SPORTING

Into the Heart of the Everglades

By T. EDWARD NICKENS

December 2020/January 2021

Into the Heart of the Everglades

In this episode of the Captains Collective podcast, Hunter sits down with our very own Chris Peterson. They spend some time discussing the early days of his childhood in Florida, beating cancer, the importance of listening to guides when building our skiffs, and how he went from being a kid exploring with a flat-back canoe to the head of the Hell’s Bay family today.

You can listen to this episode and more here.

Just over a year after we donated a brand new Waterman to Captains for Clean Water, this skiff has found its new home. We’re proud to welcome our newest owner, Tony Cate, into the the Hell’s Bay Family. We celebrated with food, drinks, music, and friends as we raffled away prizes and announced the winner of the 2019 Waterman.

Every donation to enter the raffle for this skiff has helped support their mission of advancing education, awareness, and scientifically-supported solutions to restore and protect marine ecosystems and our way of life for future generations.

You can learn more about their mission and ways to support at https://captainsforcleanwater.org/.

The 2019 Texas Owners Tournament check-in was hosted Friday afternoon at Orvis Swan Point Landing in Rockport, Texas. Plans were made and beers were poured as anglers gathered for the captains’ meeting.

A cold front passing through made for a cool, windy morning that provided no shortage of fish for the 58 anglers hitting the water Saturday morning. The winds laid down and the temperature rose for the evening awards ceremony, hosted at Redfish Willie’s. Dinner was served as standings were finalized, and five anglers took home top prizes for their respective categories. Hand-painted fly boxes, as well as eight unique watercolor fly paintings, were generously contributed by William Townsend as prizes for top anglers, as well as standard trophies and bragging rights among the Texas Hell’s Bay owners.

Thank you to Orvis Swan Point Landing and Redfish Willie’s for hosting our event, and thank you to Mr. Townsend for the artistic contribution.

More of Mr. Townsend’s work can be found at lightandfly.com.

What’s next? This is a question we are constantly attempting to answer. As we pride ourselves on having the most cutting edge laminate schedule in the industry, asking “what’s next” is a tough question at times. Our perpetual goal at Hell’s Bay Boatworks is to create a better boat with better materials with no costs spared.

We began testing the material Carbon Innegra in 2013 after much persuasion from our composite engineers. The testing process began with the basics: getting the material in hand, creating test panels and stringently testing these panels in house. The initial impact and strength evaluations surpassed our guidelines. The panels were then sent to composite labs for confirmation. The gleaming results immediately led us to begin real world implementation into our product offering. Over the past 5+ years we have built numerous Carbon Innegra skiffs which have been subjected to real-world testing by ourselves and our pro staff.

After proving successful in the field, our focus shifted to how best to include Carbon Innegra into our current lineup. We decided to give the material one final (larger than life) test in the form of the 2018 Skiff Challenge. If Carbon Innegra could hold up to 44 hours of constant running across less than ideal conditions, we knew it could check all the boxes. After the Skiff Challenge win it was clear that Carbon Innegra gave us the speed and ride we hoped for without a single sign of stress. This was the final confirmation of the material’s capability and deservingness of use in building the World’s Finest Shallow Water Skiffs.

Unlike other manufacturers we keep components of structural integrity and build quality separate from the “standards/options” game. We have determined Carbon Innegra to be an integral part the best laminate schedule available, therefore we have implemented it into our line-up as a standard feature going forward.

Benefits

Lightweight

Innegra is the lightest fiber commercially available. The most common question when discussing a new material is: “What is the weight difference?” The range of weight savings differs slightly across models, but we can confidently say this generation of skiffs are lighter than the last.

Durable

In addition to having high UV resistance Innegra is not brittle and is able to withstand extreme wear and tear, improving the life of the part.

Damping

This is the most notable increase in performance we have seen in a single material change. Innegra dissipates and absorbs a tremendous amount of energy greatly reducing vibrations. This not only translates to a more solid feel under the feet in all water conditions, but further improves upon the silent hull that Hell’s Bay skiffs are known for when stalking fish.

Hydrophobic

In the extreme case where impact is made, unlike Kevlar, Innegra is water resistant. This stops further damage from occurring in the rare case a situation arises.

The list doesn’t end here, but these are the key benefits that led us to fully implement Innegra into our laminate schedule. At the end of the day, the decision was easy: Innegra has proven itself as the latest answer to our undying question of “what’s next?”

Innegra Models

Marquesa
Professional
Biscayne
Whipray
Waterman
Eldora

List of all the benefits of using Innegra:

While the weather was not great, the annual Take an Airman Fishing event was still a success. The ability to give 20+ active duty Airman a day of fishing on Veteran’s Day is an honor every year!

The 2018 Herman Lucerne Memorial Backcountry Tournament is an entire weekend full of fishing, drinks, food and friends. The kick off party and Captain’s Meeting began Friday night with an event center full of silent auction items. Bote paddle boards, trips with Captains from around the state, fishing gear, art and many other items filled the room from wall to wall.

The tournament takes place on Saturday and Sunday. We were greeted with beautiful Florida Keys weather. The wind was light and skies blue, except for a few inevitable summer scattered storms. The great weather brought exceptional fishing. Four different individuals were able to catch all 7 available species within the two tournament days.

In addition to the fun and festivities, the reason why Hell’s Bay has been the longstanding presenting sponsor is because of the commitment the HLM has to preserving and protecting the Everglades and Florida Bay. The mission has always been the same, but with today’s heightened water quality issues, it is even more important that everyone remains involved with organizations like the HLM.

