The Angler Magazine | November 2023 | Greater Atlanta Edition

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GREATER ATLANTA AREA EDITION

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LOCAL REPORTS & CATCH PHOTOS

LARGEMOUTH ON THE FLY

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COASTALANGLERMAG.COM/CONTEST VOLUME 27 • ISSUE 344

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FOR NOVEMBER’S BOUNTY

By Capt. Quinlyn Haddon

W

ith cold fronts rolling in and the slow season phasing out, November is a special month off the Keys. Crowds of sailfish begin to move up onto our reef, and a morning spent loading the cooler with yellowtail snapper transitions easily into a trophy fish hunt.

Both can be targeted at the same time.

Out on the reef, filling the boat with yellowtail takes care of the grocery hunt, and it’s also an opportunity to scoop some fresh ballyhoo. Once the cooler is full, the anchor is pulled and the sailfish hunt begins in the same area. This can lead to epic trips, with dinner and a show, all on a mere half day charter.

Sitting on anchor on the reef should give the captain a reasonable assessment for the next steps to take into sailfishing for the remainder of the trip. Often, you will be able to see sailfish breaking the surface around you during the snapper fishing portion of the trip. You may see them either freejumping and putting on a show or pushing up schools of ballyhoo and spraying bait into the air, indicating their presence and appetite.

If this obvious display isn’t present right away, there are two viable options to pursue the sailfish.

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NOVEMBER 2023

The captain may choose to push out to deeper water and bump troll live bait, or deploy the kite, which can be extremely productive. Alternatively, and easily the more exciting option, is to travel along the reef and look for them.

As you cruise the reef looking for a sightcasting opportunity, there are a few indicators to be watchful of. First, it is possible to see the sailfish itself, but this is a little more tricky from deck-level.

A sailfish in the water will appear very black and can often look like a trash bag. They can also be spotted free-jumping and cruising the tops of the waves.

Looking for the fish directly is actually the least productive way to find them without a tower on the boat to scout from. The best way to find them is running and gunning. Cruising slowly while scouring the surface for bait sprays and diving frigates gives them away almost every time. When the frigates start getting down on the water or large schools of bait are spraying into the air, throttle down because it’s game on. Hauling butt over to

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the action and trying to get your bait out there before the fish eats another ballyhoo is one of the most exciting types of fishing there is. Even if you miss your shot, there’s a great chance you will see the fish. Nothing compares to the adrenaline of this type of hunt.

With cooler temperatures pushing in, tourism is more focused on fishing charters. Last minute bookings become more difficult. So, if you’re planning a vacation to the Florida Keys, it is recommended to make a charter reservation beforehand.

Happy hunting and Happy Thanksgiving from Sweet E’nuf Charters!

Capt. Quinlyn Haddon and Sweet E’nuf Charters fish out of Marathon in the Florida Keys.

Contact Capt. Haddon at (504) 920-6342 and follow her social accounts @CaptainQuinlyn.

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EuroNymphing

By Nick Carter

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ove it or hate it, Euro nymphing is a style of fly fishing that is growing in popularity because it is so darn effective for catching numbers of trout. Naysayers might gripe about the technique having more in common with cane-pole fishing than fly fishing, but Euro nymphers are too busy netting fish to care.

It is a combination of styles employed by European tournament anglers. At the most basic level, it is a simple way to fish nymphs without an indicator. The angler remains in constant loose contact with the fly and leads the drift with the rod.

Bite detection is instant, hook sets are quick, and the angler has complete control over the depth and trajectory of the drift.

Grant Hawse guides out of Fish Tales Outfitters in Franklin, N.C. He honed his nymphing skills as a member of the U.S. team at the World Youth Fly Fishing Championships in Spain and Slovenia in 2016 and 2017. Here are his tips for getting into Euro nymphing.

THE BASICS

Hawse said he visualizes a 3D grid in a run.

He uses a series of short flick casts to drift his nymph over every inch of that grid vertically and horizontally. Depth is controlled by the angle of the rod, making it possible to present the fly on the nose of every fish in a run.

Angles, posture and smooth line retrieve are important. Rapt attention to the slightest tick of a bite leads to lightning-fast hook sets. The technique might seem tedious to traditional fly fishers, but if the goal is to catch lots of fish, Euro nymphing has proven itself superior in most situations.

BE A GEAR HEAD

You’ll need new gear to Euro nymph efficiently.

Rod: Long, light rods give you reach and sensitivity. Cortland’s Nymph Series rods are 10’ 6” and come in 2- to 4-weight models.

THE TECHNIQUE Reel: The reel balances the rig. Hawse said Euro nymphing is an efficient way to cover a reel rated for line one step heavier than the every inch of the water in front of you. With very rod’s rating generally does the trick. Test this by little slack in the system, the angler has complete balancing the rod with two fingers as a fulcrum on the handle. control of the path and depth of the drift.

Line: Hawse suggested spooling up with floating fly line instead of expensive Euro nymphing line. The main line rarely leaves the reel when you’re nymphing, anyway, and if you want to throw dry flies you can switch out the leader.

Leader: Here’s a basic leader: 10 feet of 8-lb. mono, 6 feet of 6-lb. mono, 6 feet of 4-lb. mono, 2 feet of 6x sighter, and 4 feet of 6x tippet. Sighter is brightly colored leader material that allows the angler to see where the line is and what it’s doing.

Flies: Euro nymph rigs require heavier flies.

Fish Tungsten heads or nymphs with lead tied into the body.

Contact Fish Tales Outfitters through their website www.fishtaleswnc.com.

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ver wondered what the depth, bottom structure and composition look like off the end of your favorite jetty, bank, beach or fishing pier? Do you fish smaller waters or from a small boat or kayak and bulky, heavy and expensive electronics aren’t an option?

Deeper has brought the advantage of sonar to the masses with portable and castable fishfinders that are perfect for whatever type fishing you do, whether it’s from the shore, from a kayak or small boat, or through a hole in the ice.

Deeper PRO+ can be used anywhere to show you all the fish-holding structure and cover as well as the fish themselves. Paired with a free smartphone app, this small sonar unit is smaller than a tennis ball, weighs just 3.5 ounces and can be cast out 330 feet to report back sonar readings from two beams (15 and 55 degrees). It’s the ultimate insight into where you should—or should not—be fishing.

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NOVEMBER 2023

This extremely versatile little unit has up to six hours of battery life and connects to your smartphone via its own stable Wi-Fi signal, which provides a much stronger connection than Bluetooth. It’s durable, easy to use and comes with a two-year warranty.

Deeper PRO+ pairs with the free Fish Deeper app which provides a crisp, clear display and many great features to help you catch more and bigger fish. With GPS, you can reel or troll the Deeper PRO+ around to create accurate depth and structure maps of your favorite fishery, log catches, mark spots and much more. All scans are saved in the cloud at no additional cost, and you can access them from all your devices.

