The Angler Magazine | March 2024 | Greater Atlanta Area Edition

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VOLUME 28 • ISSUE 348

F R A N C H I S E

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MARCH 2024

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KEEN SENSES

ARE ESSENTIAL FOR SUCCESS

By Capt. Michael Okruhlik

I

t is always important to pay attention to our surroundings as we go through life, and fishing is no exception. How many of you have been fishing without any action and find yourself daydreaming and going through the motions until you feel the tug on your line?

Suddenly you are frantically trying to remember the cadence of your retrieve to duplicate the action, but you are dreaming of fish instead of trying to catch them.

Well, in this article and the accompanying video for The Angler Video Magazine, I will go over a specific situation when paying attention paid off, and you can see it and hear me talk through it on the video. I will also share some wisdom from two incredible Texas guides whom I was fortunate enough to spend a few hours with on the topic of targeting big trout.

While wading in knee-deep water that

4 NATIONAL

MARCH 2024

was about 61 degrees, I could see a few mullet jumping in their casual mullet way. It was enough to keep me interested in the area. The bottom had undulating depth with grass and scattered potholes, or sand pockets for those not familiar with the term. I was throwing a slowsinking soft-plastic jerkbait, letting it slowly sink between twitches where the sand and grass met.

With a cast in mid-air, I saw a mullet do an abnormal flip. It was distinct from the norm of the day and not as if it were being chased, but different, nonetheless. I burned my lure back in and made a cast just beyond where the mullet flipped. When my lure paused near the area, a nice redfish slammed my soft plastic. Had I not been paying attention and blew it off as just another mullet jumping, I would not have caught that fish and a few more in the general area.

Since we cannot always have a bird’s eye view,

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we need to utilize the birds’ eyes. Here are a few tips I picked up on during a conversation with guides. Birds do not always need to be feeding to point us to fish. There are subtle hints, such as a head turn of a gliding pelican. They don’t turn their head for no reason; they saw something.

Maybe they saw a huge trout and kept soaring because it was too big for them to eat. Also, watch the lines birds are relating too. They may not dive, bait may not flee from the shadow, but they are flying that line for a reason, and maybe you should work your way toward the area.

Pay attention on the water and in conversation with old salts. You might need to read between the lines, but the answers are there.

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

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JACK CREVALLE: BATTLE THE BULLIES OF THE REEF

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ometimes called the “poor man’s giant trevally,” jack crevalle will strike a surface lure or bait aggressively, and once hooked, engage the angler in a slugfest they won’t soon forget. Jacks are world-class fighters.

These fish are perfect for small-boat anglers because they frequent inshore and nearshore waters. They can be caught in bays, inlets, canals and off reefs, where they target schooling baitfish.

These fish are perfect for light spinning gear or a fly rod, as they will readily take any fast-retrieved bait imitation. They frequently show up in bays and estuaries following migratory baitfish like mullet.

Strong current that concentrates bait is usually best, and you’ll find them at the mouths of the inlets on a strong outgoing tide. Any nearshore reef close to an inlet that has “nervous water” – a sure sign of bait schools—is prime territory for jacks.

A 7-foot medium-action spinning rod equipped with a 6000 sized spinning reel and spooled with 40-pound braid is a prime tool for fighting these fish. I like a fluorocarbon leader in the 50-pound range for abrasion resistance. These fish are not leader shy. Jacks school up in large groups of juvenile fish under 10 pounds. The larger 20-plus-pound fish usually hunt in pairs. While a

By Mark Ambert

5000-class rod and reel setup will handle the smaller fish, a larger setup will be better for anything over 20 pounds.

Pro-Tip: If you tangle with one of the larger fish, get a second bait or lure in the water for a double hook-up!

Live bait and chum will usually find the biggest fish. Any local seasonal bait such as herring, pilchards, sardines or mullet will do the trick. For maximum fun factor, a topwater lure or fly stripped fast can’t be beat.

I usually locate a school of feeding fish first then break out the fly or topwater spinning gear for sport.

A 9- or 10-weight fly rod setup with an intermediate line is optimal. When fly fishing, a popper, Deceiver, Clouser or any streamer pattern will work. I use flies that cast easily and in colorful patterns to attract the fish.

With spinning gear, any noisy or splashy plug such as a 3- to 4-inch Storm Chug Bug is ideal.

