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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.
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6940A HIGHWAY 59 | GULF SHORES, AL 36542 HWY 59 @ COASTAL GATEWAY BLVD. 2 DECEMBER 2021 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237
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877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // DECEMBER 2021 3
HUNTING & FISHING IN ALABAMA & THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE
8
12
20
CONTENTS
How to Pattern Deer in All Phases of the Rut. . . . . . . 8 by John E. Phillips Scamp Grouper Fishing Explained. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 by Ed Mashburn UTV Tool Kit Essentials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 by David Strickland Picking the Best Duck Hunting Dogs . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 by Frank Sargeant Do You Have to Have Insurance on a Boat. . . . . . . . 24 by Ed Mashburn Selecting the Best Surf Fishing Rods. . . . . . . . . . . . 28 by David “Pierpounder” Thornton Choosing the Best Cast Net for the Bait You’re Trying to Catch. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 by Frank Sargeant 15 Pro Tips for Hog Hunting at Night . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 by Josh Honeycutt A New Way to Find Marine Services Near Me. . . . . . 42 by Stephanie Mallory December Pond Liming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 by William Kendy Winter Bass Fishing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 by John E. Phillips How to Get a Suppressor the Easy Way. . . . . . . . . . 54 byJosh Honeycutt What Should You Do First if Your Boat Runs Aground . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 by William Kendy
In Every Issue
38
4 DECEMBER 2021 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237
50
Best Bets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 by William Kendy Camphouse Kitchen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 by Hank Shaw New & Cool Gear for Outdoorsmen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 by William Kendy From the Commissioner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 by Chris Blakenship From the Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 by Charles Sykes Paddle Fishing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 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 William Kendy A Great Day Outdoors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 by Jim Mize
Big Swamp Creek Lodge and Hunting Investment
Leaf River Barndominium Hunting & Timber Retreat
This beautiful 130 +/- acres has some of everything, located in Southern Dallas County, Alabama near 5 Points, South of Orrville Alabama. Has paved road frontage, power, and county water. Beautiful cedar lodge with 3 bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms and a loft lodge. Barn with RV hookup. 4 food plots, creek, and a large dove field that could easily be converted into pasture. Planted pines. This property will make a family happy for generations to come.
This rare waterfront opportunity between Lucedale and Hattiesburg has it all: river frontage, road frontage, camp, equipment shed, diverse timber, and fantastic hunting. Make long lasting memories with friends and family in the custom barndominium camp, boat, float, or fish the 3.3 miles of Leaf River frontage from one end of the property to the next, enjoying large sandbars and scenic views along the way, fish or hunt ducks on the internal oxbow lake, or use the intricate network of roads, trails, and wildlife food plots for riding atvs, horse riding, nature rides, or hunting the abundant deer, turkey, dove, duck, and other game present. The timber value is strong, boasting a diverse mix of mature pine saw timber, various ages of pine plantation, and hundreds of acres of mature hardwood.
Dallas County, Alabama, 130+/-Acres
Greene County, Mississippi, 860+/-Acres
FL Panhandle Listings
Alabama Listings COUNTY Autauga Autauga Baldwin Baldwin Baldwin Baldwin Baldwin Barbour Barbour Barbour Barbour Barbour Bibb Bibb Bibb Bibb Bibb Blount Blount Blount Blount Blount Bullock Bullock Butler Butler Butler
ACRES 114 110 710 113 44 39.43 39 1331 351 342 166.06 77 653 573 395 368 284 211 165 153 100 67 2436 92 394.47 151.05 2
COUNTY Calhoun Calhoun Chambers Cherokee Cherokee Cherokee Cherokee Chilton Chilton Chilton Chilton Chilton Choctaw Choctaw Clarke Clarke Clarke Clarke Clarke Cleburne Colbert Colbert Colbert Colbert Colbert Conecuh Conecuh
80 48 103 938 16.33 2 0.3 165 34 16 4.16 2.88 175 37 1450 620 176 66.42 8.9 65 72 54 49.8 20 18.84 119 31
ACRES
Conecuh Coosa Coosa Covington Covington Covington Covington Covington Dale Dale Dale Dallas Dallas Dallas Dallas Dallas Elmore Elmore Elmore Elmore Elmore Fayette Fayette Fayette Fayette Fayette Franklin
1 100 55 730 360 0.86 0.84 0.79 115 104 27 740 270 130 94 63 194 163 62 36.44 10 672 640 484 473 344 38
Franklin Geneva Greene Greene Greene Hale Hale Hale Hale Hale Henry Henry Henry Henry Henry Houston Houston Houston Houston Houston Jackson Jackson Jackson Jefferson Jefferson Jefferson Jefferson
8 228 37 8 6 235.63 195.37 150 127 120 26 18 17 15 6 160 93 73 40 35 695 80 60 200 132.62 91 39
COUNTY
ACRES
Jefferson Lamar Lamar Lamar Lamar Lauderdale Lauderdale Lauderdale Lauderdale Lauderdale Lee Limestone Limestone Limestone Limestone Limestone Lowndes Lowndes Lowndes Lowndes Lowndes Macon Macon Macon Marengo Marengo Marengo
23 373 202 92 90 160 102.69 75 55.35 25 1.59 60 3.42 1.4 1.4 1.4 1083 1013 783 656 583 483 289 185 585 451.21 40
Marengo Marion Mobile Mobile Mobile Mobile Mobile Monroe Montgomery Montgomery Montgomery Montgomery Montgomery Perry Perry Perry Perry Perry Pickens Pickens Pickens Pickens Pickens Pike Pike Saint Clair Saint Clair
25 133 1800 308 260 167 160 191 353 250 150 116 91 619 610.57 270.21 240.75 240 430 356 180 150 121 400 9.2 585 304
COUNTY
ACRES
Saint Clair Saint Clair Saint Clair Shelby Shelby Shelby Shelby Shelby Sumter Sumter Sumter Sumter Sumter Talladega Talladega Tallapoosa Tallapoosa Tuscaloosa Tuscaloosa Tuscaloosa Tuscaloosa Tuscaloosa Walker Walker Walker Walker Walker
281 128 60 142 79 75 74 64 2151 640 630 115 80 250 112 264 13 817 500 479 393 357 220 140.27 131.47 115 95.91
Washington Washington Washington Washington Washington Wilcox Wilcox Winston Winston Winston
1320 240 213 200 200 522 180 81 40 2.3
COUNTY
Calhoun Holmes Holmes Holmes Walton Washington Washington
ACRES 30 127 64 63 52 133 68
Over 700 more tracts across 47 states available...
®
877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // DECEMBER 2021 5
BEST BETS
BEST BETS FOR DECEMBER These are our top targets for hunters and fishermen this month! BY WILLIAM KENDY
DECEMBER RUT BONANZA
Deer hunters looking to cash in on the opportunity to harvest a mature buck can strike it rich by hunting in December. Alabama hosts seven (yes, seven) different rutting seasons from the beginning of November to mid-February depending on where in the state you plan on hunting. Of course, that doesn’t include “pre-rut”, “rut” and “post-rut” opportunities. While the hunting strategy and tactics for each phase will change by time and by location, the one fact constant in the equation is that bucks have breeding on their mind. In “How to Pattern Deer in all Phases” in this issue, John Phillips shares the data from the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resource showing the date of conception of fawns across the state along with his advice on how to capitalize on “lovestruck” bucks.
VOLUME 25 ISSUE 12 DECEMBER 2021
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
CATCHING “GOOD EATS”
While brown ragged tail scamp grouper certainly aren’t the best looking, sexiest or most glamorous fish in the Gulf, they certainly are right up there in terms of being the best eating fish.
DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL MARKETING Jarod Bosarge
Fishing for scamp (or any grouper or snapper) is basically a matter of lowering a single or multiple hook rig or Carolina rig with either live or dead bait to the bottom. The trick is to pay attention for the strike because it may not be sharp and once you feel a heaviness on your line, set the hook.
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
For the real inside scoop on scamp, read Ed Mashburn’s article “Scamp Grouper Fishing Explained” in which he interviews two veteran scamp captains on how to take your limit of these tasty fish.
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.
DECEMBER FOOD FOR THOUGHT
In December the outdoor life and everything else starts to cool down a little bit. Even though lower temperatures are beneficial in terms of progressing the rut and making it more enjoyable to be in the wild it also means fish won’t be so active and easy to catch. Plus, it is the holiday season. It certainly doesn’t mean you should not go out and enjoy the sporting life but it is a good time to “take inventory” and do some thinking about somewhat boring but still important stuff. To that end we have three relevant articles in this issue. If you are a boater and/or boater fisherman, I suggest you read the articles on “Do You Have to Have Boat Insurance” by Ed Mashburn, a “New Way to Find Marine Services Near Me” by Stephanie Mallory and “The Best Way to Avoid Running Aground” in this issue. Happy Holidays 6 DECEMBER 2021 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237
CONTACT US: EDITORIAL | JoeBaya@greatdaysoutdoors.com ADVERTISING | SamHester@greatdaysoutdoors.com SUBSCRIPTIONS | greatdaysoutdoors@pcspublink.com Great Days Outdoors Media LLC PO Box 460248 Escondido, CA 92046 877. 314. 1237 info@greatdaysoutdoors.com www.greatdaysoutdoors.com All rights reserved. Reproduction of contents is strictly prohibited without permission from Great Days Outdoors Media, LLC.
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“Growing up in southeast Alabama, I was blessed with parents who appreciated the outdoors, and I was lucky to have the opportunity to spend most of my childhood outside in mother nature. I developed a passion for fishing at a young age, spending time with my grandad on the pond at his farm learning new lure techniques and valuable life lessons. With the opportunity to now do what I love for a living, looking back on a successful high school and college fishing career, I can honestly say that I wouldn’t be where I’m at today if it weren’t for my grandad and his farm pond. I owe it all to them.”
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888.830.7663 INFO@SEPOND.COM SEPOND.COM 877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // DECEMBER 2021 7
How to Pattern Deer
IN ALL PHASES OF THE RUT BY JOHN E. PHILLIPS
Once the doe starts to come in estrus, any buck will chase her in hopes of breeding her. However, generally, the dominant buck will be closest to her, even if other bucks are in the vicinity. 8 DECEMBER 2021 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237
HUNTING
Alabama hunters can hunt prerut, rut and post-rut deer from December – mid-February in sections of the state. Alabama has one of the most mixed-up ruts of any state. But, the good news is that, from the beginning of bow season until the end of rifle season, you can hunt the pre-rut, the rut and the post-rut in Alabama. During December and January, you can hunt all three rut phases (see chart). One of the big misconceptions that many deer hunters have is that the rut is the best time of the year to see bucks chasing does and to find bucks in open places searching for does. However, this is the least dependable time to take a buck for a couple of reasons, since they’re hard to pattern and to predict when and where they’ll show up. On Alabama’s Department of Conservation and Natural Resource’s website (https://www.outdooralabama.com/) you’ll find a rut map, which gives the dates of conception of most fawns in the state. For instance, Alabama homes seven different ruts with Barbour County in southeast Alabama having five different ruts. EXPLAINING ALABAMA’S RUTS In the 1920s and during and after the Great Depression of the 1930s, Alabama was one of the first states to start restocking white-tailed deer. Those restockings continued into the 1950s and 1960s. The state bought live deer from all across the nation to restock the deer herd. Deer from different states had various rutting times and have passed those down to their offspring today. For instance, 100 deer from Iron Mountain, Michigan, (in the western end of the Upper Peninsula) that were released in the Bankhead National Forest, today still rut at the same time Michigan deer do. Alabama’s biologists have conducted DNA studies of deer in various sections of the state to learn more about their histories and ruts. Many whitetails from Mississippi, Georgia and Tennessee crossed river systems and/or due to the dispersal of bucks migrated out of the areas where they were born because of overpopulation and bucks expanding their home ranges – particularly during the rut. HUNTING THE PRE-RUT *Use deer calls, bait and lures to attract bucks. Actually as soon as bucks lose the velvet off their antlers in the fall, they’re ready to breed. However, the does initiate the deer rut by going into estrus. Because bucks want to find that first doe that comes into heat and to try to breed her, using calls like a can call or a grunt call or any other type, often may lure in a mature buck at the very beginning of the rut – whenever it starts in the part of Alabama where you hunt. *Pattern bucks at agricultural and/or green fields, and follow the trails back to their bedding sites. Because the deer are so patternable in the pre-rut, this may account for trophy bucks often being harvested during the time. Since Alabama deer 877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // DECEMBER 2021 9
How to Pattern Deer in all Phases of the Rut
Average Conception Dates for Collection Sites, 1995-2018 Pickwick Lake
Lauderdale
Avg. Conception Date
65
Limestone Wilson Lake
Jackson
Madison
Wheeler Lake
1 Nov. - 15 Nov..
Colbert Lawrence
Franklin
Ten
nes
Morgan
Marion
Winston
see
R
Guntersville Lake
59
1 Dec. - 15 Dec.
Cullman
Lewis Smith Lake
Cherokee
Etowah
16 Dec. - 31 Dec. 1 Jan. - 15 Jan.
Blount
65
Walker
Lamar
15 Nov. - 30 Nov.
Dekalb
Marshall
Calhoun
St. Clair
Fayette
16 Jan. - 31 Jan.
20
Cleburne
459
Tuscaloosa
1 Feb. - 15 Feb.
Ta l l a d e g a
J e ff e r s o n
Shelby
Randolph
Clay
Pickens 59
R. psey
Si
Bibb Coosa
65
Greene
Chambers
Martin Lake
Ta l l a p o o s a
Hale
59
Chilton Perry
Sumter
Lee
Elmore Autauga Alab
Dallas
ama
85
Macon R.
Marengo
Russell
Montgomery
Choctaw
Lowndes
Bullock
Conecuh
Walter F. George Res.
C o ff e e
Dale
Henry
Ala
bam
a R.
Washington
Barbour
Crenshaw
Monroe
Clarke
Pike
ochee R.
Tomb
65
Butler
Chattaho
igbee
R.
Wilcox
Escambia
Covington Geneva
Houston
65
Mobile
Baldwin 10
10
HUNTING THE RUT There’s good news and bad news about hunting the rut. During the rut, bucks are chasing does to breed them, which means, they don’t always do what they’re supposed to do when they’re supposed to do it. They also don’t always show-up in front of trail cameras where you’ve seen them in the pre-rut once the rut arrives. The techniques you’ve used to hunt the pre-rut may not be as effective during the rut. Keep these ideas in mind
* Hunt trails near green fields and smaller green fields. I believe that generally a three year old or older buck is often smarter and more woods savvy than the hunters who hunt him. One of the best places to find a buck during the rut is on not well-defined trails 25 - 50 yards off the green fields. The buck can stay out of sight of the hunter by walking downwind of the green field and using his nose to determine whether or not an estrous doe is there. He can also judge how close he can get to her without stepping out into the green field. That’s why hunters make small green fields away from a large green field that may pay-off with more and bigger bucks. Bucks may stop at these small green fields to grab a snack before dark, and then after the hunters have left their shooting houses, he knows he can go out into the larger green field under the cover of darkness without having a lead encounter.
* Hunt the does instead of the bucks. You may not have seen anything but does in certain areas where you’ve hunted the pre-rut. During the rut, the buck’s main concern is finding an estrous doe and following her wherever she goes to breed her.
* Watch for bucks traveling during daylight hours who are probably chasing does during the rut. Mature bucks will leave and/or expand their home ranges looking for estrous does. You may spot mature bucks you’ve never seen on your land before during the rut and moving during daylight hours.
* Hunt green fields where you haven’t harvested does before the rut. To take an-older-age-class buck, you may locate him there on a green field.
* Realize that during “Lockdown” is when you’re least likely to take a buck. Lockdown usually occurs during the time that most does in an area come into estrus. A buck may find a doe and herd her into a thick-cover area for two to
hunters now can bait legally after purchasing a license, if they put out feeders, attractants and minerals, they can pattern the deer to come to certain locations to harvest them during the pre-rut. I suggest never going into the woods without a deer call, although bucks and does don’t always come to a deer call.
10 DECEMBER 2021 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237
How to Pattern Deer in all Phases of the Rut
three days trying to breed her by locking her down. * Look for scrapes and rubs inside cover as hunting spots. Research has shown that more than one buck may use the same scrapes. Scrapes and rubs inside thick cover will be much-more dependable for taking older-age-class bucks than scrapes and rubs you find on the edges of agricultural fields, croplands, pastures, planted pines and thick cutovers. * Hunt with deer calls, like doe and grunt calls and rattling antlers which can be very-effective during the rut, since bucks are searching for estrous does. If a buck hears a bleat call, then a grunt call and next antlers clashing, he may come in to try to steal an estrous doe that two mature bucks are fighting over. * Hunt using a double-down technique. Have a caller in a tree stand about 100 yards upwind of a stander. Many mature bucks, when they hear deer calls, will circle downwind of where the caller is and use their noses to try and detect if the sounds they’re hearing are coming from a buck or a doe. HUNTING THE POST-RUT * Hunt late estrous does. As we all know, not all critters always do what they’re supposed to do, when they’re supposed to do it. Although the majority of does in a region are bred during the rut, often one or two does will come into estrus after the main rut. If a doe doesn’t get bred during the first rut, she may come into estrus in the post-rut. * Hunt thick cover or where you know bucks have been bedding. Bucks and does may stay in very-thick cover to move during the post-rut, especially if there’s been intensive hunting pressure on the property you hunt during the rut. A clear-cut on the property you hunt where you know the mature bucks are bedding and spending most of the day will be a good place to start. Does realize they need to find bucks to get bred. * Hunt sections of land not hunted in the pre-rut and rut. Once again, using deer calls and hunting over bait stations can be some of the most-effective ways to take a buck during the post-rut. If you haven’t hunted over a bait station during the pre-rut and rut, green fields may be a productive place to hunt during the post-rut, since that green field has become a sanctuary. * Hunt using man-drive techniques. In the post-rut, the most-effective man drives place drivers on the upwind side of a thicket, and then they walk back and forth through that thicket as quietly as possible. A highly-pressured buck holding in thick cover often will sneak out of his bedding area when he smells human odor. By your occasionally breaking a stick, the buck knows where you are. The closer you get to him, he’ll move out of that thick cover, often giving the stander an opportunity for a shot. Two-man deer drives in small, thick-cover areas are also very productive. The stander moves in downwind of the thicket and gets in a tree stand or a ground blind. The driver walks back and forth through that thicket, hoping that his human odor and the breaking of sticks will cause an older-age-class buck to slip out of the cover. Using this tactic, the stander still has a good chance of taking a shot at the buck as the buck’s walking or stopping to look back to see the driver. If the driver makes too much noise, whooping and hollering and shaking a can full of rocks, a mature buck in the post-rut will come flying out of that thicket, with neither standers nor drivers getting shots. UNDERSTANDING HOW TO HUNT ALL PHASES OF THE RUT * Hunt always with the wind in your face. Change stand sites if you need to, and move to a stand with a favorable wind. * Use scent-elimination products. Even if a buck smells you, he may think you’re further away than you are. * Realize the importance of how you approach and leave your stand with a fa-
vorable wind and as little noise as possible. Some hunters take rakes and clear paths to their stands to move quietly and to keep their clothing from touching foliage. Arrive at your stand an hour before daylight. Leave your stand quietly and scent-free. * Understand when hunting from a tree stand to sit as still as possible. If you’re hunting an area that has experienced great hunting pressure, older-age-class bucks will have learned to look up in trees. * Don’t leave your stand when you hear a deer blow or run off. Different things happening in the woods will spook deer besides you.