Under the leadership of Richard and Kellie Trotta, Dr. Lloyd Wruble and a mountain high list of board members and volunteers, the HLM is committed to the Everglades by raising money with this exuberant event. We are extremely grateful to be involved this year and for many years to come.

Congratulations to all of our Hell’s Bay teams who placed in their respective divisions!

Click here to learn more about the Herman Lucerne Memorial and see the full tournament results.

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Held August 21-23 in Everglades National Park, the Project Healing Waters Backcountry Purple Heart/Disabled Veterans Slam III was a huge success.

This year, PHW–South Florida hosted 30 wounded and disabled veterans in Islamorada, Florida, and the community greeted them with open arms.

The Islamorada Fishing Club hosted the welcome reception, where Everglades National Park Superintendent Pedro Ramos welcomed the participating veterans to the Keys and ENP.

The veterans spent two days fishing the waters of Everglades National Park with some of the best guides in South Florida, all of whom volunteered their time to show the veterans the sport of flats fishing.

A special thank you to all the guides listed below:

Benny Blanco – HB Guide

Steve Friedman – HB Guide

Andy Downs

Brandon Laszlo

Luke Krenik

Steve Thomas – HB Guide

Dave Denkert – HB Guide

Carlos Jimenez

Adam DeBruin – HB Guide

Kerry Wingo

Randy Stallings – HB Guide

Justin Bachert

Chris Molinaro

Nestor Alvisa

Augie Moss

Ridge Murphy

Ryan Booth – HB Guide

Eddie Yarbrough

Mike Alfano – HB Guide

Carl Ball – HB Guide

Jason Sullivan – HB Guide

Steven Tejera

Lincoln Rodriguez

Matt Bellinger

Jerry Perez – HB Guide

It was a life-changing experience for all the veterans, and many beautiful fish came to hand. There is nothing better to recharge the soul than spending time on the water.

To see all the photos from the event, follow this link to the PHW–South Florida Facebook page.

We are honored to support this great event, and extend a special thank you to all the veterans for their service and sacrifice to protect our freedom.

We would like to thank Col. Anthony Fernandez III USMCR and all the volunteers for making this a great event. A special thanks to Mangrove Mike’s Café and Allison Stattner for donating the food.

Capt. Benny Blanco pictured above receiving an award of appreciation from Project Healing Waters Major Ray Master, USMCR.

For more information and to donate to Project Healing Waters–South Florida, click here.

The Lowcountry never disappoints. Between great flood tide fishing, impeccable food and southern hospitality, it doesn’t get any better! Hell’s Bay is represented very well in South Carolina, and the goal for our visit to Charleston was to visit with our current customers, and allow new customers to experience why so many Hell’s Bay skiffs can be seen poling the marsh.

Friday night we spent the evening at Cooper River Brewing enjoying a beer and dinner with our current owners and friends. We appreciate everyone who attended in spite of the tailing tide! Thank you to The Charleston Angler for donating the Hardy Demon 8wt fly rod we raffled off!

Saturday and Sunday we spent the day at Toler’s Cove Marina for demo days on the water. We had an Estero, Professional and Marquesa with us. The Professional and Estero caught most of the attention as both offer an obvious advantage on both ends of the spectrum. The Professional is a great option for those primarily focusing on tide dependent fishing. The Professional poles quietly and effortlessly through the grass and allows for ample time during the tide before the water drops out. The open water fishing market has really grown in the Lowcountry. The Estero is the perfect solution allowing days offshore, while still drafting little enough to take advantage of the inshore fishing the region has to offer.

Thanks to everyone who came out to ride along, or just hang out in the Charleston heat! A big thanks to Toler’s Cover for their hospitality.

Till next year, Charleston!

Hell’s Bay Pro-Staff member Capt. C.A. Richardson shares his approach to inshore lure selection that will help you catch more fish on the flats. Enjoy!

Another ICAST in the books!

The show was well attended, and the demo Hell’s Bay Marquesa on display garnered lots of attention. The versatility of the Marquesa for shallow water sight fishing and beachside for tarpon is hard to beat.  We talked with many anglers about this skiff and the complete line of Hell’s Bay skiffs.

One of the highlights of this year’s show was hosting a happy hour for the Herman Lucerne Memorial Foundation on Day 1. Members of the HLM Board of Directors shared their 2018 mission and commitment to supporting clean-water initiatives in the state of Florida.

Captains for Clean Water was also on hand to discuss the current clean-water fight and its progress. Hell’s Bay Boatworks is committed to supporting the efforts of both of these nonprofit organizations, and we are encouraged by the successes they’ve seen so far this year.

HB Pro Staff members Flip Pallot, Chico Fernandez and Capt. C.A. Richardson joined us throughout the show. These legendary anglers shook a lot of hands and were available for several photos. It is always a pleasure to spend time with these gentlemen and to hear their many fishing stories.

We would like to thank all of our professional guides for stopping by to see us and for sharing their passion for Hell’s Bay and clean water. A special thanks to Capt. Buddy Kirkhart and New Wave Taxidermy for lending us the beautiful tarpon mount for our booth.

ICAST 2018 was a huge success for Team Hell’s Bay, and we will be back in 2019 for sure.

Fight for clean water and good fishing!

It is always a treat to have members of the Hell’s Bay Family back at the factory — and especially the legendary Chico Fernandez. The 5^thAnnual Central Florida HB Owners Tournament was a fantastic day filled with good laughs, great food and challenging fishing

The day started early here at the factory with a 6 a.m. check-in, donuts, hot coffee and some killer HB swag for all the anglers.