I also use a 4-inch Heddon Zara Spook in white with a walk-the-dog retrieve. Watching this lure get knocked out of the water and eaten is worth the

price of admission. For sub-surface action, the Rapala X-Rap size 10 in Ghost finish can’t be beat.

The initial run of a big jack is spectacular, with ever shortened runs to follow. Using lighter gear, you might have to chase bigger fish down, so be prepared to move. Once a fish is spent, I usually use a net or tail grab the fish boatside for a quick picture and safe release, as these fish have limited food quality.

Now head out your local inlet and target these plentiful and eager sluggers. They will not disappoint.

Find Mark Ambert on Instagram @marksgonefishing_™; Email: marksgonefishing25@gmail.com.

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MARCH 2024

NATIONAL 7

DO YOU WANT TO BE A CHARTER CAPTAIN?

By Capt. Quinlyn Haddon

I

went fishing while on Florida vacation about a decade ago. After returning home to Canada for two months, I drove back to pursue a career in the industry. I had zero experience, no connections, and less than half a clue on where to begin. For those with a similar dream, here’s what I learned.

First, it doesn’t matter how long you’ve been a weekend warrior. If you want to be a captain, be a deckhand first. You don’t know what you don’t know, and working for someone fishing the waters you plan to guide provides all kinds of information. Every fishery has its own etiquette and unspoken guidelines.

Community is crucial, and paying your dues and earning respect goes a long way. Captains communicate about fishing on the water, and often, we are each other’s first responders. This same-team mentality is nearly currency.

Beginning as a deckhand is difficult. Nobody wants to train you, yet you must be trainable. On your own time, practice skills like knot tying, bait rigging and net throwing. Veteran fishermen are usually happy to flex knowledge to those who ask for help humbly. No matter what you learn, be ready to have a captain you work for tell you it’s wrong. Adapt, and learn things their way.

The expectations of deckhands are high, and everything on board will be their fault. You are expected to arrive early, stay late, come in on days off, anticipate your captain and clients wants, and do it on minimum salary.

The biggest issue with new deckhands is they sometimes don’t show up. Finding a replacement at 6 a.m. is nearly impossible, and it affects the productivity of a charter. Being a fisherman takes a special kind of person. If can fish six days a week and still want to go out for fun on your day off, this job

may be for you. If you’re on the boat watching the clock, you won’t last long.

Showing up to the dock consistently is a great way to make connections and get work. If you can’t find work, show up an hour before local charters head out. Walk the dock and ask if anyone had a no-show deckhand. If you do this consistently and pass out your number, eventually someone will call you.

They will see you have the dedication to show up. Deckhands are also required to be on a drug consortium. Sign up and keep your paper with you.

Lastly, if you hold a captain’s license and are working as a deckhand, make sure your “captain” has one too. You do not want to be held liable for someone else’s mistakes. Protect your future in the industry.

If this is something you want to do, I highly recommend going for it. In 10 years, I have never regretted it or lost the smile it puts on my face.

Capt. Quinlyn Haddon guides with Sweet E’Nuf Charters, Marathon, Florida Keys. Captainquinlyn.com; @captainquinlyn; (504) 920-6342.

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LOCAL RIVERS & FLY FISHING NOT JUST TROUT

By Jeff Durniak | Unicoi Outfitters Have y’all visited our second Unicoi Outfitters store in Clarkesville recently?

If not, know that we’ve retooled the place.

Sure, we still have all the vital flies and supplies to make your trout stream adventures memorable. But UO is now in the bass business, too! Yep, we love to trout fish. But we enjoy all kinds of fishing, especially chasing north Georgia reservoir bass and stripers.

There’s something about a freight train trying to yank our spinning rod or bait caster out of our hands that is just a pure adrenaline rush. Well, Jake and our other local boys, who have grown up fishing northeast Georgia’s streams AND lakes, have thinned out our lifestyle clothing and refilled that space with some of the hottest reservoir rigs and baits on the market now. Need some examples? Here you go.

How about some cold weather rockpile jigging? We have jigs from Queen Tackle, Dirty Jigs, Zman, and Spotsticker and the ever-popular Flexit spoons from Berry’s Tackle. Add some trailers from Keitech, Hoggarmer, Yamamoto, Zoom, and Zman and you’re in business. Are you a swimbait fan? Check out our selection of baits from Spro, River2Sea, and Cast. How about our crankbait selection from Spro, Berkeley, Shimano, and Rapala? We’ve got the styles, sizes, and colors you want for Lanier, Hartwell, and the Georgia Power lakes.

