FREE
GREATER ATLANTA AREA EDITION
Bucket List Destinations
VOLUME 23 • ISSUE 273
F R A N C H I S E
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EDITOR IN CHIEF : Ben Martin • camads@coastalanglermagazine.com VICE PRESIDENT : Tracy Patterson • tracy@coastalanglermagazine.com ART DIRECTOR : Rebecca Snowden • graphics@coastalanglermagazine.com EDITORIAL COORDINATOR : Nick Carter • editorial@coastalanglermagazine.com WEBMASTER : Dmitriy Pislyagin • webmaster@coastalanglermagazine.com ADVERTISING INQUIRIES: Corporate Headquarters info@coastalanglermagazine.com • 888-800-9794
FLORIDA
BIG BEND : Mike McNamara • (850) 510-7919 • captmike@coastalanglermagazine.com BREVARD : David String • (321) 684-5888 • dstring@coastalanglermagazine.com DAYTONA/NEW SMYRNA BEACH : Don Meadows • (321) 436-5895 • donm@coastalanglermagazine.com EMERALD COAST/DESTIN/PENSACOLA : Scott Risher • (850) 428-0996 • srisher@coastalanglermagazine.com FLORIDA KEYS : Cliff Lumpkin • (305) 849-9093 • cliff@coastalanglermagazine.com FORT LAUDERDALE : Gene Dyer • (954) 680-3900 • gene@coastalanglermagazine.com FORT MYERS : Nadeen Welch • (239) 595-8265 • nwelch@coastalanglermagazine.com GREATER MIAMI : Scott Deal • (561) 945-6999 • scott@coastalanglermagazine.com Monica Isaza-Deal • (561) 945-8899 • monica@coastalanglermagazine.com GREATER ORLANDO : Phillip & Giselle Wolf • (407) 790-9515 • phillip@coastalanglermagazine.com LAKELAND & SUMTER : Mary Brasher • (352) 598-4219 • maryf@coastalanglermagazine.com NAPLES : Nadeen Welch • (239) 595-8265 • nwelch@coastalanglermagazine.com NC FLORIDA/NATURE COAST : Cary & Lynn Crutchfield • (352) 372-4237 • crutch@coastalanglermagazine.com NE FLORIDA : Danny Patrick • (904) 742-4696 • danny@coastalanglermagazine.com PANAMA CITY/FORGOTTEN COAST : Randy Cnota • (229) 834-7880 • randyc@coastalanglermagazine.com PALM BEACH COUNTY : Barbara Ryan • (561) 373-8040 • barbara@coastalanglermagazine.com SARASOTA : Phil Prevoir • (239) 257-4684 • pprevoir@coastalanglermagazine.com TAMPA BAY : Chuck Atkins • (239) 464-5153 • chuck@coastalanglermagazine.com TREASURE COAST : Misti & Gary Guertin • (772) 285-6850 • treasurecoast@coastalanglermagazine.com flahama@coastalanglermagazine.com
SOUTHEAST
ATLANTA/SW GEORGIA : Bob & Brenda Rice • (706) 614-8231 • bobr@theanglermagazine.com CHARLESTON : Jane A. Redden • (205) 725-9616 • jane@coastalanglermagazine.com Sam Buckareff • (843) 607-8629 • sam@coastalanglermagazine.com CHARLOTTE/PIEDMONT : Mark & Haley Alberghini • (704) 651-1934 • mark@theanglermagazine.com MYRTLE BEACH : Mike Masiero • (732) 674-3019 • mmasiero@coastalanglermagazine.com TIDEWATER/OUTER BANKS : John Tiger • (757) 707-9654 • john.tiger@coastalanglermagazine.com Laura Seitz • (757) 707-9655 • laura@coastalanglermagazine.com UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA : Gregg Thompson • (864) 542-3112 • gregg@theanglermagazine.com WESTERN NC : Debra & Joe Woody • (828) 775-9663 • woody@theanglermagazine.com WILMINGTON/MOREHEAD : Kenny Ritter • (910) 550-9094 • kenny@coastalanglermagazine.com
NORTHEAST BOSTON : George Regan • (617) 488-2842 • boston@coastalanglermagazine.com LONG ISLAND : Lisa & Michael Danforth • (203) 321-7635 • lisad@coastalanglermagazine.com CONNECTICUT/RHODE ISLAND : Lisa & Michael Danforth • (203) 321-7635 lisad@coastalanglermagazine.com
GULF COAST
GALVESTON/MATAGORDA/UPPER COAST : Chanci & David Mowry • (713) 446-7395 • chancim@coastalanglermagazine.com • davidm@coastalanglermagazine.com MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST : Adam Nelson • (228) 627-5903 • anelson@coastalanglermagazine.com Toby Nelson • (228) 623-1761 • tnelson@coastalanglermagazine.com NEW ORLEANS : Dr. Dave Dunaway • (225) 400-8156 • nola@coastalanglermagazine.com
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GREAT LAKES WEST MICHIGAN : Phil Belsito • (616) 957-1714 • phil@theanglermagazine.com
INTERNATIONAL PUERTO RICO/VIRGIN ISLANDS : Ace Bassue • (407) 285-9453 • ace@coastalanglermagazine.com COSTA RICA : Mike Erickson • (561) 262-2242 • mike@coastalanglermagazine.com
Cover Image Credits: (Clockwise from top left) Sailfish: Alphonse Fishing Co., Wesley Rapson; Bumphead Parrotfish: Alphonse Fishing Co., Andre Henn; Salmon: Scott Norton; Trout: Big Cedar Lodge; Bass: Nick Carter; Roosterfish: Francisco Mejias © 2017. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. Disclaimer: Coastal Angler Magazine / The Angler Magazine will not be held liable for injuries incurred while partaking in activities described herein, or for claims made against products or services provided by advertisers.
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FLY FISHING By Nick Carter
F
ly fishing for bonefish and permit might have originated on the flats of the Bahamas and the Florida Keys, but these islands hardly hold a monopoly on the style of fishing. In the Indian Ocean, about 1,000 miles off the east coast of Africa, there is an archipelago that claims the highest density of bonefish in the world on one of its outer island groups. The Alphonse Group is three small islets on the southwestern end of the Seychelles, a nation of 115 islands in gorgeous tropical waters northeast of Madagascar. Within the Alphonse Group, Alphonse Atoll and St. Francois Atoll offer more 10,000 acres of hard, white-sand bonefish flats as well as a lagoon with channels, finger flats and coral heads where fly fishers sight fish in clear water to more than 60 species of fish. There are characters familiar to Atlantic flats—bonefish and permit—and there are also species exotic to North American fly rodders, like milkfish, colorful triggerfish and seven species of trevally. Instead of tarpon, the Seychelles offer up the giant trevally, which can weigh in excess of 120 pounds. And with a 10-minute boat ride out of Alphonse Island, anglers can access reef species and big pelagics like sailfish, wahoo, dorado, dogtooth and yellowfin tuna. Either trolling or teasing them up and casting flies to them, these offshore species offer a delightful break from the flats as well as a dinnertime treat on the island. “The Seychelles has become known as the best giant trevally fishery in the world and has become the benchmark for anglers searching for an outstanding saltwater flats fishing experience,” said Keith RoseInnes, managing director of Alphonse Fishing Company. “The sheer numbers and variety of fish species has amazed the fly fishing world, with anglers from across the globe queuing up to sample this ultimate fishing playground.” St. Francois is most well known for its bonefish, with ridiculous
numbers of 4to 6-pound fish and the occasional 8-pounder in the mix. “On falling tides, it is often the case that huge shoals of bonefish can be targeted when leaving the flats in what has been described as a continuous river of bonefish,” said Rose-Innes. “You hunt them on foot and not from a skiff, as the sand flats are hard and white.” It’s also as close to a sure thing as it gets for anglers seeking the Holy Grail of saltwater fly fishing. Good numbers of Indo-Pacific permit populate the flats, and Rose-Innes said his guides have near-perfected the art of catching them. Along with natural environs conducive to awesome fishing, a strong conservation ethic ensures an incredible angling experience. Alphonse Fishing Company tightly controls the amount and type of fishing pressure its waters see, and the fisheries are completely closed a minimum of three months per year. That’s the fishing side of the conservation effort. Alphonse also protects the unique flora and fauna of the islands, which makes for a sensational overall vacation experience, with comfortable lodging among beautiful tropical forests and beaches. For more information, see www.alphonsefishingco.com.
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Craig Sutton with a Costa Rica yellowfin.
“M
ost people my age buy a house in Costa Rica to retire,” said Craig Sutton, of Nosara Paradise Rentals and FishingNosara. “When I bought my first house in Costa Rica, my life was just starting to get interesting.” Craig first discovered Nosara, Costa Rica on a surfing trip in the late 1990s and immediately fell in love with the people, the culture and the year-round excellent surfing. He purchased a small house near Guiones Beach, bought out his neighbors’ land, and spent the next 15 years building a nature preserve campus of 14 houses plus a pool, common areas and maintenance facilities. One thing was missing from this surfer’s paradise: good fishing. As a native Floridian, Craig’s passion for fishing runs deep. He has been a regular on the kingfish tournament scene for years, with his boat Fishtastic posting top-5 finishes in the several tournaments.
“The problem with fishing in Costa Rica is that fish are so big and so harsh that they will destroy your tackle, plus the costs for fuel is astronomical at $7 a gallon and rising,” said Sutton. “Captains trying to make ends meet would have to choose between new lines, new tackle and a full tank of gas, or putting food on the family table.” After years of struggling to find a captain in Costa Rica who was willing and able to fish aggressively, Sutton realized his only option was to build his own boats and crew them with hand-picked locals. “These guys had the drive and the talent to be great fishermen, they just lacked the tools and the logistical support,” said Sutton. “The team-centered approach allows FishingNosara captains to pursue the fish as aggressively as a professional tournament boat without being distracted by losing lures or running up the gas bill.” FishingNosara launched their first boat, The Wanderer, in 2009 and have added a boat every year since. The results have been astounding. In the 2017 season, the five-boat FishingNosara team ran over 730 trips with over 80 marlin releases and 800 sailfish releases. More importantly, the team inflicted zero billfish fatalities. “Reviving and releasing billfish is a sacred priority to us as conservationists, plus it makes good business sense,” said Sutton. “We have created a market of charter fishermen, which means billfish are worth more money alive and swimming than they are on a scale at the meat market.” As for retirement for Sutton, don’t bet on it anytime soon. Last April he scored a billfish grand slam (blue marlin, striped marlin and sailfish) to win the Ship of Fools Billfish Tournament in Costa Rica. Sutton is looking to up-the-ante again in 2018. Back in the States, a new version of the Fishtastic came online this year. It’s an exact copy of the 32’ Eduardono Harvester currently in Nosara, and Sutton is already amped up for a new challenge. “My goal with the new boat is to snag a tournament winning king mackeral in July then go catch marlin in August… seems like a good way to bring two worlds together.”
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By CAM Staff
M
urrells Inlet, S.C. has always been a fishing town. Long before Myrtle Beach and the Grand Strand began drawing tourists to experience the beaches, shopping, golf and nightlife that have made it famous, Murrells Inlet was a fishing village. And it’s no wonder. The inlet itself is an inshore angler’s dream. It’s an enclosed system, one of very few inlets on the east coast free from the influence of the Intracoastal Waterway or coastal rivers.
