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By CAM Staff A truck load of kayaks from Confluence Outdoors was overnighted to Texas for use in water rescues.
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t was an historic hurricane season. With Harvey battering the Texas and Louisiana Gulf Coast and Irma strafing the length of Florida, damage from high winds and flooding was catastrophic. It is in such trying times that the American spirit shines. Harvey slammed ashore near Rockport, Texas on Aug. 25 and stalled out over southeast Texas, dropping up to 52 inches of rain over the next five days. The flooding was cataclysmic. Major highways turned to rivers and much of the Houston area was under water. Even as floodwaters rose, lines began forming on the sides of the highway. These were volunteers headed into the deluge to launch boats from freeway off-ramps. It looked like the launch line for the world’s largest fishing tournament. It was a proud moment for the fishing community. Anglers from all over the region rushed to the rescue pulling bass boats, jonboats and skiffs. Dubbed the Cajun Navy, this rag-tag bunch of heroes— along with official emergency response—conducted thousands of water recues. And response from the fishing and boating industries was strong as well. The following are few examples of how the fishing industry stepped in with a helping hand. Confluence Outdoors leaped into action as the magnitude of the flooding became clear. They overnighted a semi-truck load of Wilderness Systems and Perception kayaks to Houston. The boats, as well as paddles and PFDs provided by Confluence, were used in high-water rescue by Houston authorities. Honda went to work moving needed products like generators and water pumps to affected areas. And while Honda dealers went to work in rescue efforts, Honda Marine went to work making sure those dealers were stocked up to serve their communities with vital equipment. Additionally, Honda pledged $100,000 to the American Red Cross. The pledge will consist of a corporate contribution as well as a dollar-for-dollar matching gift program for Honda associate contributions. Evinrude immediately donated a boat and motor to a volunteer fire department in Lockport, Texas. The second phase of their relief effort was to deploy a wave of engines to area boatbuilders as well as food and clothing. Evinrude also agreed to match dollar-for-dollar donations to the American Red Cross made by employees. Suzuki, through its Texas dealers, donated boats, motors, ATVs and time to the rescue efforts. In addition, Suzuki provided two outboards to rescue efforts for Carolina Skiff boats that were on their way to Ron Hoover Marine, which has multiple locations in the affected area. Orvis recognized an immediate need for rain gear and wading gear. As well as supplying as many as they could, Orvis put the call out for individuals to ship waders, boots and rain jackets to the San Antonio Orvis location for distribution to rescue personnel. Platypus Fishing Line pledged to donate 100 percent of its website profits in September to the Red Cross Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund. The storms and damage from this season’s hurricanes were enormous, and so was the outpouring of support. As anglers and boaters, we should be proud of the response from our community.
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Fly Fishing GEAR
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Without sacrificing durability, Simms’ has constructed its most comfortable, best fitting and most breathable wader in the new G3 Guide Stockingfoot Wader. The G3 Guide was awarded Best Fly Fishing Accessory at ICAST 2017. Constructed with 4-layer GORE-TEX Pro Shell fabric in the legs and three-layer in the upper, this wader concentrates durability where it is needed most while providing added breathability. It takes comfort and mobility to a new level. The wader comes equipped with a chest pocket, removable flip-out Tippet Tender , hand-warmer pockets, integrated utility tabs and also features Simms’ patented front and back leg seams, gravel guards, and suspenders with opposing YKK buckles that allow for a waist-high conversion. It is available in models for men and women.
How many times have your clunky old tippet caddies gotten tangled in the bushes or hung up in slack line? Goat Head Spool Clips are an ingenious new way to carry spools of tippets more securely. Their simple and compact design keeps your spools handy yet out of the way at the same time. A single Spool Clip will hold two standard tippet spools and fits securely to most nylon straps. Spool Clips are made in the U.S.A. from 100 percent recycled plastic. They are simple, rugged, compact, versatile and always ready when you need them.
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www.goatheadgear.com Orvis Helios 3
Douglas Argus Reel There is no denying the beauty and simplicity of a clickcheck reel. Without the advantage of a disc drag, the angler is more in touch with the fish and fights are more fun. The Douglas Argus Fly Reel is a fine looking click-check reel that gets you closer to the fish. It is a shared legacy between longtime anglers and the next demanding generation. On one hand, it is a beautiful reel. On the other, there is no undue advantage given to the angler. Reel includes a twilled pouch. It is made in Upstate New York out of machined bar stock 6061 aircraft aluminum with a standard arbor, and reversible click check with rim-positioned adjustment. The rim is laser textured for palming. The reel seat is constructed of marine brass.
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Arc 99+ Fly Line
There is a famous quote by Wyatt Earp, “Fast is fine, but accuracy is everything.” In fly fishing, accuracy is everything. The difference between success and failure is often measured in inches. All modern fly rods are powerful, but accuracy is the new frontier in design. Making an 80-foot cast in saltwater is prospecting. Making a forty-foot cast on the nose of a laid-up tarpon is fishing. The H3 brings a fundamental shift from flex profiles to a new frontier in accuracy and purpose-driven design. Helios 3F and 3D each offer uncompromising purpose. 3F is accuracy with finesse, a dry fly angler’s dream. 3D is accuracy with power at distance for pinpoint delivery of larger flies. The difference is taper and stiffness, but the design foundation of accuracy remains constant. The H3 is the pinnacle of purpose, designed to master the moment and meet the demands of accuracy on a spring creek with a 3F or a tarpon flat with a 3D.
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Designed for today’s faster action fly rods, the ARC 99+ is a half line size heavier and features a more condensed taper than standard true-to-size fly lines. This additional weight and specialized taper design loads fast action rods easier, resulting in longer, more accurate casts. Built around our 6 percent low-stretch Response Core, the ARC 99+ incorporates the latest advancements in fly line design, including transition zones, a super high floating permanent Nano PTFE coating and a low-friction, grooved line profile. We call this ZNG Technology. This makes the ARC 99+ one of the longest casting, highest floating and easiest mending fly lines on the market today. 10
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By CAM Staff
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ur grandfathers used old-school bamboo fly rods to create some of the greatest fishing stories of all time. That most of these stories took place on famous trout streams still influences what people think about bamboo’s place in fly fishing. Caleb Turner, of Turner Bamboo Fly Rods, has a different take on bamboo rods in the modern world. “Bamboo has a special place in the very heart of fly fishing, from the great western streams to the small streams of the Appalachians, but they don’t come to mind when people are talking the salt flats,” Caleb said. According to the Turners, there’s a misconception that there are no fast action bamboo fly rods, and that only the fastest action rods can be used in saltwater. Most rod makers and bamboo enthusiasts know this isn’t only untrue… it isn’t even the point.
“The feel found in bamboo rods is often confused with action for people picking up a bamboo rod for the first time,” Caleb said. “When they feel the action in the rod, they often over accelerate their forward cast causing them to lose energy in the line.” Caleb’s recommendation is to let the rod do the work, and to concentrate on technique. “It’s easier to feel when the rod is loaded with bamboo, and this really comes more into play for us on the flats than trout streams,” he said. What the Turners do differently than most other bamboo rod makers is cater to saltwater fly fishing. They are located in Mississippi right next to some of the most technical redfish flats on the Gulf Coast. “We design our saltwater fly rods with a fast action for stiff winds and quick-moving redfish that spook way more easily than their Louisiana counterparts,” Caleb said. With water the same color as the redfish, wind, and the need to have eyes of an Osprey, fly fishing the Mississippi Gulf Coast is more like bonefishing. “Bamboo gives us the action we need, the feel we need, and it’s able to load up at short distances but also extend a long cast to extremely wary redfish found around here.” Caleb said. “Tonkin cane grows in a 30-square-kilometer area in the Orient’s Sui River Valley. It is praised as the strongest species of bamboo with the greatest thickness of power fibers. These power fibers are what give bamboo rods what they have more than other material used in crafting fly rods, their touch. Despite what action you desire, bamboo rods offer a certain touch you just can’t get with anything else. If a rod is designed correctly, you can have all the action you need and still have that great feel. The rod lets you know when it’s loaded instead of having to figure out the timing for that individual rod.” In short, bamboo fly rods definitely have their place in modern performing fly rods. Accuracy, touch and presentation are things bamboo rod makers strive for in crafting their rods. If you get a hold of a quality rod, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by all the things it can do. For more information on bamboo fly rods or Turner Bamboo Fly Rods visit www.turnerflyrods.com or email caleb@turnerflyrods.com.
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was a dime-bright fish of only 6 or so iK e pounds that still had the power to get j o s, Ic the reel deep into its backing. There is no better way to begin a fishing journey than when it all comes together early on. We knew we would be experiencing yet another trip of a lifetime. With the sun only slightly hitting the horizon and a brief glimpse of darkness for what seems like only minutes, the days are filled with subtle takes of the fly, followed by sips of Brennivin, cast and repeat. We ended the trip in the same fashion as it started. Another sleek salmon peels line and leaps. At the end of the run, Raven dips the net and we release the fish to bid farewell for what is hopefully only another year until we return. With Raven being the pilot, Brian, Kyle and I explored areas that have been experienced by few. Targeting trophy fish in such a landscape with close friends only solidifies the need for one to explore, be bewildered and experience life events that shape you as a person. Iceland will leave your soul fulfilled but still wanting more.
a
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asting into a pool where fish leap and dragons rise brings emotions that cannot be found in many places. From the etched lava landscape to the clean cold water, Iceland offers anglers a backdrop to a story that will always begin with the statement, “It was the trip of a lifetime.” With three trips in three consecutive years, I can use the all-too cliché fishing phrase, “I am hooked” on Iceland. Page after page can be written about the acrobatic Atlantic salmon, the headstrong pull of a sea-run brown trout, the rocky canyons, waterfalls, and the art of fishing a hitched tube-fly. There is so much that pulls an angler to Icelandic rivers. For the past three years, I have spent the end of July fishing the Laxa i Kjos, a smaller river in southwestern Iceland about an hour from the capital city, Reykjavik. The river allows an angler to experience much of what Icelandic topography has to offer. From the large pools in the coastal beats, where an angler can’t help but stare out toward the Atlantic Ocean, to the meandering turns of the pastoral meadow sections, and deep narrow-cut canyons that carve the hillside until you reach Thorufoss, the impassable falls, home to a famous scene from the popular series “Game of Thrones.” The landscape, at least to me, is secondary to those that accompany you on the journey. On this year’s trip, I was fortunate enough to return to the river with good friends: Brian, who has made the trip with me before; Kyle, a friend who would be experiencing this fabled land for the first time; and our guide Hrafn (Raven), who brings an entire new appreciation to the fly fishing guide world with a persona that is somewhat mythical, just like the waters we were wading in. Arriving in Iceland, most anglers have aspirations of watching a tube fly skate across the surface of crystal waters, witnessing the careful eat of the fly and the line going tight with the initial run of one of the fly world’s most sought after quarry, an Atlantic salmon. We were fortunate enough to be those anglers. The first fish of the trip was caught soon after arrival. It
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ou can open and run your own fishing magazine. All you need is a little help and support. You truly can do it. You can leave the rat race. You can (and should) earn your money doing something that you are passionate about. You can (and should) love your work. That’s where Coastal Angler and The Angler Magazine’s franchise publishing system comes in. We have helped individuals just like you open and develop successful publications throughout the Continental U.S., The Bahamas, the Virgin Islands and even Costa Rica. If you love the outdoors and think you would be better suited running your own business than watching a clock, give us a call; we may very well have what you’ve been looking for.