Spring’s just around the corner. That means the shallow-water jerkbait bite will

soon be here. Stock up with hot swimmers from Ark, Spro, 100 Swimbaits, Berkeley, and Rapala. Worms are always a go-to for Lanier and our deep, clear mountain reservoirs. We’ve got a huge selection of flavors from Roboworm, Zman, Gary Yamamoto, Missile, and Zoom. Need to replace that old line before your next boat ride? Come in and we’ll spool you up with some premium stuff from Seaguar, Sunline, and Powerpro.

Last, but not least, is that premium spinning or baitcasting combo that you’ve longed for. Come in and fondle a top-shelf reel from Shimano and Diawa and rods from G. Loomis, Shimano, and Diawa.

Holidays such as your birthday, Mother’s Day, and Father’s Day are on your horizon. Drop a hint to your family that we’ve got that special gift waiting here for you. If they’re unsure about the selection, remind them that a Unicoi Outfitters gift certificate will guarantee a smile as you pick out that perfect rod/reel combo yourself.

Yes, indeed, we are “Not Just Trout” on the downtown square in Clarkesville. Come in and talk troutin’ AND bassin’ with Jake, Wes, Joseph, and Ben. Save that long ride to Atlanta and grab the latest supplies for success on our north Georgia lakes and rivers. Our guys will toss in some local intel for free, too! Stop in soon or give us a call at 706-754-0203 to talk it all, from blueline brookies to Burton and Lanier spots! We hope to see you soon.

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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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SPRINGTIME BASS ON THE FLY

Contributed by David Hulsey International Federation of Fly Fishers - Master Certified Casting Instructor http://www.hulseyflyfishing.com | 770-639-4001 Springtime in the South is one of the best times to go after the most popular gamefish in America which is the largemouth bass! Fly rodding for bass is about as much fun as you can have! One of the reasons bass are so popular is the fact that everyone knows where there is a close to home pond, lake or river that contains a few of these battlers. Both largemouth and spotted bass are pretty aggressive and will readily attack a well-presented fly. When the water temperatures reach about fifty degrees, largemouth will start moving towards and staging for spawning. Luckily for the angler, they will start eating pretty much everything in sight. I usually concentrate on fishing a little off the shore in about five to ten feet of water getting the fly down in that zone where staging occurs. Using an intermediate or sink tip fly line will accomplish this easily and be more fun to cast than a full sinking line we sometimes use in winter. Fly patterns that work include bluegill type streamers, jig style crawfish, and worm flies. Bass are wanting high calorie content food, so don’t be shy about throwing some large gawdy imitations. Bouncing or swimming these flies close to a bass’s face will usually result in a pickup. I like a good stiff eight weight, not only to chunk out these bulky flies, but also to set the hook hard enough and get the fish moving toward the boat.

A tippet size of 12-to-20-pound test fluorocarbon should be used depending on cover and water clarity. Pre-spawn bass will be at their heaviest and your tippet needs to be big enough to handle the fish as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Handle that big female as gently as you would a trout and she should be able to

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continue on the way to spawning like nothing happened. Water clarity in spring can run from fairly clear to down right muddy. The dirtier the water the more bright and noisier your fly should be. Tying a rattle into your bass fly pattern can really up your odds in the fish locating it in stained water. At about 55-to-60-degree water temperature the bass will move into shallow water to begin the spawn. I have mixed feelings about fishing for bass on the bed. The trout angler in me says not to specifically target those bass on the bed but bass aren’t trout. Bass are a lot tougher than their cold-water cousins. A bass carefully handled and released at the same spot you caught her will usually swim right back to the bed and resume life as usual. The problem is the minute or so she is not on the nest bream or other baitfish might swoop in and eat some of her eggs.

So that’s your call. When bass are this shallow frog poppers, light weight worm or bait fish patterns fished on a floating fly line will get crushed around brush or logs along the bank. This is some of the most fun you can have on the fly! A fly rod is perfect for this situation. Seven or eight weight rods are my choice depending on cover density. You need to be able to move the fish away from cover quickly!

If you are interested in learning how to consistently catch bass on the fly in all seasons, we offer classes to get you tuned in.

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We have all that for you to use. The bass class is done from our custom outfitted ClackaCraft Head Hunter skiff. We fish some great electric only lakes here in North Georgia and show you how to catch fish from top to bottom. Check out our website for more information. Let’s go!

