Great Days Outdoors - August 2022 by TrendSouth Media

HOOKED ON™ SUZUKI TECHNOLOGY

YOU’RE GONNA NEED

A BIGGER COOLER RELIABILITY TO FISH ALL DAY WITH CONFIDENCE Among the many advantages of Suzuki’s proven technologies are simplified rigging and installation, silky smooth shifting, instant throttle response, enhanced performance, and superior fuel economy. With Suzuki Marine’s reputation for performance and reliability, you can rest assured your fishing day is going to make memories that will last for years to come.

YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY

5 YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY applies to qualifying purchases of Suzuki outboard motors sold and delivered to the retail purchaser, for pleasure (non-commercial) use only, from April 1, 2021 through March 31, 2022. See Suzuki Limited Warranty for additional details. Suzuki, the “S” logo, and Suzuki model and product names are Suzuki Trademarks or ®. Don’t drink and drive. Always wear a USCG-approved life jacket and read your owner’s manual. © 2021 Suzuki Marine USA, LLC. All rights reserved.

251.968.2628

6940A HIGHWAY 59 | GULF SHORES, AL 36542 HWY 59 @ COASTAL GATEWAY BLVD. 2 August 2022 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

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9/13/2021 2:46:43 PM

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877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // August 2022 3

HUNTING & FISHING IN ALABAMA & THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE

CONTENTS

Can Fish See Colors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 by David Thornton Choosing Deer Food Plot Seeds for Your Climate. . 12 by John E. Phillips Choosing the Best Bass Boat 2022. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 by David Strickland KillerDock Launches Fish Cleaning Table w/Sink. . 22 by Ed Mashburn Choosing the Best SD Card Viewer for Trail Cameras. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 by Al Kaiser and John E. Phillips How to Catch Mangrove Snapper Inshore and Offshore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 by Frank Sargeant How to Get an FFL License in Your State. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 by Josh Honeycutt Pressured Amberjack Fishing Tips. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 by Ed Mashburn Catfishing at Night Explained. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 by John E. Phillips Choosing the Right Cabin Roof. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 by Stephanie Mallory Choosing the Best Deer Feeder. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 by David Strickland Selecting the Best Climbing Treestand. . . . . . . . . . . 52 by Josh Honeycutt Choosing the Best Braided Fishing Line . . . . . . . . . 56 by David Strickland Vacant Land Insurance Explained for Landowners. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 by Josh Honeycutt Land & Pond Restoration - Electrofishing . . . . . . . . 60 by Great Days Outdoors Staff Picking Marine Night Fishing Systems for Safe Navigation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 by Frank Sargeant

In Every Issue

4 August 2022 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

Best Bets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 by William Kendy Camphouse Kitchen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 by Hank Shaw New & Cool Gear for Outdoorsmen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 by William Kendy From the Commissioner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 by Chris Blakenship From the Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 by Charles Sykes Paddle Fishing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 by Ed Mashburn Coastal Outlook. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 by Chris Vecsey Pier & Shore. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 by David Thornton Regional Freshwater. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 by Ed Mashburn Prime Feeding Times, Moon, Sun, and Tide Charts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 Pensacola Motorsports Trophy Room. . . . . . . . . . . . 88 Great Days Kids Corner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 Fishing Tips. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 by Captain Mike Walker A Great Day Outdoors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 by Jim Mize

NEW

Kings Landing

E C I R P

Black Warrior River Demopolis Hunting & Timber Investment Hale County, Alabama, 286+/-Acres

Dallas County, Alabama, 2745+/-Acres

This rare waterfront tract is extremely unique. Located just 6.5 miles from Demopolis, Kings Landing is an exceptional recreational property. Located in Alabama’s fertile Black enjoy features like 1.7+/- miles of Black Warrior River frontage, a 23+/- acre internal Belt soil region along the Alabama River drain basin, an area that consists of thousands of lake, diverse timber stands of hardwood and pine plantation, multiple food plots, duck acres of bottomland hardwoods and very productive farm land, and is considered to host ponds, an intricate road and trail system, scenic lodge or cabin sites across the property, some of the best trophy deer and turkey hunting in the Southeast. This all-inclusive propdevelopment opportunities for waterfront lots, strong potential conservation easement erty is well suited for a family retreat, commercial hunting operation, or a corporate event value, and fantastic hunting for the abundant trophy whitetail deer, turkey, ducks, dove, and venue. Properties with the qualities of Kings Landing rarely come up for sale. Do not miss other wild game this area is known for. There’s a rustic camp overlooking the oxbow lake out on this unique opportunity. Call for your personal guided tour. Property will be conveyed that would be usable with a little TLC and a boat launch on Yellow Creek that accesses by statutory warranty deed as is, where is. For more information, contact Bob Jamison at the river is just 0.14 miles away, so you can be on the main river by boat quickly and conveniently. Power is available nearby off Yellow Creek Road and there is an additional (205) 454-2239 or Jerry Joe Ingram at (334)300-4273. Property is shown by appointment offset creek front 8 acres available just 0.4 miles away that fronts both Yellow Creek Road only, either Bob Jamison, Monroe Payne, or Jerry Joe Ingram must be present during the and Yellow Creek if you wanted to put a camp there and keep the main property quiet showing, and pre-qualification may be requested before scheduling a showing. during hunting season. Don’t miss your chance to see this versatile riverfront property.

FL Panhandle Listings

Alabama Listings COUNTY Autauga Autauga Autauga Autauga Autauga Baldwin Baldwin Baldwin Baldwin Baldwin Barbour Barbour Barbour Barbour Barbour Bibb Bibb Blount Blount Blount Blount Blount Butler Butler Butler Butler Calhoun Calhoun

ACRES 372 114 80 80 75 530 518 315 101 54 182 160 125 35 5 210 168 225 211 1.3 1.2 0 406 75 25 2 25 22.5

COUNTY Calhoun Calhoun Calhoun Chambers Cherokee Cherokee Cherokee Chilton Chilton Chilton Chilton Chilton Choctaw Clarke Clarke Clarke Clarke Clarke Cleburne Cleburne Coffee Coffee Colbert Colbert Colbert Colbert Colbert Conecuh

18 18 1.4 200.29 2230 2 0.3 256 197 83 68 58.27 1 620 100 66.42 10 10 149 25 206 117 72 40 18 1 0.28 355

ACRES

Conecuh Conecuh Conecuh Conecuh Coosa Coosa Covington Covington Crenshaw Crenshaw Crenshaw Crenshaw Cullman Cullman Dallas Dallas Dallas Dallas Dallas Escambia Escambia Escambia Escambia Escambia Fayette Fayette Fayette Fayette

119 74 40 1 430 30 40 26 276.5 160 88 75 41 8 5701 2745 740 179 130 681 311 269.5 159 50 484 473 344 275

Fayette Franklin Franklin Geneva Hale Hale Hale Hale Hale Henry Henry Henry Henry Henry Houston Houston Houston Houston Jefferson Jefferson Jefferson Jefferson Jefferson Lamar Lamar Lamar Lamar Lamar

260 64 25 228 288.5 258 140 96 80 280 115 80 76.3 60 295 261 69 38 1000 227 180 160 128 210 202 143 47 19

COUNTY

ACRES

Lauderdale Lauderdale Lauderdale Lauderdale Lauderdale Lowndes Lowndes Macon Macon Macon Madison Marengo Marengo Marengo Marengo Marion Marion Marion Marion Marion Mobile Mobile Mobile Mobile Mobile Monroe Monroe Monroe

75 36 25 5.06 5.06 783 50 800 483 185 11 548 507 234 25 135 106 96 40 26.21 399 271.83 260 201 200 191 140 40

COUNTY Monroe Monroe Montgomery Montgomery Montgomery Montgomery Montgomery Morgan Morgan Perry Perry Perry Perry Perry Pickens Pickens Pickens Pickens Pickens Pike Pike Randolph Saint Clair Saint Clair Saint Clair Saint Clair Saint Clair Shelby

11 1 640 250 200 103 65.8 46 18.5 611 530 398.31 240 212.26 430 180 121 72 40 44 9.2 178 96 83 83 67 13 137

Shelby Shelby Shelby Shelby Sumter Sumter Sumter Sumter Sumter Talladega Talladega Talladega Talladega Talladega Tuscaloosa Tuscaloosa Tuscaloosa Tuscaloosa Tuscaloosa Walker Walker Walker Washington Washington Washington Washington Wilcox Wilcox

ACRES 133 110 102 87 499 150 145 141 130 250 27 25 13 1.01 800 600 381.56 341 281 120 95.91 80 430 280 213 150 522 10

Winston Winston Winston Winston Winston

213 12.5 10 9 2.3

COUNTY

Bay Walton

ACRES 264 40

Over 700 more tracts across 47 states available...

877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // August 2022 5

BEST BETS

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

GO DEEP FOR BIG BASS

Let’s face it. August in the South is just flat out hot. Plain and simple. Hot for people and hot for fish. As we escape into air conditioning, they escape to a shade cooler water that actually has oxygen in it. Basically, deeper water, 1220 feet with structure, as in brush tops, rocks and even undercut streams that have some current make for a comfortable bass lair. To get them to bite crankbaits are the top choice but Carolina rigs and heavy spinner baits may encourage a bite. A shad-colored swimbait with a little chartreuse added to the mix is a good start. A lure that resembles a crawfish is effective if you are fishing around rocks and gravel. Since you are fishing stout lures use stout gear as in a seven-foot medium/medium heavy outfit that allows you to get your presentation down deep and bring them up.

AUGUST HUNTING DOLDRUMS

Nothing much is shaking in terms of hunting in Alabama, except in our minds. Still, it is a good time to start planning your upcoming season and evaluating and getting a handle on your strategy and your gear. Are you up to speed on your marksmanship? When was the last time you got to the range? Screws on scopes tend to get loose over time and that means that your sights may not be on-track. Got your back packs all set? Knives sharpened? Better to deal with this stuff now instead of a few days before opening day and, actually it is fun just goofing around with the little things that make a hunt memorable. What about you? Are you in shape to do what you think you can do? Up to doing some hiking? Maybe you need to shed some pounds, beef up a bit and get in shape. All good.

VOLUME 26 ISSUE 8 AUGUST 2022

PUBLISHED BY: Great Days Outdoors Media, L.L.C. PUBLISHER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Joe Baya EXECUTIVE EDITOR Butch Thierry MANAGING EDITOR: William Kendy GENERAL MANAGER: Samatha Hester CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Wendy Johannesmann DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL MARKETING Jarod Bosarge

Great Days Outdoors (USPS 17228; ISSN 1556-0147) is published monthly at P.O. Box 1253 Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459 Subscription rate is $30 for one-year, $54 for two-years, and $72 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.

AUGUST COBIA AND TRIPLE TAIL

CONTACT US: EDITORIAL | JoeBaya@greatdaysoutdoors.com ADVERTISING | SamHester@greatdaysoutdoors.com SUBSCRIPTIONS | greatdaysoutdoors@pcspublink.com

*Set up on a reef or rig, do some light chumming and jig.

Great Days Outdoors Media LLC PO Box 460248 Escondido, CA 92046 877. 314. 1237 info@greatdaysoutdoors.com www.greatdaysoutdoors.com

I did some research in the GDO archives and came up with a few tips on catching August cobia and triple tail, courtesy of Richard Rutland of Cold-Blooded Fishing.

*For cobia, pogies, hardtails and croakers top the menu list. Rutland likes to use a three-to-five-ounce jig when fishing in 40-50 feet of water (heavier the deeper you go) with a white, pink or chartreuse curly tail on the back of it. In terms of cobia Rutland uses a 6 ½ -7-foot rod in the medium/medium heavy power range paired with a 400-level wind or 5000-6000 level spinning reel. For triple Tail he likes a spinning 40-pound medium power fast action (with a “little meat”) rod coupled with 400-level a 5000-class series reel. Good Fishing and stay cool 6 August 2022 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/GREATDAYSOUTDOORS WWW.TWITTER.COM/TEAMGREATDAYS WWW.INSTAGRAM.COM/GREATDAYSOUTDOORS

877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // August 2022 7

White is a good contrast color for fast moving fish in dark colored water.

8 August 2022 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

Can Fish See

FISHING

COLORS?

BY DAVID THORNTON

The short answer, according to Dr. Bob Shipp would be “YES” but ask any angler this question, and no telling what answer you might get. Why do bluegill like a green Beetle Spin in a farm pond ? And how come pompano are attracted to orange Fishbites in the surf? From Carolina rigged purple worms for bass in a lake, to purple deep diving plugs for wahoo offshore, every angler seems to have lure or bait preferences based on color which, anecdotally at least would seem to prove fish do indeed see colors. Besides, color variety is such a huge selling factor for lure manufacturers. That certainly drives their sales up significantly just because of the numerous choices they give the fish. And of course, the fishermen! I remember a fish talk when the presenter stated “Any color lure works fine on these fish, as long as it is green.” LOL! What about line color? Why would anglers be so concerned about line color unless history supported that fish can see it? In fact, much angling “ado” has been discussed on the issue of line color perception by fish. So then why have ‘high-vis’ lines, and how come they are so popular? For every instance when the shade of lure or line or terminal tackle seems important to the fish, there are just as many times when it seems to matter more to the fisherman than to the fish. There are a lot of theories and conjecture based on incomplete experience and science on this matter. Even fish scientists cannot seem to agree exactly how fish see or perceive light underwater. Then there are so many species that live in such a wide variety of dynamic aquatic environments it is difficult to establish a benchmark to know the who, what, when, where, why and how color can be seen by the fish being currently targeted. Just taking into account factors of water depth, turbidity, and salinity makes it more difficult to answer this question universally. LET’S DELVE IN DEEPER So just how, and when do fish see colors? Their eyes are basically similar to ours with a pupil, iris, lenses, and retinas that have rods and cones, which detect and differentiate color. Human eyes have three cone types that sense color pigments in blue, green and red of the visible spectrum. But some fish species have more cones, and some even fewer. And even though most fish appear to be trichromatic (like us), it is not fully understood how their eyes function in this alien (underwater) environment. Some research infers that a few fish species may even ‘see’ into the ultraviolet light ranges humans can not view, except with artificial enhancements. Like right out of the “Predator” movies. The fish species anglers are most familiar with live the sunlit Euphotic or Epipelagic Zone, less that 200 meters (656 feet) deep. Sunlight comes in a wide variety of wavelengths beyond the narrow color spectrum we (and likely fish) are most familiar seeing with. Still, that is only a fraction of the overall pattern. And because visible light, which makes up the color palette is bent, scattered and absorbed deferentially underwater than in the air,

even the angle sunlight is entering the water is critical in the way that visible light is seen or perceived by fish. Colors are simply not visible once they reach a certain depth under any conditions. Therefore there is no doubt, depth alone is a key factor to underwater color perception. That is, because water is a denser medium than air, certain light wavelengths (colors) behave differently as they pass through it and are absorbed at different depths. The ultraviolet end of the visible spectrum has shorter wavelengths with higher frequencies, and more energy which allows it to penetrate deeper into water. Infrared light has longer wavelengths, at lower frequencies, but less energy to penetrate as deep into water. So the darker tones of red are then first to disappear underwater. This is why so many deeper dwelling fish, like Red snapper have a true red color. That appears to be a “light shade of gray’ in their native water at 60 to 200 feet below the water surface. This may lead to some credence in the thought behind coloring certain fishing hooks or line red, though dark brown or black may look about the same to fish. Conversely, tones of green and blue are visible much farther beneath the waves. Many pelagic species like mahi-mahi, tunas, billfish, and mackerel have a lot of blue and green coloration in their skin to help them blend in with the background where they spend most of their time. Of course at any given time and location, various suspended particles in the water (organic and inorganic) may absorb, diffuse, or block sunlight in varying degrees which can tint color shades, or make the water even less visible. This may aid individual fish being less visible to their predators or their prey. There are times when color is the main key to entice a fish to bite, like when we “match the hatch” of specific bait or baitfish they are feeding on. Then, just a flash of silver or a color that closely resembles the natural prey will elicit a strike. All too often though, a contrasting color or outline in the background color of the water a fish sees may be critical to get the bite. That is why orange and yellow, or even white lures often work better in low light situations. Objects that reflect any available light at dawn or dusk are easier for the fish to see. While more ‘natural’ colors may not be detected. And just the opposite holds true in bright light when contrasting colors may be perceived by the fish as obvious deceptions. NOT ALL FISH “SEE” THE SAME Apparently there may even be differences in how much and which wavebands of light certain fish species may see. Some freshwater trout, for instance, have a fourth color receptor in their eyes that may well play a part in detecting ultraviolet light wavelengths. Other research has shown that color may not be as important to certain pelagic species as commonly believed. Deep, clear blue offshore water is usually devoid of suspended nutrients. There, detection of motion may be more important to fish survival. After all, survival is mostly about eating or being eaten by the fish in any environment. Plus, come breeding time, 877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // August 2022 9

Can Fish See Colors?

LightSpectrum shows the colors and their wavelengths

ColorPenetrationGraph to show the difference of how far light can penetrate water.

recognizing members of their own species even in the dark by virtue of their lateral line sensitivity. Another unique way that fish perceive their environment without “seeing” color in the sense that we humans do. Certainly fish living or feeding deeper than sunlight penetrates (more than 3000 feet deep) have different perceptions of the world around them and some even have to produce their own “light” to catch food. Color becomes irrelevant the deeper you are fishing, though some shades of blue and green may remain visible to 200 feet or more from the surface IF the water is totally clear. Fish have that well refined sense of vibration using their lateral line that allows them to detect objects even in the dark at night. Thus they can function even in the absence of light and color. But a majority of the time, anglers are encountering fish in water that gives the fish an edge. Plus, there may well be so much more to seeing than just with color perception. It is unclear how sharply fish can see objects, and they may in fact rely more on detecting motion than most of us realize. Even indirect sunlight at dawn or dusk, or during a cloudy or foggy day penetrates water differently 10 August 2022 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

as to allow differences in color perceptions by the fish anglers are pursuing. Especially in low light situations, motion of the bait or lure is most likely to catch the attention of a fish. Then as it gets a closer, coloration may be an increasingly important factor to entice a strike. Check for yourself in a sight fishing situation by simply waving your hands over your head. What do you think the fish will do? Even the clothing you are wearing can make you more or less visible to fish depending whether it blends or contrasts to background color from their perspective. If you can see them, they have likely already seen you. As the position of the sun changes throughout daylight hours, the amount of light penetrating even relatively shallow water varies greatly. This probably influences fish to move deeper in the water column, because most lack eyelids to protect their eyes from glare. As they see better during increasing daylight, they may “turn off” from biting a lure of one color, and ‘turn on’ to another color of the same lure. Or perhaps not biting at all, and just leaving one spot for another. Some times and places it may be just that simple, or that complex.

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• All steel construction • Sliding glass windows • Maintenance-free • Locking windows and doors • Full staircase/handrail on most models • Fully carpeted interior on economy blinds • 2” foam insulation in walls, ceiling, & floor in insulated models • Exterior window and door shades • Octagonal shape • Multiple tower heights and sizes to accommodate any hunter • Trailer blind options • ADA accessible ramp option • Door chain

BENEFITS:

• No wood to rot • Windows open and close without catching a glare • Pest proof • Enhanced safety when entering/exiting blind • Controls sound and scent • Helps keep rain off windows and doors for visibility • Increased visibility • Increased mobility for hunting any location • Keeps door from flying open and making unnecessary noise Mention this add to get a free gift with purchase of any MB Ranch King Product!

FEEDER FEATURES: • Feeders come with battery and solar panel • Feeders are 52” or shorter • Feeders are on skids • High capacity feeders • Eliminator plate FEEDER BENEFITS: • Ready to use unit just fill and set timer • Fill feeder without climbing, keep both feet on the ground • Easily drag feeder to feed location • Fill feeders less often, less disturbance for wildlife • Hog and raccoon proof feeders!

We are the Southeast’s premier source for MB Ranch King high-quality hunting blinds, deer and fish feeders and shooting products - all made in the USA. For more information on MB Ranch King products, contact:

Kevin Kloda (205) 807-2937

877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // August 2022 11

Choosing Deer Food Plot Seeds for Your Climate Understanding which seeds or seed blends to plant when will insure you’ll have productive green fields. BY JOHN E. PHILLIPS

This patch of Non-Typical Clover may bring in bucks and does, even when the bucks are in the velvet. 12 August 2022 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

HUNTING

Many factors need to be considered when choosing a seed blend for your food plots this fall. One of the factors that is often overlooked is the climate and the amount of moisture that will be in the soil when you plant. If you intend to plant a food plot in an area that floods often or stays wet even during the hottest part of the summer, you may want to consider a seed blend that has been combined for wet soils. Or, if your green field will be planted in a bed that gets almost full sun all day, every day, and is subject to drought, then you’ll want a different type of seed blend. Still another consideration is if you want a crop planted for early-season bowhunting or one that will be available to the deer at the beginning of gun season and continue to provide very-palatable, highly-nutritious food throughout the winter months. To learn the answers to these questions, GDO interviewed Austin Delano, a habitat and wildlife associate for Mossy Oak BioLogic. John E. Phillips: How important is knowing the difference between the climate in north and south Alabama, and how do those areas influence the type of seed blends you recommend for Alabama deer hunters to plant. Austin Delano: One of the major factors that influences food-plot plantings in Alabama’s different climates is when you plant the seeds. A landowner or a manager needs to know when that crop will be available and attractive to the deer you want to hunt. Many of the Mossy Oak BioLogic blends will produce good crops from Florida and into the far parts of the North. Certain foodplot plantings are best for early-season bowhunting. Also other food-plot plantings produce plenty of highly-nutritious food for deer throughout the fall and winter months. WHAT TO PLANT FOR EARLY-SEASON BOWHUNTING Phillips: How does a landowner or a land manager know when to plant, and what seed blends produce the best crops for early-season bowhunting, late-season bowhunting, opening day of gun season and the last day of gun season? Delano: If you’re planting for early-bow season to have a crop to attract and feed deer, plant your seeds 30-45 days before the opening day of bow season. That growth will be very young and palatable to the deer. But consider the weather to be sure to have enough moisture in the soil for the seeds to germinate. Never plant when the land hasn’t had rain in 20 to 40 days, or after a flood when water’s still standing in the fields. For a better idea of when most deer hunters plant their green fields in the area that you plan to hunt, talk to the nearest Alabama Farmers Cooperative dealer to your hunting land. Phillips: For bow season or early gun-season crops, what seed blends do you recommend and why?

Delano: We suggest planting heavy cereal grain seeds, plus radishes. Clovers are also very effective during the early season. * Green Patch Plus and Deer Radish: Phillips: Give us the names of some of the seed blends you suggest for bow season and why. Delano: Mossy Oak’s Green Patch Plus contains cereal grains, clovers and Brassicas - all seeds that come-up in the early part of deer season and taste good to the deer. Deer Radish – containing two varieties of radishes and a Brassica - has a flavor that deer really like and also can produce a good crop for early bow season. Cold weather isn’t required for these plants to be very attractive to deer, like some people tend to believe. Phillips: Adding radishes is somewhat of a new idea, and hunters may not have considered it as a food-plot planting. Delano: We’ve probably only been adding radishes to some of our Mossy Oak BioLogic plantings and recommending it for early-season plantings for about 10 years. The radishes have the ability to grow a good amount of foliage the deer can eat. Also Deer Radish doesn’t require as much water as many of the early-deer-season plantings may. We’ve found that they really blend in well with our cereal mix like wheat, oats and cereal grains. They come out of the ground quickly, after only a couple of serious rains, and then continue to grow and produce deer food with very-little rain. Most of our early-season plantings for Alabama take place in September, which is often one of the driest times of the year. The ground must have enough moisture to cause the seeds to germinate. Deer Radish is resilient. * Non-Typical Clover: Another early-season planting that yields food for deer and turkeys before and during the beginning of bow season is Mossy Oak’s Non-Typical Clover. We start planting it in the fall with cereal grains – wheat, oats and/ or BioLogic blends like Green Patch – and mix in the Non-Typical Clover with the cereal seeds. After the early season, when the deer have eaten all the cereal grains from a food plot, by the spring of the year, Non-Typical Clover will grow in your food plot, if no major droughts occur, giving you a perennial clover field that you can maintain for several years. * Hot Spot: Hot Spot has been a product used with great success in the South and particularly in Alabama. Hot Spot contains several different varieties of seeds – cereal grains, clovers and Brassica - that produce well under adverse weather conditions, including less-than-ideal amounts of sunlight hitting the ground, and can be planted with minimal soil disturbance. If you don’t have farming equipment to plant your green fields, or if the terrain doesn’t lend itself to using large tractors and farming implements,

877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // August 2022 13

Choosing Deer Food Plot Seeds for Your Climate

Now’s the time to start turning your soil, get a soil test, secure your fertilizer and the seed blends you need to make that green field you want to plant a buck magnet.

grains, clover and Brassicas in it. Phillips: Why do you prefer those two blends of seeds for the late season? Delano: I like these blends because they contain some plants that the deer will feed on at the beginning of deer season, and some plants they’ll eat through the end of the season, when cold weather hits. At the beginning of the season, the deer prefer plants that are higher in protein, like the cereal grains and clover. When cold weather hits, they’re looking for plants higher in carbohydrates and energy food sources like the late-season plants in this blend. Either of these two blends will meet the deer’s food needs at different times of the year, including when they switch from the plants that are higher in protein to the plants that are higher in carbohydrates. WHY TO PLANT SEED BLENDS Phillips: Why do you recommend planting seed blends instead of one crop, like corn, soybeans, winter wheat and/or alfalfa in the green fields for gun/deer season?

hunters can put-in a small hunting green field of Hot Spot with hand tools. The key to having an effective, small, hunting green field with Hot Spot is to make sure that the seeds have good contact with the soil. We recommend spraying the green fields with herbicides first to cover the vegetation in the small areas where you’ll put the green fields. You can use a backpack blower to blow leaves and dead plants off the ground to leave the potential green field clear of litter. Next use a rake or a small rototiller to break-up that top layer of the soil. Then when these seeds hit the ground, they’ll land on soft dirt, and once they germinate, they’ll have loose soil in which to take hold. * Clover Plus Blend: Phillips: If the ground where you want to locate your green field is very dry, which product works best? Delano: We use chicory in our Clover Plus Blend to solve this problem after the plot’s planted. Deer Radish does well in dry soil conditions after the product comes up. These seeds still need rain to germinate, get out of the ground and begin to grow. Then they can survive and produce better than some-other food-plot plantings if you’re planting in an area that tends to be dry or receives very-little rain in the early fall. Ground that stays moist most of the early season needs Non-Typical Clover planted. WHAT TO PLANT FOR GUN SEASON Phillips: What crops do you recommend for the beginning of gun season through the end of deer season? * Final Forage Blend and Outfitter’s Blend: Delano: Mossy Oak BioLogic has various wildlife plantings that produce well from the beginning of gun season until its end. To plant a green field during the middle of deer season until the end of deer season, try to plant the crops 60 days before the first frost. For mid-to-late season planting, we suggest bigger, bulkier Brassicas. I’m a big fan of Final Forage Blend that contains radishes, turnips and rape. We’ve had great success with this blend throughout the entire state of Alabama and even further north. This seed blend offers some plants that deer like during early season and other seeds that the deer don’t key in until December and January. For a gun hunter, Final Forage is a productive green-field planting to consider. Next I’d choose Outfitter’s Blend that has cereal 14 August 2022 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

Delano: Planting seed blends in the late summer or early fall allows you to have several varieties of plants that we know the deer are really attracted to at that time of the year. Those plants will be in the young, palatable stage of their growth cycle. These seed blends give deer a diversity of choices of foods that they can eat and like to eat. If they prefer to eat clover, it’s there, as are cereal grains, radishes and turnips. The deer may not even have to take a step forward or back to eat any or all these food choices. Remember, deer eat a wide variety of foods. They’re browsers, which means they like variety in their diets. What we’ve learned from combining different seeds from various plants deer like is that if green fields offer many kinds of seeds, then the deer will be more likely to come to that green field and stay longer. BioLogic can’t pre-determine the weather. However, a seed blend with a variety of seeds in it may produce in both hot, dry weather and rainy weather. For instance, if you plant one late-summer, early-fall crop, nothing in that blend will last well into the colder months. If your food plot only has cold-weather crops planted in it, you’ll lose the possibility of having a productive food plot for early season. By choosing seed blends, you can make sure that you have food available for the deer - regardless of the time of year you want the food plot to be productive, and in any climate that will impact the food plot later in the season. So, always talk with your nearby seed dealers such as the Alabama Farmers Cooperative. They will be more familiar with your weather patterns, and which food-plot blends will produce best year after year for: early-season and late-season deer hunters.

