Great Days Outdoors - April 2020 by TrendSouth Media

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877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // APRIL 2020 3

HUNTING & FISHING IN ALABAMA & THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE

CONTENTS GDO Tribute to Mike Thompson. . . . . . . . . . . . 7 by David Thornton Spider Rigging for Post Spawn Crappie. . . . . 8 by Greg McCain Determining the Best Spring and Summer Food Plots for Deer and Other Wildlife. . . . . 14 by Charles Johnson Oil Rig Fishing in the Gulf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 by Ed Mashburn Bassing Alabama with Mark Daniels, Jr. . . . 26 by John E. Phillips The 2020 Flora-Bama Fishing Rodeo…The “Funnest” Ever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 by William Kendy Managing Wild Turkeys Through Teamwork. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 by Tony Young

In Every Issue

Cover art submitted by Graham Tayloe

4 APRIL 2020 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

Best Bets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 by William Kendy Camphouse Kitchen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 by Hank Shaw New Gear for Outdoorsmen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 by William Kendy From the Commissioner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 by Chris Blakenship From the Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 by Charles Sykes The Gun Rack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 by Charles Haney Pier & Shore. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 by David Thornton Paddle Fishing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 by Ed Mashburn Regional Freshwater. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 by Ed Mashburn Prime Feeding Times, Moon, Sun, and Tide Charts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 Pensacola Motorsports Trophy Room. . . . . . 68 Great Days Kids Corner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Classifieds & Fishin‘ Guides . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 Fishing Tips. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 by Captain Bobby Abruscato A Great Day Outdoors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 by Jim Mize

PROPERTY PHOTO HERE

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This diverse tract has it all: fishing lake, paved road frontage, fenced and cross fenced pasture, duck pond, hayfields, merchantable timber, and 2 smaller ponds, all less than 45 minutes from Mobile or Daphne. LocatedTEXT between Stockton & Tensaw in the Latham PROPERTY HERE community, an area known for strong timber production and excellent deer, turkey, dove, quail, and duck hunting, enjoy easy access along Highway 59 or Old Ganey Road, an improved road system, a network of well-sized, strategically placed food plots with shooting houses, a 7 acre lake, 1 acre fish pond, 1 acre cattle pond with cross fencing, and a duck pond, merchantable stands of natural pine, plantation pine, and mature hardwood, and probably the rarest attribute of all for this area: 92 acres of income-producing agricultural land. Utilities are available at multiple locations along the abundant road frontage, and there are multiple scenic areas for building a lodge or permanent home. Large tracts are rarely available in this area... Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t miss your chance to see this one.

This hunting, timber, and recreational investment is located just south of Morvin, an area where land is rarely available. Enjoy easy access from the frontage on TEXT HERE Highway 69 with the PROPERTY excellent deer, turkey, and small game hunting. The property has been under intensive wildlife management for years, with year-round feeding programs in place, and there is a large, strategically placed food plot with shooting house, hardwood bottom laden with mature oaks, and pine plantation providing superior bedding ground as well as investment and long term cash flow. There is a potential fishing lake site, and utilities are available. Tracts like this donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t come along often, especially in this area. Need more land? Additional acreage is available directly across the highway from this tract for a total of 234+/- acres.

Baldwin County, Alabama, 1304+/-Acres

Clarke County, Alabama, 58+/-Acres

FL Panhandle Listings

Alabama Listings COUNTY

Autauga Autauga Autauga Autauga Autauga Baldwin Baldwin Baldwin Baldwin Baldwin Barbour Barbour Bibb Blount Blount Blount Blount Blount Bullock Bullock Butler Butler Butler Butler Calhoun Calhoun Cherokee Chilton

ACRES

535 375 371 298 210 1995 1339 1304 710 492 120 62 98.6 233.3 60 54 50 9 4000 167 1455.52 395 85.16 77 12.34 3.5 2230 146

Chilton Chilton Choctaw Choctaw Choctaw Choctaw Choctaw Clarke Clarke Clarke Clarke Clarke Clay Cleburne Colbert Colbert Colbert Conecuh Conecuh Conecuh Conecuh Conecuh Coosa Covington Covington Covington Covington Covington

65.4 40 388 216 100 54 38 526 520 234 220 179 80 377 36 1.5 1 80 40 22 20 10 151 360 331 72 50 22

COUNTY

Crenshaw Cullman Cullman Dale Dallas Dallas Dallas Dallas Dallas Elmore Elmore Elmore Escambia Escambia Etowah Etowah Fayette Fayette Fayette Fayette Fayette Franklin Franklin Franklin Franklin Franklin Greene Greene

ACRES 120 876.25 59 96 463.54 140 82.73 27 19.34 264 111 83 671.6 68 275 167.3 232 122 112 110 90 563 552 244 165 118 2590 2100

Greene Greene Greene Hale Hale Hale Hale Hale Henry Jefferson Jefferson Jefferson Jefferson Jefferson Lamar Lamar Lamar Lamar Lamar Lawrence Lawrence Lowndes Lowndes Lowndes Lowndes Lowndes Macon Macon

490 38 30 150 88 56 53.2 53 200 633 120 94 65 11 367 200 192 148 92 80 45 1181 1013 793.5 783 656 2370 930

COUNTY

Macon Macon Macon Marengo Marengo Marengo Marengo Marengo Marion Marion Marion Marion Marion Mobile Mobile Mobile Mobile Mobile Monroe Monroe Monroe Monroe Montgomery Montgomery Montgomery Montgomery Montgomery Morgan

ACRES 486 396 37.5 6214 3000 1164 404 264 250 120 118 82 40 1800 308 299.1 260 192 790 298 129 24 858 697 623 469 430 76

Perry Perry Perry Perry Perry Pickens Pickens Pickens Pickens Pickens Pike Pike Pike Russell Saint Clair Saint Clair Saint Clair Shelby Shelby Shelby Shelby Shelby Sumter Sumter Sumter Sumter Sumter Talladega

386 240.75 200 189 90.5 837 450 430 240.36 150 160 112 40 195 68.13 29 10 93 83 80 48 43.56 740 350 188 45.7 36.5 882

COUNTY

Talladega Talladega Tuscaloosa Tuscaloosa Tuscaloosa Tuscaloosa Tuscaloosa Walker Walker Walker Walker Walker Washington Washington Washington Washington Washington Wilcox Wilcox Wilcox Wilcox Wilcox Winston Winston Winston

ACRES 537 327 153 152 120 120 80 233 203 100 61 59 796 240 160 160 65 1465 694 660 640 213 265 2.3 1.3

COUNTY Escambia Gulf Holmes Holmes Walton Walton Walton Walton Walton

ACRES 257 55 188 93 225 188 60 39.75 35

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877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // APRIL 2020 5

BEST BETS

BEST BETS FOR APRIL These are our top targets for hunters and fishermen this month! BY WILLIAM KENDY

NORTHERN GULF BEACH MIGRATION

When the spring winds blow along the Alabama Gulf Coast they whisper “Cobia” and “Mackerel”. Cobia (Ling/lemon fish) can be targeted offshore and from piers with 3-6 ounce brightly colored skirted jigs, pinfish and their all-time favorite, which is a good size live eel. Surf class 8-foot rods with backbone, along with 8000 level reels with 30-pound test line are the norm for these big and strong fish. Spanish Mackerel show up in April and surf and pier anglers can cash in on these “spotted speedsters” with medium class spinning tackle and ½ ounce white jigs. See David Thornton’s Pier and Shore Forecast in this issue for details on cobia, spanish mackerel, pompano and more.

VOLUME 24, ISSUE4 April 2020

PUBLISHED BY: Great Days Outdoors Media, L.L.C. PUBLISHER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Joe Baya MANAGING EDITOR: William Kendy CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Wendy Johannesmann ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE: Samatha Hester

CONTRIBUTING FREELANCE WRITERS: Chris Blankenship Daryl Bell Alex Granpere Craig Haney Charles Johnson Ed Mashburn Doug Max Greg McCain

TRIPS 4 TRADE

In April, turkey hunting for late season birds is a going concern and the fishing season is kicking off. It’s also a great time to start planning outdoor adventures. Trips4Trade is an Alabama based on-line company that specializes in trading outdoor adventure trips that you have already booked for a trip that you want to take. If you have an Alabama hog hunt booked, you could trade it for a Florida Osceola turkey hunt or a deep-sea fishing trip out of Dauphin Island. To keep the Mrs. happy, you could trade for a beachfront condo in Orange Beach, Al or even Santa Rosa Beach, Fl.

John E. Phillips Chuck Sykes David Thornton Jim Barta Jim Mize Deneshia Larson Patric Garmeson Hank Shaw

Joe Baya Don Green Babe Winkelman Bobby Abruscato J. Wayne Fears Nick Williams Tony Kinton Richard Rutland

Great Days Outdoors (USPS 17228; ISSN 1556-0147) is published monthly at P.O. Box 1253 Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459 Subscription rate is $24 for one-year, $40 for two-years, and $55 for three-years. Periodicals Postage Paid at Mobile, Ala. and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Great Days Outdoors Media, LLC PO Box 460248 Escondido, CA 92046 SUBSCRIBERS: All subscriptions begin the first issue for the month following receipt of payment, if payment is received by the 15th. Great Days Outdoors assumes no responsibility for delivery after magazines are mailed. All delivery complaints should be addressed to your local postmaster.

For info go to trips4trade.com

PANFISH - ALL KINDS

In April, bass, crappie and bream get top billing for freshwater fishing. Ed Mashburn in his April Regional Outlook column points out that, in general, live minnows and jigs work well for crappie but each lake is different. Fishing a cork with a 1/32 oz jig under it is deadly for Lake Weiss slabs. Over at Lake Talquin in Florida, crickets, worms and small Beetle Spins in black with gold spinners can fill your cooler. For bass, it’s all about working brush piles, grass mats and banks with spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, chatterbaits, soft plastics, jigs and crankbaits like Rattle-L-Traps…or whatever works.

6 JANUARY 2020 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

CONTACT US: EDITORIAL | JoeBaya@greatdaysoutdoors.com ADVERTISING | SamHester@greatdaysoutdoors.com SUBSCRIPTIONS | greatdaysoutdoors@pcspublink.com Great Days Outdoors Media LLC PO Box 460248 Escondido, CA 92046 877. 314. 1237 info@greatdaysoutdoors.com www.greatdaysoutdoors.com All rights reserved. Reproduction of contents is strictly prohibited without permission from Great Days Outdoors Media, LLC.

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Great Days Outdoors Tribute to Mike Thompson BY DAVID THORNTON

Mike Thompson was a native “Mobilian” and lifelong sportsman (hunting and fishing) who had many longtime and devoted friends along with his family, which he cherished. He and his wife Nancy rode in the Joe Cain Procession, the “People’s Parade” held in Mobile on Sunday, February 23, 2020. The next day he started feeling ‘bad’ and was admitted to the hospital, diagnosed with the flu, and it quickly overcame him. He had some underlying health issues (CPD), but never let that stop him, or even slow down much from enjoying life to the fullest. Mike loved the outdoors, especially duck hunting! Living it and telling others about it, either through his reports or writing. And cooking! He enjoyed a good meal with family or friends and the good times that went with it. He was always taking pictures, good ones! To preserve memories and help tell his stories. Mike was a quintessential storyteller who could weave a tale masterfully to draw and hold an audience. He was a very multi-dimensional fellow with a quick wit and sharp eye (with a tongue to match ) lol And he was best known for his dominance in the Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo’s (ADSFR) Liar’s Contest. He won so many times they asked him not to participate for a while. But Mike’s stories and articles were never about him. He loved being around people and shared stories and himself with them. He was not pretentious and eagerly shared the limelight and his knowledge of the outdoors with others. He championed the causes of getting children involved with hunting and fishing and loved our veterans and other first responders and healthcare persons. Mike was a founding member of the Saltwater Sportsman’s club in Mobile during the 1980s and 90s. Then he, along with a group of dissatisfied inshore anglers formed the Alabama Coastal Fisherman’s’ Association (ACFA) in 1997. Mike was a guiding force for the club and served as its President for the first three years. He was determined to preserve the ACFA’s founding principles that encourage friendship, fellowship, sportsmanship and ethical conservation practices in fishing with special emphasis on providing a family-oriented environment. *Editor’s Note: Mike wrote the Great Days Outdoors Gulf Coast Fishing Outlook column for years. He will be sorely missed by all of us here at GDO and his loyal readers.

Dan Dannenmueller oversees a spread of rods as he spider rigs over a brush top on Lake Jordan.

8 APRIL 2020 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

FISHING

SPIDER RIGGING

for Post Spawn Crappie BY GREG MCCAIN

Spider rigging is an aptly named and highly efficient technique for catching crappie. Named after a vague resemblance to the appendages of an arachnid, the spider-rigging technique features a spread of rods that extend from the front and slightly to the sides of a boat. Anglers typically mount as many as eight rods in rod holders on the bow, dividing the set-up with an equal number on each side. Lines are fished vertically with ultra-long rods keeping lures away from the boat, better to avoid spooking fish. “It’s not the only way that I fish, but it’s almost always a consideration,” said Alabama tournament pro and guide Gerald Overstreet of Overstreet Guide Service, who practices the technique mainly on the Alabama River impoundments but also when he ventures outside his home area to tournaments. “It’s just an efficient way to catch fish. I like to cast and one-pole fish at times. But I can put out a (spider-rigging) spread of rods that covers abound 30 feet. That allows me to touch on just about all parts of any structure or cover that I am fishing,” Overstreet said. Overstreet is not alone in practicing spider-rigging. Yamaha pro Dan Dannenmueller also “spider rigs” regularly, whether close to his Wetumpka home on the Alabama River, on the lower Coosa or at a tournament venue. Dannenmueller, who teams with his wife Sue in tournament situations, likes the versatility of spider rigging. “There’s no doubt that spider rigging is one of the most effective means of covering water whether it’s a tournament situation, trying to local fish for a tournament, or for just fun fishing,” he said. “The multiple rods give you a great opportunity to put a bait in front of fish, and you can maneuver the boat to target the sweet spots of an area. “You might just hit that key area with one or two rods, but you can

effectively put baits in front of crappie while spider rigging. The odds are simply better with the multi-rod set-up as opposed to a one-pole approach,” Dannenmueller added. I have witnessed Overstreet practice his craft regularly on the Alabama River. At times, he confines his fishing to the bigger tributaries, while in other situations he targets crappie on the main river. Spider rigging works equally well in either situation. On a trip several years ago in Swift Creek, an Alabama River tributary west of Montgomery, Overstreet demonstrated his spider-rigging approach. He adorned a spread of six rods that day with a combination of lures and bait – jigs, jigs tipped with minnows, and plain minnow rigs – and eased his way from waypoint to waypoint on a creek channel, occasionally taking side trips along ditches that intersected with the channel. Based on his knowledge of the area and the images that appeared on his electronics, Overstreet could almost predict where the fish were holding and the exact rod he would catch them on. He dropped a steady stream of keeper-size crappie into the livewell as he trolled a “zig-zag” line down the contours of the channel. “The fish seem to be holding tight to cover today,” Oversight said. “That means I’m probably not going to catch them on the entire spread of rods. I also know that they are holding in about eight to 10 feet of water today, so I know which part of the stumps they will be around based on water depth. If the stump is a little shallower, they may be on the outside or deeper part. If the stump is on the drop, they might be on the inside of the slope. Spider rigging allows you to target those exact areas and depths where the fish are holding.” 877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // APRIL 2020 9

Spider Rigging for Post Spawn Crappie

Dan Dannenmueller catches plenty of crappie spider rigging in the spring and likes the versatility of the technique.