The tournament kicked off with the official lines-in at 7:15 a.m. Everyone was greeted with slick, calm waters and plenty of tailing redfish. Getting them to eat a fly or even a live shrimp was another story — the fishing was just downright tough.

As the day progressed, the temps climbed and made the time on the water even more challenging, especially for the guy on the poling tower! Everyone fished hard to the bitter end, and all lines were out at 2:30 p.m.

As the anglers and their skiffs arrived back at HB headquarters, they were rewarded with cold beverages and fresh oysters ready to shuck. What a wonderful treat after a hot day on the water!

Everyone shared their fishing stories with old and new friends alike. The camaraderie is by far one of the best things about our HB gatherings.

Our good friends from Captains for Clean Water prepared another amazing Lowcountry boil for everyone. We cannot thank Capt. Chris Wittman and Capt. Daniel Andrews enough for making the trip up to the factory and for all their hard work.

After dinner, Capt. Chris and Capt. Daniel shared Captains for Clean Water’s latest news and their recent mission to Washington, D.C. They are making great progress on our water issues in Florida and asked for everyone’s support to continue the fight. (Want to help the cause? Donate today.)

Last but not least, it was time for the awards ceremony. It was a tough day of fishing for most anglers, but Capt. Shannon McNally and his fishing partner, George Ricks, took home hardware.

Capt. Shannon had the most total spots with 2 fish and 6 spots. George claimed the prize for most spots on one fish with 3 spots. And this year’s Junior Angler award went to Maxwell Scott for landing several fish during the day.

All the winners had a chance to sign the new perpetual trophy featuring the amazing artwork of Paul Puckett.

We would also like to thank all the HB craftsmen who joined us for the day. Without these guys, the fine skiffs we love to fish would never exist.

There’s no smoke, no mirrors and no mystery. It’s really just high school physics and good old common sense. As simple as it is, many manufacturers and even more boat owners have trouble putting GOOD RIDE together with a good fishing package.

Good (comfortable) ride can be generated by either of two hull design characteristics……

ENTRY or DEADRISE.

Achieving good ride from entry involves designing some vee or sharpness into the front portion of the bottom of a hull. Having this sharpness forward in a hull bottom allows the forward portion of the hull to cleave rough water thus providing good (smooth) ride. Sharp or deep entry as it is sometimes called, allows  the designer to build a flatter running surface toward the rear of the hull. Flatter running surfaces are more “correct” and require less horsepower to achieve the same speed as steeper running surfaces. Flatter rear running surfaces also provide more displacement so such designs float is less water than steeper designs. The design challenge is to build enough entry into the front of the hull so that the entry cleaves rough water before it reaches the flatter running surface yet rides high enough to remain out of the water in calm conditions allowing the hull to run on the flatter rear surface without drag from the entry.

Sounds impossible. A great concept which would never work in real life. Basically true except for hydraulic or electric trim tabs. Sharp hull designers in this day and age build enough rocker into the bottom of hulls so that with trim tabs in the neutral position the hull will ride bow up (entry out of the water). Some designers even allow their hulls to porpoise with tabs in  neutral but all designers realize the benefits offered by adjustable trim tabs.

My belief is that virtually ALL BOATS can benefit from adjustable tabs properly used.

The term DEADRISE refers to the angle of a hulls bottom as measured from the bottom of the hull at the transom to an imaginary line drawn from chine to chine:

Here a drawing of the deadrise measurement:

Hulls having deadrise greater than approximately 12 degrees (generally found in many skiffs) up to approximately 25 degrees (found in many offshore fishing and racing boats) tend to use hull angle further aft to achieve smooth ride. This also allows less of the hull bottom to be in contact with the water causing less drag and often dryer ride.

At this point, even if you’re not reading between the lines, you’re beginning to see that there are areas of trade off and compromise in the arena of hull design. Each angler must determine what it is that he or she will be asking their boat to do during most fishing situations and select a hull design that will accommodate the broadest range of fishing situations.

Forgetting about the interior layout of a fishing boat (which we will discuss at great length in future columns) here are some things to consider when deciding what features in a particular hull design will fit in with your fishing plans.

Hull Width:

There is a term which I love to use and hear used…… It is “Wretched Excess”. This term applies very nicely to the width dimension designed into many shallow water fishing boats these days. To qualify as a great fishing boat a hull doesn’t have to be as wide as an aircraft carrier. You do not need to be able to walk around the gunwale of a skiff without it tipping to one side or another. Tipping is a perfectly normal attitude for a skiff. In fact, there are certain situations where tipping can be a big help.

Some years ago when we used to fish for very large jewfish (giant sea bass) we would often catch fish as large as several hundred pounds. To put such fish in the skiff we would actually tilt the skiff until a rear corner of the gunwale or covering board was at or just under the surface of the water and slide the large jewfish, shark or tarpon into the boat.

Being able to tilt a skiff can often allow you to get into or out of shallower water than the boat could float in at normal attitude.  Tilting can also help to get a boat on plane in very shallow water. Narrower hull designs normally produce better rides and certainly pole better than wider designs. The fact is that if most hulls were narrower , had less deadrise, some entry in front and some more displacement in the rear, they would draw less (float higher in the water), answer better at idle speeds and pole better. The trade off might be that the boat would be slightly more “tippy”  (not much because of the increased displacement aft)……… who cares, that’s what boats are!