What’s the Alabama Farmers Cooperative Based in Decatur, Ala., the Alabama Farmers Cooperative (AFC) is made up of 52 local, farmer-owned cooperatives in Alabama and the Florida Panhandle that operate 80 stores. The stores also sell a wide range of agricultural supplies and services, sporting goods, home gardening and pond supplies and birding and wildlife products. To learn more, check out https://www.alafarm. com/locations.

...like hearing the waves lapping the side of the

boat, watching the sunset as you cast your line from the pier, or reeling in your first catch of the day. Charter, deep-sea, offshore, and inshore

fishing are all some of our favorite ways to reel in dinner.

GulfShores.com OrangeBeach.com 877-341-2400

877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // August 2022 15

Choosing the Best Bass Boat 2022 BY DAVID STRICKLAND

The Sportsman 1610 is an economical aluminum boat for the recreational angler.

Looking for a new boat? With so many bass boats to choose from, what’s the best way to zero in on one that’s both comfortable and functional? What are some of the features you’re looking for to make your time on the water more productive and enjoyable? I called Buck’s Island marina to discuss what’s involved in helping a customer find the right bass boat. I spoke with Dan O’Sullivan and asked him about the process he uses to ensure their customers leave the parking lot with a smile and a boat that matches their fishing style. O’Sullivan is in the marketing department at Buck’s Island and he explained that how a customer answers a few questions helps to narrow his recommendations considerably and help match up the best boat: • •

Do they fish recreationally or also in tournaments and local or regional? Do they prefer fiberglass or aluminum?

O’Sullivan referred to the extensive selection of aluminum and fiberglass boats carried by Buck’s Island. He also described three primary boat/motor combinations and added a fourth to include premium tournament packages: 16 August 2022 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

1. Recreational 2. Recreation and local tournaments/club fishing 3. Regional tournaments 4. Professional circuit Before we get down into specific offers, there are some general things that you need to consider before you commit to that dream boat. Size- Longer, wider, heavier boats are more stable, draft shallower, and ride smoother in rough water. Hull- Design options include the latest Performance hulls, Deep-V, Modified-V, Flat-Bottom, Skiff, and Offshore. Deep v-shaped boats are designed for larger bodies of water and provide a smoother ride through choppy water. They have added draft and less stability then other hulls. Modified v hulls start out in the bow with a modified v shape which flattens out

FISHING in the stern. The result is a lower water profile making for a stabile, fast, well handling all around boat, Flat-Bottom boats offer shallow draft and stability and are good in calm and small water, but not good for rough or choppy conditions. Skiffs are designed for use in shallow water or flats. They feature squared sterns, sharp bows with a flat bottom adding up to less draft. Because they sit more on the water can be a little tippy and aren’t designed for rough water use. Offshore boats are all about deadrise which is the angle where each side of the bottom intersects with an imaginary horizontal line (the water line). Generally, the steeper the deadrise the more efficiently the hull can run through waves Seating- Ensure the seats in your prospective boat are comfortable, durable, and a good fit. (Test them) Trolling motors/Power Poles- Their voltage and amp draw determines the number of batteries aboard. Therefore, carefully inventory the amount of storage you need. Sonar Mounts-Your fishing style will determine what mounting system you need. (Gimbal, Ram, Bridge, Dash) Aluminum vs. Fiberglass- Each has pros and cons. New building techniques make aluminum hulls comparable to composites. Horsepower- The size, weight, and where you fish will determine the appropriately sized motor. O’Sullivan first described two models of aluminum boats made by G3 and another manufactured by Avid. *All boats featured in this article represent standard packages for the 2022 models listed. However, most of these watercraft have additional options and color schemes available. ALUMINUM G3 The G3 line of boats has a fully welded, all-aluminum, .100 hull. The 1610 is an excellent choice for recreational anglers. It’s an affordable option that seats four

and is ideal for bass and panfishing. Sportsman 1610 Length- 16’10” Width- 7’8” Dry Weight- 1066 lbs Yamaha F70LA Minn Kota 55 Edge, 12-volt, 45″ shaft Lowrance Hook2 4X GPS However, if more room and horsepower are preferred, the 1810 has more space and stability and can accommodate the recreational and club angler. Sportsman 1810 Length- 18’10” Width- 7’8” Dry Weight- 1190 lbs Yamaha 115 VMAX SHO Minn Kota Edge 70, 24-volt 45” shaft Lowrance HOOK Reveal 5X GPS Avid For the customer who regularly fishes tournaments, Dan said the Avid 20 XB is one of the premier aluminum boats for 2022. Avid uses .125 5052 Marine-Grade alloy. It has plenty of storage and has an excellent casting deck. In addition, this boat rides well and is known for its quick “holeshots”. Length- 20’1” Width- 8’1” Draft- 11” Dry Weight- 1,594 lbs Yamaha VF200 LA Minn Kota Ultrex 80 Humminbird Helix 9 (console) Humminbird Helix 9 (bow) FIBERGLASS Skeeter Skeeter’s ZX series is their best-selling line of bass boats spanning their 75-years in the business. Dan recommended this boat for the recreational angler fishing local waterways.

This Cougar FTD from Bass Cat is a popular model on the Pro-Circuit.

877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // August 2022 17

Choosing the Best Bass Boat 2022

This Skeeter FXR 20 has the premium features any tournament angler can appreciate.

ZX150 Length- 18’6” Width- 7’11” Draft- 16” Dry weight- 1710 lbs Yamaha 150 SHO Minn Kota Edge 70 Humminbird Helix 5 Chirp GPS (console)

Width- 8’1” Draft- 17” Dry weight- 2175 lbs Yamaha VF250LA Minn Kota Ultrex iPilot 112 Humminbird Helix 12 SI (console) Humminbird Helix 9 DI (bow) 8’ Minn Kota Raptors

ZX200 This model is the next level in Skeeter’s lineup. It’s a good fit for recreational anglers and those who compete in club tournaments. Length- 19’6” Width- 7’11” Draft- 16” Dry weight- 2020 lbs Yamaha 200 SHO Minn Kota Fortrex 80 Humminbird Helix 7 (console) Humminbird Helix 7 (bow) 12” manual jack plate

FXR20 The FXR line has the premium features that the serious tournament fisherman needs in several color/package options. Length- 20’4” Width- 8’1” Draft- 17” Dry weight- 2175 lbs Yamaha VF250 Minn Kota Fortrex 112 Humminbird Helix 15 G4N MSI (console) Humminbird Helix 12 GN MSI (bow) 2 - Minn Kota Raptor power poles w/Active-Anchoring Hydraulic jack plate Padded front deck Hamby Keel Protector

Tournament Skeeter The ZXR and FXR are two Skeeter models designed for the tournament angler. The ZXR is equipped with ‘Value” packaging, while the FXR boats have almost all the bells and whistles. The Apex package includes premium touches for both boat and trailer. ZXR20 This is a well-outfitted tournament-ready boat. Length- 20’4” 18 August 2022 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

FXR21 The FXR boasts a new hull design with a larger cockpit and deck area and a choice between several available packages. Length- 21’4” Width- 8’1” Draft- 17’

Choosing the Best Bass Boat 2022

with 100% composite construction.

Dry weight- 2275 lbs Yamaha 250 SHO Minn Kota Ultrex 112 MDI w/Link Humminbird Helix 12 SI (console) Humminbird Helix 9 DI (bow) 2 x Minn Kota Raptors Hydraulic jack plate Padded front deck Keel guard Apex- This is Skeeter’s premium package designed for the professional angler that wants a top-tier boating experience. This option combines virtually every premium feature into a single package for comfort and a striking appearance. Also included is an automotive-quality semi-metallic gel coat finish. Features include: • • • • • • •

NEW Dual 8’ Minn Kota Raptors w/ Active-Anchoring Humminbird G4N HELIX 15 MEGA SI (console) Humminbird G4N HELIX 12 MEGA DI (bow) Minn Kota Ultrex 112 36v w/ i-Pilot Link w/MEGA-Down Imaging transducer built-In Humminbird 5-Port Ethernet Switch Network/connecting both Helix units to the Ultrex Link & Raptors! Choice of six exclusive APEX color packages featuring Skeeter Tri-Tec Gel Coat EVA cockpit flooring ATLAS 12” hydraulic jack plate w/ digital gauge

Falcon Dan loves the addition of the saltwater stringers and considers the Falcon’s ride equal to other top-tier boats and for a lower price point. The F185 & F195 are good options for recreational anglers or club fishermen

F185 Length- 18’5” Width- 7’10” Dry weight- 1650 lbs Mercury 150 Pro XS Minn Kota Edge 70 Lowrance Hook 7 Reveal (console) Lowrance Hook 5 Reveal (bow) Adjustable Jack Plate F195 Length- 19’5” Width- 7’10” Dry weight- 1675 lbs YAMAHA SHO 200HP Minn Kota Maxxum 70HC Helix 7 Chirp MDI GPS (console) Helix 7 Chirp GPS (bow) Dual Power-Pole 8’ Blades Adjustable jack plate Keel Guard Two tournament-ready models with excellent ride and speed in value trim packages. F205 Length- 20’4” Width- 8’3 Dry weight- 1890 lbs Mercury 250 PRO XS

EASY APPLICATION!!! Unlike many liquid fertilizers, Clark’s Plot Nutrients: • Will not settle out in your tank or application equipment • There are no particles large enough to clog spray nozzles • It is readily absorbed by plants because it is a foliar application. Therefore, within one hour 80-90% of the fertilizer is already absorbed into the plant and working • Heavy rain will not wash away the fertilizer See what a difference it can make on your place!

CALL FOR PRICING & QUANTITIES DISTRIBUTED BY:

Liquid Food Plot Fertilizer Plus Calcium

Clark’s Plot Nutrients is a true liquid fertilizer that is designed to not only provide fertilizer to your food plot, but also supply calcium. Calcium is vital to the development of deer antler growth and egg shell strength in turkeys.

ENDORSED BY:

Chris & Kelley Grantham Elba, Alabama

334-233-2687 ALFandSupply@gmail.com www.alfandsupply.com

877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // August 2022 19

Choosing the Best Bass Boat 2022

SUPPORTING THE LOCAL ECONOMY & ECOLOGY

Minn Kota Ultrex 112 Humminbird Helix 9 Chirp MSI GPS (console) Humminbird Helix 9 Chirp DS GPS (bow) Humminbird 5 port ethernet hub Dual Power-Pole 8’ Blades Atlas hydraulic jack plate Keel guardå F215 Length- 21’5” Width- 8’3” Dry weight- 1975 lbs Mercury Pro XS 250 Minn Kota Fortrex 45” 112 36V Humminbird Helix 9 CHIRP MSI GPS (console) Humminbird Helix 9 CHIRP DS GPS (bow) Adjustable Jack Plate Keel Guard The F21 is a tournament boat with high-end features and better holeshots.

Admiral Oysters are now available for retail by the dozen at Bon Secour Fisheries, Inc. in Bon Secour, Alabama. Fresh, raw oysters can elevate any event. From a simple, nutrient dense appetizer at home to a shucking party with friends, Admiral Oysters will steal the show.

Call 251.949.7411 for pricing and availability

Oysters grown at our farm are consistent in size and flavor profile. Frequent handling and wave energy at our unique location creates a sustainable environment in which our oysters thrive. This combination results in the perfect half shell presentation of the Admiral Oyster.

F21 Length- 21’6” Width- 8’3” Dry weight- 1975 lbs Mercury 250 PRO XS Minn Kota Ultrex 112 Humminbird Solix 12 MSI (console) Humminbird Solix 10 MDI (bow) Hydraulic jack plate w/gauge 2 - 8’ Blade Power Poles Keel Guard The TE option (Tournament Edition) has all the amenities necessary for the tournament pro featuring premium features bow to stern. F21TE Length- 21’5” Width- 8’3” Dry weight- 1975 lbs Minn Kota Ultrex 112 Mercury 250 PRO XS Humminbird Solix 12 MSI (console) Humminbird Solix 10MDI (bow) Hydraulic Jack Plate w/Gauge 2- 8’ Blade Power Poles Upgraded custom seat & windshields Padded cockpit floor liner Keel Guard Bass Cat Well-built and finished with a large following of dedicated owners. A company with many innovative concepts in their 50+ years in the business.

We are located near Fort Morgan AL, in an untouched wild stretch of beach that will be immune from development. The site has witnessed centuries of history including the Battle of Mobile Bay as Admiral Farragut charged into the Bay with the iconic line “Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead”. That motto comes in handy on cold rainy mornings and when the winds get high!

Visit Us at AdmiralShellfishCompany.com

20 August 2022 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

The Sabre has everything to satisfy even seasoned anglers. Available with up to 175hp, the Sabre FTD provides performance that fits any budget. Sabre Length- 18’1″ Width- 93″ Dry weight- 1215 lbs Mercury Pro XS 175hp Minn Kota Ultrex 80/MDI/IP/ 45″ 24V Humminbird Helix 7 (console)

Choosing the Best Bass Boat 2022

Humminbird Helix 7 (bow) R&R jack plate Pantera 2 Length- 19’1″ Width- 7’9” Dry weight- 1425 lbs Mercury 200 ProXS Minn Kota Ultrex 80/MDI/IP/ 45″ 24V Humminbird Helix 7 CHIRP MSI GPS (console) Humminbird Helix 7 CHIRP MDI GPS CHO (console) Humminbird Helix 7 CHIRP MDI GPS CHO (bow) R&R 6-Bolt 8″ Slidemaster Jack plate Eyra (Dan mentioned this is one of their fastest hulls) Length- 20’2″ Width- 7’10” Dry weight- 1715 lbs Mercury 250 Pro Xs Minn Kota Fortrex 80 45″ 24V Humminbird Helix 12 CHIRP MDI GPS G4N CHO Humminbird Helix 10 CHIRP MSI GPS G4N Reflex-flooring in cockpit Hydraulic Jack plate Keel Protector Cougar FTD-(Popular model with the touring anglers)) Length- 20’ 4” Beam- 7’10” Dry weight- 1805 lbs Mercury 250 Pro XS Minn Kota Fortrex 80 45″ 24V Humminbird Helix 12 CHIRP MDI GPS G4N CHO Humminbird Helix 12 CHIRP MSI GPS G4N Hydraulic Jack plate Puma STS-(Soft-Touch-System- designed for an incredibly smooth ride in all conditions) Length- 20’7″ Width- 8’ Dry weight- 2100 lbs Mercury 250 ProXS Minn Kota Ultrex 112/MDI/IP 45″ 36V 2- Helix 9’s (console) Elevated graph mounting for direct gimbal placement (2- bow) Slidemaster Jack plate Keel guard CONCLUSION If one of your goals is to spend more time fishing this year, call and speak to the staff at Buck’s Island and let them help you find a boat that fits your fishing style. Go to their website and check their inventory or, order a custom model outfitted with the features you need.

BY SHARONM

Recipe and image courtesy of www.allrecipes.com

Striped Bass Seared with Honey and Ouzo Ingredients • 1 cup all-purpose flour • 1 tablespoon garlic powder • 1-pound striped bass fillets, cut into cubes, or more to taste • ¼ cup Asian fish sauce • 2 tablespoons olive oil • 2 tablespoons honey • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano • 2 tablespoons ouzo (anise-flavored liqueur) Instructions

2. 3. Contact Information Buck’s Island 4500 Hwy 77 Southside, AL. bucksisland.com (256) 442-2588

Whisk flour and garlic powder together in a bowl. Toss bass in the flour mixture until coated. Whisk fish sauce, olive oil, honey, and oregano together in a bowl until smooth. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir bass in the hot skillet until lightly browned on all sides, about five minutes. Transfer bass to a plate. Add ouzo and fish sauce mixture to hot skillet; bring to a boil. Return bass to pan and cook until fish is cooked through, about five minutes more.

877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // August 2022 21

KillerDock Launches Fish Cleaning Table with Sink BY ED MASHBURN

KillerDock tables with sinks can be applied to most dock surfaces.

22 August 2022 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

FISHING KillerDock has been building some world-class efficient and dependable fish cleaning stations using top of the line materials and quality construction to make long- term fish cleaning and preparation possible for anglers. The ceramic coated aluminum frame and solid, strong work surfaces of KillerDock cleaning stations have given great service to anglers with few if any problems. So why would they decide to make a change and add sinks as an option for their cleaning stations? WHY ADD A SINK? Aaron Williamson, vice-president of marketing at KillerDock provided an answer. “People asked for sinks as a feature of their cleaning stations. These were folks who had used sinks in their fish cleaning previously, and having a sink was just part of their cleaning fish,” Williamson said. “With a built-in sink as part of the cleaning station, people can wash their hands and knives as they work,” he explained. “Another benefit of a sink, folks can keep their cleaned fillets on ice in the sink while they’re cleaning up after processing the fish. In short, there are several reasons folks wanted sinks installed in their KillerDock tables.” HOW ARE THE KILLERDOCK SINKS MADE? Williamson pointed out that the KillerDock cleaning station sinks are not cheap, plastic “drop-in” units. The system is famous for strength and quality of build, and these optional sinks are no exception. “Our sinks are hand-built welded marine- grade aluminum sinks with the same clear ceramic coating we use on all of our KillerDock stations which provides lots of use and long-life,” he said.

KillerDock sinks provide lots of space for work.

station and the entire dock area. FEATURES OF THE KILLERDOCK SYSTEM WITH A SINK The sinks for KillerDock Fish Cleaning Stations are strong, long lasting, and very efficient, but anglers might be concerned about that lost flat work surface which the sink takes up.

The KillerDock sinks are rounded rectangles 12 inches wide, 18 inches long and 8 inches deep which provides plenty of working space and also a good cold-storge unit for several beverages after the cleaning is done.

“Our sinks all have a flush lid, so folks still get full surface use. When we showed that the sinks don’t cost any workspace, that’s when folks really started to order the sinks as part of their KillerDock stations. You don’t lose any working space. In fact, thirty to forty percent of our ordered stations have sinks built in,” Williamson said.

WHO WOULD FIND VALUE IN A BUILT-IN SINK? Although most anglers would find a sink built into a KillerDock station a big benefit, Williamson says that most of the folks who order the sinks as part of their station are those long-term anglers who have cleaned lots of fish and who have a procedure in mind to make their fish cleaning more efficient.

“All of our units have hose stations built into the unit, so sinks will be right next to the hose for easy drainage and clean up. The sink drain can be routed from the sink into the water below or off to some other location,” he said.

“It’s a personal preference. Anyone who has used a sink in their cleaning routine will want a built-in sink in their KillerDock system. You can choose left or right cleaning top placement for the sinksthis can be important if the fish cleaner is right-handed or left-handed and can make fish cleaning more efficient and pleasant.” While KillerDock fish cleaning stations are designed and built to make fish processing more efficient, the tables are quite attractive and fit right in for entertaining purposes, too. When guests are being entertained on the dock, the sink built into a KillerDock station can provide a place to keep drinks cold on ice. These sinks are versatile and effective additions to the cleaning

THE BIGGEST REASON FOR A BUILT IN SINK? “Being able to use the table for more potential uses and there are just more options to do other things and get more use from the unit,” Williamson advised. Having a KillerDock Fish Cleaning station is a whole lot more than just having a great place to clean a mess of fish. This unit can be a major part of pleasurable entertaining and can make the outdoor life a great deal more pleasant- while still being a comfortable place to process a mess of great-tasting fish. Contact Information Killerdock.com 251-207-1743 877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // August 2022 23

Choosing the Best SD Card Viewer for Trail Cameras BY AL KAISER WITH JOHN E. PHILLIPS

The problems with many trail-camera viewers have been solved.

24 August 2022 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

HUNTING If you want to see every critter in your trail-camera photos, the simple answer is using a card reader with a larger screen that has the ability to enlarge and to brighten each photo .

Editor’s Note: Trail-camera viewers are one of the best new gadgets for reading your trail-camera cards. However, they do have some problems that deer hunters have identified. Al Kaiser, today the president and the founder of the Hunters Mate LOWDOWN Trail Camera Viewer, and his family were using 20-trail cameras each deer season. The first problem they identified was that they didn’t have enough time to view all their trail cameras’ pictures quickly. They began to wonder if there was any point in using that many cameras or not. So, Kaiser spent seven years developing the LOWDOWN Viewer (https://lowdownviewer.com/) and (https://www.facebook.com/LowdownViewer/). Problem 1: I wondered why trail-camera card readers didn’t develop a quicker way for hunters to view and save large numbers of trail-camera videos and pictures and/or delete the trail-camera card readers’ pictures and videos that didn’t provide information for them. Also, if you look at your trail-camera SD cards in the field, generally you only can see small pictures that may not reveal all the animals in the photos, especially if the pictures have been taken after dark. So, then you must wait until you return home and put the images on your computer’s screen to better see the animals in the photographs. Answer: With the LOWDOWN Trail Camera Viewer we’ve developed, you can look at the pictures on a nine inch screen as soon as you take the card out of a trail camera and insert it into the LOWDOWN Viewer in your tree stand, at home, in your hunting camp or your motel room or in your car to learn what animals your trail cameras have photographed. You can view 1,000 photos in 20-30 minutes. Problem 2: You can’t save those you’ve chosen with other card viewers. So, how do you save the photos you want to look at more closely on your card viewer for viewing later? Answer: With the LOWDOWN Viewer, there’s a separate slot where you can put a card that we call your ‘Save Card’ in and transfer the pictures you want to keep and look at later from the viewer onto that card. Then you can insert the SD Save Card into your home computer or laptop and keep the images in file folders or send those pictures to friends, family and/or hunting partners. Problem 3: Some card readers on the market are difficult to use. When you take your SD card out of your trail camera and put it in your reader, you can look at the photos while in your tree stand to see how-many bucks and does the trail camera has photographed the night or day before you’ve gone to your stand. However, once again, the images are so small that you may miss seeing the biggest buck that’s passed in front of your trail camera because he may be in the darker portion of the picture. With other trail-camera card readers, you have no way to brighten-up or enlarge the photo you want to look at, since the screens on most trail-camera readers are so small. Answer: The LOWDOWN Viewer has a nine-inch screen that gives you a much-larger picture of what your trail camera has photographed, and you can brighten the screen to show more details in the dark parts of the images. We, offer the largest screen on a trail-camera viewer in the industry. Our new card reader is very easy to use and weighs approximately 1- to 1-1/4 pounds. The viewer is installed in a leather case that acts as a stand and protection for the viewer. The viewer also comes with two chargers. One charger enables you to plug into house current, and the other charger can plug into your cigarette lighter to charge the battery from your vehicle. So, no matter where you are, you can keep your viewer charged-up. From one charge, you’ll get approximately four hours of viewing time. Also, if you have a place to plug in either one of the chargers, you can look at your photos all day long, while the viewer is being charged. 877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // August 2022 25

Choosing the Best SD Card Viewer for Trail Cameras

Problem 4: You can’t select the pictures you want to keep on the card reader with most card readers. With card readers other than the LOWDOWN Viewer, you must put the SD card in your computer and then select the images you wish to keep or delete. Answer: You can do this type of editing and store the pictures you want to keep on your Save Card with the LOWDOWN Viewer. and you can swipe through and view 1,000 photos in 20-30 minutes. This feature allows you to eliminate photos you don’t want to keep, without having to put your trail-camera card in your computer. Problem 5: Most trail-camera readers don’t save photos and/or videos to high definition. Answer: The LOWDOWN Viewer saves the pictures from your trail-camera SD card at the exact resolution the camera has taken them. This is also true for videos that your trail camera may take. The LOWDOWN Viewer screen is a high-definition screen that reproduces beautiful color for daytime shots and videos and black-and-white photos for those taken at night, allowing you to see your pictures more clearly on this high-definition screen. Problem 6:With many-other card readers, you must scroll through all the photos to get to either the beginning or the end of the photos taken. Answer: On the viewer, a scroll button on the bottom of the screen allows you to instantly go to the beginning or the end of all the pictures stored in the Viewer with a swipe of your finger, even if you have 5,000 photos on your card. Problem 7: Often, card readers require a lot of time to load all the pictures, especially if you have numbers of photos on your trail-camera SD card. Answer: The LOWDOWN Viewer has the fastest-loading speed of any card reader today. If only 200 pictures are on your trail camera SD card, they’ll load into the viewer in seconds. If you have 5,000 images, 1 to 1-1/2 minutes may be required to download all the pictures to begin viewing them. Problem 8: Another problem associated with trail-camera viewers is how well they hold-up in rugged terrain and rain. Is the LOWDOWN Viewer waterproof, and how rugged is it?

I strongly advise anyone interested in getting a trail-camera viewer to visit our website and look at the many features the LOWDOWN Viewer offers that you won’t find in other card readers. You also can purchase SD cards and/or other accessories that you may want or need from our website. All shipping on our website is free. Features and Benefits of the LOWDOWN Viewer Here are the features and benefits you get with the LOWDOWN Viewer that other card readers may not have, including, you: * can enlarge the pictures on the LOWDOWN Viewer screen to better view any animals in the background; * can plug the viewer into your big-screen television through an accessory cable and enlarge the photos; * can put more videos on each card. LOWDOWN has developed a 64-gigabyte SD card primarily used for compressing videos. We also offer SD cards with 128 gigabytes, to enable you to store even-more videos on your SD card. You can use these SD cards in the Save Slot on your viewer; * can reformat the SD card in the LOWDOWN Viewer to make the SD card like new; * can blow your pictures up as big as you want to view them, and the Viewer will take a picture of the enlarged photo that you can save on your Save Card in the viewer; * can use a feature on the LOWDOWN Viewer that enables you to freezeframe a portion of the video, take a picture of that frame and save it to the Save Card. You can enlarge portions of videos and save the enlargements you’ve created in the viewer; * have the ability to review 1,000 photos on the Viewer in 15-20 minutes; * can save any photo or video to your Save Card, enlarge that picture for more detail and save a snapshot of that enlarged photo or video to your Save Card; * can use the Viewer’s freeze-frame function for videos and can enlarge or save the stopped frame with the Snapshot Function to your Save Card; * can use the LOWDOWN Viewer’s built-in Navigator Help System by plugging in your camera card, following the screen prompts and start viewing. You can swipe through images and videos with your finger. The Scroll Bar feature allows you to move from the start of your camera card to its end; * will have a Viewer that runs for four hours, and the LOWDOWN’S battery will cycle 400-500 times. You can charge your Viewer with the provided wall charger or the cigarette lighter plug-in; and * will have a leather case to protect the Viewer and its 9-inch HD color screen.

