The Outdoor Line goes on a Hawg Quest as Tobeck joins Glen Hall, Nick Kester of All Star Charters, and Grant Wooldridge of Wooldridge Boats on possession bar for some summertime kings.

Video originally from the Outdoor Line.

Marc Marcantonio and Mike Matkowski.

Anglers battled it out to just minutes before weigh-ins.

Nothing beats a bass boat when it comes to covering water.

Gary Stiles, the man behind NW Bass was our guest on the show this past saturday and when asked about some of the anglers that had the best chance, two of the names he mentioned placed in the top three. Ron Hobbs Jr. and Marc Marcantionio, both guests in the past on TOL, led the way. Ron Hobbs was coming off a win the week before in the American Bass tourney on Lake Washington but with changing conditions, he made the call to fish a completely different area than he fished the week before. Making the call to not even fish an area that had been so good to you the week before took guts but using the instincts that Hobbs Jr and his partner, Mike Wolsky, posses , it was the only call that made sense. Marc Marcantonio and his partner, Mike Matkowski, used the experience they have to target a few areas that they knew should be holding fish but knowing that cold springtime weather had slowed the fish from moving up on beds to spawn they fished those areas a little differently than they would normally have fished them this time of year. Their call was the right call as they caught and released over 20 fish.

Ron Hobbs Jr. telling the story of how he and Mike Wolsky came away with the win.

In Hail Mary fashion, 2nd place finisher's Ruffin Hernandez and Tyler Walcker caught a nice largemouth on the last cast of the day to put them in second place.

Marc Marcantonio accepting his plaque and check for third place.

All-in-all, 64 teams fished this years tourney and almost sixteen grand was paid out. Points were also awarded for teams trying to qualify for this years championship in September.

From Rob Tobeck, view the original post on The Outdoor Line.

So far, 2011 is shaping up to be pretty darn good as my Florida Keys trip in January was perhaps some of the best mixed bag fishing I have ever seen and this past trip with the kids for spring break proved to be productive as well with limits of grouper and battles with mystery fish.

Our trips to Florida to see the family for spring break are always very busy as we never get a full week but just a matter of days.

By the time you see family, spend some time at the beach, and take a day with the girls at one of Florida’s amusement parks, this time it was Universal for the new Harry Potter exhibit, it usually leaves only a day to go fishing.  With grouper season just opening up April 1st and some colder water hanging around keeping the majority of kingfish further south it was a no brainer, we were going after some tasty grouper.

Mason with Uncle Jon

Our favorite grouper target, gag grouper, were still closed in federal waters but my brother Jonathan knew of a few spots for some nice red grouper.  We launched the boat in Clearwater and went about 30 miles out on 2ft seas arriving at our waypoint full of anticipation.  Jonathan readied the anchor, as I maneuvered the boat into position, my dad and Mason both readied their rods as it’s always a race to land the first fish. Once we got anchored up it didn’t take more than just a few minutes and it was fish on.

We were fishing an area of cheesy limestone bottom, using a chum block to get a slick going. Threadfin, mackerel, squid and live pinfish that the boys had been catching off the dock were our baits.  In the gulf, red grouper have to be at least 20 inches for rec anglers to keep.  (Only 16, I believe, for commercials, go figure.)  We waded through grouper after grouper with one after another being 18 or 19 inches.  Finally, my brother Jonathan hooked up with a keeper size grouper and then it was just a matter of time before we had six keepers on the boat.

One of the things that I always do when I am bottom fishing in the gulf is set up a live bait on top with a bait runner and hope that something big and hungry swims by.  As we were trying to catch two more reds to finish out our limit, the bait runner went off but by the time I could get to it the fish was gone.  I reeled in to check my bait and saw only half of a big pinfish.  We figured it had to be a toothy kingfish so I re-baited and tossed back out.  A few minutes later, another zing and this time I lost the entire set-up as the fish severed the fluorocarbon leader with its razor teeth.  Determined, I re-baited and tossed the big pinfish behind the boat avoiding the hungry bird that kept trying to get an easy meal.