There’s no dirty water flowing in from upstream, and this system of marshes and backwaters is a completely saltwater environment, with no freshwater pumping in to reduce salinity. The result is excellent fishing and exploration of backwater creeks for speckled trout, redfish and the doormat flounder that Murrells Inlet has gained a reputation for. Another thing the area has a well-earned reputation for is huge red drum, which hang out around the jetties to provide anglers with the bulldog runs only a big bull red can provide. It’s some of the best red fishing on the east coast, with fish in the 20- to 40-pound range arriving in numbers in both spring and fall. For those who don’t mind a short boat ride to fill the cooler,
there are numerous nearshore reefs that can be easily accessed with a half-day trip and a run of less than 5 miles. Mackerel, sharks, black sea bass, reds, flounder, bluefish, spadefish and more make for an exciting outing even for the family, and you’ll come back with a cooler full of delicious fish. Out to 15 or 30 miles, there is also excellent trolling for king and Spanish mackerel, cobia and amberjack, as well as bottom fishing for snappers, groupers and sea bass. But those who want to get serious should look into a full-day trip to the Gulf Stream. From 55 to 70 miles offshore, opportunities for tuna, dolphin, wahoo, marlin and sailfish abound. Trolling the Gulf Stream for big-game species off the lower end of the Grand Strand is tough to beat anywhere. So… it’s easy to see why Murrells Inlet has always been a fishing village, and perhaps the best way to experience it is from a base camp at the Inlet Sports Lodge. Located at the heart of Murrells Inlet, the Inlet Sports Lodge is a comfortable and classy boutique hotel that caters to anglers and golfers with the finest amenities in the area. It’s minutes away from three marinas, works closely with the area’s best charter captains and can accommodate boats up to 25 feet. There’s a fish cleaning room for prep, as well as gas and charcoal grills available in the courtyard to cook your catch. Or, for those who’d rather let someone else do the cooking, the COSTA Coastal Kitchen and Bar on-site offers up fine, fresh Italian and seafood fare. There are also several other restaurants nearby that prepare the kind of delicious right-out-of-the-water dishes that have made Murrells Inlet the “Seafood Capital of South Carolina.” And don’t forget the golf. If days on the water paired with days on the links sounds like the perfect way to relax, the Inlet Sports Lodge has you covered. With golf packages booking a wide variety of the Grand Strand’s famous courses, there’s more golf than you can swing a stick at, including two award-winning courses with the same ownership as the Inlet Sports Lodge. Caledonia Golf & Fish Club and True Blue Plantation are two of the finest courses in the area as well as the nation. For more information on fishing, golfing and the Inlet Sports Lodge at Murrells Inlet, S.C., go to www.inletsportslodge.com/ or call 877-585-9360.
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SOUTHEAST
Photo by John Spohrer
T
he “Forgotten Coast” is a relatively quiet, undeveloped area encompassing the coastal communities of Franklin County, to include Apalachicola, St. George Island, Eastpoint, Carrabelle and Alligator Point. Franklin County is home to art exhibits, music concerts, theater performances, fishing tournaments, festivals and events year-round that highlight its natural resources, culture and history. Saltwater fishing inshore and offshore is the most popular activity
and possibly the best in the world. The waters here are loaded with so many species of fish, both migratory and residential: red snapper, tarpon, flounder, king mackerel, cobia, tripletail, and red drum, just to name a few. All these species are readily available for you to pursue in your own boat or with one of the many local professional guides. The Apalachicola River offers great freshwater action for bass, bream, stripers and catfish…all those species grow big in this river, which flows into the Gulf of Mexico and comprises the most ecological diverse natural area in the southern U. S. There’s something really special about places where fresh water meets the salt. The brackish water estuaries of Franklin County produce the world famous Apalachicola oyster. Sought out all over the world as the best, these salty yet slightly sweet gems must be accompanied with a cold beer. Slow down and relax. Saddle up to one of the many oyster bars found here and enjoy a dozen raw with a cold one and get to know the guy next to you. The seafood is as fresh and good as it gets anywhere, and the fishing tales are epic!...full disclosure; they’re not all are true. If you enjoy cruising in your boat, try sailing from Carrabelle to Apalachicola and back, via the Intracoastal Waterway. Take in the beauty along the St. George Sound, Apalachicola Bay and River, Jackson River, Lake Wimico and St. Joe Bay. Check out the complete list of all the fishing guides, boat ramps and bait and tackle providers on the county’s visitor website floridasforgottencoast.com. You’ll also find a year-round look at fishing along Florida’s Forgotten Coast. Come see this place once, and you’ll be back. For more info visit www.floridasforgottencoast.com
Your fish is waiting. Florida’s Forgotten Coast
Boaters and mariners will find something to love in Franklin County. Carrabelle features deep water access to the Gulf of Mexico and freshwater rivers. Plan a kayak or day sailing eco-adventure from Apalachicola or St. George Island. Eastpoint and Alligator Point offer direct access to the best inshore fishing on the Gulf Coast. Bring your own boat or rent one here; there’s no better place to enjoy Florida’s Forgotten Coast.
Visit Floridasforgottencoast.com/ca for complete launch, marina, guide and tackle information.
ALLIGATOR POINT • APALACHICOLA • CARRABELLE • EASTPOINT • ST. GEORGE ISLAND COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
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BLUE RIDGE
By Ken Kastorff
“H
oly Smokes! I’ve got a monster brown on. I’m going to have to run downstream with him!” This took place while my fishing guests were wading a small area of the Nantahala River on a recent float trip. I had just pulled out the camera to take a picture of nice rainbow when, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a huge brown trout come completely out of the water. We all jumped back in the raft, and the Nantahala Nantucket “sleigh ride” was on. A hundred yards downstream, after some exciting rowing and fish handling, we landed a beautiful 28-inch fish. After a few photos, it was back in the river using those good genes to produce more brown trout. This happens often during float trips on the Nantahala bypass, arguably one of the most unique fly fishing rivers in the area. Generally, the biggest browns are caught during the generation releases. That means, not only do you possibly have a fish of a lifetime on, you have to deal with that fish in a torrent. The good thing about this tailwater is even in the heat of the summer it maintains highly oxygenated, 50-degree water. It is one of the most perfect trout streams I have ever encountered.
The Nantahala is also unique in that it has a huge population of native fish along with stocked fish. It is not unusual to catch lots of native rainbows if you stumble onto a good hatch of BWOs or Sulfurs. Some of the best fishing I have seen is fall dry fly fishing. Up to this point, I have given you the good news. Now, as Paul Harvey would say, “Here is the rest of the story…” I’ve been fishing the Nantahala for over 40 years. There are more people fishing the river now than ever before, plus, equipment and techniques have improved. Although most anglers practice catch and release, there are many who still keep anything they catch. I think it is high time to review the regulations and enact a slot system to protect the larger fish, the natural breeding stock. This should include single-hook artificial only with barbless hooks. Spinning rods are ok, but not treble hooks, and barbless hooks make releases less traumatic on the fish. Bringing regulations into the 21st century on the Nantahala bypass could result in some of the best trophy trout fishing anywhere. Ken can be contacted at Endless River Adventures, 800-224-7238, endrivadv@cs.com, www.endlessriveradventures.com.
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November 2017 To advertise in the largest free fishing publication in the U.S. with over 1 million monthly readers, call 706-614-8231
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 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
November Fly Fishing Report Well it appears that global warming can even effect the striper fishing on lakes throughout the Southeast. Most of the time we are fishing the south end of the lake until the water cools and turnover is finished. However, this year it looks like turnover started earlier than usual and the fish are already starting to move north earlier than in previous years. While it is possible to striper fish twelve months a year here in the Southeast, November is clearly one of the three best months of the year to fly fish on Lake Lanier as well as many of the North Georgia lakes. It is one of the few months that you can count on to see significant topwater action. This plays right into the hands of a fly rodder. While fishing can never be considered a “sure-thing”, November fly fishing on our area impoundments is as close to a sure-thing as one can get. The only problems you will face during November are the day after the front situation which can shut the fishery down for a day or two. Last November we had some epic topwater fishing and I fully expect the same to happen again this year. The big question is where to look? As the water temperature cools down out of the low seventies in October to the mid sixty degree and under for November, the striped bass start schooling all over the south end of the lake. There might even be fish seen further north, but in previous years your best bet will be on the south end to start. While fish can be seen feeding on the surface at any time of the day, it is a good bet that the first 2-3 hours after first light as well as the last 3 hours before sunset will be you most opportunistic times. Fish may still be feeding on 2-4” long blueback herring, but you can count on the fish gorging on 1-2” long threadfin shad. It is the small threadfin shad that have fly anglers excited about November fishing. This is why fly anglers have a specific edge in hooking fish at this time of year. Simply put, they match the hatch better than conventional anglers. A conventional angler will need to fish a small white fluke or a spy bait. Or better yet, a casting bubble with a fly 2 ATLANTA
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will get you a few extra bites. Overcast days will see more epic surface feeding than sunny days. Light winds will also allow the topwater bite to be more relevant. Best bet for fly fishers will be to carry two outfits rigged on the boat. First an intermediate line with a small shad fly tied on will work perfectly for surface feeding stripers. You can throw a topwater fly, but you will not get nearly the number of bites as a subsurface fly. An alternative is to attach a Wiggle Minnow to the end of the tippet. If fishing a Wiggle Minnow, it is important to keep a continuous retrieve in motion. Stick the fly rod under your arm and use a hand over hand retrieve for fishing what may be considered the most fun fly to fish ever! For my second rod I would go with a fast sinking line and a small Somethin’ Else fly attached to the end of it. The Somethin’ Else matches the small threadfin shad perfectly and will get you a few extra bites that other flies will not. My second choice would be a small grey over white Clouser Minnow. Conventional anglers should also rig up a small ¼ oz. bucktail. Another option is to fish a small Crocodile Spoon. Matching the hatch is critical to getting bites when these fish are eating little itty bitty baits. If the fish are on herring, then a swimbait is your best choice. A Zara Spook or Pencil Popper might work just fine too. Keep a pair of binoculars at the helm to help locate the busting fish. By mid-month we will even see our terns and gulls back on the pond to help locate fish from a long way off. The fish will eventually migrate to the north end of the lake by month’s end. Burning gas is the ticket to finding fish. If you are fishing, then you ain’t looking. If you’re looking, then you ain’t fishing! That is always the conundrum at this time of year. Try to plan your trips on or around both the new and full moon as this moon phase makes the topwater bite more epic. See you on the pond! To book a trip please contact us thru our website: www.henrycowenflyfishing. com
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Local Rivers & Fly Fishing Recent Major Life Insurance Industry Changes by Ed Garcia Prosperitas Financial LLC www.prosperGA.com 404-925-3052 Over the last few years, cell phones have transformed from just a talking device to our “how did I ever get by without this” device. Out of necessity, our cell phones are now used for banking, checking email, taking pictures or video, texting, checking local weather (and fishing reports), GPS navigation, booking a hotel room, and so on. In the same manner, life insurance is now evolving. Did you know that you can now get coverage that will allow you to access the death benefit money when bad things happen? A growing number of life insurers will now set aside the death benefit money with your name attached to it. Of course, you will name who gets that cash when you die, but our agency is much busier helping people who are not dying. Our most common claims are for Cancer, Heart Attack, Stroke, Alzheimer’s, and serious accidents where daily assistance may be needed. The icing on the cake is that the cost is about the same as you will pay for traditional life insurance. The coverage is offered on both a term or permanent policy, and all across the country thousands of people are trading in their old coverage for the new kind, where you don’t have
to die. When shopping for coverage, there are many benefits of using an independent insurance agent as opposed to a captive agent. Captive agents can only represent one company. Many captive agents are not even aware of the recent improvements in coverage that are now available. A captive agent cannot shop around for you like we can, to make sure that you are getting the best rates possible. Lastly, having a local agent who cares, especially at time of any claim, can be a true blessing, Many of my clients and policyholders enjoy being able to call me on my cell phone, versus calling a 1-800 number. With approximately 50% of home foreclosures and almost 65% of bankruptcies being related to critical illness or serious disability, these new life insurance policies are helping families to stay in their homes and protect their assets when bad things happen. For thousands of people, this has proven to be a very cost effective solution. If you would like to learn more about the new plans that are available, or to discuss anything else related to life insurance or personal finances, I hope that you will contact me personally.