Answer: We’ve protected our viewer in a water-resistant case. I’ve used it in a sprinkling rain before. However, if you drop it in a lake or a body of water, you’ll probably destroy the device. Field tests have proven that when the LOWDOWN Viewer has been dropped from 20 feet up in a tree stand to the forest floor, it isn’t damaged. But if you drop it on asphalt or concrete, the screen may crack. Problem 9: Often card readers don’t have very-good warranties. Answer: The LOWDOWN Viewer has a one-year warranty. The company will repair anything that goes wrong during that one-year warranty. The screens aren’t warranted because you may drop the device and break the screen. But the company can replace the screens. Other Important Information If you’re wondering how quickly you can get this card reader by ordering it from our website, (http://lowdownviewer.com) or one of our dealers, we usually ship it the next day. You should receive it in 1-3 business days, depending on the mail. If your LOWDOWN Viewer has a problem, and you ship it back to us, we complete repairs in 1-2 days from when we receive it.

26 August 2022 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

With the LOWDOWN Viewer hooked up to your TV, using the HDMI cable, you can show your friends and hunting buddies the kinds of bucks on your property on a big screen.

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877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // August 2022 27

How to Catch

Mangrove Snapper Inshore and Offshore

BY FRANK SARGEANT

28 August 2022 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

FISHING

Mangrove snapper lunker. Photo from Hubbard‘s Marina in St. Pete

There aren’t many fish that you’re as likely to catch in water three feet deep as 300 feet, but the mangrove snapper or more accurately, the gray snapper, lutjanus griseus, is one of them. Gray snappers, also known as “mangos”, are in fact mostly gray-colored when found in clear offshore water, though the backs tend to rusty brown with orange dots on the sides. Locate a school of feisty 12- to 15-inchers under a bridge or on a boat wreck in a coastal bay and you may find them to have lots of orange on their bellies, shading to brownish green on the back. No matter the color or where you find them, they are among the most delicious of saltwater fish, and if not for their relatively small size, they’d probably be a more popular target than the much larger red snapper, the fish that launches a thousand ships every summer. Not that gray snapper don’t get some shoulders to them when they move to deeper water. Five to six-pound fish are common offshore and in deep shipping channels, and occasional monsters of eight pounds and more are brought over the rail. The all-tackle 18.62-pound record for the species was a 31 ⅞-inch fish caught in July of 2015 at Ship Shoal 222 out of Cocodrie, Louisiana, on a free-lined live croaker, which is a reminder that baits do not have to be fished on the bottom to catch this—or most other— snapper species. INSHORE MANGOS Inshore, mangrove snappers can be a bit suspicious at times, particularly in clear water. They can require a quiet approach, keeping noise down in the boat and staying well back from the cover where they’re hanging. Using light tackle can make things a lot easier with these fish, as well as more fun—a three pounder on light spinning gear fights like a nice redfish. The standard inshore rig, medium-light seven foot rod, 2500-size reel and 10 to 15 pound test braid with a yard of 20-pound-test fluorocarbon leader tied in with a double uniknot is all it takes. Live shrimp catch plenty—tail-hook them on a short-shank 1/0 to 2/0 octopus hook, unweighted if current is mild, or with enough split shot to get to bottom if water is deeper and current is strong. Even better, though, are live scaled sardines, threadfins or pogies under three inches long. Nose hook them and, again, fish them with the least weight that will get them down to the structure. You may have to hit a dozen bridge pilings, rock piles or inshore wrecks before you find any snapper, but where you find one you’re likely to find dozens. They’ll usually bite steadily until you catch a half-dozen or so, then they get suspicious. You can turn on the bite again by chopping up some shrimp or baitfish and tossing it to the structure where they’re holding. You’ll soon see them rushing up to eat the freebies, and if you then present your hooked bait, you’ll be in business. OFFSHORE GRAY SNAPPER Offshore, gray snapper can be dumb as pinfish, or as cagy as snook. Usually, they’re easy to catch, and they’re likely to be found in schools of dozens of fish that will compete with each other to grab a baited hook on every drop. Captain Garrison Rosie of Panama City Beach, Florida, is an expert at finding and catching mangroves, a species his clients love for their abundance and for the year-around open season. (Learn more about Captain Rosie at www.reelrosiecharters.com.) He notes that while the mangrove snapper caught inside the bays are typically 12 to 15 inchers, these fish are often three pounds and better on nearshore and offshore reefs. Cut sardines, cigar minnows, threadfins, squid and other typical offshore dead bait are the most common offerings to catch them. But Rosie says bigger fish consistently take three inch live pilchards or threadins over dead bait. 877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // August 2022 29

How to Catch Mangrove Snapper Inshore and Offshore

“I’ve seen days when you can sink cut bait right past their noses and they’ll ignore it, and then they’ll eat every live pilchard you put down there—it makes a big difference,” Rosie said.

fish anywhere offshore per both federal and state rules. And remember with circle hooks, it’s usually best to just tighten up the line and then reel rapidly, rather than jerking the rod to set the hook.

Because gray snapper often hang on the same reefs and wrecks where red snapper, grouper and other potentially larger species are found, your inshore tackle is not the ticket offshore.

Mangrove snapper are likely to be found near structure but not directly on it, as grouper and other reef species usually are. In 100 feet of water, the fish may be 30 to 50 feet off the bottom. Experts advise locating them on sonar if possible, and putting the baits a few feet above the top of the school—your lead will clearly show on most modern depthfinder displays.

However, lighter gear than the standard revolving spool rig with 80-pound-test mono and broomstick rod will catch a lot more gray snapper. A 7’6” medium-heavy spinning rod, 5000-size reel and 30-pound-test braid (most of which actually tests at about 50 pounds) with 50- pound-test fluorocarbon leader five feet long will do the job. Hooks should be 3/0 to 5/0 circle hooks, 3x strong, again because you’re likely to hook some other species when fishing for gray snapper. However, when water is clear and the mangroves are cautious, Rosie says that’s the time to go light, with 15 to 20 pound test fluorocarbon leader and a weight of no more than a quarter ounce, just enough to sink the bait slowly. “Sometimes on inshore docks and rocks, I’ll just put a little split shot on for weight, and try to let that bait swim as naturally as possible,” he noted. “The minimal weight that will get the bait to the fish will catch the most snapper.” The usual knocker rig also does the job—a swivel tied to the running line and the leader, a slip sinker above a bead and then the hook. For live bait, put the sinker on the running line, then the bead and swivel, then 8 to 10 feet of leader—this lets the live bait do its thing and will fool more snapper, as well as the occasional passing king mackerel or cobia. A reminder: You must use non-stainless steel circle hooks for catching reef

Even better, where current is moderate, lightly weight the bait or free-line it, and let it drift down naturally through the school. Here again, chum can be magical—finely chopped bait of any type trickled off the stern will soon bring a cloud of gray snapper up close—but if you’re anchored and there’s lots of current, remember the fish will soon follow the chum out of range. If the fish are deep or there’s lots of current, put the chum in a nylon bag with some weight in it and drop it down to their level to wake up the bite. (This usually results in a shark coming along and eating the bag before long, but by then you’re likely to have your limit of gray snapper.) WHERE TO FIND ‘EM Gray snapper are abundant throughout the Gulf of Mexico. Party boats like those from Hubbard’s Marine (https://www.hubbardsmarina.com) fleet out of St. Pete load up on them offshore year around when other reef species are not open. On the north Florida coast, the jetties at St. Andrews Bay in Panama City Beach and those at Destin are always good bets. So are the huge public piers on both sides of the U.S. 98 Bridge on Pensacola Bay, and the Bob Sikes

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How to Catch Mangrove Snapper Inshore and Offshore

Mangrove snapper double. Photo from Hubbard‘s Marina in St. Pete

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877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // August 2022 31

How to Catch Mangrove Snapper Inshore and Offshore

COOKING ‘EM UP There’s no way you can make gray snapper taste bad, but my personal preference for fish this good is not to risk messing it up.

Mangrove snapper artificial reefs

For the barely-legal 12 inchers, just gut and scale them, take off the head and cook them whole on the grill or under the broiler. Score the skin and drizzle on a bit of melted butter to brown up the skin. Serve with a slice of lemon—‘nuff said. For larger fish, fillet them as usual, leaving the skin on, add some Prudhomme’s Blackened Redfish Magic seasoning and a bit of melted butter and broil until a fork easily penetrates. Or do the blackened fish thing all the way—heavily season the fillets in the blackening seasoning, then drop them into a hot iron skillet coated with butter and sear until the coating just starts to blacken on each side—careful, it’s easy to burn them too much.

Fishing Pier on the bridge joining Gulf Breeze and Pensacola Beach. On the Alabama side, Perdido Pass jetties often hold plenty, as do some of the pilings on the Perdido Pass Bridge. The gas rigs that dot the bay are also good bets, as are the many artificial reefs off the beaches. Many are near enough to shore for kayak access. See a complete list at https://www. outdooralabama.com/saltwater-fishing/artificial-reefs . Offshore, basically any natural or artificial reef or wreck inside 150 feet is likely to be loaded.

WHY COOK ‘EM AT ALL? Because the meat is so fine and mild, mangrove snapper bites also make great ceviche. Skin and debone the fillets, then cut them into half-inch cubes. Put the cubes into a bowl of fresh-squeezed lime juice and marinate in the refrigerator or ice chest for at least four hours—this is the way ceviche is “cooked”. When the cubes are pure white rather than opaque, they’re ready—toss with chopped Vidalia onions, green olives, tomatoes and maybe a few fresh jalapenos, add a little vinegar and oil salad dressing, salt to taste and serve on tostada chips. Better make a bunch, and don’t be last in line.

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How to Catch Mangrove Snapper Inshore and Offshore

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Veracruz-Style Red Snapper

*Subject to credit approval

Image and recipe courtesy of www.Allrecipes.com

Ingredients • 2 tablespoons olive oil • ½ white onion, diced • 3 cloves garlic, minced • 1 tablespoon capers • 1 tablespoon caper juice • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved • ⅓ cup pitted, sliced green olives (such as Castelvetrano) • 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano • 2 teaspoons olive oil • 2 (7 ounce) red snapper fillets, cut in half • salt and pepper to taste • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more to taste • 2 limes, juiced Instructions 1. 2. 3. 4.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in onion; cook and stir until onions begin to turn translucent, 6 to 7 minutes. Cook and stir in garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add capers and caper juice; stir to combine. Stir in tomatoes, olives, jalapeno pepper, Cook and stir until jalapeno pepper softens and tomatoes begin to collapse, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in oregano. Drizzle 1 teaspoon olive oil into a small baking dish. Sprinkle in 1 tablespoon of the tomato-olive mixture. Top with 1 snapper fillet, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Top with more filling and juice from 1 lime. Repeat with remaining snapper fillet, seasoning, and lime juice in a second baking dish. 877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // August 2022 33

How to Get an FFL License in Your State BY JOSH HONEYCUTT

Educate yourself on all things FFL licenses and be well-equipped for the startup. Many gun owners are currently showing a lot of interest in getting a Federal Firearms License (FFL). We reached out to Brandon Maddox, the founder and CEO of Silencer Central and FFL123, for answers on the top questions on the matter. Here are some of the most important responses for how to get an FFL license in your state. Josh Honeycutt (JH): How difficult is it to get an FFL? Brandon Maddox (BM): I don’t feel like it’s that difficult. You just have to be sure that you’re in compliance with local, state, and federal law. This takes a little bit of homework before you apply. JH: How much does it cost to get an FFL? BM: I recommend considering a manufacturing license. It allows you to assemble, make and sell firearms. It allows you to make ammunition. This license offers so many more opportunities than a basic license. 34 August 2022 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

During the Clinton administration, they went up in price to be a dealer. It costs $200 for three years to apply. Whereas the manufacturing license is $150 to apply. It’s cheaper to be a manufacturer, which also allows you to be a dealer. It just feels like a better spend. At some point, if you want to make or assemble your own stuff, you’ll have the ability to do that. JH: How does the ATF view this? BM: Sometimes, the ATF will push back on that if you don’t have a plan. Still, it makes sense to consider that. It’s going to give you more options. JH: From first steps to FFL in hand, how long does the process take? BM: The federal statute requires the ATF to respond within 60 days. That doesn’t mean they always will, but that’s what the statutes require.

HUNTING

Those who enjoy buying and collecting guns can get better pricing by having an FFL. Honeycutt

Creative photo.

So, I find they stay close to that, if not a little quicker. If you do your homework, you can get what you need locally in about 10 days. Then, once you apply, and know you’re getting approved with the feds, you can typically get it done in less than 90 days. JH: In general, are people starting to get their FFL more than in the past? BM: It’s been a big business because a lot of people benefit from an FFL. They can order direct from a wholesaler, and you aren’t having to pay for a transfer fee. It’s almost like buying direct. That’s the allure or reason why people are applying. Without a middleman, you get access to inventory quicker and cheaper than most. JH: That’s cool. Are there unexpected turns of events?

BM: The hard part is the feds aren’t going to approve an FFL for 100% personal use. You must have other plans as well. If you’re willing to do transfers for friends, such as GunBroker, or something like that, typically that’s enough that it isn’t 100% personal. But a lot of people go down the path of wanting an FFL to save on firearms, but the ATF will say no. It’s not going to issue you an FFL just to get stuff cheaper for your personal use. You must have a reason for commerce. JH: Do you need to have a Limited Liability Corporation (LLC) to get your FFL? BM: People will ask if they must have a “business” to get an FFL. That’s hard to answer. I’m not sure what they’re using as a definition of a business. You can apply for an FFL as an individual and put it in your name. Or you can put it in an LLC. There are a couple of things people must think about. When you get rid of your FFL, any inventory you have 877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // August 2022 35

How to Get an FFL License in Your State

With a good business plan, applying for an FFL license can lead to a successful venture. Honeycutt Creative photo.

gets transferred into whatever entity you set these up in. Let’s say I’m just going to put the FFL in my personal name. That way, when I get rid of the FFL, I can just keep all the guns in my own name. That sounds attractive, but if you have an FFL that’s good and takes off, you want to have it in an LLC for tax implications and from a liability perspective. You can get an FFL as an individual, but an LLC is better. JH: So, what’s the real challenge? BM: The hard part is to comply with local and state laws. You’re going to charge sales tax. In most states, even if you do a $25 transfer for an internet transfer, that’s a service, and the state will want you to tax that. In most cases, you have to register with the state. You are going to have to file income tax. That deters people when they hear that. JH: Can you apply for an FFL as a trust? BM: You can apply as an individual or LLC, but you can’t apply as a trust. People used to think you could apply as a trust, buy a bunch of silencers, get rid of your license, and just flow into the trust. They don’t do that anymore. The ATF won’t allow you to apply for an FFL under a trust. JH: What’s the current trend — are more or fewer businesses getting their FFL? BM: If you look at the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), and the number of background checks happening, they’re all at historical highs ever since the pandemic. So, because the demand is so high for firearms, I’m seeing more people interested in getting into the business and getting an FFL. I think it’s probably hurt some in places like Illinois 36 August 2022 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

where they’ve created additional state regulations to deter people from getting an FFL. But as demand increases, the number of background checks show the demand. And as demand increases, more people are getting FFLs. JH: Are there differences in the rules depending on the state of residence? BM: Basically, it’s a federal license. A lot of it is based on federal law. But one of the caveats is you must comply with state and local laws. In most cases, states don’t have many regulations for a firearms dealer, whether you get approved or not at the local location. In my opinion, the biggest issue is getting your local zoning approval. Because if you call local zoning and say, “Can I get an FFL, and sell firearms from my house,” — almost 100% of zoning in America will say no. If the ATF calls and they hear “no,” they aren’t going to approve your FFL. One of the caveats is communicating well with local zoning. Get their buy-in so that when the ATF calls them, everyone is on the same page. That’s not hard to do, but there’s an art to it. It’s about how to meet with zoning. Then, when you get them on board, and the ATF calls and gets their permission, everyone has a green light. JH: How do you handle difficult situations? BM: There are so many questions that come up when you become a new dealer. Someone showed up, and this happened, what do I do? It’s not always easy to get in touch with the ATF. So, basically, we get 400500 emails per day from current customers asking. JH: How did you start an FFL business?

How to Get an FFL License in Your State

BM: My goal was to buy high-end hunting rifles. That was my whole business model and plan. I was going to buy arms and sell these online or to people at gun shows. I quickly learned the chances of that were zero. That allowed me to pivot. JH: How do you grow an FFL business? BM: Go into the situation knowing you have an interest in firearms and that this could be a hobby job on the side. But realize that it could grow into something more. Have an open mind. The only reason I got an FFL originally was to make sure I could get stuff cheaper for myself, and help some friends and relatives. Don’t discount it. It could turn into something bigger.

My whole premise is that, if you research, prepare, and know you’ll get approved, then you won’t have that headache when applying. There’s a 60-day window that the ATF must respond. If you have local issues come up, the ATF will ask you to withdraw the application. Then, you must start over, and you have a denial on your record. So, basically, the service we’re offering is the legwork that needs doing up front. Know what you’re getting into. Work to get it approved. Be prepared for the interview with the ATF. Know who you’re going to buy from and how it’s going to work. Have an open mind when you go into it. Having an FFL license can help secure discounts on ammunition. Honeycutt Creative photo.

JH: When it comes to your services, what do you offer to people attempting to get their FFL? BM: The ATF does come out to meet you. We give our customers what they need to prepare for the ATF. It isn’t a “gotcha” interview. It’s more like the ATF really needs to be sure you’re doing the paperwork properly. That’s what they use to investigate. Read through the paperwork. Read through the requirements and understand. So, when they meet with the ATF it’s so much (better). It’s a more productive meeting than if you meet with the ATF for the first time and you don’t know what to expect. So, we give them a playbook. Make sure you read and understand it. They’re going to be at your house for half a day to a full day. ATF is going to leave with greater confidence that you know what you’re doing. We also give new applicants connections with wholesalers and those who sell direct. This gets your foot in the door. We also try to give access to a lot of resources.

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It may take longer to find them, but late season pressured amberjacks are still there.

38 August 2022 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

FISHING

Pressured Amberjack Fishing Tips BY ED MASHBURN There’s a lot to be said about those big, strong, aggressive amberjacks which live on the deep-water reefs of the Gulf. They are not rare at all, they fight like few other fish can, and they are delicious grilled. Even though on the opening day of season AJs can be thick on reefs, wrecks and other deep structure, they can get tough to fool after being pressured by multitudes of anglers putting bait before them.. After the amberjack season has been open for a while, anglers who caught their limits with no problem on opening day may find that getting big amberjack to bite is not nearly so easy. As the season moves along, the big amberjack get much harder to fool, and although it may appear all of the amberjack have been all caught, the truth is, there are still plenty of big amberjack left on the rigs and reefs. They are just much harder to persuade to bite. There are some things to be done which will make even late-season amberjack fishing much more productive. To make sure we have the best advice based on long experience and great success, we talked with Captain Delynn Sigler, a guide and angler who has forgotten more about fishing for amberjack than most anglers will ever know. KEYS TO GETTING PRESSURED AJS TO BITE Amberjack respond to fishing pressure by becoming smarter and less responsive to sloppy bait presentation. Although amberjack always orient toward structure, as the fishing seasons move on, the bigger jacks tend to hold closer and closer to the deep structure for security. As the in-close structures get cleaned out of amberjack later in the season, anglers may have to run longer and fish deeper to find catchable fish, and finding the right kind of structure is key. “AJs like big stuff- big wrecks, tall wrecks, and reefs- big, tall or spread out. Anglers looking for best success when the amberjacks have been pressured hard need to focus on larger structure, whether it’s a wreck, a large area of artificial reef, or natural bottom,” Delynn said. Once an amberjack is hooked, it should not be rushed to the boat. Amberjack are very aggressive and competitive fish, and when one big ‘jack is hooked, all of the other amberjacks want to get in on the action, too. Letting that first hooked amberjack stay in the water can excite the other fish so that a very slow day can become a very hot day quite quickly. WHERE CAN YOU FIND UNPRESSURED AMBERJACK? As seasons for amberjack move along, the fish that were so easy to find and get to bite on opening day tend to disappear and may seem almost impossible to locate. Finding amberjack willing to bite in the later days of season may take some running long distance and some exploring.

“The dumb ones have been gone. You know, the amberjacks have seen everything- they’ve been hooked and the smart ones are left,” Delynn said. “The dumb ones are in a freezer somewhere. So we’re just trying to go where they’re a little less skittish and a little more willing to bite.” Sigler explained that legal size jacks can be found from three miles to as far as you dare to go and as a rule, the farther you go, the bigger and easier they are to get to bite. “When I’m looking for natural bottom or rocks or whatever, I usually run my bottom machine on zoom and zoom into so it shows a ledge even if I’m running pretty fast. If I run over something, it really jumps up on the screen. If you’re in 200 feet of water and you run over a little two or three foot ledge, you’ll probably miss it and never see it,” he explained. “But when I’m zooming in so I can see this sort of structure. I turn up my gain pretty high and I get a lot of extra stuff on the screen, I call it snow, but I kind of just look past that. I don’t run anything on auto- I put everything on manual. So you guys that aren’t zooming in, you’re kind of missing out a lot.” HOW TO RIG FOR PRESSURED AJS When it comes to rigging for amberjack, going too light is a terrible mistake. You may get lots of bites on light tackle, but you may not manage to catch any amberjack. “It changes day to day, but my general setup is usually at 100 pound test line,” Sigler said. As the season progresses and the amberjacks get more educated, adjustments in rigging need to be made. The primary and most important adjustment in tackle is to lengthen the leader and perhaps to lighten it up but not too much. “For pressured fish, use a long leader that is 12 feet or so. Go as light or as heavy as you can get away with. Here’s what I mean. Use a leader light enough to get the bite but heavy enough to keep him out of the structure. Somewhere around 40 to 80 pound test ought to work,” he said. It may take a missed fish or two to find the right leader length and strength, but finding the leader that is not too heavy but is just heavy enough to manage the amberjack when they bite is crucial. BEST BAIT FOR PRESSURED AJS “Amberjacks like live bait. They are the bullies of the reef, so they like to pick on things moving around fast. Anything lively and moving fast will get their attention. Pinfish, herring, mullet, blue runners, cigar minnows and ruby lips will all work,” Sigler advised. 877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // August 2022 39

Pressured Amberjack Fishing Tips

How live bait is obtained can make a big difference in the liveliness of the bait presented to pressured amberjacks. “I don’t like to cast net my bait. I use a hook bait rig and a dehooker to help keep the bait alive. The friskier that live bait is, the faster and more aggressive the bite and it just seems to work better, “ Sigler. said. “Using a really frisky bait is like a cat chasing a mousehe didn’t really want to eat that mouse; he just wants to run, so when that mouse runs, that cat is gonna pound it. It’s like that with amberjack. If you put a lively hardtail on a ten or fifteen foot leader and that jack looks at him and he takes off, that jack will take off after him, too.”

Some massive late season amberjack can be found and caught with the right technique.

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Catfish are hard-fighting and delicious to eat and catching them at night in the hot summertime is the most-exciting fun.

Yo-Yos, also known as mechanical fishers, are inexpensive to catch more catfish at night in the hot weather.

42 August 2022 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

Catfishing

FISHING

at Night Explained BY JOHN E. PHILLIPS

Want to beat the heat? You can catch plenty of catfish and have fun with family and friends while fishing for catfish after dark. Although more than 1,000 kinds of catfish are found all over the world, 26 species of catfish live in the United States, ranging in size from one inch to the largest, a 315-pounder caught in the Missouri River. Four main species of catfish live in North America: the bullhead, the channel, the flathead and the blue. The North American species have barbels (whiskers) on their faces that enable the catfish to find food, since catfish taste through their feelers as well as their entire bodies that have more than 100,000 food sensors on them. A catfish discovers food by fanning the bottom with its barbels and honing in on vibrations – catfish can detect high frequencies at 13,000 cycles per second – and following food scents – so fishing at night for catfish is very effective. Catfish eat most anything, including live fish like minnows, bream (in states where legal), gizzard and threadfin shad, miniature marshmallows, homemade soured-food cooked mixtures of pineapple and rice, dry dog food sunk in a burlap bag, wieners, chicken livers, soap, golden raisins, commercially-prepared catfish bait, suckers, mullet, freshwater mussels, hellgrammites, worms, leeches, frogs and any decaying matter and pre-packaged catfish baits available. JUGGING FOR CATFISH AT NIGHT * Gary Harlan – One of the simplest and easiest ways to catch catfish at night is by jugging. Gary Harlan of Tishomingo, Mississippi, a professional catfish guide at Pickwick Lake, likes to use the jugging method and catch catfish on “noodles”. You can rig jug lines in several ways and learn from YouTube videos. Here’s how Harlan uses swimming noodles for jugging. Step 1: Purchase the noodles. Harlan prefers the jumbo, bright-colored noodles that each will make three usable jugging noodles. Step 2: Cut the noodle pieces to length with a sharp knife - about 18-1/2-inches long. Step 3: Mark each jugging noodle with your information with a black, bigtipped Sharpie. Step 4: Rig the noodles by using a piece of 6-8 foot-long stainless-steel wire. Fold the wire in half, and put a No. 1 to a No. 3 barrel swivel in the middle of the halved wire. Twist the ends of the wire six to eight times to form a loop in the middle of the wire where the barrel swivel’s attached. Sew the wire from

inside the pool noodle to its outside - much like lacing-up a tennis shoe. With both ends of the wire coming out the noodle’s top, twist the two ends together, leaving about 1 to 1-1/2 inches of twisted wire. Wrap the remaining wire around itself, forcing the tag end of the wire into the noodle. Use pliers to tap the wire’s tag end deep into the noodle to make it lay flat on the noodle’s top. Step 5: Attach 20 feet of 65-pound-test braided line to the barrel swivel at the bottom of the noodle. Then attach snap swivels every five feet on the line to provide options to fish from 5 to 20 feet deep by adding a hook on the snap swivel at the water depth you want to fish. Slide a 1/4- to a 1/2-ounce egg sinker on the bottom of the line, and attach a No. 2/0 – No. 3/0 circle hook to catch eating-size catfish and up to a No 7/0 hook for larger catfish. “I like circle hooks because when the catfish takes the bait, the circle hook will catch that fish,” Harlan said. “Rigging this way, I can shorten my line to as little as 3 feet, if I want to fish shallow water in the summertime at night.” Step 6: Bait the noodles with freshly-caught cut shad, 3-4-inch shad minnows cut in half or commercial dough baits. * Tony Adams - A fishing guide at Alabama’s Lake Eufaula, catches an average of 200-400 pounds of catfish on jugs in a four hour trip. “I’ll run the lines coming from my jugs down to 40-60 feet deep and put-out about 72, 20-ounce empty plastic sport drink and soft drink bottles for catfish. I’ll paint them orange, so I can spot them easily,” he said. These jugs fit neatly into the racks that drink salesmen use to carry soft drinks into stores, and they’re stackable. Then the jugs don’t take up very much room in Adams’ boat. Adams likes to have 50-60 pound-test line coming off his jugs and attaches a No. 2/0 or a 3/0 hook for eating-size catfish. Adams fills the insides of some of the jugs with foam because, “A big catfish can pull a jug down so deep that the sides of the jugs will collapse. Spraying foam in the jugs creates more flotation.” Adams baits his hooks with cut skipjack (a hickory shad) and with cut mullet (a saltwater fish that has a lot of oil in it and puts-off a strong smell), since catfish follow smells at night. On some of his jugs, he uses an egg sinker above a swivel with about 18 inches of leader line below the swivel going to the hook. “The weight helps the bait reach the bottom faster, and the swivel prevents the cat from rolling-up in the line. I’ll put reflective tape on the bottoms of the jugs to make finding them easier at night,” he said.

