Coastal Angler Magazine | March 2026 Boston Edition

The Best Infatable Fishing Boats

Best For Lightweight Solo Fishing

The versatility of the FishSUP™1210 is unmatched! Use it bare bones with just the board, a paddle & your !shing gear or deck it out with swivel seat, side pontoons, casting bar, motor and more! Incredibly stable, extra wide, swallow-tail !shing SUP holds up to 500 lbs! The FS1210 takes electric and gas motors up to 3 hp. There’s even an option for a bow trolling motor.

Choose From 6 Packages

Starting At Just $999

Best For Lightweight Tandem Fishing

Perfect for !shing rivers, lakes and bays. The STS10 is a lightweight, roomy 1 or 2 person pontoon boat that’s packed with features anglers need & love including 2 built-in !sh rules, 4 built-in rod holders & 2 Scotty® mounts for more rod holders, anchor locks, camera posts or any other Scotty® accessory. Now available with a drop-stitch in atable oor or wooden oorboards.

Choose From 7 Packages

Starting At Just $1449

Best For Lightweight Fish Ski! for 1, 2 or 3 Anglers

This “low-rider” gives you access to the water to reel in and release !sh easily. With a new patented outside, in atable, rigid keel the FSK16 glides through the water at speeds up to 21 mph to get you to the !sh fast! Perfect for 1-3 anglers and room for plenty of gear.

Choose From 9 Packages

Starting At Just $2999

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By Will Schmidt

Tere were birds diving, porpoise rolling and he y yellow n tuna skyrocketing like Fourth of July reworks. Both on the water and in the boat, the energy was palatable. With one angler on the bow ready to cast a top water plug into the fray and me in the stern with ready to deploy live bait, the boat throttled back. !e plug went ying, meanwhile I simply dropped my bait behind the boat and started freelining. Almost instantly the plug was blasted in the air but not connecting. Meanwhile, I tossed a handful of baits o the back of the boat. By now the fray had subsided but the sh were clearly still looking for an easy meal. 50 feet behind me one of the chummers was blasted overhead by a 150 pound yellow n who was skyward bound a er it. Just below I could see my bait franticly swimming as another engulfed it, leading to a great battle before releasing the 100 pound class sh.

While top water shing for tuna is all the rave right now, it really makes sense to deploy multiple tactics to take advantage of these opportunities, as the school o en retreats as the boat nears. Our back up plan is very simple and almost always produces sh. As the boat gets into casting range of the school, we drop live bait o the stern and free line them. We always keep a couple ready to go. !is way, if the school disappears there are other baits ready for those who have been plugging.

For bait google eyes or blue runners, rigging them on a 10/0 circle hook is ideal. Bridling the bait and using a non-slip loop knot presents the most natural movement as the baits ee. Also, tossing a handful of chummers in, as the surface activity disperses, usually brings shing looking to pick up stragglers into the strike zone. Chumming really helps keep the sh around, so make sure you have plenty of bait. When you get hit, give it a ve count real tight and hang on!

I like to use a bit heavier tackle with the live bait, as we o en seem to nd bigger sh. My go to is Shimano Terez BW Roller Striper medium heavy with a Talica 25A. I use 80lb braid to 80lb mono. !is is a great set up that’s fun for sh from 40 to 140 and can handle the occasional really big one. the rod with a better ghting angle. It also helps to keep the line away from the gunnel as a spiraling sh ascends. !is is a great asset for many anglers on these tough sh.

Will Schmidt is a seasoned tournament angler who has been writing about shing for more than two decades. Follow Will on Instagram @saltynstrong.

Shark Whisperer

Wildlife Biologist Galante to Shoot ‘Shark Week’ Segment in Massachusetts Waters

By The Coastal Angler Staff

Conservationist and media star Forrest Galante gets up close and personal with a large tiger shark.

World-renowned wildlife biologist, conservationist, and television host Forrest Galante will take to the ocean off the Massachusetts coast this spring in search of certain members of the animal kingdom class Chrondrichthyes. In other words, sharks.

That Galante, whose most recent television project was a look inside India’s Vantara wildlife sanctuary, is coming to Bay State to search

for specific shark species should come as no surprise. The waters of coastal Massachusetts, especially around Cape Cod, have become summertime ground zero for the north Atlantic Great White population, and many other shark species are year-round residents of or seasonal visitors to these waters, including blue, tiger, shortfin mako, basking, porbeagle, sand tiger, sandbar, dusky, whale and dogfish sharks.