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Local Rivers & Fly Fishing Finally - Delayed Harvest Fishing
Contributed by James Bradley www.ReelEmInGuideService.com (706) 273-0764
The much anticipated Delayed Harvest (DH) season is here! Most of our DH waters are marginal at best as a named trout stream. This means that the trout will more than likely not survive during the warmer water of summer months. The cool thing about this is the win-win situation for fall/winter time anglers with catch and release fishing and those who want to harvest fish before the warmer water periods for late spring. Georgia’s DH season begins November 1st, and continues through May 14th. The DH sections of thes Early in the DH season, these fish will be in pods after stocking has taken place. It is not unheard of to catch 10 even 20 fish from one large pod. These pods will slowly disappear as the fish move and spread out more. A week or two into the season and you can begin
Post a Picture of your catch!
catching them in feeding lanes and other normal holding areas.. There is no denying that fresh stocked trout will devour about anything, especially bright, flashy colored flies. A simple setup to search the water with is a standard dry/nymph rig. This rig allows you to use the dry as a surface fly as well as an indicator. The nymph being subsurface is where trout feed about ninety percent of the time! Dries can be Stimulators, Caddis, Mayflies and so on in sizes 10-14. Droppers (or nymphs) can be a Hares Ear, Pheasant Tail, Prince and so on in sizes 14-16. DH fish do not mind chasing streamers or Wooly Buggers in sizes 8-12 that are stripped across current, or giving a reaction strike to other items like San Juan Worms, Squirmy Worms or other junk flies
like colored eggs or Y2Ks. Remember, these fish early in the season will just about strike at anything. As the season rolls on, it will not hurt to have some smaller patterns like Rainbow Warriors or Midges in sizes 18-22. If you are a first timer wanting to learn to fly fish, hook up with a guide that has been schooled in the art of fly fishing. The best way to get time on the water and learn is from those of us who are professional full-time guides that teach the “art of fly fishing”. If you are new to the area and do not know where to go, give us a call for info over the phone. If big water is intimidating
to you or if the Toccoa River DH section is too rough for you to wade, we float the upper Toccoa with drift boats and rafts. Lastly, if you want to go after a brown trout of a lifetime - Give Us a Call, We’ll Hook You Up! Reel ‘Em In Guide Service is the only Orvis Endorsed Fly Fishing Guide in North Georgia’s Historic High-Country region. They have been offering their services to fly anglers since 2001. They have permits for guiding in North Georgia and North Carolina, offer over 7 miles of private trophy waters across Georgia, and operate float trips on the Toccoa River in GA and the Tuckasegee River in NC.
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Local Rivers & Fly Fishing
Casting Corner
Rene J. Hesse Certified Casting InstructorFederation of Fly Fishers & Atlanta Fly Fishing and Camping Meetup Organizer
Loading and Shooting Hunting season is here, but that’s not what the hunting and shooting will be about in the Casting Corner this month. For those of you who know the terms in the fly fishing context, this may be a small reminder or give you a tip or two. For those who are learning the art and science of the sport, put this in your back pocket for the next time you are on the water. It will help your casting and fishing experience. Loading the rod is bending it. Rather simple, isn’t it? Shooting line is letting the line go through the guides at the end of the cast. Slipping line is letting the line go through your fingers as you move the rod, letting the water tension pull line through your fingers. The tips to load the rod and shoot the line will apply to our fall brown trout fishing situations. The browns in the Chattahoochee seem to go crazy for streamer flies right now, and casting a heavy fly can be a challenge. Try these few tips and your casts can become a joy rather than a chore. When you have a few feet of line out of the end of your rod tip, it will not load the rod properly. You will be best served to let line slip
through your fingers as your raise your rod tip before your start your acceleration. Then on your back cast, while the line is going up and back, let the line shoot through your fingers before you pinch it again and start your forward false cast or delivery cast. The lifting of your rod with only 10 feet of line out and slipping line can add another 6-8 feet of line out of the rod tip. Then shooting line into the back cast can add another 6-10 feet, so now you have 30 feet of line plus your leader ready for the cast or to start your false cast sequence. Remember, you can shoot line into your forward cast and back cast at a rate of about 20%, and that will add more line if you need it. A good lift in to the back cast while slipping line and loading the rod, combined with shooting line into the back cast, is key when casting for browns on the Hooch. We usually strip the line in with a streamer and end up with only a little line out of the rod tip, hence the need to load and shoot this fall. Don’t forget to work on your elliptical cast and slow down to smooth out that rod with the heavy fly.
JACKSON LAKE
By Brian Lee leebrian16 @yahoo.com
Water temperature: 76-79 degrees, lake level: full pool, water clarity: stained/clear. The fishing is picking up with the cooler weather. As we welcome fall, we also welcome some great fishing. Crankbaits on rocks are producing some quality fish.
Target the back of creeks as the fish will move up to feed on shad. Topwater will produce some quality bites, but you may have to cover a lot of water. Flipping docks and wood cover will put some fish in the boat. Spinnerbaits are catching some fish as well as a swim jig around structure. Enjoy the cooler weather while it lasts. Till next month, tight lines and remember take a child so they too can enjoy the outdoors.
The Guide's Angle
Contributed By: Chris Scalley River Through Atlanta Guide Service
The “Fall Rut” for Deer and Browns? November is when deer hunters get real serious about being in the woods. This is the time of year when female deer or does go into estrous and mature bucks which are normally nocturnal can’t resist the urge to mate even during daylight hours offering the hunter a rare opportunity for a shot at a trophy. I am a deer hunter as well for almost 40 years and have found that despite inclement weather, nice weather, or if it is cool or unseasonably hot, the does will go into heat in November in Georgia, no matter what. This is proof that “photo period” or the length of daylight each day is the primary trigger for does to go into heat. Same is true for Georgia brown trout, but we like to call it the “brown-blitz”. Again, the shorter days in November and December cause the larger browns to be active during the daylight hours triggering spawning activity. Typically browns are low light fish, and this nocturnal behavior makes them difficult to catch outside of the fall season. So this November, remember most serious sportsman are in a tree stand hunting whitetails leaving the river almost vacant of anglers, and the big mature browns are more active even in broad daylight.
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Local Rivers & Fly Fishing
ThankFall Fishing Contributed By: Jimmy Harris
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November is the month we’re reminded of things we’re thankful for, and I’m thankful for some of the year’s best fishing! When it’s fall with great fishing and great weather, it came to me to be ThankFall. Think about it. The Georgia Delayed Harvest streams are open again, the year-round streams have good water levels and temperatures more conducive to healthy trout, and the environs we’re in are at the peak of their beauty. As my friend JD is fond of saying, “Trout don’t live in ugly places.” No sir, they do not. Fall colors, brisk temperatures and hungry fish make for perfect angling conditions here in North Georgia. Tie on an orange Stimulator (seasonal colors!) with a soft hackle dropper like a Partridge and Orange or Yellow and you’re good to go on all but the coldest days. At the end of your drift, allow your fly to draw up on a tight line and slowly swing across the current allowing your soft hackle to give the impression on an emerging insect. There have been times when this technique turned a slow day
into a highly successful one. When using this technique, remember to never point your rod tip directly at the fly. You need the bend of your rod to soften sometimes violent strikes. If your line is tight with no chance of a bend in your rod, even a moderate size fish can break your tippet. Give that expensive piece of plastic you’re holding in your hand an opportunity to help you catch the fish. On those days when the weather does turn off cold, don’t stay in the house. Grab a rod and rig it with a Woolly Bugger or leech pattern and the ubiquitous dropper. Dropper flies can be small Pheasant Tails, Prince Nymphs or Hares Ears. Finally, add split shot until you are absolutely certain your rig is near the bottom. There’s one other reason to be ThankFall. On those cold, nasty rainy days when no sane person would venture outside, you, my friend, should be loading the truck and looking for a Blue Wing Olive hatch. You’ll have the river to yourself and it could be epic! Tight lines, everybody.
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Local Rivers & Fly Fishing Catching Trout Number One Contributed by Capt. David Hulsey International Federation of Fly Fishers Master Certified Casting Instructor http://www.hulseyflyfishing.com 770-639-4001
Catching your first trout on the fly rod is usually an event that kind of sticks with you through the years afterward as a reminder of what it takes to get there. Granted, sometimes there are a few years that can pass between beginning to fly fish and the first trout landed. Some folks get one to the net on the first trip and others may take a few tries to put it all together. Fly fishing is a journey as all arts should be. In the “I want it now” generation we live in today, thank goodness a few things take a little learned skill and effort to obtain. For me, I can still see that dark green back of that twelve-inch wild rainbow slip out from under that moss covered boulder on Bone Valley Creek in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Slowly and confidently he drifted out to suck in a big size 12 Fan Wing Royal Coachman dry fly. Some 40 years later I can still feel the tug and the bend in my old Shakespeare Wonder Rod! I knew at that moment my life had changed forever as a new fly fisher had been born on that warm spring day. Now a lot of water has flowed beneath my wading boots since then, and I have seen thousands of beginners catch their first trout. The look on their face still makes me pull on my frosty wading boots on a winter morning in anticipation of hearing the laughter and seeing the amazement in the faces of a newly born fly angler. I know without a doubt this is what I want to do for the rest of my days here.
Over the years I’ve picked up on a few things that can make the journey a little easier for the beginner to land a trout or two. Number one is to fish where the trout are. I see so many folks on sections of streams where there is no fish. Water temperature, stocking schedules and fishing pressure can wreak havoc on certain streams, and it will pay you to learn about all three. Number two is where the fish position themselves in the stream. Don’t stand in waist deep water and cast to ankle deep water. Fish where you can’t see the bottom clearly. Trout use this for cover. Number three is make your drifting fly act as naturally as possible. A fly dragging through the water is pretty much fish repellant at times. Learn to mend your fly line to take advantage of a good drift. The fish will reward you. Number four is fish with a fly that the trout might actually associate with food. Learn these fly patterns and keep them in your fly box. A Pheasant Tail Nymph, an Elk Hair Caddis and an Olive Wooly Bugger will catch fish anywhere. Number five is fish with confidence. Expect a trout to eat your fly on every good drift. That way you will be ready when he does. Give us a call if you would like to give fly fishing a try for the first time. We make learning to fly fish easy and fun. Hey, we even provide all the gear! Call 770-639-4001 to book your fly fishing journey beginning today.
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Local Lakes & Forecasts A Great Place To Stay In Blue Ridge.
LAKE BLUE RIDGE SMALLMOUTH AND WALLEYE By: Shane Goebel Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service & The Angler Magazine Fishing Team www.bigolfish.com 828-361-2021, 1-844-4-ANGLER
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Lake Blue Ridge is not just one of the most idyllic settings in the North Georgia Mountains; it is also the source of some of the best smallmouth and bass fishing in the area, and November is a great month to hit the water as we move into the prime of the fall season. Currently, Lake Blue Ridge is 6 feet below full pool. Water temperatures are in the low 70’s. Water clarity is clear in the main lake and in the creeks and rivers. Not a lot has changed out here. We are still catching substantial amounts of smallmouth and spotted bass averaging 20 to 30 fish a trip. The majority of our spots and smallmouth are being caught from the dam to all the way back up the Toccoa River. Target these fish off rocky points, ledges and shallow humps. We are
finding larger schools of spots midlake and in 25 to 35 feet of water. Down-lining live blueback herring seems to be the best technique for the larger smallmouth and spots. Look for large schools of smallmouths in the Toccoa River and Star Creek area. Live bait seems to be the key out here lately, but a jigging spoon and shaky head can’t be ruled out this time of year. This time of year, spotted bass start to school up and feed strong, so keep an eye out for the topwater bite, too. When they start busting on the surface, they will hit just about anything you can throw at them. November is a fantastic month for catching some very big fish on this lake. Give Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service a call and let the area’s #1 guide service put you on some of Lake Blue Ridge’s best trophy fish. 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. Good luck!
