The Angler Magazine | May 2024 | Greater Atlanta Area Edition

CARNAGE. FOR THE BATTLE THAT IS FOUGHT WITHOUT MERCY.

The new Carnage ™ III series rods are constructed from carbon or an e-glass and carbon blend, for an extremely powerful rod that leaves fsh begging. Yet it’s light enough to keep a fisherman going until the battle is won. Spec’d with high-end components like Fuji ® K-Guides, Sea-Guide ® and Fuji ® reel seats, plus a mix of hypalon/rubber shrink tube handles, the new Carnage III rod promises to be as ruthless as the name implies. PENN. LET THE BATTLE BEGIN ™ .

©2022 Pure Fishing, Inc.

the importance of boat insurance

Do you love boating? Then you know how fun and relaxing it can be on the open water. But you also know that things can go wrong sometimes, like storms, accidents, theft, or injuries. That’s why boat insurance is so important. Here are some reasons why.

• Boat insurance can help you pay for damage to your boat, or to other boats or docks, up to specifed limits.

• If you borrowed money to buy your boat, your lender may require insurance. And if you want to explore different places, some marinas or waterways may ask you to show proof of insurance.

• Boat insurance can also come in handy if you need an on-water tow, jump start, or fuel delivery with optional Sign & Glide® coverage. And if your boat sinks, boat insurance can pay for the cost of removing it from the water (if removal is legally required).

Get boat insurance from Progressive and enjoy the peace of mind that comes with it.

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IT’S PEAK BILLFISH SEASON IN THE LOWCOUNTRY

Over the last few years, a burgeoning fshery has established the Gulf Stream out of Charleston as a big-time billfsh destination. Te ofshore trolling bite has been very good.

Capt. Mike Able keeps close tabs on the fshery. He and his brother, Graham, run Haddrell’s Point Tackle and Supply, a familyowned hunting and fshing store, which has grown to two locations and a fy shop in the Charleston area since their father, Mike Sr., started the business in 1983.

“Charleston has defnitely been put on the map with the billfshing we’ve had the last several years. It’s really been phenomenal,” Able said. “I mean, look at the Carolina Billfsh Classic. In the CBC last year there were outriggers full of sailfsh fags… we’re talking double-digit stuf. And not just the big boats. I mean, the big boats have an advantage, but guys are catching blue marlin from center consoles, too. You know the fsh are really chewing when the center-console guys are hitting fsh like that.”

Te Carolina Billfsh Classic (CBC) is one leg of the South Carolina Governor’s Cup Billfshing Series. It is held out of Mt. Pleasant each June. Last year, with poor weather

conditions during the one-day shootout, 47 boats released nine blue marlin and 53 sailfsh. Te top boat released four blue marlin. Te second-place boat released seven sailfsh and a blue marlin.

Able said conservation eforts, particularly from the Governor’s Cup, have led to healthier stocks. He also thinks anglers are getting better at fnding and catching billfsh. Te run outside the ledge is still 50 to 55 miles, but these days captains can go straight to potentially productive water. Satellite services make it easy to identify blue water, weed lines, temperature breaks and color changes to make a solid gameplan before leaving the docks. Additionally, technology like Omni Sonar can pinpoint fsh with an efective range of 5,000 feet.

“You could mark a fsh from a half mile away and go over and drop baits,” he said. “It doesn’t mean you can make them bite, but you know they’re in the area.”

Peak season for blue marlin and sailfsh is May and June, but blues will be in the area all summer. Sailfsh can be good into October or November, when wahoo enter the mix heavily. Able said a lot of marlin they catch are 150- to 200-pound “rats,” but they see some 300- to 400-pounders and an occasional 500-pluspound blue marlin. White marlin might also show up in a spread.

One of the perks of trolling out of Charleston in spring is you’ll also likely fll the box with dolphin and blackfin tuna. Capt. Able hung up his charter captain hat a few years back.

By Nick Carter

Now he fun-fshes with pretty remarkable success for billfsh and meat fsh by pulling a mixed spread with dredges, squid chains and circle-hooked ballyhoo from a ’34 Regulator.

Check out Haddrell’s Point Tackle & Supply at HadrellsPoint.com.

ENJOY THE SHORT GROUPER SEASON

Tim Barefoot

Instead of going “bottom fshing” this season, I would focus on going “grouper fshing”… at least for gags while the season lasts. You can go ‘bottom fshing” for the next seven months, but let’s put some gags in the boat while the law allows it! Here are some tips to help you bag some gags.