Deadrise: 

In the 1960’s the concept of deadrise or deep vee hull design found it’s way into the off-shore ocean racing scene. It was very successful in that world and allowed highly powered race boats to go very fast through very rough seas, actually leave the water and land on the heavier (because of engine weight) rear end of the boat yet land softly because of the vee or deadrise in the hull. Deep vee hulls dominated offshore ocean racing in those years.

It didn’t take very long for this technology to find it’s way into the offshore fishing boat market and before long companies such as Sea Craft, Bertram, Sea Bird, Wellcraft, Speedcraft, Formula  and others were introducing fishing machines which incorporated the deep vee concept. It made perfect sense……. Folks were traveling further over rougher seas to get to remote fishing locations. Greater speed and better ride were needed and so the concept was embraced by the offshore market. Unfortunately, deadrise found it’s way into the inshore market as well. Small boat manufacturers discovered that they could make their boats ride better if they incorporated some deadrise into their hull designs. To float the additional deadrise they had to build in more hull width to gain some displacement…….so boats got wider. As they got wider they got heavier and required more horsepower to make them go……bigger motors made them heavier still and harder to pole and fish.  The size/weight/power  pyramid developed a life of it’s own and instead of people learning how to properly drive and use smaller, better fishing boats many just settled into bigger, smoother, faster less efficient fishing skiffs.

The average shallow water production fishing skiff on the market today draws in excess of nine inches, weighs well over one thousand pounds and is wider than it needs to be.

Many excellent anglers that I know begin fishing for bonefish, redfish and snook in five or six inches of water. Areas unreachable by 99% of so called flats skiffs. All this so that folks can speed in complete comfort across choppy water to great fishing spots in boats that  cannot get there until the tide is halfway in and the fish are spread from here to Key Largo. Forget about the fuel that their 150 H.P.  Engine burned getting them there or the total outfit weight that they will have to pole around the flat all day.

So What’s my point?  It’s merely this……… If you’re fishing offshore and speed and really rough water are considerations, a hull with serious deadrise may be what you need for most of your fishing situations. But, if most of your fishing will be done in very shallow water you may want to rethink the party line regarding skiff dimensions and bottom configuration bearing in mind that a fishing boat should above all FISH WELL!  Getting there in a true fishing boat may require you to tune up your seamanship and boat handling skills, but once you’re in the fishes house you’ll be needing a boat that will get you in and out of the neighborhood.

Stay tuned for more……Flip

It’s that time of year here in the Sunshine State, and Capt. C.A. Richardson is ready to grind it out with his clients on his home waters of Tampa Bay. For C.A., prep for tarpon season starts months before the fish arrive. “I put new line on my reels, purchase fresh leader materials, and replace all the hooks on my hard baits,” he says. “My Hell’s Bay Marquesa goes in for service, and I make sure my skiff’s trolling-motor system and batteries are in top condition.”

Here are a few tips C.A. shared with us to make your tarpon season a good one!

When presenting a lure or even a free-lined crab to a school of tarpon, be sure to lead them by a good 30 feet. You’ll need that cushion (distance) to allow the lure or crab to sink to eye level with the tarpon as they swim by your position. Never twitch or abruptly move the lure or crab as fish swim into zone, and you’ll have a hookup!

Looking for a lure color that tarpon tune into? Choose either purple or root beer, because they silhouette so well and draw strikes from tarpon in low light. If you want to know what I use, try the MirrOlure TTR Purple Demon or the 5″ Z-Man Jerk ShadZ in the Rootbeer/Gold color.

If you are live baiting, try a small live crab, about 2.5″- 3.5″ across the carapace, free-lined on a 5/0 Mustad Circle Hook. I use a 40# to 50# fluorocarbon leader in a 4′ length to attach to the 40# braid (main line). Small crabs presented perfectly always draw a strike.

Rod and reel recommendations for beach tarpon fishing:

– Spinning: 6000 PENN Clash and an 8′ XH 30lb to 50lb Falcon Tarpon Rod

– Casting: Daiwa Lexa 400HS and a 7′ XH 15lb to 30lb casting rod

When fighting fish, keep your skiff or bay boat within 20 yards of the hooked tarpon. This is so you can keep maximum pressure on the tarpon and utilize the butt of the rod to stress fish even faster! Also, always lean forward and bow to a jumping tarpon to avoid losing the fish … this is important.

Hope you enjoyed these tips, and good fishing!

A Classic Time at a Treasured American Sporting Retreat

The 2018 Southern Sporting Classic at Cabin Bluff was another amazing experience for all of our guests — and one that will remain in our memories forever.

Cabin Bluff is nestled among the oaks on the banks of the Cumberland River in coastal Georgia. It’s one of the oldest hunting and fishing lodges in the United States, and the perfect location for this very special event.

Guests arrived on Thursday afternoon and were welcomed by presenting sponsors Hell’s Bay Boatworks and Beretta USA, as well as a gift bag from Fish Hippie, Costa, Hook & Gaff and Williams Knife Co.

The first evening started with a cocktail hour, followed by the legendary Cabin Bluff oyster roast and seafood dinner. The service was truly five-star, and the food never disappoints at the Bluff! The evening was topped off with a few after-dinner drinks and great conversation around the fire.

The next two days were filled with quail hunting, sporting clays, Beretta’s long-range shooting, and inshore fishing.  The Hell’s Bay Professional and Marquesa demo skiffs were on display and available for demo rides all weekend.

When it comes to sporting tradition in the South, this event is hard to beat. There are not many other places, if any, where you can do all of these activities in one location. Cabin Bluff is one of the true sporting treasures left in this country!

