Why wear a Performance UPF Polyester Salinity Gear long sleeve / Performance hoodie?
As the sun continues to cast its warm rays, protecting our skin from harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation becomes paramount. In the realm of sun safety, Performance UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor) shirts stand out as a reliable defense against sun-related issues. Particularly, Performance UPF shirts made from polyester bring a host of advantages, making them not only essential for sun protection but also ideal for specific activities such as fishing, hiking, and sports events. In this article, we'll explore the unique benefits of Performance UPF polyester shirts and why they are a superior choice for those who love spending time outdoors, especially when engaged in activities like fishing.
Quick-drying and Moisture-Wicking:
Polyester is renowned for its quick-drying and moisture-wicking properties. These qualities are particularly advantageous for just about any outdoor activity, where exposure to water or perspiration is inevitable. Performance UPF polyester shirts efficiently pull moisture away from the skin, keeping you dry and comfortable. This not only enhances the overall fishing experience but also helps prevent issues like chafing that can arise from wet clothing.
Durability for Outdoor Adventures:
Fishing often involves navigating rough terrains, handling equipment, and braving the elements. Polyester fabric is known for its durability and resistance to wear and tear. A Performance UPF shirt made from polyester can withstand the rigors of outdoor adventures, ensuring longevity and reliable sun protection throughout countless activities, even mowing the lawn.
Lightweight and Breathable:
Comfort is key when spending extended hours outdoors, especially when engaged in activities like fishing that demand focus and patience. Polyester's lightweight and breathable nature make Performance UPF shirts a comfortable choice for long hours under the sun. The fabric allows for ample airflow, preventing overheating and ensuring you stay cool during your fishing escapades.
UV Protection in Wet Conditions:
Traditional clothing items may lose their UV protection when wet, leaving your skin susceptible to harmful UV rays. Performance UPF polyester shirts, however, maintain their UV protection even when wet. This feature is particularly beneficial for anglers who may experience unexpected rain or have to deal with water splashes while fishing. Beyond safeguarding your skin, the bonus lies in avoiding the chemical cocktail present in traditional sunscreens. Opting for a chemical-free alternative contributes to a more natural and skin-friendly sun protection solution.
Resistance to Wrinkles and Odors:
Polyester is inherently resistant to wrinkles, ensuring that your Performance UPF shirt stays looking crisp and presentable even after being stowed away in a tackle box or backpack. Additionally, the fabric's resistance to odors is advantageous during and after a day of fishing, providing a more pleasant experience for both you and those around you.
Style and Versatility:
Polyester Performance UPF shirts come in a variety of styles, colors, and designs, allowing anglers to express their personal style while enjoying the practical benefits of sun protection. From vibrant prints to classic cuts, these shirts seamlessly blend functionality with fashion, making them versatile for various fishing environments.
Conclusion:
For avid outdoor enthusiasts, especially those who enjoy fishing, the advantages of Performance UPF polyester shirts are undeniable. From quick-drying properties to durability and UV protection, these shirts are tailor-made for the challenges posed by fishing excursions. So, whether you're casting your line or simply basking in the joy of nature, a Performance UPF polyester shirt is your steadfast companion in the journey to stay sun-safe and stylish.
Stop by your favorite Salinity Gear retailer/tackle shop for more info and inside tips and tricks from the pros.
Please keep fish in the water and revive them boat side before releasing them.
Typically like to use between 40-50 lb braid
40-60 lb fluorocarbon as my leader
4/0-8/0 size circle hooks depending on the bait I’m throwing
Rod
LT custom 8’6” tarpon rod or Shimano teramar 8’ XXH
Reel
10k Saragossa
The biggest key to tarpon fishing is presentation. You want your presentation of the bait or artificial bait to be as natural as possible.
Article by Captain Ray Culver at www.flgulfcoastcharters.com
Cell: 239-963-7417
]]>Salinity Gear has teamed up with Tampa Bay Waterkeeper to create some killer merch to help raise funds and awareness to keep our local waters clean.
