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BOOST YOUR CATCH w/RezBoostTM Technology
Interested in getting the most out of your own trusted transducer, or not sure you’re ready for the expense of installing a new CHIRP transducer? Furuno has a solution that will get the very best performance from your traditional narrowband transducer. Our RezBoostTM Fish Finders deliver clearer images than ever before, we’re talking up to 8x sharper. Whether it’s NavNet TZtouch2 or the FCV588/FCV628 stand-alone Fish Finders, RezBoostTM will boost your catch!
Get up to 8x sharper resolution, using a standard narrow band transducer, to more clearly define fish targets.
Assess individual fish size and depth based on echo strength for fish from 4 inches to over 6 feet.
Identify the sea floor composition from four types (Rocks/Sand/Gravel/Mud).
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Electronics GARMIN INREACH EXPLORER+ Going where the fish are often means exploring places where communication becomes very difficult. Whether you’re far offshore, deep in a marshy backwater or high up a remote mountain stream, wouldn’t it be reassuring to know you can connect with someone in the event of an emergency? Or you might just need to let someone know where the fish are biting? The Garmin inReach Explorer+ is a handheld GPS navigator and satellite communicator that allows you to explore anywhere and communicate everywhere. It is a rugged, compact unit that uses 100 percent global Iridium coverage for two-way text messaging and tracking anywhere in the world. Navigate with detailed, preloaded TOPO maps, follow routes, mark waypoints and find your way back with a high-detail bread-crumb trail. Using GPS tracking, you can easily share your location with family, friends, social media or emergency responders. In case of emergency, the interactive SOS allows you to communicate back and forth and receive confirmation that help is on the way. For added capability, use the free Earthmate app to pair your inReach Explorer+ with mobile devices and access unlimited maps, aerial imagery, NOAA charts, weather and more.
WWW.GARMIN.COM FURUNO DFF3D Turn your NavNet TZtouch or TZtouch2 MFD into a multi-beam sonar that can see 120 degrees port to starboard, allowing you to see the depth and direction fish schools are moving, while displaying the seabed condition in real time. Furuno’s DFF3D gives you real-time 120-degree port-starboard view of the water column and seabed in deeper than 650 feet of water, allowing you to find fish in deep water faster than conventional
single-beam sounders. Cross-Section displays the real-time sea column echo in 120 degrees port and starboard. This mode aids in understanding the distribution of baitfish and water column conditions. The 3D Sounder History provides an intuitive and easyto-understand 3D image of the seafloor, along with fish school icons. A single or triple-direction fishfinder image can be displayed. The triple beam display helps you understand the depth of fish and seabed condition in each direction, as well as the direction target fish are moving. Side scan clearly displays the shape of structure to port and starboard as a high definition image.
WWW.FURUNO.COM STANDARD HORIZON EXPLORER GX1700 GPS VHF RADIO The GX1700 makes DSC easy. With an internal 12 Channel GPS built into the front panel, there is no need to hassle with wiring the radio to a GPS for DSC. Out of the box and ready to go, DSC calling, position sharing, waypoint navigation and navigation to DSC distress calls can all be performed with just a few simple steps. The Explorer GPS VHF radio has a compact rear case of only 3.5 inches. The Built-In WAAS GPS receiver and antenna give flexibility to flush mount the radio in tight areas. The GX1700 is capable of entering and saving up to 100 waypoints, which may be navigated to by using a unique navigation compass display that shows bearing and distance to the waypoint. GX1700 is an ITU-R M493 Class D class VHF with a separate Channel 70 receiver, which allows DSC calls to be received even when listening to communications. The DSC DISTRESS function transmits a digital MAYDAY including vessel identification, latitude/longitude and time, to facilitate prompt response. Other features include a big, bold display; RAM3+ remote mic capability, easy position sharing, Clearvoice noise reduction technology, programmable channel names, NOAA Weather channels and Weather Alert. And it’s all backed by a 3-year waterproof warranty.
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Product Review ACR ELECTRONICS RESQLINK PLB
At 4.6 ounces, the ResQLink distress beacon weighs less than a couple of energy bars, and it’s smaller than the cell phone in your pocket. Small and mighty, the ResQLink PLB is a full-powered, GPS-enabled rescue beacon designed for anglers, pilots and backcountry sportsmen. With three levels of integrated signal technology—GPS positioning, a powerful 406 MHz signal, and 121.5 MHz homing capability—the ResQLink PLB quickly and accurately relays your position to a worldwide network of search and rescue satellites. A built-in strobe light provides visibility during night rescues. Even in extreme conditions and situations, the ResQLink activates easily. With its powerful 66-channel GPS, the ResQLink guides rescuers to within 100 meters of your position. And, in the continental U.S., search and rescue personnel are typically alerted in as little as five minutes. Other features include: no subscription fees, self-test and GPS-test features and typical performance 30 hours. If you have to use your ResQLink PLB, ACR will replace it free of charge.