Galante will visit Massachusetts in May. He will be filming a segment for this summer’s Shark Week, the Discovery Channel’s immensely popular annual celebration of all things sharks. The exact type of sharks that Galante will be filming during his visit will be revealed closer to the broadcast date.

Celebrated as a dedicated explorer and staunch conservationist, Galante developed a deep connection to wildlife at an early age. His journey to this point in his life has been remarkable. Born in 1988 in California, he spent his childhood on a flower and livestock farm in Harare, Zimbabwe, where his mother—one of Africa’s first female safari guides and bush pilots—introduced him to the wild. By age 14 he had already led an international canoe safari down the Zambezi River.

Political unrest forced the family to flee Zimbabwe in 2001. Galante returned to California, where he became a world-record spearfisher, certified SCUBA master, and biologist. He appeared on Discovery’s “Naked and Afraid” and later rose to prominence as the host of the network’s “Extinct or Alive.” It was on that show that Galante’s groundbreaking expeditions led to the rediscovery of several animal species once thought to be extinct.

Today, Galante’s advocacy for the natural world spans continents and platforms, including a YouTube channel with nearly two million subscribers and more than 845,000 Instagram followers. We look forward to welcoming him to our neck of the woods… or, should we say, ocean?

Boston

Arts Academy Foundation Celebrates a Decade of Champions in the Arts on March 19th, 2026 Evening to feature opening night of signature student-led performance and memorable culinary experiences

By The Coastal Angler Staff

The Boston Arts Academy Foundation (BAAF) will mark a decade of honoring leadership and generosity in arts education with its 10th annual Champion Reception on Thursday, March 19, 2026. For the first time in the event’s history, the celebration will be held inside Boston Arts Academy itself, inviting guests into the creative spaces where students train and perform every day.

Taking place from 5:30 to 9 p.m. at the school’s Ipswich Street campus, the milestone event underscores the foundation’s mission to expand equitable access to arts education at Boston’s only public high school dedicated to the performing and visual arts.

“This 10-year milestone Champions event is truly special,” said Denella Clark, president and CEO of the Boston Arts Academy Foundation. “It brings together the celebration of exceptional leadership and civic responsibility with a breathtaking, all-student-led performance that highlights the full range of our students’ talents including singing and dancing and lighting and production.”

This year’s reception is chaired by Kristen Standish, founder of RazHer and CEO of AI-driven marketing technology company VizSense. Standish, who is also the parent of a Boston Arts Academy student, said hosting the event within the school reflects the heart of the institution’s work.

“We believe that talent is distributed evenly but access is not. By raising funds for Boston’s only public school for the performing arts, together with this dynamic class of Champions, we are creating a legacy of opportunity and greatness for generations to come.”

- Kristen Standish

The 2026 Champion Awards will honor a distinguished group of leaders whose work reflects the school’s values of creativity, advocacy, and community engagement. Honorees include Robert Chambers, vice president for strategic engagement and chief of staff at Massachusetts

College of Art and Design and former chair of the BAA Board of Trustees; Massachusetts State Auditor

Diana DiZoglio; Lorena Silva, CEO of Vitra Health and a BAAF board member; and Chris Herman, executive vice president and head of retirement and wealth at Inspira Financial.

The evening will feature the opening night of the school’s annual, student-led performance, a signature showcase that highlights not only onstage artistry but also student work in production, lighting, and technical design. Clark described the performance as a powerful example of how arts education helps shape “well-rounded, globally minded citizens.”

(Continued from Page 2)

New elements this year include a culinary experience featuring some of Boston’s top restaurants—such as Rochambeau, Del Frisco’s, and Abe & Louie’s—along with celebrity chefs, mocktail lounges, interactive activations, and technology-focused installations from community partners. The Champion Re-

ception aims to raise $300,000 to support scholarships, college and career pathway programs, academic tutoring, mental health resources, and investments in studios, instruments, and technology that allow students to thrive.

Founded in 1999, the Boston Arts Academy Foundation raises private philanthrop-

ic support to supplement public funding for Boston Arts Academy, helping bridge the gap between the cost of a college-preparatory, art-intensive education and what is covered by the Boston Public Schools budget. Boston Arts Academy, established in 1998, serves students from nearly every Boston neighborhood and

moved into a new $125 million facility in 2022, expanding enrollment to more than 500 students.