Tampa Bay Waterkeeper is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that serves our population of more than 2.7 million people across Hillsborough and Pinellas counties. They work to improve, protect, and preserve Tampa Bay's watershed through citizen engagement and community action rooted in sound science and research. Tampa Bay Waterkeeper's scope of work is diverse, with core issues including clean water, ecosystem protection, and coastal resiliency.
You can visit them at tampabaywaterkeeper.org for more info about their ongoing projects.
All proceeds from the sales of Tampa Bay Waterkeeper merchandise will go to help this great cause.
]]>Two days prior, I was informed by CJ Peppe that I would be able to participate in an FWC Research trip led by Capt. Ed Walker! We were heading 130 miles offshore to fish in sanctuary grounds alongside the FWC Research Team, Hayden Staley Menendez and Eli. The objective, is to research and document studies on Gag and Scamp Groupers. The ultimate goal of this study is to have an understanding of when groupers are transitioning (female-to-male), breeding, and if they migrate or stay in a specific area.
As I geared up for the long day ahead of us I had no idea really what to expect. In ten short minutes we were off!.. to load the car up with gear, we grabbed our jigging rods, trolling rods, food and drinks. We were now heading down to the boat to meet the rest of the team. After about 45 minutes we arrived and started to load up the boat. The sled for the day was a 36-foot Yellowfin powered by trip-300's, needed for a 260 mile minimum trip. We bundled up in our jackets grabbed a bean bag and knocked back out for the 3-hour ride.
When the engines cut we all knew it was game on, we rigged the jig of our choosing and waited for the captain to say when. We all dropped our jigs and man, was it a long drop, but once the jig hit the floor followed by a few jerks- FISH ON! I reeled up a 10-pound red grouper Ed and CJ both had about a 3-pound scamp but JD's rod was bent. After a few minutes passed the tension was gone and the fish started to float, the crew started to get excited knowing that gags are floaters after a while; and sure enough a 20-pound gag broke the surface! The boat erupted and high-fives went around. After a few pictures were taken the gag made her way up to the scientists who immediately started to measure and write specs onto charts. Hayden then took out 3 vials and a needle and started drawing blood from the grouper within a vein from its gills. I was mesmerized, the point of this is to separate the plasma from the blood and take it back to the lab. In the lab, they use an ELISA kit which tests the plasma for different hormones to see if they are changing sex. Once that was completed they gave the grouper a number and put it in the cooler to run further tests back on land. This process was done to every gag and scamp grouper we kept.
Everyone now had multiple fish caught, most being red grouper that we attached to the SeaQualizer and sent back down safely. I picked back up my rod and got back into the madness. By the end of this spot, everyone caught their fair share of red groupers and a few smaller scamps. It was time to pick up and move, after trolling around and monitoring the bottom machine we found a new spot. We all dropped down and hit a mother load of 3-pound scamps. All of a sudden we hear JD's reel scream! Everyone was anxious and knew that there was a fairly large fish at the end of his line. We reeled our lines as quick as we could to reduce the chance of a tangle and all eyes were on the "grouper man". There was a bit of give and take but after a while he was able to gain on him and reel him up. Everyone saw the bubbles rising followed by deep color and then we collectively saw it... RUSTY BELLY! JD reached down and pulled up a 35-pound rusty bellied gag, this was a true male and everyone was relieved to have this monkey off their back for the remainder of the trip.
It was time to move spots and take a lunch break. The scientists were getting their camera gear set up for a deep drop. They had to video for 20 minutes and test water quality and thermoclines. During this time you cannot fish and you could see the fishermen itching to drop some jigs down. After the twenty minutes passed we loaded all the gear back to the bow of the boat and took off to find a new spot.
We hit many spots, some duds some great. We caught a lot of scamps and a handful of gags. All of a sudden we started to get sharked, head after head started floating up. The size of these red grouper heads were impressive we weighed an 11 and 12 pounder. They would have been massive fire trucks but it was time to move and get away from the tax man.