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Our franchisees enjoy the freedom to manage their own time and, to a great extent, their incomes, as well. If you see being involved in your local fishing community as a job that you would truly enjoy then you owe it to yourself to check out our franchise opportunities. We’re looking for avid anglers who want to earn their living in the marine industry. Our franchise system is a great way to earn money doing what you love. Our training program and support system enables individuals with no prior publishing experience to publish viable and profitable localized editions of the magazine and to build sustainable careers in publishing. Yes, there is some sales effort involved in running your own
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TIPS FROM A PRO
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C
BRANDON LESTER
always catch them on a drop shot. The key to the drop shot is to watch your electronics. If I note the fish are not right on the bottom with my Raymarine units, I make my leader up to 20 inches long so it sits right in their face. The rod I build for the drop shot is the MHX EPS-81MLXF. It is a 6’9” medium-light power with an extra-fast tip. I spool it with 10-pound Vicious No-Fade braid and an 8-pound fluorocarbon leader. I prefer a wacky-rigged, 6” MB Fat Finesse Worm from X-Zone, using a 1/4 to 3/8 drop shot weight and a Mustad Titan-X Wacky Neko hook. If the water has at least a couple feet of visibility, you can save yourself some time by utilizing an underwater camera. Knowing the fish down there are bass and not catfish really helps. This year I switched over to an Aqua Vu camera that displays on my Raymarine unit. Seeing is believing, let me tell you!
ome late summer, you just don’t see megaschools on the offshore ledges and dropoffs. The fish have been pounded on all summer, and with a few cooler nights the fish will head to grass, schooling on top and chasing shad. What were once 50-fish schools might now just be eight to 10 fish. These fish can be hard to catch, but as the numbers of deep fishermen dwindle, the more apt the fish will be to bite. The community holes are the places to begin looking. Community holes earn that reputation because fish live there. It is rare for all the fish from a mega-school to up and leave, so chances are you’ll still be able to catch a few. If they’re not right on the main part of the community hole, look for transition areas leading to where the shad will be in fall. A lot of times you just have to get out there with the graph and hunt for them. You can also fish for them. There are random groups of fish scattered up and down ledges. Anglers who spend a lot of time graphing will miss these roaming fish. While covering water by moving down a ledge, you are likely to run into some. If I am able to locate a small school with my electronics, my first choice is a 12-inch worm Texas rigged on a ½-ounce weight. I use 14- to 17-pound Vicious fluorocarbon. I enjoy this technique so much that I helped design the perfect hook for it. The Mustad 2X Big Bite hook in 5/0 or 6/0 is perfect for a 12-inch worm. It has a longer shank, which helps with hook-up percentage. I’ve found it is also the perfect hook for my X-Zone Center Stick. I use the MHX EPS-86MHF baitcast rod from Mud Hole Custom Tackle. It is a 7’ 2”, medium-heavy power. It took me an hour and forty-five minutes to build this rod. It is easy and fun to Get more tips from Lester at knock them out. A ½-ounce War Eagle jigging spoon and a big crankbait like a Strike King 6XD will be the other baits I’ll throw. And you can Airline_CoastalAnglerAd_3-2016_Layout 1 3/18/16 1:07 PM Page 1
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BLUE RIDGE Big Snowbird Creek, Graham County: Oct. 10 & Nov. 16 Fires Creek, Clay County: Oct. 5 & Nov. 13 Upper Nantahala, Macon County: Oct. 9 & Nov. 2 Upper Tuckasegee, Jackson County: Oct. 3/4 & Nov. 8/15 Lower Tuckasegee, Swain County: Oct. 5 & Nov. 6 Obviously, the closer you can schedule your fishing trip to the stocking dates, the easier it is to put lots of fish in the net. The next stockings will occur in March, April and May. WHAT FLIES TO FISH Egg patterns, Y2K patterns and streamers work well close to the stocking dates. Trout will hit just about anything right after being stocked in the river. As it gets later in the month, they become more challenging to catch. Good fall-back flies include black, olive and white Woolly Buggers, Pat’s Rubber Legs and a variety of nymphs including Prince Nymphs and Pheasant Tails. Watch for dry fly hatches of October caddis, blue wing olives and Cahills.
DELAYED HARVEST TROUT SEASON IS ON By Ken Kastorff
F
all is here, and we are excited about the delayed harvest trout fishing season. We are fortunate to have a wide variety of delayed harvest streams to choose from here in Western North Carolina. WHERE TO GO If you are looking for small remote streams to wade fish, where you don’t have to worry about scheduled releases, then Big Snowbird Creek or Fires Creek are perfect destinations. If you are looking for easier access wading, then the upper Nantahala River would be a good option. One of the more popular rivers to wade fish is the upper Tuckasegee. Be aware that flows can change rapidly on this river. It is not a good place to find yourself caught mid stream in waders with the water rising. It is also oft times very crowded and is one of the rivers I avoid on weekends. The lower Tuckasegee can be much more of a challenge to wade fish because of higher flows but is generally not as crowded. If wading is not your cup of tea, then some of the best winter delayed harvest float fishing trips can be enjoyed on both the upper and lower Tuckasegee River. WHEN TO GO Here is a list of the upcoming delayed harvest stocking schedules for the streams in Western Carolina.
Ken Kastorff owns of Endless River Adventures, an outfitter located on the Nantahala River. For information, see endlessriveradventures.com or call 800-224-7238.
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October 2017 PUBLISHER: BOB RICE CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: NICK CARTER HENRY COWEN DR. ANDREW COX CAPT. JAKE DAVIS JIM FARMER THE FISH HAWK RONNIE HALL JMMY HARRIS CAPT. CEFUS MCRAE CHRIS SCALLEY GARY TURNER NOEY VINEYARD O'NEILL WILLIAMS RENE J. HESSE JIMBO MATHLEY JAMES BRADLEY DAVID HULSEY WAYNE WOOTEN STEVEN KING RYAN KENNEDY JAY STRIKER 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
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Local Rivers & Fly Fishing
October Fly Fishing Report If September’s cool weather carries forward to October, then fly anglers can finally break out the heavier weight gear for striped bass. It is likely that we have already been playing with topwater stripers for the past couple of weeks. Put away the 6 and 7 weight outfits and get the 8 and 9 weight outfits back in service. For most lakes around North Georgia, October means it’s time to keep a pair of binoculars handy as it is TOPWATER season. The lakes will surely have started their turnover process and the Corp of Engineers should be pulling water down every afternoon to get the lakes into their winter water levels. This has a lot of
significance to anglers who want to search for busting fish as the pull of water creates a manmade tide (if you will) and causes the fish to look up and eat on or just below the surface. In early October our bite should start out with the spotted bass being the most consistent topwater feeders. They will feed on both small shad and blue back herring. You might find singles breaking the surface or wolf pack groups of 10-15 fish blowing up on top. Either way, a run and gun approach is what you need. Make sure your trolling motors are charged to the max as you will be moving all around to get to these fast feeding demons. While it is always best to employ your electric motor to keep as stealthy an approach as possible, sometimes you just have to give in and use the big engine to get up on the fish as quickly as possible. Fly rodders can have a ball tossing floating lines with Wiggle Minnows and Game Changers attached to 15-pound tippet. Put your rod under your arm and strip with a hand over hand retrieve and watch these fish explode on your offering. It is some of the most exciting fishing of the season. Generally speaking, Lanier’s bass and stripers will be mostly a herring bite. By the time we get into the end of October, it is likely that the bite will change over to a small sized 2 ATLANTA
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threadfin shad pattern. Last year our striper bite started around the third week of October with crazy numbers of fish feeding on the surface. A blitz on top looks like someone has put a blender on the water’s surface! I suspect this year will be off the chart good as we have seen an entire year class of fish (2012) that can tolerate slightly warmer surface water temperatures due to their smaller size (6-8 pounds). My guess is that the stripers will be feasting on both 1 ½”-2” long threadfin shad as well as 4”- 6” long blue back herring. Start by tossing herring type flies or lures (if conventional fishing). Any small to medium sized fly thrown on an intermediate slow sinking line should get you a bite. What fly you throw is not that important. However, what is important is to MATCH THE SIZE OF THE SHAD OR HERRING. So small flies like my Something Else or Albie Anchovy are good choices if you are in the middle of a threadfin shad blitz. Game Changers are your ticket for matching the herring blitz, which tends to end earlier if the water cools down below 70 degrees. Conventional anglers can toss small bucktails on light lines or even a casting bubble rigged with a small fly to match the shad and can toss Sebiles, Redfins and Chug Bugs if the stripers are feeding on herring. By the time our beloved Georgia BullDawgs are 8-0, you can rest assured that the threadfin shad bite will be going off. First light until 9am will also be another good time to get out and give these fish a try. On Lanier, the fish will show best from mid-lake down to the south end. You just need to ride and keep a set of binoculars handy to help spot the busting fish. There are no birds on Lanier to help find the fish in October. No sir, that is November’s pattern to help locate the fish. One last thing anglers can do is start fishing the shallow sandy points by the end of the month. You do this using intermediate lines along with bigger flies like 5”-6” long Deceivers, Snake Flies and the like. It is at this time of year that the Bomber bite fires up. Conventional anglers will toss Bomber Long A lures on shallow sandy points in the dark and catch stripers feeding shallow on gizzard shad. Best colors for the Bomber bite is bubble gum pink, black or dark purple. If you have never tried this
bite, you have no clue what you are missing. As a fly rod angler, I toss a hookless Bomber Long A until I get a tug. I am using my hookless Bomber as a bird dog to help locate the fish. Then I break out my fly rod and throw it until I move on to another point and start with the conventional gear again. So that is what October has in store for North Georgia anglers. This strategy will work on other area lakes too as stripers don’t know where they
live. They just want to eat. Try these tactics on Lakes Hartwell, Allatoona, Carters and even Clark’s Hill. Just remember that while you are awaiting a topwater bite to occur, you can toss these same flies and lures on humps that are 20-25’ deep. Any hump that is around deeper water will more than likely hold a fish or two, and you can raise them up on a fly or lure worked near the surface. These fish are usually feeding on herring in the 4-6” length. So tossing Sebiles, Redfins or pencil poppers can get you a few extra bites while waiting for surfacing fish. Cool mornings, crisp nights, UGA football and dreams of marauding fish with stripes along their sides. What could be better? See you on the pond!
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The Guide's Angle
Contributed By: Chris Scalley River Through Atlanta Guide Service
Tournament Time! It’s time for the second annual 2017 Quality Catch and Sweet Release Tournament presented by The ORVIS Company and Sweetwater Brewing Company. Last year the tournament took place in May 2016 and the winner was Ryan Johnson with an impressive 31” brown beast with runners-up ranging from 16” to 23”. This year the fly fishing tournament will be during the entire month of October 2017. All the monies raised from the tournament will be donated to the Chattahoochee Riverkeeper for monitoring water quality. River Through Atlanta Guide Service will be offering a special deal for participants with a flat rate of $300.00 for a six hour drift boat float trip for one or two people.
By utilizing a guide-operated watercraft, it will help participants to up their odds by covering lots of water with expert guides who know the nuances of the river, but remember, you can fish independently as well. It is FLY FISHING ONLY, CATCH and RELEASE ONLY. First prize will be a Helios-2 Limited edition Sweetwater 9 foot 5wt fly rod with 2nd and 3rd place prizes. There will also be weekly best biggest fish prizes to keep it interesting. The cost to register is $25.00. Please go to this link: https://chattahoochee. org/quality-Hooch/. Pick up your special tape measuring device at ORVIS, Sweetwater Brewing Company or your local fly shops. Tight lines!