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JL AUDIO MEDIAMASTER 100S BLACK EDITION The MM100s-BE is hitting the market just in time for summer. This latest Black Edition of JL Audio’s MediaMaster was introduced with an updated user interface that offers enhanced volume control flexibility and four fully variable zones, each with independent feature/control options; Volume, Tone, and Naming. NMEA 2000 interconnectivity is built into it and equipped with a NMEA2K Connector to integrate into existing networks, enabling MFD control functionality with Lowrance, Simrad and Garmin. Designed for today’s modern media environment, the MM100s-BE features a Digital AM/FM/Weather Band Tuner, Bluetooth connectivity, separate line level AUX and USB/iPhone inputs, and it’s SiriusXM-Ready. Available with an optional MMR-20BE Wired Remote. The MM100s-BE is a premium, single-chassis source unit with superb audio performance, excellent ergonomics and advanced audio features, specifically designed for marine applications. Check it out at http://www.jlaudio.com/. Available at HIGH TECH MARINE in Hialeah, Fla. 305-883-9700.
WWW.HIGHTECHMARINE.COM ANGLER’S PAL ELECTRONICS MOUNTS AND TROLLING MOTOR STABILIZERS
Boaters and anglers invest a small fortune in their equipment. Fishermen, for example, know that quality sonar, GPS, chart plotters and electric motors are vital tools that enhance their experience. For that reason, MarineTech Products, manufactures the Angler’s Pal line of electronics mounts and trolling motor stabilizers. Angler’s Pal mounts are designed to withstand the harsh marine environment and provide rock solid stability with minimal space requirements. The patented universal Ball Locking Device provides 360-degree adjustability and the strength to support the heaviest equipment without “drift.” The Angler’s Pal Trolling Motor Mounts feature a unique rubber lock-down strap that protects your trolling motor from accidental deployment or excessive vibration that can damage the shaft. Overall length: 10” and now THE NEW 14” model for longer shafts and deeper gunnels. They are made of corrosion-resistant stainless steel and hardanodized aluminum for fresh and saltwater use. They are available in a variety of lengths, and all Angler’s Pal mounts can be easily removed for storage. Angler’s Pal also manufactures 700 and 800 Series Rod Holders. For information, contact Marine Tech Products at 1 651-4862010.
WWW.ANGLERSPAL.COM
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BIG BEND : Mike McNamara • (850) 510-7919 • captmike@coastalanglermagazine.com BREVARD : David String • (321) 684-5888 • dstring@coastalanglermagazine.com DAYTONA/NEW SMYRNA BEACH : Don Meadows • (321) 436-5895 • donm@coastalanglermagazine.com FLORIDA KEYS : Cliff Lumpkin • (305) 849-9093 • cliff@coastalanglermagazine.com FORT LAUDERDALE : Gene Dyer • (954) 680-3900 • gene@coastalanglermagazine.com FORT MYERS : Nadeen Welch • (239) 595-8265 • nwelch@coastalanglermagazine.com GREATER MIAMI : Scott Deal • (561) 945-6999 • scott@coastalanglermagazine.com Monica Isaza-Deal • (561) 945-8899 • monica@coastalanglermagazine.com GREATER ORLANDO : Phillip & Giselle Wolf • (407) 790-9515 • phillip@coastalanglermagazine.com LAKELAND & SUMTER : Mary Brasher • (352) 598-4219 • maryf@coastalanglermagazine.com NAPLES : Mike Weber • (414) 531-4172 • mikew@coastalanglermagazine.com NC FLORIDA/NATURE COAST : Cary & Lynn Crutchfield • (352) 372-4237 • crutch@coastalanglermagazine.com NE FLORIDA : Danny Patrick • (904) 742-4696 • danny@coastalanglermagazine.com PANAMA CITY/FORGOTTEN COAST : Randy Cnota • (229) 834-7880 • randyc@coastalanglermagazine.com PALM BEACH COUNTY : Barbara Ryan • (561) 373-8040 • barbara@coastalanglermagazine.com SARASOTA : Phil Prevoir • (239) 257-4684 • pprevoir@coastalanglermagazine.com TAMPA BAY : Chuck Atkins • (239) 464-5153 • chuck@coastalanglermagazine.com TREASURE COAST : Misti & Gary Guertin • (772) 285-6850 • treasurecoast@coastalanglermagazine.com flahama@coastalanglermagazine.com
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Garmin Introduces
W
hether it’s by land, air or sea, Garmin has made a name for itself as the industry leader in navigational electronics. Its popular and varied GPSMAP product line offers the perfect tool for anyone who needs to know where they’re going. In November, Garmin brought powerful new tools to the realm of marine electronics with the introduction of several new networking chartplotters and combination models to the GPSMAP line. Unveiled at the Fort Lauderdale Boat Show, these units lured in boaters and anglers with high-end features at a more than reasonable price point. “These new GPSMAPs are designed for the budget-conscious customer who desires premium features typically found only in a higher-end product,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin vice president of worldwide sales. “We’ve packed these plotters with industry-leading features, builtin conveniences, and we’ve added two new screen sizes to our lineup—a 9-inch touchscreen and a 12-inch keyed—to offer something for every boater.” Ranging in size from 7- to 12-inches, these new plotters are available with and without built-in sonar.
