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Heads Of Cold Steel Winter Steelheading In Upstate New York By Frank Geremski -The Angler Magazine of Upstate NY publisher
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inter steelhead fishing can be chilling, but once you hook into a 10-pound, lightning-fast bolt of silver, your blood will be boiling. The speed and explosion are what lures steelheaders to expose themselves to harsh Great Lakes winters. And there’s more. On Upstate New York’s Salmon River, there are plenty of beautiful, large, lake-run brown trout mixed in. Plus, today’s lightweight protective clothing provides comfort between strikes. The Salmon River in Oswego County, N.Y. (www.visitoswegocounty.com) offers consistent steelhead fishing during the late fall, winter and spring. In fact, the river has runs of trout and salmon from Lake Ontario all year long. With many quality tributaries along its length and a hatchery, this highquality wilderness river once was home to a legendary Atlantic salmon run. Rebounding populations of Atlantics still exist due to restoration projects, but Pacific salmon dominate the scene in late summer and fall. Huge chinook salmon, some heavier than 30 pounds, and coho salmon run up 14 miles of prime spawning and fishing waters each fall. A good number of steelhead (rainbow trout) follow the salmon to feed on the eggs dropped during this legendary fall salmon run. The steelhead feed aggressively during the salmon run, and they remain in this beautiful blue-ribbon river all winter, providing more than six months of explosive action. Winter thaws and early spring rains invite the remaining Lake Ontario steelhead to spawn and join their riverwintering kin. It’s a truly dynamic trophy trout experience. The Salmon River holds big fish. Ten-pound steelhead are commonplace. Fish in the teens are a definite possibility, and persistent steelheaders get chances every year on specimens in the 20-pound range. When salmon first enter the Salmon River in September and October, steelhead and lake-run brown trout mix in with pacific salmon making their spawning run. Both trout species feed on salmon eggs, and just when the salmon die off, the brown trout begin to spawn. Their eggs supplement the steelheads’ diet. Large numbers of giant trout and steelhead winter in the river, with additional fish running up from Lake Ontario all winter and early spring. When they first enter the river, these brightly colored bullets aggressively strike offerings like egg sacks, bright Estaz flies or beads that imitate eggs. Midriver matriculation brings them past the village of Pulaski, where there are about 10 miles of mostly public fishing access to deep holes, runs, rapids and every kind of trout water. Several high-quality tributaries flow in along the way and provide excellent spawning grounds up to what’s considered the upper section of the river. Natural reproduction does occur, and New York state operates a large hatchery on the upper end of the Salmon River. Since the Salmon River is a tailwater, this upper section is fishable all winter and never ices up. With egg availability diminishing, the winter steelhead diet evolves to more nymphs and stoneflies. Fly fishing is effective yet challenging. This section of river is ideal for fighting and landing large fish, with catch and release encouraged. Many trophy steelhead in the teens are photographed for replica mounts, and brown trout in the 5- to 10-pound range are caught regularly, with fish in the teens a possibility. 8
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The Salmon River has a reputation for tight quarters during the peak of the salmon run. Crowds diminish during winter steelhead season. Weekdays bring even less competition. Two very select permit-only resort properties are located on the two best sections of river offering managed access and exclusive riverside lodging. On the upper river, The Tailwater Lodge in Altmar, N.Y. has private southside access to Schoolhouse Pool and the runs and holes above and below. This is the prime wintering spot for a large percentage of steelhead and the best access for ice-free angling. The Tailwater is an Orvis-endorsed lodge, which includes an on-site fly shop, “The Woodshed.” Zero Limit Adventures Guide Service, also Orvis endorsed, has a collaborative relationship with Tailwater Lodge and provides outstanding guidance to this section and the entire Salmon River. They’ll get you dialed into current river conditions and what the fish are feeding on. The Tailwater Lodge’s opulent accommodations coupled with their location on the river and exclusive access make it the Mecca for Salmon River steelheading. This large section of river provides various speeds of current and holding water with ice-free conditions all winter. Tactics for hooking these giants include fly fishing, spinning, float fishing and center-pin techniques. The Angler Magazine highly recommends booking an experienced licensed guide on your first day to instruct you on equipment, fly or bait selection and technique. Allow Tailwater Lodge (www.tailwaterlodge.com) and Zero Limit Adventures (www. zerolimitadventures.com) ease the entry into this elite pursuit. Douglaston Salmon Run (DSR) manages more than 2 1/2 miles of exclusive access in the lower end of the Salmon River where steelhead first enter from Lake Ontario. Early steelhead action can be fast and furious. Winter access is dependent on weather conditions, as the middle and lower sections of the Salmon River get slushy or iced over during mid-winter cold speels. DSR (www. douglastonsalmonrun.com) publishes an accurate and honest daily report that functions as a great information source for river conditions and fish movement. The highly challenging adventure of hooking and battling your first 10-pound-plus Great Lakes steelhead will certainly not be your last. This divine experience will put you in a league of sportsmen who are the only ones to understand this trophy steelhead quest. It’s a feeling like the adrenaline rush of your first buck or sailfish. This heart-pounding adventure on a beautiful river will provide a memory that can be yours forever. To check out the “Men of Steel” video, go to
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12/15/16 3:09 PM
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Editor’s Note: Each month, Coastal Angler Magazine and The Angler Magazine staff search our vast coverage area for photos that will grace our covers. With well over a million readers in diverse coastal and inland markets, our magazines strive for broad national appeal as well as local-level intelligence to put anglers on fish. The cover is different depending on which edition you, the reader, are holding. The following is a little information about this month’s covers.
COASTAL ANGLER MAGAZINE Houma, Louisiana
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The big black drum on the cover of Coastal Angler’s January editions was caught by Banging The Drums Of Jacki Shae, whose south Florida upbringing Houma, La. taught her a love of fishing from an early age. Winter Chrome In On a recent ladies-only fishing trip to the Upstate N.Y. marshes around Houma, Louisiana, Jacki learned a newfound respect for black drum. Local This often overlooked cousin to the everpopular red drum might not be much on looks, but it puts up a heck of a fight and grows even larger than the big bull reds prized by so many anglers. Rumor has it the fish on the cover was caught with one of those kids’ Barbie rods spooled with 30-pound test. With tutelage from their guide Brittney Novalsky, the ladies also did battle with some of the big redfish Louisiana is famous for. Four young women staying on a houseboat and hauling big fish from the Louisiana mud… what more could anyone ask for from a fishing expedition?
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The covers of this month’s editions of The Angler feature a beautiful chrome steelhead Winter Chrome In caught by Zero Limit Adventures Guide Rob Upstate N.Y. Reynolds. The photo was taken by Zero Limit Banging The Drums Of Adventures Guide Matthew DeRosa. The fish was caught on the Salmon River in Oswego County, New York. To learn more Local about this fantastic fishery view this month’s article “Heads of Cold Steel” by The Angler Magazine Upstate New York publisher Frank Geremski. Zero Limit’s diverse team of guides offer tailored trips of a lifetime and expertly fish many tributaries of central and western New York. They can be reached by e-mail via mderosa@zerolimitadventures.com by phone at 585-766-2421, or view their website at www.zerolimitadventures.com. Zero Limit has a collaborative relationship with the opulent Tailwater Lodge www.TailwaterLodge.com in Oswego County. Tailwater Lodge offers exclusive access and wonderful accommodations on the banks of the Salmon River, home of legendary trophy salmon, steelhead and brown trout runs from Lake Ontario. Call Tailwater Lodge for availability and reservations at 315-298-3434. To learn more about Lake Ontario, the Salmon River and Oswego County fishing go to www. visitoswegocounty.com or call 1-800-248-4FUN. Houma, La.
Fishing Reports Catch Photos News & Events
PHOTO COURTESY OF ZERO LIMIT ADVENTURES GUIDE MATTHEW DEROSA VOLUME 22 • ISSUE 264
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LADIES DRUM UP ACTION IN THE LOUISIANA MARSH By Jacki Shea
I
find myself staying in the strangest places when I go on fishing adventures. But as long as it involves fishing, sleeping on a couch or on the ground really doesn’t matter. On this particular trip, my friends and I found ourselves in a small houseboat on a river in the Louisiana marshes west of New Orleans. It was tiny, there was only one bathroom (picture four girls trying to use one bathroom), and the bed sheets smelled like a man after a long day of fishing. You might be wondering what brought us to such a place, and I will give you two very good reasons: redfish and black drum. Enormous specimens of these two drum species come into the marsh each fall and winter, 20 to 30 pounds to be more specific. If you plan on making the trip to Louisiana to do some inshore fishing, it is not necessary to stay on a houseboat; however, I highly recommend it. When
you wake up each morning, you are on the water ready to fish with your boat tied up next to you. Of the drum family, redfish seem to be the most popular inshore species. Redfish are always a great fight, especially the big bulls. But many anglers seem to overlook black drum, which are sometimes referred to as a “mud donkeys.” It is not an attractive fish, nor is it great for eating; therefore, it is not commonly targeted. This fish does, however, grow the largest of the drum species, and it fights with the same action and power as a bull red. Now that I’ve caught a few, I believe black drum can look very pretty once the Louisiana sun hits those scales just right. Redfish and black drum are thick in the Louisiana marshes all year, but the season for the monsters runs from September to January, when big fish move from offshore into the marsh following migrating baitfish. When the baitfish show up inshore, the big fish won’t be far behind. For bait you can use live or artificial depending on whether you are trying to sight fish or just toss a line out and wait. On our trip, we used a standard knocker rig, with an egg sinker and a hook, and sank split live blue crabs and shrimp to the bottom and waited. The fishing is quite simple when you know where the fish are, although a guide is recommended for those unfamiliar with the waters because it’s easy to get lost in the marsh. Keep an eye out for cold fronts. The cold fronts clean up the water and bring the fish closer to the surface, which makes for perfect sight fishing. The fish also enjoy the cooler inshore water, so they will be more abundant and active. Check out Jacki’s YouTube channel Jacki Shea Fishing for videos of her fishing adventures. Her guide for the Louisiana trip was Brittney Novalsky who can be contacted through www.fishingadventureswithbrittney.com. For more fishing with Jacki Shea, go to
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By Tom Karrow Researcher Tom Karrow assessing fishery health in Abaco with a Bahamian angling guide from the Delphi Club. Photo by Andrew O’Neill
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hen I first started fly fishing in the 80s, the sport was not nearly as popular as it is today. Shops carrying fly tackle were sparse, people with knowledge of the sport were few and far between and getting lessons was nearly impossible. When I think back to those days, recalling the number of flies I lost in trees, the frequent tangles I developed and the shear lack of fish I caught, it is a wonder that I kept with it. Indeed, if it were not for the fly tying component of the sport, I might well have thrown in the towel. I love fly tying; being able to create something to fool fish with is a marvelous achievement. In contrast to my early fly fishing days, today there is a seeming abundance of information on the sport, from equipment, to angling destinations; everyone seems to have some insights. On top of this has been the advent of the Internet, a treasure trove of information and misinformation. The fact of the matter is, fly fishing is not nearly as complicated as it may seem. It is simply a form of fishing that allows for lightweight or nearly weightless “lures” to be used, which without the added weight in the line could not be presented to a fish. In some cases, fly fishing is a far superior method for fooling fish and in others, deep waters for example, far more challenging. When it comes to heavily pressured or sensitive fish, especially those inhabiting shallow inshore waters, I would argue fly fishing can often out-produce other techniques. Being able to imperceptibly drop a fly in front of fish when they are used to loud splashes from heavy lures or live baits can often result in fooled fish. Fly fishing is sometimes called an art, perhaps because of the apparent delicateness of the cast, the manner in which the line travels out over the water, or because many incorrectly, consider it hard. So let me correct this fallacy. Fly fishing is not hard, it does not need to be complicated and it can be very easily learned. If you really want to learn to fly fish, I would suggest a trip to the Bahamas. The weather is beautiful, the waters are stunning, and the people, culture and food are marvelous. The chance of catching fish is very high, as the guides are great instructors and a week’s worth of fly fishing immersion would provide incredible advancement in understanding and skill level. Throughout my travels in the Bahamas, I have met many wonderful guides and visited many top-notch facilities. To highlight one Bahamian guide or lodge is simply impossible. However, when it comes to learning the sport, be honest. When booking a trip to a lodge, perhaps directly or through a travel company like Yellow Dog Fly Fishing or Frontiers International, tell them what you want. Tell them you are a beginner. Tell them you want to learn. Through this strategy, those in the know will put you with facilities and personnel best suited to an instructional 12
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Great equipment meets great Bahamian culture. Photo by Tom Karrow
environment. You want a location that offers everything, lodging and food of course but also equipment, casting lessons, fly tying lessons, safety instruction along with patient and professional guides. One common thread that has become apparent through my research in the Bahamas is the respect that Bahamians have for travelers, specifically bonefish anglers. Bahamians openly welcome tourists, recognizing the importance that bonefishing has on local Family Island communities. Bonefishing on some Bahamian islands provides employment for up to 80 percent of the local population. With that level of economic importance, industry professionalism is critical along with healthy fisheries. In the Bahamas you will find both a high degree of angling knowledge and amazing fisheries. The Bahamas are certainly an excellent place to consider taking a trip and a phenomenal place to learn to fly fish. What I find most attractive about the Bahamas is the shear diversity available. With more than 700 islands, there is something for everyone. And for anglers, old and new, there are always new opportunities to learn from. Tom Karrow is a sustainable tourism scholar from the University of Waterloo. His research focuses on the Bahamian bonefishing industry, centered on the guides and their knowledge, stories and experiences. For more on his research see: http://tomkarrow.wixsite.com/bahamasguide-tek, and follow Coastal Angler Magazine for updates and more. Tom Karrow can be reached at tkarrow@uwaterloo.ca or tomkarrow@ gmail.com. For more Bonefishing in the Bahamas, go to
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no weight reduction had gone into the components above the handle. The guides were large and weighty. As a result, the rod was annoyingly front-heavy, even when I mounted two of the spinning reels I had tabbed for the task. Lost balance led to lost feel and sense of control over my bait. It took an oversized reel to bring anything resembling “balance” to this rod, and the resultant combo was still cumbersome. “It’s hard to get a rod perfectly balanced without knowing the reel a guy plans to put on it,” said Russ Lane, a Bassmaster Elite Series angler known for his talent for tackle tinkering. Lane wraps many of his rods with Winn Superior Rod Wrap (www.winngrips.com) to give them the same advantages of hand control and comfort that he gets with the Denali Attax rods and other rods in his arsenal already fitted with Winn grips. But at times there’s a secondary benefit to the wrap. “Sometimes adding the Winn rod wrap can add just enough weight to balance a rod,” noted Lane. He faced a formidable “weight-forward” balance challenge with the flipping/pitching rod he uses to punch matted vegetation with soft plastic lures and 1.5-ounce tungsten By Mike Pehanich weights. “I needed to add more weight to the handle,” Lane recalled. As usual, he covered the cork mid-grip of this 7-foot, 6-inch Denali Lithium Flipping Stick (Xtra Heavy) with the ightness” has been the dominant thrust of rod evolution for years. Lightweight guides, skeletal reel seats, split grips… these and other polymer overwrap. Before he added the wrap to the butt grip, however, he developments have served rod builders in their ongoing quest to added Storm SuspenStrips—adhesive-backed rectangles of soft lead that he reduce rod weight and, in turn, diminish fatigue and enhance angler comfort generally uses to add weight to his jerkbaits—to the tapered butt grip. “You can get the balance perfect by adding just enough lead tape over the and feel on the water. Oddly enough, radical downsizing of rod components sometimes produces butt grip before adding Winn overwrap on top of it,” explained Lane. “Balance the opposite of its intended effect if rod balance is significantly compromised makes a big difference when you are flipping those heavy tungsten weights in along the way or when heavier-than-usual lures or terminal tackle enter the heavy cover all day long.” picture. Several seasons ago, a rod manufacturer asked me to road test a new midFor a word from Lester on the benefits of Winn Grips, go to priced spinning rod the company was planning to bring to market. The design team had taken the split grip concept to an extreme, virtually eliminating the mid (rear) grip altogether and adding a very airy foam to the butt grip. However,
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Shown above: Chad Roberson, President of H2O Sports congratulates Danny Amador on his new boat.
hat’s a real mouthful of salutations, but the winner of Coastal Angler and The Angler Magazine’s Boat Giveaway contest is certainly deserving of all three. Danny Amador was drawn as the winner of the 15’10” Cape Craft boat with 75 hp Honda engine and a Coyote trailer. A massive fire at H20 Sports Manufacturing delayed much of their manufacturing, and Danny Amador had to wait until Dec. 9 to pick up his brand new Cape Craft vessel. That’s where the story gets really interesting. Dec. 9 is Danny’s birthday. Yep, and as all December birthday people know it’s always “Happy Birthday and Merry Christmas.” Coastal Angler Magazine would like to salute Danny Amador for his patience in receiving his boat. Unforeseen circumstances can sometimes alter even the best of transactions. Danny Amador’s patience and H20’s commitment to fulfilling the contest award represented the best of our industry. In addition to Danny’s boat, motor and trailer, Chad Roberson, H20 Sports Manufacturing’s President, insisted on
throwing in a free bimini top and invited Danny Amador to pick his favorite custom color for the boat. Good things are worth waiting for. Special thanks to Top Notch Marine in Fort H2O Staff and Danny Amador shown at H2O Sports headquarters. Pierce, Fla. for their assistance in titling this boat to our Florida winner. Once again to Danny Amador: “Congratulations, Happy Birthday and Merry Christmas!”