Alabama’s Rut – County by County
Here are places where generally Alabama’s rut takes place from December 1 through mid-February and usually just in sections of the counties mentioned. You can learn more by going to https://www.outdooralabama. com/node/3171. Also see map. December 1 – 15 *Calhoun *Chambers *Cleburne *Cullman *Dekalb *Franklin *Lauderdale *Lee *Limestone *Morgan *Randolph *Russell *Winston December 16 – 31 *Barbour *Bibb *Calhoun *Cherokee *Cleburne *Dekalb *Etowah *Franklin *Hale *Houston *Jackson *Lauderdale *Lawrence *Lee *Limestone *Perry *Pickens *Shelby *Sumter *Tuscaloosa *Walker January 1 – 15 *Barbour *Blount *Bullock *Calhoun *Chambers *Cherokee *Colbert *Cullman *Dekalb *Fayette *Greene *Hale
*Henry *Houston *Jackson *Lamar *Lauderdale *Lee *Limestone *Macon *Madison *Marion *Perry *Pickens *Russell *Shelby *St. Clair *Sumter *Tallapoosa *Tuscaloosa *Walker January 16 – 31 *Autauga *Barbour *Bibb *Blount *Bullock *Calhoun *Chambers *Chilton *Choctaw *Clarke *Clay *Coffee *Colbert *Coosa *Covington *Cullman *Dale *Dallas *Dekalb *Elmore *Etowah *Fayette *Franklin *Geneva *Hale *Henry *Jackson *Jefferson *Lauderdale *Lee
*Limestone *Lowndes *Macon *Madison *Marengo *Marion *Mobile *Montgomery *Perry *Russell *Shelby *Sumter *Tallapoosa *Tuscaloosa *Washington February 1 – 15 *Baldwin *Barbour *Blount *Butler *Calhoun *Chambers *Choctaw *Clarke *Clay *Coosa *Covington *Crenshaw *Dale *Dallas *Elmore *Escambia *Fayette *Geneva *Henry *Limestone *Lowndes *Macon *Marengo *Marshall *Mobile *Monroe *Montgomery *Pike *Randolph *St. Clair *Tallapoosa *Washington ‘*Wilcox
877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // DECEMBER 2021 11
Scamp Grouper Fishing Explained BY ED MASHBURN
The fish looks good, but those cooked fillets will look, and taste, even better.
12 DECEMBER 2021 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237
FISHING I dropped my chunk bait which I had secured on a circle hook rigged on a standard bottom rig to the structure below. The boat was holding position over deep water for sure, and It took a little while for the bait and sinker to reach the bottom, but when I took up slack, I immediately felt a good strike and take, and then my heavy rod bent over and I began the grunt work of offshore reef fishing. As I worked the fish up from its deep water home, I didn’t think I had a snapper. The weight was there, and the pull was there, but the fish I had hooked did not provide the sharp, violent rushes of a red snapper. So, I figured it was a grouper- maybe a gag or even a red grouper. When I got the fish to the surface where we could see it, I saw a ragged-looking tail, flashes of brown and white-tipped fins, and I saw green eyes glowing in the sunlight, and then my fishing buddies began to congratulate me. “Scamp! That’s a really nice scamp!” Then when I swung the fish aboard, I began to congratulate myself. This member of the grouper family is one of the best-eating fish that can be caught in the Gulf. I could just visualize the grouper sandwiches which would be coming my way when we got back to shore. To learn more about this tasty denizen of deep water Gulf reefs, we talked with two masters of the scamp grouper game. Captain Skipper Thierry who guides aboard the Escape out of Dauphin Island, AL and Captain Delynn Sigler who guided for many years out of Pensacola, FL. They know how and where to go after the brown scamp grouper. WHERE SCAMP ARE FOUND There are lots of natural bottom areas in the Gulf which hold scamp, but some of the best natural bottom locations are small and their location is not public knowledge. However, guides who take charter clients offshore looking for snapper, grouper, and other reef fish will have knowledge of places that tend to hold scamps consistently, and these guides are well worth the money for their knowledge Anglers looking for scamp will need to run a good way offshore to find these delicious brown fish. Around 200 feet is the start of scamp water depth, and bottom structure is crucial. Like most members of the grouper family, scamps find secure bottom territory and orient to the structure. However, some bottoms are better for scamp than others. Artificial reefs and wrecks will hold some scamps, but when it comes to scamp-preferred territory, real bottom is often best. Soft coral growth and other naturally occurring bottom life is preferred on most scamp reefs. “Scamp are mostly between 200-400 feet on natural, live bottom and limestone ridges,” Thierry said. “Any structure will hold scamp- artificial or natural. I look for them in 150 to 350 feet or water. They can show up anywhere,” Sigler added, HOW TO RIG FOR SCAMP Many scamp are caught on traditional “chicken rigs” sent down to the reefs for bee-liners, triggerfish, and red snapper. Scamp will eagerly eat cut bait when it is presented to them. However, when specifically targeting scamp or other grouper, it’s hard to beat a single hook rig with a lively bait on a circle hook. Thierry said that when looking specifically for scamp, smaller live baits are usually best, as in cigar minnows, pin fish, croakers. Anglers can also use a Carolina style rig for scamps with live bait.” 877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // DECEMBER 2021 13
Scamp Grouper Fishing Explained
Look for that special “Broom” scamp tail to help identify scamps from other groupers.
“I like a Carolina rig with a four to seven foot leader. Lighter line gets more bites, but you have a better chance to catch bigger fish with heavier line. They can be shy one day and go nuts the very next spot you try. My bait of choice is anything that wiggles, but a whole dead squid works also,” Sigler explained. A live bait can be lowered to the structure, and the angler had best be aware and alert because the strike from a scamp may not be sharp. When the line seems heavy and any pressure is felt, the angler should start a retrieve to set the circle hook and keep bringing the bait up. Giving a hooked scamp any slack line usually results in a lost scamp. “Scamps bite jigs also, so don’t be scared to try different tactics,” Sigler added. BEST CONDITIONS FOR SCAMP Thierry said that he doesn’t know that any particular time of year is better for scamp but that current and technique can result in success. “Mainly, you need a light current due to the water depth you’ll be fishing. You want to try to keep the line straight up and down off the bottom. A really good scamp day would be any day catching more than ten. Many anglers struggle to feel the bite in the deeper water, so the better the angler, the more we catch,” he said. “Scamp can be like mangrove snapper and tuna- that is, they see very well and they can be shy if the leader and gear is too heavy. Scamp bite year round, but spring is the best time,” Sigler said. “Tide doesn’t matter as long as it’s not too strong. Scamp often stack up on a spot and you can easily get your limit is no time.”
Those glowing green eyes help identify a nice scamp when it comes to the surface.
a rock or ledge and cut you off,” Thierry said.. WHY SCAMP ARE SPECIAL Scamp are not the biggest fish in the grouper family with the average weight of our Gulf scamp is between five and eight pounds, but scamps caught off the Louisiana oil rigs can run much larger. Scamps tend to be not as common as other groupers like gags, and they don’t always run in big easy to catch schools. So what is all the fuss about scamps? Basically, it comes down to this: scamp are just about the best eating fish in the Gulf. The meat is firm, white, and very mild in taste. It’s hard to cook scamp wrong. “The best thing about scamps? Definitely the flaky, white meat! It’s easy to prepare, just don’t over season or overcook it,” Thierry advised.. “Why scamp? More people choose it as the best tasting fish than all other fish combined. Scamp is called ‘the captain’s choice’ for a reason,” Sigler concluded.. SCAMP GROUPER REGULATIONS IN ALABAMA WATERS Season is closed February and March Minimum length - 16 inches Scamp grouper are part of the four grouper combined total take per angler per day Contact Information
And when it comes to actually catching scamps after the deep water bite, Thierry added that it is crucial that the angler takes the proper actions.
Captain Skipper Thierry capthierry@aol.com 251-861-5302 www.captainmikeonline.com
“The most important part of the fight is to get them up the first twenty feet or so. You can’t mess around once they are hooked or they will get under
Captain Delynn Sigler no longer runs charter trips.
14 DECEMBER 2021 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237
Scamp Grouper Fishing Explained
When a pastime becomes a passion.
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Recipe and image courtesy of www.campchef.com
Super Grouper Prep: 10 mins • Cook: 10 mins • Total: 20 mins Ingredients
• • • • • • • • •
½ cup butter, melted ½ tablespoons lemon juice ¼ teaspoon garlic salt ½ teaspoon dried parsley ⅛ teaspoon paprika ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper 2 pounds grouper fillets 2 tablespoons mayonnaise ⅛ teaspoon paprika
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). AlabamaAgCredit.com Call 800.579.5471
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2. 3.
Combine melted butter and lemon juice in a small bowl. Brush 2 tablespoons of this mixture on a piece of foil placed on the broiler pan. Mix together garlic salt, parsley, paprika and white pepper. Sprinkle spice mixture on both sides of the fillets. Bake fillets until meat flakes, about 10 minutes. Brush fillets again with lemon butter and spread with mayonnaise. Sprinkle with paprika before serving.
877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // DECEMBER 2021 15
This Honda has endured the mud of Louisiana & Alabama with flying colors.
16 DECEMBER 2021 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237
LIFESTYLE
UTV Tool Kit ESSEntials BY DAVID STRICKLAND
Modern Utility Task Vehicles (UTV), also referred to as side-by-sides (SxS), account for a growing segment of off-road vehicle sales. The open-cockpit Willys Jeeps from WW2 and homemade dune & swamp buggies of the past seem to have paved the way for the vast array of offroad offerings on the market today. Beginning with Kawasaki’s introduction of their MULE in 1988, the UTV market has steadily expanded into three distinct categories: • • •
Utility- Heavy-duty models with a hefty towing and hauling capacity designed for farm and commercial applications. Recreational- These models have the flexibility for trail riding, mudding, or hunting. Sport- These are high-performance models for the competitive rider where speed and quick handling are required. These nimble race-proven versions generate up to 200 horsepower, and the after-market accessories available can fill a hefty catalog.
The North American ATV and UTV market was valued at $5.69 billion in 2020 and is forecast to reach $7.54 billion by 2026. Polaris, Arctic Cat, BRC (Can-Am), Honda, and Yamaha account for 90% of the growing sales. There is a good reason the market is optimistic; off-roading is an excellent escape from the daily demands of work and other modern distractions. RECHARGEABLE’S Not only are there a bazillion gas and diesel models to choose from, but several companies are also developing a line of dedicated rechargeable electric UTV models with the latest battery technology. These innovations are forecast for every market sector, including the Special Forces branches within the military. It may take a few years to transition, but the demand for quiet pollution-free vehicles in all forms is on the march. OFF-ROADING TODAY Today, riding isn’t just a weekend hobby—it’s becoming more of a budding lifestyle. Across the U.S., riding clubs and off-road parks have become more numerous and increasing in popularity. There are now annual races, shows, and events in Alabama and every neighboring state attracting thousands of off-road enthusiasts. As a result, a growing number of dedicated off-road parks and trails are now available for ATV and UTV riders seeking a weekend of excitement and mud. In addition, several riding parks offer camping, and many off-roaders travel from far away to experience the thrills and to join the growing community of riders. 877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // DECEMBER 2021 17
UTV Tool Kit Essentials
MANY CHOICES When thinking of utility vehicles, the first makes that come to mind are probably Polaris, Honda, Can-Am, or maybe Yamaha. However, Kawasaki, Arctic Cat, John Deere, Kubota, and a host of other companies continue to offer updated models every year. If you’re looking for speed and something with vast amounts of horsepower, several new turbocharged models offer 180-200 horsepower for 2022. Whatever kind of ride you’re seeking, there are many options on the market today, and you’re bound to find a machine that’s perfect for your riding needs. BEING PREPARED Every UTV comes with an owner’s manual that contains a list of the routine maintenance tasks you need to address. Keeping a machine clean, serviced, and mechanically maintained requires some serious time, and a good checklist is an excellent way to ensure nothing gets overlooked. Unfortunately, the harder you drive a machine, the more likely parts will bend, break, or become damaged. Also, rocks and rough terrain take a toll on tires, and leaks and punctures are inevitable. So if a checklist works for routine maintenance, it might also be a good idea to work up one that addresses the most common issues a rider might encounter while on the trail and the tools and spare items that can help get you back up and riding. CONSTANT VARIABLE TRANSMISSION (CVT) Learning to change a CVT belt is as easy as reading your owner’s manual and a little practice. First, familiarize yourself with the tools needed and the proper procedure. Then, you can remove the cover to expose the pulleys and work through the belt-removal process when you have a few minutes of spare time. Practicing removing the drive-belt when your machine is clean and dry will ensure you can quickly get up and running if a broken belt brings your buggy to a sudden stop. It’s also vital that you closely inspect and clean both pulleys and remove any strings or belt pieces before installing that new one. WHAT TO CARRY Competition creates innovation, and pushing machines to their limits reveals valuable information about their reliability or weaknesses. In addition, the guys who race and ride the roughest terrain provide valuable feedback as to what tools, parts, and other items to carry on your trip to avoid a long hike for help. Riders in clubs or those with access to extensive trails can venture for many miles, and a belt failure or leaky tire will inevitably occur. Therefore, it’s a great idea to explore the storage options for your vehicle and invest in a rugged, water-tight storage box to carry the spare parts and tools necessary to get you back on the trail. In addition, separating the items into sturdy zip-lock bags will help you stay organized. Below is a list of tools, parts, and accessories that might be helpful in the event of a breakdown: MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS • Maps/GPS • Rain suit/rubber boots • Spare drive-belt • Air compressor or CO2 inflator/tire repair kit (including Slime or another flat tire repair compound to plug those small punctures so you can get back to camp). • Folding saw/hatchet • Flashlight • Tie-down straps/bungee cords/wire ties • Small snatch block/tree saver strap • Winch/controller/winch rope extension • Gloves- leather/rubber • Cooler- water/snacks 18 DECEMBER 2021 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237
• • • •
First-aid kit Fire-starter/fire extinguisher Bug spray/sunblock Biodegradable wet-wipes
• • • • • • • • • • • •
TOOLS Metric/standard wrench set Adjustable wrench Belt changing tool Socket set/extensions Pliers Screwdrivers Fast-setting epoxy glue Duct tape/electrical tape Self-tapping screw assortment Jumper cables/booster pack Small folding shovel
THE FUTURE OF UTV’S Expect UTV’s to become even more specialized as the current categories become more blurred. The industry is gearing to produce an even broader selection of machines for farm/industry, hunting, recreation, and the competitive performance markets. In addition, UTV’s have continually adapted to different riders’ needs, which means there will be many more models and options to choose from soon. Specialized SxS’s are also part of the growing military, private-sector security, and search-and-rescue markets. They are also capable of playing a frontline role during disaster relief operations. Polaris has expanded into this field even more with its new MRZR Alpha. It is an easily transportable, rugged UTV with modular functionality, designed for U.S. Special Operations Forces. It comes with a turbo-diesel and 8-speed automatic transmission in either two or four-passenger models with up to a 2,000-pound load capacity. UTVS ARE HERE TO STAY Whether it’s for government, business, or personal use, the flexibility of the UTV has allowed it to adapt to an infinite number of purposes. Its versatility is its strength. Regardless of what make and model of UTV you have, it’s always important to properly service your ride to extend its life. With proper care and maintenance, any UTV can provide years of enjoyment. TIPS Sometimes modifications to a UTV call for adjusting or changing the CVT clutch, especially if switching to larger tires. A trained mechanic can modify the clutch springs and weights to achieve the desired low-end torque and acceleration. Generally speaking, the more horsepower you have, the more clutch weight is necessary. However, there are several clutch modifications and after-market clutch assemblies to choose from for almost all models equipped with a CVT transmission. FINAL THOUGHTS Innovation and versatility have been the hallmarks of side-by-sides since their inception. As a result, they are currently in demand by the U.S. military, the construction industry, and even mining operations. They’ve also proven to be dependable machines for hunters and farmers while also providing an outlet for thrill-seekers who love rock crawling, mud bogging, trail riding, and sand. However you ride, there’s no denying that these machines are here to stay.
FEATURES:
• 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
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 // DECEMBER 2021 19
PICKING THE BEST
DUCK HUNTING DOGS BY FRANK SARGEANT
Photo by Rock Springs Labs
20 DECEMBER 2021 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237
HUNTING
Many breeds of dogs make decent retrievers. I had an outstanding female Brittany that was not only a great quail, snipe and dove dog but also a great duck dog—so long as the water was not too cold, which it rarely was in central Florida. Brett didn’t have the insulation of a Lab or a Chessie, so when I took her north to where there was ice on the edge of the marsh, she soon started shivering. (So did I, so we made a good pair for southern duck hunting.) But, if you choose a breed that’s bred to hunt waterfowl, your odds of getting one that will do a great job for you on the marsh go up exponentially. Labrador retrievers are by far America’s favorite both as a waterfowl dog and a family pet, but Golden Retrievers, Chesapeake Bay Retrievers, Boykin Spaniels and a few others also have their fans. We’ll focus on Labs here, since they’re the favorite across the South. Some breeders offer dogs of varying qualities—a hard-core hunting line, an easy-training and competent mid-line and a companion-dog that hunts line. The hard-core dogs are usually better retrievers but can be harder to train. Some want to hunt a lot more than they want to please their owner, and while these can make great working dogs or competition dogs, you had better be willing to devote plenty of time, money and exasperation to getting them right. When that’s done, and it’s expensive if you don’t have the time and know-how to do it yourself, they’re unbeatable on the marsh. Still,for an all around dog that’s going to be a family pet as well as a hunting companion, the experts tell us that these may not be the best choice. Dogs that have lots of hunt in them but still want most of all to please their owners are likely to make the best combined dogs. A wise man once said “Only a dog has seen his God,” and that’s pretty much the way these Labs see their owners. If you’ve ever had a Lab give you that adoring look, you won’t forget it. A dog that wants to make you happy almost seems to train itself. The lineage of the parents is one way of figuring how a puppy might turn out. Expert breeders say that the “dam” or female seems to have more impact on the temperament of most pups than the sire or male, so check out the mama’s when you go puppy shopping. If you want a hell-bent-for-leather dog with championship possibilities, they are going to be pricey, up to $3,500 for an untrained pup. The advantage, aside from the built-in desire to hunt, is that these high-end pups will likely also have hard-hunting offspring if they’re bred to the right partners, and you can get your next dog out of the line you grow to love.
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Picking the Best Duck Hunting Dogs
On the other end of the scale, dogs with assured American Kennel Club lineage and all their basic shots and vet checkups, but not much else, start at around $800. Yellow labs are usually more than black labs because they’re scarcer. Chocolate labs can also be more costly. Some breeders advise staying away from them because the genes that go with the color can also be linked to some medical issues, but there are a lot of healthy chocolates around, too. Labs come in two distinct strains, American Labs, which are tall, strong and crazy to hunt, and British Labs, which are shorter legged and generally smaller, like to hunt but like most of all to please their owners, so choose wisely, “Grasshopper”. Any dog you consider buying should have AKC registered parents and grandparents, and the breeder should provide you with a record of their vaccinations and vet care as well as the AKC papers. Some kennels will give guarantees against hip dysplasia, a big advantage should your pup be unlucky with that issue. Among the advantages of the backyard breeder can be that the pups are often raised in the house and are much better socialized than hard-core hunting lines that begin life in a kennel. They get used to dealing with human affection and human rules from the time they can climb out of the box, and they make great friends and family dogs, but can also be great hunting dogs with some training. The best of all worlds might be a breeder who offers quality lineage, but also raises the pups in the house—the likely route to a great hunter that’s also a great people dog and family pet. Labs make not only great duck dogs, they love to retrieve upland game, and they’re able to handle both fairly warm weather and cold water, though they might appreciate a foam coat on those coldest January days on the marsh.