gration, and a 10Hz GPS/GLONASS receiver for smooth on-screen navigation. These compact plotters offer full-network compatibility for the Garmin Marine Network, which allows support for sharing sonar, maps, user data, radar, IP cameras and Panoptix all-seeing sonar among multiple units. Plus, there’s NMEA 2000 and NMEA 0183 support for autopilots, digital switching, weather, VHF, AIS and other sensors. Anglers, cruisers and sailors alike will benefit from the xs series that comes equipped with built-in 1kW traditional CHIRP sonar and CHIRP ClearVü scanning sonar capability for a near-picture quality view of what’s beneath the boat. Preloaded premium mapping features can be found on the GPSMAP 742/742xs and the GPSMAP 942/942xs, including both BlueChart g2 HD charts for the U.S., Canada and Bahamas and LakeVü HD maps. The GPSMAP 722/722xs and GPSMAP 922/922xs come preloaded with a worldwide basemap for general reference with support for optional mapping available at garmin.com.
GPSMAP 7x2/9x2 and GPSMAP 7x2xs/9x2xs Touchscreen Series
GPSMAP 10x2xsv/12x2xsv and GPSMAP 10x2/12x2 and Keyed Series
The GPSMAP 7x2/9x2 series plotters are 7- and 9-inch sunlight-readable touchscreen chartplotters perfect for any boater. The xs series offers the perfect solution for anglers with chartplotter/sonar combination units. These compact and powerful units are exactly what’s needed when functionality is essential and cockpit or deck space is at a premium. Building on the popularity of the 7-inch touchscreen Garmin pioneered in 2010, this series introduces a 9-inch touchscreen to the Garmin line. Both serve customers who value screen size as a compelling option. They feature builtin wireless connectivity for Garmin mobile apps and VIRB action camera inte10
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For those who prefer using a keypad, the all-in-one solutions offered by the new 10-inch GPSMAP 10x2xsv and the 12-inch GPSMAP 12xsv can’t be beat. With an all-new industrial design, these combos feature a large, sunlight-readable screen coupled with a keypad interface and new multifunction rotary control knob that offers precise, simple control for easy menu navigation and setting control, even in rough water. These units also offer four user-programmable hot keys for one-touch access to favorite features and functions. In addition to GPS and connectivity features also found in the GPSMAP 7x2/9x2xs series, the GPSMAP 10x2xsv and GPSMAP 12x2xsv also offer impressive sonar capabilities with built-in
CHIRP sonar, CHIRP ClearVü and CHIRP SideVü as well as support for Panoptix all-seeing sonar. Other premium Garmin sonar modules are also available, including two new CHIRP transducer options–the GT8HW-IH and GT15MTM. The GPSMAP 1042xs/1242xs come preloaded with BlueChart g2 coastal charts and U.S. LakeVü HD, while the GPSMAP 1022xs/1222xs offer a worldwide basemap. Two non-sonar versions, the GPSMAP 1022 and GPSMAP 1222 are also available with a preloaded worldwide basemap.
Advanced Features For Sailors
Premium sailing features have also been integrated into both new series, offering laylines, tidal information, enhanced wind rose, a current slider and other elements that prove beneficial to sailors. All new models also offer integrated ANT support for use with the quatix 3 marine smartwatch, the Garmin Nautix in-view display, gWind Wireless 2 transducer, GNX Wind marine instrument and wireless remote controls. Additionally, all sonar-enabled models feature built-in Quickdraw Contours software, a free, easy-to-use tool that lets mariners instantly create personalized HD maps with 1-foot contours on any body of water.