After some time went by my dad caught a nice keeper sized gag grouper that we had to release but other than that the bite really slowed down.  Just as we were talking about pulling anchor and trolling our way back in, the top rod went off again.  This time the fish stayed buttoned as I set the hook and handed off the rod to Mason.  I stopped passing the rod off to my son a few years back because he does a great job at catching more than his share of fish and his rubbing it in to the old man was more than I could handle.  This time however, I figured that he was the only one on the boat that hadn’t caught a kingfish and I wanted him to have the experience.

It hurt my dad to have to throw this one back

It turns out that what I thought was going to be a nice little first king mackerel for my son turned out to be an hour and forty minute test of will between Mason and whatever we has on the end of the line.  It was forty-five minutes into the fight when we first saw color.  We couldn’t tell what we had however; we just knew that it was big.  Could it be a big king?  Tuna?  How about amberjack?  After some debate and looking at the way it was fighting we decided that it had to be a big AJ.  All fish in the jack family are known for their hard fighting abilities and Mason would attest, this fish wouldn’t budge.

Mason continued to battle as time went on, I lit a cigar and cracked a beer, I could tell we weren’t going anywhere soon.  The fish stayed a comfortable distance from the boat and teased us with a flash of color before it made another run, tearing line off the reel just as fast as it did on its initial run.  My brother Jon and I debated whether or not we should drop the anchor but I ruled it out as I thought it was just going to be a short while and Mason would have this fish bested.  Turns out I made the wrong call.

After 100 minutes of Mason and this fish going toe to fin, the fish had finally had enough of play time.
Mason yelled for us to drop the anchor as the fish made one last blistering run. Unfortunately, we couldn’t get it done fast enough.  Mason kept saying we were wrapped up in the anchor rope but Jon and I just couldn’t accept it.  We cut the rope and left the anchor sit just hoping the rope would fall through but it didn’t, and eventually SNAP!  It was over!

Mason was exhausted in the Florida heat, my dad, brother, and I all sat silently as we contemplated what might have been.  Even though we had a great day of fishing, we couldn’t help but feel disappointed.
Oh well, we had a great story and I’m sure we’ll have years of talking about the fish that got away.

Rob Tobeck

The Outdoor Line

710 ESPN Seattle

The excitement always seems to grow a little when heading out for a day on the water and you’re stepping on to a nice, clean, shiny boat.  To be able to do this, however, you must leave the boat that way after every trip.  Some trips require more cleaning afterwards than others but at a minimum, a good wash down with some spot cleaning is necessary after every trip.  Even if you left your boat sitting in the slip, clean as a whistle last time you used it, if it sits awhile it will gather dirt.  Some cleaning in between trips may even be necessary.

The starting point for keeping that show floor sparkle and also protecting your gelcoat is applying a polish at least twice a year.  The sun can really damage your gelcoat over time and a good high gloss marine polish works as a conditioner that restores valuable oils to feed and nourish the fiberglass.  I always use just a polish as the polish/cleaner combo’s can be abrasive.  Another benefit of polishing the boat is that it removes much of the dirt and black streaks that simple washing won’t take off.  The technique is simple, just pour on the polish, take a clean, soft, cotton cloth and rub.  After the polish dries, simply take another cloth and wipe clean.  It’s that simple to restore that shine and it can be a nice way to spend the day at the boat, listening to some tunes, and catching some rays.

When cleaning the boat after a good day of fishing, I always use a wash and wax designed specifically for boats.  I like to use the wash and wax not only to clean with, but also the wax helps protect that glossy finish that you just got from polishing.  Most of these cleaners come in concentrated form, but I usually just spray down the boat and dump some the wash and wax directly on to the surface and scrub with a medium brush.  With the higher concentration of cleaner, my boat seems to shine with less effort from me.