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22 DECEMBER 2021 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237
In addition, the vast majority of them make great people dogs as well. Even among Labs there are great dogs, good dogs, average dogs—and couch pets. If you’re an avid hunter who will keep your dogs in a kennel out back, then a dog who lives to hunt is likely what will make you happiest. If, like most of us on the other hand, your duck dog is also your quail dog and also your couch pet and best friend, a dog with softer qualities may make you (and the dog) happiest. YELLING WON’T HELP...A FEW TRAINING TIPS Hunting with a dog that ignores the steadily increasing volume of shouted commands from an owner who is not at all in control of it is an unhappy experience for the owner and anyone who hunts with him. At the other end of the scale, a well-trained dog responds quickly and surely to a whistle now and then and a few hand signals and the operation is seamless. The dog knows what’s expected and is eager to do it. Needless to say, they don’t get this way without a lot of effort. It’s up to you, or to the professional paid dog trainer you choose, to turn the pup into a hunting companion. It’s probably best to let the pro’s handle shock-collar training unless you have a lot of dog-handling experience. A little shock-collar training goes a long way, especially with soft-hearted labs. Combining shock with yelling and anger is a good way to ruin a dog, but a little shock and then a lot of praise and maybe even a treat when they get back to you will quickly make them get the idea. One thing you never want to do is combine punishment with ducks or upland birds, and if you punish a dog that eventually comes back to you after going on a wild run by swatting him on the behind, you are training him not to
Picking the Best Duck Hunting Dogs
come back to you, rather than not to run off. It’s much better for them to expect a pat on the head and maybe a bite of a favorite dog biscuit every time they make you happy, both for them and for your relationship. You can learn a lot of what you need to know from Richard A. Wolters’ classic book, Water Dog, still in print and selling well. I used it to train the half-dozen dogs of various breeds I’ve used for hunting. All but one turned out pretty well, a male Brittany I got when he was three years old and already had a lot of bad habits never did get right. There are also dozens of YouTube videos that cover the basics. In my limited experience, starting a pup that lives in your home at eight weeks, working with them for just 30 minutes a day will turn out a good, dependable dog that knows what she’s about by the time she’s a year old. (I’m not talking about competition dogs here, of course, just dogs that are great companions and that understand how you hunt, love it and want to help you any way they can). A big part of any training I build in “COME”, “SIT” and “STAY” so that the dog will do each command immediately, without question, every single time. Once you have control in this way, the rest comes easy, to say nothing of the fact these commands can save your dog’s life. (An aside - if you hunt anywhere in alligator country, be very careful of the marshes you choose to hunt since those with lots of ducks often have gators, and gators love to catch dogs. Two friends of mine lost dogs this way in Florida. If you hunt in warm weather, there’s also the danger of cottonmouths and rattlers which means it is better to hunt when it’s chilly.) If you don’t have the patience, the time and the space to train your dog at home, send him to retriever university, which is a pro kennel that specializes in training. Expect to pay about $700 per month and your dog might stay
Photo by Rock Springs Labs
several months. It’s better to train them yourself if you have the aptitude because you also build a bond with them during training, to say nothing of saving money. There are a lot of kennels producing Labs around Alabama because we are a big waterfowling state and Louisiana, Arkansas and Mississippi are happy hunting grounds for retrievers, the heart of the Mississippi Flyway, but there are also plenty in Alabama, including these: www.ruffwoodlabs.com https://rockspringslab.com https://www.facebook.com/bamalabsbreeder https://www.facebook.com/grahamfetchem
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Do You Have to Have Insurance on a Boat? BY ED MASHBURN
Even the best boater can have an accident on the water, and good insurance can help recover from an accident much quicker and easier. 24 DECEMBER 2021 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237
LIFESTYLE It’s one of my wife’s favorite sayings, “Boats are TROUBLE!”, and from time to time, she’s right. Boats can be trouble. But for us anglers and boaters alike, our boats are the magic carpets which take us to our favorite places where the world just seems better. However, sometimes boats really are trouble, and when this happens, boat owners need to have some help to see their way through the trouble. Boat insurance can make sure that an accident doesn’t become a very bad thing. A boat accident can not only deprive us of the use of our boats, but boat accidents can also cause us no end of financial difficulties if we don’t have insurance to help us recover. On a personal basis, I have a very good friend who was involved in a boating accident and when the final judgement of responsibility and damages came through, he very nearly lost his home and a lot more. A better insurance arrangement could have saved my friend a lot of pain and suffering. Rick Stern, boat product manager for Progressive Insurance, offered us some very clear and to the point advice about boat insurance and why every boater really does need adequate insurance coverage. One of my questions to Stern was, “Why should boat owners have insurance? Are boaters required to be insured? What situations will require boaters to carry insurance on their watercraft?” Stern’s answer was clear and simple, “While boat insurance is required by law in only two states -- Arkansas and Utah – virtually all boat lenders require that their borrowers have physical damage/hull protection for their watercraft during the term of the boat loan. But even if you own your boat outright, there are many reasons why you should have insurance prior to putting your boat in the water regardless of your boat’s value. Accidents happen, and having financial protection should you be responsible for injuring one of your passengers or someone else is really important.” Stern said. One of the things that makes obtaining boat insurance confusing for many boaters is the wide range of different policies and coverages which insurance carriers offer. We asked Stern to help us understand the most important boat coverages for the majority of boaters. “Liability coverage is the most basic but arguably the most important because it helps protect your assets should you be held responsible for injuring someone on the water,” Stern explained. “Typically included with basic liability coverage is wreckage removal, which most boaters don’t even think about until their 18 foot runabout sinks in ten feet of water at a friend’s dock. Instead of having to pay $2,000 out-of-pocket to have their boat removed from the water, their insurance will cover the cost.” ”It is estimated that 35-50% of all boats on the water are uninsured, so having “Uninsured Boater” coverage is important because it protects you and your passengers if your boat is struck by an uninsured boater,” Stern noted. “Your own insurance will help pay you and your passengers for things like medical expenses and lost wages caused by the uninsured boater.”
877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // DECEMBER 2021 25
Managing Wild Throughon Teamwork Do You Have toTurkeys Have Insurance a Boat?
“Comprehensive and collision coverage (hull protection) covers your watercraft for things like collision, sinking, fire, theft, and vandalism. Most insurers offer “Agreed Value coverage”, which allows you and your insurer to agree on a value that you will be paid in the event of a total loss. At Progressive, that value never changes and is good for the life of the policy…even 20 years later,” he said. A very important coverage which not all insurance carriers offer but Progressive does is towing coverage. This can help when a boater suffers a breakdown or accident and can’t get back to dock under the boat’s power. Out of pocket towing charges can be quite high. Stern says that “Progressive offers “Sign & Glide®” on-water towing coverage. “For $30/year in all states ($50/year in FL), we provide on-water towing service with no out-of-pocket costs to our customers. One call to our dispatch center is all it takes,” Stern said. When asked what is the worst thing that can happen to an uninsured/ underinsured boater who is in an accident, Stern said, “That is the worst case scenario. Liability insurance is generally inexpensive for boats, and you can often get $500,000 of liability coverage for as little as $100/year. This is yet another reason why everyone should have at least liability insurance, regardless of the value of their boat. Unfortunately, injury claims occur literally every day, and so do wreckage removal claims, which are also covered under liability. The going rate for wreckage removal is around $150/foot and up!” Stern was very quick to respond when we asked him to provide us with general recommendations for boat insurance coverage and where we can find reliable agents for needed boat coverage.
26 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237 42 DECEMBER APRIL 2020 2021 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237
the money spent on turkey permits, which is part of the licens-
“We recommend liability limits of at turkeys least 100/300 ($100k/person, $300k/ ing requirement to hunt in Florida, goes into that fund. incident) or higher, Uninsured boater coverage at the same limits as liability, as “Many well ashunters comprehensive andmembers collision (aka hull) coverage. and NWTF are heavily involvedMedin ical payments coverage is generally inexpensive and it pays medical raising funds for the wild turkey and its habitat byfor participating expenses incurred you and your passengers on the boat regardin NWTFbyhunting heritage banquets, while whereby a portion of less of fault. Fishing equipment coverage is great if you have expensive those funds raised goes into the cost-share program,” Nicholgear, and Progressive pays non-depreciated replacement cost for your son said. “Hunters’ purchases of hunting equipment also helps lost gear. On-water towing (Progressive offers “Sign & Glide®” on-water support great wildlife conservation through andout-ofSport towing) is another coverage that can protectthe youWildlife from big Fish Restoration Program, which brings federal grant funding pocket expenses,” Stern advised.
to state wildlife management agencies such as the FWC.”
A very helpful coverage offered by Progressive which should interest many boaters here on Gulf Coast is coverage for engine andFFS transmisThrough thisthe combined effort from the NWTF, FWC, and sion damage. Florida turkey hunters, the wild turkey population is healthy
and flourishing in Florida. And, if you’re a turkey hunter, then
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Selecting the Best
Surf Fishing Rods BY DAVID “PIERPOUNDER” THORNTON
Robin Martin (of Orange Beach, AL likes a medium light action rod (like this 7‘6” Shimano Teramar) using 8 to 10 pound line when jigging for pompano.
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FISHING THE CHOICE IS YOURS Of all the purchases surf anglers make, the decision of which rod to buy is about the most complex, possibly expensive, and certainly most personal of all. There are a lot of options and factors to consider, and certainly one size does not fit all in the surf casting world along the Emerald Coast. Still, if circumstances dictate only one rod, then the ‘best surf rod’ for many of these anglers may need to break down for travel (multi-piece or telescopic). It needs to be long enough and strong enough to get decent casting distance (50 to 70 yards). It should have a fast taper for sensitivity (bite detection), yet have enough backbone to fish with 20 pound braid and cast a two to three ounce lead sinker and this lends toward longer casts and handling heavier fish as well. That’s precisely what David A. Rose (from Grawn, Michigan) was fishing in Orange Beach Alabama on Saturday March 6th, 2021. He used a medium-heavy 10 foot Penn Fierce combo (two-piece rod) with 20 pound line, to land a Gulf sturgeon over six feet long. The fish (released) was conservatively estimated at about 125 pounds. “Yeah, options are pretty much endless when it comes to surf rods.” said Destin surf guide Weldon Hall during a recent interview in the Northwest Florida Fishing Report Podcast (Episode 82: October 1117). Hall went on to say, “It’s better to start off with one real good rod that’s what you want and what you need, versus buying a bunch of different rods.” Hall recommended that a 10 foot rod is a good place to start and that rod should be long enough, strong enough, and sensitive enough for even new anglers to land over 95% of the fish they will encounter in the surf zone. When asked as to why Gulf Coast surf anglers do not commonly use rods over 12 feet he simply said that it isn’t necessary. “Typically we don’t need to. We don’t need longer rods because we’re not flinging as much weight. We don’t need quite the distance from the beach as those guys (on the East Coast) do,” Hall said. The usual size of Gulf coast waves is smaller than ocean swells and that had shaped the bottom differently. In the Gulf, where the longshore trough is generally steeper, the sandbars are often closer to shore, making casting to them a bit easier. This allows anglers to go shorter and lighter with their tackle. Still a lot of questions remain when it comes time for new surf anglers to make that initial investment and determine what works best for their needs and budget. They should look for versatility in a rod that can cover fishing for a variety of species in differing conditions. Often these new surf anglers are approaching the sport, and perhaps even saltwater fishing for the first time. Many travel long distances, only fishing once or twice a year. Cost and storage space may be critical factors in their decision of what will best suit them. They just need a rod suitable to adjust to most weather and surf conditions (and species) they may encounter during their brief stay. One such travel rod angler is Nate Ferguson, who lives in north Georgia. While on vacation in Gulf Shores, AL in September 2021, he caught and released a 21 1/2” (fork length) permit that likely would have easily beaten the current Alabama state record (4 pounds, 12.8 877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // DECEMBER 2021 29
Selecting the Best Surf Fishing Rod
A breakdown of the nomenclature commonly used to describe surf fishing rods.
ounces). Ferguson caught that fish, plus 27 other species from whiting to stingray that week, on a 10 foot telescopic Kalex rod ordered off Amazon. Because storage space was so critical for him in packing the family car for a beach vacation, this was his ‘best surf fishing rod’. Plus they are affordably priced. “For me, landing that fish was the culmination of doing things right.” Ferguson said. However, most occasional coastal anglers are content to purchase a 10 foot two-piece graphite surf rod for this kind of work. And there are quite a few brands available as far as composition, price, action and line class at that length. “It’s kind of old school, but I like the fiberglass rods myself a little bit more. I think they’re a little bit more forgiving when it comes to fish.” (Meaning they are less likely to break off (line) during casting or pull the hook on a soft mouth fish like pompano during the fight), he said. “That’s a good place to get started if you want to fish set rigs.” For sure it is an individual decision, and probably if you asked 10 anglers their opinions of THE ONE rod they would fish with, you’d get 10 different answers. THE MULTI-ROD APPROACH Another group considering their best surf fishing rod are those wanting to expand their quiver to cover the bases of longer distance casting by going to longer and heavier rods, or to delve into the “fun factor” by going shorter and lighter. These are typically intermediate to advanced anglers who are going to spend more than a few days each year on the beach. Such anglers may include some weekly vacationers. But more are sojourners (like ‘snowbirds’). Or those fairly new to the sport of surf fishing, who live closer to the beach and get to fish more often. Depending on the time of year, these Gulf surf anglers are much more likely to encounter a variety of conditions (weather) and species especially during the warm water months (May through October) when the water is generally above 75 degrees. Then we have many more options with larger (and smaller) species, and more fish overall to consider when making the decision of which rod is right for the task. The choices of target species are a bit more limited through the remainder of the year, as are the numbers of fish (and species) most likely to be encountered in the surf zone. Consequently, the approach to surf fishing would be a bit different once the water gets too cold to wade out and cast. Long distance casting becomes much more critical to surf angling success in wintertime with fewer fish, farther from shore.
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When considering this type of purchase, the angler should remember the primary target species when choosing specific rods. Try to fit the rod parameters of action, line class recommendations, and lure weight to match that species. For example: rods in the medium, medium light, light, and ultralight classes are better suited for panfish up to “sporting” sized fish weighing less than five or so pounds. Fish above that size are better matched with medium or medium heavy class rods with 15 to 30 pound line and two to five ounce weight (lure) recommendations. These would be to target “bull” redfish, large black drum, and jack crevalle, as would be heavy action rods. Extra heavy action rods should be considered only to target fish about 50 to 100 pounds (mainly coastal sharks). Some might even consider using longer rods specifically built for conventional reels, especially with these heavier line classes. Another good feature of rod length is to help keep your line out of the waves. Longer rod holders help a little there when set rig fishing. Every foot you can raise your rod tip increases the angle of the line down to the water, and gives you less water resistance in waves and current that might move your bait. After all, the whole idea is to keep your bait (or lure) longer in the zone where you expect the fish to be. CLASS ACTION In addition to rod length, your rod quest can be refined by the desired action and power rating to match your target species. While there are no clear cut or universal standards to denote classifications for surf rods, there are some basic guidelines that can help anglers determine if a rod may be right for the task for which they are intended. Keep in mind the classification nomenclature may vary a bit with each manufacturer, especially for the less expensive rods. Also, the material it’s made from, rod taper, butt length, wall thickness, and such lend to differing “feels” for rods in the same length or line class. Therefore, this complex decision is made much more difficult if the angler cannot actually hold it in their own hand before purchasing. All the more confusing is the overlap between line classes and lure weights. But this aids a prospective buyer to cover more of the functionality and versatility of individual rods depending on their stated recommendations. The best surf rod for a specific task should be in the line class rating of the fish you wish to target. For example: with big game (sharks), you would want (need) 40, 50 or more pound line (probably braid). These would be considered heavy or more likely extra heavy power rods to handle the stress. This is why conventional reels, versus spinning reels, may be better suited for targeting sharks. Heavy class rods in the 20-40 pound range would be ideal for handling “bull” redfish, large black drum, and jumbo jack crevalle from shore. Especially if they are longer (12 feet or more), and capable of throwing heavier weights (four to six ounces) for set rigs with large baits. Medium heavy surf rods would also match up to target “bull” redfish and black drum with 10 to 12 foot spinning rods. The slightly more sensitive tip and lighter line (15 to 30 pound) would provide more sport, and perhaps even make them suitable to fish for bluefish and pompano by using the heavy duty double drop rigs. Medium action rods are typically 8 to 17 pound line class, though many anglers use 20 pound braided line for longer casting distance and extra line capacity. This is your most versatile line class for 8 to 10 foot rods and are commonly used for throwing medium weight plugs and spoons for a variety of surf species. They also may be used as set rig rods because they may be capable of throwing up to three ounce weights to target pompano, yet can still handle an occasional redfish or drum. Medium light action rods with smaller spinning reels and lighter lines (6 to 15 pound class), are also extremely versatile in targeting a variety of species with different rigs. In the 7 to 8 foot lengths, these rods are ideal for
877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // DECEMBER 2021 31
Selecting the Best Surf Fishing Rod
An example of surf rod length and rod line class, lure class recommendations.
casting lighter lures (up to one ounce) to target bluefish, ladyfish, and speckled trout. The combo is lighter and more comfortable for even children to handle. Longer rods of eight to nine feet are ideal to target pompano from shore with single drop rigs and Carolina rigs especially when used with braided line. Lighter braid lines are also ideal to couple with medium light and ultra light rated rods. Many so-called freshwater rods built for crappie or steelhead fall into this category. The action is well suited for saltwater “panfish” (like whiting), but the main downfall of such rods is the guides may only last a couple of years in the harsh saltwater environment. These stock guides need special attention to stave off corrosion (and replacement) for as long as possible, but are still quite usable. In this respect, many of the more advanced anglers wrap their own rods, or seek the talents of professional rod wrappers. This definitely brings a personal flair of individuality to a surf anglers rod assortment. Hopefully, this article will aid the selection of the best surf fishing rod for you!
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Cast net menhaden Magnum Bait Station 30qt-Frabill 34 DECEMBER 2021 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237
FISHING
Choosing the Best Cast Net for the Bait You’re Trying to Catch BY FRANK SARGEANT
Nothing separates big fish experts from the “wanna-be’s” more than their capability to find, capture and effectively fish live bait. To consistently catch jumbo coastal gamefish, as in spotted seatrout, redfish, snook and tarpon as well as most offshore and reef species, a surprising number of pro guides and expert anglers rely on the real thing. There’s good reason for it and that is in order to fool really big fish, nothing works better than the sight, smell and the sounds put out by live bait. Pigfish, croakers, pinfish, menhaden, scaled sardines, threadfins, cigar minnows and mullet among many other species are favored by coastal anglers throughout the southeast. Unfortunately for a lot of these species, you can’t just drop in at the local bait shop and pick up three dozen on the way to the boat ramp. They’re hard to catch and hard to keep alive long term, especially in any number. So, if you’re serious about live baiting, you also have to be serious about castnetting. And while throwing a little four to six foot net to capture a half-dozen finger mullet for a few hours of redfishing is relatively easy to learn but that’s not the case with heaving a serious 10- to 12-foot offshore bait net big enough to “black out” a 50-gallon live well in one throw. (Note that the nominal designation of a cast net is its radius, which is half of the actual diameter that the net opens to. That is, a 10-footer covers a 20-foot wide circle, and a 12-footer a 24-foot circle—BIG nets!) When you start shopping for cast nets, you’ll see that there’s a huge difference in price from one brand to another in the same size, mesh and weight. The bottom line for cast nets, the cost is a good measure of the quality, because the pricier models like those from Black Pearl have a lot more netting in them than the big-box, machine-made brands that sell for a third as much. Some features to look for in a quality cast net include a double-braided lead line, tied at each mesh point, and double selvage mesh at the horn and the lead line; both make the net stronger and more durable. And, a sectioned horn is a nice added feature to reduce braille tangling. Braille’s are the lines running to the bottom of the net that allow “pursing” it to capture bait. Black Pearl now offers an “Invi” series made of very slinky clear fluorocarbon and monofilament, for a net that’s close to in-
visible in the water. These nets also include leads hidden inside the lead line instead of exposed on the exterior. The advantage is the net is much quieter on deck, so less likely to spook nearby bait. The best nets also have a much larger pocket, and fall almost like an upside-down sieve or a rounded bucket, trapping lots more bait than one with less material in the mesh. Again, these cost more, but are well worth it. Best way to learn castnetting is in-person instruction, and some shops that sell nets will give this to you if you buy a net from them. But otherwise, check out some websites with videos like this one from Black Pearl Castnets: https://www.blackpearlcastnets.com/how-to-throw-a-cast-net THE RIGHT NET So, how do you know what mesh, diameter and weight cast net you need? Here’s what Captain Brett Tennant, who runs charters out of Pensacola, Florida, told us: “I carry multiple cast nets to catch whatever I need for the fish I expect to chase that day,” Tennant said. “The cast net makes all the difference in success in catching your bait, and you have to match it to the size of the bait, and the depth of water where you’re likely to find it.” Tennant fishes both a 26’ cat Twin Vee and a 31’ Cape Horn. The Twin Vee allows him to chase tarpon, cobia, kings and bull reds inshore, while the Cape Horn gives fast access to offshore waters for swordfish, marlin, tuna and deep reef action. He’s a big fan of live bait for just about all the species he pursues. “If I’m trying for adult menhaden in 5 to 17 feet of water, I’ll use a 10-foot net with 1” mesh and 1.5 pound per foot of weight to get it to sink really fast and the big mesh and heavy lead does the job. A smaller mesh and less weight means a lot of the bait will run out from under it. A 12’ net would be good if you have the ability to throw it, too, but unless you do it every day, that’s probably going to be too much net for you,” Tennant said. “For LY’s, I find ‘em around jetties or shorelines and I want a slower 877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // DECEMBER 2021 35
Choosing the Best Cast Net for the Bait You’re Trying to Catch
Castnet throwing
fall there so I throw a 10’, 1/4”or 3/8” mesh in there,” Tennant said. “Even a six or eight footer will do the job but the bigger the net, the more you get in fewer throws. If you only need a little bait for just yourself to fish a few hours on the weekend, then a six foot might be fine.” He also likes a smaller, lighter net in shallow water where there’s rock, shell or anything else that might snag the net, because a snagged net is frequently a ruined net. “If you throw that lighter net and watch it closely, you can tell when to purse it just before it hits bottom, so you can catch your bait in some pretty gnarly spots.” Tennant also has a jumbo net for special duties. “The third net I have is for bigger LY’s, cigar minnows and whatever else I can find in water up to 25 feet deep. It’s a 12 foot, ½” mesh, super heavy and you can get enough to use as chum in just a throw or two, provided you get a good throw,” he said. “You have to practice to handle that much net, but if you’re a guide and need bait every day, it’s well worth it.” Tennant also notes that the color of the net
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Choosing the Best Cast Net for the Bait You’re Trying to Catch
can make a difference in clear water where the bait may be spooky. “I like a green net for the water around Pensacola, where our waters are clear to pale green on the beach and then a bit darker inside the bay,” Tennant said”. “You can dye the net with cloth dye if you can’t find a green one. Other waters where it’s murky, maybe in Mobile Bay and to the west along the Gulf Coast it probably wouldn’t matter as much. It also doesn’t seem to matter much in the shallows because the net pockets them before they can get away but if you’re in 20 feet of water the fish can sometimes swim out from under it if they see it coming.” Put it all together—the right net in the right place at the right time—and you’ll soon be loading your livewell with some irresistible fish-catching live baits. (Of course, you need the proper live well with the right capacity and aeration to keep them lively, but we’ll save that for another time.)