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UNDER THE SEA
Center s LIONFISH: CAN’T BEAT ’EM? EAT ’EM! SHERI DAYE
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lthough beautiful to look at, the invasive lionfish poses a severe threat to Atlantic and Gulf waters. They are known for having spines that can sting if not handled properly, but the meat is perfectly safe and delicious to eat. In other words, they are venomous but not poisonous. Lionfish is becoming increasingly common on restaurant menus and is even available at Whole Foods grocery stores. Connoisseurs often compare the quality to hogfish – a fine, delicate white meat. The scientific community concluded that home aquarists are to blame. Much like the python in the Everglades, it only took a few released invasive individuals to begin the breeding cycle. Since they are a new and strange looking species, native fish are not consuming lionfish. Yet lionfish are consuming juvenile native species at an alarming rate. Adding to the problem, they also breed at an amazing rate. Females reach sexual maturity at six months and release up to 30,000 eggs every five days. They now cover the east coast of the U.S., the entire Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic side of Central and South America, and can be found between 2 and 1,000 feet deep. The most effective way of hunting them, by far, is spearfishing. Since they have no natural predators, they are not wary which makes them easy to spear. Just handle the spines with care and you will be rewarded with a delicious meal while helping the environment! Lionfish hunting tips: 1. First, you must find them! Unfortunately, they are everywhere—look on reefs, wrecks, sometimes out in the open and often in ledges and holes. 2. Handle them carefully and do not to let the fins puncture your skin. If stung on the hand, remove any rings right away. The best treatment is heat, which breaks down the venom. Heat packs or hot water collected from the boat exhaust can be used. 3. Use the specially designed pole spears (such as Neritic) and use lionfish containers (such as the Zookeeper), which are puncture-proof. These specialty items can be found on the LionfishHunting.com website or your local dive shop.
4. Once back on the boat/shore, place lionfish into cooler and continue to handle with care. The protein-based venom is broken down by heat but preserved by cold. 5. Lionfish can be filleted just like any other fish. See LionfishHunting.com for a good set of instructions with photos on how to fillet. 6. Lionfish can be prepared like any other white-meat fish. Many recipes can be found online. For an impressive presentation, they can even be cooked whole as cooking neutralizes the venom. P. S. The Blue Wild Ocean Adventure Expo, which takes place April 2017 in Ft. Lauderdale, will have a Lionfish Pavilion featuring several exhibitors along with a cook-off event where several chefs will be showing off their best recipes and giving samples. Happy Hunting! Sheri Daye is a world-record holder, host of Speargun Hunter, and producer of “The Blue Wild Ocean Adventure Expo” in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Follow “Sheri Daye” and “The Blue Wild” on Facebook and Instagram.
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SOUTHEAST dad as a kid and has fished almost every day for the past 33 years! Dave will be at the boat show all weekend. Meet Mermaid Kelly Mermaid Kelly is a Professional Mermaid who swam all the way from Florida. She will have a meet and greet and photo op all weekend. She loves to swim and she loves visiting humans on the land. Coastal Fishing Expo The Coastal Fishing Expo will be held all weekend, hosted by Coastal Angler Magazine. Come meet the fishing experts as they teach tips of the trade.
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he Charleston Boat Show is an annual tradition in the Lowcountry. Now celebrating 37 years, the show has expanded with more outdoor space. There will be more than 80 boat brands and hundreds of boats on sale at “show only” pricing beginning Friday, Jan. 27 through Sunday, Jan. 29 at the Charleston Area Convention Center Complex. Meet Wicked Tuna’s Capt. Dave Carraro Capt. Dave Carraro is the captain of FV-Tuna.com on NatGeo’s smash hit show Wicked Tuna. Dave holds a U.S.C.G 100-ton Master License and has an invaluable 32 years of experience with Gloucester Fishing Charters. He began fishing with his
Live Music Outside As part of the boat show celebration, there will be live music outside including Return Of The Mack Duo featuring Chris Dodson and Markie Morantz; Classic Rock, Blues, R & B with Ronnie Johnson and Dale Baker and Saluda Shoals, a musical collaboration between singer/songwriter Henri Gates and vocalist Cassie Verhaeghe. Please visit www.TheCharlestonBoatShow.com for all the details.
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GEORGIA
By Nick Carter
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he tragic death of a dedicated husband and father just before Thanksgiving in Georgia should serve as a reminder to all outdoorsmen that lanterns, space heaters and campfires, when improperly handled, can be just as dangerous as a loaded rifle propped against the wall with the safety off. Brandon Carter, 36, of Oconee County, Ga., was killed Nov. 20 when an electric space heater ignited a fire in the small wooden cabin he was sleeping in at his rural Georgia hunting camp. Carter’s father-in-law Steven Momberg was badly burned
attempting to rescue the man, who was trapped inside the cabin by flames that blocked the only door. It was a nightmarish scenario that could have taken place at so many makeshift hunt camps that spring up on timberlands across the Southeast. While gun safety is at the forefront of most hunters’ minds, fire safety tends to be an afterthought, even with all the highly flammable fuels and paraphernalia necessary to the camp experience. The tragedy occurred around midnight after the two men had retired to separate buildings. Carter’s cabin and Momberg’s trailer shared a long, covered front porch. They were nestled among more than a dozen other stick-built wooden cabins and campers of BigEye Hunting Club. The blaze began in Carter’s cabin and spread rapidly in high wind. Momberg woke to the sound of ammunition popping and intense heat. With propane canisters exploding around him, he tried in vain to rescue his daughter’s husband. When a 4-wheeler parked near the door erupted in flames, Momberg was thrown into the yard. He then ran to a nearby house where the residents called 911. By the time responders cut a firebreak, the blaze had consumed five structures, two trucks, the 4-wheeler, three golf carts and everything in and around the buildings. The two men were the only hunters in camp that night. The tragedy highlights the importance of multiple points of egress, whether it’s a second door, a trap door in the floor or windows unblocked by bars or AC units. Basic fire safety equipment like smoke detectors and fire extinguishers are inexpensive peace of mind. And just being cognizant of things like not overloading electrical outlets, not burning lanterns and gas heaters indoors, extinguishing campfires, clearing flammable debris from around structures and how fuel is stored can make camps safer. On the Sunday morning before Thanksgiving, Carter’s newly widowed wife Tammi woke her two children—Chase, 10, and Bayli, 9—to tell them they would never see their father again. “It helps me to think there’s something we can do to help, something good that can come of this,” she said, “even if it’s just to let other daddies know so this doesn’t happen to their families.” A GoFundMe account has been set up for the Carter children to ease the longterm financial burden they will surely feel with the loss of their father, the family’s primary breadwinner. Donations would be appreciated at https://www.gofundme. com/trust-for-brandon-carters-children. To donate and/or learn more, go to
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ith the sport of fishing g r o w i n g and more anglers on the water, there seems to be more information available. All of this information, paired with the quick access to it using smart phones and social media avenues, can make us a lot more productive on the water. Becoming a better angler is great, but it could all be in vain unless we do our best to protect the resources we so greatly love. Knowing how to safely handle and release fish is just as important as being able to catch fish. Below are a few tips that will help any angler become a better steward of the water. Tip 1: Minimize the time taken to fight the fish. There are scenarios that require lighter line or tippet. More often than not, this leads to fish being broken off, but if not, this can be the cause of undue stress on the fish. In general, the lighter the line or tippet, the longer it takes to land the fish. Just like humans, fish build up lactic acid during a fight. If not revived properly, this can lead to an injured or dead fish. Using the heaviest pound test possible for your particular situation can minimize the time it takes to land a fish and can have a huge impact on the health of the fish when released Tip 2: Always handle fish with a wet hand. Virtually all species of fish are covered with a protective mucus membrane. This membrane does quite a few things for the fish. It allows the fish to move through the water with less drag, but more importantly, it protects the fish from diseases, fungi and parasites. Handling a fish with a dry hand removes this protective barrier, and the fish becomes highly susceptible to waterborne diseases and parasites. Wetting your hands before handling the fish will help prevent the removal of the membrane. With 2
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this in mind, a net with a rubber bag can be a great tool for the job. Using a net to cradle fish while removing the hook will greatly reduce the possibility of injury to the fish. We will still need to use wet hands to handle the fish, but minimizing contact can be crucial. Tip 3: Properly reviving the fish before it is released is the next step in safely handling fish. Regardless of species, all fish need to be revived until able to swim away under their own power. The best way to do this is to place the fish in the water facing into the current and firmly, but not squeezing, hold the fish by the base of the tail until it can swim away on its own. Letting go after a good kick of the tail under the assumption that the fish is ready can lead to the demise of the fish. If the water is cold, you need to be ready to keep your hands submerged until the fish is ready. I wear wool gloves most of the winter when fishing. I take the gloves off to handle the fish and replace them once the fish is released. This is also the reason I like a jacket with good water-tight cuffs. Tip 4: Correctly holding fish, especially large fish, can be especially important. Never squeeze a fish. If the fish seems unruly, try turning the fish upside down. This will disrupt their equilibrium and give you a moment to handle the fish without struggle. When it comes to handling trout, you never want to “lip” the fish. This practice may be acceptable for bass, but even bass can be injured this way. Cradling trout and other fish with two hands is the best method. A great way to hold fish is one hand firmly gripping the base of the tail and the other hand supporting the fish from underneath toward the head. Be sure to keep your fingers out
of the gills. Handling a fish by the gills can cause serious injury and will usually lead to a delayed mortality. Tip 5: Hold the fish close to the water. This way, if the fish struggles, it will only fall a minimal distance. Dropping a fish even a short distance to the water can cause serious injury and possibly death. Keeping the fish in the water until the moment of the photo is also critical. It is a good idea to walk through the operation of a camera with the other anglers in your party. This way, if there is any question about how to operate the device, it is taken care of beforehand. Tip 6: Know when to leave the hook embedded. At some point every angler will be faced with this decision: do I cut the line or try to remove the hook? Generally, if you are asking this question, the line should be cut. If the hook is embedded too deep or around the gill area, it’s generally best to cut the line. In most cases, fish have a greater chance of survival expelling the hook on their own as opposed to the angler digging around and trying to remove it. Tip 7: De-barb your hooks. There are benefits to de-barbing fish hooks. One of the most important is it’s easier to remove from the fish. Yes, if we de-barb the hook, it is easier for the fish to throw the hook. It requires more line management and skill to keep the fish connected. Another benefit to de-barbing is that in the event you foul hook yourself or another angler, it is easier to remove. These are just a few tips to handling fish safely. Hopefully you find them helpful and I can assure you that the fish will appreciate your knowledge. For more fish handling tips, go to
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Atlanta/N. Georgia/ Lake Country January 2017
PUBLISHER: Bob Rice CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Nick Carter Henry Cowen Dr. Andrew Cox Capt. Jake Davis Jim Farmer The Fish Hawk Ronnie hall Jmmy Harris Capt. Cefus McRae Chris Scalley Gary Turner Noey Vineyard O'Neill Williams Rene J. Hesse Jimbo Mathley James Bradley David HulseY WAYNE WOOTEN Steven king ryan kennedy jay striker
To advertise in the largest free fishing publication in the U.S. with over 1 million monthly readers, call 706-614-8231
Graphic Design: Kathleen CARREIRO KATHLEENCARREIRO@YMAIL.COM A Free Publication The Angler Magazine Is Distributed Across The Southeast. The Angler Magazine Is Published Monthly By B & B Publishers P.O. Box 766 Madison, GA 30650 706-614-8231 www.theanglermagazine.com Reproduction Of Contents In Any Form Is Prohibited Bob Rice, publisher The Angler Magazine Fishing, Boating, Conservation “Find your outdoors here”
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Local Rivers & Fly Fishing
Want to Do Something Really Cool? Contributed By: Jimmy Harris
www.unicoioutfitters.com
Personally, I’m not much of a joiner. Years ago the local civic organizations gave up inviting me to their weekly luncheons. It was nothing personal. Matter of fact, a lot of those folks were and still are good friends. It just didn’t fit with what I was into which was work and fishing. But I did find an organization that was perfectly matched to my lifestyle. I discovered Trout Unlimited and immediately knew this was where I belonged. Here’s a drone’s eye view of my history with Trout Unlimited: • 1986 I stumble upon the Rabun Chapter of TU after two years, yes TWO YEARS, of trying to catch a trout on a fly rod. The rest is history, and I owe it all to that group of dedicated anglers/conservationists. • The next 5 years were spent camping and fishing with the Rabun crowd and working with them on collaborative stream improvement projects with GA DNR and the US Forest Service. Some of the most enjoyable days I’ve ever had onstream were pounding rebar with a sledge hammer creating new trout habitat. • In 1991, I became the prodigal child and, with the blessings of my Rabun friends, helped charter the Georgia Foothills Chapter of TU in Cornelia with a membership area covering Habersham, White, Stephens, Hall and Banks Counties. In 1994, Foothills TU won the national award from Trout Unlimited for the largest growth of any chapter in the country. Just like the other chapters in Georgia, we were doing our share of stream conservation projects with our government partners, hosting kids’ fishing rodeos and annually raising money to help fund the Youth Education Program at Smithgall Woods and the Outdoor Classroom at North Habersham Middle School where we paid for a part time teacher. • In the early 2000’s, an interesting new opportunity presented itself. Trout Unlimited chapters across the U.S. saw a need to reach out to our wounded veterans with fly fishing, fly tying, rod building and 2 ATLANTA
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other related activities as a method of therapy. That spawned Project Healing Waters and other similar type organizations which helped coordinate and fund activities. Trout Unlimited, on a local, regional and national level, has been involved with PHW from day one and continues to hold to that commitment. • 2003 saw the very first of what became an annual summer event, the Georgia Trout Camp. Hosting 24 boys and girls between the ages of 12 and 15 at a week long intensive trout, conservation and volunteering event at Rabun GapNacoochee School in Dillard, GA, it quickly became the prototype for other states to establish similar programs. Volunteers from all the Georgia chapters of TU plan and mentor the next generation of anglers and conservationists. Since then, Trout Unlimited national has formed their own camp with carefully chosen young leaders from across the country for their Teen Summit. Georgia has had several attend these events, a testimony to the skills and passions they developed at Trout Camp. • Finally, on a local level, Trout Unlimited is involved with supporting Casting for Recovery with operating funds and volunteers. Casting for Recovery’s mission is “to enhance the quality of life of women with breast cancer through a unique program that combines breast cancer education and peer support with the therapeutic sport of fly fishing.” Oh yeah, and we always find time to go fishing and mentor novice anglers in the sport of trout fishing. So, even if you aren’t a “joiner”, just like I wasn’t, check out Trout Unlimited and see if that’s where you’ll fit in. For more information, check out these links: Trout Unlimited – www.tu.org Georgia Council of Trout Unlimited – www.georgiatu.org Project Healing Waters – www. projecthealingwaters.org Casting for Recovery – www. castingforrecovery.org COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
12/14/16 8:22 PM
Local Rivers & Fly Fishing
Finally, No Fires and Some Rain!