10 APRIL 2020 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

Spider Rigging for Post Spawn Crappie

On another trip with Dannenmueller in the same creek, he further illustrated the pinpoint precision possible with spider rigging. Standing timber dotted a point on the north bank of the creek, and Dannenmueller used an even more exaggerated zig-zag approach to target as many trees as possible. “You can see some of the fish on the electronics, but you just never know which tree might hold a concentration of fish,” Dannenmueller said. “I try to be precise with my boat positioning so that I give myself the greatest chance to get bit. “You have to be patient with this type of fishing. You can’t get in a hurry or you will end up with a spread of tangled lines. But it can also be rewarding as well.” Anglers typically fish from a near standstill up to about .7 mp while spider rigging and usually the colder the water the slower the approach. This month, spider rigging gives anglers a prime opportunity to catch fish in all phases of the spawn, and a tedious speed is not usually a consideration after the water warms into the 60s.

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Pre- and post-spawn crappie can be targeted at mid depths, from six to about 15 feet of water. “I’m likely to be spider rigging at this time of year on the Alabama River,” Overstreet said. “We’re likely to have some post-spawn fish all the way into May.” Overstreet rigs up to eight 14 or 16-foot B’n’M rods (the company now makes them up to 20 feet) and fills spinning reels with 10-pound test hi-vis mono. While ordinary rods will suffice in a pinch, the long specialty trolling rods made by B’n’M and other companies provide the boat clearance and line separation needed for spider rigging. To the end of the main line, Overstreet attaches a swivel and adds leaders to tie on a variety of minnow and jig rigs Tying his own double-minnow rigs, Overstreet runs a nine-inch dropper line with a #1 hook attached from the swivel and then adds a two-foot section of clear 10-pound test leader with an egg weight from ¼ to one oz. attached. For general purposes, a 1/2-oz. weight is a good all-around choice. Overstreet attaches another nine-inch leader below the weight with the second hook at the bottom. Overstreet also used a variety of double-jig and double Road Runner rigs, just about every head adorned with a different color of plastic and tipped with a minnow. He placed the rods in individual Driftmaster Stalker rod holders. “Spider rigging is just like any other type of fishing,” Overstreet said. “You have to see what the fish want, so I start off with a good blend of different types of baits, both minnows and jigs, and also different colors.” That versatility is one of the primary positives attributed to spider rigging.

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877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // APRIL 2020 11

Spider Rigging for Post Spawn Crappie

Good equipment, including rods, rod holders, trolling motor, and electronics, equate to spiderrigging success.

“I’m always going to use different combinations,” Dannenmueller said. He blends various sizes and colors of Road Runner jig heads, marketed by TTI-Blakemore , paired with Bobby Garland plastics, which cover the full color spectrum. Dannenmueller also occasionally tips with a minnow or uses a minnow rig while spider rigging. “That’s part of the beauty of spider rigging,” he said. “There’s really no right or wrong approach to lures and baits. The crappie will cue you in as to what they prefer on a given day.” The versatility extends into other areas as well. Overstreet often finds himself on the main run of the Alabama River, especially when he fishes that part known as Millers Ferry near Camden. Current pushes through the entire stretch of the river but is especially prevalent on Millers Filler. 12 APRIL 2020 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

“My rigging is somewhat similar although the current requires you to use heavier weights,” Overstreet said. “I almost always will start on the down current side of structure or a ledge and work my way into the current. You always fish from the down current side. “When the current is rolling, you have to put the nose of your boat into the current and come up on the downstream side. If you come from the upstream side, you’re going to have eight poles all hung up at once. You’re going to break your poles and everything else along with it. But if you come up from the downstream side, you can ease up and stop your trolling motor, what we call pushing. Push up to the pile and drop back. That’s a process you can do several times on a top.” Spider rigging is not just a presentation for deeper water, however. I’ve watched some of the best in the business scour water measured in inches rather than feet. A trip on Mississippi’s Grenada

Spider Rigging for Post Spawn Crappie

Lake several years ago with crappie-fishing legends Ronnie Capps and Steve Coleman illustrated that point. The big Mississippi crappie were at the peak of the spawn at the time, and Capps and Coleman pushed their boat with an eightrod spider rigging spread to the very back of every run-in, slough, and cut that we encountered. They literally caught fish after fish from the stained water of Grenada that was less than a foot deep. The possibilities extend to deeper water also. Alabama’s Lake Jordan is a perfect venue for deep-water spider rigging. The last impoundment on the Coosa chain, Jordan has some ultra-deep water where spider riggers drop their lines down to as much as 30 feet for crappie. Keeping lines untangled at that depth is a challenge, but it can be done at slow speeds. Other anglers opt for different rigging and for different lures. A few anglers never spider rig without a cork as a strike indicator, and the “pushing corks” technique remains popular in some circles. A few fishermen even use crankbaits on their spider-rig set-ups. The approach demands heavy weights to get the crankbaits to a suitable depth on a short line. Magnum tackle is also required to handle the heavier load. Other than tackle, the use of various other accessories makes spider rigging even more efficient. A quality trolling motor, either a digital model with a hand-held remote to control direction and speed or a more traditional hand

or foot controlled model, is mandatory. Newer fixed-positioning trolling motor technology, think Spot-Lock on a Minn Kota, also comes into play when the crappie require a slower approach. Quality electronics also makes spider rigging more effective. Both Overstreet and Dannenmueller run Garmin electronics with the new Panoptix LiveScope systems on their boats. “LiveScope is a game-changer for spider rigging or just about any other type of crappie fishing,” Overstreet said on a trip last spring. Regardless of the water fished, the type of boat used, or the choice of lures, spider rigging is a staple of the crappie fishing world. While it might appear to be rather cumbersome, the right equipment and a little experience reveal the ease of use and the true potential of the technique. Be careful with the presentation. You might get bit. CONTACT AND PRODUCT INFORMATION Gerald Overstreet Overstreet Guide Service, 251.589.3225 B’n’M – www.bnmpoles.com Driftmaster – www.driftmaster.com/ Stalker TTI-Blakemore – www.ttiblakemore.com

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251-433-3696 877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // APRIL 2020 13

Determining the

Best Spring and Summer Food Plots for deer and other wildlife BY CHARLES JOHNSON

14 APRIL 2020 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

HUNTING

Keeping forage available through the summer helps to improve your deer herd Many deer lease managers focus primarily on fall and winter food plots. However, deer and other wildlife can benefit from forage provided year-round even in the summer months. Certain seed varieties help provide nutritional supplements during the stress throughout the summer. One of the first steps in creating an attractive food plot for deer is quality seed advises Daniel Bumgarner of Wildlife Management Solutions (WMS). “We offer a variety of premium seed blends that will perform in any soil type around the state. The proper seed types and blends when planted correctly will provide nutritious forage throughout the summer months into deer season,” Bumgarner advised.

checked four deer, two does and two bucks. Even though we had several corn feeders placed over 500 acres all four deer had green in their stomachs. None had any corn.,” Smith and his crew understand the importance of having yearround green forage for deer. For summer food plots a seed blend choice WMS recommends is the Pea Patch. This blend is a mix of peas, beans, buckwheat and sunflowers. This blend will provide forage from late spring until the first frost. The buckwheat first emerges to provide early forage while the beans and sunflowers begin to grow. Sunflowers provide a climbing structure for the peas. There are three different varieties of peas that mature at different stages throughout the summer. Pea Patch blend can be planted at a rate of 40 pounds per acre. Soil should be evenly disked, and seed adequately broadcasted. Always perform a soil test and apply lime and fertilizer as indicated by test results. Drag or otherwise cover the seed evenly.

Deer lease manager, Matt Smith, of Clay County, Ala. has used WMS Alabama Blend the last two fall seasons.

Another seed choice for summer food plots is Lablab. It is like soybean and cowpeas. It is adapted to a wide variety of soils. It contains around 25 percent protein and is drought tolerant and adaptable to soil fertility. It will provide plenty of forage until the first frost.

“We plant the Alabama Blend in our larger food plots along the power line rights-of-way,” Smith commented. “This season we noticed something surprising. During the mid-season we

Using Liquid Fertilizer Most wildlife managers understand that in order to grow effectively all plants require three major nutrients; nitrogen, phos-

PEAS, BEANS, BUCKWHEAT AND SUNFLOWERS PROVIDE QUALITY DEER FORAGE FROM SPRING UNTIL THE FIRST FROST 877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // APRIL 2020 15

Determining The Best Spring And Summer Food Plots For Deer And Other Wildlife

CLARK’S PLOT NUTRIENTS PROVIDES BOTH FERTILIZER AND CALCIUM VITAL FOR EGGSHELL STRENGTH IN TURKEYS.

phorus and potassium. These are the basic nutrients in all fertilizers. Overall plant health translates to providing quality, nutritious forage for all types of wildlife.

soil nitrogen can move six to nine inches after a rain which means it is possible the plant roots may never receive any of the benefits of nitrogen.

Chris Grantham of Alabama Liquid Fertilizer explains the pros and cons of using liquid fertilizer versus granular fertilizers.

There is a time lag for the granular nutrients to melt into the soil before the plant roots can receive them. During this lag time wildlife like deer, turkey, quail and others are consuming a less than nutritious plant.

According ot Grantham one reason that liquid fertilizer like Clark’s Plot Nutrients is more efficient is because liquid fertilizer is applied as a foliar. Since it is directly applied to the foliage the plant can instantly begin absorbing and using the nutrients of the fertilizer. There is no waiting on soil moisture or rain to activate the fertilizer. In granular fertilizer applications the nutrients have to “melt” into the soil before the plant can utilize the fertilizer. In sandy

16 APRIL 2020 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

In addition, granular fertilizers are not consistent with nutrients in each granule. Plant roots can steer away from granular fertilizers that are high in nitrogen and phosphorous. Granular fertilizers are soil and pH dependent for the plant roots to utilize the nutrients. With a low soil pH level, the plant will not get all the benefits of the granular fertilizer.

Determining The Best Spring And Summer Food Plots For Deer And Other Wildlife

CLARKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S PLOT NUTRIENTS PROVIDES BOTH FERTILIZER AND CALCIUM VITAL FOR DEER ANTLER GROWTH

877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // APRIL 2020 17

Determining The Best Spring And Summer Food Plots For Deer And Other Wildlife

On the other hand, liquid fertilizers have the same amount of nutrients in each drop. Plants can absorb liquid fertilizers more efficiently. Leaves, stems, blooms and fruit can intake the liquid much faster than granular. With liquid fertilizer the plant begins utilizing the nutrients right away. As a result, deer munching on food plots fertilized with Clark’s Plots Nutrients begin benefitting from the enriched plants. Phosphorus is essential for rack growth in bucks. Grantham pointed out that there are two major factors in why liquid fertilizer is a wise choice for food plots. One, it makes the plants more palatable to wildlife. This means that the plants taste better. The second reason is the liquid fertilizer acts like a mineral lick. The product also provides calcium which is beneficial to deer and turkey and other wildlife. Calcium is an essential mineral to help in growing racks on bucks. Does also benefit from healthy development of fawns resulting in better fawn survival. Another consideration is that liquid fertilizers are less expensive than the granular form. Grantham says his product is around $20 per gallon. The amount of liquid fertilizer required is around 2 - 2 ½ gallons per acre. For a one-acre food plot the cost would be around $40 bucks.

LIL SLICK = BIG

RESULTS

Application is much easier with liquid fertilizers. An ATV style sprayer can be used to effectively spray a food plot in a short time. The liquid is fertilizer diluted with water. Users will need to determine the amount of liquid their sprayer is emitting. Liquid fertilizer can be applied when the plants are around three to six inches high. An average application of liquid fertilizers will last around two to three months. Also, depending on the plant species, liquid fertilizer can be used year-round. Grantham cautions that before you apply liquid fertilizer be sure wash out and clean the spray tank if it has been used with herbicides like Round-Up. Flush out pump, hoses and spray nozzles. For more information contact Alabama Liquid Fertilizer and Supply Inc at ALFandSupply@gmail.com.

Important Contact Information Wildlife Management Solutions: www.productsforwildlifemanagment.com/seeds/ Clarks Plot Nutrients: www.alfandsupply.com

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Oil Rig Fishing in the Gulf

Which One to Choose? BY ED MASHBURN

While targeting Oil Rigs in the gulf, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important to monitor Satellite Imagery and look for areas where weed lines may form.

20 APRIL 2020 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

FISHING

Early Days- a Few Floaters, Today- Many, but Movable

At one time, Gulf of Mexico big game anglers could locate massive oil drilling rigs, which are fish magnets in the deep blue Gulf if ever there were ones, and anglers could rest assured knowing that a particular rig would be a permanent resident at that first-found location. Of course, down through the years, big game anglers have found that the city-size drill rigs are reliable producers of big fish, and are probably many anglers’ best bet for finding and catching big fish for tournaments. Traveling the long runs to the rigs was a good investment of time, fuel, and effort. However, many of the far offshore rigs now are “floaters”, rigs that despite their massive size, can be moved when needed and which often are moved. It’s a frustrating thing for a boat load of eager anglers to put in coordinates for a traditionally good rig, make the long, expensive run out in the Gulf only to find that the massive oil drilling rig has been moved somewhere totally different. In addition to the massive floating drill rigs, there are also drill ships and semi-submersible rigs resulting in a wide range of big drill rigs which attract big fish, and can be moved at short notice to a completely different location. So big game anglers who want to use the floating offshore rigs for their fishing trips need some way to keep up with exactly where the floating drill rigs are located. 877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // APRIL 2020 21

Oil Rig Fishing in the Gulf - Which One to Choose?

Drill ships move without notice. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important to have an updated Oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico Map to stay with Pelagic species like this Dolphin.

22 APRIL 2020 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

Oil Rig Fishing in the Gulf - Which One to Choose?

How Successful Captains Choose a Good Floater One of the things that offshore big game anglers find out very quickly is that not all floater drill rigs produce fish at the same rate and level. There are differences in the rigs and their locations, and this can make a major effect in the fishing results. Captain Devin Potts operates the Sea Mixer, a 66-foot long Spencer Yachts boat based out of Orange Beach, and, depending on structure and location, can be fish magnets. “Sometimes, the location of a rig in the Gulf can be very important. A lot of floater rigs are close to underwater seamounts, and then the rigs work like fish attracting devices. Rigs can fire off with a great bite, and there’s no rhyme or reason,” Potts said. “But I’d say that there are rigs and places that are just good places. Through the years, you see the floaters that really produce. For instance, the floater Independence Hub is good, but it’s being moved.” “There are all sorts of rigs in the Gulf. The drillships work and then move on to another job. The rigs that are permanent, you can get an honest read on them, and they tend to put a floater at that spot. The longer a floater rig is in a place, the better.” “I look at Hilton’s to find pretty water and good current. I still say a lot of studying of what you see when you get to rigs makes a big difference,” Potts added. Captain Kyle Smith runs a 63-foot private offshore boat also out of Orange Beach and he feels that anglers who utilize technology and pay

CCA AL Spring Events April 25th Orange Beach April 30th Montgomery May 7th Birmingham

attention to water temperature, current and bait presence may have an advantage when it comes to tournament time. “We look at telemetry, chlorophyll in the water, and water temperature, and we always use Hilton’s RealTime Navigator. Hilton’s is accurate and we look at it before every trip. That’s who we trust,” Smith said. When arriving at a floating drill rig, Smith points out that he always looks for good current in the area and bait on the surface. Finding bait on the surface is always a good sign that big fish are around, and it’s easier for catching bait.” Using Hilton’s Realtime Navigator to Track the Movements of Platforms and Select the most Productive Rigs Because the open Gulf is so vast it makes it difficult for any single angler to keep track of drilling rigs and their potential locations and to identify high potential big-game fishing sites and opportunities. This is where Hilton’s comes in. Hilton’s RealTime Navigator is a system which provides a wide range of information for anglers to use in their planning for offshore fishing trips. When it comes to keeping track of the floating drill rigs, Hilton’s is indispensable. “Hilton’s spends thousands of dollars to the best AIS service to track the movements of the drill ships/semi-submersibles real time. The number of rigs vary from week to week due to rigs going inshore for service, heading out of the Gulf of Mexico to other locations, etc. But on

Show Your Support for Alabama’s Coastal Fishing & Marine Resources. All proceeds from your TAX DEDUCTIBLE purchase are used for marine conservation in Coastal Alabama.