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Local Rivers & Fly Fishing Festivals and Brown Trout
Contributed by James Bradley www.ReelEmInGuideService.com (706) 273-0764
September’s norms got blown out of the water with changes in temperature and with the normal rain pattern. This was due to cold fronts and the hurricanes bringing us rain. These cool mornings are bringing fond memories of last year’s spawning brown trout. First, let’s talk about our annual festival that takes place here in Ellijay, Georgia. It is the Apple Festival and is always the second and third full weekends in October. Thousands among thousands will make their annual trip to Ellijay for this arts and crafts festival. For the first timer, it must be one of the coolest festivals in Georgia and maybe in the Southeast, and then you can go visit the area’s apple houses. One apple house east of Ellijay on Hwy 52 has grown into one of the area’s biggest attraction with tractor/wagon rides, pig races, apple cannons, zip lining through the orchards, etc. Fun for everyone, but let’s not forget about the fly
fishing up here in our mountains too! On the fishing scene, many things are beginning to happen in October. The stream temperatures are starting to cool off which urges the brown trout to begin their spawning activity. Just up the road, North Carolina’s Delayed Harvest streams will be opening. A couple of drawbacks are leaves falling into the streams which can hinder your presentation, and low water that is usually gin clear causes the trout to become increasingly wary. On the bright side, up in the mountains, the fall leaf colors can be amazing and worth the trip itself! Some worthy tips about the brown trout: Spawning takes place during the fall when the water temperatures range between 44-48 degrees. Spawning sites are in the upper portion of the stream or small tributary.
• They have few to no spots on their tail compared to other salmonids. They have color, usually red, on their adipose fin. • Some refer to them as the German Brown or Butter Belly. • Browns are primarily insect eaters until they get around 15 inches in length, then they begin eating other fish! They feed on the surface more than other trout with the heaviest being around dawn and dusk. • Of the salmonid family, they have a relatively short life span with a maximum up to 8 years. • Preferred water temperature ranges 60-65 degrees. The type water preferred is slow to medium. • Browns are the most cover oriented of all trout. October 1st marks the opening of the delayed harvest streams in North Carolina. Many come to mind like the Tuckasegee where we like to do float trips, the Nantahala, Valley River and Fires Creek being three of the closer ones if you are in the central part of Georgia. These DH sections are catch and release with artificial only until June 1st. If fishing the early season of the DH, use junk flies like eggs, Y2Ks, San Juan and Squirmy worms for fast hookups. As the DH season drags on, begin switching back to naturals!
Don’t forget about asking us about our float trips. We are currently doing floats on the Toccoa Tailwater and she is fishing pretty good with some days being awesome! 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, offering over 7 miles of private trophy waters across Georgia, and operate drift boat 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
Casting Into the Wind I hope you and your family have fared well after the storms that have impacted so many lives. Events like these help keep things in perspective, don’t they? What’s important in life comes to the front of our minds when faced with these kind of tragic events. Fly fishing usually is last on the list of things we focus on with a hurricane. However, when I had a family reunion planned last September in the Florida Gulf Coast, we had to look at the storms and decide if we can fish in that weather. Our family vacations have always revolved around fishing. Even though it was Mom’s 93rd birthday, I spent more time tying flies and planning on how to catch reds and specs’ off the jetty than picking out a gift for her. Mom would understand. So when my brother said, ‘I hope you can cast in the wind’, my mind ran through the six or so wind casts to use, and I will describe one of them
here. When we are casting into the wind, we change some of the variables of a fly cast. One variable is the trajectory. Tilt the back cast up and the forward cast down, right to the target, not out and over it. The wind will push the fly back at you if you don’t tilt the cast from high in back to low in front. Another thing to vary is the power applied to the cast. Let the wind help the line extend on the back cast, but combat the wind on the forward cast by increasing the line speed. To aid in line speed, use a haul. The haul is simply pulling on the line with your line hand and is generally done at the same point in time and rate that you are accelerating the rod through the casting stroke. If you practice this before you go fishing, it will become more natural when the wind is blowing in your face.
By John Rice Blackhawk Fly Fishing jriceflyfishing@gmail.com
Pheasant Tail Soft Hackle Hook: TMC # 3761 size 16 Head: 5/64 Brown Olive bead Thread: Dark Brown 8/0 Uni-thread Ribbing: Gold French Tinsel, small Tail: 6 Pheasant tail fibers Abdomen: Pheasant tail fibers Thorax: Peacock dubbing Wingcase: Pheasant tail fibers Hackle: Hungarian Partridge This is a good year-round pattern that has saved the day for me more than once.
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Estrip! Contributed By: Jimmy Harris
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Estrip! Estrip! Estrip, Yimmy! My friend and guide Eduardo saw the fish, quickly ascertained its attitude and began frantically coaching me to give the fly action imitating an escaping baitfish. WHAM! The shock of the strike traveled up my line, through the rod and into my hands. No doubt about it, the big brown was intent on slashing and killing his prey. Streamer fishing isn’t for the weak of heart. This trip was to the northern reaches of Argentine Patagonia where the trout are healthy and hungry. However, you don’t have to make a trip out of the country to see what streamer fishing is all about. Fall in North Georgia and Western North Carolina offer up some exciting streamer fishing close to home. Most anglers, when they think of streamer fishing, conjure up images of brown trout running up the Madison River for the fall spawn. Big flies for big fish, not many numbers. In fact, a day with a skunk is quite frequent. But, when you do connect, you recall why you’re there doing it in the first place. This isn’t a numbers game; it’s a size game when you’re trophy hunting for something rare and worthy of your full attention. While I don’t advocate fishing for trout on a redd trying to spawn and create the next generation of fish, the run up to the spawn can be an action-packed time for aggressive
fish. You need to know where to anticipate fish holding, but there isn’t much finesse required. Just keep your fly working over likely fish environs as much as possible. It will be up to you to determine what kind of action to impart on your fly. Often it can actually be a dead drift with no action other than that of the current on a dead baitfish. You may start out with a series of short strips, 6 inches or less, with an intermittent pause to see if a following fish might pounce on it. Or, the fish may only be interested in something they think is about to get away, so you franticly “Estrip, estrip, estrip!” For gear, you want to be ready for the best case scenario, meaning the ability to handle a big fish. Conditions could call for a 6, 7 or 8 wt. rod with floating, intermediate or full sinking line. To be honest, full sinking lines aren’t much fun in a river full of rocks, but there are situations where it’s mandatory in order to get your fly in the zone. If you’re wading a good size river, you may want to try a 6 or 7 weight spey rod for all the repetitive casting you’ll be doing. Streamer fishing isn’t only for big browns. When you find rainbows measured in pounds, you’ll know they are looking for those calorie packed meals just as are their brown relatives. In this region of the country, we’ve got some excellent streams on which to try streamer fishing. The obvious
one in Georgia is the Chattahoochee River near Atlanta, but the Toccoa tailwater gives up some big fish on streamers also. The Chattooga River DH as well as the general regulation sections has some good holdover or wild browns as well as rainbows that can be suckered in by a big streamer. North of the state line, the streams in and around Cherokee certainly qualify as does the Tuckaseegee and the Nantahala Rivers. There are some good books
Post a Picture of your catch!
available on streamer fishing as well as thousands of online articles. Serious streamer anglers can almost be cult-like in their singlemindedness toward swinging for big fish. There is a lot to learn, but the learning is fun. I hope you’ll give it a try soon. If you would like more information on streamer fishing, give Unicoi Outfitters a call, or better yet, stop in and see us. We love sharing information that can help you become a better angler.
Guided Fly Fishing for Trout, Trophy Trout and Float Trips
Ellijay, GA facebook.com/theanglermagazineGA
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Local Rivers & Fly Fishing Where to fish in october Contributed by Capt. David Hulsey International Federation of Fly Fishers Master Certified Casting Instructor http://www.hulseyflyfishing.com 770-639-4001
Over the years October has become the “beginning” of trout season for fly fishers here in the mountains of the Southern Appalachians. When I was a younger, April was all I lived for after deer season. Trips to the Chattahoochee, Chestatee and Toccoa River headwater streams to catch a stringer of stockers with my dad was about as much fun as I could stand! Now the anticipation of fall fly fishing keeps me up at night planning trips and tying flies. The Toccoa River tailwater here in Blue Ridge usually fishes well before the annual turnover starts, which is normally this month. This can mess with the fishing for several weeks. The higher elevation wild streams are now cooling off, and it’s business as usual with small dries and nymph dropper combinations doing their magic. Georgia stocked stream sections normally don’t see much more fish being planted until springtime unless they have Delayed Harvest sections contained within their stream sheds which open in November. Private waters such as Noontootla Creek Farms in Blue Ridge, Georgia is on fire at this time, and the chances of hooking into a monster is very real in each pool on the property. Check out their website at www.ncfga.com for contact information.
The awesome Delayed Harvest streams of North Carolina open this month and are simply amazing. Huge numbers of big beautiful rainbows, browns and brookies are stocked within the first two weeks of October. The Tuckaseegee, Nantahala and Fires Creek are all within a days fishing time slot of the North Georgia area. These are great places to get a beginning fly fisher hooked on the sport with many chances at fish during the day. I’ve guided on these streams for many years and look forward to many more. Hatches in the fall here aren’t too awesome in general with only a few giant October Caddis, Grey Midges and Blue Winged Olives fluttering around on select days. The nymph fisher will usually have better luck tossing general nymph patterns such as Prince, Pheasant Tails and Hares Ears all about size 14 – 18. Adding an egg or Y2K Bug ahead of these nymphs will make them twice as effective, especially for newly stocked trout. Stripped Wooly Buggers in olive or black will also produce fish when they are looking for small baitfish. Big Rubber Legged Stones are always on the menu for larger than average fish along with articulated streamers that mimic our plentiful sculpins and various darters.
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Local Lakes & Forecasts A Great Place To Stay In Blue Ridge.
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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 October 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 mid 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 Fish Hook Point. Target these fish off rocky points, ledges and shallow humps. We are finding larger schools of spots
mid-lake and in 25 to 35 feet of water. Downlining 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, 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. October 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. Now, hit the water, and go get your fish on! 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 Linesides fishing is better! The full moon we had last week really slowed the fishing down. Throw in the rain and storm earlier this week and it made fishing a little tough. It is finally starting to rebound. The last couple of days we have caught fish on all methods; downlines, freelines, topwater and trolling. Topwater has been overall decent and is producing fish, with trolling umbrella rigs and downlining live bait running
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a close second. Mid-lake - south has been producing best for the bigger hybrids, but if you’re after numbers, the white bass bite is hard to beat on the north end of the lake. This is the time of year that you need to be universal and not one dimensional on techniques. Any of these methods; live bait, downlines and freelines, topwater and trolling will all catch fish on any given day. I really look for the bite to pick up in the next two weeks with these cooler temperatures.
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Forecast By: by Capt. Keith Hudson hudsonprobass@gmail.com 706-884-1483 Bass: FAIR - As the days get shorter and the temps cool, expect a big improvement in the fishing. With the unusually high water from the hurricane rains, good numbers of fish are already shallow, and this pattern should improve as the water cools. Topwater baits such as Whopper Ploppers, Zara Spooks and Spro Poppin frogs are effective for shallow fish, especially around shallow brush, grass and weed beds. Try targeting areas north of the 219 bridge in the Chattahoochee. Also have a jig handy to pitch into wood cover in these same areas. Slower than normal, but still fairly consistent, spotted bass are still your best bet. Spots are being caught by casting Spot Remover heads loaded with Shaky Tail worms or just dragging a Carolina-rigged Zoom finesse worm or mini lizard around sloping gravel
banks. Also try a small Texas rigged worm or a pig-n-jig around blow down trees. Try fishing around the bridges and bridge pilings with small crankbaits and Tommyhead rigs, especially during periods of water generation. Linesides: GOOD - Hybrids and stripers are still down lake in good numbers. Expect the downline bite on live bait to continue to improve drastically as we move on into fall. Some fish are surface schooling on the main lake and can be caught on Rooster Tails, topwaters, pop-n-cork rigs and Storm Swim Shad lures. Trolling with crankbaits is also fairly effective. Crappie: FAIR - Some fish will start to move shallower as the water cools. Target blowdowns and brushpiles in 3-8 feet of water. Jigs or minnows fished under a float will usually work on them when you find them. Some crappie will still move out and hold on deeper brush and other structure or under docks. Try dropshotting minnows or shooting docks in 10- 15 feet of water for good results.