For boaters and kayakers, the Deeper Flexible Arm and Smartphone mount for boat/kayak turns your Smartphone into a convenient and stable display to monitor readings. Shore anglers will love

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the Smartphone Mount for Any Fishing Rod. For ice fishing, the Deeper CHIRP2 model offers the most advanced scanning and battery life, with up to 15 hours of run time and high-quality CHIRP scanning technology. Just drill a hole in the ice, drop in the cable-free unit and utilize the professional ice fishing display with a traditional ice-fishing flasher.

If you’re looking for a more budget friendly option for shore-based angling, the Deeper Start model is what you need. It’s perfect for the starting angler who might not fish as often and is looking for a less expensive but still powerful option.

Look for special holiday deals on Deeper products in local stores, on Amazon and at https://deepersonar.com/us/en_us.

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Hunting On the Fly Gator Trout

By Nick Carter

C

atching gator trout heavier than 5 or 6 pounds has more in common with hunting than it does with setting up on a drop and catching schoolie trout hand over fist. Add to that the challenge of hunting them with a fly, and success becomes that much sweeter.

Capt. Gus Brugger knows that sweet feeling well. He’s a regular contributor the Treasure Coast edition of Coastal Angler Magazine who has been hounding inshore species with a fly rod for nearly 40 years. He was a full-time inshore guide on Florida’s storied Indian River Lagoon for 23 years and has a lot to share when it comes to catching monster trout on the fly.

“It’s got to be all about stealth if you want to get a big seatrout on the fly,” he said. “Whether from a kayak, a boat, or just accessing areas from the bank, I always feel like you’re a lot better off wading.”

The primary benefit of wading is stealth, and it also forces you to work areas thoroughly. Outsized trout are notoriously skittish and spook from hull slap, shadows and even fly line on the water. With your feet in the sand, you’re less obtrusive, and while you might not be able to cover water like you would from a boat, you can be meticulous.

“Grid out pieces of open water, set up with the wind off your shoulder— so you’re not knocking yourself in the head,” Brugger said. “Cast, take two steps to the side, and then cast again. Wind helps, and a little chop on the water helps keep them from spooking.”

Carefully picking apart potholes, ditches and depressions on a flat is the go-to tactic for most of the year, but cooler winter water temps bring exciting opportunities for fly anglers. Winter may be the best time to target giant trout.

“In winter, gators act more like snook than trout,” Brugger said. Big trout push into the backwaters in search of deeper holes with more comfortable

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water temperatures. This could be off a canal dock or in a trough of deep water along a mangrove bank. These comfort zones consolidate fish. While wading isn’t an option in several feet of muck on a canal bottom, a kayak or small skiff can get you in quietly. Brugger and his son have had great winter days at backwater holes in no-motor zones.

As for gear, a 7- or 8-weight fly rod gives you the ability to throw big streamers and baitfish patterns. Brugger said they’ll eat a shrimp, but you’re better off throwing big mullet or menhaden imitations. Whether it’s a Clouser, Bendback, Polar Fiber Minnow, or some articulated monstrosity, Brugger fishes flies that are 6 inches and longer. Some days they want flashy white and chartreuse patterns. Other days they want something more natural. A clear intermediate sinking fly line is helpful for stealth and to get flies down into the strike zone.

For more tips and tactics, visit coastalanglermag.com.

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LOCAL RIVERS & FLY FISHING Contributed By: Rene J. Hesse Certified Casting InstructorFederation of Fly Fishers & Atlanta Fly Fishing and Camping Meetup Organizer

Do you want to be a Rod Star?

Do you feel like something is missing in your life? Would a little time outside feel good? Need a chance to cast a fly line? If these things are sounding good, but you just need a little nudge to get you going- here it is.

The Southeast Counsel of Fly

Fishers International is putting together programs that will allow you to cast and not get wet. Aim for targets and shoot for distance and not have to change a fly. Yep, if you want to be a Rod Star get ready.

Start practicing your loops, and casting.

We have events coming up November 18th and then next spring.

This will allow you to compete with your friends as a team and win prizes. It is a distance and accuracy event and we use your teams best casts to score.

It’s all for fun. No one gets any big prizes, but there is talk of a day on private water. BTW it’s almost free to participate. The local fly shops and guides will be considered a pro.

They can have two other casters on their team so go in and ask one of them to be a teammate. The goal is to have a bunch of like-minded fly fishers in the same venue and share the passion. It also serves to get folks outside even if they aren’t fishing.

Practicing distance and accuracy is

always good for your fishing skills.

If you would like to be on a mailing list of upcoming events send me an email. I would also suggest joining Fly Fishers International to gain all the insights and have access to their video and resources. There are special rates for Veterans and Seniors.

You can reach me at rjhesse@ bellsouth.net or AtlantaFlyfishingmeetup.com THE TIP OF THE DAY: Start each cast with your rod tip down and strip the line until the fly moves, that removes the slack. And THEN start the backcast.

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NOVEMBER 2023

ATLANTA 1

LOCAL RIVERS & FLY FISHING FORGET SOMETHING?

By Jeff Durniak Unicoi Outfitters

One stormy afternoon last August it rained heavily in White County. I soon spotted a flow spike on the USGS Hooch gauge and ran home to pack up for an evening attempt at Helen’s summer vacationers, Lanier stripers. A muddy river gives fly anglers a better chance to fool a late-season vacationer or two.

First, I reached for my sling pack on the garage shelf and replaced its bass bug box with my striper streamer box. Then I hastily grabbed the rest of my river fishing essentials, tossed them into my trunk, and headed north to Helen.

There, the river looked right! I slipped on my wading socks and boots, then assembled my fly rod and reel. Now to pick the hot fly.

Ugh, where’s my fly box? A cloud of dread descended over me. Yeah, it’s in the sling pack, still resting safely on the garage shelf. “Did you forget something, Jeff?” I said sarcastically to self. I had not checked my fishing checklist before I departed. My somber drive home began.

How many of you, my fellow anglers, have forgotten a vital fishing component in your rush to the river? Well, Unicoi Outfitters is here to help once again. I’m sharing my own personal fishing checklist. It’s on my smart phone’s notes page and is very effective –WHEN I remember to check it. Take a peek: n Rod(s) and reel(s) n Loaded vest or sling pack n Correct fly boxes n Waders, belt, boots, and staff n Net, bug spray n Hat, sunglasses, sunscreen n Raincoat, headlamp n Cooler with food, drinks n Maps if needed n Dry change of clothes n Phone, folding chair, first aid kit n Inform kin of destination and return time.

Look over my list, copy what you like to your own smart phone, and then customize it to meet your needs. Just remember to check

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that list before you peel out of the driveway.

Luckily, I live close to Helen.