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Forecast By:Will Harkins- Getfishingguide.com | Williamharkins11@gmail.com Spring is being sprung here in the North Georgia mountains! March is a big transition month for much of the environment.

While still not warm, we will continue to have additional warm fronts moving through. Rising water, warmer temps, and big largemouth equals one thing… a boatload of fun. This time of year, the big females have one thing on their mind, bulking up and finding areas to spawn.

I have caught some of the biggest fish all year in the month of March. The push of fish shallow from their deeper staging areas leads to some unbelievable days on the water. This time of year, I keep my approach simple and go hunting for the giants of lake Nottely. I will throw a Megabass Magdraft, Berkeley Stunna jerkbait, and a Strike King KVD 1.5 squarebill. This is the rare time I do not fish the main lake. Instead, I run into some of the major creeks, put the trolling motor down, and burn down the bank as fast as possible. Most of the time, I will lock the square bill in my hand and throw at everything in front of me. When I reach a dock, that’s when the Magdraft truly shines. The bait skips like a dream, so you can tuck it way under the docks where

the most elusive bass hide. On wonder days, I will throw the jerkbait a lot more.

Something about the slightly larger profile and erratic action generates some rod jarring strikes. I primarily focus anywhere from 5 feet of water out to 15 feet. The biggest fish in the lake will be shallow, so do not be discouraged if you go a little while without a bite. All it takes is finding the right stretches of bank or docks to fill the boat fast. As always, take time to look around at the beauty of the mountains.

The trees will begin budding and bringing new life. Later in March there may be some greenery working its way up the mountains too. This is a great time to take family and friends out to show off what Nottely has to offer.

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Forecast by: Capt. Clay Cunningham www.catchingnotfishing.com | 770-630-2673 Lake Lanier is back to full pool and ready for Spring. The water temperature is climbing into the low fifties and the water clarity is all over the place due to recent rains. All that being said on conditions, freelines will become the primary tactic in March. Rig up a Penn Fathom Linecounter reel with 15-pound Trilene Big Game line, a 10-pound Trilene 100% Flourocarbon leader, a Spro 80-pound Power Swivel, and a Gamakatsu 1/0 Octopus hook tipped with the herring. This setup is the Lanier staple. The Penn Fathom Linecounter really helps your success rate as you are able to know exactly how far back your baits are behind the boat. Start at 120 feet and make changes as necessary. Some days a small split shot or an additional 30 feet of line can make a huge difference from day to day. Pull the freelines at 1 mph across humps, points, and in some cases over open water. So far, open water has been

best on the south end and the banks have been better on the north end and in the back of the creeks.

If the fish move more to the banks, keep a Penn Battalion 7’ medium light spinning rod paired with a Penn Conflict with light line on the deck. Tie on a Capt. Mack 1/4-ounce bucktail in white or chartreuse or a Berkley Fusion 1/4-ounce jig head tipped with a white paddle tail and beat the bank. Some days plastics outperforms live bait. Another great bait on the banks is the Berkley Stunna which is a jerkbait. Most people think of the jerkbait being for bass, but big stripers love the Stunna jerkbait in the Spring. The use of forward-facing sonar has increased the jerkbaits popularity as you can see the stripers eat the jerkbait in real time on your sonar. Also start thinking about a Berkley Surge Shad in Bone later in the month. The topwater bite will be around the corner and continue into April.

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LOCAL LAKES AND FORECAST OCONEE ON THE FLY

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Lake Oconee March Fishing and Forecast.

We have had a lot of rain to kick off 2024. Upriver from Lake Oconee in Athens on January 10th they had close to 5 inches of rain in a single day. As of this writing on February 6th, the lake still has a heavy stain going all the way to the dam.

It is rare that we have that much stained water and the only clear water is at the mouth of Richland Creek near Double Branches. A couple of years ago we had this happen and for some reason trolling crank baits was exceptionally good especially near the mud line.

By March, we will be in the middle of particularly good fishing for both stripers and crappie. We will also be in the middle of the Oconee Derby!

Check the leader boards at https:// oconeederby.com/.

Forecast for March Crappie – In early March, the crappie should have migrated up above I-20. I live above the Swords boat ramp and there are a lot of flats averaging 6 to 8 feet deep.

The crappie will be in the pre-spawn and the females heavy with eggs. In the picture shown of a previous March catch you can see this clearly.