The next spot we fished was something out of a movie, the bottom machine was lit up from top to bottom. We dropped our jigs, half of them did not make it to the bottom before they were inhaled and peeling out line. When the fish came to the surface we discovered they were extremely large American red snappers (ARS). Somehow my jig was able to make it to the bottom and after one jerk it was engulfed and the fish took off. It was fighting like a gag off the bottom, which made me anxious to find out what was at the end of my line. After a few minutes of back and forth I finally started to gain on the fish and when the leader slipped into the first eyes of the rod all eyes looked overboard waiting for color. Shortly after we saw the biggest ARS most of us have ever seen. Once this thing was on the deck it was truly appreciated coming in a little over 20-pounds, I looked in awe of the brightest and fattest red snapper I have ever seen. It was red snapper mayhem, we reeled in a few more and switched to the last spot of the day.
At the last spot we found some nice gags and scamps and everyone on the boat was stoked on what a great day we had. The last two drops I made were both rewarded with decent sized gags and I knew it was time to call it. The sun was starting to set and we gathered all the gear and got the boat ready for its 3-hour journey back to the dock. On the way back in we rendezvoused with the other boat and both recapped on the day we had before reaching land. Once the boat hit the dock it was about 10pm: time to clean, transport fish to labs, pack the car, and head home!
Thank you to Capt. Ed Walker, CJ Peppe, and the FWC Research team for having me!
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1M_pkGq_Nc
*All fish besides the gag and scamp groupers kept for research were released safely using the SeaQualizer.
]]>Once we rigged the Gheenoe for takeoff we noticed an immense amount of fog started rolling through. CJ and I looked at each other and rolled our eyes—fishing can never be easy. We decided to pursue the flat anyway... When we arrived we rode our plane as far as it would take us before switching over to the trolling motor. Once we switched, it was time to pick our weapons of choice; CJ selected a jerk-bait while I choose the 'ole reliable,' gold spoon. We started our drift heading inland with the fog to our backs, making strategic casts. CJ banged the mangroves while I hit grass beds to the left of us. There were no signs of life, we started to question this flat entirely.
It was time to jump to the other side of the flat. While we slowly trolled over we started seeing a few red fish spook through the fog. This side was starting to look a lot more promising. CJ decided he was going to switch his lure to a soft-plastic shrimp, while I stayed true to my unwavering belief in the spoon. The fog was no longer to our backs—we were now facing it head on which was a lot more difficult because we lost visibility in front of the boat. We started seeing stirred up sand spots and knew we had to make a switch. We rounded the corner of the mangroves and had the boat drifting perpendicular to the shore. Now we both had the opportunity to see what was ahead and the fog was once again to our backs.
CJ saw a smaller red fish laid up towards the mangrove and casted, but it wanted nothing to do with him. The red spooked, bumping four others we never even saw. While watching the wakes split into the distance I saw a red ahead of us casually swimming towards the rear of the skiff. I placed a cast about 20 yards off of the engine hoping the spoon would catch the red's eye. The spoon crossed right in front of the red and I saw a big swell, to my surprise the red missed the spoon. When all of a sudden its path changed and started to charge the spoon again, this time there was no miss! The red started peeling out drag from my reel and it was game on! After the initial run I was able to get back some line and noticed the red heading back towards the mangroves. I did not want to lose this fish to a tangle so I redirected it back to the open water and was able to get it by the boat after another nice run. It looked as if the red had tired itself out so CJ went to lip it and successfully got the fish in the boat.
The fish was beautiful! She had 2 spots on both sides while being completely lit up with a bright blue tipped tail. Once we snagged a few pictures she was released safely back to the mangroves. Below are a few pictures of the nice sized red fish!