Some of the other products that you will need from time to time are things like: bird and spider stain remover; black streak remover; vinyl polish and protectant; windex; mold and mildew remover; rust stain remover; and, metal polish.  Every spring and fall, flocks of birds bomb my boat and the stains that they leave behind can be difficult to remove.  Likewise, if you’re keeping your boat on freshwater, spiders appear out of nowhere and take up residency on your boat, not caring about the mess they leave. My personal favorite is when an invited guest on the boat shows up with black boots or sneakers that leave streaks everywhere on your boat. No matter what kind of grime you have on your boat, never fear, there is a product out there designed to wipe it clean.

It may take some work, but it’s work I don’t mind doing.  A boat is a very big investment and something to take pride in.

Originally posted by Rob Tobeck on The Outdoor Line

For the past few years, every time I’ve traveled back to Florida to see the family and do a little fishing, I’ve been met with windy weather.

So far, 2011 is shaping up to be pretty darn good as my Florida Keys trip in January was perhaps some of the best mixed bag fishing I have ever seen and this past trip with the kids for spring break proved to be productive as well with limits of grouper and battles with mystery fish.

Our trips to Florida to see the family for spring break are always very busy as we never get a full week but just a matter of days.

By the time you see family, spend some time at the beach, and take a day with the girls at one of Florida’s amusement parks, this time it was Universal for the new Harry Potter exhibit, it usually leaves only a day to go fishing. With grouper season just opening up April 1st and some colder water hanging around keeping the majority of kingfish further south it was a no brainer, we were going after some tasty grouper.

Mason with Uncle Jon

Our favorite grouper target, gag grouper, were still closed in federal waters but my brother Jonathan knew of a few spots for some nice red grouper. We launched the boat in Clearwater and went about 30 miles out on 2ft seas arriving at our waypoint full of anticipation. Jonathan readied the anchor, as I maneuvered the boat into position, my dad and Mason both readied their rods as it’s always a race to land the first fish. Once we got anchored up it didn’t take more than just a few minutes and it was fish on.

We were fishing an area of cheesy limestone bottom, using a chum block to get a slick going. Threadfin, mackerel, squid and live pinfish that the boys had been catching off the dock were our baits. In the gulf, red grouper have to be at least 20 inches for rec anglers to keep. (Only 16, I believe, for commercials, go figure.) We waded through grouper after grouper with one after another being 18 or 19 inches. Finally, my brother Jonathan hooked up with a keeper size grouper and then it was just a matter of time before we had six keepers on the boat.

One of the things that I always do when I am bottom fishing in the gulf is set up a live bait on top with a bait runner and hope that something big and hungry swims by. As we were trying to catch two more reds to finish out our limit, the bait runner went off but by the time I could get to it the fish was gone. I reeled in to check my bait and saw only half of a big pinfish. We figured it had to be a toothy kingfish so I re-baited and tossed back out. A few minutes later, another zing and this time I lost the entire set-up as the fish severed the fluorocarbon leader with its razor teeth. Determined, I re-baited and tossed the big pinfish behind the boat avoiding the hungry bird that kept trying to get an easy meal.

After some time went by my dad caught a nice keeper sized gag grouper that we had to release but other than that the bite really slowed down. Just as we were talking about pulling anchor and trolling our way back in, the top rod went off again. This time the fish stayed buttoned as I set the hook and handed off the rod to Mason. I stopped passing the rod off to my son a few years back because he does a great job at catching more than his share of fish and his rubbing it in to the old man was more than I could handle. This time however, I figured that he was the only one on the boat that hadn’t caught a kingfish and I wanted him to have the experience.

It hurt my dad to throw this one back.

It turns out that what I thought was going to be a nice little first king mackerel for my son turned out to be an hour and forty minute test of will between Mason and whatever we has on the end of the line. It was forty-five minutes into the fight when we first saw color. We couldn’t tell what we had however; we just knew that it was big. Could it be a big king? Tuna? How about amberjack? After some debate and looking at the way it was fighting we decided that it had to be a big AJ. All fish in the jack family are known for their hard fighting abilities and Mason would attest, this fish wouldn’t budge.