• Having the right bait is a major part of this puzzle. A pinfsh trap in a productive area for just a few hours and an (otter-proof) foating bait pen at the marina are priceless.

• You must anchor up or use the trolling motor in “spot lock” to properly fsh any piece of good bottom.

• When I frst post up on a good-looking mark on the recorder, I have everyone else on the boat fre down whole frozen squid on a jig. At the same time, I use a sabiki to catch whatever baitfsh are available on the structure. Here’s how it works:

1) Te squid might catch a handful “bottom fsh,” and maybe a grouper or two.

2) Most importantly, it sets a nice chum slick on the bottom that attracts the real predators of the structure directly under

your boat, and they will be ready to eat.

3) Afer four or fve volleys of squid, everyone baits up with a beautiful baseball-in-diameter-sized live bait and sends them back down to the bottom together. Tese baits are too big for most bottom fsh to get their mouths around.

4) Now, the grouper appear on the scene, curious about all the noise and the good smell. What do they see? Tey see a pinfsh from the marina or whatever came up on the sabiki. I like to fsh these baits on one of my Crab Decoy Jigs, which makes it look like the bait is struggling in the grasp of a hungry crab or squid. A big grouper, and especially a gag grouper, sees this as a Happy Meal. Tey love crabs, squid and baitfsh, and with this rig they think they’re getting it all in one bite.

5) An added bonus is that this is clean tackle, free of excess hardware, that sends the correct signal to grouper and results in bites.

• Te downside to this style of fshing is it will attract sharks. It’s all fun and games until the man in the gray suit shows up. Ten it becomes hard work. Sharks of all kinds are drawn to struggling snapper.

For more info on the jig, tackle and/or bait, check out Tim Barefoot’s YouTube channel and website at barefootcatsandtackle.com.

EXTEND YOUR SPRING!

By Jeff Durniak | Unicoi Outfitters

My Rabunite clan (rabuntu.org) looks forward to spring every year, since it is the height of dry fly action for avid trouters. Warming waters spur aquatic insect hatches, coaxing trout to the surface to sip adult mayflies, caddisflies, and stoneflies - and our feathered imitations of them. “Matching the hatch” is the ultimate experience for many flyrodders.

Alas, it just doesn’t last very long. Nearly all our local hatches are over by June and area dry fly fans must switch to terrestrials (ants, beetles, hoppers) or regress to nymphing. But savvy trouters keep their topwater action going by extending their spring.

You can, too! Extend your spring by heading north to higher elevations and latitudes. North Carolina and Tennessee are within easy reach of most north Georgians, either for a long day trip or for a weekend getaway. The hatches on those higher mountain streams often run 1-2 weeks behind ours. I can usually find some evening dry fly action through June. Dedicated trouters will even follow key hatches up the Appalachian spine. I’ve known die-hard anglers who have vacationed on the road, through Virginia and into Pennsylvania, as they followed the hallowed green drake hatch!

Since these Appalachian bug hatches are often the same, most of the patterns already in your dry fly box will work just fine north of our border. For the very best intel (hatch times, fly patterns, and stream destinations), it’s hard to beat local fly shops. Google and contact them during your early trip planning and be sure to stop in and buy some

flies and supplies as a thanks for their intel. Another productive, yet overlooked resource is the respective state wildlife agency. Check out the trout fishing intel on their web page. Also search there or in the state fishing regulations guide for regional offices located in trout country. A polite call there may connect you with fisheries management staffers who monitor the state’s trout resource and often fish themselves!

State and park flyfishing guidebooks are also great resources, especially for your early homework. Just about every state with a trout fishery has a published flyfishing guide. Just google and check buyer reviews to select the best book for each state. For my June hangout, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, I have always relied on Ian Rutter’s Park guide (randrflyfishing.com) and the thick volume by Jim Casada (jimcasadaoutdoors.com). Ian just “hatched” his newest edition this spring!

If you’re an avid hatch-matcher like our Rabunite bunch, then extend your spring by heading north. Good luck with your June road trips. PS: You can also welcome the return of fall trouting earlier with this same strategy next September!

THE GUIDE’S ANGLE

Contributed By: Chris Scalley River Through Atlanta Guide Service

For most trout anglers the ultimate experience is catching fish on dry flies. To see a trout rise to the surface and take your well-presented fly and the slightly delayed set is an image we want to play over and over in our mind. This is a 100% visual bite; unlike most trout we catch where we typically see an indicator twitch or feel the violent strike on a streamer. May is a special dry fly time on most southern trout waters because aquatic bugs have been hatching all of March and April which conditions the fish to seek the surface for a food

source. Whether fish are actively rising or not, try prospecting with a single dry fly this month in seams and bubble lines, you may be pleasantly surprised!