]]>A short 45 minutes later, we were drifting over top of some live bottom. We dropped some sabaki, catching large live baits that were used to catch Amberjacks later in the day. After about 10 minutes of unhooking grunts, pinfish, and cigar minnows, I glance over the port bow and catch a glimpse of a 5 foot long striped torpedo swimming away from the boat. Sardines were quickly chopped and thrown into the water as chum. Within a few moments, we had a beautiful 55-60 pound class Wahoo eating chunks of sardines just feet away from our stern. Captain Joe wasted no time, grabbing our Kingfish rod with a Shimano Toruim 30 spooled with 20 lb monofilament and a Sardine on a stinger rig to pitch. The instant the Sardine hit the water, it was game on. The Wahoo inhaled the bait and decided to burn 150 yards of line. Craig Price reeled tight on the line. We chased the fish, slowly gaining and exhausting the Wahoo. We stayed hopeful that the light tackle didn’t part. 30 minutes into the fight, after four or five blistering runs the fish finally tired and we were able to secure a gaff into the Wahoo. Once in the boat, the catch was loaded into the fish box underneath a layer of ice.
The remainder of the trip was spent with the Price family cranking in numerous 30-50 pound Amberjacks until they were ready to call it quits. The conditions were perfect for a pleasant ride in. Captain Sam Maisano was waiting upon our return to the dock. After a few pictures of the days rewarding catches, Captain Joe and I filleted and bagged the Wahoo and Amberjack in bags ready for the Price family to enjoy.
If anyone has any interests or questions in regards to Go Fast Fishing Charters, Captain Sam Maisano can be reached by phone at (727-480-6408) or online at gofastfishing.com
All Salinity performance saltwater gear is upf 50, super comfortable and breathable, allowing the maximum protection from the sun available at salinitygear.com.
]]>First things first, buy and build your traps. Head over to your local tackle shop, and pick up black plastic traps. I know, Fishermans Ideal Supply House has everything one could need in order to get traps up and running. After you get the traps built the next step is to include a breakaway door. This should be a 5.5in x 3.5in piece of cypress or untreated pine slate that is no thicker than 3/4 of an inch. The reason traps are to have breakaway doors is for instances when a trap gets lost-the wood will rot away allowing the trapped crabs to escape unharmed.
After the breakaway door is made the next step is to fill the bottom of your trap with concrete. Do not skimp on the amount of concrete you use. Make sure your traps are heavy enough to withstand 30mph winds and high seas from passing cold fronts throughout the winter. After, the concrete floors are made let them dry for a day or two.
While the newly concreted traps are set aside to dry, it is time to decide on the length of rope to use. It is very important to have the correct length of line connected to your trap, say for instance you set your traps in 20 feet of water, one should set aside anywhere from 25-27 feet of rope. Now the next task is to prevent the rope from floating, why? Because floating rope can get tangled in your propeller or better yet another boat passing by. Weighing down your rope is simple, take a weight and slide or tie it about half way up the rope then attach another every 6 feet from that point.
Now that the traps are built and the line is ready, it is time to paint your buoys. As a recreational crabber you would add a large 'R' on the trap in whichever color-way you selected. This shows the FWC and commercial crabbers that you are a recreational crabber. For each saltwater fishing license you are allowed to run five traps. So in this case, the more the merrier!
By now your traps are rigged and its time to get some dead bait! One can use previously caught fish carcasses, mullet, ladyfish, etc. Once you have your traps filled with bait it is time to pick your spot. People tend to drop traps on hard bottom, grass flats, or wherever they feel may hold some crabs. Once you deploy the trap let it sit for a week or two before checking them. This may take some trial and error, but once you get dialed in the reward is so worth it!
For a claw to be legal is must measure 2 3/4" long. For any and all other information regarding stone crab regulations and requirement please visit:https://myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/recreational/stone-crab/
Check it out, it is always better to be safe than sorry!
]]>About the artist
Kevin R. Brant is a Florida raised game fish and wildlife artist. At an early age, Kevin’s love of fishing soon became the subject matter of his art.