We would like to thank everyone who attended this year’s Southern Sporting Classic. Plans are already in the works for 2019. If you are interested in more information on this event, feel free to give Cabin Bluff a call at 912-729-5960.

Last week, the Hell’s Bay crew packed up the trucks and headed west to one of the most beautiful spots in Florida for the 2018 Hell’s Bay Boatworks Professional Guide Rendezvous. Our destination was Florida Outdoor Experience in Chiefland — the perfect location for this year’s event, provided courtesy of our hosts and HB Professional Guides Capt. Gray Drummond and Capt. Lacey Kelly.

The day started out with some fine Cuban sandwiches, beverages and an introduction to our 2018 plans here at Hell’s Bay. Capt. Mike Holliday from Costa Sunglasses joined us and showcased all of their new products for 2018. A special thank you goes out to Costa for all the years of support at our Guide Rendezvous.

The “Guide Games” were next on the agenda, and this year was a blast. Fly fishing for bass and shooting clay targets — how can you beat that? Everyone had a great time, and there were lots of laughs!

We finished up the day with a Lowcountry boil by Capt. Chris Wittman and Capt. Daniel Andrews with Captains for Clean Water under the live oaks!

We would like to thank all of our HB Professional guides who attended this event, and a special thanks to Capt. Gray and Capt. Lacey for hosting us! We are already looking forward to 2019!

Hell’s Bay Boatworks manufactures tailor made skiffs allowing owners to explore wild and beautiful places. In addition to boat builders, we are fisherman, adventure seekers, and lovers of our natural environment. Our business relies on clean healthy estuaries, as does the livelihood of our professional guides. We recognize the perils of our South Florida waterways and are excited to partner with Captains for Clean Water in using long-term science based solutions to achieve a common goal.

Please consider joining Captains for Clean Water, so you too can have a hand in the battle for our beloved Everglades.

 

Official Press Release:

Just like the rest of the Southeast, the marshes of Lousiana had an abnormally cold winter. This didn’t stop the giant redfish from showing up, but it sure made use of some extra layers of clothing. Our arrival to Baton Rouge was right on par with the rest of winter. We were greeted with cold blowing rain. Though we had to sport some rain jackets throughout the day, the crowd was not affected. The skiff and travel show was held at the Baton Rouge Orvis, right around the corner from LSU. We had the Estero, Professional and Capt. Al Keller’s Marquesa on display. The Lousiana marsh is an extremely diverse fishery making the interest in boat models diverse as well. Some anglers fish primarily the large open water for bull redfish, which yields the daily challenge of crossing big open bays. This style of fishing makes the Marquesa or Estero the ideal option. There is also a large number of anglers who would rather a smaller skiff, like the Professional, which gives them them capability to fish the shallower lakes, full of slot sized redfish. The Professional is very capable of handling the bigger water, but has a shallower draft for those who focus more on the lakes. We are glad we brought the 3 different skiffs, because the interest was all over the board. We want to thank Alex with Orvis for his hospitality and invitation to the event. We are grateful to have met everyone at Orvis, and all those who attended.

The following day, we were up early and had the quintessential breakfast at Penny’s in Hopedale. Then we made the short trek down to Hopedale Marina for a demo day. Running around the marsh, it became even more clear how diverse the area is. The Estero performed great in the big water, at the “end of the world,” while the Marquesa and Professional were right at home poling the shallow lakes and the edge of the marsh. We were even greeted with a few slot redfish while on a demo ride with a customer.

We are already looking forward to coming back next season and spending more time in Lousiana. Thank you to everyone we met and the hospitality we received while in the Bayou.

Hell’s Bay skiffs at Surf Expo? Yes indeed!

The first Hell’s Bay skiff every built was featured in the new Bluewater section of Surf Expo. This three-day show was held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fl.

Flip Pallot was the guest of honor at the Bluewater Lounge “Happy Hour” on the first day of the show. Flip shared lots of fishing stories while the attendees sampled the craft beer on tap.

The “Fish Hippie” HB Professional was on display and featured the latest options available on our skiffs. Hell’s Bay enjoyed being a part of new Bluewater category of the Surf Expo, and we are already looking forward to the Fall show in September. For more information on Surf Expo click HERE!

Good fishing!

The 2nd Annual Shallow Water Expo was a huge success! Charleston is one of our favorite stops on the annual show schedule, and once again we had a great time. We showcased the Fish Hippie Co. HB Professional this year, as well as the new 2018 Tower Edition HB Estero.

HB Pro-Staff member Capt. C.A. Richardson was the headline speaker at this year’s expo, and provided lots of tips for catching inshore species on artificial lures. If you did not get a chance to see one of his sessions, follow this link to his latest video on “Cold Weather Tactics“.

We would to thank everyone that made the trip out to see us. A very special thanks to the crew from Hadderell’s Point Tackle for putting on another awesome show! We are already looking forward to next year’s event.

If you would like more information/demo ride on the HB Professional or the HB Estero 24 Bay Boat, please contact our Sales Department at 321-383-8223.

Good Fishing!

One of our favorite end-of-summer traditions has come and gone, leaving us with fond memories and anticipation for next year. As usual, Cabin Bluff was an incredible host to this year’s Tarpon Cup, which was held August 24-26. This year marked the 4^th annual recurrence of the Tarpon Cup, and it has grown in popularity each year. Not only do anglers get to enjoy the comforts and amazing cuisine at Cabin Bluff, but the tarpon fishing can also be second to none during the late-summer months. This year’s event all went according to plan, aside from showers and wind on Saturday. The first fishing day of the event, Friday, brought absolutely perfect tarpon-fishing weather for this area. There was a mix of fly anglers and bait fishermen alike, and for the first time in Tarpon Cup history, we had a second-time event winner – Captain Allen Mills.