I drove home that August evening and retrieved my sling pack with only 45 minutes of fishing time lost. It didn’t matter, as I was skunked anyway. But at least I got into the game. And that’s what we hope this checklist does for y’all: keeps you in the game. Go over your own checklist before you fire up your troutmobile and race to the river. Discovering a missing item in your driveway is less stressful than making that sad assessment streamside, hours away from home. You’ll catch a lot more fish that way. You can trust me, your test dummy, on that one. Forget something? Not any more! Check out our Unicoi Blog for more tips and intel. Just go to unicoioutfitters.com and click on “fishing reports” and “learn to flyfish.” We’ll see you on the stream, fully prepared for success!

CONTACT: CRAIG@THEANGLERMAGAZINE.COM NOVEMBER 2023

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THE BROWN BLITZ!

Contributed By: Chris Scalley River Through Atlanta Guide Service Cooler nights and shorter days of Autumn seem to trigger that primordial bite of the brown trout in the Chattahoochee. Where we normally catch 10:1 rainbows to browns, this catch ratio flip flops to primarily Salmo trutta, whether you’re nymphing or streamer.

Football and hunting seasons are well underway during this time of year, and now anglers will have the river all to themselves, even on the weekends!

Somewhere over the rainbow…

Let’s not forget our beloved rainbow trout, as this time of year, we

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do get to catch some larger fish that have made it unscathed all summer.

Even though most Hooch rainbows are stocked, these holdovers have proven their ability to switch to a natural diet and fight like a wild fish with great condition and coloration.

Fall is the time for obscure bug hatches…

Have you ever heard of an “October caddis”? We have consistent caddis hatch every fall with mostly a #16 to #14 tan sedge pattern.

Clients can prospect foam lines and seams with horizontal winged dries even if you don’t witness rising behavior. Because our boats have such great rod storage, we always keep a light 3 or 4 wt rigged with a single dry for this purpose. We also have blanket BWO hatches in sizes #16 down to #24, which may be an excellent dry-dropper off your caddis imitation to double your odds on the surface.

“Let Us Bait Your Hook”

Fax: 706-977-3781 Email: squiggleywormbaitandtackle@gmail.com

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Doug Nelms taught me how to spoon fish many years ago and I love it! Find humps, fish the outer edge of the hump in say 30 feet of water and drop a 7/8-ounce War Eagle spoon straight down. The key is to use a thumping stick first. This is any stick like a broom handle with a rubber covering on the end. If there are no fish on the hump, try thumping at a steady pace for 10 minutes before you begin jigging the spoon. This works

great in November.

Fly Fishing – By Thanksgiving I expect the gulls will be on the water. Find these birds dive bombing shad in shallow water on an overcast day and you just might have an incredible outing!

Use intermediate line on an 8-weight rod with a 9-foot, and a 12-pound fluorocarbon leader. The best flies are Cowen’s Somethin Else, Cowen’s Coyote, or a chartreuse and white Clouser on a #2 hook.

FINAL WORDS The pictures shown here are from previous Novembers, it’s always been a great month for fishing Lake Oconee!

Contact me at wmoore1700@ outlook.com or call 404-317-9556 to book your trip.

Tight Lines, and God Bless.

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As of this writing on Monday morning, October 9th, the low temperature is in the mid-40s. It’s as if Summer ended one day and the next day it was fall. Right now, the hybrid and striper bite is slow but that’s about to change for the better.

Crappie fishing is still excellent fishing over submerged structure, but they too will soon scatter, and different techniques will be successful.

FORECAST FOR NOVEMBER: Crappie – Before the advent of forward-facing sonar like LiveScope, trolling was the thing. Personally, I still prefer trolling when this bite is on. When you think about trolling for crappie, two methods are used (and debated).

Long lining or trolling behind the boat is what I like because it’s relatively easy (except when a customer gets a fish wrapped up in many of the other lines). In early November, this method will work well in the mouths of coves and over submerged timber. I troll 8 rods in Millennium Marine R-100 Spyder LOK Multiple Rod Holders out of the back of my boat (you can get these at Sugar Creek Marina). The great thing about these rod holders is that you adjust the height off the water and the distance between your rods.

Keeping your rod tips 4 feet apart

will help prevent tangles.

I use the ACC Crappie Stix GS08M Green series 8′ rods spooled up with Mr. Crappie 6lb test and the HiVis color. I use Litewire hook jigs in 1/16th and 1/32nd often rigged double with a Jiffy Jig. My favorite color is June Bug. I generally troll at 9/10th mph.

For pushing rods out of the front of the boat I use the same rod holders but with 14-foot rods. I use a ½ ounce weight and bobber stoppers to keep it where I want the weight.

Then I add a Hal Fly style Jiffy Jig, 1/16th ounce tipped with a minnow.

My favorite color is JJ-20: Black/ Bubblegum/Chartreuse. Troll very slowly so the line is vertical. This will work better as the water temperatures cool down.

Hybrids / Stripers – Here we go!

In November, the bite will get very good. I like to flatline out of the back of the boat with bass minnows around Great Waters, River Bend, and all the way down to the dam. As I mentioned last month, “the setup for using them is easy, I just use a spinning rod with 12 lb monofilament, a small swivel, a 20-inch leader of 10 or 12 lb fluorocarbon and a #4 circle hook. Just put a few lines out and troll slowly from 5/10th to 9/10th mph in water about 30 feet deep.”

Guided Fly Fishing and Conventional Tackle Trips for Hybrids, Stripers, and Crappie Booking now, novice or experienced anglers. On the water instruction, top of the line fly gear!

Mix it up with light spinning tackle as well for a great combo trip!

Captain Wayne Moore - Oconee On The Fly, Inc 404-317-9556 www.oconeeonthefly.com / wmoore1700@outlook.com

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LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST HOLIDAY SHOPPING FOR THOSE OUTDOOR PEOPLE IN YOUR LIFE IS HERE AGAIN Dr. Andrew Cox It is November, and the holiday shopping season has rolled around once again. If you are like me, you are most likely racking your brain to identify and purchase gifts for those important people in your life. Finding gifts for people who enjoy angling can be a dilemma; it can be easy yet difficult to locate such gifts. Some anglers have a multitude of angling items and gadgets, so finding something that they do not already have can be difficult. On the other hand, finding a fishing item that they may actually use over the course of a fishing season can be another dilemma.

As you search for holiday gift purchases, consider shopping at locally owned angling and sporting goods stores. These are many times small businesses that are the foundation of America’s economy and seem to be having a difficult time competing with the large, national, so called “big box” stores as well as online sales outlets. Over the years, many of these smaller family owned businesses have gone out of business.

Browsing around these stores may provide some gifting ideas for those sportspersons in your life.

Most of these smaller stores have knowledgeable sales staff with excellent customer service that can provide gift ideas to you geared towards the angler’s preferred type of fishing. Many times, these outlets carry tackle and product brands not found at big box tackle outlets or have specialty angling niches focused upon particular angling methods. Another advantage is that you can actually see and touch the item to be purchased to judge its quality and features.