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Local Lakes & Forecasts LAKE LANIER STRIPER Forecast By: Jake Davis msbassguide@comcast.net, 615-613-2382
Forecast By: Steve Scott http://TeamLanier.wordpress.com/menu Cooler morning and evening air temperatures brought cooler water temps in September making us move a month forward in our search for striped bass. This meant that we would use our October fishing strategies in mid-September. The lake water temperatures would have ranged in the mid to high seventies instead they were in the low to mid-seventies. Our target areas were 30′ points beginning at Browns Bridge and heading north to main lake points at the mouths of creeks in the Chestatee River from C1 to Lathem Creek or in the Chattahoochee River from River Forks to Sardis Creek. Methods used were downlines at 48′ in patches of trees or in the mouths of creeks up to the 5th marker in each creek. Lead core remained consistent early in the morning 8-9 colors out with white on white over the 30′ main lake points. Power reeling a 2 ounce bucktail jig tipped with either a blueback herring or an 8-10” paddletail swimbait, as well as the 8” Ben Parker spoon over 30-50’ humps, not forgetting to have downlines baited ready sitting in the rod holders in case stripers were lured to the boat with the power reeling action. October water temps will range from high sixties to low seventies. Methods to use are downlines 30-45’; umbrella rigs running deep in the river channel; lead core 8 colors out over 30’ main lake points and at the creek mouths; and power reeling 30’ points in
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the mouths of creeks in the Chestatee and Chattahoochee Rivers. By mid-October the lead core bite will slow down. Stripers will start to make their trek even further north with a bonus of surfacing fish. Have your Red Fins and topwater plugs handy on spinning rods. TIP OF THE MONTH: Develop your own set of “cardinal rules” for each technique you use. Example: Downlining – use Spot Lock when over a multitude of stripers; change baits often; idle the big motor; and when stripers are seen to the left or right of your position while you’re on Spot Lock, put a downline on a planer board over them. Lastly, don’t forget the transom bait just barely under the surface. Check your logs to see what you did the same time last year. For more tips go to: https://TeamLanier.wordpress.com/menu.
Guntersville continued to improve over the last couple weeks for the most part. We had some slow days but everyone still caught fish. We experienced some exciting fishing while catching them on a variety of lures and testing out some new D-Bomb colors “Pink Belly and Sauty Bug” from Missile Baits. The best lineup of lures was Tightline Jigs, D-Bombs and D-Stroyers from Missile Baits, swimbaits and Catch 5 Swimjigs from Tightline Jigs around main channel grass lines and PRO-Z Frogs in Scooby-Doo and Toad. Water temps range from 74 to 80 degrees. October will be a great month for punching grass along the main channel and the most exciting of all a fantastic frog bite with all the grass this year. Best advice is “slow down and work an area completely!” It’s time to start planning those late fall and early winter flipping/ punching trips Guntersville is famous
for. Call me to reserve a date. Please wear your PFDs and be aware of your surroundings; with the increased traffic boating accidents can happen to anyone! Make your reservations now for some great fishing on Guntersville or Tim’s Ford. We supply all fishing gear, including Duckett fishing rods, LEW’s reels, Vicious Fishing Line, top shelf lures such as Missile Baits soft plastics, and Tightline Jigs all at no additional cost you. We offer a Military Discount and 100% dedication to making your trip successful. “Let’s go fish’in.”
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Local Lakes & Forecasts Thank Goodness for Fall Angling
Contributed By: Dr. Andrew Cox Professor at Troy University, Phenix City, Alabama. andrewtrout@aol.com. With the exception of April, October is one of the best angling months of the year. The fish become more active with the cooling water. Most fish species found in our local waters can be found in shallower water or engaged in schooling activity, making them easier for the angler to target. Even cool water trout can be more readily caught over the course of this month. The cooler air temperatures make it more comfortable for anglers and other outdoor enthusiasts spending time on the water. However, changes in your fishing techniques and approach may be required. Basic knowledge of weather and its impact upon water conditions is needed to be successful. Changes in wind patterns, the sun’s angle during daytime hours, lake water turnover and the mini-cold fronts moving through our region can impact angler success or non-success. During this time of year, our waterways are less busy with fewer anglers and other water enthusiasts. Pleasure boat and personal water craft users for the most part have ceased their lake and river rides for the year. Other outdoor users have shifted their focus to other activities or interests to include those engrossed in hunting, watching or attending college and professional football on the weekends. Accordingly, there is less activity on those prime fishing spots. A variety of baits continue to be effective during the fall season. Shallow water baits such as spinnerbaits, in-line spinners and shallow running lures seem to be effective over the course of this month. Soft plastic baits such as tubes, plastic worms and lizards continue to be effective in shallow and intermediate depth water off banks and points. Fish can be caught on topwater baits and flies on the flyrod at certain times of the day during this month. Using various size leadhead jigs are good choices for most species found in local waters. A positive dilemma encountered during this season of the
year involves whether to spend your valuable fishing time seeking freshwater or saltwater fish species. October and November are also good months for inshore saltwater fishing on the Atlantic coasts of Georgia and Florida, as well as the Gulf Coast of Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. Redfish, speckled trout and other saltwater fish species become more active with the cooler water. I attempt to schedule several freshwater fishing excursions and at least one inshore saltwater trip over the course of October and November. October and into November are my favorite months of the year for angling. Cooler air and water temperatures, less anglers and boat traffic and more active fish make this a great time to spend outdoors. Author’s Note: Dr. Andrew Cox is a contributing writer to outdoor publications and newspapers. His writing interests specialize in angling and travel, human interest, and general fishing technique oriented topics. He is a member of the Georgia Outdoor Writer’s Association. He has been fishing the waters of Georgia, Alabama, and north Florida for over forty years. He has also fished the waters of most states within the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, and several Caribbean islands. He enjoys fresh and saltwater fishing for bass, bream, crappie, trout, redfish, and speckled trout using fly, baitcasting and spinning equipment. Dr. Cox financially supports his fishing habits as Professor Emeritus at Troy University, Phenix City, Alabama. He may be contacted at andrewtrout@aol.com.
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Local Lakes & Forecasts LAKE BURTON
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Water temperature: 75 degrees, lake level: full pool, clarity: clear. Bass: The bass fishing has been a little tough the last few days. With the cooler air temps it seems like most of the bigger fish are deep. We have been catching some spotted bass on drop shots over a 28 to 30 foot bottom close to brush and rock ledges. Try using a small Fluke Jr on a drop shot while working these areas slowly. We have also caught a few fish drop shotting bass shiners. Brown Trout: The trout bite has picked up the last few days. With all the recent rains these fish have been feeding on top when we have cloud cover. We have been casting
a Kastmaster spoon for these surfacing fish. Be prepared to hook into some heavy fish! Try letting the spoon sink for a couple of seconds then a slow jerking retrieve back towards the boat. We have also been catching a few brown trout free lining blueback herring. Try letting the baits out 60 to 80 feet behind the boat. We like to maintain a speed of .8 to 1 mph. This keeps the baits straight and allows them to dive a little. Look for this pattern to continue and the fish to start feeding more hours during the day. Walleye: The walleye should start moving up shallower as the water cools over the next couple of weeks. Most of these fish have been hanging out on a 40 to 60 foot bottom and are hard to catch during the summer months. The trolling should start up as the water temps near the 60 degree mark. Good Luck!
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Local Lakes & Forecasts CARTERS LAKE
Forecast By: Eric Crowley Lake & Stream Guide Service (706) 669-4973
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Water temperature: low 80s maybe upper 70s by print, lake level: full, clarity 4 feet. October usually means turnover and that usually means bad fishing conditions. For those that don’t know what turnover is, it is when cooler water building up on the surface sinks down forcing the warmer water under it to rise to the top. The different stratified layers mix, the temperature is pretty consistent across the entire lake, and the water usually turns super green. So now that you know what and why, let’s cover what to do to catch fish in these conditions. One way is to locate water that has started to clear up a little or water that has started to warm
up a degree or two. The backs of the creeks are a good place to start. Another tactic is to move upriver. The fresh water coming in from the Coosawattee River will attract and hold fish. You will be able to see the “mud line” in the river, and you’ll know that
is a good indicator of where to start looking for fish. If the river is too muddy or blown out from heavy rains, another good place to check is in front of the dam. The pumping and generating of water forces the water to churn and mix which works against the layers of water building up and therefore the turnover has little effect in this area of the lake. Stripers, spots and walleye will be mixed together in
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the evening just before dark. The areas in front of the beach as well as in front of the marina have had some consistent action. As far as baits go, live alewife and threadfin caught under the Hydro Glow are still your best bet till the water starts to cool off by the end of the month. After that we will switch to medium size rainbow trout.
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each area although you will see them in different depths. This cooling effect on the lake also pushes bait to the surface which opens up another option to catch fish and that’s the topwater bite. Look for schools of busting fish on the main lake both at dawn and mainly at dusk. Hybrids and the spotted bass are both starting to crash bait on the surface in
OCTOBER 2017
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Local Lakes & Forecasts LAKE CHATUGE
Eric Welch Welch’s Guide Service www.welchsguideservice. com 706-455-2323 Water temperature: 77 degrees, lake level: 3.5 feet below full pool, clarity: clear. The bass are still scattered, and the lake is already starting to drop. There are some fish blowing up in the mornings around flats and on the main lake body. I’m targeting them with a Strike King Sexy Dawg. I will keep one tied on a spinning rod so I
can make long casts at the breaking fish. I’m also throwing the Whopper Plopper around lay downs and any brush. The topwater bite is lasting for the first couple hours in the morning. After the sun gets up, I’m throwing dropshots, jigs and shaky heads off points, deep banks and around docks. There has also been some fish staging out on the humps. The Fluke bite is also starting to pick up around docks and lay downs. If the wind picks up, I’m throwing a Strike King white spinnerbait and a Series 4 Sexy Shad crankbait around the mud lines. Give us a call for a great fall trip.
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water and try to stay away from brownish water. This usually happens after some cold weather. It will get better with stable weather. The crowds of summer have gone. The leaves of fall are beautiful, and the fish are jumping out of the water.