DRY FLY TIME

Contributed by David Hulsey

International Federation of Fly Fishers - Master Certified Casting Instructor

http://www.hulseyflyfishing.com | 770-639-4001

The North Georgia and Western North Carolina mountains come alive in the month of May. It’s usually seventy degrees and sunny at least for part of the month making getting outside and doing stuff a pleasure and not a chore. Since last month the insect hatches on our local trout streams have been consistent enough to make even the wariest old rainbow or brown look up at every piece of flotsam and jetsam floating overhead. It’s dry fly time in the Blue Ridge Mountains!

Put away those junk chunking five and six weights and dust off that sweet little two or three weight and get after it! Hatches can come off from morning until dusk and the returning mayflies and caddis make good fishing every hour of the day. Most mayflies and caddis are tan or yellow in coloration and easy on the eyes to see bouncing through the riffles. Sulfur mayflies and tan caddis are abundant in addition to Yellow Sally stoneflies toward the end of the month so be prepared. Sulfurs are usually about size 16 or 18

and the Caddis about a 16. The Sallies are usually about a size 16 also. If you experience a large hatch of either, there should be numbers of trout on the surface feeding. Yes, you can catch them underwater but who would want to. A short six-foot two weight is perfect for the small jump across streams of Appalachia. A longer seven and a half foot or eight-foot three weight is about right for the larger streams for sniping those hardto-reach risers. Both should be fairly soft or medium action to cushion the hook set a little and smooth out those runs from a jazzed-up rainbow. Fiberglass rods are great for this along with bamboo. Wet wading is a good idea if you are hoofing it up one of the mini streams, sometimes for miles. The afternoons are getting a little steamy and waders are a curse. Just watch out for creepy crawlies and poison ivy! Trout are active pretty much all day for at least a couple of months before the summer sizzle kicks in. I’ll see you on the river!

FISHING, FOOD and FUN!

By Capt. Cefus McRae | Nuts & Bolts Fishing Series Hartwell, GA

That’s what a Nuts & Bolts of Fishing Fish ‘N Fest is all about. No, it’s not a fishing tournament. Instead Fish ‘N Fest’s bring people from all walks of life and all parts of country together for a weekend of Fishing, Food and Fun. It’s all about discovering a new, fishy destination and making new friends on, and off, the water. It’s about bringing back memories of the first time you went fishing with your grandpa or a buddy. And it’s about the excitement you experience when you’re hooked up to a feisty trout, drag-burning king mackerel, or ginormous Goliath grouper. It’s not a fishing tournament… it’s so much more.

The spring Saltwater Showdown will take place June 6 – 9, 2024. And the destination for this adventure is Port St. Joe, Florida. The shallow waters of St. Joe Bay are gin clear, and offer outstanding inshore fishing for speckled trout, redfish, Spanish mackerel, tripletail and more. Nearshore, and at the tip of St. Joe Peninsula, you’ll find king mackerel, cobia, bonita and a plethora of other salty critters anxious to eat a trolled sardine, spoon or diving plug. Offshore prizes just a few miles off the beach include kings, mahi, amberjack, snapper, and the denizens of the deep… Goliath Grouper.

Here’s the cool part. You don’t have to own a boat, or even have fished before. We’ve engaged Port St. Joe’s finest charter guides for folks who don’t have, or don’t want to bring their own boats. Anglers share the cost of the charter trip to keep costs reasonable, and you have the benefit of fishing with someone who

knows the waters and will show you the ropes on how to bring fish to the boat.

We have just as much fun off the water too. On Thursday, attendees test their skills at the Wet Sounds Casting Contest, and Thursday night the Welcome Banquet gives you the chance to reconnect with Fish ‘N Fest buddies and meet the charter captains. Plus, two lucky people walk away with super special, one-of-a-kind fishing rods from Mots Custom Rods.

Friday and Saturday are fun-on-thewater days. There’s a weigh-in each afternoon, although you can release the fish and it will still count, for biggest inshore and biggest offshore fish. The anglers with the biggest fish in each category are crowned the Inshore and Offshore Kahuna at the Celebration Banquet on Saturday night.