877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // August 2022 43

Catfishing at Night Explained

Adams generally puts his jugs out in a straight line on the edge of a river or a creek channel. “Then the wind either will blow the jugs on top of or out over the river channel. Catfish relate to river channels. If you put your jugs out in a straight line, then if you see a jug off to the left or to the right of that line, you’ll know you’ve caught a catfish. I use a fairly-stiff B‘n’M pole with a large bass hook attached to the last eyelet on the pole to pick-up a jug quickly and play a catfish down,” Adams explained. FISHING LIMB LINES, SET POLES AND YO-YOS ON SMALL STREAMS AND LITTLE RIVERS Some of the most-overlooked, highly-productive places to catch catfish are in the thousands of small streams and little rivers throughout the South. You’ll often find these streams close to home or within easy driving distance. Some of these waters may be no more than 20-yards wide. Fishing limb lines, set poles and Yo-Yos are productive ways to fish for catfish at night by setting these up and then checking them periodically from a boat, a canoe or a kayak.

the pole at about a 45-degree angle, so that when the catfish takes the bait, the pole will bend and not pull out from the bank, while awaiting your return at night to check it. * Yo-Yoing - “Yo-Yos are the best catfish-catching machines in the world. On an average 4-6 hour trip at night, each Yo-Yo will produce about 1-1/2 pounds of catfish on almost any lake, river or stream,” says Billy Blakely, a fishing guide for Blue Bank Resort on Reelfoot Lake near Tiptonville, Tennessee, . The Yo-Yo automatic fishing reel produced by Mechanical Fisher, consists of a stainless-steel spring enclosed in a sheet-metal frame. The small circular device has a line attached to the top end that you use to tie the Yo-Yo to a green limb of a tree hanging out over the water. The lower end of the Yo-Yo contains 20 feet of coiled trotline staging with a snap swivel on the end of the line. To fish with it, attach a No. 2/0 hook to the snap swivel, and put a small piece of shot lead six to eight inches up the line from the swivel.

* Limb Lining – When you’re fishing down small rivers and creeks, you can catch catfish by setting out limb lines along the bank. Tie a line of braided nylon twine baited with a circle hook or a straight hook to a solid tree limb that’s overhanging the water. Always tie your line to a green limb – not a brittle one. The branch needs to bend and not break under pressure. Also set your lines at different depths to determine where the fish are. A shaking bush usually means a fish dinner. Don’t try to wrestle the catfish to the surface with the line. Often the catfish will dive and either break the line or jerk it off the limb. Instead, gently lead the catfish to the surface, and slip your net under it.

As you pull out the line on the bottom end of the Yo-Yo, the stainless-steel spring will coil tighter and tighter. When you’ve pulled out the desired amount of line to fish the water depth you want, you engage a small wire trigger on the side of the reel. The trigger holds the reel in place, and the spring inside the reel is coiled tightly. When a catfish takes the bait, it trips the trigger, causing the spring to uncoil quickly, setting the hook and keeping tension on the line. As the catfish swims away from the Yo-Yo, the stainless-steel spring becomes even tighter. When the catfish quits swimming, the spring jerks the line, pulling the fish back under the tree. Although some fishermen just grab hold of the line and swing the catfish in the boat, you’ll lose far-fewer cats by sliding a dip net under them to bring them to the boat.

* Set Poling – Set poles are similar to limblines, except a set pole is a small limb or a river cane that’s been sharpened on its big end and then stuck into the soft earth of the bank and baited. Remember with this method to position

TROTLINING FOR CATFISH AT NIGHT Catching catfish with trotlines is fun for the entire family. Building a trotline for catfishing can prove to be a relatively simple way to catch a large amount

44 August 2022 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

Managing Wild Turkeys Through Teamwork

of catfish with minimal effort. Trotline supplies needed include: a roll of hard nylon line for main lines; drop lines to go from your main line to your hooks; fishing swivels; and catfish hooks per drop line with a size 7/0 for bigger catfish like flatheads and blue cats and as small as size 1/0 for channels. When planning an all-night catfishing trip, be sure to take plenty of snacks, water and towels for wiping your hands. If you are camping out, have firewood cut and a grill ready to cook steaks, hot dogs or hamburgers, Conecuh sausage or whatever you like to grill. Contact Information Tony Adams Website: https://www.facebook.com/tony.adams.5477 Email: tony.adams@marvins.com Phone: 334-695-3003 * Billy Blakely Phone: 877-258-3226 http://www.bluebankresort.com * B‘n’M Poles https://www.bnmpoles.com/ * Gary Harlan Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cptgaryharlan/ Phone: 901-413-2650 * Yo-Yos Mechanical Fisher Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yoyoreel/ Phone: 417-751-2034

42 APRIL 2020 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

Catfishing at Night Explained

the money spent on turkey permits, which is part of the licensIf you know where catfish ing requirement to hunt turkeys in Florida, goes intoafter thatdark fund. hold and travel during hot weather, you

allinvolved the catfishin “Many hunters and NWTF members may are catch heavily you want to clean on a rod raising funds for the wild turkey and its habitat by participating and reel at night. 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

877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // August 2022 45

Choosing the Right

CABIN ROOF

BY STEPHANIE MALLORY

A metal roof has a 40-year warranty whereas a shingle roof must be replaced every 12 to 15 years.

Ever notice that most of the log cabins you see are topped with metal roofs?

extremely well when Mother Nature acts up.

Sure, they add to a cabin’s rustic appeal, but metal roofs offer a multitude of benefits in addition to aesthetics. The right metal roof not only gives a cabin that cozy feel you want, it is highly functional, durable, resilient, energy-efficient, cost-saving and long-lasting.

“I personally witnessed how well a metal roof performs after a hurricane back in 2018 that hit the Panama City and Mexico Beach, Florida area,” Norton said. “I would estimate that more than 90 percent of the metal roofing in that area held up to the category five hurricane and probably saved countless homes from further destruction.”

Jason Norton, president of Dixie Building Supply Company, a family-owned metal roofing and siding, lumber, hardware and pole barn supplier serving the greater Mobile and surrounding areas, said, “A metal roof is great for a cabin, like any home, for many reasons, but first and foremost, it is durable. Because of that durability, a metal roof has a 40-year warranty whereas a shingle roof must be replaced every 12 to 15 years.” . UNMATCHED DURABILITY For some in the process of building a home or cabin, the roof is an afterthought with all their effort going into designing the floor plan, picking out the interior décor, selecting appliances and planning the landscape. But, selecting a durable and long-lasting roof should be a priority because it’s the cabin’s first line of defense against harsh weather. Cabin owners who want the best long-term, cost-effective option select metal roofs, which perform 46 August 2022 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

In fact, metal roofs can withstand rain, fire, earthquakes and hurricane-force winds. They’re impervious to warping or rotting and perfect for extreme conditions. Plus, they shed rain and snow better than any other roofing material. In addition, metal roofs won’t decompose. These roofs are ideal for use in wooded areas where fire threats exist. In fact, they have a Class A fire rating and the highest hail impact rating. ENERGY EFFICIENT Of course, these days, energy efficiency is a key concern for many as it is not only good for the environment, but an energy-efficient home also saves money.

HUNTING “Metal is very energy efficient,” Norton said. “Most new metal roof owners can expect to see a lower power bill every month because metal helps keep the cool air in and the heat out by reflecting the sun away from the roof. Shingles absorb heat and metal deflects it.” In fact, a high-quality metal roof can save the cabin owner up to 40% in energy costs. Metal roofs can provide excellent insulation during cold weather and are especially good at minimizing heat spikes during the middle of a hot day, which saves energy by providing a more consistent interior home temperature. Metal roofs also help to keep attics cooler. ECO FRIENDLY Norton explained why metal roofs are an eco-friendlier option in comparison to shingles. “Metal roofing is made from up to 40% recycled metal products,” he said. If you have ever turned in aluminum beverage cans to be recycled, there is a high likelihood those cans went into manufacturing the roofs. All of the galvalume roofs manufactured by Dixie Building Supply are ENERGY STAR® rated. ENERGY STAR is the government-backed symbol for energy efficiency, providing simple, credible, and unbiased information that consumers and businesses rely on to make well-informed decisions. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ensures that each product that earns the label is independently certified to deliver the efficiency performance and savings that consumers have come to expect. Because metal panels can be made from recycled content, they produce a smaller carbon footprint. And, since they last so long without needing to be replaced, it means less material ends up in landfills. COST EFFICIENT Although metal roofing may cost a bit more on the outset, it’s one of the most cost-saving options over the long term. A metal roof is durable enough to last for many decades – 40 years or more—which means it may never need to be replaced during the cabin owner’s lifetime. It is incredibly energy efficient, which saves on the cost of heating and cooling. It’s one of those items that may require more investment in the beginning, but payoff big in the long run. STYLISH APPEAL Metal roofs come in a variety of styles, designs and colors, which can greatly add to a cabin’s appeal. Dixie Supply manufactures a number of metal roofing systems and stock trim items. Roofing options include a choice of five panel profiles, 20 colors, and either 29- or 26-gauge metal.

“There are others but for a home or cabin, these are the two most used,” he pointed out. ”Hip roofs have a four-way slope that allow for rain and snow to run off of with ease. Hip roofs typically have a lower pitch than a gable roof. They do tend to be more complex and therefore a little harder to roof, depending on the final product chosen. Gable roofs are the most popular design and what most people think of when they think of a roof. They are easier to roof because they are essentially two slopes leaning against each other. Gable roofs allow for vaulted ceilings and additional floor space if the homeowner decides to add a mezzanine or attic space simply by choosing to customize the roof pitch to a steeper grade. Although metal roofs are available in zinc and copper options, most homeowners choose aluminum for cost efficiency, longevity and energy efficiency. THE OBVIOUS CHOICE So often, many home and cabin owners don’t think much about their roof until there’s a hail storm, blizzard, tornado or hurricane… then suddenly, a quality roof matters… a lot. Whether you’re building your first cabin or replacing the roof on your current cabin, remember that the roof is arguably the most important surface, as it has a mammoth task. It must withstand the constant assault from the sun, rain, wind and other harsh weather conditions. If it develops a leak, it could cost you thousands of dollars in repairs. So, think hard when selecting your roof and consider one that will not only stand the test of time, but Mother Nature’s wrath as well. ABOUT DIXIE SUPPLY COMPANY Dixie Supply has three locations in Alabama, starting with its original location in Eight Mile, Theodore, Foley, and a location in Meridian, Mississippi. Dixie Supply also has four sister locations under Baker Metal Works and Supply, which serves Troy, Alabama and three Florida locations in Cantonment, Baker and Fountain.

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The 20 different color options are available so that someone interested in metal roofing has plenty of options to fit his or her needs. “There are many different types of metal roofs, but the most used are either exposed-fastener or hidden-fastener metal roofing systems,” Norton said. “We offer both options and each has its benefits. Exposed-fastener, which is the majority of residential home roof systems, is the most economic. While metal is slightly more expensive than a typical shingle roof, exposed-fastener systems are quite a bit more pocket-friendly than a hidden-fastener roof. The main reason for that is you must hire a professional that knows how to install a hidden-fastener system. Also, the panel is only 16 inches wide. Therefore, it takes a lot more panels to cover a roof than a 24- or 36-inch exposed fastener system.” Norton explained that the two most common roof styles are gable and hip roofs.

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877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // August 2022 47

Choosing the Best

Feeder Deer for the Money

BY DAVID STRICKLAND

Ranch King makes this ultra portable feeder that hooks into any receiver hitch. It operates by remote and can also be used as a planter. 48 August 2022 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

The heavy-duty locking lid protects the timing mechanism and makes them tamper-proof.

HUNTING A couple of old adages say that the way to a man’s heart begins in his gut and an army marches on its stomach and it seems that many other creatures are in the same boat. In both the human and animal kingdom, food is like a magnet. Whether home-grown or delivered to one’s front door, we all eat and most don’t mind traveling for good or any food. Whitetail deer quickly learn what foods the forest and fields provide at various times of the year and, if unpressured, will travel predictable corridors as they feed. We know that we can improve the land we hunt by creating openings, planting seasonal crops and fertilizing to help ensure a healthy deer herd. Many have also learned that furnishing additional nutrients using feeders is an excellent tool to fine-tune deer nutrition and activity. So, when searching for the best feeder for the money, how does one evaluate which one to buy? FEEDING METHODS Many hunters use corn to attract and hold deer on their property, using either gravity or mechanical feeders. However, providing pelletized deer supplements requires additional design considerations to avoid clumping issues caused by moisture. In addition, corn and pellet feeders can be vulnerable to damage from hogs, raccoons, and squirrels. Therefore, the better feeders are heavy-duty, large-capacity models incorporating mechanisms to prevent varmints and moisture issues. GROUND FEEDING The easiest way to dispense corn is to pour it onto the ground, but raccoons will quickly find it and, if pigs are present in the vicinity, deer only get the leftovers. Another issue many don’t consider is the mold that can grow on the corn that’s left in contact with damp dirt. Certain molds produce what is known as “aflatoxins”. The longer corn sits on the ground, the higher the level of detectable toxins. Wet corn in contact with dirt can grow dangerous levels of toxins in as little as 4-5 days. The issue seems more prevalent in warmer weather because tests conducted during winter months revealed only trace amounts. These toxins can affect not only fawns and lactating does, but quail and turkey poults as well, so a big pile of corn on the ground may not be the best idea in the long run. GRAVITY VS. MECHANICAL Gravity feeders are the easiest to set up and use because there are no moving parts. Some use the term “free feeders” because feed is available 24/7 until it’s empty. One of their main problems is that often raccoons and pigs eat more than deer. Mechanical feeders use a battery-powered motor to spin-cast or drop the feed into a tray. Some also utilize solar panels to ensure long battery life and can be programmed to adjust the timing and quantity dispensed. In addition, the better quality units provide multiple feed times and advertise their ability to thwart squirrels, coons, and hogs. PROTEIN FEEDERS Some savvy landowners begin using protein feeders as soon as the rut is over. They know those high-quality pellets supply the vital nutrients necessary to ensure healthy fawns and include the extra protein, minerals, and calcium for new antler growth. Natural forage depends upon rain and good weather, which can often be unpredictable. Incorporating a supplemental feeding program to fill the gaps in available forage helps ensure year-round health. In addition, season-specific feed formulas can help with any crop issues that might arise through

the growing season. A well-researched supplemental feeding program allows landowners and managers to provide for the year-round nutritional needs of the deer on their property. However, many biologists recommend switching corn after antlers have hardened and fawns begin to forage. MB RANCH KING FEEDERS With the climbing cost of a wildlife feeding program, it makes sense to figure out the most efficient and cost-effective means to provide supplemental feed to your deer. Points to consider when choosing a feeder are: • Mobility • Refilling • Capacity • Toughness • Dependability. I talked with Kevin Kloda at Bruser Farms about feeders and what features to look for when deciding what type to purchase. Kloda helps manage Bruser Farms, a privately owned hunting preserve located southwest of Montgomery, Alabama. Kloda described the design, quality, and operation of these feeders and why he considers them some of the best on the market. “We sell the same feeders we use on our property,” he said. “So anyone can come by not only to examine the various models but see how they operate as well.” I asked Kloda if I could speak to someone who had used Ranch King feeders on their property to discuss their real-world experiences with their feeders and he hooked me up with Jay Evers. I spoke with Evers about the Ranch King feeders on his farm near Childersburg. “I’ve got 13 feeders I use on 1,330 acres to supplement my field plantings, and they are solid well-built feeders,” Evers explained. He has several 600-pound feeders that he said only needed filling every couple of months. He also described how easy they were to move by himself with his tractor and the benefit of being able to refill them from the ground. Evers described how the lids are lockable and the mechanisms are tamper-proof. He also told me a story about customer service. He described a flood that covered one of his feeders and how one phone call brought a company rep to his farm to replace a couple of parts and get it back online. “These feeders are built to last out of quality materials, and I’ve had no complaints,” Evers said. MB RANCH KING CORN FEEDERS I talked with Kloda about feeders and what features to look for when deciding what type to purchase. Kloda said that Will Bruser had used MB Ranch King hunting blinds for years on the hunting property, so when Ranch King feeders became available, they naturally began using them. Kloda attributes the toughness of these feeders to their all-welded steel construction combined with a great design. Ranch King currently offers three models of corn feeders. Two models have solar-powered batteries with programmable timers, and one attaches to the receiver hitch and drops or spin-casts corn with the wired remote. MIGHTY MIDGET (CORN FEEDER) 877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // August 2022 49

Choosing the Best Deer Feeder for the Money

An added benefit to Ranch King feeders is the ability to fill them from the ground.

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& POWERTRAIN

Time to Get Your 4x4 Ready for Hunting Season Cables · Transmission Parts · Ring & Pinions, Axles · 4X4 Drive Shafts & Differentials Custom Built Control Cables · Complete 4WD Services · All Types of Parts Specializing in Agricultural Clutches and Drive Shafts

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OUR LOCATION 1159 South Broad St. MOBILE, AL 36603 1-800-239-2191

50 August 2022 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

251-433-3696

Choosing the Best Deer Feeder for the Money

This model can fit in the bed of your truck and has a rigid steel frame with skids to facilitate easy positioning. In addition, it comes with a battery, solar panel, and a solid lid with shocks and is low enough to allow easy refills from the ground. Kloda said that another great feature is their patented feeder plate that stops raccoons and hogs from getting to the feed. This model comes in 500 and 1,000-pound capacity with a 48” fill height, patented Eliminator plate, timer, and remote control. MIGHTY BUCK (CORN FEEDER) This model uses heavy-duty welded steel for strength and durability. It fits in a standard truck bed and has a 5inch fill height for easy refills without a ladder. The patented design of their Eliminator feed plate makes it hog and coon proof and it comes in 600 and a 1,000-pound capacity. It also includes the 12-volt solar panel, battery, and remote, and the heavy-duty lid has shocks for quiet, easy opening. ROAD MIDGET (CORN FEEDER) This portable corn dispenser fits into your truck’s or UTV receiver hitch. It has an adjustable trailer-hitch adaptor for raising or lowering the unit and is built from heavy-duty steel to sit flat on the ground. It has handles and a large lid that opens 180 degrees and allows easy filling. The adjustable spin plate can drop corn downward or in any direction and includes a remote for easy operation while moving. Another great option with this portable feeder is that it can double as a seed dispenser for planting. MB RANCH KING PROTEIN FEEDERS Mark Bogart designed his Protein feeders with an exclusive Rain Guard to prevent moisture issues. These feeders drop the pellets into a protected four-sided feeding tray to keep them off the ground and avoid moisture issues. MIGHTY BUCK (PROTEIN FEEDER) This all-steel model comes in 700 or 1,500lb capacity with a step-up feature for easy refilling. It also has the patented Eliminator Feeder Plate, making it coon and hog-proof. The 16 gauge all-welded unit comes mounted on twoinch skid pipes for easy positioning and includes a battery, solar panel, and timer with feeding options up to six times a day. Kloda mentioned that Bruser Farms includes the rain guard with every protein feeder. CONCLUSION Many biologists agree that supplying extra nutrition is the most cost-effective way to increase a property’s trophy potential. Providing nutrient-rich foods in the correct quantity at the right times will put you on the path to a thriving wildlife feeding program. In addition, a successful feeding schedule will yield healthier deer herds and help produce quality bucks. So, if your next step involves a new feeder to get you started, contact Kevin Kloda or visit Bruser Farms to see what model will work best for your property. In addition, if you have a pond on your property, Ranch King offers two sizes of equally rugged fish feeders that can be dock-mounted or positioned at the water’s edge.

BY HANK SHAW

Image courtesy of Holly Heiser

Venison Meatloaf Prep: 30 mins • Cook: 1 hr 15 mins • Total: 1 hr 45 mins Ingredients • 1 1/2 cups bread, torn to pieces • 1 cup milk • 1 small yellow or white onion, chopped • 1 medium carrot, chopped roughly • 1 small fennel bulb, chopped roughly (optional) • 1 celery stalk, chopped • 3 garlic cloves, chopped • 1 tablespoon olive oil • 2 pounds ground venison • 1 cup grated Italian cheese, parmesan or pecorino • 1/4 cup tomato sauce (or ketchup) • 1/4 cup chopped parsley • 1 tablespoon kosher salt • 2 teaspoons dried oregano • 3 eggs • Marinara sauce for painting the top and serving Instructions

3. Contact Information MB Ranch King Feeders Kevin Kloda (205) 807-2937 Bruserfarms.com

Soak the bread cubes in a bowl with the milk while you chop the vegetables and get everything else ready. Put the roughly chopped vegetables into a food processor and blitz them until it begins to form something of a paste. This will keep the meatloaf super moist. Heat the olive oil in a small pan and sauté the vegetables from the food processor until soft. Add the tomato sauce and mix well. Cook this for another couple minutes, then remove the mixture to a plate and spread it out: This helps it cool quickly. Preheat your oven to 375°F. When the bread has softened, squeeze out the excess milk and chop and mash the soaked bread on a cutting board until it too forms something of a paste. Toss it and the cooled vegetable mixture into a large bowl. Add the ground venison, cheese, parsley, eggs, salt and oregano and combine. I like to actually work the meatloaf mix well because the bread and vegetable mix will keep it moist and tender 877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // August 2022 51

Selecting the Best Climbing Treestand BY JOSH HONEYCUTT

52 August 2022 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

How to choose the right climber for you

HUNTING The best climbing treestand might seem like a subjective term. It isn’t an easy process, but it is attainable. Sure, many hunters are very in tune with their gear-related needs. They already know, or think they know, what gear is needed to get the job done. Others aren’t quite sure or are looking for additional clues. Regardless of where you stand, selecting the best climbing treestand for you is no easy task. There are important factors when making the call. Determine which of these are the most important to you and make the call based on your priorities and needs. HUNT AREA A major consideration when choosing the best climbing treestand is the area you’ll be hunting. Consider the terrain type, including change in elevation. Those who hunt very hilly or mountainous terrain might consider a lighter model.

Lone Wolf Assault Hand Climber

Likewise, habitat type is also important. The predominant tree species can impact what stand you should purchase. Most have a minimum (and maximum) tree diameter compatibility. Choosing a stand that works for the trees in your hunt area is crucial. Forest composition is also important for several other reasons. High stem counts are noisier to walk through, making it more important to carry a compact stand with a smaller and quieter surface area. Furthermore, knowing whether you’re dealing with straight trees, or not, and if limbs are prevalent, or not, impact stand selection as well. STATE AND LOCAL LAWS Those who hunt private land likely won’t need to consider it, but on public land, laws commonly restrict treestand use. First, spikes (steps) generally aren’t allowed. Secondly, and more importantly, stands oftentimes can’t be put out before a certain time, be left out overnight, or be left out for some other defined timespan. This rules out ladder stands and some hang-on models as viable options. In such situations, a lightweight climber is an excellent option. This way, you don’t have to leave the stand deployed and it isn’t too taxing to pack up and carry out (and back in). PORTABILITY Portability is another big factor in selecting the right climbing treestand. Being able to pack it up into a compact package makes long walks much simpler and easier. Of course, the greater the travel distance, the more portable you want the stand to be. The Lone Wolf Assault Hand Climber (https://www.cabelas.com/shop/en/lone-wolfassault-hand-climber-combo-climbing-treestand) and X-Stand The X-1 (https://www.x-stand.com/product/the-x-1/) are the kings of this category.

X-Stand The X-1

Muddy-The-Boss

COMFORT Another significant category to consider is comfort. Hunters who conduct a higher number of all-day sits, who have chronic pain, or who have other health challenges, should consider a treestand with higher comfort ratings. There’s no substitute for long stints in the stand. Two of the best climbers in the comfort category include the Summit Viper Pro SD (https://www.summitstands.com/viper-pro-sd) and API Outdoors Alumi-Tech Quest Climbing Treestand (https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/api-outdoorsalumi-tech-quest-climbing-treestand). QUIETNESS Stealth ranks high on the lists of most hunters, especially those who target mature bucks in difficult-to-hunt scenarios. One misguided move can create a foreign sound that spooks deer. But a good climbing treestand design mitigates such instances to reduce noise output. Finding one that checks that box is an important part of selection. Most climbers do OK in this category, but the Summit Viper Pro SD (https://www. summitstands.com/viper-pro-sd), X-Stand The X-1 (https://www.x-stand.com/product/ the-x-1/), and API Outdoors Alumi-Tech Quest Climbing Treestand (https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/api-outdoors-alumi-tech-quest-climbing-treestand) really shine.

Summit Viper Pro SD

WEIGHT Just as with other treestand types, climber product weight ranges greatly. Those who leave their climber in the field, or who have short walks to their hunting spots, can 877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // August 2022 53

Selecting the Best Climbing Treestand

afford to purchase a heavier climber that’s more comfortable and offers other advantages. However, those who must use long access routes, or who can’t bear as much weight, should find a lighter climber. Two incredibly lightweight climbers include the X-Stand The X-1 (https://www.x-stand.com/product/the-x-1/) and Lone Wolf Assault Hand Climber (https://www.cabelas.com/shop/ en/lone-wolf-assault-hand-climber-combo-climbing-treestand). WEAPON USE Most hunters use whatever is in season, bow or gun but some are more apt to use certain types. Fortunately, climbing treestands are oftentimes more suitable for certain weapons. While some are more attuned for bowhunting, others are optimized for gun hunting. For example, the Hawk Ultra-Lite Climber (https://shop. hawkhunting.com/ultra-lite-climber/) is excellent for bowhunters, thanks to an open design, and the Millenium Ol’ Man Alumalite CTS (https://millennium-outdoors.com/product/grand-alumalitects-2/?v=7516fd43adaa) is optimized for gun hunters, due to the shooting rail. PRICE In an age where inflation is soaring, and wages are stagnant, everyone is tightening their belts. Price is now more of a factor than in recent years, and so is paying attention to the sticker. As with other aspects, there is a wide range of prices in the climber market. Those who want a budget climber that still checks a lot of boxes might consider the Game Winner Climber 2.0 Treestand (https://www.academy.com/p/game-winner-climber-20-climbingtreestand). SAFETY MATTERS The most important factor in treestand selection is safety. Fortunately, the industry is regulated by strict standards, pushing companies to produce better, safer products for consumers. Still, while treestands must meet certain requirements, a certain stand might “feel” safer to a user based on their specific requirements and needs. For example, some hunters might feel safer if they have a larger platform, seat, railing, etc. Therefore, one stand might feel safer than another based on what you personally need out of a climber. Furthermore, weight ratings vary slightly, too. If you’re a larger person, or carry a lot of gear to the woods, you must pay extra attention to the weight capacity.