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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 October 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, 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. Currently, Lake Nottely is 7 feet below full pool. Water clarity is clear and water temps are in the low 70s. At the time of writing this report, we are seeing good signs of lake turnover. Don’t let this get you down. The fish will be very moody, but you just have to deploy some different tactics. For us, the smallmouth and spots usually get fired during turnover, and the stripers get pretty temperamental. Just be patient and figure out what is working the best to get that hookup. Striper fishing has been excellent. We’ve been averaging around 20 stripers per morning out here. We are also starting to catch some bigger fish in the 15 to 30 pound range. The early-morning and evening bites
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are your best times to see action. We’ve also had some heavy bites in the mid-day hours. With the cooling water temps, 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. The topwater bite has picked up a bit, so keep a Spook or a RedFin at the ready to snag surface-busting fish. The fish will continue to be schooled up throughout the next month and will remain in deeper water before starting to spread out. Just remember to keep an eye on your electronics and watch for schools of stripers when cruising the lake. October 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 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 October on Lanier – Fish the Transition Contributed By: Jim “Jimbo” Mathley www.jimboonlanier.com October on Lake Lanier means transition. Often you can find fish shallow and in the mid-depth ranges. As well, some fish start to move deep. The lake traditionally begins its turnover/stratification process this month which provides an additional challenge. In addition, the lake is below full pool considerably again this year which provides another intricacy that must be considered. Further, we have been an experiencing a cooler than normal late summer as well. In this month’s installment, we will examine the options for fishing Lanier in October under abnormal conditions, and how to approach catching spotted bass in this highly transitional month. Location: As the water temperature cools this year much sooner than the last few, the bait, and therefore many of the fish begin to move shallower in search of the warmer water that remains. As
always, staying up with the location of the bait is key to consistently catching fish. To complicate matters, the lake traditionally begins its turnover process in October, which provides an unstable environment for the bait and the fish. The stratified layers of the lake mix at different times in different places. During this time, focus your efforts on the areas of the lake that have not yet or already have turned over or stratified. Look for the clearer water and avoid water that has a dark, cloudy, or peagreen look to it. Often, you can find fish shallower in the creeks during this period. However, some fish may also be deeper relating to the brush that had been holding fish through September. Some of the fish may go even deeper and begin relating to the timber edges in preparation for winter. This year, with the lake being down approximately 6 feet going into October and the water
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temperatures cooler than normal, creek ditches may become hot sooner than normal. Often, the traditional Lanier ditch bite doesn’t get good until November or even December, but if we continue the recent trend of cooler than normal temperatures in October in culmination with lake being down, don’t forget to check for the classic Lanier ditch bite in mid to late October. I have spoken about this many times before in this series, and it can be an awesome bite if the stars align! Obviously, there are numerous factors to consider when searching for the catchable fish in October. Examine your options, understand the status of the lake and the effect of recent weather changes, stay flexible in your search, and stay on the move until you find a viable, repeatable pattern during your fishing day. Now let’s examine some potential lure choices. Lures and Presentation MidDepth: 1. Topwater/Swimbait– This bite in October can be outstanding. Large schools of fish can be found around humps and points near the creek or river channel. Experiment with different baits and presentations to match the conditions. A Zara Spook, Chug Bug and Gunfish are some of my favorite topwater baits. On the swimbait side, make sure to try the Sweet Bait Company Swimbait offerings. Awesome baits! 2. Chattahoochee Jig – Great bait throughout the fall on Lake Lanier. Fish the bait around rocky/clay points, on ledges and timber edges. Lures and Presentation Shallow: 1. Shaky Head – A Picasso Shake Down head with a trick worm can be an awesome bait in October. Fish shallow around docks and secondary points with this bait for some bruisers. 2. Senko – A great bait to fish shallow around docks as it can be skipped under and around objects with ease. Dead stick the bait and wait for the tick! Lures and Presentation Suspended: 1. SuperSpin– This is an excellent producer on Lanier. Fish the bait at the depth you see the fish suspending near bait balls. Understand the fall-rate for your rig and count the bait down to the depth of the fish and maintain that depth. 2. Jerk Bait – Another great tool for targeting suspending fish. Chose a bait that suspends at the depth the fish are holding and experiment with your retrieve cadence until you find what the fish are looking for any given day. I really like the SPRO offerings in the jerkbait, both the McStick and the McRip. Start with those. I still have a few dates available
this October, but they are going fast. Call me to book a trip! See you on the water! Jimbo is a full-time, year-round spotted bass guide on Lake Lanier. Contact him today to book a trip at 770542-7764 or at www.jimboonlanier. com.
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Local Lakes & Forecasts
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Local Lakes & Forecasts Cloud Fishing
The Snake Contributed By: Noey Vinyard
“Hello Sir.” It was the only thing that I could think of to say to the large serpent that lay comfortably on an outdoor shelf not 5 feet from where I stood. I was moving horses to our topside pastures when I came upon him, and even though seven horses weighing a half a ton or more had just passed within feet of him, he had not moved, nor was he moving now as he returned my stare. It was one of those moments when I knew that I was seeing something special. My first clue to that was the fact that the very sight of him did not cause me to do a face plant into a tree in an effort to get away. I do not like snakes and yes they scare me. I think that black snakes startle me the most because not only do they stand their ground, they dare you to take more. In his role as protector, Festus has been tagged more than a few times by black snakes, and he doesn’t like them any more than I do. Despite my dislike of all snakes though, we always let them go their way. I knew in an instant that I wasn’t
looking at just any black snake. Coil upon coil lay on that shelf, the tail hanging out of sight, and I knew that I was looking at 7 foot of snake, easily the largest I have ever seen in my half a century of roaming the woods. His head was almost the size of my closed fist and he had lost an eye long ago in some battle or another and a 3 inch wide scar remained in its place. His tongue flicked slowly as he regarded me and he remained calm and unagitated. Of course this could be due to the fact that while I had not run off squealing like a little girl who just had a frog put down her shirt, I most certainly was not getting any closer. In the past few months Mother Nature had given me many things that I had not yet taken the time to think about, so I asked the snake that if I stayed a respectable distance away could I share a few things with him. I have always heard that silence is consent, so I leaned against the tree and got comfortable. A few weeks ago Mother Nature had given the world a peek at an
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exotic beauty in the solar eclipse she shared with us. A strange and wonderful beauty that defies description even today. And then she showed us another side, and it came in the form of her hurricane that she unleashed on Texas, showing that she can be just as lethal and deadly as she is beautiful. His only movement as I talked was the slow, steady flicker of a tongue. I am not a snake person so I could not even make an educated guess at how old the snake was, but I did know that he had been a resident here at 30 Coveys for a long time, certainly
longer than I have. So I figured there wasn’t much I could do or say in the way of advice for Mr. Black Snake. It was the time of year when you first start to notice that the shadows are getting longer so I was going to have to bid Mr. Black Snake a farewell. He was still laying on that shelf when Festus and I turned our steps towards home. I like living a life where wonderful could be just one more step down the trail. Perhaps what surprised me most about my encounter with Mr. Black Snake is that I truly hoped that I would see him again. See you next month.
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Local Lakes & Forecasts LAKE LANIER STRIPERS Forecast by: Clay Cunningham www.catchingnotfishing.com 770-630-2673 October is finally here and time to get out the artificials for some topwater explosions here on Lanier. As the surface temperatures continue to drop, look for the fish to feed close to the surface. If you like to cast, October is your month. Many times the schools will be large enough to see from a rather long distance. Often the stripers will look like cannon balls falling from the sky as they crash into schools of herring on the surface. Be prepared with numerous types of topwater lures and swimbaits with the Cotton Cordell Redfin in chrome and blue being an all-time favorite topwater bait. In regards to swimbaits, be sure to have Sebile Magic Swimmers in the 110 and 125 sizes. The newest Sebiles have recently been released. Some days the topwater baits will be best and some
days the swimbaits will be best. Throw the topwater baits on a Fenwick seven foot medium action spinning rod spooled with 10 or 12 pound Trilene Big Game line on a Penn Conflict 3000 reel. The ten pound line usually being the better choice due to a longer casting distance and less visible. Freelining live herring out a hundred feet behind the boat is also a great choice. To rig up the freeline, take a Shakespeare striper rod and pair it with a Penn Squall 20 Linecounter reel. Spool the Penn Squall with 15 pound Trilene Big Game. Then attach a Spro 50 pound Power Swivel to the 15 pound Big Game and a seven foot leader of Berkley 100 percent Flourocarbon finished off with a Gamakatsu 1/0 Octopus hook. The Gamakatsu hooks are small but incredibly strong. The small hook allows the bait to swim more freely increasing your number of bites. In short for October, look for schooling fish and be ready to cast. October is the most exciting month of the year.
LAKE LANIER SPOTTED BASS Forecast By: Ryan Coleman LanierSpots Pro Guide Service 770-356-4136 Lanier is about around 5 feet below full pool. The surface temps are in the mid to upper 70’s, and as you might expect, the backs of the creeks are stained to muddy. Fish are pretty much right where you think they should be this time of year. There are some fish that have moved up shallow on steep rock banks and some that are out in deep timber. The water is close to turning over now, and we should start to see some of that by late September. Once the turnover starts to set in, look for the fish to really scatter out and be unpredictable from day to day. I am working mostly deep right now. It is more consistent for me. I am finding some big spots out in the scattered timber in 35-45 feet of water. I am not finding big schools of fish, but there are a few in each area. The schools of medium to smaller fish are
up shallower. Look in 15-25 feet of water around brush and rock for these schools. They will eat a topwater at times, straight worms rigged on a 3/16 ounce jighead and worked on the flats. A small plastic swimbait rigged on that same jighead will also produce some nice fish when worked over the brush. For the deep fish, I am working a 3/8 ounce Green Craw or PBJ Casting Jig and a heavy weighted drop shot around the sparse timber. For the dropshot, I am putting a 6” Spotsticker hand pour in Cinnamon Purple or Hot Tomato colors. These fish are not easy to catch, but they are better once you spend the time on them. As early October rolls in, look for the spinnerbait bite on the windy points to really pick up. This will be your best bet for big shallow fish. On windy days, use a 1 ounce double and single willow Mini-me with a painted white or nickel blade. Any of the shad colors should work in the fall. Make sure to put a trailer hook on the spinnerbait and keep it moving. No slow-rolling here. Good luck out there!
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Local Lakes & Forecasts
Autumn Topwater Buzzbait Bass Contributed By: Capt Jake Davis Over the years, I have noticed that most bass anglers agree there is nothing more exciting than watching the water explode in response to the action of a topwater lure. Enticing a surface strike requires you to get their attention. Among topwater lures, few if any, come close to creating the attention and surface disturbance as does the buzzbait! The unique splashing, sputtering and gurgling commotion created by a buzzbait is very hard to resist, even for a bass that is being lazy. It is most important to use the proper equipment! I use and outfit my clients with 7’0” to 7’6” heavy action Duckett Micro Magic Rods with either a 6.4.1 or 7.1.1 LEW’s Speed Reels spooled with 50-65 pound test Vicious Braid. Having a fast reel with a strong rod and line is a must when fishing buzzbaits. Here are some pointers which should help improve your strike and hook-up percentages
with a buzzbait. I prefer 3/8 ounce or 1/2 ounce buzzbaits made of high quality materials that can take a beating from the largest of fish and hold together. Worn-in lures tend to produce a squeaky noise which I believe gives the lures added appeal. One of the “noise” enhancing modifications I like to make is to bend the blade arm slightly downward so that the blade ticks the shaft or head as it rotates. Another is to drill several holes in the blade so that it emits a “bubble” trail as it moves across the water. Learning how to present your lure properly is simply a matter of practice and trial/error. One day it may be a fast (burn) retrieve and the next it might be just fast enough to keep the lure chugging along the surface. It is important to engage your reel just before the lure hits the water. Doing so removes any slack from your line and allows you to start your
retrieve before the bait has a chance to sink. During the retrieve, I hold my rod tip up which keeps the bait in proper contact with the water, but not so high as to lift the bait from the water. Steer the bait into objects such as logs, lily pads, docks or rocks. Some of the best action can be just as the bait deflects off an object. As the bait approaches the boat, use caution in the last ten feet of your retrieve. A fair amount of the time fish will follow your lure all the way back to the boat and try to take it from you at the last minute. It’s always a good idea to figure eight your lure just prior to losing contact with the water. For colors, I prefer white, black/ red best in clear water; in stained water I have been known to tie on a combination chartreuse/white, chartreuse/blue or red. My color choice is usually predicated on the light conditions, water clarity and time of the year. Also, varying the color of the prop from polished aluminum to a black or gold can make all the difference in your fishing trip. Lastly, let’s talk lure make-up. I like the Boogerman and Assassinator Baits. The heads are turned to the side which adds lift and allows the lure to be worked slower on the surface. With the Assassinator, the
primary wire has a 45 degree bend which provides for a better hook up ratio and can handle the biggest of fish. The Boogerman has to be one of the noisiest buzzbaits on the water. By simply adjusting the blade to strike the head of the lure you can draw bass from depths of 6 feet or better in the thickest of cover. If you have any questions drop me a line at msbassguide@comcast. net or check out my website at www. midsouthbassguide.com. Better yet, let’s go fish’in…Just give me a call at (615) 613-2382 to reserve your day on the lake with Captain Jake Davis, Mid-South Bass Guide.