For more info on the events or CCA Alabama www.ccaalabama.org 251-478-3474 877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // APRIL 2020 23

Oil Rig Fishing in the Gulf - Which One to Choose?

average we are tracking around 35 structures each week. This is in addition to hundreds of spars, surface platforms, and other structures we are tracking,” says Hilton founder and president Thomas, Hilton. “We show the rig/floater locations on top of various imageries so that subscribers can ascertain what the current conditions are at that location before heading out there. Water color, sea surface temperature, surface currents, and yes, altimetry all play a role in why the fish are at one location and not the other,” Hilton said.

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“The biggest advantage anglers gain from specific rig locations is being able to make a call on where to go based on ALL the variables, and yes, drillship and semi-submersible locations are one variable in the equation,” Hilton noted. “I recommend to all of my subscribers to contact me directly before they head out if they are going to fish distant floaters, as I can confirm their latest positions to ensure they are actually in position as shown on the site. They pick up and move without giving us any notice!” Hilton pointed out that floaters can actually

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Oil Rig Fishing in the Gulf - Which One to Choose?

Big Tuna are found regularly while Oil Rig Fishing in the Gulf.

“THERE WILL BE BLOOD”

THERMAL NIGHT create conditions that can make the bite better. “It has been my experience that drill ships/semi-submersibles have shown to create their own currents with the DPS (Dynamic Positioning Systems) which often spurs the bite. I sent one of my subscribers to Gunnison Spar over here off Texas last year. There was a drillship positioned about one mile north of it. He fished the spar first which was absolutely dead. Then he headed over to the drillship which was on fire. The conditions were no different between the two structures in that short of a distance. The only difference I could ascertain was the currents created by the DPS.”

HUNTS

IN ALABAMA

And this is why it is so crucial for offshore anglers to have accurate up to date information- conditions and rig positions change often. When Hilton’s subscribers call the office for advice and direction, they don’t speak to someone who knows nothing about fishing. When the phone rings at Hilton’s, Tom Hilton answers, and he finds the information captains and anglers need. Important Contact Information Hilton’s RealTime Navigator www.realtime-navigator.com 713-530-2267

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www.HOGRUSH.com 877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // APRIL 2020 25

IN 2018, MARK DANIELS, JR., WON A TOUR EVENT ON THE BASSMASTER ELITE SERIES AT LAKE OAHE AND PROVED HE COULD COMPETE WITH THE BEST OF THE BEST IN PROFESSIONAL BASS FISHING.

26 APRIL 2020 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

FISHING

Bassing Alabama with Mark Daniels, Jr. BY JOHN E. PHILLIPS

Mark Daniels Jr. enjoys bass fishing new Alabama lakes and has a plan to be successful. According to Mark Daniels, Jr., of Tuskegee, Alabama, he never had any doubts as to what he wanted to be when he grew up. “I’ve always wanted to be a tournament bass fisherman, and there was never any other profession I even considered. When other friends of mine talked about wanting to be firemen or police officers and asked me what I wanted to be, I always would say I wanted to be a tournament bass fisherman,” Daniels said. “I’m often asked, how my family deals with my being gone months at a time like when I’m fishing New York, Minnesota and those other northern lakes. My being gone is tough on them, but tournament bass fishing is like any other professional sport. You have to go where the tournaments are held, however, my family does get to travel with me some of the time. Although I’m gone often, I’m off for some months of the year usually from October through the end of January. I try to spend a lot of time with my family during that time.” Thirty-eight year old Mark Daniels, Jr., first gained national recognition when he won the Bass Federation National Championship in 2013 and has seen his career skyrocket ever since. He began tournament fishing when only 11-years old, after entering a small bass-club tournament where he lived and has fished every bass tournament possible since then. That angling devotion has earned him $778,000 after fishing the FLW circuit, the Bassmaster Elite Series and the Major League Fishing (MLF) circuits the past six years, fi-

nishing 5th in the 2019 Bassmaster Classic and 1st at the Elite Series tournament at Lake Oahe in South Dakota. ” Daniels moved from California six years ago to Tuskegee for two reasons: his wife Taneisha is from Tuskegee, and because Alabama is centrally located for most of the bass tournaments he fishes. Daniels points out that he is within a 10-hour drive of any of the lakes that MLF holds tournaments on, except when the tournaments make a northern swing. Those tournaments require a 20-hour drive and Daniels stays north until the tournaments return to the South. In addition Daniels moved to Alabama because the state homes highland reservoirs, lowland reservoirs, expansive river systems and plenty of fishing water that he can fish all year long. “In some northern states you can’t fish for bass during the winter months. However, here in Alabama, we may forget how lucky we are to be able to fish for bass for 12 months each year in lakes and rivers that home plenty of bass and a good number of big bass,” Daniels mentioned. HOW DANIELS FISHES A NEW LAKE Although Daniels lives 90-miles away from the 9,870-acre Lake Wedowee, on the Tallapoosa River near Auburn, he’s never fished there. He recently fished Lake Wedowee and shares with “GDO” readers how he finds bass on a lake he’s never previously fished. * LEARN FROM LAKE MAPS AND DEPTH FINDERS “One question I’m always asked is how I locate bass on a lake I’ve never fished, especially in the spring,” Daniels explained. “One of the most-important pieces of equipment I use to locate bass on a

877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // APRIL 2020 27

Bassing Alabama with Mark Daniels, Jr.

“WHEN I FISHED LAKE WEDOWEE, I CAUGHT A NUMBER OF SPOTTED BASS AND ONE REALLY-NICE LARGEMOUTH ON A RAT-L-TRAP IN THE CHRISTMAS TREE COLOR,” MARK DANIELS, JR..

new lake is a lake map. You can use a paper lake map, but for me, the quickest and easiest maps to use are the ones in my Garmin depth finder.”

“I use these two maps for two reasons, for navigation and to see offshore structure I may want to fish before I get to where I’m going,” Daniels said.

“The first thing I look for is the clearest water I can pinpoint, even on a very-stained lake,” Daniels explained. “I like to start off fishing reaction-type baits like crankbaits, chatter baits and spinner baits to try to get bass to bite what they see or to go toward the vibration they feel or the sounds they hear. In stained water, I like to use bright-colored baits, and I’ll usually start off with some type of red crankbait. Once I start fishing for bass, I let the first bass tell on the rest of the bass. That first bass I catch will help me know at what depth of water, what style of bait and what color of bait the bass prefer on the day I’m fishing.”

FIND THE MOST-CLEAR WATER AND KNOW THE LURES TO FISH. The water at Lake Wedowee was very-stained when Daniels recently fished it and that meant looking for clearer water.

FISH ROCKY POINTS FIRST AND KNOW THE BASS’S SEASONAL MIGRATION PATTERNS Daniels pointed out that anglers need to search for obvious pla-

Daniels runs two Garmin depth finders on his console with one map zoomed out and the other map zoomed in to where he’s fishing.

28 APRIL 2020 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

Bassing Alabama with Mark Daniels, Jr.

REGARDLESS OF WHERE MLF FISHES, I ALWAYS LIKE TO FIND AND CATCH CHUNKY SPOTTED BASS LIKE WE HAVE IN ALABAMA,” MARK DANIELS, JR.

ces where bass should be. He likes to begin fishing on rocky points since both spotted and some good-sized largemouth bass should be holding there at any time of year. He notes that when the bass first move up to spawn, they’ll often stage on points before they begin moving into morelshallow water to spawn. “So, if you’re fishing a new lake, you need to know where the bass should be on their seasonal migration pattern from deep water to staging areas to spawning places. Oftentimes when the bass first start to move up to spawn, they’ll be on points of the main river, next they’ll move to the secondary points inside creeks and coves and then go to the shallow areas further up in a creek,” Daniels said. As the bass move from points to spawning flats, they’ll feed heavily to get their bodies in condition to spawn.” BOAT RAMPS Many anglers realize that rocky banks and concrete boat ramps will generally warm-up first, as the time is moving toward the spawn. Daniels pointed out that the hard, flat surfaces of boat ramps hold the sun’s heat which causes algae to form. The algae is what the shad feed on and the bass follow the shad. The ramp’s most shallow parts with warm-up first so that’s where to fish first. “I like to throw a square-billed Bill Lewis SB-57 crankbait that I’ve designed that dives from three to six feet deep, especially when a cold front hits in the early spring, and on and around boat ramps in April,” Daniels said. “This square-billed, hand-painted 3/8-ounce lure has an internal rattle system that produces a subtle, one-knocking noise that’s not too loud and not too soft to call fish in dirty water and low-light conditions. It is also perfectly weighted for a slower ascent, so that it stays in the strike zone longer when paused, giving fish more time to bite.”

Daniels says that since the square-billed crankbait is bouncing around and on the concrete and rocks, in order to ensure that he doesn’t lose fish, he reties the rig often. “Retying crankbaits regularly often may mean the difference in telling the story about a big bass that got away or pulling a nice-sized bass into your boat when you’re fishing a tournament or showing it off to your family and friends,” Daniels noted. “Another lure with the potential to always produce in April is a shallow-running jerkbait that I’ll fish fairly fast. If the bass aren’t taking it fast, I’ll slow down the jerkbait and let it start to float up some before I start jerking it again. I also like when fishing a boat ramp or a point to use a Rat-L-Trap. I grew up in California fishing a Rat-L-Trap, because it will catch almost any fish that swims. You can fish it very shallow or sink it and fish it very deep,” Daniels said. “I’ll also use the Rat-L-Trap as a search bait to locate schools of bass. I’ll fish it almost any time of the year in both shallow and deep water. One of my favorite colors for the stained water that we Alabamians often encounter in the spring, is a red with black back and glitter, a color called Christmas Tree. This color Rat-L-Trap is made exclusively for Bass Pro Shops.” Yet another advantage of fishing boat ramps Daniels has found is that these places are where many anglers release the bass they’ve caught and kept in their livewells that day. Heavily-used boat ramps on lakes where many tournaments are held often will be where all the bass caught in a tournament have been released.

877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // APRIL 2020 29

Bassing Alabama with Mark Daniels, Jr.

WHAT’S DANIELS’S FAVORITE EQUIPMENT FOR BASS FISHING * Rod - Daniels uses a parabolic rod and especially likes those made by the Favorite Rod Company. “What I mean by a parabolic rod is a rod that’s not too stiff,” Daniels reported. “Many anglers who fish for really-big bass will be fishing with a very-heavy rod with little or no give to it. I want a rod that has a lot of tip to it (soft tip), so that when the bass attacks the lure, that tip will let the bass get the lure deeper in its mouth before I set the hook. That soft tip is an important key when I’m ready to land some of these bigger bass.” * Lines and Reels - Daniels uses either 17 or 20 pound-test Seaguar InvizX Fluorocarbon line and a 6:1 baitcasting reel.

“I TRULY ENJOY BEING A TOURNAMENT FISHERMAN AND FISHING EVERYWHERE WITH THE MAJOR LEAGUE FISHING, BUT I PREFER TO FISH LAKES LAY, JORDAN AND MARTIN IN ALABAMA WHEN I’M AT HOME,” MARK DANIELS, JR.

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“I believe that a high-speed reel causes your bait to move too fast for a bass to chase it and eat it,” Daniels explained. “I‘m often asked, ‘Why are you using fluorocarbon instead of braided line?’ The answer is simple. I don’t want to overreact and set the hook too fast. Fluorocarbon has a little bit more stretch than braided line does but not as much stretch as monofilament line does. “My favorite reel is a Bass Pro Shops Johnny Morris Platinum Signature 6:1 reel. I like that reel because it’s

Bassing Alabama with Mark Daniels, Jr.

a medium retrieve and isn’t as fast as a 7:1 or an 8:1 reel. Of course, you can fish a 7:1 reel, and you’ll probably be okay. However, you’ll have to slow your retrieve down if you’re fishing a 7:1. That’s the reason I like a 6:1 reel because I don’t have to think about slowing my retrieve down to catch a bass. The reel handles that problem for me.” * Electronics Daniels prefers to use Garmin electronics because he feels they’re ahead of other types of electronics, are well respected and is considered to be a leader in the fishing, navigation and aviation industries. Award winning products like the Panoptix LiveScope and a new type of trolling motor substantiate that opinion. “Although there are many features I really like about the Garmin electronics, the features I like the best on the 7612 Garmin electronics are the three different types of sonars I can have running - traditional 2-D sonar (downscanning and side screening like other companies have) and Clear View, where I can see everything around my boat that’s underwater that I can’t see with my eyes,” Daniels said. When Daniels is scouting for places to fish, he doesn’t want to fish any potential bass-holding structure that he may want to fish later. One feature Daniels really likes is LiveScope, a view that looks out in front of the boat and is mounted on the trolling motor. “I can turn it any way I want to look at the bottom or anything underwater by simply turning the trolling motor. So, if I see fish, brush, rocks or any other type of structure in front of my boat, I‘ve got time to choose the rod and the lure I want to use to cast to those bass before I get close to them,”

Daniels explained. “I don’t get too close to the fish either and possibly spook them before my boat goes over the top of them. If there’s more than one bass on that spot, I can hold my boat off that location and continue to cast to the fish and catch them, until they stop biting” Daniels also learned that his Garmin electronics allow him to keep his boat well away from any big fishing structure under the water in front of him. He can use his LiveScope to look all the way around the structure to see more bass that may be holding on the structure or some kind of bottom break that he can’t spot while side-scanning or down-scanning. LiveScope also allows Daniels to see how and where the bass are relating to that structure, whether the fish are on top of it, off to the side of it or inside the structure. All that information is critical to being able to catch more fish from the structure he’s found. Follow Mark Daniels’ advice to bass fish some of his favorite Alabama lakes, including Lake Jordan, Lay Lake and Lake Martin that’s closest to his home.

Contact Information Mark Daniels, Jr - www.facebook.com/MarkDanielsJr Garmin - www.buy.garmin.com Rat-L-Trap -www.rat-l-trap.com Bass Pro Shops - www.basspro.com/shop/en/bill-lewis-original-rat-l-trap Favorite Rod Company - www.favoriteusa.com Seaguar InvizX Fluorocarbon line - www.seaguar.com/invizx Bass Pro Shops Johnny Morris Platinum Signature 6:1 reel www.basspro.com

877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // APRIL 2020 31

BY www.himtnjerky.com

Recipe and Photo courtesy of High Mountain Seasonings

Stuffed Pork Tenderloin Stuffed with Spinach & Sun-Dried Tomatoes Makes 4-6 Servings Ingredients

• • • • • • • • • •

3 to 4 - pound pork or venison tenderloin Hi Mountain Garlic Pepper Rub 4 cups fresh spinach, chopped (or, substitute 12 oz. frozen spinach, thawed and drained well) 1/4 cup prepared Hi Mountain Sun Dried Tomato Dip Mix 1 teaspoon salt 6 leaves basil 4 cloves garlic, peeled 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar 3 Tablespoons olive oil 6 pieces of butcher’s twine, cut into 8-inch strips

Instructions

Place the basil, salt, garlic and balsamic vinegar into a food processor. Turn the processor on and slowly add one Tablespoon olive oil until blended. Put this mixture into a bowl and fold in the chopped spinach to complete the filling. Butterfly the loin and spread the Sun Dried Tomato Dip Mix on the meat. Press the filling onto the pork loin and roll. Tie 5-6 strings of the butcher’s twine around the loin to hold the filling in and to hold the rolled shape. Season the rolled loin with Hi Mountain Garlic Pepper Rub. Heat a large, oven-proof skillet with 2 Tablespoons olive oil and brown all sides of the loin. Add 2 cups of vegetable stock to the skillet, cover with foil, and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing. While the pork is resting, simmer the drippings in the skillet to make a reduction sauce to drizzle over the pork.