Another thing that I enjoy about local sporting goods outlets, though they may have a smaller inventory, sometimes classic left over stocks of lures and similar products no longer available at the big box or online sales outlets can be found. Finding original balsa Bang-a-Lures, Big O’s, or other discontinued tackle lines has occurred to me more than one time over the course of my browsing.

6 ATLANTA

NOVEMBER 2023

As years go by, I seem to be doing more and more of my angling purchases through on-line outdoors and angling websites and vendors. These sites have a large inventory with a substantial array of items for selection. Multiple purchases can be made from your computer allowing completion of gift purchases for several persons at one time without leaving your office or home. This certainly saves time and the frustration dealing with crowds at various shopping areas. A disadvantage is that you can read about an item to be purchased, yet not able to view it until the item arrives at your location. Sometimes the quality or nature of the purchased item does not meet your expectations, requiring time and expense to initiate an item return and exchange.

I recall purchasing a fishing rod from an on-line vendor. The rod arrived at my home with a broken tip. Time and hassle was required to return the rod for replacement with some additional out of pocket shipping expenses.

Like many anglers and other outdoor enthusiasts, I enjoy browsing around the big box outdoors stores. They have a large selection of items that can be picked up and viewed by the potential purchaser.

Sometimes, though not always, sales and customer service staff are knowledgeable and can provide guidance relative to a particular product line or angling style. Such depends upon the store and the store’s geographical location as most big box stores have multiple store locations in various states and cities. A disadvantage is that these outlets only carry selected product lines. Accordingly, you may not find the specialty or niche fishing items found at smaller, locally owned sporting goods stores.

Don’t forget about homemade angling or angling oriented items.

If you tie flies or jigs, making these in various color or size combinations are nice gifts. Flies and jigs can range from fly rod size micro flies and jigs to more standard size lures for use with spinning and casting equipment. These

handcrafted flies and jigs can be packaged into a nice box for presentation purposes. Fishing also seems to stimulate ones appetite. Prepared specialty and snack foods such as deer or beef jerky or similar foods that can be consumed while on the water are good gift items.

I certainly spend my share of hard earned dollars at the big box stores and online angling websites.

Their large inventories of fishing products in one location allowing purchase of multiple items are certainly a draw. However, remember to spread some of your wealth around to your local sporting goods outlets or specialty stores.

Don’t forget about those special angling gifts that you can make.

You just might be able to find the perfect gift for that sportsperson in your life this holiday season; maybe even a gift that will be treasured for a lifetime.

Dr. Andrew Cox is a contributing writer to outdoor publications and newspapers. His writing interests specialize in angling and travel, human interest, and general fishing technique oriented topics.

He is a member of the Georgia Outdoor Writer’s Association.

He has been fishing the waters of Georgia, Alabama, and north Florida for over forty years. He has also fished the waters of most states within the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, and several Caribbean islands. He enjoys fresh and saltwater fishing for bass, bream, crappie, trout, redfish, and speckled trout using fly, baitcasting, and spinning equipment. Dr. Cox financially supports his fishing habits as Professor Emeritus at Troy University, Phenix City, Alabama. He may be contacted at andrewtrout@aol.com.

LAKE MARTIN Provided By: Capt David B Hare Alex City Guide Service | 256-401-3089 2036 Cherokee Rd., Suite 205 | Alexander City, Al. 35010 davidbhare@yahoo.com | www.alexcityguideservice.com Fbook/alexcityguideservice/LakeMartin Well can you believe another year has gone by and we are in the fall pattern and right behind it will be the winter bite!!!! Here on Lake Martin, like many lakes in the south, we always look forward to fall and winter fishing. The weather is normally somewhat mild with the occasional short cold spell, but the striper bite is always hot this time of year. The lake is down to its normal winter pool level and the water temperature is gradually dropping as well. This is one of the few times of the year I feel confident that we can catch fish in almost any area of the lake. Several options of fishing will work right now and here are some of my favorites/ ex: down lining live bait, pulling live bait

behind boards, casting top water lures and vertical jigging. Most days you should be able to limit fairly easy. The size of stripers in cold weather months will vary a lot from 3 lbs. to 20 lbs. with most of the fish being the smaller ones. Some days when you find yourself in a lot of smaller or younger fish, try fishing a little deeper, because at times the larger size stripers tend to stay below the smaller stripers.

If you find yourself having trouble figuring the pattern out or the areas or just generally need some coaching then consider booking a trip with Alex City Guide Service. We would love to help you out .

Until next time “ TIGHT LINES

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LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST LAKE ALLATOONA By: Joseph Martinelli 404-919-4918 Lake Allatoona is such a lovely reservoir to visit during the autumn, and we sure hope you have a chance to make a stopover. And if you do, bring fishing poles! While Allatoona is experiencing its winter drawdown in anticipation of spring rains, the water temperatures are also dropping and the destratification has completed by the time you are reading this article. Now, it is an all-swim, in every column of water :-) Reservoir temperatures in the 60’s mean it is time for some of the finest fall fishing.

The line sides, including the striped Bass, hybrid striped bass and white bass, continue to provide some decent line tugging all through November and into January. One of the best parts of November may just be getting in on the action early, not to mention beautiful fall colors that surround us here.

Now, to target these line pulling beasts, downlines with a 1-2 oz egg sinker with a 5–6-foot fluorocarbon leader terminated by a nice little octopus hook anywhere from size 4 to 2/0, depending

Let’s Go Fishing!

on your bait size, will do the trick, most of the time. Your bait will ideally be a threadfin shad, herring, or gizzard shad.

These are key baits on many reservoirs for many species, and Allatoona is no exception. These are best trolled at .2-.5 mph to keep your bait trailing and not give the fish a 10–12-foot playground before you notice a strike. This also allows you to cover some water.

It is recommended to keep a couple long lines in the mix-whether these are true free lines or even a small split shot added a couple of feet above your bait.

There will be days that the fish are feeding in the upper column, and these will be your key fish catching tools.

There can also be a great artificial bite as well, especially if you are willing to work at it. Throwing the Sebile Magic Swimmer, a Redfin or Alabama rig such as a Captain Mack’s Mini Mack across humps and points will produce fish when they are there. In addition to casting these A-Rigs, trolling these anywhere from 1-3mph can produce steadily and allow you to cover water quickly, even if you are just scouting to find where you may wish to set up your live bait rods that may produce more fish in a designated area.

Our spotted bass are still growing for the better! For sure it is the herring population mixed in that has these

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rascals fattening up, and we are starting to see some wonderful spotted bass that rival the shape and size of those coveted in Lanier and Carters Lakes.

If I just had one go-to, it would be a 3-4” swimbait such as a Keitech or Cast Prodigy. These are so versatile and can be worked to imitate a fish or even worked off the bottom to imitate a creature bait.

While the crappie fishing has been good all year for those that think like a crappie, it will definitely continue to pick up and will be evidenced by dozens of boats trolling jigs and telling stories of how the stripers or hybrids “tore us up” as a 4 pound hybrid can do a lot of damage on one of these ultralight 6 pound test setups, running amok and tangling the entire spread at times.