There’s no entry fee to be eligible for the Kahuna. Remember, this isn’t a tournament. It’s fun fishing. And in that regard, everyone is a winner.

So, if a few days fishing the blue waters of the Gulf Coast, making new friends and having lots of fun interests you…then you should go to NutsAndBoltsFishing.com and click on the Fish ‘N Fest link. You’ll find all the details including discounted room rates, the daily agenda, and registration information.

And if you’re still sitting on the fence, check out some of the Fish ‘N Fest episodes on CarbonTV.com. Go to the Nuts & Bolts of Fishing channel and click on some of the shows. You’ll see just how much fun these events are.

Hope to see you there!

LAKE NOTTELY

Forecast By:Will Harkins- Getfishingguide.com | Williamharkins11@gmail.com

May the fish be with you! May on Lake Nottely is an amazing time to be on the lake! The lake is finally full, shores are green, birds are chirping, it’s warm, and the fish are biting! I tell all my clients that May is the easiest month to go and just catch fish. You can do about anything and catch them right now. There’s plenty of fish post-spawn up shallow, more than willing to slurp down a Pop-R or a buzz bait. These can easily be found in creeks like Youngcane and Jacks Creek. There’s a large population of fish that are back out on points and rocky banks. I typically target these with a good ol fashion green pumpkin senko on a ¼ oz Shakey head. Topwater though, will definitely reign supreme throughout the month of May and into June. When you’re getting heart pumping blowups out of the water, why would you throw anything else?

Get out there and Get Fishing!

#Godsgotthis

Lake Level: 2 feet below full pool.

Temp: 70-75 degrees; Clarity: Clear

LANIER STRIPERS

Forecast by: Capt. Clay Cunningham www.catchingnotfishing.com | 770-630-2673

Lanier is as full as it can get right now. The good news is it is clearing up as well and the water temperature is climbing into the sixties.

Topwater time is here, and the fish are looking to eat. Spool up a sevenfoot medium heavy Abu Garcia Veritas spinning rod, paired with a Penn 3000 Clash with twelve-pound Trilene Big Game line and you are ready for action. The Penn Battle is also a great choice. If you want a longer cast, spool it with tenpound line. Several baits will be needed for casting to the stripers. You will need a wake bait like the Berkley Surge Shad and a walking bait like the Berkley JWalker. Look for the bone color and the chrome black back color and you have the two primary colors in the J-Walker and Surge Shad. Twitch the J-Walker so it zig-zags across the surface. If the fish are wanting a subsurface lure, the Berkley Magic Swimmer is the bait. Another choice is the Berkley jerk shad. Cast these baits to points and humps across the lake and be prepared for some explosive action. If you need a more

WEST POINT LAKE

Forecast By: Capt. Keith Hudson

Keith Hudson Guide Service | hudsonprobass@gmail.com

www.LakeWestPointFishing.com | 706-844-1483

The lake is approaching full pool. Water temps are 70”s and low 80’s. Water is fairly clear over most of the lake.

Bass: GOOD. Largemouth are being caught on several different patterns. Top water baits such as Pop R’s, Zara Spooks and Buzz Baits can be extremely effective for shallow and aggressive fish, especially around bream beds. A second pattern that works well is to look for spawning shad and blueback herring. (The herring population seems to have exploded this year. So, I would expect many of the tactics that Lanier anglers use to catch open water fish to really come into play over the next couple years.) Try fishing rip rap around bridges with spinnerbaits, small crankbaits, and Zoom Superflukes. Additionally, some big tournament sacks of largemouth are still being weighed in by guys who sight fish, targeting fish that are locked on bed. This can be an aggravating

way to fish but can pay off in a tournament win. Try an unweighted Merthiolate Zoom Trick worm or an unweighted ZLINKY. One other pattern is to look for fresh blowdowns with the leaves still on them. Try a jerkbait or Zoom super fluke worked around the outer limbs as lots of spotted bass are caught by casting Spot Remover heads loaded with ultra vibe speed craws or just dragging a Carolinarigged Zoom finesse worm or mini lizard around sloping gravel banks or around the many shoal marker poles scattered around the lake.

Linesides: EXCELLENT. Spawned out hybrids & stripes show back up down lake in May. Expect the down-line bite on live bait to be awesome! Some fish have started schooling on the main lake and can be caught on small crankbaits, topwaters, Pop n Cork rigs and Gotcha Swim Shad lures. Also, fish can be caught trolling Flash Mob Rigs. Try the mouths of most major creeks.

subtle presentation, rig up a 3/8 Berkley Fusion swimbait head tipped with a white paddle tail. Every day is different in the Spring. Just because it worked yesterday does not mean it will work the next day.