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Local Lakes & Forecasts Are You a Fish Head? Contributed By: Jay Striker www.jaystriker.com Many of you know that I love to fish, and I know that many of you do too. As I go from lake to lake, I get the chance to support my sponsors and one of them is SHL Lures, the makers of the brand of baits called Fish Head. I would like to take a few minutes of your time and let you all know about the new series of Fish Head Baits, how I fish them, and explain exactly what being “fish head” means. SHL lures is located in Cartersville GA, and they are the ones behind such an awesome set of baits. The main bait that got the underspin its recognition it has today is the Fish Head Spin. The Fish Head Spin is the workhorse of all the baits as it is responsible for winning a lot of major tournaments over the last 10+ years. Anglers such as Scott Martin, Dave Lefebre, Greg Vinson, Rob Jordon, Wesley Strader and myself have all stated that Fish Head baits are winners when it comes to catching fish. This year, Fish Head is launching a new set of baits called the Primal Series that will be coming out in the fall of 2017. The Primal Series is a three part series that consist of three of my favorite baits; The Primal Vibe, Primal Spin and the Primal Buzz. All three were showcased this year at major events such as the Bass Master Classic and ICAST 2017.
The Primal Vibe is a jig with a vibrating blade with a Mustad hook with many colored skirts to choose
from, but one of the most important factors about the bait is the signature underspin technology that simply changes the game. The way I fish this bait is any time I have a need to have a ton of vibration and flash such as in offcolor water or choppy water. I also will throw it in cover and around laydowns and brush. SHL lures designed each bait in the series to have a skirt that has been modified to accommodate the underspin so that it does not interfere with the action of the bait.
The Primal Spin is the next bait in the series and can be used as a year-round bait in all seasons and water depths as the Primal Spin functions as a spinnerbait. I use it just like one. However, the bait shines for me when I need to give the bass a changeup. When traditional spinnerbaits don’t work, I pick up the Primal Spin an show them something a little different with the underspin. That’s what usually triggers the bites and gives me an edge on the competition. I use it around docks, especially floating ones, in anywhere between 4 and 15 feet of water. The Primal Spins come in many different sizes to cover all depths. This bait is great bait for co-anglers and boaters alike. The Primal Buzz is the last bait of the Primal Series and is simply a hog caller. This bait has an awesome
build and a unique sound that triggers some massive strikes. The first buzzbait with an underspin that is compact, makes the right sound and movement, all while representing a baitfish fleeing. This bait is my calm water bait as it flat out catches fish. I fish this around any blow downs, rip rap, docks and seawalls. I use a steady retrieve on a 7 foot medium heavy rod with a 7:1 gear ratio reel that keeps the bait at the right speed and allows me total control of the cadence when it’s hunting those big fish. The Primal Series of baits by Fish Head is a game changer and will be out soon. I hope you all enjoy them. So what is a fish head? Well let me explain it like this. If you have that one thing in the outdoors that you love to do, no matter what else is happening around you, and the
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outdoors brings you to that special place you call home, then you are a fish head. For many, it may be fishing from the bank or walking the trails or maybe just sitting in a tree stand. You see, being a fish head is not just one thing. It’s being in a state of mind and doing what you love as your getaway, that special place with no cares in the world. Fishing is my space, and if you too have a special space in the outdoors, then I guess you are a “Fish Head” for those who call the outdoors home. I hope each one of you get the chance to check out these new baits this fall. The Primal Vibe can be picked up at your local Dick’s, and the Primal Spin and Buzz can be picked up at your local dealers. Good luck, and I will see you on the water.
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Local Lakes & Forecasts LAKE OCONEE
by Mark Smith Reel Time Service at 404-803-0741 or reeltime@bellsouth.net Lake Oconee is full with the lake clear on the south end, stained to muddy up the lake into the river with water temps in the upper 70s. Striper fishing is fair. The dam
at first light is the place to be. Live bait, spoons, popping corks and 1/4 ounce jigs with a 3 inch curly tail will produce. Crappie fishing is good. Look in the submerged timber from 10 to 20 feet deep. Live bait as well as jigging will put lots of fish in your boat. Use your Lowrance to locate the schools in the timber and start catching.
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Local Lakes & Forecasts
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by Karl Ekberg Chattooga River Fly Shop www.chattoogariverflyshop.cm 864-638-2806 We are enjoying the great fall weather here on the rivers around Chattooga River Fly Shop. With cooler temperatures and the rivers at very good levels from good rainfall, the fall trout fishing is great! Delayed Harvest season starts here on the South Carolina rivers on November 1 and continues through May 14. This is a great time to get out on the rivers to stretch your line with some fish and enjoy the fall colors in the mountains. The trout have moved out of the depths of the rivers seeking thermal refuge from the summertime temperatures with the river temperatures averaging in the mid to high 50’s now. Along with the falling water temperatures, the emergence of the fall hatches bless us again. Swinging nymphs and soft-hackles on a deaddrift is essential to a great day on the rivers. An upstream cast, a mend or two of your line, and letting these fine bugs drift freely with no drag all the way downstream will produce fish. We have noticed with the cooler than normal early fall temperatures that some of the fall hatches are appearing on the rivers a little earlier than most years. Streamer fishing will be great this fall season as well. There are a tremendous amount of shiners,
minnows and sculpins throughout the watersheds. Targeting fish in the seam lines just off the big runs of the rivers will be beneficial. Cast the streamers upstream, “dead-drift and twitch” through the drift, and then a strip and pause retrieve will be rewarding. For a full line of bugs and streamers stop by and see us and check out the new arrivals to fulfill your fall fly fishing. As the Delayed Harvest season arrives, now is a great time to see the Walhalla Fish Hatchery in full swing. If you have never been to the hatchery, you will be able to see the thousands of fish in many sizes getting ready for their journey to the rivers. From fingerlings to show fish, one will be amazed at the variety of sizes of the brook, brown and rainbow trout which the great folks at the hatchery have raised for us to enjoy out on the rivers. Bring along a couple of quarters when you visit to enjoy feeding the large show fish which the hatchery has on display. After visiting the hatchery, try your hand at fishing the East Fork, a great small water fishery here in South Carolina. As we travel from one water system to another, let’s remember to give our equipment a good cleaning to avoid any transfer of invasive species. Also, as we are enjoying the scenery and rivers we are fishing on, please “Leave No Trace”. That’s just a couple of ways to help take care of the things we love. We hope to see everyone out on the rivers!
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By Brian Lee leebrian16 @yahoo.com
Water temperature: 74-79 degrees, lake level: 1 foot below full pool, water clarity: stained. The weather is getting right for multiple baits. The crankbait bite is heating up as the shad are bunching up for fall. Target rocks and sea walls with shad pattern crankbaits (water clarity permitting). Spinnerbaits and topwater will produce fish as well. Later in
the day stick to the crankbait or a jig targeting rocks, docks and structure. The main lake is the ticket to fill the boat. Till next month, tight lines and keep the families affected by Hurricane Irma in your prayers as they rebuild from the damage. God bless.
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Local Lakes & Forecasts Yakin’ With A Passion
By: Ryan Kennedy YouTube: Ryan Kennedy Fishing Instagram: ryankfishing ryankfishing@gmail.com
Plain and simple, I’m a man who has an insatiable passion for the outdoors. I have yet to find one thing in nature that doesn’t amaze me in one way or another. If you are diligent enough to get up before the sun rises, you are given an amazing gift of being able to watch the world come alive each morning, and in the evening, you get a front row seat to watch as nature settles down for the night. I have had the honor and privilege of watching countless sunrises and sunsets as I travel across the country competing in bass tournaments. Getting on the water early definitely has its rewards and being stealthy during that process pays off ten-fold. Although most of my events I travel to are in a twenty-foot Triton, I also have a passion for kayak fishing, especially when I am at home. Kayaking gives me an opportunity to “sneak up on nature” and have an on-the-water experience like no other. I recently embarked on a fishing trip to Lake Blue Ridge with a couple of friends. That trip made me realize just how stealthy you can be in a kayak. The morning started off with a beautiful mountain sunrise that promised for a great day on the water. As the morning progressed, I made my way to an island heading towards the mouth of the Toccoa River. After a couple of casts with a drop-shot to the rocky shoreline, I was hooked up with a beautiful spotted bass. Without noticing my kayak drifting closer to the bank, I released the fish to catch another day and quickly realized that I was heading right for the rockscattered shore. Instead of immediately retreating to the deeper water, I used the situation as an opportunity to peer into the water. As I gazed into the crystalclear lake beneath me, I saw several bass
swimming right next to my Hobie kayak. The entire situation felt as if the fish thought I was merely a part of the natural environment around them. After staring in awe at the fish swimming all around me, I put the Mirage Drive 180 in reverse and peddled my way back towards the deeper water. As I look back on that situation, I realize that fishing out of a kayak increases the privilege we are given as outdoor enthusiasts. With a fisherman’s mindset, I am also able to use this situation to ensure myself that in shallow water where fish are usually more skittish, I now have the opportunity to encounter more catchable fish on any given trip as they won’t be spooked by my vessel. I share this information simply because I want other people to experience every side of nature that they possibly can. Fishing out of a kayak is a rewarding experience that adds a whole new element to your arsenal as an angler. And by the way, getting set up with a fishing kayak is going to be a whole lot cheaper than that $65,000 bass boat you were looking at the other day. My bad, I forgot about all that research you did on that sparkly rig, and you don’t want to have to do a whole bunch of research on a kayak too. If only there was a place that could answer all your questions about any kayak and let you test them out in their indoor pool. Oh wait, THERE IS! I got my Hobie from Outside World Outfitters in Dawsonville, GA, and I was truly impressed with the entire process. So, what are you waiting for? Go get yourself a kayak and let’s experience the world of kayak fishing together! Until next time, take your passion to the next level with some yakin,’ and tight lines.
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Forecast By: by Paul Tyre paultyrefishing@yahoo.com
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Water temperature: 82 degrees, lake level: down 1/2 foot, clarity: clear. As the weather cools off in the coming weeks, the bass will gather together in groups. The best way to find them is to get on the grass lines and cover water. The buzzbait is a good lure to cover water efficiently. I prefer a Strike King Pro Model buzzbait in chartreuse and white. The bream bite has been pretty
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good on worms and crickets. We’ve been seeing some nice coolers full of them coming across the docks. As the weather cools off, the crappie should start bunching up. They’ll be caught on jigs and minnows. Gator season is in on Lake Seminole and Jay Gung’s group from Iowa brought in a nice 11 footer to Wingate’s Lodge. This crazy weather has livened things up around here. People running from the hurricanes are coming to Wingate’s to stay. The cabins and motel rooms are petfriendly and so are the staff!