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15 Pro Tips
for Hog Hunting at Night
BY JOSH HONEYCUTT
Are you geared up and ready for the hog hunt of a lifetime? Most hunters think you can just go out and shoot a hog with minimal effort and skill. But that isn’t true. It takes adeptness, understanding, and sometimes even top-level knowledge to bring down a hog. Still, hog hunting at night offers a significant advantage for hunters as compared to hunting during the day.
kind anyway? If that problem isn’t enough reason to move in and kill some hogs at night, realizing these animals are mostly nocturnal might provide additional incentive. While they move during daylight, it’s generally limited to cold and/or rainy days, or under other circumstances that get deer up on their feet.
But is it easy? Not quite. And it doesn’t offer an unfair advantage, either.
“Hogs can be very active at night under certain conditions,” Rubac said. “Hogs can go nocturnal with too much hunting pressure. They will also respond to seasons that will increase their nocturnal activity. With the proper equipment and training, hunting at night is not much different than the daytime.”
“Hog hunting at night isn’t necessarily an advantage, but more specifically gives you additional opportunities to be more successful in managing a hog problem on your property,” said Chuck Rubac, a former US Navy SEAL sniper, hog hunter of 35 years, and special operations technical advisor for Photonis Defense USA (https://www.photonisdefense.com/). “In fact, if you understand that many female hogs can breed two times a year, and throw one to 12 piglets at a time, and breed as young as six to eight months, you can see the math adds up very quickly.” Beyond that, why would you want to give an invasive species an edge of any 38 DECEMBER 2021 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237
All things considered, here are 15 tips to help get the job done. 1. Use the Right Weapon One of the best things you can do is select the right gun for the job. Most people prefer an AR-style platform, but a good bolt-action rifle works just fine, too. But the best advice is to take whatever you’re the most confident with. You’ll use it much better under pressure.
HUNTING
“Make sure you have selected the best equipment,” Rubac said. “A hunter needs to know and train with the equipment [they] are going to use.” 2. Fix Your Phone Stephen Lee, owner of Intercoastal Safaris, says pay attention to your mobile device. “Before you even get in the truck, dim the light on your phone,” he said. “Then, turn the phone on silent, not vibrate.” 3. Quit Spotlighting Fields According to Lee, another mistake hunters make too often is spotlighting fields. “They should be using good night vision instead of spotlighting,” he said. “Don’t spotlight fields. Scan them with your night vision. Depend on it as much to scout as you do to hunt.”
4. Use Night Vision As mentioned, where legal, using night vision is one of the best things a hunter can do to increase their odds of success on nighttime hogs. Both Rubac and Lee recommend using it. It certainly makes a difference in your ability to see, and to prevent hogs from seeing you. “Most hunters bag one hog, maybe a few more per hunt,” Rubac said. “If you are only hunting during the daytime, your ability to gain control of your hog population is not in your favor.” 5. Wear the Right Clothing Some might not think clothing matters all that much at night, but it does. “Navy blue is better than black, and better than camo,” Lee said. “If you put three people in the field, one in black, one in navy, and one in camo, navy blue is the more natural color for night light. I strongly consider it. If hunting in the woods, camo is better. But black is visible at night, especially in the open.” 877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // DECEMBER 2021 39
15 Pro Tips for Hog Hunting at Night
6. Pick a Method Of course, there are certain types of hunting. Stand or blind hunting, still hunting, spot and stalk hunting, and other approaches are all viable options. The key is to determine what works best for the situation you’re in and go with it. “Know your hunting area and study up on the animal you will be hunting,” Rubac said. “Obviously, you need to make sure that you comply with your local and state laws regarding what you are allowed to do.” 7. Bait ‘Em Up Another thing hunters can do (in some areas) is bait hogs. If you can, give it a try. It’s a great way to get pigs on a pattern, lure them out into the open, and even position them for shot opportunities. Timed feeders work best for this. 8. Scout Aplenty Still can’t figure out those hogs? Keep scouting. Look for sign. In this regard, it’s no different than hunting other game. Find the sign, find the game, get it done. 9. Pattern Them Well Those who prefer to hunt with archery or other short-range equipment will need to pattern hogs more than those who use long-range rifles. Like other animals, hogs tend to follow a “bed-to-feed” pattern. 10. Focus on Food Hogs are hungry. Period. Find the grub and that’s where these animals will be. They like crops, hard mast, such as acorns and nuts, soft mast, such as apples, peaches, and persimmons, and even areas filled with insects where they can root around. 11.Remember Water Food is good, but hogs drink a lot of water, too. In areas where it’s concentrated, this might be a good play. Camp out over it and wait for the hogs to come to you.
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12. Watch the Wind Pigs can’t see well, but their hearing is good, and their nose is phenomenal. If you don’t keep the wind in your favor, you don’t stand a chance. Keep that in mind. 13. Hunt Open Fields If you still can’t seem to find hogs, camp out along open fields where you’ve seen plenty of rooting. At some point, those pigs will cruise through there. Be there when they do. 14. Understand Shot Placement Pigs have thick shoulders. It can be hard to jam a broadhead through there but rifles were meant for it. Hitting them in that shoulder transfers a lot of shock, but also passes a bullet through vitals. Put them down quickly, as pigs don’t bleed well. 15. Have Good Lighting Just because you’re using your night vision for scouting and hunting, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t bring good lights for post-kill activities. It helps to have this, especially when the hunt is over and you’re gutting and cleaning an animal. “When people go hog hunting, they think they’ll be running through the woods,” Lee said. “They try to get these big, huge lights. The best thing you can do is get a good headlamp. It’s a safer, more versatile option, as compared to a spotlight.”
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15 Pro Tips for Hog Hunting at Night
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BY HANK SHAW Photo by Holly A. Heyser
Greek Braised Quail Prep: 15 mins • Cook: 1 hr 30 mins • Total: 1 hr 45 mins Ingredients • 1/4 cup olive oil • 4 to 8 quail (see headnotes above for substitutions) • Salt • 3 stalks celery, chopped • 1 large yellow onion, sliced thin • 1 head garlic, cloves peeled but whole • 2 teaspoons dried oregano • 1 cup white wine • 3 Lemons, zest and juice • 12 ounces marinated artichoke hearts • 12 ounces pitted black olives • 1 tablespoon capers (optional) • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley • Black pepper to taste Instructions
1.
2. 3.
4. 5.
6. 7.
Using kitchen shears or a knife, cut out the backbones of the quail. If you want to get fancy, remove the ribs as well. I do this so there’s less fiddly stuff in the braise when you eat. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Heat the olive oil in a large, lidded pot like a Dutch oven. Salt the quail well and brown them in the oil, removing them to a bowl as they brown. It’s OK if not every bit of the quail is browned, but you want some on both sides. Add the onion and celery and sauté until translucent, but not browned. Add the garlic cloves, the quail back into the pot along with any juices that have accumulated in the bowl, the oregano and the wine. Mix well and let the wine boil for a minute or three. Just barely cover the quails with water, bring it to a simmer and add salt to taste. Add the lemon zest, cover the pot and put it in the oven for 1 hour. Take the pot out of the oven and add the artichoke hearts, black olives and capers, if using. If the quail are not yet tender, which might be the case with wild birds, cover the pot and return to the oven until they are. This shouldn’t be more than another 30 minutes or so. Once the quail are tender, add in the parsley, lemon juice and black pepper. Serve with bread, rice or potatoes. Serve your braised quail with crusty bread or rice or potatoes. It will keep about a week in the fridge.
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A New Way to Find Marine Services Near Me BY STEPHANIE MALLORY If you haven’t heard of Boaters List, you soon will. It’s one of those, “why didn’t I think of that” ideas that makes perfect sense. The brainchild of a boat captain who was tired of struggling to find marine services when running boats for clients, Boaters List is a nationwide, one-stop resource center for all things on the water. From marine services, to rentals, to charters, to fishing guides, to boat and equipment sales and rentals and everything in between – if it has something to do with boating, you can find a provider on Boaters List. FILLING A NEED Boaters List co-founder Capt. Cody Williams says the platform is something the boating industry has needed for a long time. “You no longer have to do a long Google search, fill out info forms or struggle to find the service you need. Boaters List is a streamlined, user-friendly and convenient way of finding anything on the water.” 42 DECEMBER 2021 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237
Even though he’s only 30 years old, Williams has worked on or captained boats the majority of his life and understands the frustration of needing a service but being unable to find the person to perform it in a timely manner. “My father is a boat captain, so I got an early start,” he says. “I’ve worked on boats my whole life. I got my captain’s license when I was 20 years old. After I graduated school, I began traveling all over the world with a program called Singularis. I’ve been on the whole East Coast of the United States from Massachusetts all the way down to the Keys. I’ve spent time around Bermuda and the Caribbean down to Grenada. And I have been in the Gulf of Mexico from Texas to Florida. I’ve also spent time in Isla and Cancun, Jamaica, Panama and Panama Canal, Costa Rica and Nicaragua, as well as Cuba.” Williams currently has a 200-ton captain’s license and runs a 60-foot boat called Dirt Pit out of Orange Beach, Alabama.
Boaters List is currently free for both users and providers.
WHEN SOMETHING GOES WRONG To say the least, Williams has covered some water and during those travels, it was inevitable that he’d run into issues and need services. “When I was traveling, I often didn’t have access to Google or couldn’t simply pick up my phone to find contractors for things that failed on my boat. In these situations, you have to learn to ‘MacGyver’ and fix it yourself. If you can’t fix it, then it just stays broken until you can make it back to a major port.” Williams says that’s exactly what he had to do when towing a center console behind the boat he was running to Cuba. “On the way to Cuba, we encountered bad weather and broke a tow line, so we had to run a temporary one until we could make it to Cuba. But, I had no contacts in Cuba for tow lines. Boaters List would have come in handy to help us find tow line. We also had an AC unit compressor go bad. Not having
Boaters List at the time meant we had to ask around until we finally found the part we needed.” But maintenance issues aren’t the only issues boaters encounter. “I get asked all the time for suggestions on good fishing charters, hired help and those who wash and detail boats, and the list goes on. There’s been times we needed to grab an extra mate for a trip. So, we got on the Coconut Hotline till we found one. Boaters List can streamline that process and make it easier.” Williams says Boaters List is especially helpful for people who are new to boating or are traveling the islands for the first time because they can really find themselves in a pickle if something goes wrong. “I started making a big contact list during my travels that included small mom and pop businesses and freelance guys who do great work, but don’t 877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // DECEMBER 2021 43
A New Way to Find Marine Services Near Me
Singularis crew member Jonathan Lawrence and Cody Williams with two big lobsters.
have the budget for advertising or a way to reach people. As my list grew, I started thinking, ‘why can’t I provide this for everyone?’” Williams said he pitched the idea to friend Martin Kroesche, who liked it. “I helped Martin bring one of his boats called Game Hog back from Isla Mujeres, Mexico. He thought Boater’s List was a great concept that was much needed.”
BAY TRANSMISSION
Williams said their schedules got busy so they put the idea to the side for a year. “About 16 months ago, we decided to pick the idea back up. We started trademarking names and clothes and began diving into the process of designing the site and building the apps. Since then, we’ve gone from just us two guys to 18 people working on Boaters List. We have different agents and office people all over the country. It’s really grown. The goal is to start in the U.S. and expand outside the country. We’ve recently just launched in Mexico and are signing up companies in Puerto Rico, Turks and Caicos and the Bahamas.” MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL Williams says currently the site is free for both the user and the service providers. “All the user has to do is go in and create a free profile. And then he or she can do a simple search for the service needed. You just enter the zip code, city or state and the list will populate. There is also a geo map that you can click on for directions on how to get there and how far. The system is beginning to learn what you’re looking for. For example, if you type “dive” instead of “diver,” categories of divers will pop up.” 44 DECEMBER 2021 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237
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A New Way to Find Marine Services Near Me
He says all the service provider has to do is go in and provide the company name, hours of service and contact info. They can include a small blurb about the company and a few images. They can select 10 out of 100 services provided. As the site grows and more people join, Williams says the categories will expand. The plan is to eventually implement a review and ranking system where customers can provide feedback of the services provided. Businesses of all sizes can benefit from Boaters List, but the small businesses really stand to gain. “I’ve met so many great people during my travels who are amazing mechanics, painters and fiberglass experts, but they simply don’t have the marketing or ad budget to get their names out there, so they’re easy to overlook,” Williams said. “When most people need a service, they’ll simply go to Google and click on the providers that pop up toward the top. They never find out about the one-man show that does amazing work at a reasonable price.” BUILDING A STRONGER BOATING COMMUNITY He said those who use Boaters List will also likely be able to get service more quickly. If a company is big enough to have a prominent presence on the Internet, it is likely so inundated with business that it can’t get work done in a timely manner. Big companies get booked up months out. If it’s the only company people can locate via ads, tv, etc., it’s likely got so much work that it can’t handle it all. Of course, Boater’s List isn’t just for those seeking a service for a boat problem. The categories cover basically anything that has to do with the water.
“It’s an especially helpful site for the first-time boat owner,” he said. “For example, people who buy a boat for the first time, but don’t really know how to operate it or what to do, can find help on Boaters List. They can get on there and find someone to teach them how to fish or how to drive a boat or how to go out and find the best fishing spots. There’s no limit for categories of services that can be shared on Boaters List.” The innovative platform is quickly gaining traction among the boating community, and Williams said the key to its success is the boating community itself. “If we all stick together and build this as a community, we will all benefit,” he noted. And,from the looks of it, that’s exactly what is happening. Boaters List has just passed the 28,000 mark of service providers who have signed up and are ready to help those on the water. “Boaters List is going to build the boating community and make it stronger.”
Contact Information Boaters List www.boaterslist.com 111 W Olmos Drive, San Antonio, TX 78212 1-888-352-4242 better@boaterslist.com
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The greatest fish cleaning stations known to mankind. 877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // DECEMBER 2021 45
December POND Liming BY WILIAM KENDY
To be really effective lime needs to be evenly distributed across the surface of the entire pond
46 DECEMBER 2021 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237
FISHING
By and large, when it comes to December, fishing takes a back seat to hunting and the holiday season. The water temperature is dropping and that means that your pond bass won’t be as aggressively feeding. They, like humans, could be considered “off for the holidays”. While pond fishing most likely won’t be in the forefront of your December activity list, it is the perfect time to take steps to improve your ponds health for better spring angling. One of the best pond management tools to use in Deceiver is to lime. “December is a fantastic time to lime,” says Norman Latona, president of Southeastern Pond Management. “It isn’t interrupting your fertilization program and you don’t run as great a risk of stimulating nuisance aquatic plant growth. We do a lot of liming in November through February once the water temperature drops down into the 60-degree level or below. SE Pond offers services that cover the waterfront of pond development and management including ecosystem analysis, management programs, pond construction, liming, fertilizing, fish inventory assessment, removal processes, stocking of forage and game fish, maintenance and more. They cover the Southeast and do projects in other areas such as Illinois and as far west as Arkansas and Texas. “Liming in the wintertime allows it to settle on the pond bottom and do its magic and it affects the bottom mud, the water chemistry, raises the alkalinity and pH and that way when the days start lengthening and water warms in early March, we’re in great shape,” Latona said. Latona noted that the concept of liming a pond is basically the same as liming crop fields or food plots for deer. The only difference is that liming on ground has the goal of changing the alkalinity and pH on the surface soil and in the case of liming a pond, that soil (most of the time in the form of mud) is underneath the water on the bottom. When you lime a pond you apply lime to the surface it “rains’’ down to the acidic bottom soil it neutralizes the acidity, increases the hardness and stabilizes the pH and the result
877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // DECEMBER 2021 47
December Pond Liming
One of SEPond‘s special “Liming Barges“ can hold around one ton of lime and utilizes a power hose for the application
is a bottom that is more conducive to uptake the nutrients to the organic fertilizer that can be applied to grow plankton. With the proper water alkalinity and pH the fertilizer will release into the water better and it is taken in by the planktonic algae that gives the pond that desirable green color that it called a bloom. “Liming is an important foundational principle of good pond management and is one of the cornerstone management inputs, and if you’re not liming and fertilizing your pond you’re really not managing it,” Latona pointed out. “It’s not the most glamorous stuff to do you know you don’t see anything happening instantly. It’s not like adding fish or putting in food and watching the fish come up and eat or even spraying for weeds where you see the stuff die over a short period of time. You don’t really notice it but believe me that has a huge impact on the water chemistry which ultimately is what fish productions all tied to.” Latona stressed that while fertilizing without liming isn’t a completely wasted effort there is a massive difference in results. Using fertilizer exclusively can product an ideal plankton bloom but they are what is called “flash blooms’ ‘ and just as quickly as they come, they are gone and you have to keep pouring more and more fertilizer in. With adequate liming and healthy alkalinity, the bloom tends to stay. “You still have to add fertilizer periodically because you will get flow through but if you maintain that level the result is much more consistent and reliable 48 DECEMBER 2021 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237
results,” Latona noted. “Ultimately what it’s doing is when there’s more plankton in the water, over a longer period of time, there’s more food for the little zooplankton which are the little tiny insects and animals that feed on the phytoplankton. Then there’s more zooplankton for the bream and the forage fish to eat and so they grow faster and they reproduce more. Because of the liming the bass will have more forage to eat so it’s that old food chain. And liming is not only a link in the food chain, it’s like the first link in the chain and a chain is only as strong as its weakest link.” Depending on rate application which may range from four to even eight tons of lime per acre, In order to distribute the lime evenly in a pond, SEPond has developed a specialized boat (lime barge) that is capable of holding a ton or so a load. The outboard motor powered barge has an 8-10 horsepower trash pump that creates a lot of water pressure and as it is driven around the crew knocks the lime off of the deck with a hose and the lime just rains down and settles on the bottom. “I’ve seen a lake that had a dam rupture not long after we limed and it looked like it had a dusting of snow on the bottom of the lake,” Latona shared. Latona has found that most ponds and lakes in the southeast need about a ton of lime per acre to maintain an alkalinity of the desired threshold of about 20 parts per million of calcium carbonate and SEPond continuously tests to make sure everything is in sync. Since liming is such a labor-inten-
December Pond Liming
sive process and somewhat messy, instead of liming every year they will distribute more tonnage per acre so that each application will last four to five years. One of the common misconceptions about lime applications is that you can just dump some lime in the pond in selected spots and that is that. The reality is even if the lime is finely ground, if you just put it in various sections of a pond, at the mouth of a creek that flows into the pond or even around the pond edge, while it will dissolve over time the effects won’t permeate the whole pond. The fact is that lime is just crushed limestone and that is rock. While water can dissolve pretty much anything over time it is not going to dissolve rock quickly enough to effectively change the water chemistry when it is randomly placed. In order to get the maximum effect fine lime has to be distributed across the whole pond so that it evenly coats the bottom of the lake.” “You could dump a load of pebble sized limestone in one spot in a lake and 10 years later 90% of that pebble limestone is going to be still sitting there,” Latona observed. “With the right rock, properly applied liming can have a dramatic effect on water quality, improve the aesthetics of the water and result in healthier and better water for fish production. Contact Information Southeastern Pond Management www.sepond.com/ 1-888-830-POND
BY PANFISH NATION
Recipe and image courtesy of the Panfish Nation (www.panfishnation.com)
Grilled Panfish
Let’s say you caught yourself a mess of bluegill during a round of fly fishing – lucky you! Now, you’re ready to prepare your spoils from today’s fishing, and you want to fire up the grill. Here’s a very simple and delicious way that you can grill your panfish. If bluegill isn’t your fish of choice, keep in mind that this recipe will work with any type of panfish, including bass, crappie, perch, sunfish, trout and many more.