Live herring on a freeline across these same points and humps will also be a great tactic. This is the old reliable technique. Spool up a Penn Fathom II Linecounter 15 series reel with 15-pound Trilene Big Game and a Shakespeare Striper Series rod and you are ready for live bait fishing. Be sure to pick up some Gamakatsu size 1 Octopus hooks, some Trilene 100% Flourocarbon, and some Spro Power Swivels for your leaders and you are all set. Pull these freelines across these areas at about 1 mph. As the water temperature increases do not be afraid to add a little weight to the freeline to get down a little deeper. As the water temperature increases, look for the fish to go deeper. May should be great weather and great fishing. It is a great month to be on the water before the summer heat. Stay safe.

OCONEE ON THE FLY

Contributed By Capt. Wayne Moore - USCG Licensed | www.oconeeonthefly.coM

Forecast for May Crappie – As of this writing on April 8th most guides think the spawn has already happened. This means that by May the crappie will begin their migration to orient very close to underwater structure. Once they are on the structure “brush pile” fishing will be very productive if you can find the structure and fish directly above it.

In the meantime, trolling deeper water over submerged structure will produce. You have to know how deep your jigs are running or you will get hung up a lot. As a general rule, a 1/16-ounce jig trolled at 1 mph will run 6 to 8 feet deep. You can experiment over a mud flat to see how deep they will run out of your boat.

Hybrids / Stripers – Finally, the shad are beginning to spawn. This bite may be over by the first week in May as it came early this year. However, if you can throw a cast net for live shad, May, will be very good. It’s difficult to keep shad alive but you can put an additive and an aerator in a 5-gallon bucket and they should last through the morning. My friend, Blake Jones makes a product, shad magic, which works! (https://shadmagic.com/)

Fly Fishing – I have had several fly anglers ready to go give it a shot, but the conditions have not been right until just now. As the temperatures warm and power demands go up, Georgia Power will be generating late in the day and pumping water back up from Sinclair at night. Sometimes they leave the pumps on through first light, and this creates a solid topwater bite.

Do not forget to give your sinking line or sink tip a try if you see fish on humps on your sonar. A Clouser on a #2 hook in chartreuse and white is your best bet.

Final Words

Contact me at wmoore1700@outlook. com or call 404-317-9556 to book your trip. I provide everything you need including light snacks and soft drinks. Tight Lines, and God Bless.

By Capt Sam Williams Hawks Fishing Guide Service

The continuing rains are holding the river at near full pool. This will help the shallow bedding if the water is not pulled off the beds again. It will also make for some great shallow water fishing as the vegetation begins to germinate. This will make the frog bite and spinner bait bite pick up. The record rains have been good for the farmers and the fish. We are just under 24 inches since January 1. While the water remains muddy, the red colored hard baits and soft plastics are a great choice. Noisy baits, like bladed jigs, are good right now. The vibration carries further in the dense, dirty water. A good smelly attractant like J.J.’s. Magic on your bait also leaves a trail in the water for the bass to follow and strike your bait. The deep fish are holding on structure and also need noise to get their attention. Rattlers inserted in your soft plastics help get the attention of nearby fish. Crappie are still being caught around the rip-rap on the causeway, railroad trestle and rocky banks. Minnows are the bait of choice right now. Keep your boat moving slow ‘till you get several fish, then hold that position and catch a mess before they

slow down biting. Pan fish are beginning to do well on wigglers. Catfish are eating cut bait on jugs in the creeks and crawlers on the bottom on the creek ledges. The high winds are making it hard to corral the jugs, like catching spooled calves in an open field. Find a creek where you get a cross wind will cut down on your work. If you have an interest in fishing the Lee King Memorial Bass Tournament, formally the Alabama Classic, on September 21, please drop me a note at hawk184@earthlink.net (mail to:hawk184@earthlink.net) or call 334 355 5057. I need to know if there is an interest from the fishermen to continue this fundraising event to find a cure for the terminal kid’s with Niemann-Pic disease, your support over the past 23 years have allowed us to send neatly $300,000.00 for research that has brought a possible cure to reality. Pray for all our folks in uniform and their families as they go out daily to protect us. Pray for and love each other just like Jesus loves us. God Bless & Good Fishn’.

Water Level: 188./85 msl; Water Temp: 67 degrees; Water Clarity: Muddy

Richard caught this nice spotted bass on Lake Lanier.