Contributed by James Bradley No doubt this has been a crazy kind of year up here in the mountains. We started 2016 with flooding, early summer to late fall with no rain, and then the fires came. We have had to strategically reexamine some of our fishing methods and locations to keep our guests on fish without overstressing them. With the incoming rains we have had over the last week, hopefully the trending drought is a bust! Many of you may not have kept up with the Cohutta Wilderness fire. Here is a recap of what has taken place: • Fire was started by a lightning strike and fire is now coming to an end • Jack’s River helped contain the northern and eastern side of fire while the Connie helped contain the western side • The last count of cost was at $4.3 million to contain/control • No firefighters were injured in this event and no structures/homes were burned • Only approximately 2% of the trees were affected by the fire as it was mostly a forest floor fire • Wilderness areas are protected to a certain extent from man-made items. A fire like this is to be contained without use of vehicles/heavy equipment. Basically, a contained burn-out. All work was completed by approximately 500 amazing personnel on foot (one crew was from Puerto Rico), several fire trucks, two dozers used on the borders of the wilderness lines, etc. and two helicopters • Last info on this fire is it consumed
over 28,000 acres of forest floor and is over 75% contained. Mainly smoldering logs and stumps With hopefully the end of this drought, we will see normal rainfall which will fill our streams and bodies of water. For January, cold water means sluggish fish. Slow down and take time to cover the water very thoroughly. Bring each presentation/ drift closer together. The guy fishing deep and making presentations 6 inches apart will catch more fish. Don’t be afraid to use a little weight. Get your fly down to the bottom where the fish are! Also, most insects are small this time of year, so go small and get bit. Reel ‘Em In Guide Service is based out of beautiful Ellijay, Georgia. They have been offering their services to fly anglers since 2001. They hold a Special Use Permit for Guiding on the Chattahoochee National Forest, have licensed guides for North Carolina, offer over 7 miles of private trophy waters across Georgia, and they offer drift boat trips on the Toccoa River and the Tuckasegee River in NC.
January Fly Fishing Report Contributed By: Henry Cowen www.henrycowenflyfishing.com January normally can be a very iffy month on all our lakes in North Georgia. If the water temperatures continue to hover around 50 degrees or go just a tad lower (into the high 40’s), fishing will probably be very good, and we will continue to see fish feeding near the surface for a few more weeks. If we get a colder than normal spell and the water temperatures drop into the mid-forties, the fishing will shut down quicker than a New York minute. Everything this time of year is predicated on water temperature. Since we had an abnormally warm fall, the likelihood is that January fishing on all our area lakes will continue to be great! One of the best pieces of information I can give is that this particular year, our lake turnover was delayed by almost a full month. While our fishing got off to a slow start, it is now quickly building momentum. It is best to start looking far north in all the area lakes as the shad migrate north and especially into the backs of the coves looking for warmer water. Here is what essentially happens: as the surface water temperatures drop, the shad will go to the backs of the cove seeking to find the warmer water temperatures that the afternoon sun throws off into the shallows. Mornings can be exceptionally productive as the stripers come searching for an easy meal in the skinny water. Small flies and intermediate fly lines are called for in this instance. Anglers need to just find the coves that are stacked with shad. Helpful signs will be seeing a blue heron standing right at the water’s edge, loons seen going under the water in a cove or kingfishers diving on the surface and squawking are all signs of shad present. During low light levels in both the AM and PM, there is a good chance you will find stripers blowing up on the surface and running shad up and onto the banks in fear of their lives. It truly is one of the most compelling of all the feeding frenzies anglers will
see on a lake. These stripers are easy pickings too! Anytime you toss flies to shallow feeding fish, your chances of hooking up are greatly increased. If you do not find fish in the backs of the coves then you need to look at the mouths of the coves for large schools of fish bunched together in about 15-25 feet of water. Now is the time to employ a fast sinking line and use a countdown method in order to elicit a strike. This is an extremely effective method used to take stripers in the dead of winter. Our most effective flies will still be the Something’ Else as well as a small Polar Fiber Minnow. These two patterns tied 1 ½” to 2” in length will out-fish all other artificial baits you can throw. Give it a try next time you are out prowling the northern breeches of our area lakes. Dock lights are also full of fish and are an effective way to catch some January stripers. Dress warm, bring a thermos of hot coffee or cocoa and go have a ball in our North GA winter wonderland. Happy New Year to all our Angler Magazine readers. Hope to see everyone at the Fly Fishing Show @ Infinity Center the first Friday and Saturday in February. We will be giving seminars and tying flies all day long! See you on the pond.
“It is best to start looking far north in all the area lakes as the shad migrate north and especially into the backs of the coves looking for warmer water.” COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
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Local Rivers & Fly Fishing
FLY FISHING AT TWILIGHT
The Guide's Angle
Contributed by Capt. David Hulsey International Federation of Fly Fishers Master Certified Casting Instructor http://www.hulseyflyfishing.com 770-639-4001
Contributed By: Chris Scalley River Through Atlanta Guide Service
Winter Wonderland
Man up and get your foul weather gear on folks, there are fish to catch in those icy waters. Cold, miserable winter weather is why God made Gortex! The good news is that you can now purchase thermacell heated soles for your waders with a remote control and is well worth the money. The Chattahoochee Buford tailwater sits at just above 1,070 feet above sea level, so we really do have a mild winter compared to higher locales. Typically the water temperatures in the Hooch are 15 to 25 degrees warmer than the air temperature because of the warmer thermal layers released from the depths of Lake Lanier at Buford Dam. If we have a relatively cool winter, shad and herring will succumb to cold lake temps and will die, causing a feeding frenzy downstream of Buford for miles. Another great food source for trout during wintertime is fish eggs of brown and rainbow trout as their spawn cycles happen from fall through late winter. Don’t forget great hatches of little winter stoneflies, blue-winged olive mayflies and cream midges making for some mid-day dry fly action. Deep, slow and methodically presented nymphs to imitate caddis, mayfly and stoneflies larvae is always a safe bet.
The title to this article could be a bit misleading. One could think the contents of the article are probably about techniques and tactics that we use to fool trout in the waning light of day. For lack of a better title on my part, it’s actually about fly fishing through the later parts or winter of one’s life. The time period is about the time you wake up one morning and realize heck, I can’t see or hear a darn thing anymore and farther on in years. For us fly fisher people, it is roughly about 50 years old or so is when trying to see how to get that tiny tippet through the eye of the hook starts being an impossible feat without some kind of aid. If you were lucky enough to start fly fishing at a younger age, the hardships of getting into your senior years and fishing aren’t as tough. In other words your hands and feet already know what to do when casting, wading, tying on flies, drinking etc… I meet a lot of folks on the river and in the fly shop that have just retired to the mountains and want to learn how to fly fish. Believe me, at 65 you’ll have a long row to hoe to get started and enjoy the process. Not to fear though, you really can “teach an old dog new tricks”, especially with a few gadgets and good information. First and foremost, get some kind of vision aid such as reading glasses or those neat little magnifiers that attach to the brim of your fishing cap. I use Costa Del Mar polarized sunglasses with readers built into the lenses. They are a Godsend. Fly threaders, much like a needle threader, allow you to preload the tiniest of flies onto the gadget and stick your tippet through a much larger hole to get it on your line.
Some fly boxes even have these threaders built in. C & F Fly Boxes have some models available. Learning an easy knot to tie with stiff fingers can also help. I’ve used the simple improved clinch knot for over 40 years, and it has done its job admirably. Quality waders and boots will make your life so much better. Breathable waders and felt soled boots with spikes will help you stay upright in the river. Old hips and knees don’t need your feet to be sliding around on the bottom of the river. Look at the Simms Company for these, and you won’t be disappointed. A wading staff will also aid in movement around on the river. Get two zingers; one for your staff and one for the long handled net you are going to buy to keep you from bending over to net a fish. Dropping either into the river isn’t good, especially when they float away. A simple fold up chair and a doormat can make getting into your gear a heck of a lot easier and cleaner. If you’re like me, when you bend over you can’t breathe, so anything to speed up the process can make it a lot less painful. Lastly, picking spots to go fly fishing shouldn’t include the use of ropes, parachutes, life jackets etc., so please choose wisely. Areas with the road fairly close to the water and an absence of big shelf rock and bowling ball sized stones in the river go a long way to ensure you’ll be back another day. Pebbles and sand are much easier to wade through. Stop by Southern Highroads Outfitters here in Blairsville Ga. for the latest gear to make your days on the water safer and more enjoyable! Or give us a call at 706-781-1414 to book the guide trip of your life.
“If you were lucky enough to start fly fishing at a younger age, the hardships of getting into your senior years and fishing aren’t as tough.”
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Local Rivers & Fly Fishing Chattooga River
by Karl Ekberg Chattooga River Fly Shop www.chattoogariverflyshop.com 864-6382806 Welcomed December rains have put much needed water back into the rivers. With cooler temperatures, the fish have truly spread out in the Delayed Harvest sections of the rivers. The winter fishing here is absolutely great, and it is time to get outdoors and enjoy it. Do not let the cold weather keep you home, just layer up and head to the river. We have found using the Sonic Dry base layers from Redington to be very beneficial, which are great wicking layers for underneath shirts and fleece. Many large fish are being caught using tandem nymph rigs, with larger nymphs as a lead fly and a smaller nymph as the trailer tied off the back end of the lead fly hook. Casting these tandems slightly upstream and deaddrifting these flies through the seams is essential. Many flies to choose from, but a few on our “Hot List” are the Skipper Golden Stone, Pat’s Rubber Leg, Woven Golden Stone as lead flies, and the Micro Stone Dark, Gabriel’s Trumpet and UV2 Nymphulator as trailers. When tying the trailers, tie them 14”-16” behind the lead fly. As for the streamers, big fish
are being caught as well. Casting out and across fast moving water, dead-drifting and then a strip and pause back to you along the seam lines has proved to be extremely effective. Keeping the streamers low in the water column is also a key to success, as with the colder water temperatures the fish are holding low in the river. The use of a weighted leader, or pinching on a piece of weight a foot above the streamer will help. Some streamers to use are the UV2 Count Chocula, UV2 Special K, and UV2 Rice Krispy, which were developed here at Chattooga River Fly Shop. Sculpin patterns are also working very well. On warmer days, the Early Winter Black Stones will be hatching, which will mean a little bit of dry fly fishing as well. Pre-hatch using a MicroStone Dark or Gabriel’s Trumpet are great nymph imitations, then during hatching periods the Tape Wing Black or Early Winter Stone dry will be the best bet. If fishing in the cold weather outside is not your cup of tea, join us for a fly tying lesson inside our warm shop. We offer one-on-one fly tying lessons for the beginner or to those who want to learn new ideas at the vise. Just call for an appointment. We hope to see everyone out of the rivers!!
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Lake Allatoona north. Freelines, planer boards, downlines and spoons are all working well right now. Our best bite has been north of the dam to the S-Turns. Find the bait on your Lowrance and the fish should be close behind. First Bite gift certificates are now on Linesides fishing is good! The rain we sale. Give us a call at 770-827-6282 and had earlier has really jump-started the bite. book your trip or buy your gift certificates The fish and the bait are starting to migrate today.
Forecast By: Capt. Robert Eidson First Bite Guide Service 770-827-6282 eidson6260@att.net www.firstbiteguideservice.com
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Local Rivers & Fly Fishing
The Casting Corner Rene J. Hesse Certified Casting InstructorFederation of Fly Fishers & Atlanta Fly Fishing and Camping Meetup Organizer
The Tuck Cast The tuck cast is a great cast for fishing with current and flies that you want to get deep. I have heard the cast called the bucket cast with the concept of dropping your fly in a bucket before the line ever gets close to the ground. You are trying to get the fly to enter the water with a downward force and delaying the line touching the water before getting caught in the current. The key points to making the cast is to generate high line speed and a high trajectory with an abrupt stop. The high line speed will send more energy down line, and the abrupt stop will make the line ‘kick’ over and make the leader and fly tuck under the oncoming line. It looks like the line is hanging over the end of a table as it dives in the water. The remainder of line entering the water will have slack in it and help reduce the drag that would tend to make the fly rise in the water column. Let me fine tune the above description. We can increase the
line speed by adding a haul on the forward cast. The trajectory can be thought of as launching the line off the rod tip when the rod gets just past vertical...stopping your rod high. You will see the line stop, kick over and down and then drop. That’s a good tuck cast. If you are using a weighted fly, may I suggest you use an oval back cast. Slow down the back cast. Weighted flies tend to overload (bend) the rod. So slow down on the lift and back cast and use a little more acceleration on the forward cast. By keeping the rod tip high, it will allow the rod tip to straighten then bend forward and then recoil. That recoil of the rod tip is what puts the kick over in the cast, so don’t follow the line down until the fly has hit the water. And remember, you can combine this cast with a reach cast and get even more drag free drift. Tuck that cast in your pocket for your next outing.