Mason continued to battle as time went on, I lit a cigar and cracked a beer, I could tell we weren’t going anywhere soon. The fish stayed a comfortable distance from the boat and teased us with a flash of color before it made another run, tearing line off the reel just as fast as it did on its initial run. My brother Jon and I debated whether or not we should drop the anchor but I ruled it out as I thought it was just going to be a short while and Mason would have this fish bested. Turns out I made the wrong call.

After 100 minutes of Mason and this fish going toe to fin, the fish had finally had enough of play time.

Mason yelled for us to drop the anchor as the fish made one last blistering run. Unfortunately, we couldn’t get it done fast enough. Mason kept saying we were wrapped up in the anchor rope but Jon and I just couldn’t accept it. We cut the rope and left the anchor sit just hoping the rope would fall through but it didn’t, and eventually SNAP! It was over!

Mason was exhausted in the Florida heat, my dad, brother, and I all sat silently as we contemplated what might have been. Even though we had a great day of fishing, we couldn’t help but feel disappointed.

Oh well, we had a great story and I’m sure we’ll have years of talking about the fish that got away.

Rob Tobeck
The Outdoor Line
710 ESPN Seattle
www.theoutdoorline.com

The alarm went off about 4:30 but I had already been awake for about a half hour anticipating the day of fishing.  The plan was for me to meet Robbo in Tacoma and carpool on down to the Cowlitz where we would meet up with Derek and one of his customers and my and Robbo’s new friend, Keith Johansen of Johansen Mechanical in Woodinville.  When we got there, Derek and Keith were already in the sled waiting so we hopped out of the truck, threw on the Grundens and jumped aboard Derek’s sled.

The river was running high and fast so the plan was to back troll with divers and some cured shrimp.  About 3 minutes after hopping on board, it was lines in and we were fishing.  We hit a few spots as Derek and Robbo talked different techniques. I spent my time listening and trying to pick up as much as I could from the two steelhead pros.

We were on about our third hole when I looked over Keith’s shoulder to see one of the back rods dancing.  Robbo yelled fish on, Keith jumped on it and Derek grabbed the net.  Keith played the fish perfectly as Robbo and I grabbed our cameras.  True to form this chrome bright steelhead made a couple of jumps and put on a nice show for us.  Unfortunately my trigger finger was just a little slow as I got some almostamazing pics.  Soon, Keith got the fish next to the boat, Derek got the net around it, and it was high fives all around.


Shortly after landing the fish it was time to eat a little lunch.  We were all in for a big surprise as Derek had brought some moose steaks for the grill.  I had never had any moose so I was really looking forward to trying it.  Derek had it marinating in some steak seasoning and italian dressing.  Keith fired up the grill, threw on the steaks and started cutting some smoked cheese to go with my smoked tuna for an appetizer.  Not only did we just boat a nice fish, we were also eating like kings.

Unfortunately, even though the fishing was fun and the food was great, the weather wasn’t.  With full bellies and fish in the box, we decided to call it a great day after another squall started dumping on us.  If your like me and don’t get out on our many great rivers in this state very often or even if your an old dog looking for some new tricks, then book a trip with Derek. Thanks for a great day out on the Cowlitz Derek.

Originally posted by Rob Tobeck on The Outdoor Line

If you have listened to the show for very long then you have surely heard me say that mandatory lost net reporting is long overdue. Well ladies and gentlmen we now have a chance to make it right. Let me introduce House Bill 1717, this bill would amend RCW 77.12.870. The RCW as it is currently written encourages lost net reporting but does not require it. The problem with the bill as it is currently written is that the commercial fishing industry does not report it’s lost gear. There hasn’t been a commercial fisher report a lost net since 2005 and in this past year alone there has been 11 newly lost nets found.

