Capt. Brian Boxx
2020 is in the past! CAN I GET AN AMEN!!! 2021 does not have large shoes to fill. Let’s ring in the New year, with some new gear! It’s time to spend that holiday gift money. Get more bang for your buck with the affordable innovation of KastKing fishing products. KastKing is a US based company headquartered in Garden City, New York and is making waves through the fishing industry. KastKing provides its customers with the latest and greatest in fishing technologies at a price that won’t break the bank. Their products are backed with a great warranty program and an industry first beyond the warranty program. Their flagship saltwater reel, the Sharky III, is available in 2 models; the base model and a Baitfeeder option. The Baitfeeder is great reel for certain applications, allowing you to fish baits with the reel out of gear. However, it does not have a direct drive handle like the base model. The direct drive feature makes for a much stronger reel, minimizing flex and keeping the gears more in alignment under pressure. Speaking of pressure, the original Sharky III’s smooth carbon drag can produce a whopping 35+lbs of drag weight. WOW! Did I mention it’s a sealed reel, both drag and gear housing are sealed with a K.I.S.S. (KastKing Intrusion Seal System) keeping the reel as smooth as the day you bought it. It slides into your hands with a price tag under $60.00. Top it off with their ICast award winning braid, lock it onto one of their many innovative rods and you have serious fin stopping machine. Unlike most top manufacturers that spend millions on advertising and marketing, KastKing keeps its marketing cost to a minimum and its quality at a maximum passing that savings on to its consumers. This is the rare exception between cheap gear, and good gear at an affordable price. Another plus is KastKing offers products in every bracket. They offer budget gear for the beginner who may want to try different styles, all the way to the most innovative, pro level equipment. If you’re on the fence about KastKing, take the Sharky III challenge. Buy one and put it against your favorite saltwater spinning reel. I know you will be back for more. You can use code CBBTENDISC on WWW.KASTKING.COM for even more savings. See my test and review of the Sharky III on YouTube titled “How Long Do They Last, KastKing Sharky” https://youtu.be/ELW_aF22D3E
December blew through bringing with it our yearly dose of cold fronts. The drop in temperature cooled our waters and kicked us into our winter patterns. Sheepshead are in abundance in our back water pecking and flashing on just about every barnacle covered surface you can see. Going lite and downsizing is key to catching these convicts of the sea. Spanish mackerel, cobia, kingfish and Bonita have been keeping lines tight in the nearshore water. The crab pot buoys have been holding great numbers of tripletail eager to gulp down a live shrimp or a well-placed Fly. Speaking of shrimp, this is our winter go-to for live bait. They are a very versatile bait and can be used to target just about anything that swims. The local caught live shrimp are big and frisky in the cooler months making them a silver platter dish for finicky, cold water fish. Remember to reduce the flow of your live well. Heavy flow will exhaust the shrimp. It also helps to add something for them to cling to. I use a chum bag with a brick inside. These tips will keep your shrimp form getting stressed out, saving their energy for the hook.
As we enter our busy season, more and more boats take to the water. Please keep in mind what you leave behind. By law you are responsible for your own wake. Although you may be outside of a “No Wake Zone,” you must be mindful of how your wake will affect others. Waking kayakers, boats that have anglers standing up actively fishing, boats at or near docks, or passing a water patrol officer with his lights on are a few examples. It is extremely risky to life and property and if damage or injury occur you can be held responsible. Till next Month, Stay Salty – Capt. Brian Boxx