Dr. Aaron Adams and Luke Griffin of the Bonefish & Tarpon Trust were also present and orchestrated acoustic-tagging efforts during this year’s Tarpon Cup. This special weekend also saw the 50^th acoustic tag placed in a mature tarpon – very exciting news for the future of tarpon research!

Hell’s Bay was in fine company alongside sponsors Fish Hippie, Simms, Tito’s Vodka, Release Ruler and, of course, Cabin Bluff. We are certainly looking forward to next year’s event, and we’d like to offer a special thanks to all of you who participated and helped put on this tournament!

The 2017 Slack Tide Guide Gathering had a grim start. Hurricane Irma unfortunately interfered with the original planned date of the event, but like all of those affected by this year’s storms, we prevailed. Though the usual two day event was rescheduled to one day, it was still a great time. This event is special to Hell’s Bay because it allows us to stay connected with the heartbeat of the company, our guide community. The Slack Tide Guide Gathering is designed to give the guides a fun relaxing day off and the ability to network with others within the industry.

Thank you to Captains for Clean Water, Costa Del Mar, Yeti, G Loomis, SIMMS, Nautilus Reels and most of all, the guides, for taking a day out of their busy schedules and allowing us to participate. We are really looking forward to 2018!

Capt. C.A. Richardson shares a proven technique for cold weather…Enjoy!

Hell’s Bay Boatworks and Flats Class partnered with Strike-Zone Fishing to hold a unique fishing school in Jacksonville, Florida on December 2.  Over 30 avid inshore fishing enthusiasts joined us for this very special event.

This class was a little different than most, as it focused on artificial baits, rigs and tactics … and nothing else! There was no covering the basics or regional species, just the good stuff, some might say. The students enjoyed two hours of professional instruction on the technical aspects of the inshore game from HB Pro Staffer Capt. C.A. Richardson in the classroom. Capt. C.A. also passed around some of the actual tackle setups he uses on the Flats Class TV show. The students really enjoyed the chance to get a closer look at this gear and ask questions. Capt. C.A. even allotted some time to demonstrate some knots and to do some hands-on rigging, as well.

After a short break, the group moved outside and settled in around the 15’x100′ custom casting pond to watch Capt. C.A. demonstrate some of the lures discussed during the classroom session. He also taught the students the finer points of casting both spinning and casting gear. Everyone enjoyed the “casting pond” session, especially the “bow and arrow” cast technique for access under docks!

It was a very successful school, and the students also had a chance to check out the 2018 HB Marquesa and Professional, as well as the new tower edition HB Estero 24 Bay Boat.

If you weren’t able to make it to this school, here is a link to one of Capt. C.A.’s latest tips.

Good fishing!

Another tackle tip from Capt. C.A. Richardson…Enjoy!

Here’s a quick tip from Flip Pallot to help you keep your dock lines more organized!

There are very few times in flats fishing history when a collection of the most acclaimed saltwater-fishing pioneers and companies have gotten together under the same roof. Then, of course, there are few events like the Bonefish & Tarpon Trust International Science Symposium, which occurs only once every three years. With a mission and common goal in mind – to conserve and restore bonefish, tarpon and permit fisheries and habitats through research, stewardship, education and advocacy – the Symposium brings together a collection of the best of the best in saltwater angling.

The BTT’s 6th International Science Symposium took place November 10-11, 2017, at the Bonaventure Resort and Spa in Weston, Florida. Hundreds of people came from all over to support and learn more about efforts to preserve these precious habitats, which are so important to us as anglers and stewards of the water. The Symposium’s schedule was jam-packed with seminars from some of the world’s top anglers, including Hell’s Bay pros Stu Apte, Capt. C.A. Richardson and Andy Mill (to name a few), who shared some of their techniques for targeting game fish of the flats. In addition to angling and casting seminars, there were dozens of other planned sessions such as fly-tying clinics, a photography clinic with Pat Ford, and expert discussion panels on tarpon, bonefish and permit – and much more!

In addition to having our tower Estero, Biscayne, Professional and Marquesa models on display at the event, the Hell’s Bay team was able to attend some of the planned sessions, the Art and Film Festival, and the Saturday night banquet. Nearly 600 people were in attendance at the banquet that honored conservation leaders and raised funds during a live auction of bucket-list destination trips, fine art and top-of-the-line fishing gear.

Possibly the most memorable part of the weekend was sharing a room with the Angling Legends panel. Here, a collection of some of saltwater fishing’s true pioneers and champions of conservation drew from over 300 years of collective guiding and fishing experience to share reminiscences and stories.

“We are proud to support BTT. Its diligence in conservation and restoration of critical game-fish habitat is something that Hell’s Bay is deeply invested in. We’re honored to have been a part of this year’s Symposium and look forward to a continued relationship with the Bonefish & Tarpon Trust.”

-Chris Peterson, President & Owner of Hell’s Bay Boatworks

If you’d like to learn more about the Bonefish & Tarpon Trust’s mission and current initiatives or would like to become a member of this great non-profit organization, head over to their website.

Capt. C.A. shares this top three soft plastic baits….Enjoy!

The Ft. Lauderdale International Boat Show is one of our favorite events, and this year did not disappoint. We proudly  showcased the new 2018 HB Estero 24 Bay Boat with a beautiful second station design, as well as our HB Marquesa, Professional, and Biscayne.