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Local Lakes & Forecasts ALLATOONA
Forecast By: Capt. Robert Eidson First Bite Guide Service 770-827-6282 eidson6260@att.net www.firstbiteguideservice.com The bite is starting to pick up and should only get better as we head into fall. The fish are really starting to move up on the flats and points from Clear Creek north to Little River. Our best bite has been fishing big threadfins just off the bottom on the flats on most main-lake points early and then again right before the sun goes down. As we move into the month, the bigger stripers and hybrids will start to show up on the main lake. The flatline and planer board bites will start to take off. Middle to large gizzard shad will be
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your best bet for big fish. If you’re after numbers, large threadfins will work best. Fall is one of the best times of the year for spooning. I normally have my best luck on a 1/2-ounce white Flex-it spoon fished right off the bottom. November is just around the corner and is one of my favorite months to fish Lake Allatoona. The summer boat traffic is over, and with deer season being in full swing, not too many people are on the lakes. It’s just a peaceful time of the year to wet a line.
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Fishing can be good if you can get on top of the fish. Look for greener water and avoid brown water. By late month fish will change from eating herring to eating threadfin shad. Get ready for December as the fish will feed better and the turnover will be complete.
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Local Lakes & Forecasts LAKE LANIER STRIPER Forecast By: Steve Scott http://TeamLanier.wordpress.com/menu October brought us some hot topwater action with some good numbers of stripers caught mostly in the morning in the mouths of creeks over points with Capt Mack’s ¼ ounce Bucktail Jig tipped with a blueback, medium sized Zaras, and back by popular demand, the Sebile Magic Swimmer. Transom baits and small baited freelines were also very successful from the creek mouths to half way back. All of these patterns indicated that stripers were back up on or near the surface because of the beginning of the turnover. November tells me it’s river time. With water temperatures in the rivers in the low sixties, pulling baits, especially trout, against the flow will be the ticket for both the Hooch and Chestatee rivers using planer boards and diagonal bobbers. The size of the trout should be between eight and fourteen inches. Basically, Go Big or
Go Home and the same with gizzard shad, from dollar bill size to mongos. For the Hooch, start your strategy beginning at Laurel Park heading towards Clark’s Bridge and further eventually ending just a couple of miles north of Lula Bridge. Take care when you are that far north as the water will be very shallow usually 8’ deep in the center of the river. For the Chestatee, your strategy should begin north of Highway 53 and continue all the way up to the dredge. Beyond that it gets tricky with shallow water. Methods to use are planer boards and diagonal bobbers. Don’t forget freelines and transom baits and always have a topwater lure ready to cast out at a moment’s notice. TIP OF THE MONTH: Now is the time to make sure all of your equipment is in tip top shape including replacing the main line to your leaders, sharpening bait and lure hooks, and not to forget reel maintenenace. For more information go to: https://TeamLanier.wordpress.com/ menu.
LAKE MARTIN Forecast By: Capt David Hare 256-401-3089 Alex City Guide Service I am very pleased to say that October was a very good month for us catching nice stripers and lots of crappie. With November comes cooler water temps along with absolutely beautiful fishing weather. It is by far one of my favorite months to be on the water. As we move forward, some of the places you want to concentrate on is in the major creeks here on Lake Martin. Not every trip, but for sure a lot of them, I will be working depths of 20 feet and less for that topwater action with live bait for the trophy stripers that we are so well known for here. This is a good month for you to
dust off those planer boards and do some boarding pulling your favorite live baits (gizzard shad by far outproduces any live bait you can use!) I know most of you are saying you don’t have access to these gizzard shad, but rest assured, you can also pull some artificial lures behind planer boards. My favorite is a Redfin. Hey, don’t forget it’s time to start whittling away at that Christmas shopping list! If you have someone that’s hard to buy for, why not buy them a gift certificate to come fish some of the prettiest and best striper producing waters in the South? Give me a call and I’ll handle the rest! Until next time, catch one for me, and I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season. Happy Thanksgiving from all of us here at Alex City Guide Service.
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Local Lakes & Forecasts Technology and Angling
Contributed By: Dr. Andrew Cox Professor at Troy University, Phenix City, Alabama. andrewtrout@aol.com. Technology has had an enormous impact upon fishing. Comparing angling oriented catalogs from the late 20th century to the present illustrates this with equipment, gadgets, and accessories not available even a few years ago. Even with this technology, I still wonder if we catch more fish with such technology. However, it certainly makes fishing more enjoyable. I am old enough and been around fishing for a lengthy period of time to remember the advent of “depth finders” or “flashers”. These were the early prototypes of today’s fish finders and chartplotters. I also remember the hand operated electric or “trolling” motors that turned on by twisting the handle, had limited speeds, and had to be operated by hand. Temperature gauges in boats or even hand held temperature gauges are another fishing accessory that I remember coming onto the market. Though the above technology is still around, it certainly has become more sophisticated and usable. I recently installed one of the new generation electric motors on my boat. This motor self deploys using a remote control sensor device, uses an optional high tech foot control, and has an electronic anchoring system that allows you to remain in a certain spot on the water. The motor will also operate itself through deployment of GPS coordinates. Fish finders/chartplotters have also made great strides in technology. New generation fish finders allow the angler to establish waypoints so that you can return to desired areas, download maps for specific bodies of water or locations, and save desired fishing locations for future days on the water. Unfortunately, I have found that a degree in computer science is needed to operate today’s technology. Such technology takes practice, doesn’t it? The rods and reels that we use today have been impacted by technology. Rods now have “microguides” and high tech rod blanks that increase sensitivity. Casting reels have sophisticated breaking and drag systems to reduce “backlashes”.
Spinning reels have skirted spools to reduce “birdnests” and been modified for the use of braided line. Boating equipment has also evolved.The angler can purchase a multitude of accessories for one’s boat. The “PowerPole” technology has revolutionized boat operation and maneuverability while fishing. I, like some of you readers, remember the introduction of the internet. The internet now provides a wealth of fishing information. I am exploring fishing a new body of water in Alabama; the internet has provided specific information regarding techniques, boat launch sites, even lodging and restaurant options. This information will reduce some of the trial and error encountered in exploring a new fishing area. Even though this article has espoused technology and its impact upon fishing, some technology comes and goes. Anyone remember or still use the “Color Selector” system? This was a system for selecting lure and bait colors based upon water conditions. Seemed to be a good idea but apparently didn’t catch on in a big way with anglers. I anticipate that technology will continue to exert an influence upon the equipment that we use to enjoy our sport. I wonder what fish finders and electric motors will do in ten years? What specialized gadgets and technology will be on the rods and reels that we use in the future? What accessories will be considered essential on the fishing boats of tomorrow? Only time will tell. Good luck in using this technology, and hopefully it results in better success on the water. 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. 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 NOTTELY STRIPER By: Shane Goebel Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service & The Angler Magazine Fishing Team www.bigolfish.com 828-361-2021, 1-844-4-ANGLER November in the North Georgia Mountains is a fantastic time to hit the water. With the beautiful views of the changing leaves and the cool comfortable temps, a day on the water seems like a dream come true after a hot summer. Not to mention the fishing is also great. This is the perfect time to hit the lake and experience some extreme striper fishing, and what’s the best way to do that? By booking a trip with Blairsville, GA’s #1 and only fulltime striper guide: Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service. We’ve been striper fishing these mountain lakes a long time and have what it takes to put you on some huge fish. Currently, Lake Nottely is 10 feet below full pool. Water clarity is clear and water temps are in the low 70s. Striper fishing has been decent. We are also starting to catch some bigger fish in the 15 to 20 pound range. The early-morning and evening bites are your best times to see action. We’ve also had some heavy bites in the mid-day hours. With the cooling water temps,
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continue to target creek mouths and points off the main lake channel, but also look for schools to move back into the creeks. The majority of our fish have been caught from Point 6 to the dam. In the early morning hours, freelines and planer boards have been ok. As soon as the sun peeks through we are going right back to down lines. The topwater bite has picked up a bit, so keep a Spook or a Red Fin at the ready to snag surfacebusting fish. The fish will start to spread out here soon and move into the creeks. This will be a perfect time to break out the planer boards and start pulling live bigger baits. November is a fantastic month for catching some big fish on this lake. Give Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service a call and let the area’s #1 rated guide service put you on some of Lake Nottely’s best trophy fish. We are Blairsville, GA’s only full-time guide service, specializing in striped and hybrid bass. We also serve Lake Hiawassee, Chatuge and Blue Ridge. And for all your live blueback herring and tackle needs, check out Hughes General Store in Blairsville, GA. They carry everything you need for a successful day of fishing. So, come fish with the pros for the opportunity to be featured in Angler Magazine, and let us help you get your fish on!
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Local Lakes & Forecasts LAKE BURTON
CARTERS LAKE
Forecast By: Eric Crowley Lake & Stream Guide Service (706) 669-4973
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Water temperature: high 70s, lake level: full, clarity: clear. Carters has been fishing pretty good for this time of year. Stripers can still be found in their late summer hangouts. Deep points and ledges near the main river channel first thing in the morning seem to be the favorite of these big fish. Bait of choice is still live threadfins and alewife caught fresh. I like 1/0 hooks and 17-pound leaders in 7-9 foot range. Fishing these baits about 15 feet off the bottom has been the most productive lately. Always try and keep the bait above the fish but not out of the strike zone. Move slowly and watch your sonar for marks right on the bottom. Sometimes, it’s hard to tell what is
a fish and what is a piece of bottom structure till it moves. The spot bite is decent. There is some topwater action in the dark on shallow points, but after sunrise it’s all about the deep bite. Shaky heads, drop shots, spoons and jigs are all go-to’s this month. Find the fish and keep the bait right in their faces. Look around Doll Mountain and the marina for good areas to start and the long points like Woodring and Worley are always worth checking out. Hopefully, by the end of the month we will see much cooler temps and the fish moving back up shallow for the fall bite. The walleye bite is best upriver with some fish being caught on live bait from Ridgeway upriver and on spoons in the river channel. Look for bottom contours that change from rock to mud and the surrounding areas. Good luck this month to everyone and enjoy the fall weather.
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Water temperature: 69 degrees, lake level: full, clarity: clear. Bass: The fall bass bite has begun! These fish are feeding shallow in the mornings and are in the backs of the creeks. Try using a topwater plug (Sammy, herring color). We have had good success working this bait fast. Underspins have been productive mid-morning to midday. We have been working the Super Spin tipped with an Arkansas Shiner color Fluke. Try casting in the 14 to 20 foot of water depths. This pattern should continue for the next few weeks. Trout: The adult brown trout are schooling up for their spawning migration. We have trolled through several big schools the last few days on the southern portions of Lake Burton. These fish seem to be very
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healthy and full of herring. Trolling small Crocodile Spoons has been the trick lately. We also had some success with #7 Ugly Duckling baits. Try maintaining a speed of 2.5 to 3mph when trolling for the trout. We have been trolling these baits on top without a down rigger. Be sure to make several turns when trolling as changing the frequency and action of the bait seems to trigger the bite. Walleye: The walleye are still 20 to 30 feet deep. Trolling live herring has been the most effective way to catch these fish the last couple of weeks. We have been weighting the lines down with a ½ ounce split shot. This gets the baits down in the 12 to 18 foot mark. Trolling the herring at 1.8 mph seems to be the ticket. Look for submerged humps and hilltops on the GPS fish finder as the walleye seem to be congregated near these spots. This pattern should continue over the next couple of weeks. The walleye will start feeding better and shallower as the lakes cool towards the low 60 degree mark. Good Luck!
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Eric Welch Welch’s Guide Service www.welchsguideservice. com 706-455-2323 Water temperature: 75-76 degrees, lake level: 4.5 feet below full pool, water clarity: clear. The bass are breaking first thing in the mornings. I’m targeting main-lake flats and pockets that are shallow but have access to deep water. I’m throwing a Fish Head Spin, a Strike King Sexy Dawg, a Zara Spook, Whopper Plopper and a fluke. After the morning topwater bite, I start fishing laydowns, drops and bluff banks with a drop shot, shaky head and jig. There is also a dock bite starting with a fluke and a drop shot. We’re marking a lot of fish on the fish finder. You just got to work to get them to bite. If you have a windy day, throw a white spinnerbait and a crankbait in a shad pattern. We’re
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Local Lakes & Forecasts TRACTORS! TRACTORS! TRACTORS!