Through the entire month of October, we had been doing very well vertical jigging and even pitching to these rascals in deeper water. Oftentimes, we found ourselves over fifty feet of water looking for shelves or even deep brush that the crappie were relating to.

Light line had been key, and a 5-pound braid for sensitivity down deep with a 1/16-to-1/8-ounce head carrying a 2–3-inch baby shad or similar swim bait proved the most effective.

Truly our channel catfish population is at an all-time high. Whatever produced such a lovely bumper crop five or so years ago is surely showing its fruits with oodles of 5-to-8-pound channel catfish. We have even been lucky enough to pluck up a couple larger channels, flatheads and even a couple of blue cats.

Well, this concludes this month’s fishing forecast, brought to you by your hippie dippy fisherman. We want to wish you a wonderful time out on the water. We do hope that some of the tips found here are helpful. Should you wish to get out on the water for some full-service fishing and catching, we are going to be chasing those hybrids and stripers all month long. With over two hundred days on the water of Allatoona alone, we will find the bite.

Please do not hesitate to call or message us directly at 404-919-4918 to book your adventure. Please check out and give our Facebook and Instagram pages a like and follow _ Heron Outdoor Adventures. www.heronoutdooradventures.com We wish you and your families the happiest of Thanksgivings, His promised blessings, and tight lines. Now, let’s go fishing!

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Lake Lanier is 38,000 acres of prime fishing and home to some of the best spotted bass and striped bass in the world. There are dozens of hotels within minutes of the lake, professional fishing guides to increase your odds of catching the “big ones” and plenty of action in Gainesville, Georgia to keep the family entertained! Check us out at ExploreGainesville.org to find out more.

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LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST LAKE SEMINOLE Forecast By: Jeff Hamm Lake Seminole Guide | 770-912-7936 Bass fishing was excellent this October. Anglers are reported good catches, especially around the grassy areas. It’s worth noting that the grass is starting to sink down, which means that the grass flats outside the grass lines have become prime areas for successful fishing.

The top-performing lures this month have been: n Topwater Zara Spook (Bone Color): This classic bait has been highly effective in enticing strikes from bass near the surface on the edge of the grass lines. n Shallow Running Jerk Baits (Shad Patterns): The shad patterns have proven to be particularly enticing for bass in these conditions. n Shallow Running 1.5 and 2.5 Square Bill Crank Baits: These baits, when worked over grass in around 7 feet of water, have been yielding great results.

n

White Flukes and Alabama Rigs: These offerings have been successful in tempting bass to bite, adding versatility to your tackle box. Work the fluke over the visible grass and let it fall in the holes. Work A-Rigs along the deeper grass lines from 10-15 ft.

Tips for Success: Utilize electronics to locate baitfish. Keep an eye out for white birds and Loons, as they can provide valuable clues about baitfish activity. Remember, they fish for a living. n On windier days, seek out points on the wind-blown grass lines.

These can be hotspots for active fish.

If the action is slow, consider switching to a Texas rig or Carolina rig. Target brush piles and stumps on humps near channel edges. Use side imaging to locate this structure, and then employ forward-facing sonar to identify fish holding in these areas.

Lake Seminole Fishing Forecast – November 2023 As November rolls in, anglers at Lake Seminole can anticipate favorable fishing conditions. With water temperatures expected to range from the mid-50s to the 60s, this month promises exciting opportunities for Largemouth bass, Hybrids, and Striped Bass.

One of the key indicators of a productive fishing day is the arrival of seagulls. When they make their appearance, it’s a signal that the action is about to heat up. These birds are excellent at spotting schools of n

shad, which in turn attract hungry predatory fish.

Keep a keen eye on the water for diving birds; they’ll lead you straight to the baitfish congregating near the surface. Where there’s bait, there are bass lurking beneath. Topwater lures, jerk baits, wake baits, and A-Rigs are all effective choices for loading the boat in a short period of time.

Considering the likelihood of encountering larger hybrids and stripers during this season, it’s advisable to opt for heavier gear. This will increase your chances of successfully landing these powerful fish.

Final Thoughts: Remember, there’s no substitute for time spent on the water.

Understanding the lake’s nuances and the behavior of its fish is key to consistently successful outings.

Remember to check that all your safety equipment is up to date and working and wear a life jacket when running. As always, “May All Your Lines be Tight” Picture of Fisher Baty and Cole Henderson Securing 1st Place in The Bass Cats Tournament with a 3.75 Lb Largemouth on a Carolina rig.

Water Temperature: Mid 70’s

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LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST that we need the spots removed from the river. Game biologists have worked to get the size limit removed. These fish are great to eat so give them to someone when you get to the ramp.

There are usually folks fishing

By Capt Sam Williams | Hawks Fishing Guide Service that are thankful for your fish. hawk184@earthlink.net | 334-355-5057 Crappie are still working deep and hitting minnow tipped jigs in 8 to 14 feet where found roe in some of the fish we you find trash piles.

The lake level continues to drop have cleaned. Drop shot with 850 Folks are still anchored on as we continue to experience this bait Bruised Berry color trick worms the flats near the river drop drought and the fish continue to and June bug have produced well. catching blue gills and shell move deeper. If the dry banks reCreature baits have also worked on crackers. main exposed, the new vegetation drop shot. Same colors have worked Catfish are eating crawlers will create some great bait cover, on Texas rigs. Carolina Rigged and cut bait on the bottom and resulting in some fantastic shallow larger black with chartreuse tail are jugs baited with cut bait on the water fishing in the future. The river good on the deeper cover. Crank creek drops. bass remain on the rocky shorelines. baits running the depth of the fish The cooler weather is making The newest shad hatch has the fish on your electronics in Fire tiger for some great fishing time with chasing the pods in the river. Traps, your children and loved ones shallow crank baits and Texas rigged and shad colors are a good choice.

If you don’t have hard baits with a either from a boat or on the creature baits swam through these shad dot to emulate the thread fin banks. These hours spent with pods will get a strike. They are shad, keep a magic marker with you them will create memories you feeding so you need to use a bait and make your own. These fish are will hear them share for the rest that resembles the shad. Watch the transitioning to the cooler tempera- of your life and beyond. Enjoy what jumping shad or check your live tures, so work out of an area where GOD has given us. Be safe and take well if you put a bass in it to check you find fish. They are also full of plenty of pictures. the size of the bait. Right now, they shad and not hungry. Remember are about 1 3/4 inches. I have also

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LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST BLUE RIDGE mouth of the river where it enters the main lake. Color choices will change day by day, and you should have a vast selection. Chrome, yellow, purple, lakeandstreamguideservice@gmail.com orange, and gold are all great options.