32 APRIL 2020 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

ALL ALABAMA TURKEY HUNTERS

GAME CHECK IS MANDATORY

All hunters are required to report their turkey harvest using Game Check, which will help the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources effectively manage wildlife for generations. Check your harvest at OutdoorAlabama.com/GameCheck or by using the official ADCNR mobile app Outdoor AL Search OUTDOOR AL on your app store!

877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // APRIL 2020 33

34 APRIL 2020 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

FISHING

The 2020

FLORA-BAMA

FISHING RODEO r e v E ” t s e nn u F “ e h T BY WILLIAM KENDY

From the Gulf coast of Texas all the way around the “Big Bend” down to the south west shores of Florida there is no lack of saltwater fishing tournaments held on the Gulf of Mexico With all of the competition vying for angler participation and tournament visitors why is the three-day Flora-Bama Fishing Rodeo so popular? Good Question. It isn’t the oldest. The 2020 Port Aransas Deep Sea Roundup in Texas will hold its 85th tournament while the 2020 Flora-Bama tournament is only in its seventh year. It’s not the largest. The Destin Fishing Rodeo draws over 35,000 participants and visitors, significantly more than the FBFR. While the winners of the Flora-Bama tournament collect over 100,000 in cash and awards, it’s certainly not the highest “pay-out” tournament in the circuit. So What is the Deal? Before we get into what the Flora-Bama Fishing Rodeo offers that results in its wide-spread, fun-loving popularity, let’s talk about the Flora-Bama Lounge and Oyster Bar itself. Originally built in 1964 just off the newly constructed highway connecting Orange Beach AL with Perdido Key, Fl. the FloraBama, straddles the state line between Alabama and Florida. At that time Baldwin county on the Alabama side was a “dry” county and Escambia county on the Florida side was “wet”. Consequently, there were slim pickings regarding available “watering holes” and the F-B ponied up and delivered. At the “Bama” you could legally quench your thirst while at the same time enjoy a beautiful view of the Gulf. In 2004 hurricane Ivan did a number on the F-B and the direct hit destroyed the main entrance and most of the bar. After years of rebuilding (much of it with the original material) the Flora-Bama now features five different stages each sometimes simulta-

neously playing different music. They have featured headliners such as Jimmy Buffet, Kenny Chesney and others. Today, the “Bama” has been labeled as “The best watering hole in the country”, describes itself as a “5-Star Honky-Tonk” and is a place where locals mingle with tourists, millionaires sit next to bikers and military service people and everyone has fun and enjoys the mutual company. Open 365 days a year, in addition to offering music and performances the Flora-Bama hosts both annual and one-time events. “Throughout the year we offer different events ranging from free bingo, community potlucks, different kinds of athletic races, contests, the legendary Mullet Toss, the Santa Drop and Easter Egg Hunt for the kids, beach concerts and, of course, the Flora-Bama Fishing Rodeo, “said Flora-Bama Marketing Director Jenifer Parnell. “We even hold two church services every Sunday with a live band and yes, the bar is open. We have between 500-700 people per service. “We offer a little bit for all ages and walks of life,” Parnell added. It’s Fishing Rodeo Time The Flora-Bama Fishing Rodeo is a three-day Captains Choice tournament with approximately 900 anglers competing for prizes in categories from catfish to bill fish and everything in between. The 2020 tournament is scheduled for Friday June 12 through Sunday, June 14. Thousands of visitors visit daily to view the weighing in of catches and participate in the three-day festivities. For information on divisions, categories and fees go to www. florabamafishingrodeo.com. Parnell attributes the success of the Flora-Bama Fishing Rodeo, referred to as “the funnest fishing tournament on the Gulf Coast” 877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // APRIL 2020 35

The 2020 Flora-Bama Fishing Rodeo…the “Funnest” Ever

to a number of different pillars in the tournaments marketing model. “We’re all about charging a low entrance fee to make sure that anyone who wants to can enter the tournament and have the chance to win tons of great prizes,” Parnell explained. “We want to make sure that participants can fish from wherever they want, be that a dock or pier, a beach, wading the surf, a kayak or any other type of boat in shallow or deep water, how and wherever they choose. We wanted to make sure to include everyone, from kids up to 100-year-olds and we crafted our categories to include and accommodate them.” To that end, the FBFR features over 40 categories in the adult and kids’ division of fish to catch, with 1st, 2nd and 3rd place prize packages for each category and both divisions. Parnell pointed out that kids can compete in the adult division if they choose. They just need to pay the adult entry fee. “We also offer competitive divisions, such as the King Mackerel Championship, the Speckled Trout Championship and the Red Snapper Jackpot where anglers can “fish up” by paying more to compete at higher levels or by boat to win prizes or bigger bucks,” Parnell said. “For all the people entering the tournament, the entry fee is low, categories are vast, and the prizes are excellent,” Parnell summarized. “The goal of FBFR is to allow people of all different backgrounds and ages the opportunity to enter the tournament without breaking the bank, have a real shot at competing and winning prizes and provide a fun experience at a very cool place while doing it.” Angelo DePaola earns his living as a real estate broker/agent for the Coastal Connection in Orange Beach, Alabama. He is also a proud father of two kids, an avid “offshore guy” and is passionate about and devoted to the Flora-Bama Fishing Rodeo, especially the kids and family aspects. DePaola has been involved with the rodeo since its inception and is on his 7th term as the tournament president. He agrees with Parnell that the success of the FloraBama Fishing Rodeo is largely a combination of the low entry fees, large and diverse species categories, the stellar prizes and awards and the coolness and fun of the F-B venue itself. “When you combine our entry fees, available age groups, categories, prizes and sponsors, location and venue with everything that the Flora-Bama has to offer, it makes for a truly unique situation and experience,” DePaola said. Kids and Causes According to DePaola, when they decided to step up the tournament to another level by establishing a kid’s division with categories, they had no clue how it would go over and if kids and families would even get involved or to what extent. Much to their delight the kids and family side of the coin was embraced and currently, the tournament growth is coming from that sector not the adult side. “We didn’t anticipate how big the kid’s side was and what the categories for kids should be,” DePaola said. “They get to participate in the tournament, compete for prizes and weight-in with everyone else just like they were a grown-up and it’s fun for them.”

36 APRIL 2020 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

The 2020 Flora-Bama Fishing Rodeo…the “Funnest” Ever

“We have a passion for encouraging young people to fish the tournament and watching them compete and develop skills. We try to create an atmosphere that supports them getting involved in fishing, provide an affordable means for young people to get outside, build relationships, talk fishing and have fun instead of just sitting at home playing computer games,” DePaola said. “It also allows the whole family, dads, moms and all the children to get involved and have fun..” “After all, our kids are the future of fishing”. Giving Back The Flora-Bama Fishing Rodeo isn’t just all fun and games. It is also a fundraiser for Operation ReConnect, a charitable organization that provides a free week long vacation to a family after their military service family member has been deployed a long way away from home. As soon as they return from deployment Operation ReConnect brings them to Gulf Shores, Orange Beach or Perdido Key to spend a week reconnecting as a family. “We donate a portion of ticket sales back to this charity and they are our volunteers for the event as well, “said Parnell. “You‘ll see them wearing their branded Operation ReConnect shirts all weekend, getting ice, helping people unload fish and help where they are needed.” At the End of the Day… “We propose that the Flora-Bama Fishing Rodeo is the “Funnest” tour-

nament because we have an awesome environment for fishing and weigh-in. You have the beautiful beach in front of you, live music, cold drinks and delicious food,” Parnell said. “Participants have a real shot at competing, winning prizes and having a fun time doing it. We have fun things going on for spectators as well, like a crawfish eating contest and animals from the zoo for the kids to play with and other youth programs plus a sponsor area for people to shop for clothing and artwork. That’s why the Flora-Bama Fishing Rodeo is the “Funnest” tournament on the Gulf Coast.

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850-832-2238 877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // APRIL 2020 37

Spr g

S e

SINCE 1918

6 pack veggies & 6 pack flowers

4 for $10 April 1 - 11th at participating co-ops

Assorted veggies, herbs, and flowers. Selections may vary..

A. Ant A, B, D, F, H, I, J

Aphid A, F, G, I

Armyworm A, B, C, D, F, H, I, J

Bagworm C, G, I

Billbug B, E, H

Triple Action 8 oz. 12244FL AFC #680449

PT. 12245FL AFC #680452

Kill-A-Bug II 2.5# 32314HY AFC #685692 Also available in 10# and 20#

Also available in Qt. & 32 oz. RTS

Chinch Ant Bug A, B, D, E, F, H, I, J

Cockroach Aphid A, F, JI A, D, F, G,

Colorado Potato Beetle Armyworm

I I, J A, B, A, C, C, D, D, F, H,

Cricket Bagworm A, C, D, G, F, I,I J

Cucumber Beetle Billbug A, E, D,HI B,

Broad Spectrum Insecticide

8 oz. Spray 32027HY AFC #686522

16 oz. 10291FL AFC #680060

Also available in Pt., Qt. and Gal.

32 oz. RTS 10292FL AFC #680452

Earwig A, I, J

Fire Ant B, D, H, I, J

Flea A, B, D, F, H, I, J

Fly F, I

32 oz. RTU 10293FL AFC #680064

Gnat A, F, I

Spinosad Bagwork Insect Control

Japanese Beetle A, D, E, F, G, I

Leaf Hopper A, B, D, G, H, I, J

Leaf Minor A, c, D, F, G, H, I

Mexican Bean Beetle

Bug Blaster II 11.5# 33326HY AFC #685406 23# 33327HY AFC #685408

8 oz. 40690NG AFC #680465

Grub A, D, E, I, J

55% Malathion

Pt. 40691NG AFC #680467

Also available in Qt. & 32 oz. RTS

D. Mite A, F, G, I

Mole Cricket B, E, H, I, J

Mosquito A, F, I

Moth C, D, F, G, I

Garden and Pet Dust

1# 32201HY AFC #685675

Pine Tip Moth I

Garden, Pet & Livestock Spray 8 oz. 32004HY AFC #686436

4# 32202HY AFC #685680

Pt. 32005HY AFC #686438 Qt. 32006HY AFC #686440

Scale A, G, I

Silverfish D, F, J, K

Slug D

Sod Webworm B, C, H, I

Sowbug B, D, F, H, I, J

Grub Free Zone II 15# 0.2% 33054HY AFC #685650 30# 0.2% 33056HY AFC #685652 10# 0.5% 33058HY AFC #685656

Black Widow Spider D, F

Thrips A, C, D, F, G, I

Tick A, B, F, H, I, J

Whitefly A, D, F, G, I

Bedbug D, F & Many others

Vegetable & Ornamental Insect Control 1# 32327HY AFC #686151 4# 32325HY AFC #686154

A Full Line of Beekeeping Supplies Available at Your Co-op Bee Smoker AFC #417269

Sunfilm Silage Wrap

Croplan PM 4611 BMR

It has excellent cling – wraps bales air tight for the duration of storage. In addition, it helps you to prevent attacks by bugs, mold, and harmful bacteria.

Best in class digestibility with leafy compact structure. Extremely uniform height with high yield potential and quick drydown. Resistant to surgarcane aphid, strong disease tolerance and no prussic acid.

Beekeeping Tyvek Coverall Large AFC #417276

Hive10 AFC #417264

The world that bees create inside of their hives is largely self-sufficient, requiring monitoring more than intervention. The infrastructure and hierarchy they create is breathtaking creation requiring not much more time and effort than a garden. Since their flight and foraging patterns include up to 8,000 acres of land, the entire community is helping feed your hive while the bees are pollinating their plants.

Poly Bailer Twine

Sisal Baler Twine

7,000, 9,000 or 20,000

9,000 square or 16,000 big round

Net Wrap

Orange/White, Green & White Sizes 48”, 51”, 64” and 67”

Bee Conservation. Plant Pollination. Honey Production. Beekeeping might be simpler than you think!

ALAFARM DOG FOOD

Co-op laying pellets

Premium Adult Dog Food 26-18

CO-OP 16% EGG RATION PELLETS OR CRUMBLES

26% Protein - 18% Crude Fat - 50 lb. bag

This feed is formulated to be fed to mature laying hens with free roaming access.

24% Protein - 20% Crude Fat - 50 lb. bag

This feed is formulated to be fed to mature laying hens with free roaming access.

High Energy Dog Food 24-20 Maintenance Dog Food 21-8

21% Protein - 8% Crude Fat - 50 lb. bag

Puppy Food 30-20

30% Protein - 20% Crude Fat - 25 lb. bag

WB-6S Cu. ft. Wheelbarrow

CO-OP 18% LAYING PELLETS OR CRUMBLES CO-OP 22% LAYING PELLETS

$109.99

This feed is formulated for maximum egg production and hen growth. It contains excellent protein and energy levels for game birds and birds under stress that have higher nutritional requirements.

#85723 AFC #470018

Solo® #425 Backpack Sprayer

300g Pasture Sprayer

Quick-lock Directional Tripod Feeder (30 gallons)

* 300-gal. poly tank. * PTO-driven, 8 roller pump. * Sprayer features jet agitation so you get a uniform application.

* Pressure Regulator & a TeeJet AA17L valve that lets you turn the nozzles on/off right from the tractor seat.

$86.89 AFC #404832

Hedge Shears

Ditch Bank Blade Wood Handle

Wood Handles

$32.59

$11.36 #DT-1640 AFC #400037

AFC #416791

Trophy Rock

$169.99

Hi-Yield Turf & Ornamental Weed & Grass Stopper

Keep Antlers Growing. 20 lb. rock AFC #407100

AFC #458778 Digital Timer Programs up to 6 feed times per day. BackSpin technology. Battery and feed level indicators. Hopper attaches qith Quick-Lock modular system.

#WP-3220 AFC #470406

Use in ornamental grass areas and established lawns. Can be applied 4 weeks later than other pre-emergences. 12 lb. bag. Contains Dimension

Chapin Home & Garden 1 Gal. Sprayer

#Hy33030 AFC#687930

Poly Tank. Adjustable spraying nozzle. Also available in 2 Gal.