After serving in the United States Coast Guard as a helicopter search and rescue crewman, Kevin studied commercial art at the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale. During the 1980s Kevin was the art director for a leading S. Florida advertising agency. In the 1990s, Kevin began marketing and producing his own branded line of game fish sportswear bearing his signature. Kevin’s images have been featured on the covers of numerous marine publications. He was commissioned by Florida Sportsman Magazine to provide illustrations for their popular fish ID Books. His images appear in “Sport Fish of Florida”, "Sport Fish of the Gulf of Mexico”, “Sport Fish of The Atlantic”, and “Sport Fish of Fresh Water”.
The Salinity Gear Performance Solar-Tection Long sleeve fishing shirt is a leader in saltwater outdoor sun protection. Featuring UPF 50+ protection from extremely damaging ultra violet rays and a supremely comfortable lightweight breathable 4.1 oz. 100% polyester fabric that keeps you cool and dry on or off the water with moisture wicking technology. Tested and proven by sport fishing and commercial captains worldwide since 2012.
• 100% Microfiber Polyester
• UPF 50+ Ultraviolet protection
• Soft and Breathable 4.1 oz. fabric
• Moister wicking
• Also available in performance short sleeves
Contact us to find out how easy it is to get a custom SALINITY product designed to suit your needs.
]]>I’m a 2011 UCF Graduate, lifelong surfer, free diver, fisherman, and Jupiter Florida local. Over the past few years I’ve worked at creating a vibrant photography portfolio in my pursuit of becoming a professional, and successful, fine art photographer. I want my images to evoke a sense of wonder, to hold the viewers attention, and to show the true nature and beauty of our natural world.
***All of my Images are PHOTOGRAPHS***
Everything you see I’ve taken with my Nikon D7000; these are not paintings, not renders or digital art, but photographs, these are moments I’ve captured looking through the lens!
To see more of my work please visit my website and Instagram!
www.samfarkasphotography.com
https://instagram.com/samfarkasphotography/
Contact/Order Prints/Licensing - Please contact me through my email or telephone to order prints, canvas wraps, aluminum or acrylic prints, and more!
Email - sbfarkas@gmail.com
Phone # - (561) 307 – 9899
Follow link for more Pictures and story.
http://www.eriklarsanderson.com/TheBajaAdventure/
Free Diving in March in the Gulf of Mexico with Team Salinity (James Martin, Dylan McClain, Sean Matthews) spearfishing for Monster Amber Jack, Pole Spear World Record Barracuda, and encountering and Catching a 250 lb. Shortfin Mako Shark. Thanks to our Sponsors www.SalinityGear.com, SMITH Optics, and Gat-ku Polespears. Edit:Jason Hatch Music: Pasedena "Sweet Surrender"
]]>Trip out deep with team Salinity Gear in the Gulf of Mexico during summertime.
]]>Cody Chivas and Taylor Brothers set out on a mission in Key West, FL with visions of sight casting Tailing Sailfish on the reef's edge and live chumming Blackfin tuna behind shrimp boats, but a small craft advisory took the trip in a different direction. The two quickly revised their plans, instead heading deep into the Gulf side of the Florida Keys in pursuit of their catch. Join Chivas and Brothers as they quickly re-route 70 miles the opposite direction still come out on top.
]]>Here is a video from our friends at http://www.h2ovinyldesigns.com/ on the east coast from a few recent trips where they speared Cobia off Bull Sharks aboard the "Ghetto Fab". Shout out to Nick Furrow, Davey Bradley, Taylor Heflin, Matt Budd, Scott Fricker, and Nick Antonelli for some fun times on the water... and for not getting eaten.
]]>View more work and prints at http://www.eriklarsanderson.com/
]]>Video from Salinity Gear's PRO Team, Capt Joe Maisano of Go Fast Fishing Charters catching a Great White Shark 30 miles off Tampa Bay Fl
]]>Florida Fishing Gulf of Mexico- Epic Fall time bite fishing with Capt Joe Maisano, Capt Sean Mathews and myself Capt Jason Stock out of John's Pass FL. Fishing on a 36 Yellowfin Team Delosas Pizza (The Doughmaker) Catching Bull redfish, Cobia and gag Grouper. More videos check www.Jmsnookykayakcharters.com Capt Jason Stock
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