The yellow perch bite will also November typically means deer sea- peak this month. Look for big schools son for most people, but we are hunting of yellow and black barred beauties to congregate on grass beds in 15 to 30ft something different on Blue Ridge Lake this month. Walleye, and big ones of water. Little spoons are the fastest way to catch them and minnows on at that. It’s my favorite time of year to a jig head is another great alternative run and gun, looking for hungry fish pinned to the bottom. Vertical presen- if they won’t eat the spoons. We only keep the bigger fish letting the smaller tations fished right in their face is the ones go and sometimes you must weed go-to. Spoons, jigs, and blade baits in through the little ones to find quality all sizes. It’s a fast-paced reaction bite fish. Fish in the 12 to 16” range is what that’s hard to beat. If you like to jig we are after this month. and cover water this is the time to do There’s been a good top water bass it. Look bite first thing in the morning. Zara for fish anywhere spooks and chrome spoons are my goto baits for this. Something I can throw from 25 a long way and draw attention. If they to 75 ft won’t chase the spook throw the spoon of water and just let it fall on a slack line. typiPlease remember the lake is at cally in the winter pool (-18ft) and there are the river no public docks that are usable this bends, time of year. Watch for shallow water near the hazards and stay warm. We will see islands, you on the water. or in the

Forecast By: Eric Crowley Lake & Stream Guide Service (706) 669-4973

LAKE NOTTELY Forecast By:Will Harkins- Getfishingguide.com | Williamharkins11@gmail.com Knock knock…winters on the doorstep! We are in full swing fall mode here in North Georgia. The only thing that outweighs the fishing is the mountain’s beauty full of color. The first week of November is usually the most awe-inspiring view of the leaves full of reds, or-

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anges, and yellows. If nothing else, that alone should be a reason to hit the lake! With boat traffic also winding down for the year, now is an amazing time to spend the day soaking in the views and filling the boat with fish that are feeding up before winter! November is a very underrated time of year to pursue bass on Nottely. More than any other month, November bass are typically more than willing to eat any offering. They feed heavily on shad and herring before they make the venture to their winter haunts. These fish can be found in a variety of areas of the lake.

Schooling activity will occur in the creeks when the wind is calm.

These schooling fish are easy to spot and catch when you are in the right place at the right time. I will either have a ¼ oz swimbait or a Strike King sexy dawg jr topwater tied on the deck. When the wind picks up, the reliable old spinnerbait will work wonders on the flats and longer points on the main lake. Many of the fish will still be in the creek arms such as Ivy Log and Youngcane. Dragging a shaky head or drop shot around boat docks and chunk rock are sure-fire ways to catch some bass. If looking for a true giant, lunker largemouth will still be cruising the shallows and docks when the sun is out. An Alabama rig with swimbaits in tow is a great way to target these elusive giants. Before winter arrives, get on the water with family, catch some bass, and soak in the stunning views that North Ga has to offer!

Get out there and Get Fishing! #Godsgotthis

NOVEMBER 2023

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LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST WEST POINT LAKE Forecast By: Capt. Keith Hudson Keith Hudson Guide Service hudsonprobass@gmail.com | www.LakeWestPointFishing.com 706-844-1483 The lake is about 6 feet down already, really clear in most areas except where the fall turnover is going on. Those areas have a tea or brownish tint. Surface temps have fallen to the mid or upper 60’s in most areas.

North of 219, upriver is pretty dangerous already, so be careful!

Bass: GOOD – With the nice cooldown in October, expect a big improvement in fishing in general as we move into November. As the days start to get shorter and the temps cool, the bass will begin to feed heavily and fatten up for winter. Some largemouth and spots are still being caught on deeper brush piles, ledges, and roadbeds in the main lake area. Try diving crankbaits or Carolina rigged worms in 8 -15 feet of water. Also, dropshotting can be effective in these areas. The best fishing is around brush piles or other structure in these areas, if you can find them.

Water generation always improves this bite. Downsize baits in these same areas

& improve your chances for spotted bass. Later in the month, more fish will move shallow with cooler water temps this pattern should only get better as we move later into the fall. Shallow water baits such as spinnerbaits, flukes, and whopper ploppers will become more effective for these shallow fish. Look for schools of shad in the pockets to attract the fish. The lake is already down this year so there won’t be much to cast to as far as cover goes, so submerged stumps, blowdowns and shallow brushpiles can still hold a good fish.

Spotted bass are still your best bet on the south end of the lake. Try long tapering flats in 18-25 feet of water.

Spots mixed with whites, hybrids and stripers can be caught by jigging CC spoons or on dropshot rigs. Also, keep your eyes open for actively schooling groups of fish, they will crush the Flash Mob jr. rig, a personal favorite in the fall.

Linesides: GOOD – It has been a pretty good fall in general for schooling topwater action on the main lake. I expect surface schooling on the main lake to continue this fall. These fish can generally be caught by casting roostertails, topwaters, pop n cork rigs and Storm Swim Shad lures into the schooling fish. Start early or stay late for the best results. Expect the deep down-line bite on live bait and spoons to continue to improve as we move further into fall, with the best yet to come in late fall and early winter. Try long tapering flats in 18-25 feet of water. Whites, hybrids, and stripers can be caught on jigging CC spoons as well. Trolling with the Flash Mob jr. rig should also continue to be effective.

Try old faithful areas like the Railroad Trestle Hump and the humps out from Amity Park for good results. Some lone big stripers normally show back up in the river in deep holes north of 219 bridge in the fall. You probably won’t get many bites, but you may get a

shot at a 20lb+ fish. Cast big plugs like the Cordell Red Fin on a cloudy day or free line a big shad or bream in the Ringer / Graysons Landing area. - Be careful as water levels are already low!

Crappie: GOOD – The fish will typically move up and hold on mid depth brush & structure or under docks as the water temps drop into the 60s or below. Try dropshotting minnows or shooting docks in 5-15 feet of water for the best results. You can really do well if you find one of these schools. Try the cuts & coves in Yellow Jacket creek and from Highland Marina north to Wolf Creek in the Chattahoochee. More fish will move into the cuts and coves as the water slowly cools, especially by the end of the month. Minnows fished under a float will usually work on them when you find them. Any blowdown or brush has the potential to hold fish, with cover being the key. Night fishing is still pretty good, so try under the bridges with lights.

If you have not booked your Fall trip yet this year, I still have a few dates available for December, EMAIL me at HudsonsProBass@gmail.com or visit my website LakeWestPointFishing. com for more info - THANKS ! Keith Hudson

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ATLANTA 13

LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST ALASKA 2023 THE REST OF THE STORY

By Gary Turner Gary@purgeright.com https://youtube.com/@FishingWithGary “Tight Lines and Squealing Reels Put a Smile on My Face Every Time.”

We finished fishing and checking out places at Whittier and then drove the 50 miles over to Hope, to see what was going on there. When we arrived at Hope, it was like a ghost town. We went first to our favorite restaurant there, only to find it closed up and for sale. We asked around and found out the owner had retired. Sad face…but good for her! Luckily the Salt of Hope Food Company was open and ready for our order, Gourmet Tacos - Delicious! While we were eating, a car full of people asked us where was a good place to fish? We told them just to go to the parking lot at the end and get in the river! After eating, we went down to Resurrection Creek and found the people had found the river and the fish!