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With the holidays in full swing in November and December and the kids out of school so much time, I have a couple of your days planned out for you. It’s all easy once a gracious person like myself sets in to help. If you and your wily children like to trout fish, try the delayed harvest sections of the Chattahoochee or Amicalola Rivers, maybe Smith Creek. Even if your children don’t like to trout fish, take them and check to see if they do. All are outstanding streams, chock full of rainbows, browns and a few brookies. These pristine waters are part of the DNR’s catch and release program. Those streams are micro managed by the DNR to hold lots of gamy little critters, and you can catch a bunch. I recently fished the Chattahoochee below the Palisades inside the Perimeter and caught all I could stand. The clear, clean water where I was standing was only about 18 inches deep. Easy wading, an abundance of fish and lots of fun. I’ll bet the kids would love it. The rules are to use artificials and a single barbless hook. Round up some equipment, some wide-eyed kids and get started. It’d sure be better for them to be wading in the gently flowing current of a trout pool than sitting at home playing computer games, and then they’d have something good to talk about at school when they get back. The Amicalola is a mountain stream and has lots of space for camping, so make a weekend of it if you like. Everyone likes to have a story to tell and now, after fishing these places, catching lots of rainbows, being the center of attention and taking many
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photos and camping along the river, they will too. I guarantee they’ll tell about this adventure over and over and over again and again all of their lives. I do it all the time. So, what about the child who never has done any fishing and really has no desire to go? I say trick’em. Tell them to dress warmly and get ready for a surprise. I can practically guarantee satisfaction when the first trout is brought to the net. If they’re afraid of the current, put them on the bank and cast from there. Fail to yield. Few are born with the desire to go fishing. They have to be taught through experience. Very few aren’t hooked after a short time on a fish bank. What’s in it for you as a parent? Beyond the obvious, it’s fall and the brilliant colors abound all across Georgia and the Southeast. November at Amicalola and December along the Chattahoochee can’t be beat. It will be so refreshing to see the colors the abundant forests provide. Beats the office no matter how accommodating. Finally, this is not a team sport. You’ve probably involved your girls and guys in soccer, little league baseball and maybe football too, and that’s all very good, but this little trip is one of individuality. It’s you and her or you and him. It’s not about the team winning or losing, it’s just you, and in doing this, you win every time. When it’s all over, you have a partner for life. You’ve planted a seed that may grow into a life-long wholesome sport, and finally your children spent the day alone with you, their father. Today, regrettably, that’s sort of hard to come by.
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Local Lakes & Forecasts Lake Lanier in November–Follow the Transition Contributed By: Jim “Jimbo” Mathley www.jimboonlanier.com Many anglers make the common mistake of underestimating the viability of late fall and winter fishing. While the outside elements are not always favorable, the months of November and December on Lake Lanier can offer anglers some of the best fishing of the year. With the warmer than normal October we have experienced this year, November should be a month of transition on the lake. Ditch fishing is my normal prognostication this time of year, however, this bite may be delayed this year due to the warmer weather. This year, given the warmer than normal October, the transition of the fish deeper into the creeks and the creek ditches may be delayed. I look for the structure bite on points and humps around the mouths of the major creek to remain strong into November. Look for good schooling activity in mornings as well as throughout the day in these types of areas. The topwater and swimbait bite should extend into November, which is a good thing! Stay flexible as weather fronts will affect the location and mood of the catchable fish. Don’t forget to look shallow around these points and humps. A spinnerbait on windy days can be incredible this time of year fished shallow on points. Also a big swimbait, like the Sweet Bait Sweet Herring can be an excellent choice for a big catch. As we proceed with this article, I will address more of how to approach once the water gets around 60 degrees, which may or may not happen in November this year. Shallow Ditches: Oftentimes, if you find a shallow ditch (15 feet or less) in a creek, you will find baitfish present in and around this ditch. Bass will show up and feed in these areas, particularly in lowlight conditions, even in the dead of winter. Slow-rolling a SuperSpin or slow cranking a crankbait in these areas at daylight is a great way to take some huge spots throughout the late fall and winter. Present a SPRO jerkbait over these same areas for bites as well. Cast your jerkbait long distances over the ditch and work the bait back to the boat with a jerk, 20 ATLANTA
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jerk, pause retrieve. Include long pauses of up to 10 seconds between jerks. Also, ensure that you jerk the bait on slack line to improve the erratic action of the bait, which will trigger more strikes. The key to this technique is patience. Long pauses can be the key. Deep Ditches: Many of the same definitions and techniques will still apply to deeper ditches, but there are some key differences. When you search for these deeper ditches (25-50 feet deep), start by following the shallow ditches out to deeper water. Once you have moved to the deeper part of the ditch, use your Lowrance electronics to look for cover within or around the ditch that may offer an ambush spot for bass. Always remember that bass are predatory and constantly seek an advantage through a point of ambush. Structure changes, such as a ditch, along with ancillary structure/ cover such as brush or standing timber, offer a refuge for baitfish, as well as an ambush position for the bass. If you can find an area with a ditch, standing timber, brush and key feature changes such as an outside channel bend intersected by a road bed in 40 feet of water or so, you have found the perfect winter haunts of the bait and our greenbacked friends. Good electronics, such as Lowrance HDS units with 3D Structure Scan Technology, are vital to finding these subtle depth changes and cover. Once you find a location like this holding fish, start by dropping a jigging spoon down to the location of the fish. Allow the spoon to sink to the bottom and then reel it 2 cranks up before beginning your presentation. Jig the spoon with quick, short, upward thrusts of the rod and include pauses in your presentation. Let the fish tell you how they want the bait presented. Another option for these deep fish include a drop-shot rig. Rig a dropshot with a small worm or minnow imitation and present the bait in the area of the fish. Do not overwork the bait. Often, periods of no movement can trigger strikes. Steep Rock Banks/Rip Rap: These features consistently hold fish during the late fall and winter months.
These “vertical” banks, present both in the creeks as well as the main lake, offer the fish the ability to change depths within the water column without traveling very far. This provides an optimal situation for the fish whose metabolism and activity levels are slowed by the colder water. Begin by using your electronics to graph a likely area in search of bait. When you find the bait, you can rest assured that fish are somewhere in the area. Search for changes in the structure as your starting place. Look for points, pockets, contour changes, or transition areas where sand meets rock or clay, for example. Begin your prospecting in these areas with a SPRO jerkbait such as a McStick. Impart the jerk, jerk, pause retrieve mentioned previously, with a focus on long pauses. If the fish are not active enough to hit the jerkbait, try worms or Chattahoochee Jigs
worked slowly down the rock bank. Position your boat in deeper water and cast towards the bank. Work the bait slowly and methodically back to the boat, paying particular attention to your lure’s movements. Bites in the late fall and winter are often VERY subtle. Once you detect something unusual in your lure’s action, set the hook. While these areas are not the only possible places to find fish on Lake Lanier in the late fall, they are some very good areas to begin your search. Remember to look for bait and fish in an area before fishing it – fish where the fish are! Good luck out there and see you on the water! For more information or to book a trip, contact Jimbo on Lanier via email: jim@laniermapped.com or phone: 770-542-7764. Check out Jimbo’s website: www.jimboonlanier. com
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Local Lakes & Forecasts
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Local Lakes & Forecasts Cloud Fishing
Change
611 Old Phoenix Road Eatonton, GA
Contributed By: Noey Vinyard
The season is changing and here at 30 Coveys we do not need a calendar to verify that. I know by instinct as I sip my morning coffee that the light in the sky comes later than it did a month ago. Every day I see more of the leaves change, and I can even smell it in the breeze. Autumn is coming and every creature here can feel it. Despite the fact that we live in a world filled with technology, I like living a life that is governed more by Mother Nature than man-made achievements. Usually, about the time the seasons change, I also try to do a recollection to mark the important events of the season past. We live in the world today where you can ask your telephone a question, and it will answer it for you, yet to me, that pales in comparison to the eclipse I was witness to. Man is constantly in competition with each other to create weapons of mass destruction, and yet they are nothing compared to the power that Mother Nature put on display in Texas, or the suffering she causes with her droughts. But the one thing that can certainly be said about Mother Nature is that she does not play favorites, and whether you live in times of feast or famine, it is not man that created that situation, it is Mother Nature. The trick is to be able to see that even when she is being deadly, Mother Nature is beautiful. She was certainly kind to us here at 30 Coveys. If I could have but one word to describe this past season to us, it would be “bountiful.” Thanks to René Bastidas’s green thumb, our cup truly did runneth over. Our hayfields grew so thick you could not drive an ATV through them, and our horses ate until their sides bulged. We ate
watermelon and “mater samitches” three times a day and still had enough left over to make the pigs happy. The figs grew so fat and ripe that they fell from the trees faster than we could pick them, and even now, muscadines and fox grapes grow almost to golf ball size and hang heavy on the vine. It was also another season that I was able to pass with my running buddy “Festus”. We go now into our 15th winter together. Despite the gray around his muzzle, he can still snatch a rat out of the feed bin in an instant. When the summer heat forced me to put him on half days down at the horse barn, it would break my heart every time I had to leave him behind. But how do you not truly love a dog that would rather be by your side, facing all challenges in hundred degree heat than laying around in the air conditioner in a king-size bed. The best way to think of Festus’s disposition is to think of a briar patch. Of course, with all things in nature there is always bad with good, dark with light, and death with life. Vinnie, the good-natured German short haired pointer, covers the length of our property in that effortless trot of his only in our memories now. And Lucky Dog, the dog that lived life with one speed, full throttle, 24/7 no longer comes to my door and demands treats. No two dogs have ever been more different and yet they both will be missed the same. My favorite season is coming up readers, and if you are a mind to, I invite you to stick around. The colors of fall are coming, and the adventurer in me cannot wait to find new places to see, and the poet in me cannot wait to describe them. See you next month.
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Local Lakes & Forecasts LAKE LANIER STRIPERS Forecast by: Clay Cunningham www.catchingnotfishing.com 770-630-2673 We are hoping for a little more topwater and surfacing fish this November here on Lanier. Over the past few weeks the Sebile Magic Swimmer has been hot in the 110 and 125 size. Great to see these lures back on the shelves after being hard to find for a while. The new colors are working great on stripers and spotted bass. Be sure to throw this bait on 10-pound Trilene Big Game or Trilene 100% Flourocarbon. Match this to a 3000 Penn Conflict on a 7 foot Medium Fenwick rod and you are good to go. As the water cools this November, look for the fish to move a little
further into the creeks. How deep the fish will be is hard to say. The weather is a big factor on how deep. Last winter the fish stayed shallow and fed on medium shiners. Hopefully this same pattern develops this November. If the medium shiner bite develops, be sure to rig up small hooks and light line. In a nutshell, match up a 7 foot medium light action Shakespeare Striper Rod with a Penn Squall 20 Linecounter with 15 pound Trilene Big Game. Then add a five foot leader of 10 lb Trilene 100% Flourocarbon with a Spro Power Swivel and a Gamakatsu size 6 Light Wire Octopus hook. These hooks are small but incredibly strong and sharp. Look for gulls, loons, or schooling fish to give away the key areas. The boat traffic has vanished, and it is time to catch fish
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by Mark Smith Reel Time Service at 404-803-0741 or reeltime@bellsouth.net Lake Oconee is full, the water temperature is 75-78 degrees. Most of the lake is clear with some stain up the rivers. Striper fishing is very strong early in the morning on the pump back at the dam. Spoons have been the best bait at the dam. The large schools of fish have not returned to the lake as of this time. If we can get some cool weather and rain and wind, the
larger stripers will return to the main lake and they will be looking for the large schools of bait. When this happens, use your Lowrance to locate the large school of bait, and the stripers will not be far away. At this time, live bait will be the best bait to use. Crappie fishing is good to very good. The fish are still on the submerged timber from 5 to 15 feet deep. Use your Lowrance to locate the trees with the most fish on them and then drop live bait or jigs into the top of the tree. This will produce good catches of crappie.