Ingredients
• • • • • • • •
Four boneless and skinless fillets (8 oz) Half of a white onion, chopped 1 cup Water 1 tbsp Pepper 1 tbsp Salt Two tablespoons of butter Aluminum foil, torn in 14–18-inch sheets Optional: Beer, lemon slices
1. 2.
Pre-heat your grill to a medium-high temperature, 400-450 degrees Fahrenheit. Make a small plate out of the aluminum foil, and fold up the edges to keep the juices and ingredients from spilling out. Butter the aluminum foil sheet and place the fillets in the center. Add salt and pepper to both sides of the fillets and sprinkle chopped onion over them. Add just a splash of water (or beer!) to the fillets to help keep them moist during the grilling process. Garnish with lemon slices if you’d like then seal up the packets. Place them on the grill and cook for 7-10 minutes, flipping once. Meat should be white and flaky with a fork.
Instructions
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877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // DECEMBER 2021 49
Winter Bass
fishing
BY JOHN E. PHILLIPS
Mark Menendez proves the value of fishing a jerkbait for wintertime bassing.
50 DECEMBER 2021 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237
FISHING
Kevin VanDam says that properly working a jerkbait elicits plenty of bass strikes in the winter. Alabama’s bass don’t get lockjaw in the winter if you fish for them with swimbaits and jerkbaits. Great Days Outdoors interviewed professional bassers to learn their best wintertime tactics. Greg Hackney – Swimbaits Greg Hackney of Gonzales, Louisiana has fished professionally for 20 plus years. He’s been B.A.S.S. Angler-of-the-Year, FLW Angler-of-the-Year and Major League Fishing (MLF) World Champion. “I like big-jointed swimbaits because they’re so versatile and catch bass even in very-cold water. You can crank wood structure with these, or you can fish them in open water for suspended or schooling bass. You can fish them like a jerkbait or wake them on the surface. I like a swimbait that’s not super-big – preferably about the size of a threadfin shad,” Hackney said. Hackney said that the depth of water where he will be fishing the swimbait dictates the size of line he will use. “If I want to keep the lure near or on top of the water, I’ll fish with 65-poundtest braided line, hold my rod tip high and wake the lure on the surface,” he said. “To get the bait deep in the water, or to crank it in wood cover, I’ll use 20-pound-test fluorocarbon line, which is more forgiving than braided line and will work through wood better. Since a bass is a natural predator, its instincts tell it to attack – a reaction strike – when a bait’s in sight. Mark Menendez - Swimbaits Mark Menendez of Paducah, Kentucky, has been a bass pro for 30+ years with earnings of over $1.3 million from tournament fishing. “You’ll have two options when the area you’re fishing has a shad die-off, created by cold weather and muddy water. You either have to keep a lure right in the bass’s face for a long time, until the bass finally decides to take the bait, or do the opposite and make the bait come by the bass so fast or with such a strange action that the fish reacts to the bait and bites it out of instinct. If you can get a bass to bite instinctively without thinking, then that fish doesn’t have to be hungry to eat your bait,” Menendez said. “When a shad die-off occurs, or bass get lockjaw in the winter, I like to use a small swimbait. I’ll keep this bait high in the water column, attach it to a jighead and swim it in areas where shad are dying-off. You’ll occasionally get a bass that spots that erratically swimming swimbait and mistakes it for a live shad. Generally bass that will hit the smaller-sized swimbait during a die-off will be bigger bassin,” he concluded. Mark Rose – Swimbaits Mark Rose of Wynne, Arkansas, a pro fisherman for over 20 years, has won about three million dollars and fishes for fun too.
“I like to fish a jerkbait like Strike King’s Wild Shiner on bluff banks, especially during the winter when we have a two to three day warm front move onto a lake, which makes the bass swim up to the next level in the water column. This type of place is often little secondary points with some wind blowing into them,” Brauer explained. “I like to jerk a bait down and then kill it, work the bait with two or three fast twitches and then kill the bait and let it sit still. My harder jerks keep that jerkbait at the depths where I want to fish it to get the attention of the suspended bass. The worse the weather conditions are and the colder the water, then the slower I’ll work the jerkbait,” he said. “You must experiment to see how quickly or how slowly the bass want you to move the bait before they’ll take it. I like to fish with 10-pound-test line and sometimes 12-pound test, if the bass are biting aggressively.” Mark Davis - Jerkbaits Mark Davis of Mt. Ida, Arkansas has won B.A.S.S. Angler-of-the-Year three times, the Bassmaster Classic and has earned more than $2.32 million. “I like to fish a suspending jerkbait on wind-blown points and banks and in pockets. I want to use this jerkbait to imitate shad in clear water. I’ll probably use either a clear clown, a chrome with a blue back or maybe even a bleeding calico – all colors that work in clear or stained water. I never fish a jerkbait in muddy water,” Davis said. “I fish 10-12 pound test line with a jerkbait by making a long cast into shallow water in the three to five foot deep range, jerk the bait down and let it sit in wind-blown areas and under boat docks for 5 - 10 seconds. You need confidence that the place you’re fishing has a bass sitting there and looking at that lure, to leave it sitting still that long. Although most anglers won’t fish this slowly, if you try it one time and catch a bass weighing five pounds or more, you’ll develop a pattern and enthusiasm for fishing this tactic,” he said. Greg Hackney – Jerkbaits “You can’t beat a suspending jerkbait in the winter, because this lure has a dying effect built into it, and bass in cold water will be slow moving. They really don’t want to chase bait,” Hackney pointed out. “So, after you jerk the bait, and that bait sits still, the bass assumes that the suspending jerkbait is about to die. The fish will ease up to the lure and suck it into its mouth.” “The most-popular way to fish the suspending jerkbait in the winter is to dead stick it like you do a plastic worm. Once I get the jerkbait down to the depth I want to fish it and twitch it one time, I’ll let the bait sit still for a count of 20 seconds. After you get the first bite, then you’ll know how many seconds you need to let the bait sit still before you move it.
“When I’m fishing in the winter and see shad dying in pockets or along the edges of retaining walls, I’ll go straight to that school of shad. I know the bass will be under the shad, feeding on them. I’ll fish a white swimbait with either a gray or a black back to make it look like a wounded shad by reeling and stopping it and just barely making the tail move,” Rose said. “I want the swimbait to move and look like a drunken man staggering down the street or wounded, sick and about to die.”
“When the water becomes very cold, the bass have a tendency to suspend, because the warm water is near the surface, as well as close to the bottom. Remember that cold water sinks, and warm water rises. Therefore, often the warmest water, even on the coldest days, will be near the surface, especially if the sun’s shining. Or, sometimes the water temperature will be the same from the top of the water column to the bottom of the water column with bass holding at any water depth. A suspended jerkbait is easy for the bass to catch, looks natural at that time of the year and has the same action as the dying shad the bass are accustomed to eating.
Denny Brauer - Jerkbaits Denny Brauer of Del Rio, Texas has won just about every bass-fishing title there is and fishes in all kinds of weather, although he’s now retired from professional bassing.
“Usually I like a natural-shad color suspending jerkbait. If the water has a little color to it, chrome with a black back is hard to beat, especially on a real sunny day, with a little bit of wind. Most of the time, I’ll be fishing a jerkbait on 12-pound-test monofilament line,” Hackney said.
877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // DECEMBER 2021 51
Winter Bass Fishing
There are very few months of the year that a big, jointed swimbait won’t produce a bass like this one – especially in the winter.
52 DECEMBER 2021 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237
Winter Bass Fishing
Roger Stegall - Jerkbaits Roger Stegall of Iuka, Mississippi, one of the nation’s leading smallmouth bass guides, is known as Mr. Smallmouth on Pickwick Lake. “One mistake that many people make when fishing jerkbaits for smallmouths is they believe the jerkbait needs to be fished fast. But if you’ve ever watched a school of shad in the wintertime and seen the shad dying-off, they’ll just barely twitch as they flutter to the bottom. So, I’ll cast a jerkbait out and crank it down hard eight or 10 times. Next I’ll stop it and allow it to sit still. I’ll use my rod tip to pull it slowly like you’ll pull a Carolina-rigged worm across the bottom. The bait will wobble slowly. Then I take up the slack and again pull the lure slowly with my rod tip,” he pointed out.
cold water, I’ll give the bass more time to see the bait and come to it before I move it,” he said. “I’ll be using fluorocarbon line because it has low stretch and makes the bait dance. Since I’m making long casts, I want the line to be responsive when I twitch and jerk the lure.” Roger Stegall mentions that one of the mistakes that people make when fishing a jerkbait for smallmouths in cold weather is to fish it too fast.
“I like a chartreuse with a black back jerkbait when the water has some color or is very cold. I’ll start using this tactic when the water temperature is 48 degrees. When the water’s clear, I’ll fish a clown color with a lot of red in it, a chrome with a blue back or a chrome with a black back. Just remember to fish the jerkbait slowly to catch big wintertime smallmouths,” Stegall said. Kevin VanDam - Jerkbaits Kevin VanDam, of Kalamazoo, Michigan has earned more than $7 million fishing professionally after capturing four Bassmaster Classic titles, seven Angler-of-the- Year titles and several Major League Fishing (MFL) competitions. “I enjoy fishing jerkbaits, particularly Strike King’s Wild Shiner. I can use a number of baits to cover a lot of water, but when I’m properly working a jerkbait, there are very few baits that will elicit as many strikes as the jerkbait with its productive, wounded-baitfish action. I use it as a search bait,” VanDam said. “When the water’s cold, I’ll fish a suspending jerkbait slowly and use it as a draw bait to attract bass. Since the bass’ metabolism is much slower in
CCA AL Events Check our website for our online silent auctions and giveaways this month!
Show Your Support for Alabama’s Coastal Fishing & Marine Resources. All proceeds from your TAX DEDUCTIBLE purchase are used for marine conservation in Coastal Alabama.
For more info on the events or CCA Alabama www.ccaalabama.org 251-478-3474 877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // DECEMBER 2021 53
Where legal, suppressors are great for shooting and hunting. (Photo courtesy of Silencer Central)
54 DECEMBER 2021 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237
HUNTING
HOW TO GET A
Suppressor the easy way
Your best plan for getting a gun suppressor BY JOSH HONEYCUTT
In the movies, silencers are portrayed as terrible things that only the bad guys need or want. That isn’t true. It isn’t just something suitable for military-grade weapons. These have very real applications to average American gun owners. These are very beneficial for recreational shooters and hunters alike. “Silencers significantly reduce recoil,” said Brandon Maddox, CEO of Silencer Central. “Hearing protection isn’t needed as most silencers make firearm hearing safe. Imagine if everyone at your gun range shot suppressed.” Furthermore, silencers can speed up bullet velocity. They can even provide increased accuracy. These reasons and more are certainly enough to consider purchasing one. But it isn’t as simple as walking into a store and picking one up off the shelf. There’s a lot of red tape to go through. Also, while suppressors are cloaked with obstacles, there are both misconceptions and methods to navigate these waters. SUPPRESSOR MYTHS TO DISREGARD As alluded to, there are some common myths about silencers the public should know about. The first is that silencers are illegal. In fact, these are not. “Silencers are legal in 42 states across the US and hunting with silencers is legal in 40 of those states,” Maddox said. The second, and likely most prominent myth, is that silencers are silent, just like in the movies. This is not true. Silencers significantly reduce the decibel levels of firearms, but do not silence them. Silencer-equipped guns still have a report but make these so that silencer-equipped guns are “hearing safe”. Unlike in the movies, silencers do not make guns inaudible. Next, a common belief is that silencers are just tactical objects that have no real purpose for general shooting and hunting activities. That isn’t true. “Silencers significantly reduce recoil, drop decibels to hearing safe levels, increase accuracy, and provide a better hunting experience,” Maddox assured. Also, thanks to movies and video games, people even believe that silencers slow down bullets. That 877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // DECEMBER 2021 55
How to Get a Suppressor the Easy Way
isn’t true, either. Suppressors can help speed up velocity. Lastly, it’s commonly believed that buying a silencer is too complicated. Again, this is false. “Silencer Central has simplified the process,” Maddox said. “All you need to do is submit the requested information and wait for your silencer to be shipped to your front door.” SIMPLIFYING THE PROCESS As with most things firearms-related, buyers must go through a process to purchase a silencer. Fortunately, Silencer Central simplifies the process. First, of those old enough to purchase one, be sure that silencers are legal to own in your state. As previously mentioned, according to Maddox, these are federally regulated by the ATF and are legal to own in 42 states and legal to hunt with in 40 of those. “A customer can purchase online at silencercentral.com, by calling our silencer experts at 888-781-8778, or by finding us at a trade show,” Maddox said. “Our silencer experts will help the customer find the right suppressor and set up an interest-free payment plan to pay while you wait. Customers submit their personal information including fingerprints and digital photo. Silencer Central generates the paperwork for the customer to sign digitally and then submits the application to the ATF. Once the silencer is approved, we ship directly to your front door.” It really is as simple as that four-step process. The worst part is the wait. “The ATF is currently sitting at a 7-9 month waiting period,” Maddox said. “Silencer Central submits the application to the ATF as soon as we have all personal information, including fingerprints, photo, and digital signatures. Once the ATF approves the application, we ship the silencer to their front door.” In addition to that, it’s important to maximize your suppressor ownership. This is something many people fail to do. “One mistake that most people make is not choosing an NFA Gun Trust,” Maddox said. “The benefit of the trust is you can choose your inheritors when you pass away. It also allows you to share your silencer with other family or friends who are age 18 or older. You can easily add members to your trust after your silencer has been approved. Silencer Central customers only need to fill out a form and have it notarized, then submit a copy. It is free and easy.” FINDING THE RIGHT SILENCER Once you’ve decided to purchase a silencer, it’s time to select the right one. That includes choosing a company to purchase it through. There are things a potential buyer should know about before selecting a specific retailer and silencer. “Many local dealers are very well educated in selling firearms, but they do not [always] understand the ATF process for selling or purchasing a silencer. This can create issues with missing or incorrect information within the application, resulting in a delayed approval,” Maddox said. “At Silencer Central, silencers are all we do. Our simple process guarantees your information and application will be correctly submitted to the ATF. We are experts in the Form 4 application process, so much so that we are currently assisting the ATF in testing a new eForms application.
The Banish 30 (Photo courtesy of Banish Suppressors)
56 DECEMBER 2021 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237
“Our silencer experts will assist the customer by asking which firearms they own and in what calibers,” Maddox continued. “This information will help our experts narrow down the best silencers for the customer’s firearm. Silencer Central’s Banish suppressor products are all multi-cali-
How to Get a Suppressor the Easy Way
Finding the right suppressor for you and your gun should be the hardest part of the process. But oftentimes, it isn’t. (Photo courtesy of Banish Suppressors)
ber and work on many different firearms. This benefit allows the customer to have one silencer to use on different guns.” And don’t forget to look at your budget. There are also fees in addition to the silencer itself. “Aside from the cost of the silencer(s) and accessories, customers are required to purchase a $200 Federal Tax stamp for each suppressor,” Maddox said. “The federal tax stamp has remained unchanged since 1934.” For those who have decided on purchasing a silencer, there are many options, and what you select will vary based on your firearm, and your needs. That said, in many cases, the new Banish 30 is a great option for those looking for a new silencer (https://www.silencercentral.com/ products/banish-30/). Made from strong titanium alloy, it’s very durable and lightweight, weighing only 13 ounces in the long configuration and 10 ounces in the short configuration. Measuring nine inches holding eight baffles, it can also break down and assemble into a seven inch configuration with six baffles. It’s made to do its job well, too, which is to suppress as much sound as possible. According to Banish, it reduces the report of a .308 by a minimum of 34 decibels. It is extremely versatile and can be configured for .17 to .30-caliber rifles. It retails for $979. “Silencer Central offers an interest-free, no-fee payment plan with just 25% down and three monthly payments so you can pay while you wait,” Maddox said. “We also generate a free NFA gun trust.” That seems like a pretty simplified suppressor purchasing process.
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What Should You Do First if Your Boat Runs Aground BY WILLIAM KENDY
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LIFESTYLE As a boat owner one of the facts of boating life is that one day, regardless of how much you maintain your boat and practice safe boating, you will have a problem. That problem may be an engine malfunction, an accident or even running aground in shallow water. Ok, so you up and ran your boat aground and are stuck. Now what? Capt. Mac McLean from TowBoatUS specializes in helping boaters and anglers get out of “on the water” problems. Based out of Pensacola, he services the Gulf region from Navarre Bridge west and east of the Bon Secour area. He can help boaters with issues up to about 40 miles offshore. “I cover all of the inland waterways, the rivers, bays and offshore as well so it is both freshwater and saltwater within that area,” McLean said. McLean states that obviously, the best way that boaters can avoid running aground is to do “due diligence” to make sure that they have a good knowledge of the area in which they are going to be boating. That includes looking at charts, whether hard copy or electronic, and noting water depths, sandbars or other obstructions that could pose a hazard. He also advises that it makes sense to tune into local forums to see if there is any discussion about areas where people are having regular problems. In addition, he advises boaters to invest in a good chartplotter and depth sounder for their boat and learn how to use them. “That way you have an idea of where you are in location to the area where your boat is actually at. As long as you are able to use the machine and know how it works and you are following it and paying attention to your depth sounder that should be good for the most of it unless you hit some sort of unforeseen obstruction,” McLean explained. McLean pointed out that since he has been in the business of helping boaters get out of jams for years he has a knowledge of areas that he covers that pose some challenges to boaters who aren’t familiar with the local waterways. “I like it when people call when they come to visit my area and aren’t familiar with it and ask me what they need to look out for because, honestly, there are probably not many more people than me who actually know where people go aground and it is pretty consistent within the area and happens in the same places,” McLean said. WHAT ARE THE CONDITIONS THAT RUN UP RED FLAGS? McLean points out that boaters should be cognizant of location and the level of risk. If you are out in open water or areas with sandy bottoms there is a lot more room for error. On the other hand if you are up a river or even in an oyster bed and it shows that you are in two to three feet of water you need to take into consideration tide conditions and other things and adapt to a changing environment.. While it seems simple, he also cautions boaters to slow down. “If you have a hard north wind and it blows all of the water
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What Should You Do First if Your Boat Runs Aground
back out of the bayou area and you know that {where you are} it is supposed to be two or three feet that doesn’t mean it is going to be, so people will get stranded in those areas because they get up during high tide and then the water goes out,” McClean explained. “Slow down when you’re navigating unfamiliar waters. It is a lot easier to recover from an accident at slow speeds.”:
emergency service.”
OK, FOR WHATEVER REASON, YOU RAN AGROUND. NOW WHAT? McLean points out that the first thing you should do is make sure that your boat is secure and then do an assessment of the passengers. He says that if you don’t first secure the craft you may cause additional damage and put passengers at risk.
Your boat is grounded. Everyone is accounted for and uninjured. You have a handle on the situation. According to McLean the very first thing you need to do is make sure that you are not taking on water. The next step is to determine what you are grounded on. Is it sand, mud, rocks or are you sitting high and dry in the middle of an island? There are a lot of different scenarios.
For example, if you hit the beach and are sitting high and dry you pretty much know you are not going to sink. Shut off the motor so you don’t risk catching the boat on fire because there is no water flowing through the engine to cool it down. You also don’t have a spinning propeller off the rear which, if someone is in the water, could put them at risk.. Once the boat is secured, know your location and situation then you concentrate on your passengers.
“There are some things you can recover from, like a light grounding where all you may have to do is lighten the boat up a little bit, turn the outboard up, push the boat out and keep on going,” McLean said. “But if you don’t know what you are doing and, in a situation where you don’t know what to do next, call a professional. If you have towing service it won’t cost you anything anyway. Otherwise you run the risk of doing damage to your vessel or injuring someone in the process.”