January 12th Full Wolf Moon
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january 2017
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Fly Fishing & Local Lakes lake lanier striperS
The River Report Forecast by: Clay Cunningham www.catchingnotfishing.com 770-630-2673
Contributed By
Ronnie Hall
I
Time for 8X
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the fish it must hold and feed in minimal flows and hold near the surface in order to expend minimal effort. So you will find feeding fish lined and gorging in gentle feeding lanes. Foam lines will always hold feeding trout when a hatch occurs. Finding rising fish is easy, but catching them is another story. So you’re standing in the
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In the month of January, look for the striped bass fishing on Lanier to be very dependent on the weather. If the weather stays somewhat warm the fishing will be hot. If an extended cold front shows up, look for the striper fishing to slow down. If you find the large pods of bait, the fish will bet there. They have no reason to leave the food. Their metabolism will slow down, but will still eat. Pay attention to they the lunar charts and the weather. Several patterns will develop in January. In a nutshell, you can slow your presentation down with live bait, jig spoons, or pull umbrella rigs for reaction strike. With the live bait, continue to use the downline like last month. Rig up a Penn Squall 20 Linecounter reel with Trilene 15 pound Big Game line and pair it with a Shakespeare Medium Light Striper Rod. On the end, tie a Capt. Mack Swivel Sinker and a 5 foot leader of Trilene 100% 15 pound Flourocarbon and a size 1 Gamakatsu Finesse Wide Gap hook on the end. The Gamakatsu Finesse Wide Gap Hook is small but it will get more bites. If the bite is tough, try using a smaller flourocarbon leader. Many times we use a 10 pound Trilene 100 % Flourocarbon leader. Every day is different and be prepared to make the changes. On the small Gamakatsu hook, you will need a live herring or a small rainbow trout. Drop the bait on the large schools of bait in the creeks. Good electronics are crucial. You have to be able to see the bait on the
graph. On the Humminbird Onix Series you can see the sinker right on the graph and the herring swimming around the sinker. Another option is the jigging spoon. The most popular spoons on Lanier are the Berry’s Flex-It Spoon and the Capt Mack Jiggin Shad. All the sizes and colors work at the appropriate time. The most popular being the .6 Silver Foil Flex-It and the 1/2 ounce Capt. Mack Jiggin Shad in White Silver. Work the spoon in a yo-yo motion along the bottom around the schools of bait. If you see fish rolling on the surface, pull out a Spro Prime 1/4 ounce bucktail jig. In the cold water, stripers always fall for a small white bucktail slowly swimming by them. This will most likely happen on the cold cloudy days. You may also catch a monster spotted bass. If the fish become even more dormant, go to the Capt. Mack Umbrella Rig. The three ounce rig is most popular with chartreuse trailers. The technique takes some practice. Watch the instructional videos on Youtube under Catching Not Fishing to save you money. Also buy a Jerry Hester Umbrella Retriever. You also need a proper rod and reel. The Shakespeare Medium Lite Tiger Rod is a great option paired with a Penn Squall 30LW spooled with 40 pound Trilene Big Game line. Some people prefer 120 pound braid as another option. You need a heavy duty reel for this technique or the reel will not last. Go with the Penn Squall 30 LW. Once you master the basics of this technique fish will be flopping all over your boat. It’s a great month to be on the water with no skiers and cruisers. See you on the water.
must be used, so a three weight rod is essential to protect these light tippets. The Trout Hunter fourteen foot leader is perfect for these situations. Next time a cold, cloudy, blustery day comes along, go to Cochran Shoals or Paces Mill and take advantage of this great opportunity. It is a unique situation you should take advantage of.
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Local Lakes & Forecasts Lake MARTIN Forecast By: Capt David Hare 256-401-3089 Alex City Guide Service With Christmas behind us and the New Year upon us, it’s time for sight fishing on Lake Martin. January is an awesome time to ride the lake and look for gulls, and where you find gulls, you’ll find fish! Try your luck casting swimbaits, crankbaits or some deer hair jigs. If you don’t know even where to start looking, well that’s where we come in! Book a trip with us by calling me at 256-401-3089 and get on the boat or boats with the #1 guide service on Lake Martin, and let us
carry you to the gulls and to the fish! January is also the month to get out to your local boat shows. You can find me at the Atlanta Boat Show 1/12/17 thru 1/15/17 and at the Birmingham Boat Show 1/19/17 thru 1/22/17. Please stop by my booth and visit and pick up some free goodies, book your next trip or get the latest fishing reports. See what’s new with us for 2017, and let us personally introduce you to different product manufactures that can help you decide on items you may be considering purchasing at the shows. Hope to see you soon. In the meantime, catch one for me!
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Local Lakes & Forecasts Lipless Crankbaits for Winter Time Bass Action
Lake Allatoona striper/hybrid
Contributed By: Jay Striker www.jaystriker.com Many anglers start to put away their fishing gear in the winter and head for the woods for some hunting. Not me, I head to the lake and commence to catch fish on lipless crankbaits. I have found that when the temperature of the water is in the mid-30s to low 40s, throwing a lipless crankbait can be a gold mine. However, there are certain things you want to know and do if you want to be successful. First, be sure you know the difference between cover and structure, as it will help you eliminate water quickly. Second, have the right equipment and set up, such as the right reel, line and rod set-up. Third, understand the right presentation that will help you catch fish. Difference between Cover and Structure: Cover is anything that will provide bass something to get under or behind to ambush prey, such as lily pads, floating docks, piers, vegetation, etc. Structure is things such as drop offs, ledges, changes in contours, points and flats. There is a reason for understanding this and that is because bass in the winter will relate to structure rather than cover and suspend over the structure if there is an advantage point to a food source nearby. In the winter I spend a lot of time focusing on structure rather that cover and that helps eliminate water quickly when throwing lipless crankbaits. Equipment and Set-up: Many anglers when throwing lipless crankbaits tend to throw them on high speed gear reels like a 7.1:1 or 6.3:1. When the water temperature is in the low 30s and 40s, understand that the fish are not likely to chase baits a long way, especially if it is moving very fast. So I use a slower gear speed reel like a 5.3:1, as it slows that bait down even though I’m still cranking at a normal speed. Other considerations are the rod and line used for lipless cranking in the winter. I use a medium heavy 7 foot Denali Cranking Rod spooled with 14-17 pound Sufix Tritanium line or a fluorocarbon line. You 10 ATLANTA
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don’t want to have a very stiff rod because you will tend to pull the bait out of the fish’s mouth when you get bit. Presentation: Once you have found some structure and have the right tackle setup, it’s time to put in work finding fish. One of my favorite lipless crankbaits in the winter is a 3/8 - 1/2 ounce Rapala Rippin Rap type bait. I like it to have some rattles and make some noise, especially if I have a little wind on the water. During really calm winter days I’ll sometime use a rattleless bait or one that has less rattles in it to match the conditions. One of the keys to catching fish on the lipless cranks is to start at the bottom of the water column and work your way up. Allow the bait to hit the bottom and retrieve it back at a consistent cadence, because this time of year fish are in tight schools and relating to the bottom a lot. Keep watching your line because bass will just inhale it, and you may not know it, so stay ready. This winter when you are thinking about heading out to the lake, consider taking the lipless crankbait box with you. Be armed with a clear understanding between cover and structure, and know how to set up the right equipment and have the right presentations. You just might make your favorite summer pastime your favorite pastime in the winter. Good Luck Striker Nation; I’ll see you on the water.
Lake Allatoona will be down 17 feet and holding in January. Despite the water being at its lowest level, the striper and hybrid still like to feed this time of year. With Allatoona about 2/3 it’s normal size, both bait and gamefish will be concentrated into a smaller, easier to fish version of the lake. Both the condition of the water and the patterns of the fish are very dynamic this time of year and are greatly influenced by temperature and precipitation. Prolonged cold spells will drive bait and fish down below 30 feet. Heavy rains will cause the entire Etowah side of the lake to muddy up. Effective techniques and locations will vary based on these influences. This is a great time of year to be on Allatoona, catch some fish, and enjoy a reprieve from the water-plows and jet skis that plague the lake during the warmer months. There are copious amounts of baitfish in the lake this year, so finding bait shouldn’t be a problem with good electronics. The new MEGA imaging units by Humminbird are some of the most detailed and easy to dial in fishfinders on the market. You should be able to scan vast stretches of water to eliminate dead zones, while finding out where the striped fish are feeding. Downlines will be the prominent technique from now until March. The depth to fish, however, can change on a
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daily basis by changes in weather. The baitfish could be in the top 15 feet of water for a few days and then move below 30 feet overnight. Being able to adjust to these variations will be paramount for a successful outing. If the water remains in the 50 degree range, threadfin will be your best baits, but if it dips a few degrees below 50, gizzards, shiners and small trout will be the ticket. Target points, humps, channel bends, and in some cases suspended fish over water as deep as 100 feet. The seagulls will be your best friend in January-February. Schooling fish, both on the surface and in the murky depths, will also be susceptible to the artificial bite. Vertical jigging can be superb on Allatoona. If you find a good concentration of threadfin, chances are they will be starting their winter die-off. Some will be picked off by gulls, but many will flutter down into the mouths of spots, whites, hybrid and striper under the school. Use a .6 ounce Flex-it, Capt Mack, or similar jigging spoon on a sensitive rod and lower it onto their heads. Dragging U-rigs will produce plenty of fish and can pay off big time even when the live bait bite is off. Keep a keen eye out for surface feeding and have a casting spoon, Rooster Tail, small bucktail jig or popping cork and fly/Foley spoon setup ready to go. Hint: Don’t fall in, seriously! Shad Man will keep us stocked up with fresh bait all winter.
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Local Lakes & Forecasts lake seminole
by Paul Tyre paultyrefishing@yahoo.com 850-264-7534 Water temperature: 62 degrees, lake level: full pool, clarity: clear. Bass fishing has been excellent. The bass have been grouping up, feeding in schools in all of the arms of the lake, and getting ready for winter. There are several patterns that are working. One of my favorites is fishing lipless vibrating baits like a Strike King Red Eye Shad in neon shad fished along the grass lines on the main lake. When using this lure, make sure you use braided line so you can work the bait through the grass efficiently. Jerkbaits have been working well in the Spring Creek area in the clearer water. A Strike King KVD jerkbait in green gizzard shad worked at a fast
pace due to the clarity of the water has been successful. When fishing a jerkbait, use a medium action rod and 12-15 pound fluorocarbon line. Stripers and hybrids have been plentiful on the main lake where an A-Rig is a great choice for these baitchasers. I prefer to use a Strike King Titanium Umbrella Rig rigged with 1/8 ounce Squadron jig heads with a 5” Strike King Swim-N-Shiner in pearl. Crappie have been plentiful and big! They are biting well on both minnows and jigs. They are being found in 10’ to 12’ of water along the old river channel. You definitely need to keep an eye out for duck hunters this time of year. Wingate’s Lodge has reported that they have had lots of duck hunters already, and there are plenty more on the way. We hope to see everyone respecting each other out on the lake. For guided fishing trips, please call me at (850) 264-7534.
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Local Lakes & Forecasts lake lanier STRIPER Forecast By: Steve Scott http://TeamLanier.wordpress.com On November 12th Team Fish Hunter came in 5th place in both the Lanier Striper Club & the Oakwood Striper Club combined tournaments and 10th out of 38 boats in the Don Brown Memorial Striped Bass Tournament for ALS. My tournament partner got his first striper on an umbrella rig in the “S” curves at Laurel Park. On a trip the following week, the sun finally came out from behind the clouds and just as the water temperature hit 58°, we found ourselves positioned in the mouth of Little River on a 50’ bottom and our 10” gizzard shad just got hit using a transom line 20’ out the back of the boat. This was our first transom bite. A few days later the same pattern worked again fishing in 58° water around 1pm. We were pulling boards and free lines with medium shad. It was give and take, give and take, adding drag a little at a time. I finally saw the planer board and the shad still running up the line. Another nice striper. December water temperatures have been 50-57 degrees in the main lake. Methods we have been using are downlines, planer boards and flat lines
dead center in the creek channels north of Browns Bridge from River Forks to Gainesville Marina with blueback herring and large gizzard shad. Umbrella rigs should also be used 25’ down over points and on rocky shorelines north of Browns Bridge. You should also pitch a 1/4 ounce bucktail jig in the back of the creeks. My January log tells us that the water temperatures should be 4448 degrees throughout this month. Methods used should be flat lines, planer boards and downlines in water temperatures greater than 44 degrees and should be used in or near the backs of the creeks. You may have to search for greater than 44 degree water. Umbrella rigs and jigging spoons should also be used on underwater humps. FC2 around the humps is a good hot spot. Look for gulls and loons and target these areas. If you see stripers boiling on top, throw a threadfin sized topwater bait or tie on a striper fly like a Clouser Minnow 50’ behind a float ball. Keep a log to recall your catching experiences for next year. Have a plan. If what you are doing is not working, change your presentation often. TIP OF THE MONTH: If fish are not taking bait in one direction, go in the opposite direction. Check out my blog at teamlanier. wordpress.com. Click the three bars.
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Local Lakes & Forecasts
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By: Shane Goebel Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service & The Angler Magazine Fishing Team www.bigolfish.com 828-361-2021, 1-844-4-ANGLER Wow! This pristine North Georgia mountain lake never lets me down. Fishing has been excellent on Lake Blue Ridge lately, and 2016 was an incredible year out here. Hopefully, 2017 will prove to be just as awesome. Currently, Lake Blue Ridge is 20 feet below full pool, and all the boat ramps remain open. Water temperatures are in the mid 50’s. Water clarity is clear in the main lake and stained in the creeks and river due to recent rains. The spotted and smallmouth bass bite has been off the hook this past month. We’ve been averaging about 25 to 30 fish a trip out here. The keys to this success are paying attention to your electronics, knowing how the fish transition in the winter patterns, and using fresh, lively bait. Most of our fish have been caught from the Charlie Creek to the Islands and all the way up the Toccoa River. You can usually find both species of bass hanging out together, clinging to shallow points and humps and gathering along the sunny banks early in the morning. This winter pattern will hold unless the water temps drop below 50 degrees. Pay close attention to your electronics in these areas. Pulling planer boards early in the morning
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allows us to cover a lot of ground and to mark schools of fish to return to as the day progresses. Just a little hint, we’ve been marking nice schools of smallmouth in the Toccoa River. Your electronics are your best friend, and don’t feel bad if you spend more time working your Lowrance than you do fishing. Trust me, it will pay off. Since we are a live-bait guide service, live blueback herring is going to be your bait of choice. Pulling fresh bait 20 to 30 feet behind planer boards early in the morning along the sunny banks has been working well. Like I said, it will also allow you to cover a lot of ground and mark some nice fish. I always like to troll a few freelines 100 to 120 feet behind the boat. Once the sun really gets up, go back to the fish you marked earlier. Switch your technique to downlines. Most of our fish have been caught 15 to 25 feet deep. Although the weather may be cold, January is a fantastic month for catching some very big fish on this lake, so dig out your long johns and winter coats and give Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service a call. Let the area’s #1 guide service put you on some of Lake Blue Ridge’s best trophy fish. For all your live bait and tackle needs, go check out Hughes General Store in Blairsville, GA. They carry everything you need for a successful day of fishing. Now bundle up, hit the water, and go “get your fish on”! Good luck!