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Local Lakes & Forecasts contributed by David Floyd I booked a trip with professional striper guide Doug Youngblood on Lake Lanier and took one of my friends, Brady, and his twelve-year-old son and cancer patient, Ethan on Thursday, September 21st. We were enjoying a great day and had caught around 12-15 average size stripers when towards the end of the trip Ethan hooked a monster and the battle ensued for approximately 1015 minutes with Ethan battling the fish all by himself with no physical assistance. When we landed the fish you could have heard the celebration for miles around the lake as we were in awe at the size of fish this young man had caught by himself. It was weighed on the boat
at 28 pounds and Doug stated that was the largest striper he had landed since December of last year. The lake record is close to 48 pounds. Trust me that 28 pound stripers are a very rare occurrence. Doug does not normally advocate mounting fish but stated that this was a once in a lifetime fish and recommended that Brady and Ethan keep the goliath and have it mounted. I expected Ethan to beg his dad to keep and mount it, but he never spoke a word and after a few moments of contemplating, Brady said “Let’s let him go”. We released the fish, but the goliath was worn out and floated belly up. Doug stated that was normal and it would likely revive itself in about five minutes and swim off. We all found ourselves cheering the fish on in hopes that it would swim off and after five or six minutes we all began to get worried. At that time Brady said if it does not swim off soon he would take him and get him mounted as none of us were
going to leave the fish floating in the water. A few minutes later the fish flipped over and shot to the bottom like it was shot out of a cannon. It seemed that Ethan was more excited about the fish surviving than the actual feat of catching such a trophy. We celebrated again together and then Ethan went to the front of the boat and proceeded to dance in celebration. Priceless! Ethan was diagnosed with cancer in March of this year and has been thru a tremendous amount of treatment over the last seven months. His prognosis is good and he has a very bright future in front of him. It was the first time I had ever met Ethan and found him to be an extraordinary and well-mannered young man and truly feel blessed to be a part of the memories that were created during that 20-30 minute window. I fish quite often and am 51 years old and feel quite confident that this will be the best fishing story that I will ever be a part of and share.
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Local Lakes & Forecasts What’s all the Buzz About? Contributed By: Jay Striker www.jaystriker.com
Fall has descended upon us once again. As a bass angler I have to pay close attention to what Mother Nature is telling me, because if I time it just right, I can have some of the most fun on the water the year has to offer. One of my favorite things to do in the fall is to start throwing topwater baits at the bass that are starting to school up. Let’s take a few moments and discuss using buzzbaits in the fall, covering such things as conditions, Matching the hatch: One retrieves, matching the of the tell-tale signs in bass hatch, tackle and set up. fishing during the fall is Conditions: An the abundance of baitfish interesting point I often boiling on the surface. hear is you should only When I see this “nervous throw buzzbaits when water” I get really excited it’s cloudy outside with calm still because I know most likely my waters. However, I have found buzzbait will produce some fish. that I can catch fish on buzzbaits One of the keys to fishing nervous all year long no matter what the water is that you must cast past conditions are. You see, there is no the pod of baitfish and bring your set time for me to throw a buzzbait buzzbait through it. I like to key in or topwater bait. Timing is what on what type of baitfish it is so that dictates the bait to throw. I want to I can have a color on that will match be sure I have the bait in my hand the hatch. Once you get bit be sure and throwing it whenever the time to wait for a second to feel the fish presents itself. For me, that is first load the rod before setting the hook, light in the morning when the sun or you will miss the fish. is rising. When the sun is high, I Set up and Tackle to Use: One of want to throw it in the shaded areas, the things I try to use is the lightest and when the sun sets I’ll throw it bait I can get away with. A 1/4 to 3/8 at ambush locations that are close ounce Fish Head Primal Buzz is just to some type of structure or feeding right for me. I use a 7 foot medium areas. The crazy thing is that this heavy rod with Suffix Tri-Tritium bite can happen all year long, and it co-polymer line in 14-pound test does. on a 7:1:1 reel. This way, I can make Retrieve: Sometimes, just a long cast and change the retrieve throwing a buzzbait out and winding as needed. Throwing buzzbaits in it back won’t draw many strikes. heavy cover sometimes calls for What is recommended is that you heavier line, even as high as braid alter your retrieve with these baits. if need be, but the size of my bait The number one rule when throwing rarely changes. a buzzbait is making it look like a When the leaves on the trees this fleeing or injured baitfish. This all fall start to change, take the time to through the retrieve. Whenpaired d out howhappens exceptional service, the tie on awith buzzbait. Just Sotheby’s remember that retrieving the bait, it’s important when throwing a buzzbait, vary the and advantage, bring extraordinary results! to make itwill soundtruly different and actyou retrieve, match the hatch, have the different. The way you do it is with right set-up and hang on for some an erratic stop and go retrieve, but of the best fishing of the year. Follow this can only be done by having the me on Facebook, Instagram and at right set up which includes having a www.jaystriker.com. Let’s GO! high speed reel.
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Local Lakes & Forecasts LAKE ALLATOONA STRIPER/HYBRID
Allatoona is 4 feet below full pool, but the remnants of hurricane Nate delivered a good bit of rain in early October. Expect to see the lake level drop steadily throughout November to about 7 feet below its full level of 840 feet above sea level. Water release at the dam has fluctuated greatly, but you can call the ACOE at 706-334-7213 to get information. Unseasonably warm air has kept the water warmer than normal, postponed turnover, and delayed the fall migration of striper. Overnight temps in the 40’s and 50’s are what we need to get things back to normal. This is a transitional time of year for striper and hybrid and is highly dependent on the climate. The thermocline should be dissipating which will result in more oxygenated water reaching the depths of the lake. There are good populations of fish in several key areas of the lake. If the weather gets cooler, expect some fish to travel shallow and roam water less than 10 feet deep in search of schools of shad. Other fish, especially the smaller hybrid, will remain in large wolfpacks and attack baitfish in open water. Areas where this has normally occurred are the Clark/ Tanyard confluence, Stamp/Clear area, Illinois Ck., Galt’s Ferry area, near Victoria Marina, the S-Turns, and Little River/Sweetwater. Hot lures are small spoons like the .6 ounce Flex-It, Foley Spoon, or a Kastmaster, spinners like Rooster
Acworth, GA 26 ATLANTA striper soup 1.8NS.indd 1
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Tail in ¼ or 3/8 ounce, popping cork/casting bubble rigs, small jigs and even small Alabama rigs. For live bait, Striper Soup is always your best option for a wide assortment of healthy, already purged live shad. If catching your own, smaller threadfin are mostly what you’ll find on Allatoona with a few 4-5 inch ones being the exception. Depending on the day, fish and bait may be high in the water column, or as deep as 50-60 feet. You’ll have to remain flexible and get ready for anything including but not limited to freelines, flatlines, downlines, and planer boards. Keep an eye on the water as well as your electronics and look for signs of activity like breaking fish or broken up looking schools of bait on the graph. Capt. Mack umbrella rigs continue to be a steady diet for many of Allatoona’s hybrid and striper, so if you’re into power trolling, give that a shot. Chartreuse and white are standby patterns as well as the bladed u-rigs. Striper Soup will have them in stock whenever you’re ready for a couple of rigs. Using your outboard, troll at 3.0-3.3 mph and set your rigs back 100-140 feet to attain a depth of 15-20 feet with 30-pound mono line. Braid will get a little deeper with its thinner diameter. Pulling rigs is a great to search the water looking for something to drop a live shad on. HINT: Be vigilant when navigating this time of year. Dropping water levels will make for hazardous travel in some areas on the main lake and in the major feeder creeks like Allatoona Creek and Little River. We will see many boats run aground this fall. Don’t let it be you.
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NOVEMBER 2017
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10/18/17 1:09 PM
Local Lakes & Forecasts
LARGE
CHATTOOGA RIVER
by Karl Ekberg Chattooga River Fly Shop www.chattoogariverflyshop.cm 864-638-2806 The cooler autumn air has now reached us here in the mountains of South Carolina. The leaves are changing to their fall splendid colors, the rivers are in great shape and the water temperatures are now into the low 50’s. It must be November, with much excitement about Delayed Harvest starting here on the South Carolina rivers on the first, continuing through May 14, next spring. The helicopter has flown many trips up and down the rivers, and the many thousands of fish are now abundant in the rivers. We want to thank the Walhalla Fish Hatchery, the Georgia Fisheries and all of the folks who participated in the stocking program. This is a great time to get out there and be rewarded with catching some of these very large brook, brown and rainbow trout which these fine folks have stocked. Fishing in the Delayed Harvest sections of the rivers will be an absolute delight with the amount of fish which are concentrated in the Delayed Harvest areas from the helicopter stocking. A
wide variety of flies which we carry here at the Fly Shop can be used to catch these large fish. The Delayed Harvest areas for “catch and release” on the rivers are marked with bright yellow signs. These areas are single hook, artificial only areas, with the restrictions of no live bait or scented artificial baits. Multiple fly rigs may be used as long as each fly has only one hook. Leader and tippet selection is quite simple. Just after these fish have been put into the waters, heavier is better. These fish are not shy about heavier leader and tippet size. Only after some time in the water do you have to downsize. If you are not sure what size or length to use, we can help you out with your selection. We hope to see everyone out on the rivers. We are open Tuesday thru Saturday 7am-5pm, and on Sundays 7am-2pm. We have a large assortment of Christmas ideas including gift certificates for guided trips or the fly shop, preset flies in fly boxes, fly tying materials, rods, reels, waders and boots, local artisans works, and we can ship all items daily. Let us know how we can help you with a guided trip, holiday gift ideas or information, and be sure to enjoy a great day at the river.
LAKE LANIER CRAPPIE Forecast By: Dan Saknini, Lanier Crappie Angler’s Club. www.laniercrappieanglers.net Fall is here (sort of), and crappie fishing is on the rise! After the above normal average temperatures lately, water temperature is nudging back up close to 80 degrees, with early morning surface temps a little cooler. The lake has begun to turn over, and if you are fishing the northern part of the lake, you’ll notice the gas bubbles coming off the bottom. You’ll also notice that the bait is starting to move north. That being said, there are still a lot of fish holding in some areas on the south end of the lake, and fishing is good in Four Mile Creek and Six Mile Creek. Standalone brush piles in twenty to thirty feet of water are producing best. Your downscan and sidescan electronics play a big part in
finding fish. Some brush piles will hold a lot more fish than others. Soft body jigs and hair jigs are producing equally well, such as Bobby Garland jigs. If you prefer a hair jig, Jiffy Jigs are still my preference. The fish are holding tight to the brush, and you can expect to lose a few jigs in the trees, so always carry extras. The bigger fish are scattered, but the smaller fish are in abundance and willing to bite. You may have to try six or eight brush piles, but when you find them, the fun is on! Don’t get discouraged, just keep moving until you find them. It’s always a good idea to have several spots in mind to try when you head out. The number of smaller fish that we are seeing indicates that our lake is healthy and producing new crappie. Until we have water temps consistently in the low 70’s, the bigger fish will remain more difficult to catch. Be safe on the water! Wear your life jacket as it can save your life!
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Local Lakes & Forecasts Burnin’ The Midnight Oil
By: Ryan Kennedy YouTube: Ryan Kennedy Fishing Instagram: ryankfishing ryankfishing@gmail.com
The stars are out, the crickets are chirping and the moon is shining down on a glittery bass boat. Where are you? If you’re anything like me, you are right in the middle of it all. Whether it’s taking place at a hotel parking lot out of town or simply in your driveway, there is something to be said about burning the midnight oil getting ready for a day out on the water. Sometimes boat prep starts as a parking lot party with a bunch of buddies gathered around all the boats, tying lures on, making sure all the batteries are charging, and just enjoying the company of those around you. Even though some great memories are made that way, the group fun will always wind down at some point when it’s time to turn in for the night. Right then and there, I find an extremely rewarding situation. Staying out with the boat after everything around you has settled down lets your mind think out every thought that could possibly pop into your head. Maybe it’s thinking through a day of tournament practice or scheming up tomorrow’s game plan on the water; either way there is a certain sense of freedom that comes over you. In that moment it’s you, the man upstairs, and well, that’s about it. Now some might be thinking how on earth all of that solitude could be enjoyable, but trust me, IT IS. Besides, it’s not like you don’t get to talk to anyone. Sometimes a man just has to talk out loud to himself.