Some hunters might decide a climbing treestand isn’t for them. Fortunately, there are other methods to get elevated, or hide at eye level. Here are some great options to consider from other categories. Ladder Stand: X-Stand The Duke The Duke by X-Stand (https://www.x-stand.com/product/theduke-20/) is a very well-built ladder. It is crafted with steel construction, has an 18-inch-by-26-inch platform, a 22-inchby-16-inch seat, is 20 feet to the shooting rail, and has a 300-pound weight capacity. It also includes a shooting rail, Comfort-Flex seat cushion, and more. MSRP is $249.99. Hang-On Stand: Muddy The Boss Those who want a good hang-on stand should consider The Boss by Muddy (https://shop.gomuddy.com/the-boss/#description). It has steel construction, a 24-by-30-inch platform, 17-pound stand weight, and 300-pound weight rating. It also features a flip-up Flex-Tek seat, silent straps, no metal-on-metal contact, and more. MSRP is $159.99. Ground Blind: Primal Wraith 270 Those who prefer to avoid elevated hunting might consider a quality ground blind. The Primal Wraith 270 (https:// www.primaltreestands.com/primal-products/model-ptib740-wraith-270-deluxe-blind) is an excellent option. Most notably, it features the 270-degree view, three full-width horizontal shooting windows, unique see-through window panels, heavy-duty 300D fabric with blackout, water-resistant interior, silent slide windows, etc. It has a 58-by-58-inch footprint, 72-inch hub-to-hub shooting width, and a 67-inch height. It comes with a backpack carrying case, stakes, tiedowns, and weighs 16 pounds. MSRP is $159.89.

MY OVERALL PICK: THE BEST CLIMBING TREESTAND While my choice is partially subjective, it doesn’t come without good reason. All climbing treestand factors considered, one stands out from the crowd — the Summit Viper Pro SD (https://www. summitstands.com/viper-pro-sd). It offers an array of benefits, the culmination of which make it an astounding market option. It weighs 22 pounds, which is heavier than some, but the whole of what it has to offer is incredible. It has a 300-pound weight capacity, 20-inch-by-36-inch platform, is very quiet, includes Dead Metal sound-dampening technology, and more. All things considered, while we’ve outlined logical thought processes, you must select the best climbing treestand for you. Weigh all the relevant factors, available options, and choose what best fits your hunting needs and style. If you’re happy with the purchase, that’s all that matters.

54 August 2022 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

The greatest fish cleaning stations known to mankind. W W W . K I L L E R D O C K . C O M (251) 207-1743

Made In The USA

Table and Canopy Models

Built-In Hose Stations

Table widths from 42” to 90”

Ceramic Coated Aluminum

King Starboard Cutting Surface

877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // August 2022 55

Choosing the Best Braided Fishing Line BY DAVID STRICKLAND

Ideal for surf casting, Tuf-Line XD Fluorocarbon Leader gives anglers an advantage when fighting fish near rocks or other cover.

56 August 2022 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

FISHING The evolution of the string we use to catch fish has undergone a few changes in the last 100 years. Six decades ago, I used cotton thread from my Grandmother’s sewing kit and tied it to a bent pin when I fished the creek that flowed along the back of her pasture. Later, when I was old enough to paddle on float trips down the Sipsey river, I learned to use my Dad’s Pflueger Supreme bait caster filled with braided Dacron that came in a rainbow of camouflage colors. Saltwater anglers used braided lines even earlier as they pursued giant swordfish off the coast of Mexico in the early 1900s. I remember reading about one memorable fight where a fisherman wrestled a 1000-pound fish next to his boat. The story described the strength of the 24-thread braided line made of linen which had to be specially cared for to prevent the deterioration of the natural fibers from bacteria, mold, and ultraviolet light. I caught up with a well-known fisherman named Viktor Hluben of Landshark Outdoors. He calls Florida his home base but travels extensively in pursuit of anything that resembles a fish. Hluben’s prolific fishing adventures have inspired him to produce dozens of incredible videos he shares with viewers on his YouTube channel. He has pursued and caught an astonishing variety of fresh and saltwater species and demonstrates how to clean and cook almost everything he catches. LANDSHARK OUTDOORS Becauser Hluben is such a prolific angler, I looked forward to hearing some of his insights about what line he uses and why. He began fishing from piers, shore, and jetties and mentioned that he and his friends considered themselves “pier-rats” while in their teens. Through trial and error, he learned what worked and graduated from local piers and jetties to traveling the ocean in pursuit of larger deep-water fish. Hluben spool’s his impressive reel collection with Mustad’s Tuf-Line and explained how strand count is essential when choosing the correct line for each fishing situation. MODERN BRAID Mustad was founded on the outskirts of the Norwegian town of Gjøvik in 1832 and became the dominant hook-maker. However, they have grown to include many other products in their inventory, and Tuf-Line has evolved into their family of premium lines for any fishing situation. Tuf-Line started producing lines for fishing in 1938 and has achieved remarkable success through the constant innovation of modern materials and their stateof-the-art braiding process. They pioneered using Ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) and have become a leader in high-performance braided lines. The company continues to manufacture numerous products and is a leader in the textile braid industry. The same machines that create their fishing lines also manufacture products for the Aerospace industry, Formula-1 racing, and the military, so you can feel confident when you set your hook in that trophy of a lifetime. Tuf-Line offers a family of lines to complement their super-lines, including braided Dacron, fluorocarbon, hollow-core, fly-line backing, and several specialty lines. Whichever line you choose, it is crucial to know which knots to use when splicing onto your leaders. In addition, be sure and properly spool your lines onto your spinning or level winds for better casting. Hluben described one of the primary benefits of using these braided super-lines: “Their ability to slice both air and water is due to their smaller diameter, which allows them to be cast farther and sink faster when bottom fishing.” Hluben has a ton of experience bottom fishing from piers and jetties and has learned that the four braid lines are more cost-effective for almost any scenario where your bait needs to be near structure or on the bottom. He explained that Tuf-Line 4orce is his go-to choice in these situations.

I asked him which line he preferred for casting, and he explained that eight stranded lines were the better choice for both spinning and bait casting reels. He said his preference for most cast and retrieve situations is Tuf-line’s Domin8 braid because its rounder, ultra-smooth profile and finish results in increased casting distances and offers exceptional abrasion resistance because of its higher line count. SPECIALTY LINES Hluben said that if there were situations where he used any other type of braid, he described a newer line perfect for precision trolling and jigging. It’s called Tuf-Line XP Indicator and its design allows you to know precisely how much braid is in the water by counting the changes in the sections of the colored line. The hi-vis yellow section changes to red, then green, and back to yellow every 10 feet. The high-visibility yellow provides easy tracking, and the Tuf-Line XP Indicator low-visibility green provides an excellent shallow water tie-off. The red works for the deep water tie-point, and counting those color changes makes it easy to put a bait or lure at a precise depth for suspending fish or determining exactly how much line is out when trolling. Addicted Enforcer 8x is the most advanced braided line in the TUF-Line offering, and is perfect for situations where line-watching is critical. It uses a unique high-visibility orange that allows fishermen to see even the most subtle bites. He mentioned it was popular with those fishing for steelhead and float-fishing along rivers where a smooth, tough line is a must when using spoons or plug casting. FLUOROCARBON Though he prefers braid in nine out of ten situations, Hluben occasionally uses straight Tuf-Line fluorocarbon in super clear water. He also said the only time he connects his hook or lure directly to the braid is in muddy or dark water with near-zero visibility. Knots are the weak link in any fishing scenario, so figuring out the best knots for whatever type of line you use is critical to getting an up-close view of whatever bites. When first introduced, these super-lines were notorious for knot slippage, and there were proponents for a multitude of knots. When I got around to asking about what knots he used for leader splicing and his lure or hook knots, Viktor didn’t disappoint. “Always, always use an FG knot when splicing onto fluorocarbon,” Hluben said. “Also, the Uni-knot is what I use to tie onto my hook and lures except when I occasionally tie a loop-knot for better swimming action.” PROPER SPOOLING I’ve always done most of my reel work and maintenance and filled my reels with new lines, but these new braided lines have different characteristics that require modifying the knots used at the spool and how it’s wound onto them. Again, the uni-knot is the best choice when attaching your braid to either a spinning or level wind reel. Getting a couple of line wraps around your spool is essential before you tie and cinch your uni-knot. On bait-casters, many recommend wrapping tape around the spool to prevent slippage. After your line is attached, it’s essential to wind your braid onto the spool tightly to ensure a smooth cast. CONCLUSION Fishing has always been a great way to acquire some tasty protein for one’s diet and humans have invented some ingenious methods to capture them throughout the centuries, but that tug on the end of one’s line will never grow old. Newer technologies have led to the development of new super-lines that should make you confident that if you hook that fish of a lifetime, you won’t be able to use a broken line as an excuse. So, do a little research about the best line for your fishing needs. Then, if you want to see how a professional catches and cleans fish from near and far oceans, rivers, and lakes, tune into Viktor Hluben at Landshark Outdoors to be entertained and amazed at the variety of swimming creatures he catches. Mustad Tuf-line.com

Viktor Hluben Landshark Outdoors Landsharkoutdoors.com

877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // August 2022 57

Vacant Land Insurance Explained for Landowners BY JOSH HONEYCUTT

All about vacant land insurance, who needs it, how much it costs, and more.

Invited guests who are harmed due to negligence can oftentimes file a claim.

58 August 2022 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

HUNTING Those who own land have property assets to protect. Even the most careful and least negligent landowners can be at risk of liability. Obviously, landowners are hard-working Americans who have earned the land they have, and vacant land insurance can provide peace of mind for those who have lands to protect from liability. Here are answers to your questions about vacant land insurance, courtesy of American Hunting Lease Association Chief Operating Officer Sean Ferbrache. Josh Honeycutt (JH): What is vacant land insurance? Sean Ferbrache (SF): Vacant land insurance is covering for landowners who share access with their family and friends. So, I bought 150 acres. I don’t lease it out but I do let my family and friends hunt there occasionally. Maybe it’s two or three guys in a club, but I own the ground. I need protection in case there is an injury or damage to someone’s property that is either my fault or could be perceived as my fault. It’s protection just for the landowner. JH: Define vacant land. SF: Vacant land is what it sounds like. It’s land that’s unimproved by types of structure or landmarks. If you have a home on your property, chances are the insurance for that property — homeowner’s (insurance) — will cover whoever comes onto that property. Vacant land is something with no buildings on it. Typically, that’s how I’d describe vacant land. JH: Where did the vacant land insurance concept come from, and how long has it been around? SF: It’s been around for several years. In the South, they call it “timber land insurance.” I think that’s a little confusing because it makes it sound like your timber is insured. If you’re a large landowner, especially in the South where you have large stands of timber, you might get the impression you’re insuring your timber. That’s not the case. But it has been around awhile. It was bigger in the South, as most insurance needs are, but it’s migrated all over the country now. Anyone who has vacant land needs some type of coverage, in my opinion. JH: What does this insurance policy cover? SF: It’s for if someone was negligent and caused you to be injured — then you have a claim. For example, there are thousands of abandoned wells or cisterns in this country, especially on vacant land or old homesteads. Sometimes, these (openings) aren’t (physically) covered. I’ve found three just walking around in the woods. If I were to invite you out to my property, tell you to go hunt up on a hillside, and on your way up there, you fall into a well and break a leg, you’d have a good case. I didn’t tell you there was a hole up there and I knew that. This is what is covered — being liable as a landowner for not making aware of the hazard, which is negligence. It covers anything a landowner can reasonably be held liable for. JH: What does this insurance policy NOT cover? SF: It’s not good for a guest who just injures themselves. It’s not medical coverage. If you have a guest, and they’re just walking down a trail and roll an ankle, they’re welcome to file a claim, but it isn’t going to be covered because this is liability insurance. If you’re riding an ATV on my property, and you’re drunk or going too fast, or even just joy riding and it was no fault of mine, and crash an ATV, again, you can file a claim, but it’s probably not going to be covered because you were responsible for that injury yourself. JH: What separates your vacant land insurance from others? SF: There are only a handful of companies that provide this type of coverage. To my knowledge, (most) everyone except us, does not even allow an old barn or shed to be on the property. It’s hard to find 200 acres of land that doesn’t have some old structure on it. We do allow that, and liability from the use of those structures is covered. Let’s say I have my friends out. They’re hiking on my 500 acres. A storm blows up and they seek shelter in a barn. If they become injured from using that old, dilapidated barn, I would have coverage against a claim made by them. I think that’s only reasonable, and I’m glad our carriers and partners agree with that.

Who are invited and uninvited guests? SF: It protects the assets of the landowner (only) against claims made by invited guests and uninvited guests. An invited guest is anybody who has accessed your property — whether you are there or not — with your permission. For example, you’ve given a niece or nephew permission to camp near a pond, or you have a company and have employees out for a picnic. Anyone you’ve invited or given permission to be on the property is considered an invited guest. Uninvited guests are what you’d think — trespassers. Could a trespasser trespass on your property and become injured due to your negligence and sue you? Absolutely they could. Does it happen very often? No. It doesn’t happen a lot. But it could. JH: Why should a landowner be obligated to get vacant land insurance? SF: There are different types of trespassers. There’s the typical trespasser poaching animals or stealing something from you. But there are also trespassers people know about and allow to trespass. If kids are cutting through your property to another property, and you’re aware of it, you have an obligation to protect them. There’s something called the attractive nuisance ordinance law. I always think of Opie on the “Andy Griffith” show. There’s an old, abandoned mine. It has signs up with “Abandoned Entry” and “No Entry.” If a kid were to see that, they might not know they are trespassing. They might walk over and injure themselves somehow. The landowner could be sued for that. I’m not saying they would be held liable, but they could be sued. Then they would have to defend themselves in court, proving they weren’t responsible, and that suit alone could cost them money. JH: Does this insurance policy cover court costs? SF: Vacant land insurance pays court costs prior to a judgment being awarded. This coverage is about protecting landowners from liability claims from pretty much anyone who sets foot on the property. JH: How simple is the application process? SF: It’s probably five minutes or less. You can go online or call us. We’re here in Indiana. We’re good, wholesome Midwesterners. We’re going to answer the phone and speak to you when you call. But you can do it online. We just need to know your name, personal information, and where the land is. Not all land has an address. It might be a parcel number or description. That’s enough as well, and we can list you as a named insured. You’ll get a certificate within two or three minutes after the purchase showing that you are covered. Coverage can start the day after the purchase. JH: Is anyone required to have this insurance? SF: I know that a lot of lenders, when you buy land, the banks have liens. The lenders will require that you have this type of coverage. We are approved by every lender I’ve ever dealt with. JH: How much does this policy cost? SF: Our policy is $225 per year, and that covers up to 750 acres. Over 750 acres is $0.30 per acre. JH: What is the deductible and the total maximum coverage for this plan? SF: The deductible is zero. The limits are $1 million per occurrence / $2 million aggregate, or, $2 million per occurrence / $2 million aggregate. JH: Who underwrites the insurance? SF: Glencar through Assured Partners JH: Why is it important to have vacant land insurance? SF: I think most landowners, or new landowners, have worked their entire lives to buy this piece of ground. It is literally the fruit of their life’s work. It’s not worth risking losing that property because a trespasser or invited guest had a mishap you could or could not have foreseen. I think, for $225, it’s a wise investment. It’s too easy to buy and gives peace of mind that you can invite your guests out and allow them to recreate peacefully, knowing you’re doing the right thing by being a responsible, generous landowner. 877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // August 2022 59

Lake and Pond Restoration

Step 1 – Electrofishing

BY WILLIAM KENDY

60 August 2022 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

FISHING Scenario #1 - you own a piece of property that has a pond on it and down through the years you got busy on other things and basically let it go to seed in terms of managing it. Scenario #2 - You are seriously considering buying some dirt that has water on it and want to manage the water for some great fishing. Cutting to the quick, whether you own and are going to own property with a pond, you want to “reconstruct” that water and manage it for trophy bass. The question is where do you start and how do you do it? To get the inside track we went to Norm Latona, founder and president of South East Pond Management based out of Birmingham Alabama. SEPond offers a complete range of pond services ranging from pond construction and improvement, stocking, liming, fertilizing, and getting ponds up to speed from a professional management and implication perspective. Latona said that he gets a lot of calls from people who have “bodies of water” ranging in size from small to large ponds that maybe were managed in the past or the property changed ownership and they just want to find out more about managing their ponds but don’t know where to start “We get people who say, ‘hey, we got this body of water and I don’t know much about it but I kind of have an idea of what I want out of it but where do we start?’ and we almost always start with an electro-fishing evaluation,” Latona said. “We need baseline information and that means making an assessment as to whether the existing fish community is suitable to maintain management.” In addition to collecting fish data, SEPond takes water samples to determine alkalinity, Ph and overall fertility. They also visually inspect the pond and all the things that need to be in the mix. “We obviously visually inspect the pond, the dam, the spillways, the relative abundance of fish habitat, the water depth, any aquatic vegetation, any evidence of nuisance predators, such as otters, any evidence of beavers or muskrats that might be doing damage to get as wide a perspective as possible,” Latona said. “So, when we gather all of that information and combine it with the goals and objectives of the pond owner, we create a comprehensive written management plan.” Latona explained that the plan is very thorough, detailed that covers everything from A to Z and addresses all the topics and circumstances that relate to the pond. He then takes it a step further and offers turnkey management solutions in the form of a timeline, to implement all of the recommendations. Let’s say a pond is 20 years old and it hasn’t been managed or even fished very hard so things have gotten out of kilter. A legitimate assumption is that it is probably overpopulated with bass, none of which are very large because it probably doesn’t have many baitfish to stimulate fish growth. It is just an ignored old pond. What is the first step? “We break it down into a couple of categories and first and foremost there are some cornerstone management inputs which are foundational to all lakes that are properly managed which over three plus decades of operation we have adopted as our basic management program,” he said. Latona pointed out that some things are endemic in the Southeast when it comes to pond management, such as liming and fertilization and the need for them can be determined quickly and easily with a simple water test. “It is basic management 101,” Latona said. “When it comes to determining a harvest strategy, we have found that there are a lot of variables but in the majority of the time we are dealing with bass and bluegill in lakes that haven’t been limed or fertilized and pretty much neglected. Most of the time we have found that these ponds are in ‘bass crowded’ or ‘predator crowded’ condition so we make recommendations to harvest bass.”

Latona said that he usually proposes a goal of so many pounds of harvested bass per acre of water within a specific size range and time period. “An example might be if we have a 10-acre pond and it is bass crowded and our goal is to reduce the number of adult predators to open up forage production for the ones that remain,” Latona pointed out. “Let’s say we want to remove 40 pounds of fish per acre so that is 400 pounds total of bass that are less than 14 inches in total length. So, these are our starting points and then we can get into specific considerations that are site specific.” A goal of removing 400 pounds of fish from that 10 acre pond every year is not a goal that is easily accomplished and certainly not just by fishing in a few weekends. To meet the objective Latona utilizes a process called “electro-fishing”. While there is a cost involved, reaching that fish removal goal can be done in a matter of hours and it is a trade off with some valuable benefits. Basically, electrofishing uses direct current electricity to draw in fish through involuntary muscle current where they are stunned. The stunned fish can then be collected for tagging, measurement, research and even harvesting. The process doesn’t permanently harm the fish and allows you to keep the fish in your target range and release the others. It enables you to get a “profile” of your pond and identify the forage base, the predators and is a tool that you can use to manage your pond more effectively. In the case of harvesting predator bass, it is a tool to make the process more efficient. “And we can do some other things to expedite the improvement, some of the secondary inputs such as supplemental forage stocking in the spring of threadfin shad, crawfish, intermediate size bluegills, tilapia and golden shiners which is a huge benefit,” Latona said. “That supplemental stocking, coupled with the harvest is really going to help us to the finish line.” Latona points out that all of the inputs are interrelated and when the management plan was formulated based on the objectives of the landowner and that reaching those goals is predicated on implementing all of them. “If you only accomplish 50 or 75% of the recommended activities typically you don’t get a corresponding level result,” Latona said. “In other words, if you do 75% of the management activities you don’t get 75% of the result and that is why we put together a management plan in the first place.” Having outlined a plan of action to get a pond in top shape, Latona said that he has run into situations where there is just no hope of rejuvenating a pond and keeping it in a reasonable cost/benefit basis. For example, a pond may have a fish population that is completely out of whack with rough fish or competing undesirable species. Another example would be a lake that needs some physical changes such as issues with a spillway, needs the edges deepened or extensive habitat and fish structure improvements, it might make sense to start over. “It might be easier to come in and drain, or partially drain it, kill what is there and, while the water is down get in with some equipment, do some physical improvements and just start from scratch,” Latona observed. “In addition, with starting out on a clean slate, an additional benefit is that a pond owner gets to take advantage of all the enhanced improved largemouth bass genetics. We are routinely seeing two and three pounds of growth per year.” “It is important to remember that everything is related, that you can’t just throw a bunch of bass into a bathtub and expect them to grow for sure to three pounds all by themselves,” Latona explained. “But assuming we do everything else, right, we get the pond physically right, the liming right, we get the fertilization right, the harvest right, and get the forage stocking right, the predator stocking right and implement all of the steps we should see the bass population explode in the first couple of years.”

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Picking Marine Night Vision Systems for Safe Navigation BY FRANK SARGEANT

62 August 2022 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

FISHING For those of us who love leaving the docks before dawn—as well as the night stalkers who head out at sundown—navigation can be a real issue. If you can’t see where you’re going or what’s ahead, you and your crew can be in real danger. Still, there are a lot of reasons to head out in that seemingly impenetrable darkness. For one, the early bird often catches the marlin—being far offshore when the sun comes up can make the difference between a dry run and a successful trip and that may mean leaving the docks in pitch blackness. The same can be true for being the first boat to a distant drill ship, Fish Aggregating Devices (FAD) or oil rig. Not only that, but swordfish are known for coming to the surface and feeding after dark, and many species of snapper feed avidly after dark on the reefs at the edge of the continental shelf. Inshore spotted seatrout and redfish stack up under residential docks after the sun goes down, while tarpon like nothing better than to school into a deep pass on outgoing tide after dark and eat the crabs and baitfish flushing out the channel. Fortunately, there are now many night-vision and thermal imaging systems capable of turning night into day, and making navigation between sundown and sunset not only safe, but fun. The systems not only allow you to clearly see unlighted channel markers but also floating debris that might damage your running gear. They also reduce the danger of running into other boats—particularly anglers fishing from kayaks and the like, who can be very hard to see even if they have lights due to their low position on the water. While quality night vision systems are not inexpensive, they’re a minimal investment considering the cost of most boats today. A top-end night vision system can be seen as an added form of insurance for those who operate in low-light conditions. To say nothing of the safety factor— avoiding a channel marker can be a life-and-death moment when you’re running on plane at night. NIGHT VISION VERSUS THERMAL There are two routes to allowing our eyes to see after dark with current technology. Conventional night vision gear intensifies reflected star, moon or manmade light electronically. It works in the faintest of lighting, but in complete blackness, it cannot “see”. Thermal imaging equipment reads residual heat radiated from an object. The slightest amount of heat greater than the surrounding area—water for example—will show up, even in complete darkness. However, if there’s no difference in the heat levels of the objects you want to see and the background, thermal imaging can’t “see” what’s ahead. COST OF NIGHT VISION EQUIPMENT You’ll see a considerable variety in pricing on various makes of night vision systems. While the least expensive might be OK for novelty use or for the kids to enjoy some night games in the backyard, they’re not what you want to keep you and your family safe on the water, or to ensure the security of a boat that may have a six or seven-digit price tag. What are sometimes called “civilian style” night vision systems can be found starting around $200. At the other end of the scale, the best mil-spec systems can cost well into four or five figures. As usual, you get 877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // August 2022 63

Picking Marine Night Vision Systems for Safe Navigation

what you pay for, so don’t be penny wise and pound foolish, as they say. The best systems not only provide a much brighter and clearer view, but also are built to take whatever the elements throw at them. Night vision systems are classified by “generations”, based on when they were originated and on their capabilities. Least expensive Generation I equipment increases light about 500 fold, and range is 75 to 100 yards in good conditions, which might be adequate for small boat operation in lakes, rivers and nearshore coastal use. More expensive Generation II products amplify light about 10,000 times but at lower resolution and have ranges to around 200 yards, depending on conditions. The newer—and most expensive--Generation III units amplify light 30,000 to 40,000 times and provide sharp images at longer ranges, up to 300 yards in favorable conditions. (However, rain, fog, smoke and mist can cut down visibility dramatically). Among the best are the new PD systems from Photonis Defense, a company that for over 40 years has supplied night-vision equipment to military operators around the world. Built to survive battlefield conditions, including some models that function as weapons sights, Photonis gear is more than capable of surviving conditions on any sportfishing boat. According to company vice president Sean Kirk, in clear air the Photonis PD systems, available in both monocular or binocular models, allow excellent viewing with only starlight to aid the equipment. “All our systems are rated to survive immersion up to 33 feet deep, and the submersible models are rated to survive immersion to 66 feet, so the spray and salt encountered in rough seas are just not going to be a problem,” Kirk said.. WHY NOT THERMAL IMAGING? Thermal imaging can definitely be useful for night operations, allowing you to see objects that generate any sort of heat—including other humans, outboard motors, almost anything that’s somewhat warmer than the background—even in complete darkness. In that way, thermal imaging has an advantage over night vision systems, which require at least some slight hint of light, such as moonlight, to be fully functional.

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64 August 2022 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

However, you can get a better quality night vision system for less money than the cost of a quality thermal imaging system that will provide equally satisfying performance. A good thermal imaging system may cost $6,000, while a monocular night vision system delivering similar quality can be found for about $3,500. (The best in class are more pricey.) Also, good thermal systems tend to be much heavier than night vision systems, and while you can readily detect any object hotter than the surroundings with thermal, seeing much detail is usually a problem. Night vision systems deliver images that our eyes can better identify. Thermal imaging also burns through batteries much quicker than night vision systems, and most units are also less durable. Bouncing around on a console occasionally showered with saltwater is not good for their longevity. Another benefit of night vision over thermal is that night vision can be used behind glass, whereas with thermal, you cannot see through glass. That means it’s less useful behind a windshield or in a wheelhouse. (How-

Picking Marine Night Vision Systems for Safe Navigation

ever, thermal imaging cameras can be exterior-mounted with a feed to an interior screen for viewing, avoiding this issue.) Most users also say night vision allows seeing much more detail than thermal vision. PHOTONIS NIGHT VISION SYSTEMS Photonis offers two models particularly suited to recreational fishing and boating. The PD Pro M 16 mm Monocular is 58% smaller and 38% lighter than competing premium night vision monoculars, making it easier to carry, handle and stow than others, according to the company. It can be used like a telescope, or mounted on a helmet for hands-free operation.

night-vision binocular, according to Photonis—light enough to be worn on a lanyard around the neck, at hand anytime you need a quick look ahead while underway. It reportedly allows users to see 30% more of the visible light spectrum in low light conditions, and also has the coated, precision-ground German lenses like the monocular model. It functions for up to 20 hours with a lithium battery. Both models are available in exterior housing colors including standard black, desert tan and olive green. These are premium systems with premium pricing—they’re designed for those who want, and can afford, the very best on the market. Price for the monocular is about $5,000, and for the binocular about $10,000. Visit www.photonisdefense.com for details.