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Local Lakes & Forecasts LANIER IN JANUARY – DITCHES REMAIN IN PLAY Contributed By: Jim “Jimbo” Mathley www.jimboonlanier.com Many anglers underestimate the viability of winter fishing. While the outside elements are not always favorable, January can offer some outstanding angling on Lake Lanier. Let’s explore some tactics with which you can approach Lanier in January. Ditches: As we discussed in a recent installment, a ditch can be defined as a significant depression which offers a sharp depth change of 2 feet or more from the surrounding structure. These features exist many places on Lake Lanier, and they hold fish during the winter months. Given the low water levels so far this year, I anticipate the ditches to remain very significant features as we head into January. I shared a comprehensive article in December that focused completely on ditch fishing. If you missed it, take the opportunity to go back and review this information. It could continue to play a key role in January this year. Your Search: Use your Lowrance electronics to find creek arms or pockets just off of the main creek channels that offer a deep vein extending back into the arm or cove/ pocket. The farther the deep water extends back into the creek arm, the better for winter time fishing. When you enter these areas, search for the presence of baitfish in and around the timber. If you do not find bait, you will not find fish. Also, look for the ditches that do have timber at the mouth. The presence of the timber represents the appropriate depth for a potentially productive ditch. Technique: While our focus is on fishing deep, understand that a shallow bite often exists in these same ditches, even in the dead of winter. Often these shallow fish in the winter mornings are monsters. Try these areas with a SuperSpin, SPRO jerkbait, or SPRO crankbait. Your presentation speed should vary directly with the water temperature. The colder the water, the slower your presentation should be. Also, with the SuperSpin and the crankbait, your bait should maintain contact with the bottom as much as possible. Begin your search shallow in the backs of the creek arm, as at daylight, this will be the warmest water in the lake and will often attract baitfish. 14 ATLANTA
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Often, the active fish will be in 10 feet of water or less right at daylight, so get out early and be ready for some action right away! After the early morning bite, switch your focus to the deep areas of the ditch. Start with the first area of timber you find as you move from shallow to deep in the ditch. The timber edges are the often the most productive, so focus on those areas first. Cast and drag a Chattahoochee Jig through the timber the same way as you would work shallower cover. Slow and methodical is the key. Develop a keen sense of feel as the bites are often very light. If the jig is not productive, fish a Picasso Shak E Football head tipped with a finesse or trick worm in the same fashion. Another option is to jig a spoon vertically over fish you see on your Lowrance electronics. A drop shot can also be an effective presentation. Experiment daily as fish preferences change like the wind. I guide year ‘round on Lanier, and I would enjoy the opportunity to help you with your winter fishing. We can focus deep or shallow and help you learn the techniques you need to stay on ‘em year ‘round! Give me a call and let’s fish! For more information or to book your winter trip, contact Jimbo at 770-542-7764. Jimbo’s website: www.jimboonlanier. com
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Local Lakes & Forecasts
New Year’s Bucket List By Capt. Cefus McRae Nuts & Bolts Fishing Series
OK, so the holidays are over. For most of us, deer season is just a memory, and you’re already winterized your boat. The winter doldrums are setting in and you’re sitting at home wondering what you’re going to do to satisfy the ‘Outdoor Adventurer’ in you. Here’s a few suggestions that can help alleviate those wintertime blues. My January always includes the Atlanta Boat Show. Spend a day in the warmth looking at shiny gelcoat and all the new outdoor water toys for big kids like us at the Georgia World Congress Center January 12 – 15. I’ll be there at the Honda Marine booth and in the Fishing Center, so stop by and say hi. Hopefully Buck can make it too. January and February also can be great fishing months on our local reservoirs. The stripers, crappie and bass don’t leave, and they have to eat. Give one of our local charter guides a call and book a trip with your kids or a good buddy. My list of great guides for Lanier, Allatoona,
Hartwell, Martin, Chattahoochee River and the mountain streams of North Georgia can be found on the Nuts & Bolts of Fishing website. Or stop by one of local tackle stores, like Hammond’s Fishing Center or Oakwood Bait & Tackle, and they can offer some recommendations. This time of year is also a good time to go through all your tackle boxes and do a little bit of reorganizing. Replace those rusted hooks on your favorite lures and do some preventative maintenance on your reels. Check your rods for dings and gouges that occur in the back of a pickup truck. A small ding or crack on a graphite rod can cause that rod to fail the next time you have a big fish on. That’s not good. If you own a boat, here’s something that’s easy to do. Hook up the trailer and take your boat for a drive. Sitting parked for extended periods of time will make a ‘flat place’ on your tires. Taking a 15 minute drive will help keep them in shape, and it will also help your wheel
bearings stay properly lubricated. Now is a great time to consider a trip to the coast too. It’s ‘off-season’ in most places, so hotel rates are usually lower and the fishing can be spectacular in the winter months. Big sheepshead, drum, trout and flounder love the cooler water temps, and you can replenish your freezer with some tasty filets in the process. Of course, if you want to find some warmer weather, the Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana coasts offer some of the best fishing of the year in late January and February. Sailfish and dolphin are
running on the southeast Florida coast and monster tuna are ready to be caught near the oil rigs off the other states. So don’t let a little cold weather and rain stop you from enjoying the outdoors. Get out there and enjoy the bounties of Mother Nature. When you pick a place to go, drop me an emaiI, and I might just want to tag along too! Tight Lines and Calm Seas
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Local Lakes & Forecasts Jackson Lake
By Brian Lee leebrian16 @yahoo.com
Water temperature: low 40’s-high 40’s, water level: 1 foot below full pool, water clarity: stained/ muddy. The bite has been tough due to the temperature drop. Crankbaits are the go-to baits this time of year. Match the hatch and concentrate on objects that will heat up. Early morning I start on any bank that the sun will hit first as long as there is some kind of rock, boat ramp or rails around. I always tell fisherman
“this month is about the 3 R’s, rocks, ramps and rails.” You’ll have to figure out which retrieve the fish want best for that day, as it can change from day to day. I don’t advise putting the crankbait down this time of year, just because I know what kind of fish can be caught on them. If you see fish deeper, drop a Flex-It spoon down to them. I just wouldn’t spend too much time doing this because it can make out for a long day on the water. As the day goes on just continue to hit the 3 R’s and you’ll catch fish. Till next month, tight lines and remember to take a child fishing
“The bite has been tough, due to the temperature drop. Crankbaits are the go-to baits this time of year.”
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Local Lakes & Forecasts ATLANTA BOAT SHOW MARKS 55 YEARS Lake NOTTELY By: Shane Goebel Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service & The Angler Magazine Fishing Team www.bigolfish.com 828-361-2021, 1-844-4-ANGLER January is here and so is the cold weather, but this Blairsville, GA lake is more than ready to cater to your new Christmas fishing gear. Lake Nottely offers up some great wintertime fishing, and January can be an exciting month to catch North Georgia stripers. Currently, Lake Nottely is down 17 feet below full pool. Water clarity is clear in the main lake and slightly stained in the creeks and in the Canal Lake area. Water temperatures are still in the mid 50’s. Fishing here has been pretty good lately. We are still averaging 6 to 10 nice stripers a trip with a lot of great spots to add to that number. Most of our fish are being caught early in the morning on planer boards and freelines in the mouths of creeks. We’ve also had an incredible downline bite once the sun gets up. This is pretty typical for this time of year, as the fish look for slightly deeper water as the day progresses.
In the upcoming month, look for stripers to be searching for warmer water, especially as the colder weather moves in. You can catch these fish in the backs of creeks and around shallow humps throughout the lake. Pulling planer boards and freelines with live blueback herring and gizzard shad will be your best technique for landing these wintertime monsters. Keep an eye out for seagulls and schools of baitfish. It’s not uncommon to see stripers crushing bait right under those birds. I like to cast a Redfin or a fluke right into these guys for some nice topwater action. Although the weather may be very cold, January is a fantastic month for catching some very big fish on this lake, so dig out your long johns and winter coats and give Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service a call. Let the areas #1 striper guide service put you on some of Lake Nottely’s best trophy fish during the fishing trip of a lifetime. And, for all your live bait and tackle needs, go check out Hughes General Store in Blairsville, GA. They carry everything you need for a successful day of fishing. Bundle up, hit the water, and go “get your fish on”! Good luck!
Georgia’s Biggest Boating Event is Back Jan. 12-15!
Whether it’s sails, paddles, skis or motors, visitors will find the largest selection of boats and accessories at the 2017 Progressive Insurance Atlanta Boat Show, which docks at the Georgia World Congress Center Jan. 12-15. Expect even more boats, accessories and family fun during the Southeast’s premier boating event’s 55th Anniversary. For tickets and more information, visit atlantaboatshow.com. Highlights include: • Boats Galore: Hundreds of the latest boat models with many dealers offering the lowest prices of the year. From pontoons to personal watercraft to bass boats and luxury cruisers, along with an amazing array of boating gear and accessories – there’s something for every budget and interest. • Learn to Do it Yourself! Fred’s Shed, an interactive garage where guests get hands on experience with repair and maintenance. • Gone Fishing: Learn how to reel ‘em in at the Let’s Go Fishing Center’s Big Bass Tank for live fishing demonstrations from top-tier professionals. • Sail Away: Climb aboard the sailing simulator to get a feel for the wind and waves on land, plus enjoy an enhanced seminar series for sailors. • Get Schooled: Boost boating IQ at the Progressive Boat School with seminars, a boating simulator and remote control docking pond. • Fun for Little Captains: Children will love the bounce house, balloon art, face painting and much more in the Kids Zone. Plus, over the weekend expect special guests from a popular franchise – hint: think small, yellow & cute! • Jam On: After browsing all the boats, kick back and enjoy the Caribbeaninspired tunes of Frankendread. WHEN: Jan. 12-15, 2016 Thursday-Friday, Jan. 12-13, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 14, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 15, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
WHERE: Georgia World Congress Center, Hall C 280 Northside Drive, NW Atlanta, GA 30314
TICKETS: Adults 16 and older: $14 Youth 15 and under: FREE (when accompanied by a paid adult) • $2.00 off tickets purchased online by Jan. 11 • All active military, law enforcement personnel and firefighters will receive one free ticket with valid ID THURSDAY + FRIDAY ONLY! 5 after 5! Kick off the weekend with an evening of boating fun with $5 tickets only at the box office, after 5 p.m. Guests can also enjoy $5 valet parking and $5 drink specials at the Boat Show bar. MORE INFORMATION: Visit www.AtlantaBoatShow.com. Follow the show on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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Find everything you need for boating and fishing fun under one roof! With hundreds of new boats, the latest in marine accessories, engines, electronics and fishing gear it’s the best place to gear up for the coming season. Tickets and show details at AtlantaBoatShow.com #AtlantaBoatShow
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Local Lakes & Forecasts The Importance of Oxygen Rich Water for Fish Health and the Benefits of Using Aeration Systems in Ponds Contributed By: Steven King
The availabilibty of oxygen is just as important to fish and aquatic ecosystems as it is to land dwelling animals. Fish depend on an adequate amount of dissolved oxygen (D.O.) in the water column to survive. The lack of a substantial amount of D.O. in the water can result in higher stress levels for the fish present, sluggish behavior and even death. What determines the level of D.O. in the water? The two main sources of oxygen in the water comes from photosynthetic plant life that discharge oxygen into the water or from moving water that mixes oxygen into the water column from the air. If a body of water does not have a healthy amount of aquatic vegetation or a moving water source to mix oxygen into the water column, then the decreased health and risk of death for the fish present greatly increases. Even if a body of water has one of these aspects present, there can
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still be an oxygen deficiency problem. Typically, in the Southeast there are very few bodies of water with the absence of any aquatic vegetation. So, the addition of a new aquatic plant species to raise D.O. levels is not the best solution for this, unless dealing with a newly created pond that has no vegetation present. The best solution for increasing a pond’s oxygen level is the addition of an aeration system. Even if a body of water has a healthy amount of oxygen present, it can still experience drastic drops in the D.O. levels from sudden cold weather occurrences that can cause large scale fish die offs. This happens because cold water is heavier than warm water, and when the surface is rapidly cooled from a quick drop in air temperature or cold rain, that causes the water column to turn over. In deeper ponds that lack vegetation at the bottom from limited
sunlight penetration, oxygen levels are the lowest. When that water gets pushed to the surface quickly and not gradually, that can cause the fish in the shallow depths to suddenly suffocate. This not an uncommon occurrence in deep ponds or small lakes, and there is no way to stop nature from having a sudden weather change that will affect the oxygen levels. Having an aeration system that is constantly adding new oxygen into the water column is the only way to prevent the risk of a sudden fish die-off while increasing the overall health of the ecosystem throughout the year as well. There are two main options to choose from when considering an aeration system. The most common is a floating fountain that pumps water up into the air. Although these fountains have great aesthetic value, they also do a great job of adding oxygen into the water as well.
Another option is a subsurface air diffusor that sits at the bottom of the pond and uses a pump to push air bubbles/oxygen into the water. These are also very effective but have little aesthetic quality, and for ponds larger than 1 acre it is usually best to install multiple diffusers to get the best results. Every body of water is different, so what is best for one place may be different for another. The one thing that is always the same with all bodies of water for fish to be healthy and survive is the presence of oxygen. To determine what methods would be most effective to increase the health of your pond or find out if your pond has low oxygen levels, contact an aquatic management specialist. To contact ILM for any of your lake management needs, please call Steven King at 678-207-7631 or send an email to sking@ilmenvironments.com.
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Local Lakes & Forecasts Creating Memories? Make the Best of Them What could I possibly mean? If you have a smart phone, you’re a photographer, so when you hunt, fish, camp or hike, make it memorable by taking hundreds of photos, but good ones. Random tips that make the photos better and tell the story: 1. Take lots and lots, dozens and dozens. After all, they’re free and you can delete all you don’t use and can edit them into useable descriptions of your day together. A professional photographer told me once that for every photo acceptable to publish, she took 36. 2. If it’s a result of a hunt and the rifle or shotgun is in the photo, make sure it’s not pointed at your head. If the photo has an animal in the shot, clean it up, no blood around the mouth or tongue hanging out. Put the sky in the background so the antlers are seen clearly. Look at the deer or fish instead of just the camera. If it’s a fish, hold it horizontal and again, no blood. I’ve noticed lately that someone will put a hat or sunglasses on the deer of even a cigar in his mouth. If you like that, do it, but it’s not my cup of tea. Hunting and fishing is fun but serious too. Animals often die. Guess I’m just an old fuddy-duddy, but I show respect for the critter in the photo. 3. Smile. Did you have a good experience? Show it. Don’t cross your arms and try to look tough. Big deal, you killed a deer or caught a fish. You didn’t rescue anyone from danger or put out a fire. I see ‘thuggish’ looking outdoor photos on the internet and don’t like them. 4. Be careful of the lighting. Push your hat back so your face can be seen. Regrettably, all too often, we can see the deer or fish but couldn’t begin to tell who is in the photo because a shadow covers his or her face. 22 ATLANTA
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5. The photo doesn’t have to be of a dead fish or deer. Make the landscape, stream, lake or mountains the subject but put yourself in it. Tell the story. Landscapes without your subject in it are best seen in National Geographic, not in your album. 6. If your fish or deer is the story, take the photo in a natural setting; lake, stream, mountainside, not in the processing center with the deer hanging upside down or with the fish having been scaled or guts hanging out. 7. Put your partners in the photo. Have everyone who was on the trip in a line up with an appropriate background, say in front of the cabin, tent or campsite. 8. Get close. One of the biggest and most often made mistake is not getting close enough. This is a personal shot, not a landscape. Put the faces in the center of the top half of the shot and place the bottom of the shot at the waist level. You don’t need to see feet. They all look the same anyway. 9. What about the time of day? Unless you’re in a big hurry, take the photos late in the afternoon, say the last hour of daylight. The light is soft, colorful and not overhead creating a shadow over the subject’s face. 10. Be careful of your background. Take notice if a limb or sail mast in the background seems to be growing out of your subject’s head. 11. EVERYTIME you take a child on a fishing or hunting trip, camping, whatever, take photos using the recommendations made, pick out the best ones, frame them and make them gifts. I cherish the memories of those trips I’ve described oh so often in these pages and do wish so much that I had photos of those afternoons spent on the banks of a stream in North Georgia or on the sandy
shore of a little catfish pond with my grandfather and grandmother. I do not have a single descriptive
photo of us together. Please do not let an ‘outdoor’ day go by without you creating memories.