Weird? Of course not. Someone has to give you expert advice, right? It all goes beyond the simple relaxation of solitude though. What else would make a person want to stay up into the dark hours of the night other than doing what you love? I fully believe that as fishermen and outdoorsmen in general we are among the most passionate and determined people on earth. There isn’t much that we wouldn’t do to protect and pursue our passion in life. You better believe that a passionate fisherman is going to stay up unreasonably late to make sure every knot tied is perfect, every tackle tray is in its place, and the gel coat on the boat is shining bright for that morning sunrise reflection. Let’s be real here. The tow vehicle may be caked in a half inch of mud, and we won’t even touch it with a hose until the boat is as close to perfect as it can be. So, is all of this time spent prepping the boat a bit excessive? Maybe, but you know as well as I do that nothing about it is going to change. Life is too short to not enjoy the little things. Yeah, you may look a little strange if someone looks out the window and sees you talking to yourself or even talking to your boat in the middle of the night, but who cares? It’s your passion and it makes you happy. Now, stop reading this and go prep that boat of yours no matter what hour of day or night it is. Get out there and burn the midnight oil! Tight Lines!
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Local Lakes & Tournaments
Gain Fishing Experience: Join a Fishing Club By John McCalpin - Vice President, North Georgia Crappie Anglers
For most of my life, I rarely went fishing. On the other hand, my wife has been an avid angler for her entire life. For twenty-plus years, she begged me to go fishing with her, and I politely refused. A few short years ago, I arranged a guided fishing trip on Lake Lanier for her birthday. The guide (Doug Youngblood of fishlanier.com) rigged two rods, handing one to my wife and placing the other in my hands. Within minutes, both rods were bent by athletic striped bass fighting to avoid a face-to-face meeting. What the fish couldn’t possibly have known, was that it was me that was hooked. I became a fishing addict in an instant. Pondering extensively why I had allowed so much time to pass without taking up this hobby, I realized that it was anchored to early experiences with fishing unsuccessfully. Without experiencing the joy of a successful fishing trip, it was easy to dismiss the notion of fishing as a way to have fun. With that barrier removed, it has become one of my favorite ways to have fun, and something else that my wife and I can share. Seeking to improve our skills, we researched extensively using books, videos, and websites, all of which contributed something, yet many of the “lessons” were not specific to our local lake. I heard about crappie fishing at my local bait shops (Oakwood Bait and Tackle, and
Sherry’s Bait & Barbeque) and how exciting it could be, and decided to focus on this species. The bait shop owner identified a local club, and suggested that there were benefits to participating in such an organization. Taking this advice, a new dimension to my fishing journey opened. It didn’t take long to realize the massive benefits of participating in a local fishing club: 1. Developing lasting friendships with other anglers 2. Sharing fishing techniques that are specific to my local lakes 3. Identifying seasonal “hot spots” that are likely to be successful 4. Learning about fishing electronics and how to use them 5. Improving boat safety 6. Gaining knowledge of fish behavior and habitat development 7. Educating new anglers and becoming a mentor There are many fishing clubs available, and most are species-specific. Depending on the lake(s) you frequently visit, the local bait shops are likely to be a good source for identifying the most active clubs for a given type of fish (e.g. striped bass, white bass, crappie, etc.). Searching the internet can also provide some information, although it is sometimes challenging to judge how active a fishing club is simply by
visiting a web page. Attend a club meeting first as a visitor, and then decide if the atmosphere and level of interaction with existing members will meet your needs. I have absorbed an incredible amount of fishing knowledge and am thoroughly enjoying participating in club-related activities (some of which go beyond fishing). It is also clear that even the most experienced anglers gain from the interaction and fellowship with other members. Without question, joining an active fishing club has been the most beneficial and rewarding part of my journey to becoming a better angler.
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Local Lakes & Forecasts
Stop andSmell the Roses
Tight Lines and Calm Seas
By Capt. Cefus McRae Nuts & Bolts Fishing Series
When I was just a lad, my grandfather would take me fishing in the spring and summer. Actually, he usually had three or four of us grandkids in the back of his Falcon station wagon. We would drive down long dirt roads, winding up at one of several farm ponds in our community. Upon arrival, we’d jump out the back window and immediately start throwing rocks and sticks on the pond. Grandpa would get us settled down, and give each of us a cane pole equipped with a bobber, a small split shot and a number 4 bronze hook. It was our job to find our own bait along the bank. A cricket, a grasshopper, or red wiggler worm would eventually make it on our hook, and then we’d sit in the shade of a majestic oak tree waiting for a bream to make the bobber disappear. My Grandpa was a live bait angler. He always said, “Why not give the fish what they eat every day, instead of trying to fool them with a piece of plastic or wood?” That made sense to me. By mid-morning a dozen or so nice bream would make it into his galvanized feed bucket, and we would take them back home for Grandma to fry up along with some corn pone and cole slaw. For me, this was a perfect way to spend a warm summer day, and I think Grandpa enjoyed it a lot too. After lunch, we’d sit on the porch and he would tell us stories of his youthful adventures growing up in the country. When summer changed to fall, Grandpa would spend an entire Saturday switching from fishing to hunting. It was sort of an annual ritual for him. Our cane poles got checked for splits, and the ones that passed his scrutiny got stacked on the rafters of the wood shed. The rods Grandpa fished with were vintage fiberglass blanks, and the reels held dacron or silk fishing line. He would methodically take the line off all his reels and completely disassemble them, carefully cleaning and greasing the myriad of gears, springs and bearings before reassembly and storage in his gunsmith shop for the winter. It was a mesmerizing procedure for a 7-year old to watch. That same afternoon, the 22’s and 20 gauges would come out. All got a light coat of oil on both the
mechanisms and the stocks. After Grandpa made sure everything was functional, all us kids would get to do a little target practice with the 22’s. Grandpa always used 22 shorts in his rifles. He said they made less noise and didn’t tear up the squirrel and rabbit meat as bad as a long rifle did. And, they were cheaper. Our targets were muscadines and scuppernongs in his vineyard. We had to point out which fruit we were aiming for, and you got three shots… that’s it. Grandpa said, “even though 22 shorts were cheap, they weren’t free”. If you hit 2 out of 3 grapes, you got to tote a gun on the next squirrel or quail hunt with him. Otherwise, you became the designated retriever. I did a lot of retrieving in my early years. Nevertheless, those were fun times. I learned a lot about Mother Nature, a lot about fishing and hunting from Grandpa, and a lot about myself too. Every fishing trip didn’t have to yield a bucket full of bream, and every hunting trip didn’t have to produce a game bag full of birds. Grandpa taught us young’uns to be respectful of the game we harvested and to appreciate the wildlife near our homestead. That’s the way he was raised, and he felt obligated to pass it on to us. I’ve tried to do the same with my kids, and I trust they will do the same for theirs. Grandpa had a lot to share. We just needed to listen. As an incorrigible little boy, I’m sure I only got about 10 percent of what he had to teach us, but I can remember a couple of his pointers. I still benefit from them today. Observe the ospreys that soar overhead, which can lead you to schools of bait and ultimately to game fish. That squirrel sitting in the next tree over, busily eating hickory nuts, will stop and watch a big buck walking down a path, letting you know which direction to focus your attention. So the next time you venture into the woods or on the water, take the time to stop and smell the roses. Enjoy your time immersed in the wonderful world of Mother Nature. Learn something from each one of your adventures, and pass it on to the next generation.
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LAKE SINCLAIR Forecast By: Ken Sturdivant ken@southernfishing.com Lake Sinclair is down 1.2 feet with the water clear and the temperature in the mid-70s. Bass fishing is fair. More bass are moving toward the creeks and coves. Early morning topwater action is good and possibly getting better. Most any surface lure could catch a few fish, but buzzbaits are really starting to shine. A good approach is to have at least 2 baits ready to use, one a 1/8 to ¼ ounce model, and the other a 3/8 to ½ ounce size. Generally a white or chartreuse/white bait is good, but black, June bug, or other dark colors can be better at times, especially on cloudy days. Scan any of the many lakes docks
with the Lowrance Structure Scan technology and look for the fish suspended under the docks. No fish, don’t fish it. Try using multiple casts to the same likely looking cover. At times, many of the fish will not strike at the first or second offering. Other baits like a Sebile Swimmer, Pop R or Chug Bug can also be best on any given day. Docks and boathouses are holding some large fish that are hitting jigs and large worms. Lightweight Texas rigs and jig head and worm rigs may catch more fish from the docks, but the jig and large worms should catch one or two kickers. Rat-L-Traps and shallow to medium running crankbaits are catching a few fish now. COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
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Wall of Fame Carter Anthony with his first ever catfish caught at Country Lake in Alpharetta
John Wallace Jones, just 7 years old, with his trout taken on a fly rod with my guide Dalton at www.flyfishblueridge
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John Hannah from Atlanta had a great day on Lake Chatuge fishing with Big Ol Fish Guiding Service catching an 11 lb hybrid and a 10.5 pound largemouth
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TIPS FROM A PRO
FRESHWATER BRANDON LESTER
B
eing from middle Tennessee, I was introduced to many diverse fisheries in my younger years. This area of the country has long been known for great smallmouth bass fishing, as it should be, but in my opinion it can’t compare to the smallmouth fishing in the Great Lakes region right now. I am certainly not bashing the smallmouth fishing down south, but fishing the Elite Series allows me to see some of the best lakes in the country, and the “good ole days” of smallmouth bass fishing on the Great Lakes is right now. Flowing out of Lake Ontario, the St. Lawrence River is one of my favorites on our schedule because it fishes similar to the rivers back home. The river has a lot of current, which positions the fish. The water is clear, and you can catch smallmouth from 2 feet deep all the way out to 60 feet. The St. Lawrence is absolutely full of smallmouth, and 30- to 40fish days are just another day on the water. In addition to the fishing, the area is also just an awesome place to spend time. Waddington, N.Y., which is our host city when we go, is in a very rural part of New York with lots of cropland and cattle farms. If you’ve not visited this fishery, I strongly suggest you do. Lake St. Clair is on fire right now. The final Elite Series tournament of the regular season was held there this year, and overall bass weights were absolutely phenomenal. The big smallmouth of the tournament weighed almost 7 pounds. In the past, tournaments on St. Clair were won by guys who ran to Lake Erie or Lake Huron, but not anymore. It seems now that St. Clair is the place to be. The style of fishing is different than most smallmouth destinations. Lake St. Clair is just a big bowl-shaped lake with a shipping channel running through the middle of it. That’s about the only real contour change on the whole lake. The big keys are
looking for clean spots in the grass and finding bait. If that doesn’t fit your style, you can run up the river toward Huron or down the Detroit River toward Erie. Both rivers have plenty of current and plenty of smallmouth. After fishing a tournament on Lake Champlain this year, it is my new favorite lake in the country. The smallmouth fishing is phenomenal, and you can catch big largemouth, too. The smallmouth hang out on offshore shoals, old bridge blow-throughs and rocky structure around the shoreline. If you get tired of catching them, there is an abundance of milfoil, docks and reeds where largemouth bass are willing and ready to bite. Lake Champlain, in my opinion, has the healthiest population of bass of anywhere I have ever fished, and that makes it fun, period. Plattsburg, N.Y. is a great place to visit, as well, with lots of cool sites to see. If you make one of these trips, be sure you’re prepared with the right MHX rods, Mustad hooks and Vicious fishing line. Hit Brandon up on Facebook or Instagram with any questions.