German proprietary optical coatings on the lenses add to the clarity and color of images. Battery life with a lithium battery is about 25 hours of steady use at 72 degrees Fahreheit, according to the company. The weight is just nine ounces, and it’s small enough to fit in a jacket pocket. It should be durable-- an aerospace aluminum alloy housing makes the system environmentally resistant to extreme heat, cold and salt. The company says tha the 4G image intensifier tubes are equipped with the fastest “auto-gating” in the industry. This is a system that reacts over three times faster than the blink of an eye to sudden lighting transitions, such as a lightning flash or someone turning on a spotlight, conditions that can temporarily blind a viewer with less effective night vision systems. Photonis Defense also makes a binocular system, the PD Pro B 16 mm Binocular, which functions like standard binoculars with two tube viewing. It’s 32 percent lighter and 25 percent smaller than any competing

PD Pro M 16 mm Monocular

877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // August 2022 65

BY HANK SHAW Photos by Holly A. Heyser

Potato Fish Cakes Potato fish cakes are softer and homier than fish cakes made with other binders. Egg is important here; it helps keep everything together. You can make potato fish cakes without eggs, but they are way more delicate. The fish that spring to mind for potato fish cakes are flaky, white, and mild: panfish, crappie, bass, flounder, snapper, walleye, perch, sheepshead, Pacific rockfish, porgy, black sea bass — that sort of thing and, if you happen to have some, crabmeat. I like herby fish cakes, so I always add whatever fresh herbs are in my garden at the time. Parsley is a must, as are garlic chives, regular chives or green onions, but you do you. Other great options include: chervil, lovage, Mexican oregano, regular oregano, savory, cilantro, rosemary or celery leaves. Prep:15 mins • Cook: 15 mins •Total: 30 mins Ingredients

• • • • • • • • •

2 cups cold mashed potatoes 1-pound cooked, flaked fish (smoked or fresh, or crab) 1 egg, lightly beaten 1 tablespoon minced parsley 1 tablespoon minced chives 1 tablespoon minced celery leaves Salt and black pepper to taste 1/2 cup flour or fine cornmeal, for dusting (optional) Oil for frying

Instructions 1. Set your oven to “warm” and put a cooling rack set over a baking sheet in the oven. Mix all the cake ingredients together in a large bowl. I make pretty smooth mashed potatoes, so there aren’t lumps. If you have lumpy mashed potatoes, you might want to crush them with your fingers. 2. Form into patties of whatever size you like. I prefer about 2 to 3 tablespoons, up to 1/4 cup. But even 1/2 cup fish cakes are nice. Set them in the fridge for a few minutes to set. 3. Heat enough oil to come halfway up the fish cakes (you’ll need to guess on this one), and bring the oil to between 325°F and 340°F. You don’t want things super-hot here. 4. Fry the cakes, making sure they don’t touch each other, over medium-high heat, until they are nicely browned — about 2 minutes per side without a dusting of flour or cornmeal, about 3 minutes with it. Set the finished cakes on the rack in the oven. 5. Serve with the sauce of your choice, a salad, and a glass of white wine or a beer. Notes: If you skip the cornmeal or flour, the cakes will brown very quickly, so you will have to watch them closely. 66 August 2022 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

CAMPHOUSE KITCHEN

Rocky Mountain Elk Stew Obviously, this can be a deer, pronghorn, bison, beef, sheep, etc. stew. You could even use pork if you wanted to. Also note that there are a lot of optional ingredients, which I like a lot, but you can skip if you’d like. Ingredients

• • • • • • • • • • • •

4 tablespoons butter, canola oil or sunflower oil 2 to 3 pounds elk stew meat Salt 1/2 cup flour 1 large yellow onion, chopped 4 cloves garlic, minced 1-ounce dried porcini, crushed (or some other dried mushroom) 5 Hatch, Anaheim poblano peppers, roasted, seeded, and chopped 1 quart elk, venison or beef stock 1-pint Belgian beer (anything malty) 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into chunks 1 tablespoon fresh sage, minced

OPTIONAL INGREDIENTS • 1 parsnip, peeled and cut into chunks • 1 cup corn kernels • 1 cup cooked barley or wheat berries • 1 15-ounce can, Great Northern beans • 1 cup chopped cooked greens, like spinach, nettles, or chard Instructions 1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter or oil in a large soup pot with a lid over medium-high heat. Salt the stew meat well,

2. 3. 4.

5. 6.

then dust in the flour. Brown the meat in batches, making sure they do not touch each other. Remove the meat to a bowl as it browns and reserve. When all the meat is nicely browned, add the remaining oil and the chopped onion. Stir well, and brown this well, too. While this is happening, put 2 of the roasted chiles into a blender with the stock and puree. Add the garlic and stir to combine. Return the meat to the pot, along with any juices that have collected in the bowl. Pour the contents of the blender into the pot. Crush the dried mushrooms in your hands and add to the pot. Fill the blender bowl again with water and pour that into the pot. Finally, add the beer. Bring all this to a simmer, add salt to taste, partially cover the pot, and let this cook gently. If you are using dried beans, wheat berries or barley and greens, now is the time to cook them. If you are using canned beans, wait. After about 2 hours, add the carrots and the sage, as well as the parsnip, if using. When they are tender, about 40 minutes or so later, add the remaining green chiles, and any of the other optional ingredients you happen to be using. Taste for salt and black pepper and serve.

Notes: If you can’t find dried mushrooms, use 1/2-pound fresh ones, chop them and add them with the onions. All this elk stew asks of you is time. Elk meat sometimes takes 3 or more hours to get fall-apart tender, so make sure you have that kind of time. If you have an Instant Pot, cook the stew on high pressure for 35 minutes, then let it release naturally. You can also use a slow cooker, after you have browned the meat and onions.

877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // August 2022 67

NEW & Cool gear BY WILLIAM KENDY

Elite Survival Systems RC Series Rifle Cases

The RC Series Elite soft scoped rifle cases are fully padded with dense, open cell foam and have full length heavy duty YKK zippers and welded steel D rings. They feature two exterior pockets, one zipped and one open and wrap-around handles for maximum durability. These cases are specially designed for scoped rifles and are available in overall length of 31 to 52 inches. Black only. Suggested Retail Price: $65.95 www.elitesurvival.com

Browning Early Season Hooded Shirt

For those four-season woodsmen, Browning offers its early season hooded hunting shirt. It is constructed of a lightweight polyester fabric with mesh panels under the arms and across the back this shirt allows outstanding air flow for maximum comfort. It has a three-piece tailored hood, a chest zipper with beard guard and 50+ UPF protection. Silvadur™ technology provides long-lasting odor control. Suggested Retail Price: $67.99 www.browning.com

For Frog Bite Fisherman

If you are into fishing the bass frog bite then the new Plano Edge Frog Box is for you. With a storage capacity of up to 50 lures it offers a Water-Wick divider, a Dri-Loc O-ring seal and Rustrictor technology to protect the frog baits from rust and moisture. The DuraView crystalclear polycarbonate lid allows anglers to identify lures without needing to open the lid. Suggested Retail Price: $54.99 www.planomolding.com

Woox Thunderhead Throwing Ax Now Available

The thunderhead features an engraved lightweight head of Italian high carbon steel for accuracy and precision coupled with a 14-inch Appalachian hickory handle designed for a smooth and accurate release. This new model is available in brilliant orange, purple, blue and black. The tomahawk style is just at home as a one-handed wood cutter for those times when you need to make quick work of chopping projects. Suggested Retail Price: $69.00 www.wooxstore.com

Taurus Introduces the GD Tactical 9mm

The Taurus G3 Tactical is a full-size polymer striker-fired pistol that visually sets itself apart from the standard G3 but is also equipped to allow customization. The alloy steel slide features the Taurus Optic Ready Option with interchangeable optic mounting plates for red dot optics. It also comes with a factory threaded ½ by 28 Diamond Like Coatings (DLC) barrel for simple suppressor installation, a picatinny rail and more. Suggested Retail Price: $582.98 www.TaurusUSA.com 68 August 2022 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

NEW & COOL GEAR FOR OUTDOORSMEN

Bajío Sunglasses Expands 2022 Product Line with New Full-Wrap Frames

Bajio Performance Eyewear Company Introduces four new bio-based fishing frames with thirteen blue light-filtering lenses. The new models are the Roca, the Piedra, the Vega and the Palometa. Each unit is designed with a specific major function in mind with different frame styles. With the additional thirteen lens colors available, seven in lightweight polycarbonate and six in glass, these glasses are completely customizable. Suggested Retail Price: $199-$249 www.Bajíosunglasses.com

CEP Men’s Mid Cut Compression Socks

These hiking Merino wool mid cut compression socks for men, combined with an asymmetric toe box and zone-specific padding, helps to prevent blisters. The crew cut length makes them the perfect match for almost any hiking footwear. Made with a hightech blend of fibers, including the finest merino wool, delivers maximum comfort and protection. Suggested Retail Price: $24.95 www.cepcompression.com

New High Speed Lowdown Viewer Now Available

The refined Lowdown Viewer includes two full-sized SD card ports (one for captured images and videos, a second for storage) that are compatible with cards up to 128GB each. The 9-inch screen and new Scroll Bar feature allows easy moving through a loaded SD card quickly, the viewer can be used to format SDC, it is re-chargeable at home or in a vehicle plus many more extras. Suggested Retail Price: $349.99 www.lowdownviewer.com

BlockerLite Compression Dry Sack

The SealLine Blocker Compression Dry Sack saves space on any adventure, while the waterproof PurgeAir™ valve rapidly vents trapped air to ease compression—all this with fully waterproof construction ensures essential contents are protected, condensed and organized. Constructed of tough lightweight waterproof 70D polyurethane-coated nylon material the bag’s roll-top closure features a wrinkle-free stiffening strip to ensure a secure seal when closing the dry sack. Suggested Retail Price: $34.95 - $51.95 www.seallinegear.co

New Texas Hunter Fish Pyramid XL™ Structure Unit

If you need fish structure in your pond, consider the Texas Hunter Fish Pyramid XL™ This extra-large structure features four-foot-wide panels, is over 4 ½ feet tall with a surface area of 146 square feet and creates shade to attract bass and other fish. It is a long lasting Eco-Friendly/UV protected snag-free unit that can be anchored to the bottom or suspended. Suggested Retail Price: $1,049.00 www.texashunterproducts.com

877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // August 2022 69

The Lodge at Gulf State Park will be the host for the annual OWAA Conference scheduled for September 2023.

The Alabama Gulf Coast will be showcased for a premier outdoor media group in September 2023 when the Outdoor Writers Association of America (OWAA) holds its annual conference at The Lodge at Gulf State Park.

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

Many of us who live on or frequently visit our beautiful Alabama coast sometimes take for granted our vast natural resources on the edge of the Gulf of Mexico. The OWAA conference will bring outdoor media from across North America to visit our little slice of heaven. Those in attendance may have never seen sand so sugar white or heard the soothing sound of the waves lapping at the beach. They may have never seen in person the marine animals and abundant fish species. Sharing possible adventures for the OWAA members to cover has made me think a lot about how truly blessed we are to live and play in Alabama. OWAA’s annual conference will bring together 200 outdoor storytellers and the outdoor corporate brands that support their work. Attendees will network, improve communications skills, find a mentor or become a mentee, and develop ways to sell their work

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or promote their brands, all while experiencing our amazing Alabama Gulf Coast. As they hone their skills in writing, editing, photography, videography, broadcast and digital media, the latest tech, and the newest marketing tactics, they can also take advantage of pre- and post-tours to get the latest stories and photo opportunities of the outdoor adventures we offer. I’m excited to be able to show our guests our many outdoor pursuits, including fishing, camping, hiking, hunting, birdwatching, kayaking, paddle-boarding and more. Conference attendees will stay on the beach at The Lodge at Gulf State Park, which has won numerous accolades for its sustainable tourism features. Those who explore the 6,150acre Gulf State Park will find nine different ecosystems on the 28-mile Hugh Branyon Backcountry Trail with a variety of wildlife, including alligators, bald eagles, ospreys, bobcats, gopher tortoises, coyotes and whitetailed deer. Beachcombers will enjoy the abundant marine life that inhabits our shores, and a walk out on the Gulf State Park Pier will provide an educational tour of the marine

FROM THE COMMISSIONER ecosystem that thrives in nearshore waters. They might want to do a little fishing on the pier. Attendees who sign up for the pre/post-conference activities can choose between inshore fishing or heading out into the Gulf on one of the many charter boats available on the Alabama coast. The inshore anglers will fish for speckled trout, redfish, flounder and other species. The offshore trips will target king mackerel, vermilion snapper and greater amberjack. I hope those attendees who aren’t familiar with fishing in the Gulf will get to tangle with a drag-stripping amberjack. It will be a fight and story worth telling. For those interested in birding, the Alabama Coastal Birding Trail, including the 7,000-acre Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge, is a paradise. The Refuge is a migration flyway for more than 300 species of birds as well as monarch butterflies. Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism (www.gulfshores.com or www. orangebeach.com) and the Alabama Tourism Department will team up to ensure conference attendees have an abundance of story and broadcast material and photo and video opportunities. They can learn about the “Leave Only Footprints” campaign designed to keep beaches clean and protect nesting sea turtles and shore birds. They can also visit the Gulf Coast Center for Ecotourism & Sustainability (www.gulfcenter.org) and learn about Jean Michel Cousteau’s “Ambassadors of the Environment” programs.

When a pastime becomes a passion.

Some don’t get it, but we do. Looking for your own place to hunt, fish, enjoy 4-wheeling—even a building site for a cabin or home? Alabama Ag Credit is the original land lender and your local expert in recreational real estate financing. We understand the unique requirements of long-term rural real estate lending, and can custom build loan packages with competitive rates and flexible terms. So you can enjoy the great outdoors for years to come!

Hopefully, conference attendees will have time to tour the Claude Peteet Mariculture Center (CPMC), the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Marine Resources Division’s saltwater hatchery and research center in Gulf Shores. The original mariculture center was built in 1973 on 45 acres on the Intracoastal Waterway to raise striped bass to restock Alabama waters. Since that introduction, Marine Resources has researched and reared a wide variety of fish and crustaceans at the facility. In 2013, a $9 million renovation to the mariculture center was completed to provide a main building with 23,000 square feet of dedicated climate-controlled areas. This gives better control of both water and air temperatures to optimize the growing conditions and spawning of the different species. Inside the facility, rooms are dedicated for broodstock, strip-spawning and algae production. Known for its early work with red snapper, CPMC has expanded its spawning programs to include spotted seatrout (speckled trout), red drum (redfish), southern flounder and Florida pompano. Conference attendees will be able to view broodstock tanks filled with different species, and they may be able to see some of the hatchlings as they grow large enough to be released in select spots in our abundant coastal waters. And I possibly saved the best Alabama Gulf Coast attraction for last – the incredible dining opportunities on fresh seafood from our coastal waters and the Gulf of Mexico that are sure to impress our OWAA guests. Whether you enjoy fresh fried or boiled shrimp, lump crabmeat from our native blue crabs, salty raw oysters or a fillet of one of the many delicious fish species, the fresh seafood available on the Alabama Gulf Coast will make you want to come back for more. As a resident or frequent guest to Coastal Alabama, you don’t have to wait until the OWAA Conference to enjoy all we have been blessed with in South Alabama. I hope you will take some time over the late summer and fall to spend time in Outdoor Alabama.

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877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // August 2022 71

Increased Special Opportunity Areas (SOA)

The highly successful SOA program keeps growing in 2022-23! In the August 2016 issue, I introduced the initial steps in creating what is now the SOA program. After losing more than 36,000 acres in the WMA system in the past two years, Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries (WFF) had to change our way of thinking when it came to public hunting opportunities. Here is a small excerpt from that article.

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

We must think about managing smaller blocks for quality hunting opportunities. For example, the newest acquisition into the WMA system is the Dallas County WMA. This 5,893-acre property is located on the east bank of the Alabama River approximately halfway between Selma and Camden. The property will have limited hunting the first year until we can fully assess the wildlife resources there. At that point,

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we are considering offering mentored hunts and limited-opportunity hunts. This property could be the crown jewel in the WMA system if managed properly. The area’s rich soils have the potential to produce not only quantity but quality white-tailed deer. Turkey, quail, and waterfowl can be hunted there as well. We are hoping, over time, to turn this property into the destination WMA in the state that not only produces a quality hunting experience, but also provides an educational location where our staff can conduct landowner tours that showcase proper wildlife and forestry management practices. We feel that having smaller WMAs located strategically throughout the state is the model for the future of the WMA system. Placing

FROM THE DIRECTOR manpower and equipment on state-owned properties is the wisest use of our limited resources. Working in collaboration with the Forever Wild Land Trust and many NGO partners, WFF plans to acquire as much quality hunting land as possible to offset the losses to the WMA system to ensure hunting opportunities for generations. The Dallas County WMA mentioned above turned into the first SOA, Cedar Creek, in 2017. So, what do we mean by SOA? For those of you who don’t know, it’s a smaller public hunting area, typically 3,000 – 10,000 acres in size, that’s divided into hunt units of approximately 300 – 500 acres. Each SOA has specific hunts, typically two to four days in length, for a collection of game species including deer, turkey, waterfowl, feral swine, and small game. Applicants apply by choosing the desired hunt dates on the specific SOA. If chosen by a random, computerized selection, the successful applicant and one guest will be assigned a specific hunt unit for the selected dates. The hunt unit will be for their sole use throughout the hunt dates assigned to them.

I think the SOA program is doing everything we hoped it would, and the 2019 survey, along with numerous emails and letters of appreciation from hunters, validates this. In keeping with our mission of constant improvement, WFF is adding one additional property to the SOA system and will also add a couple of feral hog hunts to the mix this year. If you haven’t applied, you still have time. Here is the registration schedule for the upcoming 2022-23 SOA hunts: • • • •

The deer hunts will open September 1 at 8 a.m. and close September 10 at 1 p.m. The waterfowl hunts at Crow Creek SOA will open September 20 at 8 a.m. and close October 5 at 1 p.m. The small game hunts and/or turkey hunts will open December 1 at 8 a.m. and close December 14 at 1 p.m. The dove hunts will open September 1 at 8 a.m. and close September 15 at 1 p.m.

This program is unlike any other in the State, providing a hunt with attributes far exceeding those of many private hunting clubs. In year one of the SOA program, the 2017-18 hunting season, four properties were utilized: Cedar Creek, Uchee Creek, Crow Creek, and Fred. T. Stimpson. Two small game hunts for 100 hunters, 24 deer hunts for 400 hunters, 10 waterfowl hunts for 180 hunters, and 6 turkey hunts for 60 hunters were conducted on these four properties. Each year, we attempt to add property and hunting opportunities to improve the overall customer experience. So, in June of 2019, we conducted an online survey to see if we were accomplishing our goals. Here are a few numbers from the survey: • • • • • • • •

93% of the participants were Alabama residents. 85% approved of the antler restrictions. 85% ranked the SOA experience as either good or excellent. 17% had never hunted public land in Alabama. 30% hadn’t hunted public land in many years. 71% indicated they would drive 101-250 miles to hunt an SOA. (Surveys revealed for decades that most hunters wouldn’t drive more than 50 miles to hunt a typical WMA.) 65% stayed in local hotels, campgrounds, or a bed and breakfast, proving that SOA hunts are aiding local economies. 91% wanted Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries (WFF) to continue to partner with the Forever Wild Land Trust (FWLT) to purchase more land to be included in the SOA system. (The remaining 9% said they didn’t know enough about FW to have an opinion.) One person out of the 172 who completed the survey said no. As the old saying goes, “There’s one in every crowd!”

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This upcoming hunting season will be the 6th season since the creation of the SOA program. Since those humble beginnings, the program has seen quite a few changes. Last season, hunters had access to 12 SOA properties. WFF conducted 17 small game hunts for 450 hunters, 92 deer hunts for 962 hunters, 9 waterfowl hunts for 135 hunters, 24 turkey hunts for 224 hunters, and 5 dove hunts for 270 hunters on these 12 properties. WFF has tripled the number of properties within the SOA system as well as the number of hunters who receive the coveted permits over the past 5 years. So, how can you become a hunter on one of the SOAs? Visit the www. outdooralabama.com website and follow the “Hunting” link to “Special Opportunity Areas” and begin the registration process. On this page you will find the registration process steps to follow and frequently asked questions, and you will be able to click on a link to view the various upcoming hunts.

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877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // August 2022 73

How to Transport a Kayak

Custom racks allow multiple kayaks to be transported in one vehicle.

Kayak fishing is just about the most fun any angler can have on the water. It’s cheap, easy to do, and kayak fishing allows a person to see and hear things on the water that most powerboat anglers can’t experience. But to be honest, unless a person lives right on the water, a kayak angler must first and foremost be a kayak transporter. By some means, that sweet little kayak must be moved from home to the water.

BY ED MASHBURN Photos by Ed Mashburn

There are a number of methods kayaks can be moved, and each of them has its own set of advantages and problems. I have transported kayaks to the Florida Keys, the Missouri Ozarks, and even far out west to Arizona, and I have found that with a little careful planning and proper equipment, getting the kayak to the water is safe, and not terribly difficult.

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CAR TOPPING Probably the most common way kayaks reach the water is on the top of cars. Almost any car, no matter how small, can safely transport a kayak if the right racks are used and the kayak is correctly secured. For best kayak car topping, the car needs to come equipped with a solid roof rack. This provides a secure, non-slip foundation for whatever sort of kayak rack is used. A wide range of kayak roof racks are out there and the price range is wide. For a single, lightweight fishing kayak, a smaller, less expensive unit will work. For bigger, heavier kayaks, a more substantial rack is needed to safely secure the extra weight and wind-resistance of a bigger kayak.

PADDLE FISHING HOW TO LOAD A CAR TOP KAYAK When it comes to actually loading the kayak in a roof rack, a great deal depends on the individual doing the loading. I have seen big, stout, weight-lifter anglers grab the biggest, heaviest fishing kayak in the middle and just lift it up and lay it in the car top cradle like it was nothing. I can’t do this. For most kayak anglers, having a buddy to help lift a kayak for car top loading is the best idea. Both loaders lift the kayak up to shoulder level, then one end of the kayak-usually this will be the taller of the two loader’s end- is slowly lifted over the edge of the top of the car and then that end of the kayak is loaded into the rack. The other loader just holds the other end in balance. Then the first loader can move back and help lift the second end of the kayak up into the cradle. This works well even when one of the loaders is a wife as short as my wife. It is possible to load even a heavy fishing kayak by one person alone. This method requires a blanket or foam mat to place on the back end of the vehicle to protect the vehicle from being scraped. One end of the kayak is lifted up to the top rear of the car and then the kayak is slowly and carefully pushed forward riding on the mat or blanket until the end of the kayak rests in the back rack. The kayak can be slowly pushed forward until the boat is resting on both racks. At this point, the kayak can be easily adjusted to ride properly. This is a more difficult loading technique, and kayaks have been known to roll out of control and crash to the ground. It’s best to have two folks loading. TRUCK BED HAULING Loading the kayak into the bed of a pickup truck and heading to the water is very quick, requires only one person, and if properly secured, provides good, safe transportation to the water. It takes only a moment to back up the truck, put one end of the kayak up into the bed, push the boat into the bed and then securely tie down or strap down the kayak.

No matter what sort of transport system is used- car top, bed hauling or trailering, the kayak needs to be secured at bow and stern, and there needs to be good, secure tie down or straps in the middle of the kayak. These attachment points should be strong, and they should be able to absorb the stresses of road travel. For car-topped kayaks, the front and rear tie downs should be attached to the bumpers of the vehicle and secured very well, It is a very good idea to check tie downs at every stop. Kayaks are lightweight and they respond more to wind and vibrations than a powerboat on a trailer, and if the tie-downs come slack and don’t support the kayak, bad things can happen. BEST KAYAK TIE DOWN STRAPS Kayaks can be secured safely to roof racks, trailers, and pickup beds using only strong parachute cord or light rope. Rope can be tied in “trucker’s knots” which allow the rope to be passed through a secure point on the vehicle and then back through the loop where it can be really tightened down to hold the kayak in place. Ropes need to be inspected often and when they start to fray and get ratty looking, it is time to get new tie down lines and replace the old ones. However, tie down straps can provide even more security, and some straps even provide lockable, no- stealing security. We have used and like the Kanulock system which provides lockable security and stainless-steel cable reinforcement that makes kayak removable by bad guys almost impossible. Kanulocks are sold by BassPro and Amazon and other online sources of kayaking gear. Cost of this fine system is about $70.

Bed extensions are used by kayak anglers who have longer, heavier kayaks. These fit into the trailer hitch of the truck, and they provide extra support to the kayak riding in the bed of the truck. Of course, when bed-hauling a kayak, it is required that a red flag be attached to the end of the kayak sticking out- just like any long-load being hauled in a pickup bed is required to be flagged for safety. TRAILERING Probably the best method to get several kayaks to the water at the same time is trailering. A wide range of trailers made especially for kayaks is on the market, and most of them work quite well. Some kayak trailers will cost as much or more than the kayak itself does. It is best to use a heavier, stronger frame trailer for long-distance kayak trailering, and the lighting system needs to be properly installed and maintained to provide safe stop and turn indication for drivers following.

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Trailering a kayak is a nice way to get the boat to the water, but a trailer requires a lot more maintenance and particularly wheel bearings and tires require quite a bit of care. HOW TO TIE DOWN A KAYAK If there’s a rule about securing a kayak for transportation, it might be this: More secure tie-downs and straps are better than not enough. I have seen in my rear-view mirrors my kayak skidding down the road behind me because I did not secure it properly, and I can assure you, it is not a good sight.

www.pureflats.com 877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // August 2022 75

Gulf Coast

There will be great sight fishing opportunities throughout this month in our region. Photo courtesy Danielle Davidson

Fishing Outlook

Summertime on the gulf coast is usually a bustling time. August is a bit more laid back as kids head back to school in various areas and vacationers slowly thin out as we head towards the end of the season. With the regional waters becoming less and less crowded, it’s a great time to bend a rod. MISSISSIPPI Anglers fishing the inshore waters of MS will be taking advantage of August’s generally calmer winds. Running and gunning is often the best way to find the action and beat the heat. Large bait schools will be moving through the sound and some exciting surface action can occur around these bait schools.

BY CHRIS VECSEY

Then primary suspects will be big redfish, jacks, mackerel and a few others. These gamefish can be taken on a variety of lures including spoons, topwater lures and larger twitchbaits like the

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Mirrolure 27MR. Live bait will work too of course but with the nature of running and gunning, artificial lures can be thrown further and more accurately. While running and looking for these schools, keep your eyes out for crab trap floats, debris and channel markers. Tripletail will take up residence on these structures and are a welcomed bonus. Tackle and tactics are simple for these slabs. Live baits like shrimp or croakers will always get the job done and do well fished under slip floats. Artificial choices can be simple as well with shrimp imitations like the DOA shrimp and swimbaits like the Matrix Shad being top pics. This is also a good opportunity for taking these fish on the fly as they are generally near the surface.

FISHING OUTLOOK The barrier islands will continue to produce good catches of speckled trout, redfish and flounder. Topwater action will be solid during low light hours, but fish can be taken throughout the day with subsurface jerkbaits and twitchbaits. Live baiting with finger mullet or craokers on carolina rigs is a near guarantee. Fish your baits and lures near dropoffs just off the beaches and along deeper troughs. ALABAMA The inshore bite can be tough through August. Water temps are high and can make fish lethargic, but there’s always a bite at some point and even laid-up fish can be triggered. Fishing the shorelines along Mobile Bay and the mouths of the several coastal rivers will keep you tight on redfish, flounder, trout and drum. Falling tides will generally be best.

lure choice, casting accuracy in these scenarios is important. Offshore, this a great month to hit natural bottom areas in 120-200 feet for vermilion and mangrove snapper and a wide range of other bottom species. Small pieces of squid or cut bonito works very well, especially on two-hook “chicken rigs”. Keeping a live bait like a cigar minnow or threadfin herring on bottom will tip the odds for big grouper and other larger bonuses. Tackle for this task should be fairly stout to muscle these more powerful reef species from their rocky homes. Many species of bottom fish can also be taken on bucktail and “slow pitch” metal jigs when worked tight to the bottom. These types of lures can be particularly effective on Scamp.