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january 2017
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Local Lakes & Forecasts carters lakE
Forecast By: Eric Crowley Lake & Stream Guide Service (706) 669-4973
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Water temperature: mid 50s, lake level: down 10 feet, visibility: slight stain. Drop-shotting live trout for monster spots is my go-to in January. I spend most of the year chasing stripers, but in January when it’s cold and usually windy, it’s hard to beat the action you get from fishing this method. Swing by Bart’s Bait and Tackle and grab a few dozen trout, some 1/0 or 2/0 octopus hooks and head to the lake. The spots are on the bottom near cover in wood, submerged timber or brush, as well as the end of the boat ramps. They are
not moving very far throughout the day and are easy to mark on the sonar. The mouth of Doll Mountain, the long point at Woodring, and the area all around the beach are all holding fish from 20-40 feet. 1.5 ounce egg sinkers will keep the baits down, and you want to fish them vertically just off the bottom. Adjust the sensitivity and screen speed until you can see the sinker or bait. You should be able to see the fish rising to feed. This is a great way to keep the rods bent and even locate a few stripers along the way. The stripers have been scattered to say the least. Fish are being caught from the dam to Ridgeway from 50/60 feet deep to fish busting flat lines on the surface in 6 feet of water. The worse the weather the better the bite seems to be a solid pattern.
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Forecast by Jeremy Seabolt lakenottelyfishingcharter.com 706-994-8649 Water temperature is 56-61 degrees as of today. The stripers and bait are on the move. The creeks are your best bet right now and pulling live bait behind planer boards and freelines is what’s working the best. One day they are on small trout and the next they want bigger bait. So bring a mix. The smaller fish are still schooling on top down around points 3 in the afternoons, so if you can get to them or can be lucky enough for them to come
up next to where you can throw to them, you can catch them on a small spoon or a popping cork. January should be a good month. From the way everything is going, we are close to a month behind weatherwise from last year. This weather has everything crazy, but I’ll still be fishing the creeks with Ivy Log Creek and Jakes Creek being my go-to places. The u-rig bite has been ok up into the day on points and humps. I have been pulling my rigs 70 to 100 feet back. We have also been catching some fish throwing bucktails and Redfins, and also throwing a 4 to 6 inch Yo-Zuri Banana Boat on the points in creeks.
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Local Lakes & Forecasts Cloud Fishing
Contributed By: Noey Vinyard
Rescued! I have seen full-grown crocodiles that had smaller heads than the two pit bulls that had theirs just inches from my own. The classic short snout and slitted eyes, massive jaws, both had uncropped ears and both were the color of the brown autumn leaves that now carpet the ground. Both had the classic heavy front end look that makes them look like they should tip forward, the kind of build where the majority of the muscle is in the neck and shoulders, and I knew from experience that they both felt as if they were made from oak. They were brother and sister, and though the female was a little larger, it was the male who had my attention right now. He is called Tank, a very well suited name. He eased his nose a couple inches closer to mine and lowered his head because his instincts told him to protect his throat. He lowered his front end slightly, a move that told me he was getting ready to pounce the way his ancestors did when they were trained as catch dogs. He had me dead to rights as I had no chance to escape,
and because of their history, they both had every reason to hate me and all of my kind. And just when I thought I was actually going to make it, it happened. He sprang about 2 inches to my left, spun in a tight circle like he was chasing his tail, ran 20 feet in the opposite direction, then turned and poured on the speed. He came right in front of me and all I could do was lay flat on the ground to avoid most of the impact which I did. He turned as fast as he could and came at me again, and this time I caught him in my chest and wrapped my arms around the dog. It was like catching a fire hydrant. His sister, Bella is a little more refined than her brother, but she came over and joined us and there were hugs and licks and tail wags for all, even Festus. The biggest danger I had been in was being overwhelmed with affection. If you would’ve told me six months ago that I would be rolling on the ground with two pit bulls, I would’ve told you to get off whatever you were on. If you had told me then that I would let Festus be roughhousing with
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the sun pass over the autumn leaves, giving Mother Nature an excellent opportunity to show off her brilliant autumn plumage. I thought to myself ‘this is what I do best, I daydream, I take a horse for a ride on occasion looking for a squirrel or rabbit for Festus to chase, I write stories. This place looked like paradise, because the people that live here work hard to make it so. Do I really want to do this?” I asked myself ” Somewhere in there while I was lost in thought, a brown pit bull with a big head and huge feet just walked up and sat down beside me. I should’ve been nervous but wasn’t, and when I looked over at him, he was staring straight into my eyes. Now I tell you readers, the Rambler has been called a lot of things, crazy included, but I tell you now I heard that dogs voice in my head. “I will share your pain.” And the world turned. I wrapped my arms around the dog and pulled him close, and the tears came for a long time. He had seen in my eyes what I do not show people. At some point it got dark, and the dog that I would come to know as Tank walked back home, and I knew why I was here. This was a place of healing, for all things here. And if anyone had seen the man and that dog on the porch that night you would not have been able to tell who was healing who. See you next month, readers; you don’t want to miss what’s coming up.
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not just two, but four pit bulls and four other dogs, I would have called those guys that bring the jackets that tie in the back. If you have been a reader of my column for any time, you know that Festus ain’t just my dog, he’s my partner, and there has never been anyone who could talk me into putting my dog into a situation that I thought would get him hurt, but I tell you now my readers, the ole mountain Creek Rambler and Festus have a brand-new bag, and if you have enjoyed my stories and writing up to this point, you were going to love the cast of characters that I introduce you to in the upcoming months. Yes readers, it’s true, the rambling daydreamer has come out of not only hibernation, but retirement as well. They say if you want to hear God laugh, tell him your plans. Well I had planned to live up in these mountains and write stories for you to read. The most work I had planned on doing was growing my hair but all that changed. And once again one of the most life changing events that has happened to me was inspired by a dog. And though many things fell into place for me to be here at the 30 Covey Rescue Ranch, it was an instant in time that did it. And it happened like this. The people that operate this rescue ranch had invited me to come and spend the night just to see how I would like it. And that evening as I sat on the porch of the place, I watched
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Local Lakes & Forecasts Lake Burton
Forecast by: Capt. Wes Carlton Georgia Lake Fishing 770-318-9777 www.georgialakefishing.com Water temperature: 51 degrees, lake level: 3 feet down, clarity: clear. Bass: The spotted bass bite has been good the last few weeks. They have moved a little deeper and are hanging close to the main lake points and ledges. These fish have been biting a weighted white fluke the best. We have also had good luck with a Hopkins Spoon in silver. Look for these fish on a 20 to 30 foot bottom. There have been some schooling fish up shallow chasing blueback herring around mid-day. These fish will bite any topwater plug that you can get to of them! This pattern should continue to be the same over the next few weeks. Trout: The DNR has completed their annual stocking this year with an estimated 19,000 trout. These
fish are all over the lake and will eat any small jerkbait, Rooster Tail, and in any color. White and black colors seem to be a little better. Most of the bigger brown trout are still staging near the mouths of the creeks. These bigger fish will slowly migrate towards deeper water over the next couple of weeks. The trolling bite will pick up sometime in mid-January. Walleye: The walleye have been quiet most of the fall and have started feeding a little shallower the last couple of days. Most of the walleye we have caught have been on a 25 to 30 foot bottom and have been slow taking the bait. We have been downlining blueback herring. This has been the only bait we have been able to catch any numbers of walleye on. The bite will continue to get better the cooler the water gets to the 50 degree mark. Look for the walleye to bite in the 18 to 20 foot depths over the next few weeks. Try trolling small crankbaits over long points near the river channels.
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LAKE SINCLAIR BASS
Contributed by Matt Henry www.sinclairmarina.com 478-451-0167 Lake Sinclair is down 2.1 feet, clear, with the water temperature in the 60’s. Bass fishing is fair. Watch the Fish and Game Forecaster on my site and use the bigger baits when the peaks occur. The cold front will slow them a few days, but this will rebound as the bait starts to school up in larger tighter schools. This is where the Lowrance Structure Scan and Down Scan technology will pay off. Anglers will see these bait schools from great distances cutting the search time way down. The best patterns seem to work for only short periods of time before the angler is forced to again change tactics. The one constant is that a school of fish or an area
with scattered bass must be worked slow and methodically. There may be only one or two active fish in a group of dormant bass, and patiently saturating the area with many casts is the best option. Riprap along the bridges and trestle in Little River is producing bass nearly every day with crankbaits and jigs. Try a Shad Rap RS or jointed Shad Rap in fire tiger and silver blue. Retrieve the bait very slowly parallel to the rocks. A one or two second pause every few seconds during the retrieve can draw the interest of a sluggish fish. Also try a deeper running crankbait like a Rapala DT10 or a 1/2 ounce Fat Free Shad. Use the lightest weight possible for the conditions. A 1/4 to 3/8 ounce jig will more easily slide across the rocks and fall slower than heavier baits. Try a Zoom Pro Chunk or Super Chunk Jr. in blue or green pumpkin as a trailer on the jig.
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Local Lakes & Forecasts Thinking About Fishing Some New Waters in 2017?
Where Quality Steel Matters.™
Contributed By: Dr. Andrew Cox Professor at Troy University, Phenix City, Alabama. andrewtrout@aol.com. This month is a good time to think about and plan upcoming angling trips that you may want to take in 2017. With the colder weather, there are days that it is too miserable for fishing. At least on these days you can think about and dream about those upcoming trips. Georgia and Alabama have many great fishing destinations with a variety of fish species and waters. This time of year is a good time to plan where you may want to travel over the coming year. Certain waters are good or better at particular times of the year. Streams, rivers, and lakes containing trout have special regulations regarding fish harvesting and techniques for taking these fish. Delayed harvest trout streams illustrate such special regulations with catch and release fishing from November through May. Depending upon the species sought, Georgia and Alabama lakes are good if not hot at certain time periods over the course of the year. You may enjoy specialized angling techniques such as tightlining with jigs, float n fly, or dropshotting with plastic baits. The first two techniques are good on deep lakes during the cooler months. Accordingly, you need to plan your time to visit these waters during these months for optimal fishing using these techniques. Such trip planning requires research. Luckily, the Internet provides a wealth of information. The Georgia Wildlife Resources Division and Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources have sections on their websites that describe waters within each respective state, optimal times for fishing these waters, baits/lures that are optimal for the fish species sought, and other regulations applicable to the waters such as special size limits, seasons, etc. Web addresses for these agencies are www.georgiawildlife.org and outdooralabama.com. Other internet searches can provide information describing available 28 ATLANTA
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lodging, boat launch sites, access to waters, and fishing guide services if desired. The internet also provides a wealth of information on specialized angling techniques that you may desire to use on a particular body of water. Some of this information includes videos that can increase your odds in mastering a particular technique and removes much of the trial and error that comes with new learning. There are forums and internet based newsletters and sites that provide much information on fishing for particular fish species, and proven techniques for pursuing your favorite species on a particular body of water. I regularly read the articles and other information on bass fishing contained on BassResource (www.bassresource. com). I am always amazed when searching Google or Yahoo on the information available describing angling and fishing waters that I visit or desire to visit in the future. 2017 may be a good year to expand your repertoire of fishing waters and fishing techniques. With planning, these fishing excursions can be a source of pleasure and put you on these waters when fishing is at its best. Hope you have a good year of angling. Be safe. Author’s Note: Dr. Andrew Cox is a contributing writer to outdoor publications and newspapers. 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.
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Local Lakes & Forecasts lake lanier crappie Forecast By: Dan Saknini, Lanier Crappie Angler’s Club. www.laniercrappieanglers.net Water temperature is hovering in the mid-50s. Over the next several days, night temps will drop below freezing. With temperatures like this, we should see a significant drop in water temps. This sudden drop will slow the bite down, but crappie like cold water, and they will adjust in a day or two. Your best bet will be fishing brush piles in twenty five feet of water. Cooler water temps mean the crappie hold tighter to the brush piles, Make sure you fish the brush from different angles, and if that doesn’t trigger a bite, try positioning the
boat directly above the brush pile and jig vertically. As you approach, make sure you set your trolling motor speed on the lowest setting to avoid spooking the fish. Crappie minnows should work as well as jigs. If you are a dock shooter, you will most likely catch the bigger fish in this manner at twenty to thirty foot depths. Shooting docks can be challenging this time of year with the falling leaves. Depending on the wind, leaves can get trapped between floating docks and boats, making it difficult for the jig to fall through. When it does, get through, it can be rewarding. The fish need to fatten up for the winter, so they should be biting well after adjusting to the colder water temperatures. Be safe on the water and wear your life jacket. It can save your life! See you on the water.
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Local Lakes & Forecasts Lake chatuge
Eric Welch Welch’s Guide Service www.welchsguideservice.com 706-455-2323 Water temperature: 60-62 degrees, lake level: 8 feet below full pool, water clarity: clear. The lake level has come up some due to the rain we’ve received over the past couple weeks, and the water temps have started dropping. The bite has been good, and we’re catching fish on a handfull of different lures. If the wind is blowing and there is a little chop on the water, I’ve been throwing jerkbaits, crankbaits and Alabama rigs. If it’s a calm day, I’m throwing jigs, dropshot and shaky head, targeting long points, deep docks and bluff banks. Keep a topwater bait tied on, as there has been some fish blowing up throughout the day. We have also been catching some fish on the Float-n-Fly. If you’ve never fished this in the winter when it’s cold, you have no idea what you’re missing.
This technique will catch some big fish, I will be posting video on my website throughout the winter of fish being caught on the Float-n Fly. I would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year. Give us a call and let’s go catch some fish.
lake Oconee
by Mark Smith Reel Time Service at 404-803-0741 or reeltime@bellsouth.net Lake Oconee is down 1.23 feet with the main lake is clear and a light stain up the river. Water temperature is 58 degrees. Striper fishing is very good. The fish are mid-lake around the river bend. Live bait is working best. Use your Lowrance to locate the large schools of bait and the stripers will be close by. There is a good spoon
bite on the pipeline when Georgia Power is pulling water. Crappie fishing is good. The fish are staging in the creeks. Long lining jigs over the fish will produce good catches. Spider rigging will also catch some fish. Make sure you stop by Sugar Creek Marina and pick up your spoons and all your tackle needs. You can also book your crappie and striper trips as well as on the water Lowrance classes with Reel Time Guide Service at 404-8030741 or reeltime@bellsouth.net.
“Striper fishing is very good. The fish are mid-lake around the river bend..”
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Wall of Fame Win A Free Angler Magazine Cap! A Angler Magazine cap will be given away each month for the best reader submitted photo!
Joseph Johnson with his big buck from the Big Duck Roost Hunt Club
Gary Hobbs from Dahlonega with a 90 pound sailfish caught off of Quepos, Costa Rica
Harvey Huffstetler used a Lucky Craft Smasher to catch this big spot from Lake Lanier Garner Reid from Cohutta Fishing Co. with a pretty brown
Matt Fulton with his huge Canadian buck
Paul Stutz with a nice Soque River bow taken at Batesville Dragonfly 32 ATLANTA
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WINNER!