$12.99

AFC #624064

WEDNESDAYS • 5 P.M. CENTRAL Sunday, Central Time

Alabama Stations and times

T E L E V I S I O N S H O W

Market Montgomery Mobile Dothan Birmingham Columbus, GA Huntsville

Station WSFA-TV 12 WPMI-TV WTVY-TV 4 WBMA-TV 33/40 WLTZ-TV 38 WAFF-TV 48

Time 6 AM 6 AM 6:30 AM 6:30 AM 6:30 AM 9 AM

www.SimplySouthernTV.net

www.alafarm.com

MID STATE STOCKYARD

Contact your local CO-OP store for all of your farming, hunting, or gardening needs! Albertville Altha, FL Andalusia Arab Ashford Ashville Athens Atmore Blountstowon, FL Centre Columbiana Courtland Crossville Decatur Demopolis Elba Elberta Enterprise Faunsdale Fayette Florala Florence Frisco City Geneva Goshen Greenville Haleyville Hamilton Hartford Hartselle Hazel Green Headland Holly Pond Jacksonville Jasper Jay, FL Leighton Leroy Lineville Live Oak, FL Luverne Lynnville, TN Madison, FL Meridianville Moulton Northport Notasulga Oneonta Opp Pell City Piedmont Pulaski, TN Rainsville Rogersville Scottsboro Selma Stevenson Talladega Troy Tuscumbia Wedowee Wetumpka

256-878-3261 850-762-3161 334-222-1851 256-586-5515 334-899-3263 205-594-7042 256-232-5500 251-368-2191 850-674-8194 256-927-3135 205-669-7082 256-637-2939 256-528-7188 256-353-4663 334-289-0155 334-897-6972 251-986-8103 334-347-9007 334-628-2681 205-932-5901 334-858-6142 256-764-8441 251-267-3175 334-898-7932 334-484-3441 334-382-6548 205-486-3794 205-921-2631 334-588-2992 256-773-6832 256-828-2010 334-693-3313 256-796-5337 256-435-3430 205-387-1142 850-675-4597 256-446-8328 251-246-3512 256-396-2097 386-362-1459 334-335-5082 931-527-3923 850-973-2269 256-828-5360 256-974-9214 205-339-8181 334-257-3930 205-274-2185 334-493-7715 205-338-2821 256-447-6560 931-363-2563 256-638-2569 256-247-3453 256-574-1688 334-874-9083 256-437-8829 256-362-2716 334-566-3882 256-383-6462 256-357-4743 334-567-4321

Managing

WILD TURKEYS Through Teamwork BY TONY YOUNG

HUNTING

Since 1994, wild turkeys and other wildlife in Florida have benefitted from a wild turkey costshare program, which has provided nearly $6 million for habitat management on the state’s wildlife management areas that are open to turkey hunting. The direct funding partners for this program, which is one of the largest of its kind in the country, are the Florida State Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF), the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the Florida Forest Service (FFS). This cooperative funding program allows government agencies and conservation organizations to pool their resources, combine efforts and improve more habitat. “Turkeys really benefit from natural openings within forested habitats,” said Buddy Welch, FWC biologist and Wild Turkey Management Program coordinator. “Depending on what an area needs, the program helps pay for timber thinning, prescribed burning, roller-chopping, bush-hogging and mulching to open the forest canopy and reduce underbrush in favor of grasses and forbs.” Besides turkeys, many other species also benefit from these habitat improvements, including game animals such as white-tailed deer and northern bobwhites, and imperiled species such as red-cockaded woodpeckers, gopher tortoises and eastern indigo snakes. So everyone who enjoys wildlife benefits from this program. With much of Florida having a nearly yearround growing season, vegetation quickly grows too thick for turkeys to easily see and move through. “If a person can’t walk around easily, neither can a turkey. Turkeys and poults need the forest floor to be open enough to move through but have enough vegetation to be able to hide from predators,” said NWTF Florida District Biologist David Nicholson. “Turkeys also prefer habitat where at least half the canopy is open, which allows sunlight to reach the ground and promotes native grasses to grow.” This year, the program is funding 38 habitat improvement projects on 29 areas in Florida open to public hunting. Projects include roller

chopping on Green Swamp Wildlife Management Area (WMA) and prescribed fire in several Northwest Florida counties as part of the Gulf Coastal Plain Ecosystem Partnership. Due to concerns about the declining longleaf pine ecosystem, the Gulf Coastal Plain Ecosystem Partnership was formed in 1996 to manage and restore longleaf on public and private lands in Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, Homes, Washington and Bay counties. This year, the cost-share program is providing funding support to conduct prescribed burning on more than 53,000 acres within those counties. “Fire is important to the long-term health of many of Florida’s forest ecosystems, so periodic controlled burns are done that release nutrients into the soil, stimulate seeds to sprout and help control invasive plants and hardwood undergrowth,” Welch said. “By doing this, native wildflowers and grasses can grow, which provide food, cover and better breeding habitat for wild turkeys and a wide variety of other native species.” On Green Swamp WMA in Polk County, there is a “roller chopping” project funded in part by the cost-share program that has been going on for the past 10 years. Roller chopping is a wildlife management technique used to remove dense saw palmetto and encourage growth of more favorable plants. A roller chopper is a large steel cylindrical drum that has blades pulled by a bulldozer or tractor. After this year, 4,200 acres at Green Swamp WMA will have been roller chopped – paid in part by the cost-share program. After the roller chopping is completed, the Southwest Florida Water Management District will conduct prescribed burns on the areas. “The NWTF is a strong proponent of preserving our hunting heritage, and we recognize the importance of hunters in funding wildlife conservation and hunting as an important wildlife management tool,” Nicholson said. Turkey hunters directly contribute to the wild turkey cost-share program because a portion of

Managing Wild Turkeys Through Teamwork

the money spent on turkey permits, which is part of the licensing requirement to hunt turkeys in Florida, goes into that fund. “Many hunters and NWTF members are heavily involved in raising funds for the wild turkey and its habitat by participating in NWTF hunting heritage banquets, whereby a portion of those funds raised goes into the cost-share program,” Nicholson said. “Hunters’ purchases of hunting equipment also helps support wildlife conservation through the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program, which brings federal grant funding to state wildlife management agencies such as the FWC.” Through this combined effort from the NWTF, FWC, FFS and Florida turkey hunters, the wild turkey population is healthy and flourishing in Florida. And, if you’re a turkey hunter, then you must be getting excited because spring turkey season and the youth turkey hunt weekends are just around the corner.

Contact Information Wild Turkey Cost-Share Program Florida State Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Florida Forest Service (FFS) Green Swamp Wildlife Management Area (WMA) Gulf Coastal Plain Ecosystem Partnership Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program

42 APRIL 2020 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

In Mobile Bay, we give oysters the royal treatment. Did you know oysters fight erosion and filter water, helping marine life to thrive? Plus, they live in castles! Alabama Power teamed up with The Nature Conservancy to build concrete habitats called “oyster castles” to help preserve the natural resources that make Alabama a great place to live. Even if you’re an oyster.

AlabamaPower.com/Environment

877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // APRIL 2020 43

BY HANK SHAW Photos by Holly A. Heyser

Shrimp Risotto Risotto, if you are unfamiliar, is an Italian rice dish made with a particular sort of rice that sloughs off starch and absorbs quite a lot of whatever it is cooked in. The result is creamy without cream, and the rice has sucked up so much flavor from the stock it’s cooked in that you get a flavor bomb in a simple package. I use homemade shrimp stock here, but other stocks and even chicken stock will do in a pinch. Similarly, while I prefer shrimp I’ve caught myself, any decent shrimp will do; I recommend Gulf or boreal shrimp. Prep: 20 mins • Cook: 30 mins • Total: 55 mins Ingredients

• • • • • • • • • • •

2 tablespoons butter 1 shallot, minced 2 cups risotto rice (Arborio, vialone nano, carnaroli, bomba) 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 cup white wine A large pinch of saffron, crumbled 6 cups shrimp stock (see above) 1/2 pound peeled shrimp, in small pieces 1 cup peas 1/4 cup minced parsley 2 tablespoons butter

44 APRIL 2020 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

•

Black pepper to taste

Instructions 1. Warm the shrimp stock in a small pot. 2. Heat the first 2 tablespoons of butter in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Add the shallot and rice and sauté, stirring often, until both are translucent, about 4 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. 3. Pour in the white wine and stir it in. Risotto hinges on nearly constant stirring, so you will need to be at the stove for a bit. Turn on some of your favorite music. When the wine has been absorbed, add 2 ladles worth of the shrimp stock. Stir it in and add the saffron. 4. Stirring frequently, if not constantly, let the rice absorb the stock. The stirring sloughs off the starches from the rice and makes a creamier risotto. When that stock is nearly gone, but before the rice begins to stick to the pot, add another ladle and continue. Keep doing this until the rice is al dente -- tender, but not mushy. It’ll take a solid 20 to 25 minutes. 5. Stir in the shrimp, peas and parsley, along with another ladle of stock. Let this cook until the shrimp are cooked through, about 3 to 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and add, little by little, more stock or water to make the risotto loose, like a porridge. Stir in the butter, then some black pepper. Serve at once. NOTE: You must use one of the four varieties of rice I mention in the ingredients or the risotto will not work. Arborio is by far the most common, but if you can find it, Vialone Nano is my favorite for seafood.

CAMPHOUSE KITCHEN

Creole Okra Gumbo I use venison shanks here, but you can use any red meat with a lot of connective tissue: shanks, shoulder or neck. You can skip the file gumbo if you can’t find it.

Prep: 1 hour • Cook: 3 hrs 30 mins • Total: 4 hrs 30 mins Ingredients

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

2 to 4 deer shanks or other similar meat (about 3 to 4 pounds) 2 tablespoons vegetable oil Salt 1/2 teaspoon cayenne or red pepper flakes, (or a few dried hot peppers, broken) 2 bay leaves 2 tablespoons paprika, smoked if possible 12 ounces shrimp, with peels 2 tablespoons bacon fat, lard or vegetable oil 1 pound okra, sliced 1 yellow onion, chopped 2 stalks celery, chopped 1 green bell pepper, chopped 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 to 3 Scotch bonnet (habanero) pepper, minced (optional) 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1 1/2 cups tomato puree, fire-roasted if possible 1/2 pound crabmeat (optional) 1/2 cup chopped parsley Freshly ground black pepper to taste Gumbo file, to taste (sassafras leaf powder)

Instructions 1. Preheat the oven to 400F. Coat the shanks or other meat

3. 4.

with a thin sheen of oil, then salt well. Arrange in a roasting pan. Roast in the oven for 1 hour. Remove the roasting pan and add the shanks to a large soup pot. Cover with water and turn the heat to mediumhigh. Add some water to the roasting pan and, when it has loosened up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan, use a wooden spoon to scrape them off. Add all that to the soup pot. Stir in the cayenne, bay leaves and paprika and bring to a simmer. Add salt to taste, then cook gently for 1 hour. After 1 hour, add the shells from all the shrimp to the soup pot. You will likely need a total of 3 hours to render deer shanks tender, but most other meats won’t take that long. When the shanks are reasonably tender, get a large frying pan out and heat 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat over medium-high heat. Arrange the sliced okra in the pan and sear hard without stirring for 5 minutes. Stir, then let them cook like this another 5 minutes. You want a little char and lots of browning. Add the chopped onion, celery and green bell pepper and keep searing on high for another 3 to 5 minutes. Now it’s time to add the garlic and Scotch bonnet peppers, if you are using them. Cook all this for another 2 minutes, stirring often, then turn off the heat. Pull the meat off the bones of the deer shanks and shred into pieces you’d want to eat in gumbo. Strain the broth the meat cooked in. Wipe out the soup pot and return the strained broth into it, along with the shredded meat and the vegetables in the frying pan. Stir well and taste for salt. Add the dried thyme, the tomato puree and let this cook for 20 minutes. Add the shrimp and crabmeat, if using, and let this cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the chopped parsley and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Add about a tablespoon of gumbo file if you’re using it. Serve over rice or with grits.

877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // APRIL 2020 45

NEW GEAR BY WILLIAM KENDY

Outdoor Edge introduces New RazorBone Replaceable Blade Knife

The new Outdoor Edge RazorBone accepts a 3.5-inch drop-point blade, a 5-inch boning/ fillet blade and a new gutting blade, allowing you to field dress, skin, debone and prepare big game from start to finish. To change blades just push a button. Available in blaze orange or black it includes 3 - 3.5-inch drop point blades, 2 - 5-inch boning/fillet blades and one gut blade. Suggested Retail Price: $59.95 www.outdooredge.com

VOORMI Offers New Access NXT Pullover

The Access NXT pullover is optimized to absorb light rather than reflect it and is ideal for those frosty days in the field or on the water. Combining the best qualities of wool with proprietary technology the athletic cut NXT features a surface hardened construction, odor resistant, breathable, a 4-way stretch woven side-panels with integrated hidden thumbholes and weighs in at only one pound. Suggested Retail Price: $199.00 www.voormi.com

The New HHA™ Tetra LT Bowsight Offers Even More Value

The Improved Tetra LT features tool-free adjustability, allowing for quick and easy adjustments on the fly for superior accuracy without wrenches or tools. The alignment ring is larger and bright green for easier and faster target acquisition. Constructed from tough CNC machined aircraft-grade aluminum, the sight pins are protected by HHA Sports A.R.M.O.R. pin technology ensuring protection from the harshest conditions. Suggested Retail Price: $189.00 www.hhasports.com

Soft Steel Presents New Fluoro-Stretch Line

Fluoro-Stretch line is a 100% fluorocarbon line with the stretchable properties of monofilament line. That means a tighter cinch on your knot bringing your knot strength to 95%, stronger with more “shock” absorption than standard fluorocarbon lines. Available in breaking strengths of 10 to 150 pounds, the new Fluoro-Stretch will be available in 25-yard spools and 5-yard singe shot lengths. Suggested Retail Price: $6.99 to $89.99 www.softsteelusa.com

Primos Realtree EDGE Stretch-Fit Camo Gloves

Finding lightweight love that is durable and yet rugged can be a challenge but not anymore. Featuring sure-grip palms for a secure grip and an extended cuff for full coverage, the Primos Realtree EDGE Stretch-Fit Camo gloves are perfect for bow hunting and turkey season. They are lightweight and breathable and come in the popular Realtree Edge camo pattern. One size fits most hands. Suggested Retail Price: $19.99 www.primos.com 46 APRIL 2020 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

NEW GEAR FOR OUTDOORSMEN

Burris Offers Re-designed Fullfield IV Riflescope

The completely redesigned Fullfield IV™, is available in five models all with an improved 4x optical system, premium multi-coated lenses for edge-to-edge clarity and low light performance and a wide selection of reticles. Built with nitrogen filled tubes these recoil handling scopes are waterproof, shockproof and fogproof. They offer sleek turret knows for easy finger adjustments and come with the Burris Forever Warranty. Suggested Retail Price: $203-$539.00 www.burrisoptics.com

Frabill Up-sizes Magnum Bait Station

The Expanded Frabill 30-Quart Magnum Bait Station has an injectionmolded base with a heavy-duty non-slip bottom. One inch of commercialgrade foam insulation controls the temperature, a waterproof and airtight gasket creates tight seal between the lid and well resulting in healthy and lively bait regardless of the weather. It includes dual two-speed D-cell battery powered water-resistant aerators built into the lid. A 110V adapter is sold separately. Suggested Retail Price: $189.99 www.frabill.com

DAP Introduces Tank Bond™ Adhesives Line for Strong, Durable Bonds

The Tank Bond™ family of products from DAP blends both strength and precision and includes Tank Bond™ Thread Stopper™, Tank Bond™ Liquid Grip, Tank Bond™ Heavy Duty Advanced Epoxy, and Tank Bond™ Thread Locker. Combined these adhesive products are strong enough to tackle repairs ranging from tools, home products and outdoor maintenance to boats, bicycles, automotive, motorcycles and even musical instruments. Suggested Retail Price: Varies by product www.dap.com

Jackson Kayak Ships the New Flex Drive-E Motor

The Jackson Kayak Flex Drive - E is an electric drive that swaps out with your kayak pedal drive in seconds to offer an effortless powered option to your Jackson Kayak. Compact, water resistant, marine ready and maintenance free. Forward, reverse and speed are controlled with a single knob. It’s powered by your choice of either deep cycle or Lithium battery power. Suggested Retail Price: $799.00 www.jacksonadventures.com

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Census Census Census!