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OCTOBER 2017
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Local Lakes & Forecasts
Fish Smarter By Capt. Cefus McRae Nuts & Bolts Fishing Series
Whenever I begin to think I’ve got a good handle on a particular type of fishing, someone comes along and shows me a rig or a technique that I never knew about. After patching up my bruised ego, I eagerly accept the information and acknowledge there are still lots of things I don’t know about fishing. Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to fish with anglers from all over the globe, and I’ve learned something from virtually every one of them. It may have been a simple modification of a tactic I was already familiar with, but their little twist made the difference between catching fish and just fishing. I was able to benefit from their years of fishing experience on that body of water. They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. Not true. I learn something every time I go out on the water. Here’s a few tips I learned from some really smart anglers which might help you as well. Bait Choices: Don’t imitate… Duplicate. Artificial baits let you cover a lot of water. You can also work a lure at a specific depth and with a specific action, but if you have a good sense of where the gamefish are, it’s hard to beat natural, live baits. Identify the local forage and duplicate that either by purchasing at your local bait shop or by netting/ catching it yourself. Yes, it’s usually a slower method, but live bait will normally out-produce artificials. While you’re floating live baits, you can also be pitching your favorite plastic as well. Let The Conditions Determine Your Presentation: Most of us practice the thought that clear water/bright light conditions means lighter colored baits, and darker water or cloud cover means darker colored baits. Water temperature can also be a factor. As we approach
the cold weather months and water temps go down, consider slowing down your presentation. Football jigs, drop-shot rigs and slow-moving deep-diving crankbaits are good choices, but fish them very slowly. The same is true for saltwater species. Cooler water will tend to make gamefish a little lethargic, so work baits slowly and keep them in the strike zone as long as possible. Also consider down-sizing your baits, lures and line. Slow moving baits give your quarry plenty of time to examine, and big leaders or weights can make fish refuse your offerings. Fish Strategically: Make a game plan before you head out. Use an online charting program like the Navionics web app to determine your fishing locations ahead of time. Look for shallow points or flats where the sun will warm the water quicker. Just a degree or so difference can be a game changer as fish move to the warmer shallows to feed. If you’re fishing a new destination, spend a few minutes at the local tackle store to get the latest contemporary intel on fishing conditions, bait choices, and if you ask nicely they may give you some pointers on the hot spots in the area. Crank Up The Bite: This tactic turned what could have been a miserable day into a magnificent day. We were stalking redfish in large, dingy-water bay. We knew the reds should be there but just couldn’t locate them. We had soaked baits all morning with no success and had just a few frisky baits left. In a moment of desperation, we decided to crank the big motor and rev it in neutral a couple times. The commotion caused the reds to start breaking the water, which gave away their position, and presented targets for casting. It was a simple tactic that delivered great results and big fish to the boat. Tight Lines and Calm Seas.
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Local Lakes & Forecasts LAKE MARTIN Forecast By: Capt David Hare 256-401-3089 Alex City Guide Service Water temperature in midSeptember: 79 degrees, lake level: full pool (491.00), water clarity: clear. To start off with, I would to say to all of our clients and other victims of the hurricanes and flooding that our prayers have and will continue to be with you! To our clients that had to reschedule due to the storms in your area, we are looking forward to seeing you this fall. To all of the evacuees that came to Lake Martin to escape the weather, we hope your stay was as pleasant as it could’ve been under the circumstances. To the evacuees that we gave fish to, we hope that you enjoyed them and maybe it was a good change from your everyday meals you were eating. September fishing has slowly
starting turning for the good as far as the striper bite is concerned. September was an awesome month for crappie fishing. October again will be a good trolling month for the stripers, and as we move toward the end of October, the live bait bite will be your best chance to entice these awesome sportfish. Also, this month not only will the early and late bites be good, but all through the day will start getting better and better. You should be able to fish a lot of different areas of the lake to locate schools of stripers. I will be working areas from Kowaliga Creek to Sandy Creek and several areas in between. October crappie fishing should be awesome. We will be fishing for crappie in the major creek areas with both crappie minnows and crappie jigs. This month will produce not only large quantities of crappie but some very nice size ones. Until next time, catch one for me!
LAKE SINCLAIR Forecast By: Ken Sturdivant Lake Sinclair is down 1.4 feet with the water clear and the temperature in the low 80s. Bass fishing is fair. The Carolina rig and a Zoom pumpkin lizard is the best bait lakewide with a June bug lizard a close second. The fish have moved out some to the river channel ledges or to deeper docks.
Almost all the fish are taking plastics but try a gold buzzbait any time you come up on a dock. Jigs are also fair on the docks in all brown, but smaller baits seem to work best on these fish. Plastic or a pork trailer will work and match the trailers to the bait. Soft plastics in the green pumpkin in a finesse worm and a Zoom Brush Hog will get strikes. Add some Lunker Sauce to the baits for extra strikes.
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OCTOBER 2017
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Wall of Fame Young Noah Steadman with a big smile for catching this 24 inch striper from Lake Lanier.
Bubba Wallace with a big 2 pound 4 ounce crappie from Lake Eufaula
Win A Free Angler Magazine Cap! A Angler Magazine cap will be given away each month for the best reader submitted photo!
Bill Wheeler along with his son-inlaw Chase Harrell bagged these three Canadian geese opening morning of goose season
WINNER!
Charles Stoops with a giant gar caught at Lake Lanier Islands with the HukMouth Fishing group
Jacob Venable with a catfish caught at Port Royale Marina on Lake Lanier Dennis Payne caught this huge striper on Lake Nottely fishing with Big Ol Fish Guiding Service
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Luke Bagget caught this big bass at the Hampton’s Pond on a hollow body frog
9/17/17 4:03 PM
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r spread PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT POWER-POLE INTRODUCES NEW MANUAL SPIKES The new Power-Pole Ultra-lite Spike is strong yet lightweight. This ¾-inch spike is made of a composite material and features HollowCore technology to reduce weight yet provide a secure hold for canoes, kayaks, paddleboards and boats up to 1,500 lbs. The Ultra-lite Spike is available in 8.5-foot and 6-foot lengths and features a pushgrip comfort handle that includes a 1/4-20 threaded insert at the top for adding accessories like a flag, light or camera. The Ultra-lite Spike also includes a 6-foot lanyard made of 3/8-inch braided dock line with a loop at each end. The new Heavy-duty Spike is super tough and super strong. Made of solid composite material, this spike provides a secure hold for flats boats, bay boats, bass boats, aluminum and pontoon boats. The new ¾-inch Heavy-duty Spike comes in an 8.5-foot length and also has the push-grip comfort handle with a 1/4-20 threaded insert. The Heavy-duty Spike also includes a 6-foot lanyard with loop at each end made of 3/8-inch braided dock line. Now there’s a new Power-Pole spike that works with the Power-Pole Micro spike driver, making it the perfect addition to a boat, kayak or paddle board. For more information on the new Ultra-lite and Heavy-duty Micro Spikes visit www.power-pole.com.
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By Jerrod Vila
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h, the fall. It brings us colorful foliage, football, fresh apple cider and big ornery brown trout. When the mercury begins to take the plunge and daylight starts to dwindle, big mature brown trout start their yearly routine of procreation. What follows is a feeding binge of mature trout. Fish that have been uncatchable all summer throw caution to the wind. This is not the time for small flies and delicate presentations. Big gaudy nymphs and large streamers are the name of the game in fall. Large stonefly patterns like Girdle Bugs and Pat’s Rubber Legs are good choices as are the usual generic mayfly patterns like Hare’s Ears and Pheasant Tails, just opt for
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a size 8 instead of an 18. My personal favorite fall flies are streamers, and something with a little bit of color, too. For some reason big fall browns seem to like streamers with a bit of orange in them. Sculpin patterns can be especially deadly this time of year. Whether it be the giant protein-packed snack a big sculpin delivers or a triggered attack response implanted in trout to protect their roe, it should be used to your advantage. It is also the time for stealth. With overly large trout sometimes holding in ridiculously shallow water, being sneaky pays huge dividends. Wear drab colored shirts at the very least. Even a camouflage jacket is not too far fetched. I normally work a river upstream, but this is not the case when fishing fall streamers. I’ll work it down. I can be much quieter and more stealthy when walking with the current as opposed to against it. If possible, stay on the bank as much as you can. Most fish will hit on the swing, so the area you expect the take to come will be downstream of your location. If you were working upstream, you could have already spooked a fish. Cast across, swing it down, take a few sneaky steps down stream, think about it, cast across, swing it down. Walking the river is crucial. Don’t just haphazardly crash through the water on your way to a good run. Hunt the river this time of year. Take a few steps and watch. This is where a good pair of polarized glasses are worth their weight in gold. Look over the entire stream, not just the typical haunts. You may be pleasantly surprised and amazed by what you’ll see. Trout will still be positioned in good usual runs too, but much more apt to attack your offering. Instead of heading to the deer stand or taking up a spot on the couch to watch the big game, get out on the stream. Just maybe, a kyped-up, big old slab of spotted butter will end up in your net. Jerrod Vila is a simple guy from Upstate New York with a passion for fly fishing, cooking and predator hunting. For more tips and videos check out www.downwindoutdoors.com and www.beyondthecrosshair.com.
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9/20/17 2:36 PM
FRESHWATER
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BOAT
Material Length Beam Weight Maximum HP Fuel Capacity Transome Height Ateeering RPM IDLE 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000 4500 5000 5500 6000 6100
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ENGINE
Suzuki DF300APX (Twin install) Engine Type 4-Stroke V-6 HP 300 x 2 (600 HP) Displacement 4.0L Operating Range 5700-6300 Weight 604 lb.s Lubrication Wet Sump Fuel Delivery Multi-Point EFI Igntion Solid State
310 SE Fiberglass 30'7" 9'6" 4800 lb.s 600 236 gallons 25" Hydraulic MPH 4.0 5.0 7.6 10.3 16.9 23.9 29.6 34.6 39.5 45.0 49.5 52.4 55.1
PERFORMANCE DATA GPH 1.1 2.0 4.2 5.3 9.0 12.1 15.5 21.6 27.3 34.9 40.2 51.2 52.2
MPG 3.64 2.50 1.81 1.94 1.88 1.98 1.91 1.60 1.45 1.29 1.23 1.02 1.06
RANGE 772 531 384 413 399 420 406 340 307 274 262 217 224
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9/20/17 2:36 PM
By Randy Cnota
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he dry brisk November morning air is a welcome change to Florida’s Forgotten Coast residents, but not just for the obvious reasons. The summer heat has lifted, and the mighty red drum is hungry and looking to fill her belly with whatever kind of crustacean or finny fish she can get close to. As you move stealthily along the marsh, you search for the signs: a wake along the grass line or a tail piercing the water’s surface. Either one is worthy of a cast and, if presented properly,
can result in the silence of the morning stalk being broken by the crash of a topwater plug being engulfed, the scream of a reel’s drag and some enthusiastic expletives. Stalking the skinnies of the marsh can be a challenging experience. Reds spook easily, so stealth is a must, as are accurate and purposeful casts; all this is what makes the hunt so rewarding. The waters of Franklin County are teeming with reds, making the chance of fooling, fighting and releasing a mighty red an extremely attainable and rewarding experience. If you come to this area to chase reds, any shallow-drafting boat will put you in a position for success, but some are better suited than others. Ideally, the ability to pole, paddle or scull your vessel will give you the advantage of stealth, but a trolling motor and a well-planned use of tides and wind also works well on the flats. Franklin County TDC is giving away a free red fishing excursion this month, so enter for your chance to win and make your redfish dream a reality. The reds and so many other fish are abundant in some of the most beautiful places on earth, right here. Don’t let another fall go by without experiencing this amazing time of year along Florida’s Forgotten Coast. For more details or to sign up, go to: www. floridasforgottencoast.com. Randy Cnota is co-publisher of the Panama City/Forgotten Coast edition of Coastal Angler Magazine.
Land This Getaway! Enter to Win a Fall Fishing Trip along Florida’s Forgotten Coast! Win a fishing charter trip, weekend accommodations and meals at some of Franklin County’s finest restaurants
Visit floridasforgottencoast.com/fish or scan the code to enter!