Chad Peden caught this monster 12 pound bigmouth on a Yum Dinger at a private pond in Johns Creek
12/14/16 8:23 PM
HOW TO CATCH BIG BASS IN THE WINTER By Austin Neary
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n mid November, the Southeast was beginning to see a few mild cold fronts, but it was warm for this time of year. Water temperatures were well above what they usually are headed into December. So depending on where you are, this article might be one of those things to stick in your back pocket for a little while. You’ll thank me later! As of right now, the fish know what they are supposed to be doing, but the weather is not allowing them to do it. Stay around the bait! Your topwater lures are still going to be playing a big role as well as spinnerbaits and swimbaits. If the fishing becomes difficult, which it will because of transitional fish and uncooperative weather, pick up a confidence finesse lure or small compact jig and put some fish in the boat!
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Q: What should I be looking for right now? A: Backwater areas, in hopes of running into some cruising largemouth. After running the shallows, look for shoals, points and pockets that offer deep-water access. Cover water with a buzzing frog of some sort, a rattlebait, shallow crankbait and a spinnerbait. When out on the points and shoals, I’d be throwing jerkbaits, soft swimbaits, flukes and trying to imitate baitfish fleeing in order to ignite a school of feeding bass!
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Q: Now, how do you catch big bass in the winter? A: As it gets colder and the winter patterns start, fish will hold in two different areas, deep ditches and steep banks. They want to hold in the most stable water in the lake that also offers adequate opportunities for feeding. Steep banks allow easy access to the top of the water column without traveling great distances. Ditches are great ambush points when schools of shad swim over them. There is a common misconception that bass don’t eat in the winter. That is not true! As long as they are living, they are burning calories. It’s about efficiency, and these fish want to position themselves where they can get the most food for the least amount of energy spent! Slow lethargic lures are a must in the winter. Top 10 Winter Lures: 1. 1/2 oz. 8up Football Jig with Yamamoto twin tail grub trailer Where: Ditches & steep banks 2. 3/16 oz. Shakey Head with Zoom Finesse Worm Where: Ditches & steep banks 3. 1/4 oz. Casey Ashley Underspin with Keitech Fat Swing Impact 3.3 Where: Ditches 4. Megabass Vision110+1 Jerkbait in Tennessee Shad Where: Steep banks, deep points 5. Huddleston 68 ROF 12 in Rainbow Trout or Perch Where: Ditches & steep banks 6. Crippled Herring Jigging Spoon Where: Ditches and suspended fish 7. Jenko Double J Pod Alabama Rig with Keitech Where: Creek channels, ditches and steep banks 8. Zman NED Rig Where: Ditches & steep banks 9. 6th Sense Crush 500 Deep Diving Crankbait Where: Ditches, creek channels & steep banks 10. Lake Erie Rig Tube + Finesse Worm Where: Steep banks, ditches, creek channels
Austin Neary is president of Dream Catcher Guides LLC. Contact him at 443-534-4900.
For More Bass fishing in the Winter, go to
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Augusta, GA (706) 738-4536
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CONNER’S NUTTER BUTTER Most fishermen will tell you they have a favorite color when it comes to specific fly patterns or lures. As a general rule, especially with streamers, it’s a good idea to have a range of colors to cycle through until you find what the fish are keyed in on. The Nutter Butter is a great pattern that falls toward the natural color palette, featuring mostly tans and browns and natural material like coyote fur. Something I have noticed is these subtle colors can draw a strike when brighter colors will not, making streamers like the Nutter Butter a staple for any streamer fisher’s box. In addition to color, the action and profile of the Nutter Butter are perfectly suited to drawing strikes from predatory fish. This fly really dances underwater. Rear Hook Hook: Gamakatsu B10S Size 2 Tail: Tan Extra Select Craft Fur Body: Tan Ice Dub Hackle: Polar Chenille Olive Copper UV Collar: Coyote Fur in a dubbing loop Front Hook Articulation: Senyo’s Intruder Wire and 2 6mm beads Hook: Gamakatsu B10S Size 1/0 Rattle: Hareline Plastic Rattle Medium Tail: Tan Craft Fur Body: Tan Ice Dub Hackle: Polar Chenille Olive Copper UV Collar: Coyote Fur in a dubbing loop Head: Brown Laser Dub Over Tan Eyes: 8mm CCG Eyes Tempt Head: CCG Flex
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NOW THAT’S WHAT YOU CALL BYCATCH!
100-Pound Cat on 8-Pound Test
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alifornia angler Noy Vilanysane must have been more than a little surprised when he hooked into a 102.9-pound blue catfish while fishing a bass tournament on San Diego’s Lower Otay Lake in late October. According to the website SDFish.com, Vilanysane was fishing a 4-inch paddletail swimbait on a spinning rod with 8-pound test line when he caught what turned out to be a new lake record blue catfish. On such light tackle, it took the angler more than an hour to land the huge fish. He took it to the docks, had it weighed on the tournament scales and released it before finishing the tournament. The previous lake record blue from Lower Otay weighed 98.45 pounds. That record had stood since 2007. The California state record blue catfish weighed 113.4 pounds. It was caught at San Vicente Reservoir north of San Diego in 2008. The world record blue catfish was caught in 2011 at Kerr Lake in Virginia. It weighed 143 pounds. So, while Vilanysane might not have broken a state or world record, and the big catfish did not help him win any cash in the tournament, there are very few anglers in the world who can claim to have caught a fish heavier than 100 pounds on 8-pound tackle.
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TIPS FROM A PRO
FRESHWATER WINTERTIME CRAPPIE FISHING
BRANDON LESTER
E
very year as my bass tournament season comes to an end, I start thinking about crappie fishing. I like to take a break and let the competitive flames refuel a bit. When the calendar strikes November and water temperatures dip into the 50s in Tennessee, I take several days to go crappie fishing. These fish make really good table fare, they are also very fun to catch, especially the big ones like you find in winter. I am well aware of how good crappie fishing is in spring. But for the way I fish for them around home, fall and winter are when you can really fill the livewell.
It works the same way when fishing laydowns. I look for laydowns on vertical banks that have a good-sized trunk. If they have a big trunk, I know there is a good-sized treetop out in the water. If they are there, I will see them on my SideVision. Once you find fish, cast exactly where they are or just beyond them, not 3 feet to the left or right. If you miss a crappie’s strike zone by 6 inches, you’ve missed it by a mile. Make the cast, count your bait down to the desired depth and reel just fast enough to maintain that depth. No jigging, nothing fancy, just a
Crappie stack up in large schools this time of year, at it’s not hard to catch them if you know what to look for. Crappie always hang around cover of some type. The two key pieces of structure on my home water are boat docks and laydowns. There are a few docks that seem to always hold fish, but I like to hunt for them with my Raymarine electronics. I turn on SideVision mode and start searching. Crappie will be in big schools, and I might go down a line of 50 docks with only one dock holding the mother lode. To see how big they are and to make sure they are crappie, I will put an Aqua Vu camera down there and check them out. Most of the docks I fish are floating, and the magical depth is normally at least 20 feet of water under the dock. The crappie will normally be suspended under these docks anywhere from 8 to 15 feet down, depending on the water clarity.
slow reel. My favorite jig head is a 1/32-ounce ball-shaped jig head with a good sharp Mustad hook, but I will go up to a 1/16-ounce if the wind is blowing or I’m fishing deeper than normal. Any soft plastic minnow imitation in the 2-inch range with a straight tail will work. Stay away from twist-tail grubs for this method because they cause your bait to rise too much. I use a S721 MHX rod built with supplies from Mud Hole Custom Tackle, including a Winn grip. It is 6-foot-long, super-sensitive and has the perfect action for controlling small baits. I team it with a 1000-size spinning reel and 4-pound Vicious Panfish line in fluorescent green. The green line helps me detect light strikes. These tips will help you all the way up until crappie start moving shallow to spawn. These fish are fat and healthy this time of year. So get out and have some fun this winter.
Get more tips from Lester at
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Surprising Winter is the Best Planting Time
I am often asked when is the best time to plant fruiting plants. My answer is usually the same; the best time is 20 years ago or today. The second best time to plant is during the winter months. Plants are dormant, and can be easily shipped and planted with no stress on the plant because there is not a lot of maintenance once the plant or tree has been planted. Simply dig a good hole, water thoroughly
at planting, and take the rest of the winter off. Even though there are no signs of growth above ground, the root systems will have time to get adjusted to their new location and begin to initiate new root growth. There are plenty of advantages of growing your own edibles. First of all, you know what has been done over the course of the growing season from a chemical stand point. Second, the fruit just taste
better coming out of your home orchard versus buying fruit from the grocers that have little to no flavors. Thirdly, it is good for your soul and you will feel more connected to the environment and nature. Whether it is an apple tree, muscadine vine or a blueberry bush; now is the time to plant. Let’s Grow Together. Greg Ison, Ison’s Nursery and Vineyards, 800733-0324, www.isons.com
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estled in the picturesque Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina, Jackson County is home to the Western North Carolina Fly Fishing Trail and its centerpiece, the Tuckasegee River, which dissects the county as it flows north to Fontana Lake. The “Tuck,” as it is known to the locals, is a beautiful tailwater trout fishery used for the 2011 USA Fly Fishing Championships, in which the Gold Medal was won by Team USA member Logan Egan. The most popular time to fish the Tuck is during the delayed harvest (DH) fishing season from Oct. 1 to the first Friday in June each year. During this time frame, the Tuck is a catchand-release fishery with artificial-lure, single-hook restrictions. This stretch of specially regulated water runs about 5.5 miles outside the small towns of Dillsboro, Sylva and Cullowhee. The boundaries of the DH are marked by signage on the banks. These regulations appeal to fly fishers and spin fishers alike. You will not only see anglers stripping streamers, drifting nymphs, and casting dries, but you will see a fair number of spinner fishermen taking good numbers of brook, rainbow and brown trout. Jackson County receives an annual stocking of 92,800 trout, the most in the state of North Carolina. In October and November 2016, the Tuck DH section was stocked with 19,600 trout. Rainbow and brook trout made up about 80 percent of this number, and the other 20 percent were brown trout. Normally, trout reach 12 inches in length before making it into the Tuck, but anglers should expect to see, and potentially land, some trophy-sized trout on any drift or presentation. Many anglers wade the river, and drift boats are also popular. Stream flow is controlled by Duke Energy, which posts three days of release schedules on their website, www.duke-energy. com under the Nantahala link. Duke Energy has also provided boat ramps on Old Cullowhee Road and North River Road that many drifters use while floating the Tuck. South River Road is a popular area for anglers and guides due to the number of pull-offs that parallel the river and make accessing the river easy. Access to the Tuckasegee is great compared to some other rivers in the area, but there is some posted private property. Be sure to avoid it. The Tuck is also part of the North Carolina Mountain Heritage Trout Waters program, which allows anglers to fish with a special three-day license that costs only $5. Many anglers opt to purchase a regular fishing license with a trout stamp since the fee is fair and it gives access to almost all the state’s trout waters. A non-resident can purchase a 10-day fishing license and trout stamp for $33 or an annual fishing license and trout stamp for $51. The Tuck DH runs very close to downtown Sylva, yet its beauty catches most first-time anglers off guard.
In fall, the red, yellow and orange leaves dancing on the trees highlight the contours of the surrounding mountains. A bald eagle might closely judge your fishing skills, watching for its opportunity to show you how it’s done. Winter brings cleansing and the occasional snowfall, in which many local anglers find solitude chasing trout on tiny midges. Winter fishing pressure is minimal, which makes it a great time to land a large trout if you’re willing to test your mental toughness wading in cold water. Spring comes to life with budding trees and insects hatching, signaling the coming summer. Anglers spend late evenings on the Tuck sight casting to rising trout honed in on larger dry flies and emerger patterns. Spring evenings can be very peaceful, since most anglers have broken down their rods by 6 p.m. and are headed to the local brewery or one of the many unique restaurants or food trailers in downtown Sylva or Dillsboro. There is a list of local restaurants and breweries at www.mountainlovers.com, or just ask local fly shop employees for their recommendation. In 2016, the North Carolina General Assembly proclaimed Jackson County the Official Trout Capital of North Carolina. Jackson County is home to 4,600 miles of trout streams with a good mixture of hatchery supported streams and wild streams. Check out www.NCTroutcapital.com for more information. Jackson County was also the first to have an officially designated Fly Fishing Trail, which highlights 15 different streams and rivers for any angler to test their skills. Many have taken the challenge of catching and releasing trout or smallmouth bass in each location. There is a map that gives detailed information about each stream, directions, and the type of fish anglers can expect to catch. More information is available at www. flyfishingtrail.com. If you are looking for a fishery with plenty of trout and the opportunity to catch a 25-incher, the Tuck is for you. It is relatively close to Atlanta, Knoxville, Charleston and Charlotte. The Tuck is just an hour west of Asheville, N.C., and it is at the base of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Blue Ridge Parkway. This makes for a nice and easy weekend retreat, or it can be a popular destination for longer stays due to accessibility and other local attractions. Come and experience North Carolina trout fishing at its best! Shannon Messer owns Appalachian Flies and manages and guides at Blackrock Outdoors Orvis Authorized Fly Shop at 570 West Main Street, Sylva NC 28779. Contact him at 828-6314453 or appalachianflies@gmail.com.
North Carolina’s Tuckasegee River, A Southern Gem By Shannon Messer
For more fishin’ on the North Carolina Tuckasegee River, go to
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FISH & FISHING
A DIFFERENT APPROACH MARK SOSIN
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t’s commonplace today, but more than a halfcentury ago few anglers even thought about it. The late Dr. Webster Robinson wanted to catch either a sailfish or striped marlin on a fly rod while casting from a boat that was out of gear so that the fly was not being trolled. Working with his skipper, Capt. Lefty Reagan, these angling legends fathered the concept of teasing a fish. They reasoned that if they could raise a billfish on a hookless bait, capture its total attention by keeping the tasty morsel just out of reach, work the fish within casting range and substitute a different offering at the last minute, the mission would be successful. I knew both men well and listened intently as Web Robinson described the process to me in detail. He even gave me a copy of the fly he used. Teasing ranks as an extremely effective technique for countless species in a variety of situations. Working on sailfish or marlin on the offshore grounds is just one phase. Sometimes known as bait-andswitch, it’s nothing more than using a live bait, dead bait or a certain artificial to excite a fish enough so it will eat the lure or bait you want it to devour on the tackle of your choice. Very light tackle enthusiasts often tease their quarry into striking so that the line doesn’t break on the initial contact. I’ve teased countless species from sharks, albacore and tuna to striped bass, redfish, barracuda, amberjack, snook and many more. Let me share a couple examples to show you how effective teasing can be. Using a spinning outfit, I rigged a plastic worm exactly the same way as I would for largemouth bass. Pacific sailfish normally don’t include plastic worms as part of their diet. We teased one with a bonito belly and, once the boat was out of gear, I cast the worm. My partner yanked the teaser out of the water and the fish inhaled a plastic worm faster than you can read this.
I met a man who showed me beautiful flies for offshore species. When I told him I could catch a sailfish on a cigar just as easily as with one of his flies, he laughed at me. We were shooting a television show in Panama, and late in the day Capt. Karl Anderson asked if I had a cigar. He rigged it with a leader and hook, attached it to a flyrod and waited for a sailfish to show in the trolled teasers. We stopped the boat, Karl yanked the teaser away from the fish, and I cast the cigar. Within seconds, the sailfish crashed the cigar, went airborne, and all you could see was tobacco showering through the air. As Karl put it, that’s no longer theory. Teasing fish opens a broad new dimension to the sport. As an angler, it allows you to hook fish on all types of tackle using any bait or lure you choose including cigars and plastic worms. Try it and you’ll become hooked on the technique just as I am.