I am sure you all have been bombarded over the past couple of years with information that the United States Census will be conducted in 2020 and how important it is that everyone participate. The first U.S. Census was conducted in 1790 and it has been repeated every ten years. Well, the time has finally arrived and it is of great importance to Alabama that you do participate in the census!

BY CHRIS BLANKENSHIP Commissioner of the Alabama Department of Conservation & Natural Resources

The United States government conducts the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Great Countâ&#x20AC;? to ascertain the population of the United States and to collect some limited demographic information. The census information is broken down by state and county, as well as city, town or community. Every man, woman and child needs to be accounted for. It is imperative that we all participate

The number of Congressional districts for each state (i.e. seats in Congress) is set according to state populations, as they are recorded by the census. Since the last census, some states, like Florida, Texas and North Carolina, have grown in population, while others, like West Virginia, Illinois and Vermont, have seen a reduction in population growth. The 2020 Census will be used to decide how many seats each state has for the next decade. Alabama currently has seven Congressional seats. That is not a lot of seats compared to some states, but each U.S. Representative is critical to his/ her home state.

I know some of you are wondering why the Conservation Commissioner is weighing in on the census. It is because the results of the census impact our state in ways that should be important to all sportsmen and sportswomen.

In this census, it appears that Alabama will either hold all seven of its current seats or lose one to the state of Montana, Texas or Minnesota. By most estimations, it will come down to 10,000 or fewer people completing the census that will decide that critical delineation. I, for one, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want somebody in Minnesota or Texas having more of a say over issues that are important to me than someone from Alabama. It is imperative that we all participate

The United States has 435 Congressional Districts. Each of those districts must have about the same number of people.

In our work to have the federal laws changed or protected, having seven Alabama Congressmen and Congresswomen working

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FROM THE COMMISSIONER together has been critical to success. They are on different and varied committees and have worked, individually and collectively, on issues that are important to us in the Deep South, such as gun rights for hunters and sportsmen, more public land hunting opportunities, appropriations for battling Chronic Wasting Disease and Asian carp, no limits on types of fishing tackle and other important outdoor recreation issues.

If hotel decision makers, restaurant chains and other populationdriven businesses do not think they will have enough customers, they will not build. The government will not build, widen or repave roads in those communities or dredge the rivers for commerce. All the things that are needed in rural Alabama to provide jobs and growth depend on census participation. It is imperative that we all participate, especially in rural Alabama!

The red snapper management issues really showed the value of having an Alabama Congressman fight for what we believe in. Bradley Byrne and Congressman Jo Bonner before him were critical voices pushing legislation in the House of Representatives to get us the state management regime we operate under today. A Congressman from Montana would not fight that hard for us. We need to hold all seven of our current Alabama seats to effectively advocate for issues that are important to us in Alabama!!

We have three Bass Pro Shops, an REI, Field and Stream, several Academy Sports and Outdoors and a bunch of smaller sporting goods stores and gun shops throughout Alabama. Outdoor recreation is a $14 billion industry in our state. With good participation in the census, more outdoor stores will locate here, and new companies will open guide services and outfitters.

The census also means significant $$$$$. In a recent study, it was found that $13 billion, that is with a B, of federal funds is provided to Alabama each year, based at least in part on the census numbers. The more participation we have, the higher the population count will be and it is possible that the current $13 billion might approach $20 billion in the next decade. That is money for more and better roads, schools, rural health care, Pell Grants for secondary education, Head Start and Community Development Block grants. It is imperative that we all participate Being counted is important for economic development, especially in rural Alabama. The participation in rural Alabama was atrocious in 2010. That has hurt the ability of those communities to attract new business investments. If companies don’t see the population available to provide workers, they will not locate in those communities.

I love Alabama! I have not lived anywhere else and don’t ever want to. I want our state to grow and thrive. I want more recreational opportunities, good roads to get to the woods and waterways, great places to eat and stay. I want rivers, lakes and bays that are available for recreation and commerce. I want all Alabamians to have access to high-speed internet, quality health care within a reasonable distance of their home, and good-paying job opportunities. I want the next generation coming up to have a great start with statewide 4K programs, good nutrition, great elementary, middle and high schools. I want trade schools and colleges that prepare people with skills for a lifetime of productivity in a job they love. I want Alabama to be all that it can be, and that starts with 100% participation in the 2020 Census. April 1 has been proclaimed “Alabama Census Day.” Please make sure you and your entire family, including children at home and in college are counted. I say again, It is imperative that we all participate

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877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // APRIL 2020 49

Reflections Reflections

Comparing March and April 2019 article topics and stats to where we are today

BY CHARLES “CHUCK” SYKES Director of the Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries (WFF)

Unless a pressing issue is on my mind for an article, I will usually look through old ones to see what I wrote about a year ago during the same time period. This will almost always spark a thought that leads to an appropriate article topic. Well, this month was no exception.

stand. All three of the fatal falls were from either hang-on or climbing tree stands. Oddly enough, three of the non-fatal accidents took place from permanent shooting house stands where it’s impossible to wear a safety harness or lifeline and this statistic leads me to this year’s numbers.

As I scanned back through the articles that I submitted in March and April of 2019, this month’s topic of reflections came about. The March 2019 article dealt with the unnecessary risks hunters take each year by hunting from an elevated platform and not utilizing a life-line and safety harness. The April 2019 article detailed the nationwide decline in hunters and what we can all do to reverse the trend. This month, I want to see if we’ve made any progress in the past 12 months on these two issues.

As of the close of deer season, the number of treestand accidents has declined from 15 to 12. Of those 12 accidents, three were fatal. So, it’s a good thing that the numbers are down just a bit. The bad thing is, still none of the hunters were wearing a safety harness. I can’t for the life of me understand why hunters refuse to wear one. A safety harness doesn’t impede your ability to move around in the stand; it doesn’t t hinder your climbing or descending; and it doesn’t make hunters any less of a man to use one. I guess it’s just like seat belts; some people won’t wear one unless they are launched through a windshield and live to tell about it.

During the 2018-2019 hunting season, Alabama had 15 treestand accidents with three of them being fatal. Of those 15, only one person was wearing a full-body safety harness. But, he wasn’t wearing a life-line that keeps the hunter attached to the tree while ascending and descending, not just while seated in the

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A closer look at this year’s treestand accidents yielded some fairly interesting data. Last year, as I said earlier, we had three individuals fall from permanent shooting houses or box

FROM THE DIRECTOR

stands. This year that number has risen to five with two being fatal. So, two of the three fatal treestand accidents this deer season have occurred from falling from shooting houses. Lack of use of a harness can’t be blamed in these deaths. So, what was the problem? Several issues come to the surface when asking that question. First, improper construction was a factor. Scrap items were utilized to make an elevated stand. Second, proper maintenance was not performed on the stand. Finally, it doesn’t appear that the hunters had three points of contact to the house (stand). As with any ladder, either two hands and one foot or one hand and two feet always need to be in contact. Many times, hunters are carrying cumbersome gear like backpacks and firearms and have on layers of clothes making them awkward when climbing. Maintaining three contact points will aid the hunter and help prevent slipping and falling due to loss of balance. Remember, anyone hunting from an elevated stand needs to perform routine maintenance and repairs to all stands every year-even shooting houses! And, if anyone hunts from a hang-on, climber or ladder stand, wear a safety harness and the accompanying life-line. Most treestand accidents are 100% preventable with just a bit of preparation. Just this week, the Washington Post released an article entitled, “Hunting is ‘slowly dying off,’” and that has created a crisis for the nation’s many endangered species.” Many of the statistics reported in that article were the same as those I quoted in the April 2019 article that appeared in this magazine. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s 2016 national survey, there were 2 million fewer Americans who identified as hunters than there were just five years earlier. That’s alarming when you are the director of an agency that has a budget funded by the sale of hunting and fishing licenses and monies generated through federal excise taxes like Pittman/Robertson and Dingell/Johnson.

programs, the name of our program tells you that these new hunters are not children. The average age of our AMHP participant is 42. This program focuses on the root of the problem. We don’t simply need someone who likes to hunt. We desperately need people who desire to hunt, are of an age where they purchase a hunting license, and who have the financial ability to purchase products like guns, bows, and ammunition that fund the Pittman/Robertson account. I know we have the solution to the problem figured out. We just don’t have enough time and staff to make a huge difference in our state. However, Alabama hunters can fix the problem. All you have to do is introduce at least one person to hunting each year. It’s a fairly simple task. One hunter gives up a little of his/her time to mentor a new adult hunter each year. I promise you, there are people who you work with, go to school with, go to kids sporting events with, or go to church with who would jump at the chance to go hunting. Just last week, we hosted an adult mentored hunt at the Portland Landing SOA. When I asked why they were at this event, without fail, each one said they had heard friends or co-workers talking about hunting but they were too afraid to ask to be taken. Please don’t wait for others to ask you to take them hunting; be proactive and make the first move!

I’ve outlined in several articles over the past two years our Adult Mentored Hunting Program (AMHP) that we feel can help reverse the trend on hunter decline. Now in its third year, the AMHP has proven to be an incredible tool in recruiting new hunters. Unlike many recruitment 877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // APRIL 2020 51

JUDGING DISTANCES FOR

TURKEY HUNTING

Being able to accurately judge shooting distance can mean the difference between harvesting a trophy gobbler or going home empty handed.

BY CRAIG HANEY Photo submitted by Craig Haney

“I can’t believe I missed that gobbler,” exclaimed Greg, back at the camp house after missing a nice gobbler opening morning. “I had him dead to rights when I fired. He was only 30-40 yards from me; he was practically in my lap!”

The United States Army long ago learned that artillery forward observers could not accurately judge distances. It is a skill that must be learned and practiced. Here are some ways to judge distances when turkey hunting without a rangefinder.

“How could the turkey be almost in your lap and still 30-40 yards away when you took your shot?” asked Wade giving Greg some grief about what he had just said. Greg stammered around and finally said “I guess I didn’t really know how far away the bird was from where I was set up and blew the shot.”

RECALL JUDGING Use a turkey decoy and set it on a field at distances of 10-40 yards from you and practice using your depth perception to judge the distance. Mix up the distances and practice until you learn what the decoy size looks like at different ranges. Soon it will become second nature.

It would have been great if Greg had a rangefinder and marked distances every 10 yards from 10-40 yards on the field before he set up and started calling but he didn’t. However, through practice and experience, a hunter can learn to judge distances accurately for turkey hunting and become a more successful hunter.

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STICKS When I first started bowhunting for deer years ago, I learned to measure by my pace 10, 20 and 30 yards away from my stand and place a stick in the ground at those distances. When hunting Mister Tom, remember to place the sticks not only straight in front of you but to your left and right if your shooting

THE GUN RACK lanes are 180 degrees from where you set up. 10 YARD METHOD This method works well when hunting in the woods and along edges. From where you are setting up, find an object, tree, bush or rock, 10 yards away; then one 10 yards from the last one then another 10 yards from the last until you reach 40 yards. 3-D TARGETS If you are a bowhunter, head for the local 3-D target range where you will know exactly the distance you are shooting from at each target. This is great practice and a lot of fun learning to judge distance. GOLFING BUDDY Most everyone has a buddy that plays golf and that buddy probably has a rangefinder he would let you borrow. You can use the rangefinder in the neighborhood, a local park or where you hunt. Simply walk around, pick an object and guess the distance to it then check your guess of the distance against the rangefinder. Many hunters may be impatient and not want to go through the time and effort to learn to judge distance without a rangefinder and add one to their kit from the start to save time and effort. That’s fine, but if you forget to pack your rangefinder for your hunt or the battery dies then you may wish you had learned to judge distance without a rangefinder. RANGEFINDERS Many turkey hunters I talk to own a rangefinder even though they may not use it every trip. They consider it the “confidence” item in their gear and keep it with them.

Monocular range finders operate by sending a laser toward the desired target. When the laser reaches the target, it returns to your handheld device. By measuring the time it took for the laser to reach its target and bounce back, the distance is measured, quickly and accurately. As technology has advanced, rangefinders are available in wider choice of features and prices than ever before. Here are several examples with different features and price points. The Bushnell Prime 1300 offers an all glass optical system with a 40% larger objective lens which gives up to 2 times brighter viewing experience during low light situations. The EXO Barrier lens coating is molecularly bonded to the lens and repels water, dust, debris, and fingerprints. $169.99. www.bushnell.com NIKON’S ARROW id 3000 rangefinder’s long eye relief makes it easy to pick and range your target quickly. Tru Target Technology allows the hunter to easily choose between two different ranging modes depending on the situation. Additionally, there is the continuous movement feature which allows the user to scroll across a landscape for 8 seconds and range different landscape distances. $199.99. www. nikonsportoptics.com LEUPOLD’S RX Full-Draw 3 features Digitally eNhanced Accuracy (DNA) which gives increased accuracy, speed and range. Fully multi-coated lenses are housed in the easy-grip armor coated body. The RX Full Draw 3 gives the hunter 3 different reticle choices, Plus Point, Duplex, and Duplex with Plus Point, for his hunting situation. $389.99 www.leupold.com

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Pier & Shore Fishing Outlook

Larger spanish mackerel are showing up on the Gulf beach piers in April.

Along the north central Gulf of Mexico’s “Emerald Coast”, April best defines springtime fishing with a full slate of species available to target in the usually delightful weather.