The nearshore platforms off Fort Morgan will be hot spots for many species, but cobia and mangrove snapper will be the top prizes.

Bluewater fishing around the Nipple, Elbow and other well known bottom contours is about to get red hot. Wahoo will be in good numbers along with blackfin tuna and mahi mahi.

Mangrove (black) snapper will hold tight to the structure and can take a bit of effort to work out into open water where they can be taken with a variety of tackle. Leaders should be kept light, with 20-30pound being the best for line shy mangroves. A bit of chumming helps a lot and then a small piece of cut bait like sardine or a freelined shrimp drifted back into the chum line.

This is also the kick off to some of the best white marlin fishing of the year. Hungry whites will be found in good numbers in 400-800ft of water along temperature breaks and rips. Pulling a spread of teasers like squid chains and lightweight dredges helps draw billfish in where they can be pitched to with ballyhoo or other baits/lures.

For cobia, a big plastic eel or feather jig worked around the platform legs will do the job. Live bait like croakers, pinfish, mullet and others are always necessities on board when hunting for cobia. Sometimes you’ll have to do a bit of running around to find thes fish, but they are usually abundant through the month and can also be taken around the ships waiting outside of the Mobile Bay channel. The beachfront will be very active with spanish and king mackerel, jacks and occasional bull reds. Trolling with spoons, diving plugs like the Rapala X Rap and Yo Zuri Crystal Minnow and small mylar dusters will provide action. These fish can be taken from just outside the sandbars in 10ft of water to within a few miles. Trolling speeds of 4-5mph will do the trick. Further on out, the blue water action will be taking off, especially towards the end of the month. This can be a prime time for many pelagic species but especially for white marlin and wahoo. Both can be found in good numbers are the 50 and 100 fathom lines as well as the deepwater drilling rigs and production platforms.

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Monitor water conditions with a satellite imaging service like Hilton’s Realtime -Navigator. This will give you the best chances of knowing where to go for action offshore. FLORIDA PANHANDLE The shallow grass flats along Florida’s panhandle will be loaded with slot redfish and quality speckled trout. If sight fishing is your thing, this is right up your alley as the best action often occurs in less than 2f feet of water. Weightless, soft-plastic jerkbaits like the Zoom Fluke and the Beastie Bugg from Buggs Fishing are two of the best options for the sight fishing arsenal. Topwater lures are also a great choice, especially early in the morning. A weightless live shrimp is a great choice as well. Regardless of bait or

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Pier & Shore

Spadefish offer hours of August fun for all pier anglers.

Fishing Outlook

Spadefish are another hard fighting, good eating fish that are plentiful around hard structures like piers and jetties. Successful shorebound fishing in August depends a lot on adjusting tactics to suit what is available at any given time. Just contending with the midsummer heat and humidity stresses the body and adds another degree of difficulty to any outdoor task. Many anglers find some refuge from the elements by getting into the water even though it languishes in the middle 80s this month. And if the sizzling summer sun wasn’t enough to deal with, thundershowers may pop up at any time day or night adding another element to adjust around. BY DAVID THORNTON Photos by David Thornton

While getting wet is an inconvenience, an encounter with lightning can ruin your day in a flash. So, staying weather aware is at least as important as trying to figure out what may be biting. This is usually the beginning of the “Cape Verde Season” which may produce some of the most powerful Atlantic hurricanes each

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year. Even distant tropical systems may create swells that can disrupt or affect fishing activity for days. Reckoning with the elements as they evolve on a daily basis is a key challenge anglers must overcome. Some accomplish this by fishing at night from lighted piers or docks, or under the full moon. Most fish species are opportunistic feeders, and artificial light gives the anglers an edge by attracting gamefish or panfish that are drawn by the small forage fish swimming around the lighted areas. Fishing for “white trout” (Sand and Silver seatrout) can be quite productive under lights as they gorge themselves on anchovies, small LYs, and shrimp. Try using small plastic shrimp or minnow imitations like Zoom Tiny Fluke in Baby Bass green or other natural colors that closely resemble prey items. Also speckled trout,

FISHING OUTLOOK redfish, or a host of other species may take advantage of this all-night lighted buffet. The tarpon run may be waning, especially after the mid-month full moon period but there are still a good number of them migrating along the Emerald Coast if the water stays calm and clear early in the month. There are also other possibilities for pier and shore anglers to explore. One is the annual influx of female blue crabs onto the Gulf beaches to spawn. Egg-laden females with their distinctive “sponges” under the abdomen are protected by law until they lay their eggs but large rays and drum (red and black) follow them onto the flats and shallow sandbars to feast on this rich food source. Kids of all ages like to cull through these crabs looking for post-spawn female crabs to boil or steam. Picking out blue crab meat is a long time Gulf Coast tradition. The males can be caught in the back bay areas, as they rarely leave the actual estuaries. They can be caught one at a time using a chicken back or leg tied on a length of string and secured to a dock or pier. When the crab carries the bait away the line comes tight, and it is slowly retrieved to where it can be scooped with a foot wide crab net on a six-foot-long handle. The trick is to be slow on the line and fast on the net, so the crab doesn’t let go or scoot away. Most of the best traditional hook and line fishing takes place early in the morning, or late in the afternoon. The air temperature is not as hot then, and the game fish are usually feeding more actively in the low light. Having said that their feeding periods may occur at any time based on bait movements spurred by the tides, waves, or winds. This is especially fickle in the vicinity of thundershowers when inflow and outflow winds that evolve with the cloud development. Even high clouds from distant storms can affect your fishing just by obscuring the sun for a while. The few hours after a thundershower may even provide a “second sunrise” as the sky gradually lightens when the clouds thin or move away. This is especially evident at times when the wind dies off as well, even providing conditions conducive to a mid-day topwater bite. So be aware of when that may happen. Any of these variables can affect the bite of many of the most popular species, as well as the bycatch fish species, and baitfish. King mackerel are a popular target species at the beach piers along the Florida Panhandle in August, but the near shore water is often too warm for their liking. Spanish mackerel are much more plentiful, though they tend to average on the small side this month. Schools of young-of-the-year mackerel move inshore chasing the plentiful anchovies and other small forage fish. Just remember that Florida has a 12-inch fork length minimum size on Spanish mackerel. Also, be aware some juvenile king mackerel (less than the 24-inch fork length minimum) hang around the pier as well. They look similar to the untrained eye, but it pays to know the difference! Look for the large black patch on the dorsal fin of a Spanish, easily noticed from a distance. The ever-popular Bubble Rig is just one method of catching mackerel, but the small lure (two to three inches long) tends to attract small predators (mackerel and jacks). One of the best ways to avoid undersized fish is simply to use a larger lure like a four inch-long Yo-Zuri Crystal Minnow or Rapala X-Rap. A one-ounce silver spoon, or even a four inch long Zoom fluke on a ¼ or 3/8-ounce jig head works very well at times too. Speckled trout are still abundant in the back bays, also the Alabama and Mississippi surf. They are commonly targeted with live shrimp, croakers, or other baitfish, though throwing lures will cover much more water. Look for cooperative trout along the edge of sandbar drop offs early and late in the day. Though sharks tend to be on the mind of wading anglers, they are only occasionally encountered. Jellyfish and stingrays actually pose more of a

threat to these fishermen. Ladyfish are a very common by-catch species this month for anglers intent on pompano or speckled trout from the beach. They will bite a variety of live or dead baits and lures. And they are often the most plentiful fish in the surf zone, though they may be outnumbered by juvenile jack crevalle by the end of the month. These hard pulling “baby jacks” weighing ½ to ¾ pound can be caught on just about any bait or lure. Small jacks are especially fun on ultralight spinning tackle or fly tackle, providing hours of entertainment from a hundred fish or more. Bluefish are another common by-catch species that are not only fun to catch but offer pretty decent table fare as well. All fish flesh subjected to summer heat will simply taste better and last longer if it is bled out when caught. This is easily accomplished by cutting the fish’s gill rakers then placing it head down in a bucket of water. After expiring, the fish should be placed on ice to preserve firmness and freshness. Spadefish are another hard fighting, good eating fish that are plentiful around hard structures like piers and jetties. They are fast growing, and many reproduce on their first birthday when only hand sized but they are often caught up to platter size in these locations. Smaller spadefish are often scaled, eviscerated, and fried or baked whole, but larger ones easily filet out to be pan sauteed or deep fried. Mid-summer is a time when just about anything may happen at any time. Anglers should not allow themselves to fall into ‘pits of past performance’. Rather, try to adjust their target, tackle, and tactics to take advantage of whatever fishing opportunities are waiting for them at any point in time as they enjoy their great days outdoors in August.

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REGIONAL FRESHWATER Fishing Outlook BY ED MASHBURN Photos by Ed Mashburn

There’s nothing quite as much fun as a cage of crickets, an ultra-light spinning rig, and some big bluegills.

ALABAMA WATERS

LAKE PICKWICK “Although summer heat can make fishing tough, the crappie on Alabama’s big lakes will still bite. Lake Pickwick guide Captain Brad Whitehead tells us that a good way to find crappie in August is to set the boat up with a spider rig. Multiple rods increase the chances of locating the best concentrations of crappie. “Spider rigs with lots of rigs using crank baits and minnow-tipped jigs can be good. Anglers should try hot colored crank baits- pink and orange crank baits can be great,” Whitehead said. For bass anglers in August, the key will be fishing early. There will be a good top water bite, but as the sun gets higher, shad go deeper and the bass will follow them. “Later in the day, try big plastic worms fished on ledges in the 15-20 foot depth.”Whitehead added., WILSON LAKE “The hottest month of summer sometimes makes fishing challenging on the Tennessee river lakes,“ says Captain Brian Barton from Brian Barton Outdoors. When possible, make your excursions early or late in the day or even at night. 80 August 2022 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

“August is very good for flathead cats- At night after 10:00 is usually the best bite, but rain or current can produce good flatheads at any time,” Barton said. The tailrace to Hog Island is a good starting point. Start your search early in the day in 12-16 feet of water then move deeper as the sun rises. Anglers should look for log jams and big trees in the water. Flatheads love wood cover. “Try to fish during peak generation- usually during late afternoon. Late in August, the thermocline will start to disappear, and then fish will be scattered all over the lake,”Barton explained. White bass and hybrids will be chasing shad below the dam, and watching for feeding birds over schools of shad being pressured from below by stripers can be very productive in August. LAKE WEISS “August is a tough time, but if you can stand the heat, you can still catch some good fish,” says veteran Lake Weiss fishing guide Captain Lee Pitts. Pitts fishes Lake Weiss year-round, and he has some good advice for anglers who want to catch fish on the northeast Alabama lake.

FISHING OUTLOOK “We still have very good bass fishing in shallow water in August. We’re fishing water in the three to five foot range. Anglers should look for wave action and dam-produced current to find actively feeding bass,” Pitts said. As the sun gets higher, anglers should move off the banks and concentrate on docks and blowdown trees that make shadow on the water. Crankbaits and jigs worked in and around the dark shadows can be effective. “Try buzz baits in silver and shad patterns. Spooks and Chug-Bugs can be great on early mornings and cloudy days. In mid-day, work jigs and Texas-rigged worms on ledges. Try pumpkin-green colors,” Pitts advised. LAKE EUFAULA According to Captain Sam Williams from Hawks Fishing Guide Service,there will be a good early top water bite. Frogs and spinner baits fished around shallow water cover will be strong. He suggests to fiish the lily pads early. Many anglers at Eufaula will want to look for created trash piles in 18-25 feet of water for bass holding close to the structure. Deep running crank baits and jigs work well around the deeper structure. “Willow fly hatches can produce some really good bream fishing. Also, be aware that some big bass will be close to the feeding bream- they’ll be feeding on the bream that are feeding on the willow flies,”Williams said. Crappie anglers on Eufaula will want to fish the creek and river ledges. Night fishing around bridges and causeways and other light-producing structures will be best.

that moving water and good current is crucial. LAKE GUNTERSVILLE Bass anglers should have a wide range of fishing techniques to select from for this August’s bass bite. Anywhere along the main channels of the lake will be good where the grass is thickest. Mid-South Guide Service Captain Jake Davis says that August will provide the start of flipping season for big bass in thick grass. Anglers can start their fishing day off by fishing topwaters-frogs are good- and switching to flipping and punching heavy grass. When asked what color frog anglers should use, Davis said,” Black, black, and black. The bass can see the black frog overhead easier than any other color.” He pointed out that the Pro-Z Tree Frog is a very good top water frog for Guntersville. When the top water bite slows, anglers can still catch lots of bass using Tightline Jigs Legends Muscle Crawler jigs with Missile Baits D. Bomb trailers. Let the heavy jig punch through the weed cover to the shaded areas where the bass will be holding. Panfish anglers can fish the backs of channel along grass lines to find some good bream fishing. SIPSEY FORK Over at the Riverside Fly Shop Randy Jackson tells us that terrestrials will be the best bet for fly anglers in August. Ant patterns, crickets, and grasshopper flies will work well because that’s what the trout are seeing at this time. Streamers can be good in August. The streamers should look like small shad which are in the river now.

“Catfishing is always good at Eufaula. In August, try jug fishing with cut bait for some really good catfish action,” Williams added,

Cloudy days will work best for trout in August, and the clouds may help hold the temperature of the air down a little, too.

MILLER’S FERRY “In August, the crappie bite will be more of a river ledge, main creek channels situation this month,” advises Joe Dunn of Dunn’s Sports.

Anglers should look for beds of coontail moss in the river which hold immature bugs for the trout to feed on. The coontail moss grows all along the river waters, but it grows thicker farther down the stream.

Anglers looking for slabs should spend time bottom bouncing jigs and live minnows in 18 feet of water or so. This bottom bouncing technique works best when the lake is having water moved through it when the dam is pumping water.

MOBILE/TENSAW DELTA “One of the hottest months- it can be excruciating- we’re sure not in fall yet,” says Captain Wayne from the Miller Mobile-Tensaw Delta Guide Service

When the dam is moving water through the lake, crappie anglers should try deep vertical jigging over tree tops in river channels.

“In August, it’s by far the month of main river fishing. A few deeper lakes off the rivers are OK, but the fish will be deeper,” he said.

Trolling multiple rigs can be very strong in August with both jigs and Road Runners can be very good when the water is still with little current from the dams.

Grass lines along the Causeway can be good, but up the rivers, bass will be holding close to clay banks and wood cover.In August, the bass congregate in schools, and they orient to shad schools on the main rivers.

Crappie anglers should look for shad which will be higher early in the day- say four to six feet deep- and then move deeper as the day goes on. Bass anglers at Miller’s Ferry in August should look mostly for moving water and use crank baits, Carolina rigs, drop-shot rigs, and underspinner baits around ledges and creek mouths. A good early morning bite can occur around grass. For most kinds of angling at Miller’s Ferry in August, Dunn advises us

Miller advises anglers to bounce from point to point in the big rivers. “Anglers may hit three or four points which have no bait and no fish. But when the big schools of shad are located, the bass will be there,” he explained. Miller also says that tide state makes big difference in current in the rivers, and current is important. If you can fish an outdoing tide, the bite will be better.

877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // August 2022 81

Regional Freshwater Fishing Outlook

Bream will still be solid around the edges. Try fishing crickets around the docks and other shade-producing shoreline structure. Catfish will be in eight to ten feet of water close to the main river channel, and they will bite on a variety of live baits. Cut shad is very effective. LAKE SEMINOLE Jody Wells has fished Lake Seminole extensively, and has found that bream will still be on the beds somewhat in August, and anglers can have a lot of fun with them by using crickets and red worms. Bass will be deep in August, but topwaters, especially frogs, fished near hydrilla beds in seven to ten feet of water can be very good early and late in the day. Wells advises anglers looking for bass to look at ledges and sandbars in deeper water. The bass will follow the schools of shad, and by fishing deep with soft plastics, anglers can usually find bass eager to bite. Colors are variable, and he tells anglers to use whatever color soft plastic they have faith in. Hybrids and stripers will be schooling in August. Folks looking for some hard-pulling fun should look for working birds and schools of shad on their electronics. If the shad are found, the big fish will be near. There are lots of two to four pound hybrids, stripes, and white bass at Seminole.

Important Contact Information

August weather is hot, and so is the bass fishing.

Shad pattern crank baits will be very effective when the bass are schooled up and working shad. Panfishing on the Delta is slow in August. Crappie will be as deep as they can get, and not very active. Catfish will still be good in August, and catfish angler in the main rivers can expect some big cats to show up and be ready to fight.

FLORIDA WATERS

LAKE TALQUIN Jeff DuBree of Whippoorwill Lodge says that anglers on Lake Talquin in August should be looking for stripes. There are some big striped bass here, and they seek out the cooler water of spring-fed creeks that feed into the main lake. Stripers when found will bite on swim baits, white bucktails and big Zara Spooks. In particular, many striper anglers look at Ocklawaha Creek and its springs for hot weather striper fishing. Bass will be in deep water near the creek channels and wherever shad are schooled up. Using heavy spoons and deeper running spinners like the old Little George spinner are effective for the deep water bass.

82 August 2022 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

Joe Dunn Dunn’s Sports 334-636-0850 33356 Hwy 43 Thomasville, Al

Captain Wayne Miller Mobile-Tensaw Delta Guide Service 251-4557404 Millewa12000@yahoo.com

Capt. Lee Pitts Leepittsoutdoors.com 256-390-4145

Jeff DuBree Whippoorwill Sportsman’s Lodge Lake Talquin 850-875-2605 Fishtalquin@gmail.com

Capt. Brian Barton www.brianbartonoutdoors.com 256-412-0969 Capt. Sam Williams Hawks Fishing Guide Service www.hawksfishingguideservice. com 334-355-5057 Capt. Brad Whitehead Bradwhiteheadfishing@aol.com 256-483-0834 Capt. Jake Davis Mid-South Guide Service Msbassguide@comcast.net 615-613-238

Jody Wells- Lake Seminole 850-269-2420 Tony Poloronis Outcaster’s Bait and Tackle 631 Hwy 98 Apalachicola, FL 850-653-4665 Randy Jackson Riverside Fly Shop 17027 Hwy 69N Jasper, AL 256-287-9582 Riversideflyshop.com

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(866) 782-6330 • WWW.AHUNTINGLEASE.ORG/VACANT-LAND 877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // August 2022

MOON & FEED TIMES

Mobile / Tensaw Delta

PRIME FEEDING TIMES

This chart is specifically designed for fishing times in the Mobile/Tensaw Delta & other tidally influenced waters of South Alabama. Date Day

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

August 2022

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed

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ALABAMA TIDE CHARTS

Fowl River

Fort Morgan M 1

01:56 PM / 1.27

10:20 PM / 0.48

M 1

02:22 PM / 1.30

11:28 PM / 0.43

05:12 AM / 0.90

08:48 AM / 0.81

07:39 AM / 0.94

09:47 AM / 0.92

02:58 PM / 1.09

10:08 PM / 0.63

03:46 PM / 1.08

11:13 PM / 0.64

04:36 AM / 1.01

10:21 AM / 0.72

06:22 AM / 1.03

12:12 PM / 0.77

W 3

04:22 PM / 0.90

09:35 PM / 0.76

Th 4

04:21 AM / 1.18

12:18 PM / 0.60

04:27 AM / 1.35

04:01 PM / 0.44

04:55 AM / 1.52

05:48 PM / 0.24

Su 7

05:40 AM / 1.64

06:51 PM / 0.05

M 8

06:43 AM / 1.73 07:45 PM / -0.09

08:03 AM / 1.79 08:36 PM / -0.17

W 10 09:26 AM / 1.82 09:23 PM / -0.16 Th 11 10:38 AM / 1.80 10:06 PM / -0.06

W 3

06:48 PM / 0.90 10:38 PM / 0.81 Th 4

05:40 AM / 1.23

02:33 PM / 0.55

05:41 AM / 1.48

04:08 PM / 0.33

06:11 AM / 1.71

05:33 PM / 0.12

Su 7

06:57 AM / 1.91 06:56 PM / -0.06

M 8

07:54 AM / 2.06 08:10 PM / -0.22

08:59 AM / 2.15 09:12 PM / -0.32

09:14 AM / 0.86

T 16 03:30 AM / 1.02

09:52 AM / 0.67

05:02 PM / 0.93

08:42 PM / 0.87

T 16 05:07 AM / 1.08

11:35 AM / 0.70

W 17 02:58 AM / 1.24

11:35 AM / 0.58

W 17 04:20 AM / 1.32

02:07 PM / 0.52

Th 18 03:15 AM / 1.41

01:56 PM / 0.50

Th 18 04:33 AM / 1.53

03:38 PM / 0.36

F 19 03:46 AM / 1.53

04:21 PM / 0.41

S 20 04:25 AM / 1.58

05:47 PM / 0.33

Su 21 05:11 AM / 1.59

06:43 PM / 0.26

M 22 06:08 AM / 1.57

07:28 PM / 0.21

T 23 07:21 AM / 1.56

08:04 PM / 0.19

08:39 PM / 0.88 09:35 AM / 0.59

05:47 PM / 0.99

07:55 PM / 0.97

06:13 AM / 1.69

05:33 PM / 0.55

06:41 AM / 1.90

07:20 PM / 0.30

Su 7

07:26 AM / 2.05

08:23 PM / 0.07

08:29 AM / 2.16 09:17 PM / -0.11

09:49 AM / 2.23 10:08 PM / -0.21

04:32 PM / 1.12 10:24 PM / 0.82

11:45 PM / 0.77

M 15 06:26 AM / 1.08

09:54 AM / 0.94

05:04 PM / 1.41

11:00 PM / 0.98

T 16 05:16 AM / 1.28

11:24 AM / 0.83

06:48 PM / 1.16

10:14 PM / 1.08

W 17 04:44 AM / 1.55

01:07 PM / 0.73

Th 18 05:01 AM / 1.77

03:28 PM / 0.62

F 19 05:32 AM / 1.91

05:53 PM / 0.51

F 19 05:08 AM / 1.66

04:46 PM / 0.26

S 20 05:52 AM / 1.73

05:54 PM / 0.20

Su 21 06:42 AM / 1.76

07:01 PM / 0.15

S 20 06:11 AM / 1.98

07:19 PM / 0.41

M 22 07:38 AM / 1.77

07:59 PM / 0.12

Su 21 06:57 AM / 1.98

08:15 PM / 0.32

T 23 08:37 AM / 1.78

08:44 PM / 0.10

M 22 07:54 AM / 1.97

09:00 PM / 0.26

W 24 09:39 AM / 1.78

09:19 PM / 0.11

T 23 09:07 AM / 1.95

09:36 PM / 0.23

Th 25 10:39 AM / 1.76

09:45 PM / 0.17

W 24 10:29 AM / 1.94

10:06 PM / 0.25

F 26 11:33 AM / 1.70

10:03 PM / 0.29

Th 25 11:37 AM / 1.94

10:28 PM / 0.31

F 26 12:32 PM / 1.89

S 27 12:26 PM / 1.61 10:09 PM / 0.45 Su 28 01:25 PM / 1.48 10:02 PM / 0.64 M 29 05:26 AM / 1.03

07:53 AM / 1.00

02:46 PM / 1.32 09:47 PM / 0.85 T 30 04:06 AM / 1.12

09:35 AM / 0.87

04:55 PM / 1.19 09:25 PM / 1.03 W 31 03:11 AM / 1.31

BIG-BLOCK DIGITAL & MECHANICAL RIGGING MEET

POWER

10:54 AM / 0.71

03:42 AM / 0.37

05:59 AM / 0.30

12:04 PM / 0.63

07:19 PM / 0.23

07:29 PM / 0.18

04:00 AM / 0.49

07:13 AM / 0.33

11:42 AM / 0.45

07:06 PM / 0.24

Th 4

02:27 AM / 0.64

06:57 PM / 0.22

03:10 AM / 0.82

04:30 PM / 0.02

03:54 AM / 0.97 05:05 PM / -0.15

Su 7

04:43 AM / 1.07 05:39 PM / -0.29

07:39 AM / 1.15 06:12 PM / -0.38

08:34 AM / 1.23 06:43 PM / -0.41

W 10 09:22 AM / 1.26 07:16 PM / -0.36 Th 11 10:12 AM / 1.22 07:50 PM / -0.25 F 12 11:09 AM / 1.12 08:27 PM / -0.09 S 13 12:08 PM / 0.96

09:01 PM / 0.09

Su 14 01:09 PM / 0.78

07:09 PM / 0.24

M 15 02:24 AM / 0.38

05:55 AM / 0.28

02:15 PM / 0.59

06:51 PM / 0.30

T 16 02:53 AM / 0.52

07:04 AM / 0.30

09:55 AM / 0.38

01:15 PM / 0.36

03:20 PM / 0.41

06:18 PM / 0.29

W 17 03:24 AM / 0.65

02:07 PM / 0.20

Th 18 03:51 AM / 0.75

02:59 PM / 0.07

F 19 02:55 AM / 0.82 03:57 PM / -0.02 S 20 03:31 AM / 0.87 04:52 PM / -0.09 Su 21 04:12 AM / 0.89 05:37 PM / -0.14 M 22 07:47 AM / 0.92 06:14 PM / -0.16 T 23 08:34 AM / 0.96 06:47 PM / -0.15 W 24 09:14 AM / 0.98 07:16 PM / -0.12 Th 25 09:51 AM / 0.97 07:33 PM / -0.05 F 26 10:25 AM / 0.93

07:37 PM / 0.04

10:42 PM / 0.42

S 27 10:03 AM / 0.86

07:37 PM / 0.14

Su 28 10:16 AM / 0.78

06:22 PM / 0.22

S 27 01:25 PM / 1.80

10:44 PM / 0.57

M 29 01:27 AM / 0.32

04:16 AM / 0.25

Su 28 02:24 PM / 1.67

10:36 PM / 0.74

10:49 AM / 0.66

06:19 PM / 0.27

M 29 05:21 AM / 1.18

09:01 AM / 1.04

T 30 01:48 AM / 0.42

06:00 AM / 0.22

03:44 PM / 1.51

10:25 PM / 0.93

02:14 PM / 0.50

06:08 PM / 0.30

T 30 04:37 AM / 1.30

10:06 AM / 0.89

11:39 PM / 0.60

05:25 PM / 1.35

10:11 PM / 1.10

W 31 03:31 PM / 0.38

W 31 04:12 AM / 1.49

11:07 AM / 0.73

-07:04 AM / 0.19 05:53 PM / 0.29

Yamaha’s award-winning 4.2-liter V6 four strokes set the standard for offshore performance. Not only do they feature class-leading 4.2-liter displacement, but they’re also: t

03:39 PM / 1.08 W 31 02:26 AM / 1.19

11:30 AM / 0.78

FLEXIBLE — The entire lineup of 4.2-liter V6 four strokes—from the F225 and F250 up to the mighty F300—is now available with either mechanical or digital controls, for ease of repower

08:34 AM / 0.71

F S

LIGHTER — At 562 pounds (digital) and 551 pounds (mechanical), they’re up to 73 pounds lighter than other four strokes in their class

08:53 PM / 0.74

01:50 PM / 0.75

FASTER — Up to 19 percent faster than other 300-hp competitors, planing offshore boats with ease*

01:58 PM / 1.21

06:07 AM / 1.47

12:28 AM / 0.46

M 15 06:20 AM / 0.91

T 30 02:51 AM / 1.04

Th 4

Su 14 03:40 PM / 1.68

09:28 PM / 0.79

07:29 AM / 0.83

11:53 AM / 0.90 11:07 PM / 0.95

12:13 AM / 0.15

03:18 PM / 1.13

M 29 03:35 AM / 0.94

06:22 AM / 1.27 06:08 PM / 1.12

W 3

S 13 02:29 PM / 1.94

11:29 PM / 0.60

09:04 PM / 0.59

11:40 PM / 0.79

11:51 PM / 0.28

Su 14 02:37 PM / 1.43

Su 28 12:38 PM / 1.33

10:20 AM / 1.02

S 13 01:27 PM / 1.73

08:22 AM / 0.76

09:12 PM / 0.46

06:58 AM / 1.13 04:44 PM / 1.37

M 15 04:40 AM / 0.86

S 27 11:39 AM / 1.44

11:52 PM / 0.60

F 12 01:27 PM / 2.14

10:13 PM / 0.61

09:10 PM / 0.34

F 12 12:25 PM 1.97 11:28 PM / -0.01

Su 14 01:54 PM / 1.35

F 26 10:46 AM / 1.51

12:00 AM / 0.42

Th 11 12:24 PM / 2.25 11:38 PM / -0.08

10:56 PM / 0.37

08:56 PM / 0.25

03:42 PM / 1.59

Th 11 11:19 AM / 2.12 10:51 PM / -0.23

S 13 12:43 PM / 1.55

08:34 PM / 0.20

W 10 11:12 AM / 2.27 10:55 PM / -0.20

10:41 PM / 0.12

W 24 08:43 AM / 1.55

W 10 10:10 AM / 2.18 10:05 PM / -0.33

F 12 11:41 AM / 1.71

Th 25 09:51 AM / 1.55

Perdido Pass

Mobile River

SMARTER — Up to 17 percent better fuel economy, at cruise RPM, than comparable outboards*

Learn more about the powerful performance of our 4.2-liter V6 Offshore F300, F250 and F225 at YamahaOutboards.com/V6offshore.