They were having a blast. We went on down to our usual spot closer to the mouth and saw Salmon everywhere.

We caught and released fish for a few hours before deciding we should eat again! I am diabetic, so that’s my excuse for eating every few hours, lol. We went to Creekbend Café and a guy that had waited on us last year at the Seaview was working there. We ordered burgers and onion rings, and it was also Delicious! After eating, we loaded up and headed out for Soldotna, two hours away, to our cabin at Fish For Health Lodge.

The next morning, we hooked up our 14-foot Smoker Craft and headed to Skilak Lake. Just as we were backing in the boat, two black bears came running out of the woods into the water, grabbed a Salmon, and headed back into the woods – Wow! We boated across the 500 plus foot deep Skilak

14 ATLANTA

NOVEMBER 2023

Lake to the north end where Hidden Creek feeds in. We landed the boat on the gravel shore and waded across the swampy area to get to the fish! We caught lots of Silvers, Reds and even a Trout. We didn’t see any people out there, but we did see another black bear and some geese. It got to be evening, so around 10:30 p.m. we headed back across the lake to the boat ramp, loaded up and headed back to base camp in Soldotna.

The next day we fished on the Kenai River with my friend Robert and his dad. We caught several Silver and Red Salmon. Robert’s dad caught a big Dolly Varden Trout. We even saw some eagles in the trees on the river banks.

It was a blast fishing on the beautiful Kenai River. That evening we went into the city of Kenai to shop and on the way back saw several moose and their calves. They are such amazing animals.

The next morning found us back on the road to Skilak. We boated to our favorite fishing hole and proceeded to catch fish. On this day we met some nice people from Minnesota that had hiked in to fish and some rafters came by too. That’s a lot more people than we usually see here, but sometimes seaplanes come with people too.

The next day we went to Seward and fished several spots. At 4th of July Park, we went to the left and there were fish stacked in the creeks coming in. We fished this awhile then moved to another spot nearby where a steep creek fed in. There we could see the fish stacked in the waves waiting for high tide before running up this creek.

We caught a bunch of the fresh fish from the salt.

The next day we picked up my good friend Marc Zimmerman, the friend who talked me into coming to Alaska 20 years ago, and the four of us headed to Homer to do a little surf fishing for Cod, Halibut and Flounder. At Lands End we ran into our hiking friends from Minnesota and chatted for a bit.

We fished low tide and cast for the shelf, and we caught a ton of Pacific Cod in less than two hours. There we met a couple from Minnesota on the beach, the husband said he is a Walleye guide at home. We told them about Seward and where to go fishing there and gave them some fish.

The next morning, we did some

work on the van and, long story short, people thought we had a 454 in it! We got it fixed, then we changed the oil and tuned up the 25 hp Mercury on the boat. When I say we, I mean Dewayne - I was the tool carrier and video guy.

With all the repair work done, we headed to the Russian River. It was our last day fishing, so we weren’t gonna waste it. We got to the Russian and there were people fishing everywhere.

Reds and Silvers were running. We waded in and grabbed a spot. Blake caught the first fish, then Dewayne and I found some too. We went down river looking for more fish and found a Grizzly Bear! Well, you know I take lots of pics and videos, so I checked out the bear, giving him plenty of room. When I walked back up river he followed along. I went past Blake and Dewayne who were in the river fishing.

When I turned around, I saw the bear had actually headed out in the water toward them to see what they were doing! He finally went back down river, so we moved back up river closer to the parking area. An hour later we saw him coming up the bank toward a lot of us fishing. I stood with several other people as he walked close to us. So

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close in fact that when he picked up a fish and started eating it, you can hear the bones crunching in my video! That was an exciting day!

The next day we headed to the airport and flew home. That’s how Alaska 2023 went. I can’t wait for the 2024 trip.

We have several more friends coming up with us next year!

I’m not sure what next month’s article will be on but remember, if you have an empty seat on your boat that needs filling, shoot me an email and maybe it will be about fishing with you!

Please remember, if you are not going to eat it, don’t kill it.

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FLY FISHING FOR BASS

F

ly fishing for bass can be extremely productive and really fun. Growing up fishing for saltwater and freshwater species, I was introduced to fly fishing by some friends and got extremely hooked. While presenting a fly to fish can sometimes be tricky, a fly is a much more natural looking presentation to a fish than an artificial lure is, and I have seen fish eat flies much better than normal lures many times.

There are times when a fly rod just isn’t an option. Having fly line everywhere and stretching the line 50 or 100 feet behind you and whipping it forward probably isn’t best if you are fishing a bass tournament. But if you are fun fishing a lake by boat or fishing a pond or stream or river by foot, fly fishing can be a rewarding experience. Like I said before, a small natural-looking fly, whether it be a baitfish or a topwater fly, can produce more bites than normal lures in some circumstances.

I realized how productive fly fishing for bass can be while fishing ponds around my house when I was younger. These ponds got hammered by people throwing lures with

I’m sure you could take a deep dive into all the different gear and fly selections for different scenarios, but I keep it simple. White and silver baitfish patterns work wonders when you strip TYLER WOOLCOTT the line with small movements to make them swim like a fleeing baitfish. Topwater poppers conventional bass gear, and are extremely fun because you get to watch the fishing could be pretty them come up and eat it. Fish it with the same tough. It really impressed me when I fished them with a fly rod because I action as a conventional popper.

I can’t exactly teach you how to fly fish in this article; YouTube is a great place for that. My hope is this will spark someone’s interest.

Coming from someone who has done pretty much every kind of fishing, fly fishing is something every angler should try.

Targeting bass and similar-sized species calls for a 6- to 8-weight fly rod. You can fish sinking lines to get down deep, but I prefer a regular floating line to fish for bass that are feeding shallow. I like premade tapered leaders in the 10- to 12-pound range.

Feel free to contact me on social media with any questions or do some research online. I hope this caught more fish than I did with conventional convinces someone to go out there to target gear. I assume the bass grew wary of seeing big bass with a fly rod. It’s really fun! worms and crankbaits. A tiny baitfish fly or a Tyler Woolcott is a professional tournament tasty-looking, easy-to-eat topwater with natural angler and guide. Check out his website at movement got these fish more excited to eat www.tylerwoolcottfishing.com. than I had ever seen.

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n late September, NOAA Fisheries announced early closure dates for gag grouper in federal waters of the South Atlantic as well as the Gulf of Mexico. These closures came tight on the heels of a revelation that the data NOAA uses to manage these and other fisheries could be severely flawed.