BY DAVID THORNTON Photos by David Thornton

The warming rays of the sun get stronger every day, pushing water temperatures from the upper 60s into the 70s. Fish respond by feeding more earnestly in preparation for upcoming spawning activities. Or in the case of sheepshead, post-spawn as their ‘amorous’ time winds down and they head toward the coastal passes and bays. This is also time for the mass migration of coastal pelagic fish like spanish mackerel, prized pompano, revered cobia, king mackerel and even jacks. Weekly through April, the numbers of these fish swell

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in the surf zone and warm near-shore waters. Fishermen soon emerge from their “hibernation” to once again line the white sandy shores and eastward facing side of the beach piers. Life (or at least catching) is “good” again, from Mexico Beach, Florida to Dauphin Island, Alabama. POMPS WITH A PURPOSE Without a doubt, April is THE best month to pursue pompano along this stretch of coastline. Schools gather and scour the surfzone as their spawning time approaches. They are moving around a lot, feeding heavily on whatever invertebrates they can find. Most commonly these are ghost shrimp, mole crabs (also known as sand fleas), coquina clams, whatever small prey they can find that looks “edible”. So, they readily scarf up

FISHING OUTLOOK offerings of jigs or fresh dead shrimp pieces from anglers eager to invite them home for dinner. Often these are days of “easy limits”, so be sure and check the regulations for the locale you are fishing, as there are big differences between Florida and Alabama size and creel limits. The major beach routine is simply to stake out a likely looking stretch along the shore with sand spikes and cast out double drop pompano rigs. These can be bought in a variety of sizes, brands, colors, et cetera that can confuse even experienced fishermen. I like to start with the simplest rig rigged with the least amount of weight to do the job. Adjust to the conditions at hand and tackle up according to the distance you wish to cast, wind speed and direction, wave height and direction, currents and the all-important water clarity. Pompano feed primarily by sight but have excellent smell as well. They react quickly to a bait, especially when there is competition from other school members. Hook and bait size, however, should ALWAYS be in the size range that allow the fast hitting pompano to easily inhale and run with. Having no teeth, they tend to feed on prey that are not much bigger around than your thumb and less than 3 inches long. It behooves an angler to keep the total bait size to about that. For most this includes any natural or artificial bait (such as Fishbites or Gulp) and a brightly colored bead or float attractor. How much weight and which type to use is determined by the same parameters, especially the distance you wish to cast. It seems as the tide typically rises later in the day during April, pompano often feed close to shore. At times they can even be found at the base of the swash zone as waves receding from the beach carry food items into three or four feet of water. Look for rip currents 10 to 20 yards off the beach and cast your bait or jig into the clearer water along the edges of the rip. When pompano are feeding in this fashion, they are suckers for a well-placed pompano jig on light or ultralight tackle. The fight of a decent sized pompano hooked near shore on four pound spinning tackle should impress any light tackle shallow water angler. And they are great eating! Pier fishing for pompano can be exciting or frustrating as the schooling fish are often coming at or away from you instead of just passing by. The water depth you choose to cast to (perpendicular to the pier) should be that you believe pompano will approach within casting range. Some anglers are content to throw out set rigs and wait for a pompano to bite. This is especially true when the water is dingy as it often is to the west in Alabama. Still the emerald green water under the Florida panhandle piers is often clear enough to sight cast small jigs to schools of pompano. Leading the fish and getting a proper presentation and hook set without crossing other anglers’ lines (or being crossed) is almost an art form but is critical to catching these platinum platters. Competition can be fierce, but cooperation is key to successfully landing a limit, which many do. PIERCEPTIONS OF PATIENCE April pier fishing offers an abundance of other species options as well. Sight fishing for cobia (“ling” in Alabama) is probably one of the better known of these. During the early spring, cobia are migrating westward around the Florida Big Bend and Panhandle toward the mouth of the Mississippi River where they spawn. The large brown fish often rise into the warmer water near the surface and at times can be spotted from long distances. It takes dedication and hours of staring at vacant water to even get a chance to cast the three ounce brightly colored “ling jig” to a fish. But so alluring are these cobia, that hundreds of pier anglers do

just that each spring in anticipation of possibly landing a trophy sized fish that could weigh over 100 pounds and is good table fare. In fact, they are so popular that regulations have been tightened repeatedly to help curtail the harvest. So be sure and check the latest regulations in the state you wish to fish. In addition, each pier has their own etiquette or even rules pertaining to how this highly competitive fishery is handled on the pier. Some piers use the “First Shot” rule, while other piers are “cutthroat”, which basically means that are no rules. Be sure which is being used. Beginning in April spanish mackerel probably become the most popular target species for pier anglers. On any given day, hundreds of these one to three pound “spotted speedsters” may be landed on any of the gulf beach piers. They are well suited to medium class spinning tackle and require nothing more than a ½ ounce white jig to catch. Though it is a good idea to add a 12-inch trace of clear 40-pound monofilament to prevent cutoffs from their extremely sharp teeth. Bluefish are a common bycatch to this fishery, and later in the month blue runner (“hardtails”) and ladyfish (“skipjack”) join in the fun. It is not uncommon this month to see dozens of anglers lining the eastward facing rails just outside the longshore sandbar casting jigs and other small lures. Gotcha plugs and silver spoons are favorites. Spanish mackerel are very popular and often plentiful. They have a very liberal bag limit of 15 fish per angler but have a 12” fork length size limit in Florida. There are so many great fishing options and venues to try this month along the Gulf Coast. And it’s a good thing considering the popular Gulf State Park Pier in Gulf Shores may be closed this month. So, call ahead, or check on gulfshorespierfishing.com to see. And above all enjoy your great days outdoors.

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877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // APRIL 2020 55

HOW TO

CATCH REDFISH FROM A KAYAK

This just-over slot size reds couldn’t turn down a jig and grub.

I love to catch all sorts of fish from my kayaks. But given a choice, my first pick for the perfect opponent for a fishing trip would be easy. I love to catch redfish from my kayak. Let’s look at this kayak fishing for redfish game. Best Redfish Lures- Not Hard to Choose When I first started fishing for redfish many years ago, a wise old man told me about choosing lures for reds. He said, “A redfish will eat anything a largemouth bass will eat, but he’ll eat it faster.” I’ve found this old man to be quite correct. Redfish will jump on topwater plugs and that makes for some very fun fishing. Fished over weed beds and other structure, topwater plugs like Zara Spooks and Top-Dogs can produce thunderous redfish strikes. BY ED MASHBURN Photos by Ed Mashburn

Reds will eat spinner baits and crankbaits, especially when the water is stained. A spinnerbait slowly retrieved along a bayou shoreline drop-off can find some very aggressive reds.

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But for day in, day out good results, the simplest lure is the most effective. A quarter-ounce jig with a soft plastic grub body, either scented or plain, is the most effective redfish lure for kayak anglers to use. This jig and grub can be cast a long way, and it usually results in a good, solid hook-up when a red strikes. Scented soft plastic bodies are very good when the reds are being picky. Best Redfish Live Bait and Rigs Redfish eat shrimp. A kayak angler who has a bucket of live shrimp is in good shape to put reds in the boat. Very small crabs, either baby blue crabs or fiddler crabs, are candy for reds. For the big old bull reds in places like Dixey Bar off the pass which connects Mobile Bay to

PADDLE FISHING the Gulf and also under the new Pensacola Bay Bridge, the best live bait for kayak anglers is a live or fresh dead pogie. A Carolina rig, a two-foot long section of 20 lb. test monofilament line below a swivel with a ¼ ounce egg sinker above the swivel, is good for catching slot-size reds. Kayak anglers who are after the big bull reds can use the exact same Carolina rig, but instead of 20 lb. leader, a length of 50 lb. mono will work. Heavier sinkers may be required in strong current to take the pogie to the bottom. This Carolina rig will allow a kayak angler to put the bait in the area of most reds, that is, on the bottom. When a kayak angler hooks a redfish, it’s best to try to keep the hooked fish pulling ahead of the bow of the kayak. This is the most stable position to control a strong fish from a kayak. A strong sideways pull can present a kayak angler with some problems. Try to keep that hooked red, especially the really big ones, pulling from straight ahead. Rig for Big Reds - Go Heavy Kayak anglers on the Gulf Coast from the Big Bend area of Florida to the Texas/Louisiana border are in territory that produces some world-class big redfish. And there’s no fishing boat better for catching the biggest reds than a kayak. Kayaks are light enough to allow a hooked big redfish to pull the boat around. While this can be alarming the first time or two it happens, this “sleigh ride” is actually a lot of fun. And since the big redfish never gets a strong direct pull which might break the line or pull the hook because the light kayak simply moves with the pressure of the fish, kayak anglers stand a good chance of landing a very big redfish.

It is important when targeting the big reds from a kayak that super-light line and rigs are not used. Although really big reds can be caught on light gear, this means that the fish will have to played slowly and to the point of total exhaustion before it can be landed. Often these big, played-out reds don’t survive. It’s much better to select rod and line and reel heavy enough to get a hooked redfish to the boat for release in less than ten minutes. For the big reds hooked from a kayak, at least thirty-pound test line and medium heavy to heavy rod and reel will work best. A heavy spinning rig or a level-wind setup will both work quite well for big kayak caught reds. Blackened Redfish- Oh, so Good! In addition to being such a fun fish to catch from a kayak, slot-size redfish are very, very good eating. There are probably a million recipes for blackening redfish, but I have found the following recipe to produce very good, very simple blackened redfish. Prep Work First, this kind of cooking must be done outside. Do Not Try This in the Kitchen! True blackening of redfish produces a great deal of smoke. Very high cooking temperatures are required. Get a cast-iron skillet. Don’t use a fancy non-stick pan or aluminum skillet. Cast iron skillets will take the very high heat required to blacken fish Next, make sure the redfish fillets are no more than ¾ inch thick. This cooking technique uses very high heat to quickly cook and season the fillets, and over-thick pieces of fish will not cook well. Fillets from slot reds are perfect for blackening.

THIS FINE SLOT RED WILL BE PERFECT FOR PROVIDING BLACKENED FILLETS.

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How to Catch Redfish from a Kayak

WHEN BLACKENING REDFISH FILLETS, BE READY TO MOVE FAST- IT DOESN’T TAKE LONG.

The next step is to get the fillets ready. Keep it simple. I rub a light coat of olive oil on the fillets, and then I season. If a lot of Cajun heat is desired, use Tony Chacere’s seasoning to liberally coat both sides of the fillet. I can’t handle the spices, so I use black pepper, salt, and just a pinch of Tony’s. That’s it. Cooking I use a propane burner which is the same one I use to boil large kettles of water for shrimp and crabs. This propane burner puts out a lot of heat and that’s important. Blackening redfish requires super-high temperatures. I put the cast iron skillet on the burner. Do Not Use Cooking Oil! This skillet is going to get very hot, and oil will burn. The skillet will be getting ready to cook when it starts to change color. The usual black surface of the skillet will begin to turn grey and lighter in color. The skillet is ready when drops of water flicked off fingertips dance and hop when they hit the super-hot skillet. Very carefully drop the redfish fillets on the skillet, and then

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step back. Smoke will roll up from the skillet. There may be some flame. Let the fillets sizzle and pop on the skillet for a couple of minutes or until the edges of the fillet start to curl up. With a long-handle turner, carefully flip the fillets over. Smoke will roll up again. After another couple of minutes, check carefully to see if both sides have turned black and the flesh of the fillets is white. Scoop the fillets onto a platter and let the skillet get super-hot again for the next round of fillets. When all of the fillets have been blackened, turn off the gas and let everything cool down naturally. The blackened redfish can now be topped with any kind of garnish desired. I prefer a little bit of melted butter with just a touch of lemon juice. That’s it. Serve these blackened fillets with cole slaw or some of Momma’s red beans and rice, with a big glass of iced tea. Life doesn’t get much better than this.

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877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // APRIL 2020 59

Regional Freshwater Fishing Outlook

BY ED MASHBURN Photos by Ed Mashburn

ALABAMA WATERS

MILLER’S FERRY Joe Dunn of Dunn’s Sports in Thomasville says that in April everything will be wide open and in full-blown spring patterns at Miller’s Ferry. For bass anglers that means they’ll want to work the banks at using spinnerbaits, buzzbaits and chatterbaits. Anglers can’t go wrong if they use white and chartreuse, white and blue, and Dunn’s favorite color combination for spinnerbaits, which is white and gold. Bass anglers can also find good bass by flipping jigs in the growing grass mats. Crappie anglers will also want to be looking at shallow water. Crappie will be on the spawning grounds in the shallows, and anglers can work the banks with live minnows under floats. Dunn points out that vertical jigging around the stumps will 60 APRIL 2020 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

April is when the big bream start heading for shallow bedding waters.

produce lots of slabs in April and look for them in four to six feet of water. Catfish will be hot too. All of the shallow flats will have catfish in April and jugs with one to foot long lines will work well. For best catfish catching, fresh cut shad is the top bait. Regardless of the target, for the best fishing anglers will want to concentrate on the sloughs such as Gold Mine, Marina Slough, and Hog Pen Slough where the water will warm faster than the rest of the lake. LAKE WILSON/PICKWICK ”We’ll have a potentially wider range of water temperatures this month. Water temperatures will begin in the low to mid 50’s and by month’s end should reach the 70-degree mark. Catfish will start migrating into the mouth of the deeper sloughs early this month,” says professional fishing guide Captain Brian Barton. Barton points out that the mouths of major creeks like Shoal,

FISHING OUTLOOK McKernan, Six Mile, and Big Nance will all hold staging fish in April. In the main lake fish should concentrate along the base of bluff lines relating vertically to blow downs and chunk rock where present. Some fish will always be on or near the bottom, but look for fish to start suspending in the water column as the water warms throughout the month. A good way to catch these cats is to use a 2/0 or 3/0 Mister Twister weighted worm hook to medium heavy action spinning tackle and bait with shad, skipjack, or chicken livers and cast toward bluff and allow to slowly fall to the bottom. If live crayfish can be found they are deadly for big blue cats fished this way. Tops and just off the river ledges will be good spots to target. The mouths of Indian, Second, and Bear Creeks will hold plenty of catfish this month. Look for these fish in anywhere from 15 to 35 feet of water. On the upper end of Pickwick Lake, near the dam, look for concentrations of cats behind wing walls and rock piles that run horizontally along the lake. The barge canal below the dam is an excellent place to fish late in the month. Last year during the last weekend of April, we took 47 cats on jugs in less than 5 hours. For those who like to jug fish, set jugs 8 to 12 feet deep and bait with shrimp, shad gut, or cut bait. The gravel bar at Pond Creek will load up with spawning channel catfish this month. To target these fish, anchor upstream and along the edge of the gravel bar. LAKE EUFAULA Captain Sam Williams from Hawks Guide Service tells anglers that bass will be found near brush piles on the river edges, and they should look for grass growing rapidly. Soft plastics rigged Carolina style and lipless crank baits will pull these bass in. Bass can also be found in good groups near the mouths of creeks and the hydrilla should be growing and creating thick mats of vegetation which will hold better bass. Fishermen should look for the fresh green color and, if this new grass is near other structure such as blowdowns or old lily pad stems, it deserves some time and attention. The catfish bite, and it will be getting very good in April when the whisker fish will be going to the spawning beds. Live bait or big chunks of cut bait will work either on rod and reel or jug fishing. ”They’ll be up in creeks and look for them in weeds and pads,” Williams said. He suggests that a little caution is in order when pulling on jug lines which seem to have big catfish on them. For white bass and hybrid action, anglers can use lipless crank baits and spinner baits in silver or white colors near creek and river channels where the fish will either be heading upstream to spawn or downstream back to the main lake body after they’ve completed spawning. April will also see bream of all kinds starting their annual move to shallow water for bedding. Try live bait fished on the bottom around shoreline cover for April bream action. LAKE WEISS “Locating the new growth water vegetation is a matter of high priority for anglers looking for the best bass fishing. If you can find some fresh green- a mix of old and new grass- find the grass with the yellow-tipped flowers- the bass like that better,” says long time Lake Weiss crappie and bass fishing guide Captain Lee Pitts Pitts advises anglers to use spinner baits, jigs in 3/8 oz. weights or soft plastic lizards will all work well in the springtime grass. For the spinner baits, go with white or white/chartreuse colors, and just slow roll it across the bottom. Another good April technique is to let the spinner bait sink, and then slowly hop it back. When the spinner bait

reaches the end of the grass, just let it “die” and sink. Often the bass will take it as it falls toward the bottom. Jig colors which work well on Weiss bass are black and blue, and green pumpkin colors. The Zoom Super-Chunk is a very good addition to the jig. Location is important in April and Pitts says that the better fish will be way in the backs of pockets. Weiss is famous for its crappie fishing and April is a great month to get in on the crappie bite. Crappie will be holding in shallow around brush piles, piers, and stump rows. They will be spawning the whole month, so the fishing and catching will be hot if the fish can be located and the angler puts the right bait before them. Lots of two to two and half pound crappie will be located and caught in April. “We like to throw a cork with a jig under it. A Southern Pro jig in 1/32 oz weight in dark colors such as black/chartreuse and gape and chartreuse are great on cloudy days. On brighter days we’ll go with black and red, blue/sour grape, and white/chartreuse colors,” Pitts said. Fishing the cork and jig combination for big slabs is pretty easy if you don’t like to work too hard and too fast. ”Throw the jig with a three-foot leader. Ease it eight to ten inches and stop. Let it swing and try to shake it under the jig. Work this rig near cover.” ”Most all flats on Weiss have stumps, holes, something that’s holding the fish. Find the structure and you’ll find the fish and keep working these spots,” Pitts concluded.