Memories being created catching some monster stripers with Chris, Logan, Mason & Pawpaw!

Robby Morris with a nice small pond crappie!

Dr Mitchell Karl caught and released this 23” brown trout during the solar eclipse today with RTA owner Chris Scalley.

Miles Dahlquist with a huge largemouth bass from a pond in Cumming, GA.

catch Miles!

Braxton Anderson with a nice slab from Fairfield Plantation!

Out Here

The fight for an unforgettable catch begins here, where 100,000 square miles of deep blue waters play home to speedy blue marlin and wahoo, massive tuna and brawny mahi mahi. Deep sea fishing in The Out Islands is a battle of wits, a test of perseverance, and a chance to prove your angler’s instinct. See what could be waiting on the other side of your line.

Summer Fsing ALASKA’S

STANDS ALONE

By Capt. Lukas Brickweg

is true for human visitors, too. Te summertime fshing in Alaska can be astoundingly good.

Imagine awe-inspiring natural landscapes cascading into a sea teeming with marine life. I’ve lived and fshed in Fiji, Te Bahamas, Hawaii and Florida. Tey are all spectacular, but there’s nothing like an Alaskan summer.

My own journey to Alaska began as a young man when I dreamed of one day fshing there. Like most young adults, I strived to get good grades and work jobs to pay bills and tuition. I took the mainstream approach of university studies. Shortly afer graduation, I obtained a position with a fnancial frm. I loved the work; I hated the monotony of a nine-to-fve work life. Afer a year and a half, I called it quits and fed to Alaska with no contacts or the faintest idea of what it would be like. It’s now been 12 years, and I still call Alaska home for the summer fshing season.

I operate Ketchikan’s Finest Fishing Charters. My fshing partner, Jake Smith, and I consider ourselves lucky for the opportunity to provide topfight experiences for clients every day.

Te prime fshing season in Ketchikan is May through September, and we provide customized charters for any group, regardless of age or experience. You can expect to catch halibut, salmon, rockfsh, cod and even Dungeness crab. We ofer full-day and multi-day packages, with daily catches aggregating over hundreds of pounds. In addition, we ofer cruise ship charters for salmon and halibut to ft each visitor’s port times. With pick-up and drop-of from downtown ports, it’s the best way to fsh during an Alaskan cruise.

John Muir, the famous naturalist, wrote that you should never go to Alaska as a young man because you’ll never be satisfed with any other place as long as you live. From frst-hand experience, I believe this to be true.

Alaska still holds riches beyond one’s wildest dreams. Hundreds of millions of salmon food into their native streams and rivers to spawn each year. Giant barn-door halibut scour the deep seas. Humpback whales migrate thousands of miles to feast on Alaska’s annual summer bounty. Eagles, bears and other wildlife abound and celebrate summer, when it’s a feast for all. Tis

Imagine riding to the richest Alaskan fshing grounds with humpback whales breaching on the horizon. Eagles soar overhead and swoop to pluck salmon from the sea. Te fshing is insane, with massive halibut and lightsout salmon fshing. It’s sensory overload in a good way, and an experience that should be at the top of everyone’s bucket list.

If planning a fshing trip in Alaska seems daunting, know that modernday Alaska is accessible to all. Tere’s no need for foat planes or dog sleds. Ketchikan is a two-hour plain ride from Seattle in a commercial airliner that touches down in a modern airport. From there, everything is at your fngertips.

Check out Ketchikan’s Finest Fishing Charters at ketchikanfshingtrips.com. Contact them (907) 617-4717 or e-mail ketchikanfshingtrips@gmail.com.

Boating is unpredictable but with a BoatU.S. Unlimited Towing Membership, it’s easy to keep your cool if something goes wrong. With more than 600+ red boats on the water, TowBoatU.S. will have your back.

Anglers

Outfit Yourself to Kayak Fish

Dodging busy boat ramps, launching from dirt roads, exploring small creeks and hidden pockets to sight fsh big fsh in skinny water… these are the reasons Skye Burkhardt prefers to fsh from a kayak. On her home waters of Florida’s storied Mosquito Lagoon, snook, tarpon and redfsh are favorite targets, and stalking into casting range with artifcial lures is as close to big-game hunting as fshing gets.

By CAM Staf

Skye guides kayak-fshing trips through Yellow Dawg Bait & Tackle in Ormond Beach, Fla. She said she feels most at home and closest to nature in a kayak and enjoys teaching anglers as much as she does putting people on fsh.