HB Pro-Staff members Capt. C.A. Richardson and Chico Fernandez talked skiffs and shared their favorite fishing tips. Special thanks to Professional Guides Capt. Benny Blanco, Capt. Carl Ball, and Capt. Alonzo Sotillo for joining us!

The HB “Boat Show” t-shirts were a huge hit, and a show favorite for many. It was a pleasure meeting new skiff enthusiasts, and catching up with members of our HB Family! We really enjoyed hearing about all the adventures our owners have experienced in their HB skiffs.

We would like to thank everyone that stopped by the booth to see us! If you would like more information on the boats we featured at the show or would like to schedule a test ride, give our sales department a call at 321-383-8223.

Our most recent demo boat is making its way across the Southeast visiting various events and boat shows, and it’s a worthy addition to our head-turning lineup. For the first time, we’ve equipped one of our Estero 24 Bay Boats with a second station tower featuring full controls, and the response has been overwhelming! Here are a few photos and an introduction to our new tower Estero

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The first of its kind we’ve created, this Estero is sporting an Aristo Blue hull with a tan interior. While the color scheme has been a big hit, the most noticeable feature on this boat is the tower – complete with full controls, Raymarine Axiom and radar. The fully powder-coated aluminum makes this boat even easier on the eyes, while the Mercury Verado 350 pushes her at speeds in the high 50s.

A few of the custom features include an eight-speaker JL Audio marine sound system, two 10’ Power-Pole blades and a raw/fresh water wash-down – but the possibilities for this boat are endless. Give us a call to schedule a demo, or to learn more about the Hell’s Bay Estero.  Phone: 321-383-8223

We are very excited to announce the addition of Capt. Al Keller to the team here at Hell’s Bay Boatworks. Capt. Al spends most of his time guiding in the “Louisiana March”, as well as chasing tarpon along the Gulf Coast. A long-time professional angler and guide, Capt. Al will be representing Hell’s Bay Boatworks at boat shows, fly shop days, and showcasing his new Marquesa from Florida to Texas. He will also be speaking at several fly fishing events throughout the year, and we will be sure to pass along those dates  as they near.  Here are a few photos of his new skiff…Enjoy!

Delivery day at Hell’s Bay!

First test ride in Indian River Lagoon.

First fish on Capt. Al’s new Marquesa!

Home base for Capt. Al Keller.

Tired of having your fly line tangled before you even get ready to fish? Flip’s solution to this problem!

Please support your favorite Hell’s Bay Guide in the Florida Keys! Book a trip today and keep these talented professionals moving forward through these challenging times. Here is a list of all of our HB Professional Guides to make contacting them easy.

Hurricane Irma took a Category Four shot at the Keys. And the Keys stood up to it. But they need our help. Hell’s Bay Boatworks and The Herman Lucerne Memorial are raising relief funds specifically to help support the businesses and guides that have given us their support over the years. So click here to lend a hand to help the recovery of our friends in Florida. Donate here: http://www.hermanlucernememorial.com/donate/

From all of us at Hell’s Bay, we hope that you and your loved ones are safe and well on your way to bouncing back from the recent hurricanes. Hell’s Bay was very fortunate in regards to Hurricane Irma and our facility sustained no major damage. We are open and operating as of Wednesday, September 13th, but ask that you bear with us as we work to restore our internet and the many business functions that come with it.

We understand that the devastation throughout Texas and the entire Southeast has left many of our families, friends, customers, and vendors far from whole. Our thoughts and prayers are with those most affected, and we are committed to figuring out the best ways to leverage our resources toward the relief efforts throughout our market.

If we can be of assistance in any way, please call the factory at (321) 383 – 8223.

One of the most important sight fishing techniques with the fly rod!

This year, we showcased multiple skiffs in various locations within the Orange County Convention Center. Displayed in one of the main breezeways leading into the show were Flip Pallot’s Marquesa promoting the Herman Lucerne Memorial tournament, a Bonefish & Tarpon Trust tunnel-hull Professional and the Skiff Challenge Biscayne. In the booth, we had a new Marquesa on display as well.

We had quite a few well-known fishermen in our booth over the duration of the show. Among them, of course, were Flip Pallot and Chico Fernandez, in addition to visits from Al Keller, C.A. Richardson and countless others. We even had the Florida Governor swing by and say hello! It could have been the social-hour event we hosted with Swamp Head Brewery that brought them all to our booth!

July is typically a very busy time of year for us, but we always carve out some time to have a presence at the ICAST show, which is held basically right here in our backyard. Thanks to everyone who came by to see us at the show — and we are looking forward to next year!

July 13, 2017

Hell’s Bay Boatworks celebrates 20 years of revolutionizing the shallow-water angling universe.

(Titusville, FL) This month marks 20 years since Hell’s Bay Boatworks was founded under an oak tree in northern Florida. And throughout those 20 years, it has led the entire shallow water industry by engineering and building the most advanced technical poling skiffs on earth.

Hell’s Bay grew from the dreams of hardcore inshore anglers who searched for the perfect skiff. Led by the experience of renowned waterman, guide and TV personality Flip Pallot and the intuitive engineering and boatbuilding of Chris Morejohn, they created the original Whipray prototype, a 16-foot skiff specifically engineered for the unmet demand of the South Florida backcountry. Designed to float in as little as four inches of water, while at the same time providing the stability and seaworthiness to cross vast bodies of water, this prototype was unlike anything that came before it.