“If you are close to the surf, rocks or something like that, toss out the anchor and once you have your boat in a decently secure situation then you can start looking around to make sure everyone is present and ok,” he said. “Then it is a matter of trying to figure out whether your condition is something you can handle or whether you have to call a professional or
WHAT IS THE PROCESS FOR CALLING A PROFESSIONAL AND WHAT CONSTITUTES AN EMERGENCY.? McLean says that boaters have to remain calm, understand and get a rational handle on their situation and then reach out appropriately to the correct service based on that evaluation. He has found that many
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“When something like this happens to someone their mind is going in 20 different directions so they have to slow it down and be a little bit more prepared and assess the situation so they can move forward,” McLean added.
What Should You Do First if Your Boat Runs Aground
If you are really stuck, don‘t risk it. Call a professional.
boaters who are in a jam need direction as to what to do and who to call and he welcomes their calls for advice. “I don’t mind anybody calling me just because you don’t have my service doesn’t mean that you can’t utilize it or that I can’t give you advice on how to move forward because in the end you know this is my hometown. I live here, I have lived here and I’m not going anywhere. I don’t mind helping people out and if I can help somebody get underway under their own power and save their day and continue boating then I’m happy to do so,” McLean concluded. “There’s two sides of that coin too because a lot of times if I help somebody that way and then they need me for another service they’ll call me because they know me and they know I tried to help them. Don’t hesitate to call a local tower.” In conclusion, McLean emphasized the importance of preparation in terms of what you need to do when you run aground or have a boating emergency. Foretold is forearmed and practice makes perfect. “One of the most important things is to be able to tell somebody who you are, where you are at and what your situation is because the more accurate you can be with your description the better chance we have at finding you or dispatching coast guard to find you if need be,” McLean said. Contact Information TowBoatUSA Pensacola Captain Mac McLean www.boatus.com/towboatus/pensacola 800-391-4869 850-453-3775 877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // DECEMBER 2021 61
FISHING TOURNAMENTS NEAR YOU
Fishing Tournaments
near you
KBF Challenge Series - Dec State Challenge
Format: A month long CPR (catch-photo-release) online “virtual” tournament in which bass are photographed on an approved measuring board along with an Event Identifier Card then uploaded via the Fishing Chaos App. Minimum length: 12.00” Number of Fish: 5 Number of Photos Scored: There’s no limit to the number you may submit; fish with lower scores are automatically replaced by those with higher scores. The score of all photos remaining on the Leader Board at end of competition (up to five in this Challenge) are added to give each Competitor’s score. December 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021
Fairhope Fishing Team “Angler of the year” CPR tournament Angler of the year tournament. September 24, 2021-May 20, 2022
Baldwin Strong Tournament Series 2021-2022
The Baldwin Strong youth fishing tournament series is an online (CPR) catch, photo, release fishing tournament for anyone 18 years old and younger. A CPR tournament is a length-based tournament format quickly growing in popularity where participants capture a photo of the fish on a bump board or measuring device and submit the photo to the tournament. The Token is required to be visible (written on hand or paper) within all photos submitted (NO PHOTO EDITING ALLOWED) The tournament series will consist of 8 month-long tournaments from October 2021 to May 2022 with competitive categories and prizes each month with the Master Angler awarded at the conclusion of the tournament! All participants are encouraged to log every fish caught, as we will have random prize giveaways. October 1, 2021-May 31, 2022
KBF & FC with Bucketmouth Brand MEMBERS ONLY event Big Bass Tournament 20” plus • Grand Prize – BlueSky Boatworks Angler 360 • Second Place – Jackson Kayak (Model TBD) • Third Place – Jackson Kayak (Model TBD) • Monthly Prize Packs, Mystery Fish and Bounty Fish March 15, 2021-December 31, 2021
For a full list of tournaments, rules, and prizes, check out https://app.fishingchaos.com/tournament 62 DECEMBER 2021 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237
Serving gardeners, farmers and everyone in between
®
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BY HANK SHAW Photos by Holly A. Heyser
Venison Pot Roast, Polish Style Prep: 20 mins • Cook: 3 hours • Total: 3 hrs 20 mins Ingredients
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1 bottle of red wine 6 to 10 allspice berries, cracked 6 to 10 black peppercorns, cracked 3 bay leaves A 2 ½ to 4-pound neck roast, boned or bone-in Salt 1 cup flour 3 tablespoons paprika 1 tablespoon cayenne (optional) ¼ cup lard, bacon fat or cooking oil 2 onions, sliced root to tip 2 celery stalks, diced 3 carrots, cut into large chunks 2 parsnips, cut into large chunks 3 Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into chunks 1 rutabaga or 2 turnips, peeled and cut into chunks Black pepper to taste Sour cream, for garnish
Instructions
1. Bring the wine, allspice, black peppercorns and bay
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leaves to a boil. Turn off the heat and let the marinade cool to room temperature. When it’s cool, submerge the venison neck in the marinade and keep in the fridge overnight, or up to 4 days. Mix the flour, paprika and cayenne (if using) together in a large bowl or shallow container large enough to hold the neck roast. Pat the meat dry with paper towels and salt it well. Coat it in the flour-paprika mixture. Heat the lard in a large Dutch oven or other heavy, lidded pot and brown the meat. With a typical neck roast you will need to cut it into two pieces to get it to fit the pot. Brown one piece and then remove while you brown the other. If you are using a bone-in neck, just turn the meat to brown all sides. When the meat has browned, remove it from the pot and set aside for a moment. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Add the sliced onions to the pot and brown them well, stirring occasionally. This should take about 8 minutes. Add 2 cups of the marinade and bring it to a boil. Add the venison back to the pot, along with 2 cups of water. Bring to a simmer, cover the pot and cook in the oven for 1 1/2 hours. After 1 1/2 hours have elapsed, add the root vegetables and celery and continue to cook for another 1 ½ hours, or until the meat is falling apart and the root vegetables are tender. Remove the meat and set on a cutting board. Slice roughly or pull the meat off the bones. Taste the sauce and add salt if it needs it. Add black pepper to taste and serve with the meat and vegetables, with a dollop of sour cream alongside.
CAMPHOUSE KITCHEN
Wild Rice Pilaf with Duck Prep: 30 mins • Cook: 30 mins • Total: 1 hour
2.
Ingredients WILD RICE PILAF • A handful of dried mushrooms, about 1/2 ounce • 2 cups hot water • 3 tablespoons duck fat, sunflower oil or butter • 1 cup minced onion • 1 1/2 cups wild rice • 1/2 cup toasted walnuts • 1/2 cup dried cranberries • 3 cups duck stock or chicken stock • Salt and black pepper • 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley • A healthy drizzle of good oil, such as squash seed oil or sunflower oil DUCK • 1 to 2 pounds skin-on duck breasts • Salt • 1 tablespoon duck fat • Black pepper • A drizzle of pontack or balsamic vinegar Instructions 1. Take the duck breasts out of the fridge and salt them well. Set aside for now. Soak the dried mushrooms in the hot water and set aside for 20 minutes. When the mushrooms are soft
3. 4.
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enough, chop them well. Strain the soaking water through a paper towel that has been set inside a sieve. Save the water for cooking the rice. Heat the duck fat for the rice in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Sauté the onions until they are just beginning to brown on the edges, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and rice and sauté another minute or two. Add the dried cranberries, then the stock and 1 cup of the soaking water. Add salt to taste. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook until the rice is cooked, about 20 minutes. You might need to drain the rice; different rices soak up different amounts of liquid while cooking. Drain and move to a large bowl. Add the walnuts and parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle the oil over the pilaf and mix well. Pat the duck breasts dry with paper towels. Put the remaining duck fat into a large frying pan. If your ducks are fat, turn the heat to medium-high and lay the duck breasts in the pan as soon as the fat melts. If your ducks are skinny, wait until the pan is hot before putting in the duck breasts. Cook the duck breasts skin side down at a steady sizzle (think about how bacon sounds when it’s cooking and you have the idea), until the skin has browned nicely, about 5 to 8 minutes. Turn the breasts and cook on the meat side for 2 to 4 minutes, using the finger test for doneness to determine; you are looking for medium-rare. Take the duck breasts out and grind black pepper over them. Let them rest for 5 to 8 minutes before slicing. Drizzle some pontack or balsamic vinegar over them before serving with the rice and a vegetable of your choice. 877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // DECEMBER 2021 65
CHRISTMAS GIFTS BY WILLIAM KENDY
Mike Ward’s Liberty Safes
Mike Ward’s Liberty Safes provides residential and commercial safes to the entire southeast area with the largest selection of safes on the Gulf Coast with three locations: Mobile, Al, D’iberville, Ms. and Baton Rouge, La. Mike Ward’s stocks American made safes from Liberty, Browning, American Security, Fort Knox and Rhino Metals. They also deliver purchases up to 50 miles for one low price and have technicians ready to help customers with issues. Suggested Retail Price: Depends on model www.mwliberty.com
Mo’betta Jerk Rig
The hand-made Mo’betta Jerk Rig from Tensaw Lake Outdoors is the perfect gift for your avid duck hunter. The premium red oak handle is ergonomic, attractive, durable, and it floats. The 100 ft. main line is tough and won’t snap if you trip over it or jerk a little too enthusiastically. Achieve more motion in your decoys thanks to the 10 ft. length of military grade bungee cord and strong clips allow you to place your decoys where you want them. Regular price: $50.00 ww.tensawelakeoutdoors.com
Casuarina Sunglasses
Description: The cat eye-style sunglass frame endures because it works so well to enhance lens area and reduce glare—and looks good doing it. The large lens keeps the frame from the field of vision, while Bajío’s polarized lenses with proprietary LAPIS technology block 95% of blue light, reducing eye strain for improved clarity in extremely bright or challenging light conditions. Features: Medium fit / Medium 6-base wrap design / Generous non-slip rubber nose pads Suggested Retail Price: $199 Polycarbonate/$249 Glass Lenses www.bajiosunglasses.com
SPOT-X 2 Way Satellite Messenger
Never worry about loved ones’ safety out in the wilderness again. Using GPS satellite technology, SPOT tracks your assets, sends/receives messages, sends your GPS position/status, marks waypoints, tracks your progress and notifies search and rescue officials in the event of an emergency. When you’re off the grid or beyond reliable cellular coverage, SPOT X connects to your smart phone via Bluetooth wireless technology. Exchange messages/emails, send S.O.S., track your journey, check-in and access a compass. Suggested Retail Price: $249.99 https://www.findmespot.com/en-us/
Hook, Line, and Supper
Quite possibly the only fish and seafood cookbook you’ll ever need, from the author of the James Beard Award–winning website Hunter Angler Gardener Cook. Hook, Line, and Supper zeroes in on broad categories of fish, both freshwater and saltwater, that can substitute for each other, and provides clear techniques and carefully developed master recipes that will help you become a more competent and complete fish and seafood cook. Suggested Retail Price: $32.95 https://honest-food.net/hank-shaw-books/
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CHRISTMAS GIFTS FOR OUTDOORSMEN
100% Natural, Reef-Friendly Sunscreen
Specifically designed and formulated for anglers and outdoor enthusiasts. A must have for anglers. Natural sunscreen by Reeler’s Shield. Say yes to skin protection say no to skin cancer. Buy two get one free if you use code greatday1 at checkout. www.reelers-shield.com
Hunting Attractant Made for Hunters
Hypnotik is an all-season calming deer attractant with a unique combination and blending of bedding areas and deer scents which calms bucks and does alike while masking human odors. Hypnotik Plus is the rut phase product which features Estrus and designed to be used in real and mock buck scrapes, ground trees, shrubbery and leaves to draw in bucks. Suggested Retail Price: $19.00 www.shadowmajikoutdoors.com
Slam 8 Fish Cleaning Canopy by KillerDock
Finally a fish cleaning station that is both functional AND beautiful. It’s built in the USA from marine grade aluminum and then ceramic coated to make cleaning up easier and to protect it from the environment. Every model has built-in hose stations and King Starboard cutting surface. You choose from multiple table draining options, mounting base types, and other add-ons like sinks and lights. Both canopy and noncanopy models available, in different widths. Suggested Retail Price: starting at $3,995 www.killerdock.com
Black Belt Bounty
Celebrating the heritage and traditions of hunting and fishing in Alabama’s famed Black Belt region This deluxe hardcover coffee table book is filled with striking images from some of todays most gifted wildlife photographers and artists and their visual offerings are perfectly counterbalanced by words from an impressive bevy of outdoor writers and recipes from some of Alabama’s awardwinning celebrity chefs. www.alabamablackbeltadventures.org/blackbeltbountybook
New On-line “Shopping Mall” for Hunting Equipment
If you are looking to buy and sell used and even new hunting equipment, look no further. The Hunting Exchange is a new on-line service that can help you find what you are looking for, from boots to bows and arrows, decoys, optics, treestands and blinds and more. Plus, if you have hunting gear that you want to sell, listing and selling it online is easy and safe. For more information go to www.hunting-exchange.com.
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Head to State Parks or Hunting Lands During the Holidays
The Parade of Lights will float past Joe Wheeler State Park on December 12 to celebrate the Christmas season. ADCNR photo
The celebration of the Christmas season abounds across our great state, and Alabama State Parks will again join in the festivities with a variety of programs and activities. Although our beautiful State Parks are great places to visit during any season, numerous parks make the extra effort to ensure the Christmas season is special. BY CHRIS BLANKENSHIP Commissioner of the Alabama Department of Conservation & Natural Resources
The holiday celebrations begin in November with Wonderland Under Warrior at Rickwood Caverns State Park near Warrior, just north of Birmingham. Park staff will transform the cave into an underground winter wonderland. Santa will greet visitors in the cave, which will be decorated in Christmas lights. Wonderland Under Warrior will be open on most days through January 2, 2022, but will be closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Go to www.alapark. com/parks/rickwood-caverns-state-park for the calendar and Santa’s hours. Admission is
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$12 for ages 5 and up. The limestone cave is estimated to be about 260 million years old. Even if it’s cold outside, a great feature of the cave is it’s temperature is around 62 degrees all year long. A trip through the cave is a great way to get some exercise. The cave is about a mile long with a path of 4,962 feet that descends 175 feet underground. It takes about 45 minutes to an hour to take the tour of the caverns. Other cave features include the Bridal Room where couples can exchange wedding vows, the Diamond Room named for the sparkling quartz and mineral deposits on the ceiling, and the formations in the Animal Room that appear to be different animals – a rabbit, bear, alligator, shark and Dachshund dog. The caverns have an abundance of the expected stalagmites and stalactites as well as beehive formations, quartz, and calcite and flowstone.
FROM THE COMMISSIONER Rickwood has 13 improved campsites with water and electricity and five tent sites with just water. While we’re on the subject of caverns, I’d like to congratulate the staff at Cathedral Caverns State Park for a recent award from the Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association (AMLA). Cathedral Caverns, southeast of Huntsville near Woodville, received one of the 2021 PEAK Awards, which honor standout individuals and entities for their contributions to North Alabama’s $2.6 billion tourism industry. Cathedral Caverns was selected as Attraction of the Year. Back to the Christmas festivities, one of the most cherished events of the Christmas season is the Parade of Lights at Joe Wheeler State Park near Rogersville on December 12. The 47th annual event can be viewed from Daniella’s Restaurant, outside along the banks between the lodge and marina or from a lodge room balcony. A holiday buffet will be served at Daniella’s beginning at 4 p.m. The boats, adorned with a wide array of lights and Christmas decorations, will start the parade along the Tennessee River at 6 p.m.
Goose hunters for the 2021-2022 season will also enjoy a liberal season with a daily bag limit of five dark geese (Canada, white-fronted or Brant). Unlike previous seasons, the bag limit of five can include all Canadas or Brants. The light goose (snow, blue and Ross’s) bag limit is also five birds per day. Small game hunting also abounds during December with squirrel, rabbit, dove and bobwhite quail seasons open. Small-game hunting is a perfect way to introduce someone to Alabama’s great outdoors. Choose one of our beautiful parks to explore during the holiday season or head to the woods and enjoy the abundant hunting opportunities. Merry Christmas!
Lake Guntersville State Park will hold a Cookies and Ornament with Santa program from 2-4 p.m. on December 11. Participants can make ornaments for the family tree and celebrate with cookies with Santa at the Gathering Place. The cost is $5, and you can pre-register by emailing Heather.McCann@dcnr.alabama.gov. Santa will also be hanging out at the Lodge from 6-8 p.m. on December 4, 11 and 18. Lake Guntersville also caters to those who want to enjoy a fantastic meal on Christmas Day but don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen preparing the meal. The Christmas buffet includes the traditional holiday fare of chicken, ham and roast beef with a variety of sides and desserts. The park also offers a weekend getaway for two, which includes two nights in a lodge room with stunning views of beautiful Lake Guntersville and two tickets to the Christmas buffet. Wind Creek State Park near Alexander City will celebrate Christmas at the Creek with the overnight guests at the park from December 10-12 at the Wind Creek Clubhouse and Field. On December 18, a Happy Holiday Ornament Craft program will be held at Wind Creek Clubhouse. Oak Mountain State Park near Pelham, the state’s largest at 9,940 acres, will hold a Santa on the Farm event from 1-3 p.m. on December 11 at the Oak Mountain Demonstration Farm.
g, n i t n u H , e s n Defe ical t c a T , g n i t o o Sh
Don’t forget about the Alabama State Park Gift Cards that can be used as stocking stuffers. Any amount can be put on the gift cards, which can be purchased from the Parks website at www.alapark.com. HOLIDAY HUNTING OPPORTUNITIES For those who cherish hunting in Alabama during the holiday season, hunters will have the opportunity to pursue just about every wild game species available in our great state. White-tailed deer season will be in full swing. Judging from the number of huge bucks seen on social media last season, the deer hunting in Alabama is only getting better. While those bucks are considered trophies to many hunters, a trophy deer is in the eyes of the beholder. To a youngster or new hunter, any harvested deer is a trophy. The waterfowl seasons also come back in on December 4 and run through January 30, 2022. Duck hunters will again enjoy a liberal bag limit of six ducks per day than can be any combination of four mallards (no more than two of which may be female), three wood ducks, one mottle duck, two black ducks, two redheads, one pintail, two canvasbacks and one scaup.
AR’s purpose built to suit your needs Building purpose driven firearms for what you want to do. Small family owned modern sporting rifle manufacturer.
850-832-2238 877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // DECEMBER 2021 69
The Outdoors in Alabama is Open to Everyone
Regardless of age, race, gender, or your background, the outdoors in Alabama is always open! It seems like everywhere you turn these days the words “Diversity”, “Equity”, and “Inclusion” are there. They are ever so present in the world I live in dealing with state and federal wildlife conservation agencies, and It’s no great secret that, historically, most hunters, fishermen, and target shooters were white males. However, as the diversity of the population of Alabama increases, the diversity among outdoors enthusiasts is diversifying at an even faster pace.