With that in mind, she said most folks have questions about gear. Here are some things to think about when outftting yourself to kayak fsh:

KAYAK: “Do as much research as possible. Read reviews, compare brands and gather knowledge of the features and specs before making a purchase,” she said. “Watch YouTube videos, read reviews for insight from other anglers who fsh and paddle similar waters and target the same species the same way you do.”

Wide, short kayaks are more stable and maneuver better in tight spaces. Tese are advantages for standing to fsh and weaving through tight backwaters. On the other hand, paddling across a bay against wind and current is easier in a long, narrow kayak, which is faster and tracks better.

Consider the waters you’ll fsh. Buy the boat that best suits your needs.

PROPULSION: Peddle-drive boats are awesome, especially for covering lots of water and having your hands free to fsh. Tey’re also more expensive and less capable in extremely skinny water. Most have retractable rudders or propellers for zero additional draf, but this can clutter the deck. You’ll want to carry a paddle with you, anyway, both for maneuvering in the shallows and for redundancy.

Paddle-powered kayaks are simpler and generally less expensive, but you’ll

need stamina and arm strength to cover water. A traditional paddle-powered boat is likely better on shallow fats and backwaters, and it’s worth investing in a decent paddle.

ANCHORS: A stake-out pole is handy for stealthy anchoring in shallow water. If you’re fshing deeper, a lightweight anchor with folding fukes to dig into the sand is another good option. Either way, you’ll want something to keep your boat in place when you pull up on a school of fsh.

SAFETY: Tis list will vary depending on where you’re fshing, but here are some items to consider: a PFD—the infatable ones are more comfortable to wear; a knife attached to you to cut free from entanglement; Signaling devices such as lights, beacons, mirrors and whistles; a frst-aid kit will keep you on the water in the event of minor injuries.

Book a kayak adventure with Skye Burkhardt at yellowdawg fshing.com. Enter to win a free guided trip and a kayak fshing package at coastalanglermag.com. Follow Skye on social @brassyangler87.

WIN A KAYAK FISHING TRIP WITH Skye

By Capt. Michael Okruhlik

for Bottom-Feeding Redfsh LOCATE MUD BOILS

This has been my theme for the year, and I can’t stress enough how important it is to be aware of your surroundings. Years ago, when I was in my early 20s, a good friend of mine told me about a guide his friends had fshed with. He said this guide could see fsh where everyone else only sees water.

Naturally, I had to experience this for myself. A few buddies and I booked a trip with Capt. Blaine and witnessed this phenomenon for

ourselves. We were drifing in an open area near a river mouth in 10 feet of water. Te captain yelled, “there they are!” and hurriedly encouraged us to reel in our lines before heading full throttle toward the middle of the bay. We all looked at each other, “What did he see?” We still didn’t see anything, no disturbed water, no bait jumping, no diving birds. Ten he said, “Cast over there!” and we all three hooked up on big redfsh before our sof plastics reached the bottom.

What he saw were mud boils. Understanding and learning how to interpret these is something that took me a long time to master in deep water. Tese schools of reds were feeding 10 feet below the surface, and they were stirring up the bottom. As the silt rose to the surface, it gave away their location.

Fishing mud boils on shallow fats is a little easier to master because of the water depth. If you are fortunate to see a small boil and cast to it, the fsh will still be in the immediate area. While fshing mud boils in deep open bays, the boil is typically larger by the time it reaches the surface, and you need to determine which direction the fsh are moving. In this scenario, you could easily cast behind the school and not get a bite. Understanding the wind and tide and assessing the shape of the boil are all critical skills to master. A quality pair of polarized sunglasses is also a must.

Many lures can be deployed under these conditions, and I feel sof plastics are the most efective. Having a lure that can efortlessly bounce on the bottom will produce more strikes because that is where the fsh is feeding, hence the mud boil created by that activity.

Go to my YouTube channel or check out this month’s Te Angler Video Magazine for a video of me fshing mud boils on a shallow fat. Te video will show this situation and greatly complement the article. As always, take a kid fshing and begin to teach them how to read the water.

Capt. Michael Okruhlik is the inventor of Knockin Tail Lures® and the owner of www.MyCoastOutdoors.com.