Follow the boats up the Apalachee or Oconee side (all the way to 278) but beware, on the Oconee side, of shallow water. Traditional wisdom is that you will catch bigger fish pushing out of the front of the boat with a Hal-Fly tipped with a minnow. Most anglers use a ½ ounce weight with swivels and the Hal-Fly is about a foot under the weight. Trolling slow enough to keep the line vertical (around 5-10ths mph) is key. In the afternoon fish can be found in very shallow water.

If you prefer to long line troll out of the back of the boat, try a 1/16th jiffy jig or even a 1/32. I like the June Bug color which is a dark blue / chartreuse combo.

Hybrids / Stripers – In early March we still might have some gulls on the lake to tip us off on where to fish. I tend to like afternoon trips for this bite as there is always a chance that Georgia Power will be generating, and the moving water will stimulate the bite. Throwing a spoon is a great tactic for hybrids as you can cast a mile and avoid spooking the fish.

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Later in the month trolling Mack’s Farrs Mini Macks (small umbrella rigs) will be highly effective. I like the bucktail version of the Mini Mack. You can usually get them at Sugar Creek Marina. Trolling them behind the boat running around 2.5 mph works great.

The picture shown is a 10-pound striper caught on a Mini Mack, Fly Fishing – In early March, if we still have the gulls, the afternoon bite should be good. Many times, they will be chasing shad on long points. Use an intermediate or sinking line on an 8-weight rod, with a 5-foot leader of 12-pound fluorocarbon. A clouser on a #2 hook in white and chartreuse works best. The retrieve should be several short strips followed by a pause.

Many times, they will hit when the fly is almost back to the boat.

Final Words March is the beginning of great fishing here on Lake Oconee. 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. If you are lucky, I will even have some of my wife’s famous pumpkin bread!

MARCH 2024

ATLANTA 5

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 Bass: Good. Big changes are in store as we move into March. Warming weather and a stained lake should move many of the largemouth shallow quickly. I expect the largemouth bite to only improve around any shallow wood, brush, rip-rap rocks, or around shallow baitfish schools.

Dark chunk rock and red clay retain heat and attract bass. Shallow-water baits such as ChatterBaits, square-bill crankbaits and Rat-L-Traps should work effectively. Spinnerbaits and jig ’n pigs are also producing some fish around wood and rip - rap. One of the main keys to this type of shallow fishing is to look for warmer stained water. A ditch or creek run sometimes helps to bring warmer water into an area, especially after a warm rain. The shad will move into this type of area and the bass will follow. Small crankbaits or Carolina rigged finesse worms will catch fish on almost any wind-blown gravel bank in most creeks.

Crappie: Excellent. A few warm days in a row will drastically improve the crappie fishing. Good numbers of slab size crappie are already being caught in the shallows on minnows and jigs under a float, especially in the afternoons. Blowdown trees and brush piles in 3 to 6 feet of water are holding fish as well. Trolling for crappie has been good now for a few weeks. Trolling always seems to work better in clearer water in 10-18 feet of water. Whitewater, Wehadkee and Yellow Jacket creeks almost always seem to turn on this month. Some fish are being caught by drop-shotting minnows over or near deeper brush, as well. Expect the shallow bite to slow down in the event of a drastic cold snap or get even better with an extended warming trend. Hopefully the lake will fill up and remain a little stained as we move into March. Most of the crappie go on the bed on the full moon in March. OVERALL, March is probably the BEST month for size and numbers of crappie.

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ATLANTA 7

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Joey Zito having a great day fishing with his dad, Chad, on Lake Lanier!

Paul Kelley and Kenny Jones slaying the bass on Lake Allatoona!

Neil Hendrix with a great catch from a pond in Penfield, GA! Logan Hardy with a nice Lanier Stiper!

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MARCH 2024

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Cindy Painter catching bass on Lanier!

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TIPS FROM A PRO

ISOLATED TARGETS FOR BIG BASS

TYLER WOOLCOTT

A

round the country, spring is either here or it is rapidly approaching. There is an amazing tip I want to share to improve your chances for catching big bass this time of year.

In spring, bass flood into shallower areas of any lake. Whether that be a bank, pocket or a flat shallow area, they move shallow to start their transition and get ready to do their thing.

They use any type of readily available cover to stage up and then eventually spawn. This takes a lot of the guesswork out of the search for where your next bite may come from.