BY CHARLES “CHUCK” SYKES Director of the Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries (WFF)
The Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division (WFF) has a number of outreach, recruitment, and retention programs geared to increase the numbers of hunters, anglers, and recreational shooters in our state. WFF remained committed to its outreach programs and activities this year despite the ongoing challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. During the first three quarters of fiscal year 2020-2021, our Wildlife, Fisheries, and Conservation Enforcement personnel were involved in 126 events that served 15,744 participants. Females made up 47% of those participants, and 22% were persons of color. What do those numbers mean? Just because
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we reached more than 15,000 people, with approximately half of them being female and/ or people of color, are we really making a difference? Is simply being there enough? In my opinion numbers don’t matter if you aren’t accomplishing a goal. Our goal isn’t just to say we’ve put the Department in front of a diverse audience. Our goal is to make a positive impact on all citizens we interact with. In this article, I’d like to share the stories of two men who have participated in many of our programs and how these programs have impacted their lives. Terrance Marshall is an Alabama Corrections officer who lives in Clayton, Alabama. Terrance is a fairly avid fisherman but wanted to branch out into other outdoor activities. So, he attended a WFF Hunter Education sponsored shooting sports field day in September of 2016. At this field day, Terrance participated in trap, shotgun, and rifle shooting and learned about the other outdoor recreational events hosted by WFF. Over the next several years, Terrance and his family participated in many of those Department hosted events. With his increased interest in outdoor recreation, Terrance began to hunt with friends and family. Success didn’t come easy
FROM THE DIRECTOR during his first year of learning to hunt. Once again, Terrance turned to WFF to help him along his journey. In 2019, WFF organized an event with the Alabama Conservation Enforcement Officers Association and a local hunting lodge to offer mentored hunts for adults with limited hunting experience. Terrance signed up for the event. In addition to being taken on a hunt, Adult Mentored Hunting (AMH) participants are given instruction on scouting, stand placement, white-tailed deer biology and management, firearms safety, and many other useful topics for novice hunters. Terrance also attended several other AMH workshops and shooting sports field days hosted by our Division. With his confidence growing as a hunter, Terrance has purchased rifles and shotguns and has begun using Alabama’s Wildlife Management Area (WMA) system. He is now an active participant in both hunting and fishing. He is an annual license buyer and a yearly contributor to the federal excise tax system of conservation funding. Terrance has come a long way from non-hunter to avid hunter. So, what’s next for Terrance on his outdoors journey? He just closed on a 114-acre tract of land where he can share his love of the outdoors with friends and family. Terrance credits WFF programs with making the changes in his life possible. Like Terrance, Kevin Kurtz has developed a passion for the outdoors because of WFF outreach programs. Kevin is a retired Naval officer from Tampa, Florida, and his son, Nathan, attends Auburn University. While visiting Nathan in Auburn, he attended an Adult Mentored Hunting program seminar. After the seminar, Kevin researched the program and registered both himself and Nathan for a one-day WMA hunting workshop. Keep in mind neither of them had ever hunted. The one-day workshop left them wanting to learn more, so they signed up for a three-day AMH weekend
at Portland Landing SOA. Kevin and Nathan were both successful in harvesting their first deer at the event, and they each learned valuable techniques for scouting, game care, and how to properly prepare a wild game meal. Now, like Terrance, Kevin is an active participant in conservation. He is a firearms owner and license buyer and proud new owner of 120 acres in Alabama. Kevin says the WFF programs he and Nathan attended were “life-changing,” and they are extremely grateful for the opportunity to participate. In the stories I’ve shared with you, one man is African American and the other is Caucasian. Both men came from different backgrounds, participated in the same program, and emerged with the same outcome. WFF’s programs are available to all Alabamians. Terrance and Kevin are just two of the many success stories that demonstrate the impacts that WFF outreach programs are having on future hunters and anglers. Both men have found an outdoor recreational pastime they not only enjoy but also are heavily invested in for themselves and their families. To me, WFF is accomplishing the goals of our programs. We continue to make positive impacts on the lives of many who are interested in outdoor recreation but don’t know how to get started on their journeys. For example, the AMH program, in its six years of existence, has reached more than 400 participants from almost a dozen states, with multiple nationalities, ethnic groups, genders, and backgrounds represented. Our programs are open to everyone who wishes to learn, and our staff ensures that all participants feel welcome and included. So if you or someone you know wishes to learn about hunting, fishing or target shooting, invite them with you on your next outing and encourage them to take a look at the outreach programs hosted by WFF at www.outdooralabama.com.
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All I Want for Christmas... Wish List for Kayak Anglers
I am sure that I can safely say that ALL of the kayak anglers on the Gulf Coast region have been very good this past year, and therefore, they should be in line for some really good presents under the tree. There are millions of things which kayak anglers might want and be able to use, but we’ve worked hard to come up with a list of kayak fishing gifts that cover a wide range of gear, equipment, and other needed kayak stuff.
BY ED MASHBURN Photos by Ed Mashburn
ESSENTIAL STUFF LIST New PFD- Absolute Outdoor Onyx Manual Inflatable Vest Of all the gear kayak anglers buy and use, there’s no more important bit of gear than a personal flotation device that the angler will actually wear. A PFD can keep minor mishaps from becoming headlines on tonight’s news. A nice Christmas present for a kayak angler is the Absolute Outdoor Onyx Manual Inflatable PFD. This device weighs a pound, it is small
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and easy to wear, and it only takes five second to inflate into full life-saving configuration when the manual tag is pulled. Made of 100% polyester the Oxford cloth and neoprene materials of this PFD are tough and easy to clean. There are reflectors on the PFD, and the soft neckline of this unit means it will be comfortable to wear on those long kayak fishing trips. Once triggered, the PFD holds pressure for 48 hours, and it can be re-armed after use. At 129.99, this PFD is more expensive than some, but if it does its job once, it would be considered pretty cheap by most anglers. New Paddle- Bending Branches Angler Classic- 2 Piece A good, well-made paddle makes more difference to a paddle propelled fishing kayak’s utility and success than just about any other element. Bending Branches is a class American-made paddle company in Wisconsin, and their Angler classic Two-Piece Paddle would make a great holiday gift for just about any kayak angler. This paddle has an ovalized fiberglass shaft for light weight, strength and comfort in use, and the blades can be feathered from 0 d to 60
PADDLE FISHING degrees on the shaft. There is a telescoping ferrule for extra length available. The blades are made of reinforced polymer and provide 95 square inches of blade contact to the water. There is a built-in hook retrieval notch put in the blade to help get back those snagged lures. The blades come in orange and green choices, and the paddle weighs only 34 ounces. At 139.95, this is a great gift. New Power Drive- Torqeedo Now, here is something pretty nice for a kayak angler: The Torqeedo Ultralight 403A system is designed for kayak use, and it is something special. I have seen this system move a hard-fishing kayak angler all day in which he covered miles of water, and the battery power source was still nowhere near exhausted. This system weighs 8.8 kilograms (19.4 pounds) and includes the remarkable lithium battery, which also floats. The unit produces one horsepower equivalent, it has a range of up to 35 miles on a charge. This electric motor system comes complete with the charger, throttle, onboard computer, GPS based range calculator, and emergency magnetic kill switch. Unlike many other “trolling Motor” setups for kayak use, this Torqeedo unit has a new angler mount system with tilt and park mechanism, and the unit is easy to mount on almost all fishing kayaks. This potential Christmas gift is not cheap, it’s $1,799, but it is one of the most amazing products for kayak fishing that has come down the road yet. COOL GEAR LIST Bubba Blade Cordless Electric Fillet Knife- Now sometimes we catch enough fish on our kayaks to bring some home for a great fresh fish meal. But cleaning a mess of fish with most fillet knives is not pleasant, especially when the knife gets some edge and loss of edge. Electric fillet knives are great, but there is a constant worry about the knife, its electric cord, and water coming in close contact. The Bubba Blade Cordless electric Fillet knife takes care of the worry. The lithium-ion battery powered knife has a safety lock and trigger guard, and the batteries indicate remaining power charge. The knife comes with seven, nine and eleven inch blades to cover any size fish cleaning job. The package includes the knife and a handy carrying case and it weighs just a little over one pound. For those anglers who catch and clean a lot of fish, the $189.99 price will soon be recovered in ease of cleaning and safety of the battery system.
construction. A lot of thought went into designing the hood of this suit. The Speed-Vent Hood of this set eliminates neck pain and keeps the hood in position without strain. The double dry cuffs keep water seepage down the angler’s arms from soaking in. The YKK Aquagard chest zipper keeps water out, and reinforced utility pockets keep storage secure. The jacket also features reflective logos and other reflective points in case of night time use. At $449, this suit is not cheap, but it should last a very long time and keep the kayak angler dry for a long time, too. Wool Socks There are few things more unpleasant than trying to kayak fish with wet, cold feet. Regular cotton socks don’t do a bit of good to keep feet warm when they get wet, but one fiber does- wool. Kayak anglers will appreciate a pair of PHD Pro Wader Socks from Smartwool. These socks were originally designed to keep Alaskan waders warm in frigid water, and they will work just fine on Gulf Coast winter waters, too. These socks are made of a special Indestructa Wool technology, and have seamless toes, extra cushioning, and mesh channels to promote breathability when moisture gets to the feet. At $29.00, these socks will be welcomed by any cool-weather kayak angler. Fish Monkey Gloves Kayak anglers need sun protection, and this is especially true for our hands. A lightweight, good-grip pair of fishing gloves can also make long-distance paddling a lot easier on the hands. Fish Monkey FM 11- Half Finger Guide Gloves are just the ticket. With espoused fingertips to allow good sensation when tying knots and unhooking fish, these gloves serve kayak angler’s needs well. Providing UPF- 50+ sun protection and with long cuffs to cover forearms, these synthetic leather palm gloves are non-slip and made of quick-dry fabric. When wet, these gloves conform to the natural shape and size of the angler’s hands. At 29.95, these gloves are a fine, affordable Christmas present that will be appreciated by any kayak angler. NEW AND NEEDED GEAR New Rod- B’nM’ Salt Series Inshore Rod There are lots of good inshore fishing rods for kayak use, but a new line of inshore rods from a classic Southern rod maker really deserves a close look.
Dry suit- AFTCO Barricade Elite 4L Waterproof System Most kayak anglers are willing to endure a little rain while on the water, but let’s face it, wet fishing is not much fun. A good waterproof drysuit can turn the worst rainy, chilly day into a good day for fishing on the kayak.
The Sam’s Super Salt Series of inshore rods from B’nM’ Poles brings a lot to the table for kayak anglers. Strong one-piece graphite construction with stainless guides and real Portuguese cork handles and a rubber butt cap for comfort when fighting big fish all work together to make a superior inshore rod for kayak anglers.
The AFTCO Barricade Elite 4L Waterproof system is a top of the line dry suit which features jacket and bib overalls made of 100% nylon, four-layer
Made in both spinning and baitcasting configurations, this line of rods is perfect for kayak anglers. We have worked the pre-sale samples we were 877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // DECEMBER 2021 73
Paddle Fishing
sent by B’nM’ Poles hard, and we have been very impressed with the build and strength of these rods.
Important Contact Information
For a list price of $84.99, this series of rods deserves some holiday gift consideration for any kayak angler.
AFTCO 1-877-489-4278 customercare@aftco.com
And Last, but not Least… A New Kayak Hobie fishing kayaks are top of the line fishing craft, and they represent just about the most advanced design, build, and materials of all kayaks intended for fishing. But here’s something very different. How about a Hobie fishing kayak that can be rolled up, loaded in a bag and taken just about anywhereeven aboard commercial airliners? The new Hobie iTrek Ultralight Kayak is an inflatable, light weight, but totally functional fishing kayak. This new design features perched elevated seating, the world-famous Hobie Mirage drive for pedal-power, an integrated rudder with either side steering. The hull is made of drop-stitch construction for extra strength, and features a triple chamber hull for safety and stability. The boat comes with both a hand pump and high volume electric pump for inflation and deflation. The boat is rated for 400 pound load capacity. All of this, and the boat weighs 28 pounds and packs away into a roller-duffle bag which can be loaded in smaller places- even airline holds. Although this kayak is not cheap, at $2,799, it is not out of line with other top of the line kayaks, and being able to take it almost anywhere for fishing use opens up the whole world for some lucky kayak anglers.
Bubba Blade www.bubba.com/knives Absolute Outdoor PFD www.onyxoutdoor.com Angler Classic Paddle www.bendingbranches.com Torqeedo Ultralight 403A Motor www.torqeedo.com/us/en-us/outboards Hobie iTrek Kayak www.hobie.com/kayaks Sam’s Super Salt Series Rods wwwbnmpoles.com Fish Monkey Gloves www.fishmonkeygloves.com PhD Pro Wader Socks www.smartwool.com
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Gulf Coast Fishing Outlook
Sheepshead will be a popular target this month throughout our region. - photo courtesy Chris Vecsey
Whether you like winter or not, December is always something to look forward to. The final month of the year means time with family and time on the water if you know where to look. The winter patterns have set in and that means you won’t have to go far to find the action. MISSISSIPPI Mississippi’s barrier islands will still see their days, but this month is all about the vast numbers of inshore channels, bayous and creeks. As with all inshore species along the northern gulf coast this time of year, gamefish will be seeking two things; forage and consistent water temperatures.
BY CHRIS VECSEY
Identifying peak feeding periods is usually a matter of watching the tides. Whereas both the incoming and outgoing tides generally pay off in the lower bays and open waters, a falling tide is usually best when fishing these inland waterways. Staying on the move until you find action will pay off big and
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camping in dead zones for very long will rob you of time and overall success. Bait choices are not difficult, with shrimp, croakers, bull minnows and finger mullet being available and effective. Having multiple bait options is often the ticket to the best variety. Artificial lures that “matchthe-hatch” with the above baits are best with the DOA shrimp, Slick lure, Mirrolure MR17 and MR18 and many others being go-tos. Live baits can be fished a variety of different ways, from right on bottom with a Carolina rig to being free-lined. Work the mouths of creeks and dropoffs adjacent to main current flows. Even when using live baits, cover water and keep moving. Speckled trout and redfish will work these areas through the winter and once you catch a fish, many more are likely to follow. Flounder will also inhabit the same spots and a bull minnow or paddletail worked along the bottom is a sure fire way to connect on flatfish. As with trout
FISHING OUTLOOK and redfish, good current plus structure is critical to finding flounder.
fare in 500 feet or deeper.
One of December’s prime suspects is the convict itself; sheepshead. These striped bait-stealers will be in full force around most inshore structures. Winter time sheepies can be a bit more finicky at times, so keep tackle relatively light. Short, 12-15 pound fluorocarbon leaders and smaller hooks are the norm. Baits of fiddler crabs, oyster and hermit crabs will work best.
A variety of baits will lead to the best success so it pays to have a buffet of options, live, fresh and frozen.
ALABAMA The nearshore waters off of Alabama’s sugary beaches will be a great stretch to look for surface frenzies of bull redfish. This involves the classic “Run-n-Gun” approach of covering water at speed while keeping your eyes out for groups of feeding birds and the telltale whitewater of feeding fish. These fish will primarily be feeding on menhaden and anchovies. Spoons, large curl-tail grubs, topwater poppers and bucktail jigs are top picks. Use moderately heavy inshore gear to beat bulls quickly. When the surface action can’t be located, trolling deep diving plugs or drone spoon/planer combinations will find reds holding deep. Pay attention to the depthfinder as you troll along in 20-35 feet of water and be ready to circle schools of bait or fish at depth. Speeds of 3-5mph will generally do best. Further offshore, there’s plenty of opportunity on natural bottom areas like the Trysler grounds, yellow gravel and other rocky structures. These places will hold plenty of vermilion snapper, scamp, red grouper and other bottom species that will remain in season through the winter. Deeper natural bottom areas typically hold less red snapper as well, leading to less bycatch of the species. Live baits like pinfish and mullet will work well on scamp and red grouper, while “chicken rigs” baited with small pieces of squid or bonito will work best for vermilion and lane snapper. Vertical jigging around the same structures will pay off for greater amberjack and blackfin tuna. Blackfin in particular can be found around the 50 fathom edge through the winter and respond well to a consistent chunk line of menhaden, sardine or bonito. Free Lining live baits or additional chunks will get you hooked up with chunky blackfin. For best results, focus on areas with water temps above 67 degrees. Using a satellite imaging service like Hilton’s Real-Time Navigator will keep you in the ideal spots. FLORIDA Most migratory species will have moved on from the nearshore waters of the Florida panhandle, but there’s still plenty of targets nearshore. Pompano will still be making appearances through the month as warmer weather periods stir up heavy feeding periods for these silver speedsters. Fishing the nearshore troughs at staggered distances is a sure fire way to land pomps as well as whiting and big redfish with the odd sheepshead or drum mixed in. Small pieces of shrimp, sand fleas or ghost shrimp are top natural bait choices while Fishbites make a great alternative. Use as much weight as needed to hold in beachfront currents and swells. Further offshore, cooler temperatures make bottom fishing much more tolerable. Many species like lane and vermilion snapper, scamp, red grouper, almaco jacks and others will keep rods bent on structures in 120-350 feet. This is also a great time of year to deep drop for snowy and yellowedge grouper, golden tilefish and other amazing deepwater
The deepwater Fish Aggregating Devices (FAD) around De Soto Canyon will produce through the winter when weather windows allow longer runs. Blackfin and yellowfin tuna are the main targets. When targeting tunas around these floating structures, expect to use several techniques including chunking, live-baiting, vertical jigging and trolling. When tunas are active on the surface, casting topwater lures on heavy spinning gear is a ton of fun and provides some incredible strikes. The year isn’t over just yet. Add a few more highlights to the year-end reel.
Important Contact Information Hilton’s Real-Time Navigator www.hiltonsoffshore.com Barlow’s Charter and Guide Services - Biloxi, MS Captain Chris Barlow 228-861-8535 www.barlowscharters.com Tight Line Charters - Orange Beach, AL Captain Andrew Mckinnell 251-233-0251 Recess Fishing Charters - Pensacola, FL Captain Tim Kline 850-341-8670 www.recessfishingcharters.com
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877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // DECEMBER 2021 77
Pier & Shore Fishing Outlook
The author with a storied black drum landed from the Baldwin County coast.
Bait placement and presentation become more critical as ranging activity of surf fish slows when the water gets colder.
BY DAVID THORNTON Photos by David Thornton
A distinctive wintry chill should pervade the north central Gulf of Mexico coast this month behind a succession of cold fronts. This drives down the water temperature through the upper 60s by the time Winter officially arrives on December 21st. Of course the native fishes and their invertebrate prey items of the Emerald Coast don’t use a calendar to dictate the degree of activity they exhibit. Rather abiding by the length of days and ambient water temperature to determine their cold-blooded behavior. The pace of fishing progressively slows this month to match the shallow coastal waters cooling off. THE DRUM BEATS SLOWLY Members of the drum family (Scianidae) consisting of red and black drum, along
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with their smaller croaker ‘cousins’ now dominate the surf zone which they share with bluefish and to a lesser degree, pompano and even permit. Yes, permit seem to have extended their range northward to include the Emerald Coast through most of the year. Often they are found in close proximity to pompano, as they tend to have feeding habits and diet in common. More and more as coastal waters cool off this month, our “resident” fish seem to prefer dining on beach ghost shrimp. Though they still respond well to fresh penaidae shrimp, and occasionally even synthetic baits such as Fishbites, especially when used in conjunction with the locally made pompano rigs (see GDO mag Oct. 2021 “The Best Surf Fishing Rigs You Need To Know”).
FISHING OUTLOOK Bait placement and presentation become more critical as ranging activity of surf fish slows when the water gets colder. The seasonal evolution of sandbar structures is highly dependent on the strength and nature of storms which affect the surf zone along the coast. It pays dividends to scout different locations after big storms once the configuration of your “hot spot” sandbar changes. (see GDO mag May and June 2018 “Reading The Beach”). Also, water conditions like clarity and temperature may vary with distance (east or west) relative to the passes and bays. These inlets to the Gulf often allow fresher and cooler water to invade the surfzone, often affecting the availability and feeding activity of the fish present. Also, beach proximity to the more easily accessible parking venues can have an effect of ‘local depletion’ as these fish become less mobile in cooler waters. The glaring exception to this phenomenon seems to be the gathering of larger Gulf kingfish (whiting) near and often underneath the Gulf beach piers after a cold snap. Apparently they find what they need there: relative protection from natural predators (loons, dolphins, and sharks), warmth radiated from the concrete structure, and food in the form of anglers tempting them with plenty of shrimp. The most common bait presentation from pier anglers is what locals call a Carolina Rig. Simply, the main line is run through an egg sinker and tied to a swivel which acts as the sinker stop. A foot long leader of light test monofilament (10 to 15 pound) is finished off with a small single hook. A number 6 or 4 kahle is ideal for this application, as it is mostly obscured within a fingernail sized piece of shrimp. This allows the wary fish to pick up the bait and mouth it without feeling the hook or weight, then move away a short distance before the line comes tight and the ‘spooked’ fish practically sets the hook on itself. The size of the bait and hook should match up well with the mouth of the average sized whiting. The weight size depends on the depth of the water, casting distance and wind/ wave or current conditions. Lighter tackle is preferred to better feel the soft bite, and more fun to match the hard pull from these spunky fish that often weigh just over a pound. Though they may occasionally grow over two pounds, but at that size (about 20 inches long) the fish would have to live 7 or 8 years. The latest Florida state record Gulf kingfish (2.8 pounds) was landed April 7, 2021 by Sidney Little in Santa Rosa Beach. While the current Alabama state record (just under 3 pounds) has endured for 20 years. SINK YOUR TEETH INTO SHEEPSHEAD Sheepshead is the next most popular target species for pier anglers in December. At times they may be feeding on algae, barnacles and other crustaceans on the piling. Some are caught using fiddler crabs next to pier piling, others are landed with live shrimp suspended between the pilings, and still others are caught using ghost shrimp near or on the bottom. Most of these anglers are using Carolina rig setups, but sheepshead will bite single drop rigs too. Hook size and style are important, because sheepshead have a small mouth full of teeth and bones. A smaller hook actually helps the hookup ratio, because it is less visible to these wary gamefish, and easier for the tiny hook point to find a crease where it may impale the fish. Sheepshead typically weigh 2 to 4 pounds, but may exceed 10 pounds occasionally. So they are very scrappy fighters on medium tackle in the 12 to 20 pound range. And even more renowned on the table, because they can be prepared in a variety of delicious ways. Recipes and opinions abound on how to best prepare them. Seawalls, rock jetties and back bay piers are also prime sheepshead habitat in December. They are more tolerable of cooler water temperature and lower salinity than most of our other full-time
resident fish species. A quality that endures the sheepshead to a very popular inshore fish for shore bound anglers. BEACHING IN DECEMBER?! Even though the action is generally slow for pompano, they are by far the favorite species surf anglers concentrate on this month. But not to be overlooked, are the fairly common redfish and black drum, along with the much more numerous “whiting”. In fact, it is not uncommon for pompano anglers to incidentally hook a “bull” redfish or drum. When accomplished on light or medium class spinning tackle, the battle is all the more enjoyable and memorable . Longer rods are an aid to reach over incoming waves as well as while battling oversized quarry by making the fish work against the rod action as well as the reel drag. These enduring contests vary in length, but typically last about a minute per pound of fish. Still, in the cooler water they are viable candidates for catch, photo and release. Bycatch while surf fishing may also include bluefish, as well as the ever present hardhead catfish and stingrays. So there is often plenty of fish to keep you busy. Periods of mild and even sunny weather this month may encourage some surf anglers to keep using their shorts and flip flops. Just watch how the ‘Snowbirds’ are dressing, and follow their lead. If anyone knows what COLD weather is like, it would be these folks. With Christmas and the beginning of Winter falling in December, there are plenty of ‘gifts’ still to be had for pier and surf anglers alike this month. Watching the weather forecasts, and adjusting to whatever conditions nature may send us, is a fine way to end the year as we spend our great days outdoors.