Tickets, sponsorship opportunities, and additional information about the Champion Reception are available through the Boston Arts Academy Foundation website.

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Meet Boston Brought Winter to Life With Frostival Lodge at Copley Square and Ferris Wheel on the Greenway

By The Coastal Angler Staff

The inaugural Boston Frostival returned in February with two major activations that brought winter energy and large crowds to the city: the Frostival Lodge furnished by Wayfair in Copley Square and the 75-foot Frostival Ferris Wheel on the Rose Kennedy Greenway.

The Frostival Lodge opened on February 6 in Copley Square, serving as a central gathering place throughout the month. Following drone shows that had drawn thousands of spectators in December, the winter festival continued to attract residents and visitors with immersive programming designed for all ages.

Meet Boston CEO Martha J. Sheridan said the festival was created to reimagine winter in Boston through interactive experiences that encouraged visitation

and repeat trips. The Copley Square activation served as an anchor for the event, transforming the Back Bay into a seasonal destination inspired by alpine landscapes from across Europe and Canada, infused with a distinctly Boston character.

The Frostival Lodge was the result of a partnership among Meet Boston, Wayfair, Eataly, and NBC Boston. Wayfair furnished the space with cozy cabin-style furniture and décor, all of which was available for purchase online. Eataly provided food and beverage offerings inspired by a winter wonderland, while NBC Boston contributed Winter Gamesthemed content that connected the experience to Milan-Cortina. Wayfair Chief Financial Officer Kate Gulliver said the company was proud to help bring the Frostival Lodge to life in Boston, noting that

the curated furnishings were designed to create a warm and welcoming environment throughout the season. NBC Boston President and General Manager Chris Wayland said the station was excited to support the city’s newest winter attraction with Olympic-themed programming.

In addition to heated seating areas and an outdoor patio, the Frostival Lodge hosted a wide range of activities, including weekly trivia nights, kids movie screenings with silent disco headphones, small-scale live music, curling and cornhole, tabletop games, Winter Games watch parties, themed children’s crafts, and pasta-making classes. Programming continued to expand throughout the month.

Beyond Copley Square, Meet Boston partnered with the Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy to install a 75-foot Ferris Wheel adjacent to the Greenway’s iconic carousel. The Frostival

Ferris Wheel operated Wednesday through Sunday from January 31 through March 1. For the first time, the Greenway carousel was also open on weekends in February.

Chris Cook, executive director of the Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy, said the Ferris Wheel embodied the spirit of Frostival by bringing people together in unexpected ways during the winter months and transforming the Greenway into a seasonal destination.

Boston’s broader winter offerings complemented Frostival programming throughout the season. Visitors enjoyed cozy cocktail bars, hotel fireplace suites, outdoor skating, winter art installations, theatre and live entertainment, food and wine festivals, Dine Out Boston, and major sporting events at TD Garden.

Together, the experiences reinforced Boston’s appeal as a winter getaway for families, couples, and groups of friends.

Sales Representative

Coastal Angler Magazine, Boston

JOB TYPE: PART-TIME

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE: FISHING & SALES

Coastal Angler Magazine, Boston, a company of Regan Communications Group, has an immediate opening for a Sales Representative for our Boston location.

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Plum Island Surfcasters

Club Meeting: 28th Annual Fishing Show on March 21st, 2026 from 8am-2pm at the Hope Community Church. (11 Hale St. Newburyport, MA 01950)

Guest Speakers: Tyler Harper and Jerry Audet

Check our website (www.plumislandsurfcasters.org) for more details on upcoming events.

Meetings at 6:45 pm | Fishing seminar at 8:00 pm Free for all club members. $5 admission for Non-members

PREDICTING THE RUN

By Capt. Jim Ross

s a charter captain, as well as a regular contributor to the Brevard County, Florida edition of Coastal Angler Magazine, every year there are certain events that happen that I try to predict in advance so that clients and readers can catch more !sh. However, there are many times that even we so called “professionals” don’t get it exactly right. Obviously, my crystal ball isn’t 100 percent correct all of the time...maybe it needs a tune up. LOL!

ings like the giant black drum schooling up, spring cobia run, June tarpon run, fall mullet run, and winter pompano run aren’t things you can pin down to a certain day of the month, but most of the time we can at least predict the month. Hopefully, I can achieve at least a 90 percent e ciency rating a er doing this report for the past 25 years.