What I look for is isolated cover and structure. Types of cover that I look for differentiate from state to state and lake to lake, but the general concept is always the same. The more isolated the better!

For instance, here in Florida, anything from a couple lily pads or a very small patch of vertical grass sticking up away from most of the other cover is the ideal spot for a big one to be sitting. In other areas of the country, it could be a single rock, a piece of wood or any kind of debris or cover that looks out of place. Shallow brushpiles near a spawning area that you find with your electronics are also an awesome thing to look for.

Some of my biggest spring bass have come from something so obvious that most anglers

go right past it. Fish also often replenish on these places very quickly, so don’t overlook visiting the same piece of structure multiple times in a single day. One of my favorite things to do is cast to isolated lily pads. There could be two tiny little pads out in the middle of a flat on their own, and I might catch multiple fish off the same two pads by revisiting them throughout the day.

I often pick apart these objects by dragging something slowly by or through the structure.

Typically, a wacky-rigged weightless Senko or a very lightly weighted Texas-rigged stick bait are my go-to lures. When in Southern states that have some stain to the water, I stick with darker colors like blacks and blues or junebug.

When the water is clear, I’ll go with more natural colors like a green pumpkin.

You can keep your gear pretty simple, but remember you’re fishing around structure fish can wrap you around and break you off. Use heavier line. Try stepping up your leader size to 12- to 15-pound Seaguar fluorocarbon on a spinning rod, and use 15- to 20-pound when throwing a Texas rig on a baitcaster. The 13 have fun and be safe on the water.

Fishing Defy series of rods are awesome and Tyler Woolcott is a professional tournament affordable. I use the 7’6” MH for baitcasting angler and guide. Check out his website at rods and the 7’1” MH for spinning. www.tylerwoolcottfishing.com.

Good luck out there this spring and always

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DECEMBER GIVEAWAY WINNER ZIPPING AROUND WITH HER NEW OUTBOARD

ENTER TO WIN!

A PAIR OF WILEY X SUNGLASSES THROUGH MARCH!

I

n December, Coastal Angler and Suzuki teamed up to award one lucky reader with an extra special Christmas gift as part of the magazine’s regular contest drawings. Jeanette Harkin, of Edgewater, Fla., is now the happy owner of small, but feature-rich Suzuki DF2.5 outboard, which she plans to use on the inshore fisheries around Smyrna Beach.

“I was super excited when I found out that I won, because we’ve been wanting to get a nice trolling motor for a long time,” Jeanette said. “It was an extra special Christmas present from you guys! Thank you again!!!”

The Suzuki DF 2.5 weighs just 30 pounds, and the smooth, quiet and dependable engine is a perfect fit for the 16-foot Gheenoe Jeanette plans to put it on. She goes out frequently after whitefish, redfish and blue crabs on the Intracoastal near her home, and this little rig will be perfect for zipping around on the flats and backwaters.

Coastal Angler’s current Giveaway drawing is for two pairs of awesome Wiley X sunglasses. These high-performance and stylish glasses will be just in time for all your springtime outdoor adventures. Go to Coastalanglermag. com, click the “Contest” tab, enter the drawing, and you could be sporting some free new shades on the water this spring.

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WHERE THE SUWANNEE & STEINHATCHEE RIVERS MEET THE GULF OF MEXICO

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REDFISH TIP:

THE GARRETT REDFISH DRAG

H

ere’s a quick redfish tip from Capt. Garrett Ross, of Miss Judy Charters out of Savannah, Ga. “While using a traditional adjustable style cork, adjust depth to allow the live shrimp to sit directly on the bottom. This means that your cork will be laying completely over on its side. Now, when the cold-water redfish decides to take the bait in its mouth, you will not know until the cork stands up right and starts to make way. It is suggested to reel lightly tight and allow the circle hook to do its job of lip hooking your redfish!”

Capt. Garrett’s reasoning for the Ethan Long, 13, with a nice redfish caught effectiveness of his while fishing with Capt. Garrett Ross. technique is that a redfish has plenty of time to eat the shrimp and begin to swim away before the angler holding the rod even knows the fish is there. It might sound counterintuitive, but circle hooks have a way of coming unbuttoned when there’s an over-eager angler holding the rod.

For more from Capt. Judy Helmey, visit missjudycharters.com.

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MARCH 2024

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very saltwater angler knows the frustration of losing their hardearned catch to sharks. With a hard thump, that big, feisty cobia or snapper stops fighting and all that’s left to haul over the rail is a head.