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REGIONAL FRESHWATER Fishing Outlook BY ED MASHBURN Photos by Ed Mashburn
December will see cooler weather and cooler water, but the fish will still bite.
FLORIDA WATERS
LAKE TALQUIN “The primary target of most anglers on Talquin in December will be speckled perch. Most Decembers the perch fishing will have picked up, and anglers can find big slab speckled perch in the mouths of creeks and on humps in the main body of the lake,” said long-time resident and angler Jeff DuBree of Whippoorwill Lodge. Trolling jigs is a very reliable and productive method of catching the Talquin slabs in winter situations. Bass anglers will need to check the recent weather when planning a December trip to Talquin. If the weather has been cold, then most bass will be found on deep ledges where they will take Carolina rigged finesse lures. If the weather has been generally warm, then the bass will still be shallow. DuBree reminds us that as December moves on toward the end of the month, some very big bass will be caught in eight to twelve feet of water on Texas rig worms and Rat-L-Traps as the big old bass feed up for the spring spawn. LAKE JACKSON Rob Baker, kayak fishing guide and veteran Forgotten Coast angler, gave us some good advice for fishing Lake Jackson, but this advice applies to all of the other lakes in the Tallahassee area. He said that anglers will want to slow their presentations down quite a 80 DECEMBER 2021 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // 877.314.1237
bit if the weather turns chilly. The vegetation in the lake will be thinning out in December, but what’s left is where anglers will want to spend their time working. Both old lily pads and shoreline cover will be good places to find bass. Large paddletails and buzz frogs worked over cover will be good. Any topwater offering that is weedless and can be buzzed over the vegetation will be good. The same lure with weight added and then dropped to deeper water ledges can pay off, too. Early morning and late afternoons will still be the best time to hit Lake Jackson, and cloudy days are always the best.
ALABAMA WATERS
MOBILE DELTA “In December, most fishermen work the creeks. When strong wind and low water conditions are present, small creeks offer good protection and lots of fish,” says veteran guide and tournament angler Captain Wayne Miller. Miller told us that around the Causeway and lower parts of the Delta, by the end of December the bulk of the bass have moved into the creeks adjacent to the big bays and main rivers, and they will stay in the creeks until warm weather comes in the spring. Anglers can find numbers of bass in the creeks especially after strong tides from cold fronts push much of the water out of the Delta and into Mobile Bay. The low water conditions concentrate the bass in the deeper creeks. Captain Wayne advises anglers in December to look for deeper water
FISHING OUTLOOK with some sort of wood cover for the bass to hold close to. Crankbaits, spinnerbaits and soft plastics will work well on December Delta bass. Shad colors such as chrome with blue back, chrome with black back and crawfish patterns will all work well now. Delta bass feed on crawfish year-round, and December is no exception. LAKE GUNTERSVILLE Long time Lake Guntersville guide Captain Jake Davis said, “In most Decembers, we start to make the winter transition. Bass will bite on Rat’L Traps, jigs, and jerk baits. Look in three to seven feet of water along old grass lines, creek channels, and the bass can be stacked up on bends in creeks. Look for any kind of pinch point where the water drops in depth and some current might be present.” In general, for bass anglers on Guntersville, if you find the shad, you’ll find the bass. Davis advised us that this time of year, it’s not a break of day bite for largemouth bass. He advises anglers to sleep in, start the trip about 8:00, and fish into the afternoon. Crappie anglers will have good results working around bridges with minnows and small jigs, and the crappie will be following schools of smaller shad around the shadow lines of the bridges. White bass and stripers will be in open water, and they can be located by looking for schools of shad on electronic gear and dropping jigs, silver spoons, and other deep running lures to them. SIPSEY FORK Randy Jackson of Riverside Fly Shop tells us that December on Sipsey Fork will see some good trout for anglers who go about the fishing in the right way. There will be periodic hatches of midges and blue wing olive mayflies, and anglers will have to adjust their fishing to suit the weather and water conditions. Midges will tend to hatch all up and down the river, but the blue wing olives will be found hatching off in specific locations, and anglers will have to find these spots. Flies in smaller sizes, usually size 18, will work best. Anglers who prefer spinning gear will have good results using a light bubble float rig with the same flies that fly rod anglers use tied on a very light leader below the weighted bubble float. This allows long casts to reach trout feeding some distance away from the angler. Trout Magnet trout jigs in various colors will also work well for the spinning gear folks. Riverside Fly Shop will continue to offer float trips and guided wade trips for anglers who want to experience the only cold-water fishery in Alabama. Trout will be stocked each month, and the fish in December will be very active . WEISS LAKE Veteran guide and Weiss Lake resident Captain Lee Pitts told us to try fishing deep lake ledges using bottom bouncing rigs with a sinker on the end of the line and a hook with minnow a couple of feet above the sinker. Crappie chasers will have to move and look to find spots where the best concentrations of crappie will be holding. A good thing about this time
of year, when the crappie are found, there will be a lot of them. Anglers can fill a live well with big, fat crappie when they are located. In fact, some really big crappie that have been feeding heavily on shad are caught in December on Weiss. Bass anglers on Weiss should look around river channels and deeper holes in the channels. Bass can still be found in shallow water if the shad are in shallow water. Pitts says, “Spinnerbaits are good for shallow water bass now. Try spinners with gold blades in winter here.” Bass anglers can look for humps and rises out in the main parts of the lake. In the low water winter draw-down conditions, these spots are easier to find than when the lake is at full pool in summer. Lots of spots will be holding on these rises and humps, and crank baits will work well, especially when there’s a current in the lake from dam releases of water. Striper and white bass will be schooled up in open water chasing shad, and silver spoons will work well on the stripers and whites. LAKE EUFAULA If the weather turns cold, anglers on big old Lake Eufaula can find good bass by working ledges and humps out in the main lake body. Work jigs and soft plastics over the humps. On the deeper ledges of the main lake, crappie will be schooling up looking for shad. Anglers catch a lot of crappie on Eufaula using multirod spider rigs. Try jigs tipped with minnows and slow troll likely spots. Captain Sam Williams tells anglers coming to Eufaula for the good winter bass fishing to look for any remaining cover left over from summer and fall. Blowdown trees in the water are good places to find winter bass, and the flats that hold left-over lily pad stems can be quite good. The stems won’t look like much, but they will hold good numbers of crawfish, and the bass will be up in the shallower water looking for the mudbugs. When the weather is too cool for shallow water bites, anglers can try fishing the rip-rap on bridges and causeways for bass. Concentrate on the sunny side of the structure where the water will usually be just a little bit warmer than the shady side. Williams tells us the early morning topwater bite can still be good on warmer days- try working frogs and other soft plastics over the lily pad stems. On the deeper ledges of the main lake, crappie will be schooling up looking for shad. Anglers catch a lot of crappie on Eufaula using multirod spider rigs. Try jigs tipped with minnows and slow troll likely spots. MILLER’S FERRY In December on Miller’s Ferry the cooler weather has dropped water temperatures enough that the fish have moved off shallow water spots of fall and gone into their winter areas. Joe Dunn advised visiting anglers to look for ledges that fall into deeper water out in the main body of the lake. Water 18 feet or so right on the edge of the break is a good place to find concentrations of crappie. Try bottom bouncing minnows or 1/8 oz. jigs right on the break. If the weather turns really chilly, the crappie may move off even farther and hold in 25 feet of water.
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Regional Freshwater Fishing Outlook
Sometimes a good bass deserves two photos- like this one.
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Regional Freshwater Fishing Outlook
If Miller’s Ferry should have high, muddy water from heavy upstream rains, the crappie will look for quiet holding water behind points and other structures that will break the stronger currents that move through the lake. When this happens, anglers can have some fast action as the crappie will be in really big schools. Dunn says that from mid to late October and through December, the crappie will be on the deeper breaks where they’ll be chasing shad. When the lake is pulling water and there’s a current, the crappie will be closer to cover, and they will be very aggressive and strike harder. In December, Miller’s Ferry largemouth will be pre-spawn staging in ten to twelve feet of water just waiting for temperatures to warm enough to actually trigger them into spawning mode. At this time, they’ll move into shallow water if it is warm enough to suit them.
Pickwick Lake smallmouth bass and crappie are top picks. For bass, search rock piles, dikes, and channel ledges with rock cover. The area from Riverfront Park in Sheffield to Natchez Trace Parkway will be a top spot. Buck Island and Pride Landing areas will likely produce most trophy fish this month. Small plastics, hair jigs, grubs, and live shad minnows will be the best option. Bear Creek, Indian Creek, and Yellow Creek will be the best crappie locations. Depending on weather conditions and water temperatures, fish will locate from 10 to 30 feet of water. Use electronics to find schools of fish then target them by casting or trolling lures through the area. Crappie will usually appear as an “upside down Christmas tree” on your electronics.
If the weather in December stays cool, the bass will be deeper. Bass anglers should look in the bigger, deeper sloughs, and look for shad. If shad are there, the bass will be there, too. Chatterbaits, and crank baits that run to six to eight feet of water will work well over ledges in the sloughs. WILSON LAKE/PICKWICK LAKE “It’s big catfish time. The big cats will move off into the deep ledges of the river channel in Wilson Lake. They’ll start to school in December, and that means anglers can get into multiple really big cats now,” Captain Brian Barton told us.” Cut skipjack herring, cut shad, live bream or shad are all good baits for the big old catfish. Anglers should look from Shoal Creek downstream to the dam for big cats. This is prime trophy cat water in December. Jackson Island is also a good spot to find the biggest cats. For eating size cats, anglers should fish the bottom of straight wall bluffs. Points and ledges are good holding areas for the eating size cats. Now, for some really hot fishing that will make anglers sweat even in cool weather, it’s hard to beat the big smallmouth bass and striped bass fishing below the dams, especially Wheeler Dam tailrace. Barton says, “Both smallmouth bass and stripers will be staging in the tailrace gorging on yearling shad. Anglers who drift current seams and outside edges of the current with live shad if you can get them will have some fast action.” December is typically a good month for trophy catfish on Wilson Lake. Best bet for big fish is large chunks of cut skipjack tossed over standing timber in 55-80 feet of water. Either make long casts with no weight or fish straight down over the tops of trees with a Carolina rig with 2-3 ounce sinker. Be patient, often cold water cats will take 30 to 45 minutes to bite. Smaller catfish can be caught with the same methods, just downsize the hook and bait. Crappie is a top pick for December on Wilson and Pickwick Lakes. Look for blowdowns for standing timber in 25 to 40 feet of water. Wood cover along creek ledges and main lake shorelines are best. Cast 1/8 or 1/16 ounce jigs and grubs in black, chartreuse, or pink for best results. For live bait anglers like myself, drop live minnows right over the tops of trees. Use a light wire Tru-turn hook so you can bend it out easily when you become snagged in the wood cover.
Important Contact Information Captain Brian Barton 256-412-0969 Brianbartonoutdoors@aol.com Captain Jake Davis Mid-South Bass Guide Service 615-613-2382 www.midsouthbassguide.com Joe Dunn Dunn’s Sports 334-636-0850 33356 Hwy. 43, Thomasville, AL Captain Lee Pitts 256-390-4145 www.pittsoutdoors.com Captain Sam Williams Hawks Fishing Guide Service 334-355-5057 www.hawksfishingguideservice.com Captain Wayne Miller Mobile-Tensaw Delta Guide Service 251-455-7404 Millewa12000@yqhoo.com Randy Jackson Riverside Fly Shop 16027 Hwy 69N Jasper, Al 256-287-9582 riversideflyshop.com Jeff DuBree Whippoorwill Lodge 850-875-2605 Fishtalquin@gmail.com Rob Baker Wilderness Way 850-877-7200 3152 Shadeville Road Crawfordville, FLA
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MOON & FEED TIMES
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Pensacola Motorsports
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Sam Goldasich with a beautiful Alabama 8 point
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Kris Hall took down this old warrior in Sellers Alabama.
Donnie Reed with a personal best. 13 pointer in Saint Clair Co
Alec Rollins is “all smiles” after connecting on this beautiful whitetail. 877.314.1237 // GreatDaysOutdoors.com // DECEMBER 2021 89
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Sheepshead for Christmas
FISHING TIP
BY WILLIAM KENDY
When the cold weather starts rolling in, so do the sheepshead in the Mobile-Tensaw River Delta. For sheepshead it is all about structure, be it jetties, bridges, docks, pilings, if here is structure you are apt to find sheepshead. Sheepshead are notorious bait thieves with a very light bite and you don’t pay attention all you will end up with is half a shrimp or a bare hook. GDO asked Captain Patric Garmeson, the current holder of the Alabama state record for Sheepshead for a couple of tips on catching these delicious fish. “Pinch the tail off of the smallest shrimp you have and thread it onto a 1/0 or 2/0 Kahle hook. Keep tension from the rod tip to the hook and if you feel a light bump or the line tightening up, pull back slowly and see if there is any resistance. If so, fully engage the hook, all in one motion.” “Water depths in the six to eight-foot range are good places to look for sheepshead,” Garmeson added. “With the exception of Theodore Canal, you will be catching sheepshead in 20 feet of water or less.” Brian Arnold is president of Birds of Prey Fishing Tackle out of Pensacola, Fl and an ardent sheepshead fisherman.
“When you go you need to have a good variety of hooks, weights and jigs because it isn’t a one size fits all deal when it comes to sheepshead,” Arnold said. Arnold suggests that sheepshead hunters start out with the smallest weight leader they can and move upwards. “Start out with the smallest weight leader you can get away with, which is probably around 12 pounds and go up accordingly,” Arnold said. “Sheepshead are going to be right up against structure and you want to be up as close to the structure as you can safely be and, if it is calm, being right beside the structure is the best,” he said. “Thread a live shrimp, fiddler or ghost crab on a jib and drop it down, letting it slowly drift to the bottom, pausing along the way. The jig allows you to have a different presentation until you find the level and presentation that triggers a bite.”
Important Contact Information Captain Patric Garmeson 251-747-1554 www.uglyfishing.com Brian Arnold 850-530-2686 www.birdofpreyfishingtackle.com
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A GREAT DAY OUTDOORS
Beanpole Takes Up Fly-Tying Over the next few weeks, I started noticing Beanpole’s flies and jigs in the local tackle shops. Called “Beanpole’s Bugs,” these concoctions were mostly in natural fur colors with some of the bucktails died red or green. Even the marina had displays in their shop and by all appearances sales were good.
BY JIM MIZE Beanpole had left me a message saying I should stop by his house after work to see his new project. A bit apprehensive, I decided to go anyway. I mean, this is the same guy who opened a bait vendingmachine business with equipment that dispensed live crickets. He was sitting at his kitchen table smiling across a pile of animal hides. Possum fur, fox tails, and deer hair were stacked in abundance. In front of Beanpole stood a tabletop vise with a jig hook in its grasp and thread hung underneath on a bobbin. “Wow, Beanpole, that’s quite a deal you have going. What exactly are you doing?” Beanpole beamed with pride as he explained. “I am starting a fly and jig-tying business,” he said. “Most people struggle to make money but I have a cheap supply of materials that is the secret to turning a profit.” “What’s that?” I asked. “Roadkill. Anytime I see a critter on the shoulder of the road, I just pull over and trim off the useful parts. Then I bring them home, skin them out, and preserve them. All my competitors spend thousands buying this stuff that I find for nothing.” “So is this legal, picking up all this stuff?” I asked, still not sure why this made sense. “I don’t know, but to me, it’s a little like picking up litter,” said Beanpole. “It’s just going to waste.” “True enough,” I said. So I gave up trying to find a flaw in Beanpole’s business plan and just watched him tie crappie jigs for a while. Then I congratulated him on his business venture and went home.
So I was a little surprised the day Beanpole knocked on my door and proceeded on in without knocking. In his arms was a box overflowing with animal hides. And Beanpole himself looked like he had been dragged through blackberry brambles by wild hogs. He sat down and let out a sigh like a balloon coming untied. “What’s up?” I asked, knowing a story would follow. “Nell said to get rid of all this fly-tying stuff. So I thought you might want it.” “What’s the problem?” “It’s a long story,” said Beanpole, as if I might let him leave without hearing it. But that wasn’t going to happen. “I’ve got the time,” I said. “Well, Nell and I were coming back from church in her car on Sunday. It was a nice day, sunny and not too warm, when I noticed some roadkill up ahead. It’s like I have a radar for that stuff now.” “So, I pulled over slowly, let another car pass, and got out to see what it was. To my surprise, it was a bobcat.”
I paused as if I needed to think about it, but answered, “No, can’t say I have.” “Well, this one wasn’t too thrilled about the free ride. It started doing laps around the car.” “That must have been something to see,” I offered. “Worse than that. Nell started smacking at it with her purse. I was trying to drive and grab the cat with my free hand. Every time it latched onto my arm I screamed, which scared Nell, and got the bobcat going faster. It attacked her Sunday hat, clawed up the upholstery, and then lit into me.” Beanpole took a breath as if seeing it all happen again. “Then, the bobcat jumped into the front seat and started attacking us both. By now, Nell had worn out her purse flogging the cat and had pulled up a floor mat to defend herself. I was trying to pull off on the side of the road but was weaving all over from the cat jumping on me. Finally, I thought to roll down the windows and the bobcat went sailing out the back window and ran off into the woods.” Looking Beanpole over it appeared he might have escaped stitches but had enough scrapes that he’d probably be moving gingerly for a while. “So I wanted to give you all this stuff,” he said, pushing the box across the table. “Why won’t Nell let you tie flies anymore?”
“Don’t see those too often,” I added.
“She says we can’t afford it.”
“No, I was excited. Maybe a little too much as I picked up the whole critter and laid it on the back seat of Nell’s car.”
“I thought you were making money.”
“What did she say about that?” “Not much at first,” said Beanpole. “Then, quite a bit. As it turns out, the bobcat wasn’t dead.” “You mean it woke up?” “Exactly,” said Beanpole. “It must have been stunned. Have you ever been driving down the road when a bobcat wakes up in your backseat?”
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“Not when you add in the damage to the car. The bobcat did over $2,000 damage to the interior and the insurance only covers roadkill from outside the car.” “Besides,” said Beanpole with a wistful look in his eye, “Nell is afraid I might come across a bear.” JIM avoids roadkill for dining or flytying. You can find his award-winning book, Hunting With Beanpole, at www.acreektricklesthroughit.com.
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