin the springtime run for nearshore cobia, yellowfin tuna at "The Corner" and gag grouper on the area wrecks.
Poveromo said the seminar is considered by those who attend to be the best bargain in fishing.
"For the price of a $55 ticket, you can't even buy drinks and ice for a fishing trip," Poveromo said. "We have a one-hour lunch break and the faculty is available for specific questions or one-on-one instruction like tying a knot, elaborating on a rig or to outline a technique."
During the lunch, Sperry Topsider will present a Kids Fishing Clinic. One child, age 15 and younger, will be admitted free of charge with one paid adult ticket.
While the speakers are on stage, there will be dual 10-x-10 foot video screens illustrating some of the things the speakers are talking about, Poveromo said.
There will be diagrams, step-by-step fishing instructions, fishing charts, informative slides and on-stage demonstrations.
Poveromo said he expects the seminar to feature questions about yellowfin-tuna fishing.
"It's been a growing part of the South Florida sport fishery for several years now," he said. "For instance, I know some guys swear by using live bait and live chumming, but I have had plenty of success chunking baits, too."
Poveromo said the seminar stops in locations hit hard by Superstorm Sandy were very well attended.
"We saw an upsurge in numbers in Atlantic City and Long Island," he said. "I actually had an audience member come up to me and thank me for not cancelling the seminar. He said it was a day well spent away from the loss and insurance adjusters."
Poveromo thinks back to Hurricane Andrew in August 1992.
When he considered cancelling the spring time 1993 seminar in Miami, Harry Vernon of Capt. Harry's Fishing Supply, talked him out of it.
"Miami was devastated," Poveromo said. "But Harry made some great arguments.
"He said people will want a diversion, they will begin getting insurance checks, they are going to want to start fishing again. And he was right."
SALTWATER SPORTSMAN NATIONAL SEMINAR SERIES
What: Six hours of fishing instruction
Date: March 2
Time: 9 a.m. until 4 p.m.
Where: Jupiter Community High School auditorium, 500 N. Military Trail, JupiterCost: $55Merchandise: Course textbook, one-year subscription or extension to Salt Water Sportsman, one Roffer's Ocean Fishing Forecast Analysis, 16-ounce bottle of OrPine Wash & Wax, one spool of Sufix fishing line, one bottle of Star Tron fuel treatment, a $20 discount card off any purchase of $150 or more from Capt. Harry's Fishing Supply, and chances to win valuable door prizes. The grand prize at each location is a Bahamas fishing trip for two to the Bimini Sands Resort & Marina. Super grand prize is a new Mako ProSkiff 17 cc fishing boat to be awarded two weeks after the conclusion of the series.
Information: Facebook, www.nationalseminarseries.com or 800-448-7360.