The unprecedented abilities of the Whipray spawned a number of innovative branches on the Hell’s Bay family tree, and today they custom build nine separate models, each optimized for a certain environment and angler. Owned today by Chris and Wendi Peterson, Hell’s Bay continues to be known for its yacht-grade fit and finish, extreme stealth, and expedition-grade durability. Through all of these qualities, a Hell’s Bay skiff is the one indispensable tool in the expert inshore angler’s arsenal.

In 2017, Hell’s Bay took their inshore expertise to even greater lengths, introducing the 24’ Estero bay boat- providing the same level of quality and performance in a package that can stretch a wide variety of conditions and activities.

Still custom made by hand at their facility in Titusville, Florida, Hell’s Bay continues to gently evolve and optimize their skiffs through the input they receive from the members of their Pro Staff such as Chico Fernandez, Andy Mill, CA Richardson, and Flip Pallot as well as the world-class anglers comprise their Owner’s Group.

ABOUT HELL’S BAY BOATWORKS

Hell’s Bay Boatworks , based in Titusville Florida manufactures the world’s finest shallow-water skiffs. Founded in 1997, their skiffs are famous for their technical performance, fit, finish, durability, stealth and innovative design. Owned by Chris and Wendi Peterson, Hell’s Bay is a longtime sponsor and supporter of conservation, with a long history of involvement with the Coastal Conservation Association, the International Game Fish Association, the Bonefish and Tarpon Trust, and the Herman Lucerne Memorial Backcountry Championships, as well as sponsor of innumerable inshore tournaments, educational and scientific initiatives.

For more information, please contact Wendi Peterson at 321.383.8223

Flip Pallot shares his wisdom on fly selection. Enjoy!

Tarpon In Tampa Sweepstakes winner Ryan and Dave from Iowa, have the day of their lives with Capt. C.A. Richardson. What an epic tarpon fishing adventure…Enjoy!

The 2017 Florida Skiff Challenge was a fantastic opportunity to raise awareness and funds for the Coastal Conservation Association of Florida’s Clean Water Initiatives. Hell’s Bay Boatworks, Yellowfin, and Panga Marine collectively entered the Challenge with one goal in mind: to raise money and have fun while doing it. Of course, it wouldn’t have been a real challenge without a little bit of friendly competition! The rules required each manufacturer’s skiff to be under 18 feet long, have a 22 gallon or smaller fuel tank, and a 70 horsepower or less outboard engine. Panga Marine and Yellowfin elected to save weight by choosing the tiller option, while Hell’s Bay chose to use a standard center console in their Biscayne model. Each boat had a chase team that followed them around the state of Florida and met them at several strategically chosen stops along the way with fuel, food, drinks, and dry clothes. The locations were selected to make each pit stop between legs of the race as quick and efficient as possible. The trek began at the Northwestern tip of Florida in the city of Gulfbreeze, with the end goal of navigating the skiff all the way around the State of Florida up to historic Cabin Bluff in Southern Georgia. The journey of over 1350 miles was to be completed within 56 consecutive hours.

On Thursday, April 6^th, the teams gathered at the Gulfbreeze Boat Ramp to kick off the Challenge. Because of a cold front that passed through during the night, the wind was gusting up to 35 miles per hour and the temperature had dipped down into the low 50’s. The conditions were far from ideal, but that is part of what makes the Challenge what it is. The teams prepared their vessels and set off on the journey to Georgia around 7:00 that morning.

Each team designated their own route and made their way to the first stop in Panama City. The following stops on the first day were in the Apalachicola region and Steinhatchee/Cedar Key. The gentlemen continued on through the darkness of the night and made a stop in Tampa Bay. Unfortunately, the team from Panga Marine had to drop out around 3:00am on Friday morning in Southern Tampa Bay due to some issues with their hull. Teams Hell’s Bay and Yellowfin continued on to Venice and had both made their pit stop in Marco Island by 8:00am. Both teams elected to make their next stop at Gilbert’s Resort in Key Largo. Although Yellowfin went into the pit with a 20 minute lead, their slow fuel stop allowed Hell’s Bay the opportunity to catch up. From there, the stops that remained were West Palm Beach, Melbourne, New Smyrna Beach and Crescent City Beach/St. Augustine. The final leg to Georgia was all that remained for the teams. 

The team from Hell’s Bay Boatworks reached Cabin Bluff first around 3:00 on Saturday morning. Yellowfin came in shortly behind them around 4:00am. Your calculations are correct- both teams finished the race with more than 12 hours of the allotted time to spare! Laughs and stories were shared, loved ones were hugged, and pictures were taken, but the most exciting thing for both teams was that they were officially back on land!  Each manufacturer’s team reminisced on the pros and the cons of their journey, things that worked well and things that they would have done differently.  After their whirlwind trek around the state of Florida, Cabin Bluff was the perfect place to end their journey, with their accommodations, food and hospitality exceeding expectations. The teams are looking forward to next year’s Skiff Challenge ending in the same location!

Thanks to all of the followers and people who jumped on board to cheer for, watch, and donate to Team Hell’s Bay, we were proud to raise $9,300 for CCA Florida’s Clean Water Initiatives. We were honored to be a part of such a successful event and we are definitely looking forward to participating again next year!

On Saturday April 1, we had the pleasure of hosting Flip Pallot, Lefty Kreh, and their fly fishing school students here at Hell’s Bay Boatworks. This was the second year in a row that they joined us for lunch and a tour of the Factory.

The fishing stories and life lessons on the water were shared with the students and a great time was had by all. Here is one discussion on fly fishing leaders we captured on video. Enjoy!