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*Testing conducted by Yamaha at Yamaha’s test facility on a Grady-White® 257 Advance/300 hp, with each boat rigged for maximum performance. REMEMBER to always observe all applicable boating laws. Never drink and drive. Dress properly with a USCG-approved personal floatation device and protective gear. © 2017 Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. All rights reserved. 1-800-88-YAMAHA

116 E. I-65 Service Road N. Mobile, AL 36607 Phone: 251-476-2699 www.bluewateryachtsales.net 877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // August 2022 85

FLORIDA TIDE CHARTS

Panama City

Pensacola Bay Destin East Pass Navarre Beach M 1 01:23 PM / 1.28 10:52 PM / 0.31 T 2 02:16 PM / 1.02 10:24 PM / 0.52 W 3 05:37 AM / 0.91 12:10 PM / 0.70 04:08 PM / 0.75 09:04 PM / 0.66 Th 4 04:59 AM / 1.12 02:18 PM / 0.44 F 5 05:06 AM / 1.35 03:38 PM / 0.20 S 6 05:41 AM / 1.56 04:54 PM / -0.02 Su 7 06:36 AM / 1.75 06:09 PM / -0.20 M 8 07:43 AM / 1.91 07:20 PM / -0.35 T 9 08:53 AM / 2.04 08:24 PM / -0.45 W 10 10:00 AM / 2.12 09:19 PM / -0.46 Th 11 11:00 AM / 2.10 10:04 PM / -0.36 F 12 11:55 AM / 1.96 10:39 PM / -0.15 S 13 12:48 PM / 1.72 10:58 PM / 0.15 Su 14 01:44 PM / 1.41 10:49 PM / 0.47 M 15 02:55 PM / 1.07 09:49 PM / 0.73 T 16 03:53 AM / 0.98 11:14 AM / 0.64 W 17 03:40 AM / 1.25 01:30 PM / 0.43 Th 18 03:59 AM / 1.45 02:58 PM / 0.27 F 19 04:34 AM / 1.58 04:10 PM / 0.16 S 20 05:23 AM / 1.65 05:18 PM / 0.10 Su 21 06:24 AM / 1.68 06:22 PM / 0.06 M 22 07:33 AM / 1.72 07:18 PM / 0.02 T 23 08:37 AM / 1.76 08:03 PM / -0.01 W 24 09:32 AM / 1.79 08:37 PM / -0.01 Th 25 10:16 AM / 1.79 09:02 PM / 0.04 F 26 10:55 AM / 1.74 09:18 PM / 0.14 S 27 11:34 AM / 1.62 09:26 PM / 0.29 Su 28 12:19 PM / 1.45 09:23 PM / 0.49 M 29 01:20 PM / 1.23 T 30 02:59 AM / 0.95 02:55 PM / 1.02 W 31 02:24 AM / 1.16

09:02 PM / 0.70 08:29 AM / 0.77 08:05 PM / 0.88 10:28 AM / 0.60

M 1 12:50 PM / 0.63 T 2 01:43 PM / 0.50 W 3 05:04 AM / 0.45 03:35 PM / 0.37

10:18 PM / 0.10 09:50 PM / 0.17 11:36 AM / 0.23 08:30 PM / 0.22

Th F S Su M

4 5 6 7 8

04:26 AM / 0.55 04:33 AM / 0.66 05:08 AM / 0.77 06:03 AM / 0.86 07:10 AM / 0.94

01:44 PM / 0.15 03:04 PM / 0.06 04:20 PM / -0.01 05:35 PM / -0.07 06:46 PM / -0.12

T W Th F S

9 10 11 12 13

08:20 AM / 1.00 09:27 AM / 1.04 10:27 AM / 1.03 11:22 AM / 0.96 12:15 PM / 0.84

07:50 PM / -0.15 08:45 PM / -0.15 09:30 PM / -0.12 10:05 PM / -0.05 10:24 PM / 0.05

Su 14 01:11 PM / 0.69 10:15 PM / 0.15 M 15 02:22 PM / 0.52 09:15 PM / 0.24 T W Th F

16 17 18 19

03:20 AM / 0.48 03:07 AM / 0.61 03:26 AM / 0.71 04:01 AM / 0.78

10:40 AM / 0.21 12:56 PM / 0.14 02:24 PM / 0.09 03:36 PM / 0.05

S 20 04:50 AM / 0.81 04:44 PM / 0.03 Su 21 05:51 AM / 0.82 05:48 PM / 0.02 M 22 07:00 AM / 0.84 06:44 PM / 0.01 T 23 08:04 AM / 0.86 07:29 PM / -0.00 W 24 08:59 AM / 0.88 08:03 PM / -0.00 Th 25 09:43 AM / 0.88 08:28 PM / 0.01 F 26 10:22 AM / 0.85 08:44 PM / 0.04 S 27 11:01 AM / 0.79 08:52 PM / 0.10 Su 28 11:46 AM / 0.71 08:49 PM / 0.16 M 29 12:47 PM / 0.60 08:28 PM / 0.23 T 30 02:26 AM / 0.46 07:55 AM / 0.26 02:22 PM / 0.50 07:31 PM / 0.29 W 31 01:51 AM / 0.57 09:54 AM / 0.20

86 August 2022 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

M 1

11:00 AM / 1.35

07:39 PM / 0.45

T 2 W 3

11:20 AM / 1.17 03:27 AM / 0.95

07:26 PM / 0.60 07:14 AM / 0.83

11:19 AM / 0.94

07:10 PM / 0.72

Th 4 F 5

03:10 AM / 1.16 03:02 AM / 1.39

02:09 PM / 0.65 02:32 PM / 0.36

03:29 AM / 1.62

03:15 PM / 0.08

Su 7 M 8

04:17 AM / 1.81 04:07 PM / -0.15 05:16 AM / 1.94 05:04 PM / -0.31

06:22 AM / 2.01 06:03 PM / -0.38

W 10 07:30 AM / 2.02 07:02 PM / -0.36 Th 11 08:38 AM / 1.96 07:58 PM / -0.23 F 12 09:41 AM / 1.82 08:50 PM / -0.03 S 13 10:39 AM / 1.62 09:36 PM / 0.24 Su 14 11:34 AM / 1.36

07:00 PM / 0.52

M 15 02:30 AM / 0.69

05:02 AM / 0.63

12:35 PM / 1.08 T 16 02:11 AM / 0.89

06:41 PM / 0.66 06:51 AM / 0.66

02:37 PM / 0.82 W 17 01:15 AM / 1.12 Th 18 01:34 AM / 1.32

06:20 PM / 0.72 01:33 PM / 0.57 02:17 PM / 0.37

F 19 02:19 AM / 1.46 S 20 03:12 AM / 1.54 Su 21 04:11 AM / 1.59

03:00 PM / 0.23 03:43 PM / 0.13 04:25 PM / 0.07

M T W Th

05:14 AM / 1.61 06:18 AM / 1.62 07:17 AM / 1.63 08:09 AM / 1.63

05:08 PM / 0.05 05:47 PM / 0.06 06:22 PM / 0.10 06:50 PM / 0.18

F 26 08:53 AM / 1.61 S 27 09:35 AM / 1.55 Su 28 10:17 AM / 1.45

07:06 PM / 0.29 06:43 PM / 0.43 06:05 PM / 0.58

M 29 01:18 AM / 0.79 11:10 AM / 1.31 T 30 12:56 AM / 0.94

03:40 AM / 0.75 05:51 PM / 0.73 05:07 AM / 0.75

12:38 PM / 1.14 W 31 12:08 AM / 1.14 02:51 PM / 0.96 11:47 PM / 1.38

05:43 PM / 0.85 06:37 AM / 0.71 05:22 PM / 0.92 --

22 23 24 25

M 1 12:39 PM / 1.41 09:25 PM / 0.48 T 2 01:12 PM / 1.21 09:05 PM / 0.64 W 3 04:00 AM / 1.00 08:30 AM / 0.86 01:41 PM / 0.96 Th 4 03:26 AM / 1.19 F 5 03:31 AM / 1.41 S 6 04:11 AM / 1.61

08:08 PM / 0.74 03:39 PM / 0.69 03:52 PM / 0.42 04:32 PM / 0.17

Su M T W

7 8 9 10

05:10 AM / 1.79 06:24 AM / 1.95 07:42 AM / 2.06 08:56 AM / 2.12

05:19 PM / -0.05 06:09 PM / -0.20 07:02 PM / -0.28 07:54 PM / -0.26

Th F S Su

11 12 13 14

10:06 AM / 2.10 11:13 AM / 1.99 12:15 PM / 1.80 01:15 PM / 1.55

08:44 PM / -0.14 09:27 PM / 0.07 10:00 PM / 0.34 09:48 PM / 0.65

M 15 02:59 AM / 0.86 02:18 PM / 1.27 T 16 02:48 AM / 1.08 03:37 PM / 1.00

05:56 AM / 0.80 08:45 PM / 0.87 08:51 AM / 0.77 06:38 PM / 0.93

W 17 02:33 AM / 1.29

11:15 AM / 0.67

Th 18 02:25 AM / 1.48 02:48 PM / 0.51 F 19 02:55 AM / 1.61 03:47 PM / 0.37 S 20 03:43 AM / 1.68 04:35 PM / 0.28 Su 21 04:51 AM / 1.72 05:18 PM / 0.22 M 22 06:25 AM / 1.75 05:59 PM / 0.20 T 23 07:43 AM / 1.78 06:37 PM / 0.21 W 24 08:42 AM / 1.81 07:11 PM / 0.24 Th 25 09:32 AM / 1.80 07:38 PM / 0.31 F 26 10:18 AM / 1.76 07:50 PM / 0.41 S 27 11:05 AM / 1.67 07:49 PM / 0.53 Su 28 11:55 AM / 1.55 07:49 PM / 0.68 M 29 02:03 AM /0.97 04:44 AM / 0.91 12:52 PM / 1.39 07:41 PM / 0.83 T 30 01:50 AM / 1.09 06:27 AM / 0.87 02:01 PM / 1.21 06:54 PM / 0.95 W 31 01:19 AM / 1.26 08:41 AM / 0.79 03:41 PM / 1.04 06:05 PM / 0.99

MISSISSIPPI TIDE CHARTS

Pascagoula

Biloxi Bay M 1 01:08 PM / 1.54 10:18 PM / 0.37 T 2 01:33 PM / 1.26 09:48 PM / 0.59 W 3 06:33 AM / 1.00 08:12 PM / 0.73 Th 4 05:16 AM / 1.24 03:47 PM / 0.54

M 1

01:07 PM / 1.32 09:32 PM / 0.36

02:05 PM / 1.08 09:50 PM / 0.54

W 3

03:05 AM / 0.88

10:32 AM / 0.60

03:01 PM / 0.79 08:10 PM / 0.71 Th 4

03:22 AM / 1.13

12:17 PM / 0.37

03:50 AM / 1.39

02:35 PM / 0.10

S 6 05:45 AM / 1.88 04:39 PM / -0.18

04:33 AM / 1.62 04:10 PM / -0.18

Su 7 06:32 AM / 2.17 05:29 PM / -0.47

Su 7

05:33 AM / 1.80 05:05 PM / -0.40

M 8 07:30 AM / 2.40 06:23 PM / -0.65

M 8

06:38 AM / 1.95 05:58 PM / -0.54

T 9 08:33 AM / 2.55 07:18 PM / -0.72

07:41 AM / 2.03 06:53 PM / -0.57

F 5 05:16 AM / 1.56 03:57 PM / 0.16

W 10 09:37 AM / 2.60 08:13 PM / -0.66 Th 11 10:40 AM / 2.54 09:06 PM / -0.47 F 12 11:39 AM / 2.36 09:53 PM / -0.17 S 13 12:36 PM / 2.07 10:30 PM / 0.21 Su 14 01:31 PM / 1.70 10:36 PM / 0.61 M 15 02:31 PM / 1.30 09:21 PM / 0.94 T 16 03:45 AM / 1.11 10:46 AM / 0.87

W 10 08:44 AM / 2.05 07:48 PM / -0.50 F 12 10:35 AM / 1.82 09:20 PM / -0.10 S 13 11:25 AM / 1.58

09:51 PM / 0.18

M 15 03:55 AM / 0.66

07:05 AM / 0.64

01:33 PM / 0.99 08:36 PM / 0.66

W 17 03:32 AM / 1.45 02:21 PM / 0.58

09:05 AM / 0.56

W 17 02:07 AM / 1.13

12:13 PM / 0.43

Th 18 03:59 AM / 1.73 03:21 PM / 0.32

Th 18 02:38 AM / 1.34

01:38 PM / 0.27

F 19 04:39 AM / 1.93 04:08 PM / 0.14

F 19 03:12 AM / 1.48

04:40 PM / 0.13 05:07 PM / 0.02

S 20 05:27 AM / 2.06 04:53 PM / 0.03

S 20 03:54 AM / 1.55

Su 21 06:22 AM / 2.14 05:36 PM / -0.02

Su 21 04:52 AM / 1.58 05:36 PM / -0.04

M 22 07:22 AM / 2.19 06:20 PM / -0.03

M 22 06:04 AM / 1.60 06:10 PM / -0.06

W 24 09:17 AM / 2.23 07:41 PM / 0.07 Th 25 10:07 AM / 2.20 08:14 PM / 0.17 F 26 10:51 AM / 2.14 08:41 PM / 0.32 S 27 11:32 AM / 2.03 08:57 PM / 0.50 Su 28 12:13 PM / 1.86 08:58 PM / 0.71 M 29 12:59 PM / 1.64 08:36 PM / 0.94 T 30 03:11 AM / 1.17 06:38 AM / 1.10 02:01 PM / 1.38 07:35 PM / 1.13 W 31 02:30 AM / 1.42 09:53 AM / 0.97

info@GreatDaysOutdoors.com

Su 14 12:21 PM / 1.29 08:59 PM / 0.47

T 16 01:52 AM / 0.86

T 23 08:22 AM / 2.22 07:02 PM / 0.00

Share highlights from your great days outdoors with us!

Th 11 09:43 AM / 1.98 08:38 PM / -0.34

T 23 07:10 AM / 1.62 06:47 PM / -0.06 W 24 08:11 AM / 1.64 07:23 PM / -0.04 Th 25 09:06 AM / 1.63

07:52 PM / 0.02

F 26 09:53 AM / 1.59

08:14 PM / 0.12

S 27 10:37 AM / 1.50

08:10 PM / 0.25

Su 28 11:25 AM / 1.35

07:53 PM / 0.40

M 29 03:11 AM / 0.62

05:13 AM / 0.59

12:28 PM / 1.16 08:05 PM / 0.56 T 30 12:54 AM / 0.76

07:44 AM / 0.51

02:18 PM / 0.95 08:14 PM / 0.74 W 31 01:18 AM / 1.01

Savings as local as your fishing captain. Your GEICO Local Agent could help you save on more than just car insurance!

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August 2022 Sunrise / Sunset 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

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7:43 PM 7:42 PM 7:41 PM 7:40 PM 7:39 PM 7:38 PM 7:37 PM 7:37 PM 7:36 PM 7:35 PM 7:34 PM 7:33 PM 7:32 PM 7:31 PM 7:29 PM

16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

6:09 AM 7:28 PM 6:10 AM 7:27 PM 6:11 AM 7:26 PM 6:11 AM 7:25 PM 6:12 AM 7:24 PM 6:13 AM 7:23 PM 6:13 AM 7:22 PM 6:14 AM 7:20 PM 6:15 AM 7:19 PM 6:15 AM 7:18 PM 6:16 AM 7:17 PM 6:16 AM 7:16 PM 6:17 AM 7:14 PM 6:18 AM 7:13 PM 3766 Airport Bo 6:18 AM 7:12 PM geico.com/mobile-al | 6:19 AM 7:11 PM

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877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // August 2022 87

Pensacola Motorsports

TROPHY

Kenzi Burnside from Talala, Oklahoma with her catch

You didn’t see it coming. Neither did the fish.

ROOM

Joe Fox with a sow Red Snapper

GET FEATURED IN OUR ISSUES OF GREAT DAYS OUTDOORS WHEN YOU

GIVE US YOUR BEST SHOT

Introducing the all-new FISH PRO™ The world’s first personal watercraft designed for fishing will bring you closer to the action for an experience like never before.

IT'S EASY TO ENTER POST:

Discover yours at our dealership

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To Facebook @GreatDaysOutdoors

618 N New Warrington Rd. Pensacola, FL 32506 (850)456-6655

©2018 Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. (BRP). All rights reserved. ®, ™ and the BRP logo are trademarks of BRP or its affiliates. Some models depicted may include optional equipment. Carefully read the operator’s guide and safety instructions. Observe applicable laws and regulations. Always wear appropriate protective clothing, including a personal flotation device and wetsuit bottoms. Riding and alcohol/drugs don’t mix. See your authorized BRP dealer for details.

88 August 2022 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

Sea-Doo.com

[ OR ]

Photo of the Month! Simply share your great day outdoors with us!

EMAIL:

info@GreatDaysOutdoors.com

When Submitting Trophy Room photos, be sure to include as much information as possible about the person and the trophy. Final Decision is made by the editorial Staff of Great Days Outdoors Magazine. Submitting a photo does not guarantee it will be published.

Dale Gardiner shining some light on a trophy pearl belly.

Austin Stephens 2 year long chase comes to an end with a buck named “Slick”

Kathy Mclemore with her catch

877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // August 2022 89

KID'S CORNER

TROPHY ROOM

Chloe Custer age 8, with her bluegill caught with wax worms at AEP

Hannah Claire Rossler with her prize

Hank & Layla Dawson with their red snapper trophies

Isaiah Lindquist dropped this giant doe at 15 yards in Mobile, Alabama

Snapper

Andy and Gaddy Rice opening day Dauphin Island

Deer

Asher Smith, 10, with his first snapper

Mamie Jones, 9, with her 9 pt. First deer shot with her .243

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 WON’T BE PUBLISHED.

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Your friendly farm and garden supply store for 85 years and counting. ®

92 August 2022 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

FISHING TIP

Advertiser Index A-Team Fishing Adventures . . . . . . . . 3 Admiral Shellfish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Alabama Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 American Hunting Lease . . . . . . . . . 83 ADCNR Marine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Alabama AG Credit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 Alabama Farmers CO-OP . . . . . . . . . 92 Alabama Liquid Fertilizer . . . . . . . . . 19 Bluewater Yacht Sales . . . . . . . . . . . 85 Boaters List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 Buck’s Island Marine . . . . . . . . . . 30, 40 Camper City . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 CCA Alabama . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Clutch Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Coast Safe & Lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Cold Blooded Fishing . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 Deep South Crane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Dixie Building Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Fiber Plastics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 First South Farm Credit . . . . . . . . . . 64 Fishbites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Geico . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 Gulf Shores/Orange Beach . . . . . . . . 96 Hilton’s Offshore Charts . . . . . . . . . . 44 Hydraulic Crane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 Killer Dock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 MDH Foundation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Midway Lumber . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 National Land Realty . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Paradise Marine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Pensacola Motor Sports . . . . . . . . 88-89 Pure Flats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 Ranch King . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Ricciardone Dentistry . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Sams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Southeastern Pond Management . . . . 7 Stryker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Test Calibration Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 Texas Hunter Products. . . . . . . . . . . 37 United Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 War Eagle Boats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

August Fishing Tips BY WILLIAM KENDY

If you are a kayak fisherman wanting to catch snapper in the Gulf but don’t want to book an excursion on a big boat, there is still hope to cash in on great fishing excitement and wonderful eating. Brandon Barton is from Emerald Waters Kayak Charters based in Pensacola. Emerald Waters covers the waterfront from Pensacola to the Navarre Beach area and helps fishermen connect with whatever saltwater gamefish they have a desire to catch. We asked him what fishing tip he has to help kayak Gulf fishermen increase the odds of hooking into snapper if they go out on their own. His answer had nothing to do with tackle, technique, bait, any of what the normal fishing advice would be. It was simple “High Tech” for “High Returns”. “Go online and search up public reefs for whatever county that you are intending to go to and look at their websites and, depending on where you are going, there will be different formats for these GPS locations,” Barton said. “There is a free program called ‘GPS Babel’ (www.

gpsbabel.org) that allows you to convert these files into whatever format you need, depending on the brand of fish finder that you have. “You can even convert them into the Google Maps format so you can figure out which ones are closest to where you are launching and intend to fish.” Barton says that there are a number of websites that allow you to find some spots in the area that you fish and it makes sense to them out and see how far they are from the beach and basically make a game plan for your fishing day and then just get out there on your own and have some fun. The bottom line is that you don’t have to book a fishing trip and get all fancy and pricy about snapper fishing. If you have a smartphone, the appropriate tackle, a kayak, a buoy, a depth finder would be nice but not necessary and the desire, you can still bring home the filets.

Contact Information Brandon Barton Emerald Waters Kayak Fishing. www.emeraldwaterskayakcharters.com 850-860-7514

877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // August 2022 93

A GREAT DAY OUTDOORS

Using Your Noodle “I don’t know. Turtles and snakes maybe. You know, things that bite.” “Yeah, I already thought of that. You see, I’m going to wear work gloves and a mask so I can see under water. That way, no surprises. You could say I’ve been using my noodle.” Beanpole grinned and paused for effect but I didn’t give in. BY JIM MIZE I was sitting at my desk tying rubberlegged hoppers when Beanpole walked in. He didn’t knock or give me any other warning, just wandered in, pulled up a chair, and started looking over my shoulder. “What are you doing?” he asked. “Tying hoppers. You?” “I need your help with something.” I laid my tying tools on the desk and paused. I couldn’t run . . . this was my house . . . so I contemplated my options. I decided to keep tying and let Beanpole tell his story. And then run. “What do you need?” I asked. “Well, I want to go noodling.” I was hoping there might be more than one kind, so I asked. “Noodling?” “Yeah, you know, where you go down and grab a catfish and drag him out.” “Why on earth would you want to do that?” “Well, we were talking about it down at the diner. Chuck and Ralph said I didn’t have the guts to do it and they started telling me stories about the big catfish by the dam that ate a diver.” “Whoa. What catfish ate a diver?” “They said it was one down by the dam.” “That’s a myth.” “Well, anyway, I’ve got to show them that I can do it,” said Beanpole with finality as he crossed his arms. I thought for a minute to come up with all the objections I could think of. “You know that sometimes when you put your hand in a hole underwater there is something in it besides a catfish.” “Like what?”

“Using my noodle? Get it?” “I think if you were using your noodle you would stay in the boat.” “So, will you help me?” I had a hard time saying no to Beanpole, especially when it was something I thought might end badly. “I guess. When do you want to go?” “Saturday.” When Saturday rolled around, I met Beanpole at his house. We planned to use his jon boat. Launching at the dam, his outboard puttered along like it was always one sputter from dying. I pulled up to the bank and waited for Beanpole to get started. He looked like he was going to face a firing squad. He rinsed his diving mask, pulled it on, put on leather gloves, stared over the side, took off the gloves and mask, and then put them all back on. It looked like the routine of a major league hitter just before he steps into the batter’s box to face a 100 mph fastball. “Well, here goes nothing,” said Beanpole as he eased over the side. Beanpole spent the next hour swimming along in the shallows watching the bottom for a cavity where a catfish might hide. Finally he rested against the side of the boat and said, “I think I see a hole.” “Big one?” I asked.

Beanpole stared over the side as if looking to see if he was being followed. I watched him take off his gloves and at least he wasn’t missing any fingers. “I saw one.” “Well, isn’t that what you wanted?” I asked. “He was big. I mean, real big.” “Well, isn’t that what you wanted?” “I was looking him in the eye with our faces about a foot apart. His head was wider than mine. His mouth started to open a little and that’s when I saw it.” “Saw what?” “Recognition in his eyes. Like he knew who I was. Then I remembered I was wearing a diving mask like divers wear. This catfish was the one that ate the diver.” “Beanpole, calm down. That’s a myth. That catfish didn’t eat a diver.” “How do you know?” “Well, I don’t know what every catfish has eaten, but we aren’t missing any divers.” “All I know is that he recognized me and he was big enough to eat a diver.” “So what do you want to do?” I asked. Beanpole looked around as if there might be witnesses. “I guess we should just go.” He looked a bit dejected, so I made a suggestion thinking it might cheer him up a little. “I have an idea. Let’s go down to Ronnie’s diner. We still have time to make the Saturday lunch special.” Beanpole was wringing the water out of his T-shirt when he asked, “What are they having today?”

“Yep, I’m going down.”

“Fried catfish.”

Beanpole tipped up and for a moment I could see his arms and legs flailing to drive him deeper. Then the water got still, a few bubbles came up, and I waited.

I added, “I figure if you can’t beat ‘em . . . eat ‘em.”

Suddenly, Beanpole came flying back up to the surface, grabbed the side of the boat, and before I could speak or lend a hand was sitting back on the front bench seat gasping for air. He ripped off his mask and just sat there dripping. “What happened?” I asked.

94 August 2022 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237

Beanpole grinned for the first time that morning.

“Using Your Noodle” is an excerpt from Jim’s latest book, Fishing With Beanpole. You can order it from Amazon or purchase autographed copies at www.acreektricklesthroughit.com.

877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // August 2022 95