Those delicious fillets were donated to the taxman, and there’s nothing you can do about it.

Well, it seems the U.S. Congress is at least willing to take a look at the issue of shark depredation, which is a shark hammering a fish on the line before it can be landed. The SHARKED Act is a piece of legislation working its way through Congress right now with bipartisan support. The bill is just a first step toward mitigating shark interactions with anglers, both recreational and commercial, but it’s one of those rare occasions when legislators might just come together.

According to the American Sportfishing Association, shark encounters are increasing on all U.S. coasts. The Magnuson-Stevens Act of 2007—the sweeping legislation that gave us the decades-long red snapper fiasco in the Gulf of Mexico—has been successful, maybe too successful, in rebuilding populations of many shark species that were previously reduced by fishing.

In addition to being frustrating to anglers, there is concern that sharks are negatively impacting fisheries, and there is already talk among fisheries managers of stricter regulations on anglers intended to offset or avoid shark interactions.

With support from several sportfishing and conservation organizations, the SHARKED Act unanimously passed out of the U.S. House of Representatives, and at presstime it was headed to the Senate and potentially to President Biden to be signed into law. It would direct NOAA Fisheries to develop a task force to study the issue of shark depredation.

The task force would be tasked with improving coordination and communication across the fisheries management community to identify research priorities and funding opportunities and make a plan to reduce shark/angler interactions.

We can only hope this future plan puts limitations on the taxman and not on anglers.

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GRAND LAKE TO HOST

2024 BASSMASTER CLASSIC T

he field is set, and the grandest spectacle in bass fishing will be renewed for the 54th time from March 22-24. This year’s Bassmaster Classic will be held on Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees, with weigh-ins and festivities in Tulsa, Okla.

Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees has more than lived up to its name. The 46,500-acre fishery provided some of the grandest moments in the history

of the event when Classics were held there in 2013 and 2016. Now the picturesque reservoir in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains will add to that grand lore when it again plays host the Super Bowl of Bass Fishing.

As with past Classics held in Tulsa, daily weigh-ins will be held at the BOK Center in downtown Tulsa, with the Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo across the street at the Cox Business Convention Center. Daily takeoffs will be held about 90 miles away at the Wolf Creek Park and Boating Facility on Grand Lake.

During the first Tulsa Classic in 2013, former Elite Series pro Cliff Pace of Mississippi claimed a wire-to-wire victory during a frigid event when icy precipitation tested the toughness of the 53-angler field. In 2016, local favorite Jason Christie led Days 1 and 2 and seemed poised to earn his first Classic trophy until fellow Oklahoma pro Edwin Evers caught a five-bass limit that weighed 29 pounds, 3 ounces to claim a dramatic come-frombehind win.

“The Grand River Dam Authority is excited to see the Bassmaster Classic make its return to Grand Lake in 2024,” said GRDA President and CEO Dan Sullivan. “Not only will the event provide a tremendous economic benefit to the region but it will once again showcase Grand Lake to interested audiences across the country.

“GRDA places a high priority on caring for the natural resources under its control, and being a three-time host of the Bassmaster Classic reinforces Grand’s reputation as one of the nation’s top fisheries. GRDA is excited to once again support the Bassmaster Classic, which is known as a premier event and competition for anglers.”

On last year’s list of 100 Best Bass Lakes by Bassmaster Magazine, Grand Lake ranked 17th in the Central Division. That marks the 11th straight year that the fishery has ranked in the Top 100.

The field will include 56 anglers competing for a $300,000 first-place prize and a total purse of over $1 million.

“Since its inception, the Classic has been a tournament that changes lives,” said B.A.S.S. Vice President of Tournaments Chris Bowes. “The payday is great, sure. But the opportunity to refer to yourself as ‘Bassmaster Classic champion’ for the rest of your life — there’s no greater clout in our sport.”

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With more than 60,000 surface acres and 1,300 miles of shoreline, Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees is one of the largest outdoor destinations in Oklahoma. Located on the Grand River, the lake is hugely popular with boaters, fishermen, campers and anyone else who loves spending time in the great outdoors. Anglers are sure to have a blast searching for largemouth bass, white bass, crappie, channel catfish, bluegill and the rare paddlefish on Grand Lake waters. And Grand Lake’s shores are lined with so many unique attractions, shops, restaurants, state parks and casinos that seeing everything in one trip is next to impossible.

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