Habitat Lost to a Ghost Net

To give you an idea of the damage these nets cause, let’s look at a few numbers. As of May 31, 2010 NW Straits had freed over 438 acres of marine habitat, removed 1,921 derelict crab pots, found 148,931 animals, and found over 215 different species dead in nets. Some of these included birds mammals and untold species of fish. There is no way to estimate how many animals these nets have killed over time.

How many fish and crab has this net killed over the years?

I have to thank CCA for taking up this fight as they continue to take bite after bite out of the elephant. When Bear Holmes and I served on the Puget Sound Rockfish Advisory Board we pushed really hard to get a recomendation to require mandatory reporting as part of the plan. With this success Bear Holmes continued to push through the CCA GRC and his persistence paid off as CCA took the ball and ran with it. They worked with Representatives Fitzgibbon, Rolfes, Chandler, Dunshee, Orcutt, Appleton, Van De Wege, and Hinkle to re-write the RCW and introduce House Bill 1717. A special thanks to those representatives for doing the right thing.

Even though CCA has put the ball on the goal line, we need to be the ones to push it over for a touchdown. As it stands right now, this bill is in Representative Blake’s committee and we need to apply pressure so that this bill get’s a hearing. We’re close but we have to finish. If we don’t, then the $4,000,000 in stimulus funds that NW Straits used to start clearing Puget Sound of harmful ghost nets will be wasted.

As a side note, this bill also encourages reporting of both commercial and recreational crab gear. Let’s show these guys how to behave by setting the example if we unfortunately loose a pot.

Read the Full Bill Here

Originally Published on The Outdoor Line

Video courtesy of The Outdoor Line.

A favorite of my wife, the endangered manatee seem to be making a comeback.

Although it wasn’t the three days of fishing that I wanted to get in while I was in town, we did manage to get out for one day of grouper fishing.  I had been hearing that the grouper were really on the chew the week before I got there so I couldn’t wait to get my shot.  We went about 30 miles SW of the house to about 65 ft of water.  We anchored on a little ledge, dropped a chum bag over the side and immediately started catching fish.

The first fish to be caught was a tasty little grunt, followed shortly by a nice keeper-size gag grouper.

My brother-in-law Tim caught some heat for taking so long to land this little grunt.

My dad, Auggie-Doggy put the first keeper on the boat.

My brother Jon caught and released over twenty short grouper, including this half-inch shy gag.

As everyone is well aware, I am constantly amazed at fishery managers’ decisions and when it comes to grouper management it is no different.  For the first time ever, the west coast of Florida will close to grouper fishing for two months in January and February.  In recent years, the bag limit has been reduced and other protections such as gear restrictions have been put in place.  All of these restrictions have been aimed at the recreational community.  If these restrictions have a scientifically based reason for being enacted then great, let’s do what is right for the resource.  That being said, can someone explain to me why a red grouper has to be over 20 inches for a recreational fisherman and just 16 for a commercial?  We must have caught and released over 40 grouper that a commercial fisherman would be able to keep.  Just like gulf red snapper, why are we taking such extreme measures when the resource tells a different story?

Anyway, back to fishing.  Besides battling some grouper, I couldn’t wait to try out some of my new Fetha Styx rods.  When these grouper hit they do it with an attitude and I can’t think of a better test for a rod than getting a big grouper out of the rocks.  I was using a Fetha Styx “Jigger” spinning rod and the new Big Game series 70MH.  The problem I had was deciding which one to use.  They both performed great and I can’t wait to get some albacore on these new Big Game series rods.

This Fetha Styx Jigger had the backbone to lift this keeper red (below) out of the rocks.

I also caught a bonus king while jigging. Although not all that plentiful and a little small this time of year, they are great fighters and a nice catch any time of the year.

Spring and fall are the best times to target big smoker kings.

We had a great day on the water with steady action all day and as always, I am already looking forward to my next trip to Florida.

Dad, "You have to clean all the fish."

Check out Rob at The Outdoor Line.com