Catfish will be hot too. All of the shallow flats will have catfish in April and jugs with one to foot long lines will work well. For best catfish catching, fresh cut shad is the top bait. MOBILE DELTA For anglers venturing out on the massive Mobile Delta, Captain Wayne Miller from the Mobile-Tensaw Delta Guide Service encourages anglers venturing out on the massive Mobile Delta to keep a log book identifying water levels and fishing results for every excursion. “In the Delta, pay attention to the water level. Keep a log book of some kind to note water levels and fishing results. Then you can come back in a later year and have a good idea of how to start,” Miller said. It’s critical to pay attention to the river stages. The Mobile radio station gives river stage information every week.” Miller says that on most years, the Delta sees waves of spawning fish, so in April, there will still be some fish spawning and other fish postspawn. A lot of bass will be up in shallow water in April, and they’ll stay there for quite a while after the spawn is done. In April, spinnerbaits, crankbaits, swim jigs and chatterbaits all work well, but blade baits are the most common lure thrown. Anglers are advised to match the size of the spinnerbait to the baitfish present and this means the spinner may need to be quite small. If the water is still high and stained, a larger, noisier spinner may work better. A little hint: a spinnerbait with a red blade can work very well in April. 877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // APRIL 2020 61

Regional Freshwater Fishing Outlook

“In April, it’s a matter of trial and error. You may need to change the color and size of the lure to find what the bass want. Size can be very important,” Miller said. LAKE GUNTERSVILLE “Fish the sloughs off the main river and the shallow flats off the main rivers. The Goose Pond Marina area and the Mud Creek areas are both very good for April bass,” says Mid-South Bass Guide Service Captain Jake Davis Bass in Guntersville will often make a bed under the grass mats as protection and cover. This can help anglers locate bedding fish. Any green grass needs to be worked, lizards, worms, chunks and creature baits will all work when they are dropped into or below the green grass. Try the soft plastics as trailers for jigs in 3/8 to ½ oz weights. Black/blue and peanut butter and jelly (purple with brownish steaks) are good colors for the bedding bass. Rattle-L-Traps in red colors if murky water and Texas Shad patterns if clear will work well. Crappie anglers looking for good slab action will find crappie on the beds on flats, and they will often be in the same general area as the spawning bass. ”I’ll find flats with crappie spawning, and the bass will be eating the crappie,” Davis said. He adds that it’s totally possible for anglers to fish the crappie for a good mess of fine-eating slabs, and then fish big silver crank baits or spinner baits on the edges of the crappie beds to catch some big bass that have been dining on the crappie, too. To catch the crappie, try live minnows or small plastic-body jigs work very slowly across the bedding areas. Bream anglers should start to find bluegills and redears moving into shallower water, and don’t be surprised if bream start to show up while anglers are working crappie beds. Bream will take small crappie jigs, but crickets and red worms fished on light tackle will work best.

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SIPSEY FORK According to Randy Jackson of Riverside Fly Shop on the Sipsey Fork, April should kick-off some of the best fly fishing of the entire year. Jackson explained that April is in the best hatching months of the year and depending on the weather, usually produces a good caddis fly hatch. The best dry fly fishing days are those that aren’t too humid and are calm and cloudy. Last year, the Sipsey Fork had some great fly hatches all summer from April to August. When the bugs are not hatching off, anglers can use subsurface nymphs like the classic Hare’s Ear in sizes 14 to 16 for good results. For those anglers who have not mastered a fly rod yet, lots of Sipsey Fork rainbows can be caught on ultra-light spinning gear. ”Use a tiny swivel with a light leader and a fly. Put a tiny lead above the swivel and a float above that. The fly moves through the water naturally,” Jackson said. “Four-pound test line on the ultra-light rig is needed, and fluorocarbon line works best.” Skipjacks may very well be up the river near the dam in April, and they are a blast on light tackle. Anything tiny, shiny lure or fly will work for the jumping skipjacks. Anglers can expect to find nine-inch rainbows quite often, and there are some fine twenty-inch hold over rainbow trout downstream. Remember, there are fourteen miles of trout water on the Sipsey Fork and the fish are not all up near the dam.

FLORIDA WATERS

WAKULLA/ WACISSA RIVERS Bill Goodroe of Wilderness Way in Shadeville, Florida advises anglers that

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Regional Freshwater Fishing Outlook

Important Contact Information Joe Dunn Dunn’s Sports 334-636-0850 33356 Hwy 43, Thomasville, AL Captain Sam Williams Hawks Guide Service 334-687-0400 Brandon Jackson/ Randy Jackson Riverside Fly Shop 17027 Hwy 69N Jasper, AL 256-287-9582 Riversideflyshop.com

Topwater lures will provide some good bass action in April.

both of these lovely spring-fed rivers will be very good for post spawn bass fishing in April. “The bass are off the beds now, but they will be feeding,” Goodroe added. For anglers who go after truly big bass, the Wacissa River down toward Goose Pasture is home to some very big- ten pound plus- bass. Last year, a fifteen-pound bass was taken in April from the Wacissa. Both the Wakulla and the Wacissa hold good populations of feisty Suwanee bass, the Florida equivalent of smallmouth bass, and these little battlers are a lot of fun to catch. Bass anglers will want to throw frogs and speed worms for the big bass, and early and late in the day Zara Spooks are very good for the topwater bite. Panfish will be on fire in April. Bream of all kinds will rise to dry flies, poppers, and foam body bugs. Live bait will always work. “They’re all over the place in April,” Goodroe said. Anglers are reminded that Wilderness Way runs

chartered guided fishing trips, and these trips are the best way to learn the better fishing spots on the rivers, and how to fish the spring-fed streams. LAKE TALQUIN Over at Lake Talquin, Jeff DuBree of Whippoorwill Lodge at Lake Talquin said that the bass will still be spawning in places and the post-spawn pattern will be good. “There will be shad spawning by then in the shallows,” DuBree said. “Jerk baits matched to the small size of the shad fished around shallows will be very good in early mornings. Any of the lake’s shallows can hold great bass in April.” DuBree noted that bream will be very good in April. The bluegills will be spawning heavily and anglers using crickets and worms can fill an ice chest and anglers fishing small Beetle Spins in black with gold spinners can cash in on great bream action. Some big redears will be caught in April in deeper water, 8-10 feet around sandy humps in the main lake. Catfish will be quite good in April for anglers who use stinkbaits.

Captain Lee Pitts 256-390-4145 www.pittsoutdoors.com Captain Brian Barton 256-412-0960 brianbartonoutdoors.com Captain Jake Davis Mid-South Bass Guide Service 615-613-2382 msbassguide@comcast.net Jeff DuBree Whipperwill Sportsman’s Lodge Lake Talquin 850-875-2605 fishtalquin@gmail.com Captain Wayne Miller Mobile-Tensaw Delta Guide Service 251-455-7404 Millewa2000@yahoo.com Bill Goodroe Wilderness Way 850-877-7200 3152 Shadeville Road Crawfordville, FLA 32327

877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // APRIL 2020 63

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64 APRIL 2020 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

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Pensacola Motorsports

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Tanner Martiniere with his 23.5” speckled trout that was caught and released

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PHOTO of the MONTH Farrell Travis got this 9 point In Monroe County, Alabama in January

Paul Johannesmann and his son Sam took this 9pt with a 12 gauge shotgun in Madison, NC

Phillip Fountain and his 7pt, 140lb buck he killed in Monroe County with a 30.06 rifle in February

KID'S CORNER

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Deer

Jordan Hennington, 8, with a king size bucket mouth.

Levi Baggett , 11, doing his part in conservation with a nice Bobcat.

Koley Thompson, 7, shot a large doe this December in Talladega County, AL.

Jaxon DeFee, 4, with a beautiful doe for the table. Grant (The Hammer) Graham, 12, caught his personal best in February on lake Mitchell. This big pre spawn spotted bass weighed 5 lb and 2 oz.

Hunter Travis, 13, from Perdido caught this 6 pounder on Lay Lake with his dad first time fishing on Lay Lake.

Gabe Graham, 10, caught this bass on lake Logan Martin.

Give us your best shot!

Send your submission to info@greatdaysoutdoors.com. Submitting a photo does not guarantee that it will be published. We cannot give any guarantees on when a photo will be published. Please include: child's full name, age, mailing address, and any details. We need to know when, where, size (weight, points, etc.), shot or caught with what and any other meaningful information, like first time, etc.. CONTRIBUTIONS WITHOUT THIS INFO WONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T BE PUBLISHED.

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Advertiser Index A-Team Fishing Adventures . . . . . . . . . . 3 ADCNR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Alabama AG Credit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Alabama Black Belt Adventures . . . . . . 30 Alabama Farmers CO-OP . . . . . . . . 38-39 Alabama Liquid Fertilizer . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Alabama Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 ASWF Podcast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Bay County Amory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Bay Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Bluewater Yacht Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Buck’s Island Marine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Camper City . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 CCA Alabama . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Clutch Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Coast Safe & Lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Deep South Crane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Dixie Building Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Fiber Plastics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 First South Farm Credit . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Fishbites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 Flora Bama Fishing Rodeo . . . . . . . . . . 32 Geico . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 Gulf Shores Orange Beach Tourism . . . 19 Hilton’s Offshore Charts . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Hog Rush . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Hydraulic Crane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 Killer Dock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 MDH Foundation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Midway Lumber . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 National Land Realty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Paradise Marine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Pensacola Motor Sports . . . . . . . . . 68-69 Slick Lure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Southeastern Pond Management . . . . . 37 Sportsman Marine. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Test Calibration Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 War Eagle Boats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 Wildlife Management Solutions . . . . . . . . . 59

April Springtime Inshore Fishing Tips BY: BOBBY ABRUSCATO

There is no better calendar period to catch big speckled trout than the springtime. With water temperatures reaching the upper 60’s the spawn is in full force. During the peak spawns, speckled trout- unlike other fish species- feed aggressively. The spawning schools are huge and the competition for food is fierce. These spawning schools consist of mostly males that are “flexing their muscles” in an effort to encourage the larger females to lay her eggs. The females in the schools are loaded with dense roe which dramatically adds to their weight. So the key to catching spawning spring trout is mainly a function of finding them. So, how does one go about that? A couple of the keys are to know what type of environment speckled trout require in order to spawn. First, they will not spawn in lower salinity environments, so you’ll need to find salinity levels of over 15 parts per thousand. Usually, during the spring, that will be in the lower reaches of the Mobile Bay and Mississippi Sound as the rivers systems to the north are still draining upstate runoff; thus the upper sections of the Bay will be too fresh. Secondly, they will spawn over hard bottom in the form of shell, rock, sand or grass. Again the lower ends of the Mobile Bay system are loaded with all of the above. So now that we know where they are, what to throw? Although shrimp is always good bait, try larger fin fish imitations like Slick Lures or top water plugs. You’ll have no problem

This angler scored on a healthy spring spawn Mobile Bay speckled trout

with numbers using shrimp when you locate a spawning school, but the larger baits will appeal more to the big females… and that’s the one you want for that picture! Captain. Bobby Abruscato odepot@bellsouth.net www.ateamfishing.com

877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // APRIL 2020 73

A GREAT DAY OUTDOORS

Fishing Directions About 8:15, no one had shown up so we surmised they were late. Remember my earlier comments on our powers of deduction.

BY JIM MIZE

Farm ponds often provide outstanding fishing since they are remote and fished less than public waters, so when an invitation to fish a private pond came my way, I pounced on it. Three friends who overheard the conversation followed suit.

I called our host and she apologized profusely, recommending that it might move us along more quickly if we met someone else who knew the pond’s location. They were supposed to be at her cabin and she gave us directions to get there. The pond, we were assured, was close by. About twenty minutes later, we pulled into the driveway by the cabin and noticed someone outside. Figuring that must be our contact, I walked over and introduced myself. As our luck or lack of it would indicate, this wasn’t who we were supposed to meet.

by her. As we talked, I looked down the road and saw her wave. Now able to follow her, we made it down a dirt road to one of the fishiest ponds I’ve ever seen. A broad, shallow body of water, it was splotched with brush, small islands, and a few standing trees. We listened as our host provided a background on when the pond was built and stocked, as well as a few pointers on where we might bump into a snake or two. Antsy to finally fish, we all shuffled our feet and discretely checked our watches while trying to be polite and attentive to our host. After what seemed like eternity but was in fact five minutes, she left us to our fishing.

The pond reportedly had populations of bass and bluegill so thick that fishermen lined up to bring their kids here fishing. Therefore, four experienced fishermen should have no trouble at all, or so we thought.

It was, however, another fisherman who had gone on the public lake nearby and had an outstanding day crappie fishing. Unable to pull away without insulting someone who might be able to point me to my contact, I politely listened to his fishing report on a banner crappie trip.

“You probably won’t be able to find it,” said our host on the phone. “I’ll have my husband meet you at the Dairy Queen at eight tomorrow morning.”

After what seemed like a good long time, I cut in and asked if he could tell me where to find the fellow I was looking for.

With each of us taking a different side of the pond, we quickly covered the water and converged back at the truck to compare notes.

“Oh, he’s not here,” replied the fisherman and went straight back to his fishing story.

I had thrown popping bugs on a fly rod, another had tossed artificial worms, while the other two had cast hard baits. We had driven two hours in all directions, cast and covered water in a pond that regularly produced for young fishermen, and luckily managed to avoid the snakes.

Later that night, I located the Dairy Queen address and calculated the travel time to be a few minutes early. The spare time quickly dissolved the next morning as we gathered gear, found breakfast, and needled each other as fishermen are prone to do. Visions of largemouth danced in our heads. We pulled into the Dairy Queen parking lot five minutes early. Being the only vehicle in the lot, it was evident our host had not arrived. We’re not too sharp at eight in the morning but we figured out this much. A cat with a passel of kittens roamed just outside the dog exercise fence, apparently there to taunt them. Or maybe the cats were there to make the dogs run around frantically so they tired more quickly and travelers could put them back in their cars and be on their way sooner. Some people think of everything.

I got back on the phone with my host and she again apologized profusely. “I’m almost there,” she added. “Just get back in your truck and drive back the way you came. We’ll meet on the road.” So we again loaded into the truck and started driving back the way we had come. It seemed we had driven too far so we pulled off into a church parking lot to wait for our host to pass by. At this point, my passengers were making snide remarks and I began to think it might be easier to manage those feral cats back at the Dairy Queen. Our host didn’t drive by during the next few minutes, so I called again. As it turned out, she had also pulled over to wait for us to drive

74 APRIL 2020 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

We quickly split up and headed to what looked to each of us as the fishiest water. The shadows receded from the corners and soon the bright sunlight fell on the entire pond. I looked at my watch and guessed our trip had taken two hours of the best fishing time.

For all our efforts, we had not one bite. At this point, we decided to eat lunch. That is, if we could still find the Dairy Queen.

JIM MIZE attributes his slight odor to

regularly getting skunked fishing. His two award-winning books of humor and nostalgia for outdoorsmen may be found at www.acreektricklesthroughit.com.

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Some discounts, coverages, payment plans and features are not available in all states, in all GEICO companies, or in all situations. Boat and PWC coverages are underwritten by GEICO Marine Insurance Company. In the state of CA, program provided through Boat Association Insurance Services, license #0H87086. GEICO is a registered service mark of Government Employees Insurance Company, Washington, DC 20076; a Berkshire Hathaway Inc. subsidiary. ÂŠ 2019 GEICO