In the Gulf of Mexico, recreational harvest of gags was closed on Oct. 19. It called an early end to a season that had already been shortened on the front end. The normal season runs from June 1 through Nov. 10. However, this past spring, NOAA announced an interim measure to delay opening of gag grouper harvest to Sept. 1. Initially, three months of gag harvest were taken from recreational anglers, and now—with the early closure—the season was effectively cut from 162 days to just 48 days.

In the South Atlantic, in federal waters off North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida, NOAA called an early end to gag grouper harvest on Oct. 23. The recreational season was scheduled to run from May through December. This move shaved 69 days off the regular 215-day season at a time when charter captains rely on grouper to keep clients on the water.

In both instances, NOAA said its projections of recreational catch and effort data indicate the recreational annual catch limits would be reached by the early closure dates, which is their justification for shutting down the fisheries. In an explanation that seems contradictory to reason, a NOAA statement blamed high harvest of Gulf gags on the already shortened season.

“Preliminary reports indicate high catch rates of gag this year, in part because of changes in the start from June 1 to September 1,” the statement reads.

If that doesn’t seem to make sense, neither do NOAA’s data collection surveys that are used to determine angler effort. In a pilot study conducted

by NOAA itself, the surveys, which are mailed to licensed saltwater anglers, were found to be confusing and led to “illogical responses” and “reporting errors.” The study showed that the resulting angler effort data was overestimated by 30 to 40 percent. Angler effort is a factor used to determine total harvest, which means NOAA’s harvest data is likely significantly flawed.

Perhaps more concerning than that is the idea that harvest data is used in stock assessments. Estimated populations of our favorite sport and table fish are also likely inflated. For the third time in the last 13 years, significant flaws have been revealed in NOAA data collection, and this is the data being used to manage our fisheries and the industries that rely on them.

For more information, see coastalanglermag.com.

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PHOTO COURTESY OF ROSEMARY WHITE

GROUPER CLOSURE CATCHES ANGLERS OFF GUARD

A

Tim Barefoot

t what point do we say enough is enough? I’d say THE TIME IS NOW! NOAA has shut down our gag grouper fisheries based on inaccurate data, and coastal communities are hurting because of it.

The recent grouper closures—in the South Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico— caught everyone by surprise. There was very little notice given to anglers, whether they be recreational, charter or commercial.

Incomplete—at best—and more than likely completely erroneous data was used to shut down the livelihoods of fishermen at a crucial point in the year.

The fall grouper bite is always the best.

Many commercial anglers make a good portion of their annual income in fall and winter. Charter captains book trips specifically targeting grouper this time of year. This closure also adversely affects the entire coastal economy.

There is an entire industry based around fall and winter bottom fishing, and this is a substantial financial hit for the South Atlantic and Gulf coasts.

As a former commercial fisherman, I know this also screams of mental and physical stress.

Anglers are forced to fish more and rougher days just to get some days in before the season closes.

When the news of these October closures spread,

I got calls from upset charter and commercial captains. For brevity, I’ll share just a couple comments I heard from North Carolina captains.

“I’m a 61-year-old man, and I’m out here humping it hard as I can to get these last few

days in before it all shuts down,” said commercial Capt. Joe Hifko. “This is gonna hurt… both in my wallet and in my shoulders. The data is completely skewed, and based off those numbers are huge extrapolations. This is what they are basing their decisions on?”

Capt. Riley Adkins is feeling the sting of charter cancellations.

“My primary income in fall and early winter is based around taking clients within 30 miles of

the beach to specifically target gag grouper. This puts us captains in a bind because we are already booked out to Dec. 31, which historically was the closing of our gag season,” said Capt. Adkins.

“We are having to cancel charters due to the short-noticed announcement of our gag season closing.

“My clients feel like it is a waste of their time and money to book a charter because we can’t keep gag grouper, and the seabass population is in decline due to the rise of the American red snapper, which you can’t harvest either,” he continued. “This closure is detrimental to captains who rely heavily on the gag quota to keep their heads above water in winter.”

The last time we had a fisheries issue of this magnitude settled, it literally took an act of Congress. The Gulf red snapper debacle showed us you can’t trust a federal bureaucracy that uses obsolete—and frankly, lazy— methods to collect data. The technology exists, and we should be hiring talented researchers from our universities to go out and collect accurate data to be used in decision making.

It’s time for the recreational anglers, commercial anglers, equipment manufacturers, and the seafood industry to get together and say enough is enough. I know it’s a tall order, but we are stronger united.

As soon as you finish this article, call your senators and congressional representatives to make sure they know how you feel on this issue.

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

To see more from Tim Barefoot, go to barefootcatsandtackle.com.

NOVEMBER 2023

NATIONAL 13

I

SOLUNAR TIME!

’ve studied the solunar fishing timetables since I was a child. In the early years, these were the black, white, or striped fish images on my grandparents’ calendars and have evolved into more advanced illustrations depicting the moon phase, tide, time of day, and their effects. Some tables provide a simple one- to four-star rating of predicted fishing success.

One day I was a believer, and the next I was a skeptic. I’ve played this tug of war over the years, and as I have become a more seasoned angler, I lean more toward the validity of these calculations in predicting the aggressiveness of fish and their desire to feed.

Removing luck, which never hurts, it still boils down to angler skill, knowledge of the area and techniques for targeting desired species. However, over the years I have noticed better bites correlating with solunar feed times. I try not to move from one location to another during peak solunar feeding times. I’ll put myself in what I perceive to be the best spot in a general area during that time and hold tight. I save the running and exploring for non-bite windows, which make up a majority of the day.

Each solunar feed cycle has a peak that is typically two hours or less, and there are usually two per day.

On a recent trip with my two boys, we missed the first bite of the day due to other responsibilities.

We launched the boat around 9 a.m., and the next bite was not until 1:30 p.m. We wanted to try some

By Capt. Michael Okruhlik

new spots, so we explored those first, and laid down some tracks for future reference. The fish were not active.

As the morning moved on, I tried areas that had been holding nice fish recently.

Once again, everything looked right, but we couldn’t get the bite. The boys were getting agitated and ready to leave, and I bought myself as much time as I could, while still trying to find the bite and waiting for the next feeding time.

I headed toward the ramp to give them a cool breeze and to try a location with much deeper water, just hoping to find some activity. Unfortunately, the current was too strong in this area. I frantically studied the chart in an area about a half mile away so we could make one last move because the next solunar feed time was only minutes away.

I chose our final location based on satellite imagery and little tribal knowledge, and we were off. I anchored the boat so my boys could cast downwind and fish the edge where grass met a large sandy area. They caught redfish and averaged one every six minutes for 70 minutes of the afternoon solunar feeding cycle. They doubled up twice!

Take a kid fishing and tune into the solunar time!

PHOTO COURTESY OF KNOCKIN TAIL LURES®

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

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T

he quest to find the ultimate men’s watch has traditionally been a difficult one in the world of fashion. A timepiece with the perfect look and functionality has long been the goal of both watch designers and enthusiasts alike.

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The Daniel Steiger

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