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t’s got the beaches, with fine white sand and the emerald green waters of the gorgeous northern Gulf of Mexico. It’s got the nightlife, the shopping and fine dining, the beautiful golf courses and everything else that draws vacationers from around the world. But what Destin, Fort Walton Beach and Okaloosa Island—the heart of northwest Florida’s Emerald Coast—have more of than anything else is fishing. Back in 1956, Florida Gov. Leroy Collins called Destin “The World’s Luckiest Fishing Village” after catching a big king mackerel on a 15-minute photo-op boat ride during the Destin Fishing Rodeo. More than 60 years later, the historic Destin Fishing Rodeo just wrapped up its 69th annual October-long event, proving once again that this fishing village is just as lucky as ever. Daily weigh-ins at the rodeo give spectators a close look at what the waters off the Emerald Coast have to offer. Excitement builds on the docks in front of the landmark AJ’s Seafood & Oyster Bar when big tuna, wahoo, king mackerel, dolphin, groupers and snappers come to the scales. And in the Billfish Division, the big sportfishing yachts are out there pulling spreads for sailfish—and marlin that easily eclipse the 500-pound mark. There have been a couple grander blue marlin caught on the northern Gulf Coast over the years and a few more that came very close to tipping the scales past the 1,000-pound mark. Even swordfish show up pretty regularly, meaning there’s a real possibility for a grand slam fishing out of the marinas of Okaloosa County. It’s world-class fishing on the Panhandle, which in recent years has seen the big pelagic species moving closer to shore with changing currents. And what’s more, the action is yearround. There’s a good reason the world’s largest charter fishing fleet is based out of Destin Harbor.
Nearshore
Nearshore, warm and fertile Gulf waters coupled with numerous wrecks and reefs to create some of the most bountiful fishing Florida has to offer. With a short boat ride less than 8 miles off the beach, anglers can bottom fish or troll with family pleasing and cooler-filling consistency for amberjack, numerous snapper and grouper species, cobia, blackfin tuna, king and Spanish mackerel and more.
Offshore
Due south about 25 to 30 miles out, the continental shelf drops and there are multiple renowned hotspots, with some of the best big game fishing in the Gulf. South Florida seems to get most of the bright, hot spotlight when it comes to the big pelagics, but serious anglers out of the Emerald Coast quietly and consistently catch serious fish. Whether it’s a full-day trolling trip or an overnight expedition deep into the Gulf, dolphin, blue marlin, tuna and
wahoo are available to those who mean business when it comes to fishing.
Inshore
Those who would rather explore grass flats and oyster beds in search of trout or tailing redfish will also find that on the Emerald Coast. Inside East Pass and Okaloosa Island, Choctawhatchee Bay spreads out vast and shallow. It’s the perfect place to launch a skiff or a kayak into 130 square miles of inshore action that’s some of the best on the Panhandle.
Spring Cobia
Finally, any discussion of fishing options around the Emerald Coast has to include the cobia run, which is one of the best on the planet. Book your charter now, because in spring—peaking in April—cobia that have migrated north along the Gulf Coast arrive off the beaches bringing some of the most exciting fishing there is. This is sight fishing for one of the ocean’s tastiest and hardest fighting fish, and during this spring run they can arrive with weights in excess of 100 pounds. With a spotter in the tower, you cruise the clear blue-green waters looking for the telltale brown shadows of a pod of cobia doggedly pushing west. With a Airline_CoastalAnglerAd_3-2016_Layout 1 3/18/16 1:07 PM Page 1 smooth approach, the boat moves to intercept, and then it’s up to the angler to make an accurate cast with a live bait or a jig. Anticipation is almost unbearable for a few seconds before the take, and then bedlam breaks loose. Cobia put up the most unpredictable fight in fishing. They are capable of long, drag-burning runs, leaps, rolls and deep dives, but sometimes they save the thrashing until they hit the deck. Either way, catching a big cobia is exciting, and there’s no better grilling fish that swims. So, while the Emerald Coast offers gorgeous beaches and all the activity of a top-notch beach vacation destination, on the water it remains what it was before the Miracle Strip and Harbor Boulevard grew up around it. It’s one of the best fishing destinations in the world in terms of quality, quantity and variety of angling opportunities. For information, go to www.emeraldcoastfl. com. COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
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ITEM 69676/69729/63080/63079 shown ITEM 69728/63090/63089, CALIFORNIA ONLY
$
COMPARE TO
99
ITEM 69087 60379 91616 shown
98
*52331956 * 52331956
LIMIT 7 - Coupon valid through 3/1/18*
$8
$3999
COMPARE TO $ 62 PORTER-CABLE MODEL: PCFP02003
Customer Rating
SAVE 65%
3 PIECE 26", 4 DRAWER TITANIUM TOOL CART HIGH SPEED STEEL • 6200 cu. in. of storage STEP BIT SET • 580 lb. capacity
SAVE 85%
YOUR CHOICE
5699
LIMIT 3 - Coupon valid through 3/1/18*
SUPER COUPON
Customer Rating
99
HEAVY DUTY FOLDABLE ALUMINUM SPORTS CHAIR
$54
ITEM 60637/61615 95275 shown
SAVE 59% $ • Air delivery: 0.6 CFM @ 90 PSI, 1 CFM @ 40 PSI
$1 999
ITEM 62515 66911 shown
LIMIT 4 - Coupon valid through 3/1/18*
• GFCI outlets
$
119
99
A. HOT DOG
ITEM 69269/97080 shown
B. PANCAKE
STEP STOOL/ WORKING PLATFORM
Customer Rating
*52352148 * 52352148 • Drill 28 Hole Sizes from 1/8" to 3/4"
B
SUPER COUPON
SUPER COUPON
$
SAVE $64
1999
*52331660 * 52331660
MODEL: 7424XP
SUPER COUPON
SUPER QUIET
$
PORTER-CABLE
LIMIT 4 - Coupon valid through 3/1/18*
4000 MAX. STARTING/ Customer Rating 3200 RUNNING WATTS 6.5 HP (212 CC) GAS GENERATOR
$9
COMPARE TO
Tools sold separately.
$12999
99
8497
A
SAVE 88%
YOUR CHOICE
MODEL: H2DTWA
Customer Rating
ITEM 93454/69054 63395/62603 shown
$
COMPARE TO
SUPER COUPON
3 GALLON, 100 PSI OIL-FREE AIR COMPRESSORS
LIMIT 5 - Coupon valid through 3/1/18*
SUPER COUPON
SAVE $285
• Accuracy within ±4%
Customer Rating
LIMIT 3 - Coupon valid through 3/1/18*
60" HARDWOOD WORKBENCH 6" VARIABLE SPEED WITH 4 DRAWERS DUAL ACTION POLISHER
LIMIT 1 coupon per customer per day. Save 20% on any 1 item purchased. *Cannot be used with other discount, coupon or any of the following items or brands: Inside Track Club membership, Extended Service Plan, gift card, open box item, 3 day Parking Lot Sale item, compressors, floor jacks, saw mills, storage cabinets, chests or carts, trailers, trenchers, welders, Admiral, Bauer, Cobra, CoverPro, Daytona, Earthquake, Hercules, Jupiter, Lynxx, Poulan, Predator, Tailgator, Viking, Vulcan, Zurich. Not valid on prior purchases. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 3/1/18.
LIMIT 1 - Cannot be used with other discount, coupon or prior purchase. Coupon good at our stores, HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Offer good while supplies last. Shipping & Handling charges may apply if not picked up in-store. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 3/1/18. Limit one FREE GIFT coupon per customer per day.
*52330318 * 52330318
LIMIT 8 - Coupon valid through 3/1/18*
*52309815 * 52309815
*52320448 * 52320448
SUPER COUPON
SAVE 70%
ANY SINGLE ITEM
ITEM 63604/63758 98025/69096/63759/90899 shown
LIMIT 4 - Coupon valid through 3/1/18*
$9
20% OFF
• 3.5" LCD Display • Battery Included
MODEL: DCD780C2
12 VOLT MAGNETIC SAVE TOWING LIGHT KIT $106
13
51
MODEL: MT-1210
*52324497 * 52324497
LIMIT 3 - Coupon valid through 3/1/18*
$
ANY PURCHASE
7 FUNCTION DIGITAL MULTIMETER
COMPARE TO
HOME DEPOT
SAVE $80
99
ITEM 63100
WITH
Customer Rating
• 576 in. lbs. of torque • 2.5 amp hour battery • Weighs 3.6 lbs.
$7999 $9599 Customer Rating
SUPER COUPON
20 VOLT LITHIUM CORDLESS 1/2" COMPACT DRILL/DRIVER KIT
HUSKY
20"
SAVE $69
Customer Rating
$
FREE
M-REG109349_CoastalAnglerMagazine
DEWALT
BEATS
SUPER COUPON
NOVEMBER 2017
NATIONAL
17
10/6/17 9:40 3:42 AM PM 10/19/17
SUZUKI MAKES IT
EASY AS
1-2-3
The leaves might be falling, but the deals are just starting to spring up at your Suzuki Marine dealer. Make your best Fall Boat Show deal on a new Suzuki outboard from 25 to 300 horsepower and take advantage of not just one, but all three special Suzuki offers. See your Suzuki Marine dealer today and get on the water with a powerful, reliable new Suzuki.
REPOWER FINANCE
1. Six Years of Protection at no extra charge on all new outboards 25 to 300 HP.
2. Cash Rebates on select models. See your dealer for details.
3. Rates as low as 5.99% on new Suzuki outboards (OAC).*
Gimme Six Extended Protection promo is applicable to new Suzuki Outboard Motors from 25 to 300 HP in inventory which are sold and delivered to buyer between 9/01/17 and 12/31/17 in accordance with the promotion by a Participating Authorized Suzuki Marine dealer in the continental US and Alaska to a purchasing customer who resides in the continental US or Alaska. Customer should expect to receive an acknowledgement letter and full copy of contract including terms, conditions and wallet card from Suzuki Extended Protection within 90 days of purchase. If an acknowledgement letter is not received in time period stated, contact Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. – Marine Marketing via email: marinepromo@suz.com. The Gimme Six Promotion is available for pleasure use only, and is not redeemable for cash. Cash Rebates apply to qualifying purchases of select Suzuki Outboard Motors made between 9/01/17 and 12/31/17. For list of designated models, see participating Dealer or visit www.suzukimarine.com. Customer and participating Dealer must fill out the appropriate rebate form at time of sale. Cash rebate will be applied against the original dealer invoice (Suzuki will credit Dealer parts account). There are no model substitutions, benefit substitutions, rain checks, or extensions. Suzuki reserves the right to change or cancel these promotions at any time without notice or obligation. * Financing offers available through Synchrony Retail Finance. As low as 5.99% APR financing for 60 months on new and unregistered Suzuki Outboard Motors. Subject to credit approval. Not all buyers will qualify. Approval, and any rates and terms provided, are based on credit worthiness. $19.99/month per $1,000 financed for 60 months is based on 5.99% APR. Hypothetical figures used in calculation; your actual monthly payment may differ based on financing terms, credit tier qualification, accessories or other factors such as down payment and fees. Offer effective on new, unregistered Suzuki Outboard Motors purchased from a participating authorized Suzuki dealer between 9/01/17 and 12/31/17. “Gimme Six”, the Suzuki “S” and model names are Suzuki trademarks or ®. Don’t drink and drive. Always wear a USCG-approved life jacket and read your owner’s manual. © 2017 Suzuki Motor of America, Inc.
CANGL_NAT3-NAT18.indd 18
SZ_Q4Promo_1PG.indd 1
10/19/17 9:40 AM 9/8/17 2:55 PM
COMMON CVRS_1117.indd 3
10/18/17 3:19 PM
© 2017 Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries
THIS SEEMS TO BE THE PLACE WHERE ALL THE FISH HANG OUT. I THINK I’LL DROP IN.
12”
PROGRAMMABLE
HOT KEYS
PRELOADED
BUILT-IN
BLUECHART® G2 + LAKEVUU¨ HD CHIRP SONAR + CLEARVUU¨ + SIDEVU¨
GPSMAP® 1242xsv
COMMON CVRS_1117.indd 4 17-MCJT512 GPSMAP 1224xsv Coastal Fishing Ad_US-8.125x10.875-CoatalAngler.indd 1
10/18/17 3:19 PM 3/8/17 9:13 AM