I was just telling my clients one day last week, a er catching a bunch of small trout and a couple of lady!sh, that the big uglies were probably going to show up in a few weeks and if they had a chance to come back out with me then that they may have a shot at catching some much larger !sh than the ones we had landed that morning. Just !ve minutes a er saying this I spotted something unusual about 500 yards up the at. It was exactly what I had just been talking about- a 300 !sh school of 30 to 50-pound black drum.

e !sh in this big school were happy-tailing and waking as they pushed their way down the at. We eased up to them, cast our shrimp in their direction, and as you !gured, the battles were on. All three anglers were hooked up to huge drum that had absolutely no respect for them. Drags screamed, rods doubled over, and dozens of yards of line dumped o their reels. Grunts and groans were heard between laughter and smiles as they worked to tire these beasts. e boat deck looked like a country bar dance oor as anglers shu ed and two-stepped under and over each other in an e ort not to lose their prized catches.

We ended up extending the trip from a 3/4 day to a full day outing because each !sh took 15 to 25-minutes to land.

e moral of the story? Don’t ever count on !sh to be there and don’t ever think that it’s not quite the right time to catch them. e bottom line is just go !shing every chance you get. at is the only way that you can be sure to catch your next memory.

Capt. Jim Ross is owner/operator of Fineline Fishing Charters on Florida’s Space Coast and host of “Catch a Memory Outdoors” live radio show and podcast. www. neline shingcharters.com • www.catchamemoryoutdoors.com

COME JOIN

PRO FISHING TECHNIQUES

Top 3 Mistakes

So many anglers have a “go-to” color lure that they swear by. What they do not understand is that the color of your lure barely makes the top three most important factors for catching tons of !sh.

Mistake #1 - e number one mistake anglers make is ignoring the importance of the size and pro!le of the lures they use. When snook, tarpon, red!sh, speckled trout or ounder are feeding, they o en become laser focused on that particular forage species. In other words, if they are feeding on a 6-inch mullet your 3-inch paddletail or shrimp lure will probably be ignored.

PRO TIP: Have a few of your rods rigged up with various sizes and pro!les of lures on them. I like to have a 3-inch paddletail, an arti!cial shrimp and a 4- to 5.5-inch jerk bait ( uke) rigged up when I can’t determine what bait is around. Try all three sizes and pro!les of lures until you !gure out what the !sh in the area are feeding upon.

Mistake #2 - e number two mistake most anglers make is thinking one retrieve style works best for all of the !sh all of the time. ere are so many di erent factors to consider when retrieving your lures. Here are a few to consider:

• Is the water cold or hot? Fish are cold blooded and move more slowly in cold water. is means that you have to slow down your retrieve when the water is cold. Conversely, you want to move your lure faster when the water is hot.

• What species are you targeting? Di erent !sh species like di erent retrieves. For instance, the best retrieve for a red!sh is slowly bouncing your lure o of the bottom. A tarpon likes a low and steady retrieve. A ounder likes a very slow bounce/dragging retrieve no higher than 12 inches from the bottom. A speckled trout likes a vertical jig and will usually hit the lure as it falls through the water column. Snook like a fast and erratic retrieve most of the time.

• Is the water clear or murky? Low light, cloudy skies and murky water scenarios makes it harder to get a !sh’s attention. Use a retrieve or lure that creates vibrations and ashes in the water. You also want to fan cast the area keeping your lure placement close together because they are less apt to seek out your lure. When it is sunny and the water is clear it is easier to get the !sh’s attention. You can make your casts further apart and make the !sh come to your lure.

Mistake #3 - e third biggest mistake is thinking !sh care about lure colors. A saltwater tackle box with white lures and something dark like root beer or purple is all that you need to catch any !sh. PERIOD. e bottom line is that if you want to catch more !sh, switch up your sizes and pro!les and vary your retrieves for di erent species and conditions. I GUARANTEE that you will catch more !sh.

Capt. Mike Smith is owner of Fish Your Ass O Charters.Reach him at (561) 339-2317, contact@ shyourasso .com or shyourasso .com.

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