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CAST LURES IN A MITZI TOURNAMENT 17

TIPS FROM A PRO

OPTIMIZE YOUR USE OF FORWARD FACING SONAR

The year is 2024, and technology is getting better and better. Whether it be the retail tech business or the fshing industry, there are tools now available that a few years ago we would have never thought were even possible. One of those technologies is forward-facing sonar (FFS). Tere’s a lot of debate about FFS in the fshing these days, but there’s no denying it’s an amazing tool when used correctly.

I have been using this technology since its earliest stages, and catching fsh while looking at my screens has become one of my favorite ways to fsh. It is extremely cool to watch a fsh eat your lure in real time, and it can also teach you a tremendous amount about what is happening under the water. Not only do I use this tech to fnd and catch fsh, I use it to pinpoint bait and areas with life, fnd sweet spots and diferentiations in an area, and eliminate dead water much faster ever before.

Figuring out how to use this new technology can be a little frustrating at frst if you don’t quite understand what’s going on. Spending time on the water, doing as much research as possible or getting someone experienced to teach you are the best ways to get an upper

hand. Fishing lakes where catching fsh isn’t very hard in general helped

me tremendously with deciphering what I saw using FFS. Smallmouth fshing in the north country was a big helper, as these fsh are aggressive and you get many opportunities to present baits and dial in your skills.

Another thing that helps you understand the picture on your screen is objects that are visible above the water. Point your transducer at a bridge, dock, tree or grass, and picture in your head what should be under the water while also watching your screen. Tis will help beginners dial in settings and get a better understanding of what is displayed. It takes time, patience and dedication to learn, but don’t get frustrated and try to have fun with it.

Tere are varied opinions on forwardfacing sonar and its place in the fshing industry, but it isn’t going away, it will only get better! Some of the coolest things I’ve witnessed and some of my best fshing days were due to the electronics on my boat.

Spending the time to learn how to use FFS is well worth the efort. Te technology is dominating pretty much every tournament right now, and it absolutely revolutionized the way I break down a body of water.

Tere are many resources out there to help you in your learning process and people like me who are always willing to answer questions. Don’t be afraid to reach out, tight lines!

Tyler Woolcott is a professional tournament angler and guide. Check out his website at www.tylerwoolcottfshing.com.

TYLER WOOLCOTT

Will Schmidt

HOOKED ON HARDWARE

It’s well known that some of the best kingfsh fshing starts with a livewell full of frisky baits. Unfortunately, catching them can eat up much of your fshing time. Afer that, it can be hours of bump trolling waiting for a fsh to hit. Fortunately, for those who just want to head out for a couple hours of fun and blistering runs, it can be accomplished with artifcials. Besides getting you straight to the fshing, you can cover a lot more ground by pulling hardware, and it is not nearly as tedious.

Like using live bait, wire leader is crucial. Kingfsh have razor sharp teeth that will go through even stout mono with little efort. I prefer single-strand wire and usually opt for at least #7 (80-lb.). Single strand tends to kink afer just one fsh, but that’s not always a problem when pulling big plugs, as they will pull the wire straight. Also, watch your split rings. Tey can weaken the loop where it attaches to the lure, so be sure to constantly inspect your connections. I like to cover many diferent depths in the water column when trolling. I

start with a shallow runner like the Nomad 190 AT that runs 3 to 5 feet deep, which I set way back. I also like the Nomad Madmacs that run just slightly deeper. I run it 30 to 50 feet in front of my shallow long-bait to facilitate turning. Ten I like to go deeper with a DTX Minnow 165. I run that close to the boat and right under the prop wash. Tis is hands down my most productive bait. I fnd speeds of 6 to 8 knots usually work well. Tis allows me to cover a lot of ground and is fast enough to elicit a strike. I ofen fnd any slower and the fsh don’t seem interested. Te other great thing about these lures is the hooks are very large, and they stick once they make contact.

When you’re trolling the deeper-diving DTX 165s, you will need a reel with some signifcant drag, as these big-lipped plugs take a lot to hold in place. Te Accurate BV600, with its dual drag system, is a great reel for the job. Te BV X76H matches perfectly with it and is a great multi-duty trolling rig that doubles as an awesome grouper rod. Even though you don’t need a super-light tip, like with live bait, a rod that gives is a plus with these sof-mouthed fsh.

As for spots, look for hard bottom that holds bait. Wrecks and reefs are great, too. It sometimes pays to make wider circles around these structures to get away from the barracudas.

With a few lures and some know-how, you can easily head out and catch some kings without dedicating an entire day to your eforts.

The Return of a

Will Schmidt is a seasoned tournament anglers who has been writing about fshing for more than three decades.

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