For More Mark Sosin Visit
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FLY FISHING
CASTING FOR REDFISH: BEYOND THE DOUBLE HAUL
I
t is well-known that the double haul and the back cast are essential for fly fishing for redfish. Here are three more casts I believe are very important when targeting winter reds with a fly. Fly Repositioning Cast This cast is wonderful when you need to recast a fly to a redfish that refused it or when you missed your target. It works best when 20 or more feet of line are outside the tip-top. It is essential to the success of this cast to not rush picking the fly line up off the water. The key is to load for the back cast by beginning with the rod tip close to the water and slowly lifting the line off the water. Then wait to feel the rod load on the back cast. Once you feel the rod load, make a forward cast, allowing the fly to hit the mark. I’ve witnessed far too many fishermen rush to recast, and in doing so, miss their target on the second cast. The Quick-Cast For The Short Game When sight casting, you will need to execute some short, quick accurate casts. The short cast is one of the most difficult casts to make because a fly rod made for short casting has yet to be built. When red fishing, unless I know I’ll be making long casts, I keep roughly 40 feet of fly line stripped into a line management basket (a bucket if fishing from a skiff) and 20 feet of line outside the fly rod’s tip-top. The first 15 feet of the belly section of the line will easily load the fly rod with minimal false casting. Place the fly between the index finger and thumb of the hand not holding the rod. If a redfish is spotted at close range, make a back cast while at the same time releasing the fly from your hand and cast to the redfish.
Master The Cross-Wind Cast The wind blows where redfish live. The most difficult winds to a fly flinger are the cross-wind and the following-wind. Both are guaranteed to give the angler fits. The best cast for these challenging situations is the Belgian cast, a very quick cast that when executed correctly presents the fly under challenging conditions. The key is to make an extended side-armed back cast, followed by a high extended-arm overhead cast that will provide the angler distance when working in a big wind. A word of caution: The side cast may produce the painful problem of a fly imbedded in the angler if the wind is blowing toward the casting arm. Put It To The Test When targeting winter redfish, the fly angler will be presented with many different casting situations depending on weather conditions. It’s important to understand and execute each of the casting techniques discussed. Once mastered, a trophy redfish is only a cast away! Conway Bowman caught this 41.65-pound IGFA fly-caught world record redfish out of Hopedale, La.
For More Fly Fishing with Bowman, go to
CAMFLYFISHING.COM
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FISHING AND DIVING
The Maldives
By Capt. Terry Fisher
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t had been 20 years since I had boarded a followed by fishing. The Maldivian government live-a-board to fish and dive. My friend, Capt. is famous for it’s eco-friendly approach and Wayne Hasson, president of Aggressor and serious application to fish conservation. The Dancer Fleets, invited me to accompany him to government’s prohibition of net and long-line the Maldives for a world-class fishing and diving fishing for commercial purposes has sustained the expedition. Over the years, Wayne and I have abundance of fisheries. Commercial fishermen use fished and dived many exotic locations, including line and pole, preventing by-catch of species other waters of the Caribbean, Mediterranean, Pacific than their main target, which is tuna. Sport fishing, and Atlantic. This was my first visit to the Indian therefore, has thrived. Among the game fish found Ocean. are giant trevally, barracuda, wahoo, dorado, A three-leg flight from Miami through New yellowfin tuna, sailfish and marlin. Bonefish and York and Dubai landed us in Male, the small, permit inhabit the flats. bustling capital of the Maldives. Upon arrival, There are many charter fishing operations Wayne and I quickly cleared customs and were in the Maldives. I had numerous opportunities to assisted by a friendly and helpful crew of the be transported to beautiful sand beaches in the mother ship. We were transported aboard a ‘Dhoni’ middle of the Indian Ocean to fish for bonefish, (dinghy) by water, to lush accommodations aboard giant trevally, jack crevalle and other species. the Maldives Aggressor. This live-a-board vessel While sailing to new dive sites, we used a ‘Dohni’ boasts a full-service galley, huge salon, 10 guest to troll and catch tuna, sailfish, wahoo and dorado. state rooms and decks for relaxing, sunbathing, At night aboard the Maldives Aggressor, we dining under the stars or just getting away for bottom fished for grouper and snapper. some private time. This luxury yacht offered all Trolling, spinning, fly-fishing gear, including of the comforts and amenities of a five-star, land- lures and fly presentations are basically the same as based property with toilets, lavatory and shower we use in the states. Diving various locations and facilities to satisfy the most demanding guests. seeing up close the numerous species that I would This voyage, Dive with the Owners Week, fish for was an added and educational bonus. provided me the benefit of being surrounded Perfect water clarity offered a vast array of marine by a number of crew, divers and fishermen, life at every dive destination. representing more than 10 different countries. The Maldives is a nation of islands. It is also For information on this trip of a lifetime, visit the “Honeymoon Capital” of Europe and parts www.maldivesfishing.com or www.aggressorfleet. of Asia. Temperatures range from 77 to 86. There com. Contact Capt. Terry Fisher of Cape Coral, are 26 atolls with 1,190 islands. One island boasts Florida’s Fish Face Charters at fishfacecharters@ a rainforest. Only 209 of the islands are inhabited yahoo.com. with a total population For more fishing in the Maldives, go to of only 400,000. Tourism is the leading industry,
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ll tournament anglers want to win. The questions are: How bad do you want that win? How much are you willing to sacrifice? How much are you willing to put on the line chasing the big win? The answers aren’t cut-and-dry or crystal clear. Most tournament anglers I know are perfectly content competing at the club and local level for beer money. But don’t underestimate the will of those guys either. I recently competed in a Deerpoint Team Trail event with Travis Poole in which a win would have been a few hundred dollars for us to split. It was low threat, low entry fee and big fun. You’d think that given the conditions that day, any sane man would’ve stayed at home. Approximately 4 inches of rain fell that day, the wind blew and lightning popped around our heads all day. Still, most guys that entered the event that morning brought their catch to the scales in the pouring rain hoping to claim the prize. The weather didn’t seem to dampen their desires one bit. They wanted it bad enough, at least they did that day. For the professional angler, the weather is just one of many elements they must fight to stay in the game. Family, sponsorship obligations, mechanical problems and financial burdens are just a few of the non-fishing issues that require an angler to do a gut-check nearly every day. All these things must be tended to before the angler can even set out to find fish for a coming event, and he’s usually a one-man crew. Some of the top touring anglers have support networks taking on some of this for them, but rest assured, they didn’t get there with them. Stories from many of the top pros sound the same, tales about sleeping in the cab of their trucks for weeks on end, dining on peanut butter day after day, selling possessions off to fund the next event, and practicing in horrible weather because they only have two days to figure out unknown waters. If there was one thing I could define that separates the successful tournament angler from the others, it’s this: he wanted more. The guy in this picture is my friend Johnny Nguyen. He is a great example of what I just described. I can’t tell you how bad he wants it, but I can tell you he possesses at least one critical element for fishing success: the undeniable, unflappable, hard-core love for the sport. No tournament here, just him out fishing on a day he probably shouldn’t have been. But there he is, doing what he loves. Some get it, others never will. Randy Cnota is the co-publisher of Coastal Angler/The Angler Magazine’s Panama City/Forgotten Coast edition.
For More fishing with Randy ‘C-Note’ Cnota, go to
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hose of us who live life outdoors know it’s not always sunny. It can get downright ugly, and many times the best bite of the year is on the leading edge of a nasty front. With good foul weather gear, wind and rain should never stand between anglers and feeding fish. Pelagic Gear, a company founded on and devoted to the ocean lifestyle, has developed a line of gear that guarantees anglers will stay happy and dry, no matter what Mother Nature sends rolling in. Pelagic’s Dri-Flex Lightweight Jacket is perfect to throw in the bag for those dewy mornings or windy evenings when there’s a slight chill. Pelagic’s DRI-FLEX fabric provides the comfort of a lightweight jacket while protecting you from the elements with water repellant technology. When it’s time to take protection from the elements up a notch, anglers shouldn’t get caught on the water without
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Pelagic’s Hurricane Jacket. For more than a decade, this 100-percent waterproof outerwear has been the choice of hardcore captains around the world. It was designed specifically for the harsh conditions of the marine environment with technical features that cater to the needs of anglers. With welded zipper technology, reflective hex-safety patches and a moisture-wicking liner, the Hurricane Jacket keeps anglers dry and shielded in bad weather. And then there are those times when you need protection all over. Pelagic’s Stormbreaker Foul Weather Jacket and Bib are a full barrier to the elements. The suit is made of a lightweight PVC that is 100-percent waterproof, yet comfortable to wear. Again, it was designed specifically for anglers, with a loose cut for optimal maneuverability and plenty of ventilation. This is also the perfect rain barrier for the traveling angler. It is lightweight and packs easily, so an angler never has to leave the docks without the full protection from harsh conditions. Good foul weather gear is essential to every angler. When it comes to selecting protection from the elements, it makes sense to choose gear designed specifically for fishing. Any outerwear will do if the mission is a stroll through the park. Pelagic Gear’s line protects anglers and keeps them fishing in the kind of brutal conditions only found on open water. To learn more about the Pelagic Lifestyle, go to
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FITEC CAST NETS Fitec International has been providing the very best cast nets available to anglers for over 50 years. They are the world’s largest manufacturer of cast nets and their products are in stock or online with all major retailers and distributors where cast nets are sold. The superior quality in their handmade nets gives anglers the fun and performance they deserve while out on the water. Hold a Fitec net next to a competitor and you will see there is no comparison. Fitec’s Super Spreader and Ultra Spreader cast nets are simply the best! Fitec offers four distinct categories to ensure you are able to get the net you need. The patented EZ throw cast net is designed with a disc feature that is perfect for the novice. The RS, or Recreational Series, is designed for shallow waters or for the person who wants a lighter net. The SS, or Sport Series, nets are designed with a 1-pound per radius foot weight system and are the No. 1 selling cast net in the country. Finally, the GS, or Guide Series, nets are designed for the serious angler, built with the highest quality standards and the fastest sink rate. Fitec values your business. They go to work every day with you, their customer, in mind. Their mission is to “bring innovative quality products to customers, with drive and passion every day.”
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Seeking to become the leading and most comprehensive manufacturer of all things diving and fishing, Hammerhead Spearguns has made another addition to its lineup of gear. They are proud to announce the launch of the Dentex NT, a utility glove so durable yet flexible it’s almost like having a second skin on the hands. The Dentex NT comes with an ANSI Cut Level 5 and Puncture Level 3 and is woven from Hammerhead’s signature red Dentex fabric, but now it has a Sandy Nitrile coating on the palm and fingers, giving it increased resistance to heat and chemicals, plus additional grip. The Dentex NT is also known to be extremely pliant, molding seamlessly into your hands, so no clumsy mitten-hands here. You can even pick up a penny while wearing them! The wide range of things you can do with the Dentex NT gloves is staggering. You can use them not just when you fish or handle tricky, spiny sea critters but also when doing repairs or squaring off with hazardous materials. Welding a piece of metal to fix your boat? Piece of cake! Filleting tuna? Sure thing! Changing lines and hooks? Say goodbye to line abrasions and getting pricked, stabbed, or poked on your fingers. Sharp tools and hot objects no longer pose a threat to your valuable hands.
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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT ERGODOCK OFFERS IMPROVED RESILIENCE, AESTHETICS AND SAFETY
While many docks along the Florida coastline buckled to the force of Hurricane Matthew this fall, widespread reports from boaters and anglers indicated that docks utilizing ErgoDock technologies held up considerably better. With the damage and debris left in Matthew’s wake, the resilience of ErgoDock proved significant—not only because of its strength, but because of expected durability against future hurricanes that routinely batter the coast. The ErgoDock difference is its inherent structural augmentation. ErgoDock is designed to provide a matrix that evolves the dock into a single structural component instead of a succession of individual parts like most marine docks are constructed. Independent tests report that ErgoDock significantly outperforms all other dock options in comfort, safety and customization. ErgoDock’s unique texture, for example, enhances safety with a far more slip resistant material than wood or composite decking. The ErgoDock surface also is designed to allow more “give,” increasing comfort and safety by easing stress on ErgoDock owners’ feet, back and joints while also mitigating any potential injury from a fall. ErgoDock prevents deterioration, therefore reducing the need for maintenance. Its products adhere with an impervious membrane to seal all decking materials and are self-draining, to prevent UV or water degradation of existing decking or concrete surfaces. “Our purpose was to create a material that far outperforms all other dock options when it comes to safety, comfort, customization and longevity,” said Kent Weisenberg, founder and CEO of ErgoDock LLC. “There is nothing like it on the market. ErgoDock is a multi patent-pending marine surfacing system that is revolutionizing the dock design and repair industries.” Weisenberg, the sole named inventor on 28 U.S. and foreign patents, added, “We passionately pursue improving the world’s infrastructure with green technology. ErgoDock surfaces are made of sustainable materials that fight the depletion of our environment.” ErgoDock products can be used in various stages of a dock’s life whether for preservation, safety, aesthetics or for any combination of the three. Still want that traditional wood dock look? ErgoDock offers ErgoWood Decking, which is select-treated wood that is pre-dried and then encased in ErgoDock’s patented SafeTread material and prevents deterioration from sun and water while increasing a dock’s life by as much as 10 years over current decking materials. “Add it all up, and ErgoDock products represent a major leap forward in dock design and repair,” Weisenberg said. “We want people to know that there is another option out there–one that comes with ergonomic elegance and represents a resilient, safe and viable option that contractors will want to offer their customers.”
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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT XTRATUF CAMO-LINED LEGACY BOOT Designed to keep fishermen sure-footed on the water, XTRATUF’s Camo-Lined Legacy Boot is the ideal boot for fishing in the elements. An interior camo lining and XTRATUF logo that are visible when the boot is rolled down adds a pop of color to XTRATUF’s classic performance boot. Not your typical rubber boot, the Legacy is triple-dipped to create a seamless coating of rubber that further strengthens an already watertight material, thus sealing the boots and making them impervious to fish oils and chemicals. The soft, pliable and lightweight neoprene latex rubber gives the Legacy boots unparalleled comfort and flexibility. The hand-laye r e d construction allows for flex and strength at critical stress points on the boot. A signature chevron outsole design and unique rubber compound provides maximum surface contact for ultimate traction and stability in even the most severe fishing and work conditions. These 100 percent waterproof boots will keep the warmth in and the cold out when the temperature drops.
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Customer Rating 69662 shown
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6" VARIABLE SPEED DUAL ACTION POLISHER Customer Rating ITEM 69924 shown 62403/62862
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How Does Harbor Freight Sell GREAT QUALITY Tools at the LOWEST Prices? We have invested millions of dollars in our own state-of-the-art quality test labs and millions more in our factories, so our tools will go toe-to-toe with the top professional brands. And we can sell them for a fraction of the price because we cut out the middle man and pass the savings on to you. It’s just that simple! Come visit one of our 700+ Stores Nationwide. R PE ON SU UP CO
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ITEM 95659 shown 61634/61952 • 580 lb. capacity
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RETRACTABLE AIR HOSE REEL R PE ON WITH 3/8" x 50 FT. HOSE SU UPCustomer Rating ITEM 93897 shown CO 69265/62344
$ $
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comp at
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ITEM 69252 68053/62160 62496/62516 60569 shown
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LET THE BATTLE BEGIN The Slammer is back! Featuring a full metal body and rotor, IPX6 sealed gear box and spool design, a full Brass CNC Gear system,
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