APALACHICOLA . ST. GEORGE ISLAND . CARRABELLE . ALLIGATOR POINT
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managed to spear a mangrove snapper, a hogfish and a red grouper that day… and all were head shots! It was a fun and auspicious beginning to his spearfishing life. That day, he became a full-fledged spearfisherman. Here are some tips on how to introduce your young gun: 1. Take small steps. Teach them snorkeling in the pool, then the here comes a time in a hunter’s life when you’ve ocean, then add the speargun. been through all the stages, and 2. Do not take them out in bad conditions. your satisfaction comes more from Their first few attempts should be fun and the total hunting experience—being in the comfortable. outdoors, enjoying the company of friends, 3. Have a talk about spearfishing ethics and seeing the beauty of nature and perhaps safety. This is extremely important! mentoring a young hunter. Whether it’s 4. Make sure they are properly equipped and your own child or a friend’s, it is both a joy comfortable. The mask should not leak, they and a big responsibility. should have proper skin protection and warmth, First, you must assess whether the and they should be able to load their bands. Start youngster is ready. Can they already dive with three weaker bands until they build strength. comfortably? If not, they should not have a 5. Dedicate the day to them. Commit to loaded weapon in their hand. Do they have them no matter how tempted you are to hunt for “muzzle awareness?” Do they understand yourself. the concept of never letting the speargun tip 6. Have them watch you first. Over-exaggerate point at anyone, not even for a split second? Nicholas Manganiotis as toddler and 10 years a slow and soft descent, so they learn that slow is Do they have the self-control to listen and later a spearfisherman. Photo by Dr. Angelos better and that fish will not spook if you approach follow your direction? Manganiotis. them the right way. Beginners have a tendency to If they are ready, there are many benefits. rush, over-exert and get buck-fever. Instill a calm They will learn patience, as not every attempt and reverent approach to the entire experience. will end in victory. They will surely bond with the sea and gain respect 7. Don’t over-instruct. Give them a few pointers and let them fail. for nature. They will grow mentally and physically stronger, as the sea Praise them for what they did right before you tell them what they did will often test their limits. They will learn where food really comes from. wrong. Here is a recent example, the case of my friend Angelo’s 13-year-old If all goes well, it will be a fun day, and they will always remember child. Nicholas had been exhibiting a keen interest in fish and the ocean their first fish with pride. Photograph it; celebrate it; enjoy it. Their first since the age of 4. He would watch fishing shows instead of cartoons; he fish will only happen once! anxiously waited on the dock for our return and examined every fish we caught. He was a good student, a highly disciplined violin player, and he Sheri is a world-record holder, host of Speargun Hunter, and producer showed comfort and awareness in the water. He was ready, so I gave him of The Blue Wild Ocean Adventure Expo in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Follow one of my smaller Wong spearguns to try. “Sheri Daye” and “The Blue Wild” on Facebook and Instagram. His father chose a nice reef in 20 feet of water off Islamorada. The water was clear, warm and flat—excellent conditions. Nicholas could For more Sheri Daye, go to already identify all the species, but he turned to us for final approval before targeting a fish in order to make sure it was of legal size. He
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EXPERT ADVICE
See the Fish
DAVID MANEY, FOWLER’S SUNGLASSES
W
alking a shallow trout stream, casting to structure in lakes or making sure you’re going after the biggest fish in an offshore school you need functional high performance UV sunglasses to see beneath the water. One pair may not fit the function for each of these varied UV demands. Shallow streams with bright sunlight require amber for most people. Deeper murky waters and overcast conditions need grey or amber. For offshore with bright sun and the need to see deeper into the blue waters, your best bet is blue mirror or grey. As an avid angler and someone who’s been involved in the sunglasses industry for over 20 years, my advice is to always try to match the sunglasses to the condition. This requires keeping several different UV’s with you. Most sunglass cases come with clip-on attachments so keeping a few pair of sunglasses with you has never been easier. As the conditions change during your day, you’ll be prepared to match your UV formula with the change. Once you’ve prepared yourself for these UV changes you’ll be on top of your angling game no matter what.
For the best overall coverage in any condition I recommend one pair of blue mirror/grey and one pair of green mirror/ amber. This simple modification in your sight fishing tactics will make a huge difference in your angling success. Tight Lines, David Maney Fowler’s Pharmacy 888-340-9021 www.FowlersSunglasses.com
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FLY FISHING
D
uring the fall and winter, there is not a better saltwater game fish to target with a fly rod than redfish. Plentiful throughout the Gulf States, the redfish provides a great fly fishing opportunity for anglers of all skill levels who want to sight fish in shallow clear water. I’ve always considered the redfish to be the perfect saltwater game fish. It offers the angler a perfect venue to hone his or her sightfishing skills. Why? Because of two important factors: accessibility and plentiful fishing opportunity. From a logistical standpoint, most anglers can book a flight for great redfish destinations from most major cities in the U.S. Texas, Louisiana, Alabama and the panhandle of Florida are prime winter redfish spots. Each of these locations has experienced fly fishing guides who are knowledgeable and professional. Access to the marsh flats, where the redfish live in the winter, is quite easy and the number of redfish you see in a day can be mind blowing! Three factors for successful sight fishing to Redfish: 1) Can you see the fish? Visibility is the most important factor when sight fishing in shallow water. It’s great when you have a bluebird day and you’re seeing the fish from 100 yards away. However, Mother Nature usually has her own ideas on conditions. So, being able to identify fish even in tough lighting is important. Look for odd shapes in the water, V shaped wakes or even a subtle dimple that breaks the water’s surface. These are all signs of redfish feeding in an area. TIP: Use yellow polarized lenses. These will provide better contrast under tough lighting conditions. 2. Can I make a short cast? Many redfish are hooked 20 feet or less from the boat. Believe
me, the short cast is the toughest cast to make when sight fishing to redfish. Why? Because we are so focused on perfecting the 60-foot cast and neglect the importance of dropping a cast less than 20 feet from the boat. The 60foot cast is important, but it rarely comes into play when sight fishing to redfish. Work on your short cast as well. TIP: Work on a flip cast. Only cast the head of your fly line at targets on your left and right sides at 10 to 20 feet max. 3) Where should I place the fly? Redfish can see very well. I’ve seen them chase a fly from 20 feet way. However, I find placing a fly a couple feet in front of their noses works best. Once you’ve made the cast, let the fly settle to the bottom. As the redfish moves toward the fly, begin to move the fly with short strips. Once the redfish sees the fly, it will swim over and inhale it. At this point all you have to do is keep the rod tip on the water and strip strike to set the hook. TIP: On an open lawn, place small Frisbees at 5, 10, 20 and 30 feet from your casting position. Work on placing the fly in the center of each Frisbee without a false cast.
For Tackle Box Essentials from Bowman, go to
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enjoy an authentic Florida experience. Like snorkeling for scallops in our crystal waters. You can legally swim and interact with the manatees in the wild. Fish for World-class on Reds, Trout, Tarpon and Fishing dozens of other Florida’s Nature Coast species. Kayak. Dive. Unwind in north our Just a short drive onSpa. the Veterans Guided ScallopinG Expressway/Suncoast Parkway will & BreakfaSt packaGe Or golf 273 Days/2 holes of challenging “Florida” deliver you to a World away. A place Nights where you can kick back, relax and $125 From style fairways. And enjoy more than enjoy an authentic Florida experience. per person per night, double occupancy* Like snorkeling for scallops in our crystal $3 million of our recently renovated waters. You can legally swim and interact with the manatees in the wild. Fish for accommodations, dining and public Reds, Trout, Tarpon and dozens of other Kayak.that Dive. Unwind in our Spa. space. All at affordablespecies. prices won’t Find world-record fishing just outside your Or golf 27 holes of challenging “Florida” break your budget. door at Crystal River with access to the Gulf style fairways. And enjoy more than
n May, Minnesota angler Jake Robinson tied his own catch-and-release state record with a 49-inch flathead catfish from the Minnesota River. Mark Mosby, of St. Anthony, Minn., had apparently seen enough of that mess. In August, he went out on the St. Croix River and hauled in a massive flathead that measured 52 ½ inches in length and 32 inches in girth. Minnesota DNR recently announced that it is the new state record for the catch-and-release category. Actually, Mosby describes himself as an occasional angler. His buddy John Kaiser is the bigcat hunter. Kaiser was the one responsible for $3 million of our recently renovated rigging Mosby up with an 80-pound braid of Mexico. Only 1-1/2 hours west of Orlando, accommodations, dining and public main line and a 40-pound monofilament For Aprices n inshore p lAnTATion you can find a pristine get-away from all the space. F Allish at affordable that won’t slAm in leader specifically for targeting giant catThetohyour ook onfriendly & s norkel For scAllops in T hubbub, at a price that’s break your budget. fish. pAckAge If you’re hooked on fishing & boating, then there’s no bette budget. Plantation on Crystal River features rare “Kudos to my fishing partner John $ 169 Starting From than the Plantation on Crystal River! A hidden gem located o natural treats and amazing Florida Fishing Kaiser for his knot-tying ability,” Mosby per person per night* of Tampa, we offer unrivaled water-lover experiences for th waters on the beautiful Nature Coast. said. “The flathead put up a great 15 minute @ Fish inshore for a slam of Tarpon, Redfish & Trout, plu Fish For An insho p lAnTATion fight right up until he got to the boat, and scAlloping We are the only on The @ Offshore, target Grouper, Snapper, Kings & Cobia to n hook & snorkel For sc p AckAge the knots held true.” official weigh pAckAge @ Freshwater Fishing options include Largemouth Bass If you’re hooked on fishing & boatin with Florida Charm Although weight is not required for the Starting From $ 139 Southern Hospitality $ 169 station on the Starting From @ Snorkel our shallowthan water flats for duri thegrass Plantation on scallops Crystal River! per person per night* catch-and-release record, the fish was estiSouthern Hospitality with Florida Charm See Your Travel Professional or 9301 West Fort Island Trail per night* Tampa, wefor offer Nature Coast per person @ Call Reserve one of ourof rental boats youunrivaled and yourwaterpart mated to weigh about 70 to 80 pounds. The 800-632-6262 Crystal River, Florida 34429 @ from Fish inshore forand a slam of Tarp of Florida! www.PlantationOnCrystalRiver.com @ Launch your own boat our ramp tie up right current record for certified weight of a flatSee Your Travel Professional or availability. scAlloping over 1,600 feet oftosea *Midweek, $150 Weekends. Valid 7/1/12–9/9/12. Subject @wall Offshore, target Grouper, Snap head is 70 pounds. pAckAge Make us your place to Stay & Play along The Nature Call @ Freshwater Fishing optionsCoa inc There are two kinds of Minnesota state Starting golfing, From $nature 139 tours, spa@ treatments andshallow delectable dining Snorkel our water gras records: one for catching and keeping the per person per night* www.PlantationOnCrystalRiver.com including our “cook your catch.” So come for as long or a biggest fish in each species based on certi@ Reserve one of our rental boat or at great savings with our packages. fied weight; and the other for the length of a *Midweek, $150 Weekends. Valid 7/1/12–9/9/12. Subject to availability. @ Launch your own boat from ou See Your Travel Agent, Visit Us Online or Ca over 1,600 feet of sea wall caught and released muskellunge, lake sturTampa Bay Metro summer ad.indd 1 4/18/12 geon or flathead catfish. Make us your place to Stay & Play
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If you’re hooked on fishing & boating, then there’s no better place to cast out your lines than the Plantation on Crystal River! A hidden gem located on the Gulf of Mexico just north of Tampa, we offer unrivaled water-lover experiences for the sportsman or entire family!
Southern Hospitality with Florida Cha
@ Fish inshore for a slam of Tarpon, Redfish & Trout, plus dozens of other species @ Offshore, target Grouper, Snapper, Kings & Cobia to name a few
@ Freshwater Fishing options include Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Crappie & more
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Make us your place to Stay & Play along The Nature Coast. You can also enjoy great golfing, nature tours, spa treatments and delectable dining at the West 82 Bar & Grill, including our “cook your catch.” So come for as long or as little as you like, a la carte or at great savings with our packages.
*Subject to availability. Prices per person per night, based on double occ. in a garden-view room; bo See Your Travel Agent, Visit Us Online or Call 800-632-6262 packages also available) & are 2-night midweek stays. Weekends, high season rates may be highe
Tampa Bay Metro summer ad.indd 1
Southern Hospitality with Florida Charm
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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.
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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.
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