An Attractive Price Point
The GPSMAP 7x2/9x2 and xs series will range from $799.99 to $1299.99, while the GPSMAP 10x2/12x2xsv and non-xsv series will be priced from $1699.99 to $2999.99. This is exceptionally affordable pricing for top-quality electronics with so many sophisticated yet easy-to-use features. What more could you expect from Garmin, the company that was recently named Manufacturer of the Year for the second year in a row by the National Marine Electronics Association. For a full list of features and more information, visit garmin.com/newmarine.
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Adjustable cap with brim UV-blocking polarized sunglasses
F
Photo courtesy of Controlled Descent Lures
or nearly a century, Eagle Claw has provided premium hooks for all kinds of anglers using American steel and designing and manufacturing them right here in the U.S.A. Founded in 1925 in Denver, Colo., Eagle Claw is extremely proud of its long history of American-made fish hooks. And it is also proud of the high-quality product it produces. Trokar Eagle Claw’s Trokar hooks offer a competitive advantage for serious saltwater competitors. These premium quality hooks offer a faster, deeper, surer point penetration that requires half the pressure of the competition. Manufactured using cold forged high-carbon American-Made steel, they offer better durability and stronger holds for hard-fighting, big-game species. Trokar hooks are surgically sharpened, and their triple-sided points are regarded as the most innovative, sharpest, and most durable on the market today. The Platinum Black finish is designed to withstand repeated use in saltwater and harsh marine conditions. There are more than 20 models of Trokar hooks available for fresh and saltwater. A highlight of the Trokar saltwater line is the TK197 Primal Circle Hook, which is an awesome all-purpose bait hook with an offset, light-wire design. Made of high-carbon steel wire for strength and durability, this hook has a highly durable point and a salt-resistant coating. It offers stronger hold for battling fast and hard-fighting big game fish, and it is a dream come true for serious competition anglers who fish for serious saltwater species. Lazer Sharp Eagle Claw’s Lazer Sharp hooks are designed to be “Sharper, Stronger, Longer,” which means the patented Lazer Sharp needlepoint and forged technology ensures a sharper, stronger, longer hold than the leading competition. Lazer Sharp hooks feature uniquely blended coatings—Sea Guard, Platinum Black and Nickel— which are designed to be more durable and abrasion resistant after repeated use in saltwater. There are more than 30 Lazer Sharp saltwater models available. The L2004EL has become a staple on the boats of big-time billfish anglers. They are approved by the Billfish Foundation for tournament use, and were the original and once the only tournament-approved circle sea hook. The design of this non-offset, circle sea, with a wide gap, light wire and a forged point, results in more solid hook-ups and a much higher rate of fish hooked in the corner of the mouth, which equates to fewer escaping fish as well as less-stressful releases. To this day, the L2004EL is still the single best option for pro and amateur billfish tournament anglers looking for proven performance stemming from a decade of making champions out of competitors. Eagle Claw Fishing Tackle, Co. is an American-based company that has been designing and manufacturing innovative, high-quality fishhooks and fishing equipment for more than 90 years. Its family of brands includes Eagle Claw, Lazer Sharp, TroKar, Wright & McGill and Shappell. For more information about Eagle Claw Fishing Tackle Co. and its family of brands, visit www.eagleclaw.com, find them on Facebook at facebook. com/eagleclaw/, facebook.com/TroKarHooks/ and facebook. com/shappellcorp/ or call 720-941-8700.
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ON THE COVER Editor’s Note:
Each month, Coastal Angler Magazine and The Angler Magazine staff search our vast coverage area for photos that will grace our covers. With well over a million readers in diverse coastal and inland markets, our magazines strive for broad national appeal as well as local-level intelligence to put anglers on fish. The cover is different depending on which edition you, the reader, are holding. The following is a little information about this month’s covers.
COASTAL ANGLER MAGAZINE Costa Rica Sailfish
FREE
The great shot of a Pacific sailfish that graces Pacific Sails the covers of this month’s Coastal Angler In Costa Rica Electronics Edition editions comes from Costa Rica Pro Staff member Francisco Mejias. Francisco is one of the great captains who provide monthly Striped Bass forecasts for our local Costa Rica edition, Are Running Local and he captures some stunning photography as well. Knowing one’s way around a camera is important for getting cover-worthy shots. And it definitely doesn’t hurt to have a target-rich environment like Costa Rica’s beautiful Pacific coast to snap photos of trophy fish. Inside this month’s magazine, Francisco and several other Costa Rica Pro Staff members came together to share the Pacific sailfish experience with our readers. From smaller boats, they pull spreads for sails that can top 200 pounds. The techniques and tools for catching and releasing them safely are laid out in the article, and they are techniques honed by the knowledge that can be gathered during 50-sailfish days. No kidding. The fishing down there can be that good. Fishing Reports Catch Photos News & Events
PHOTO COURTESY OF FRANCISCO MEJIAS, VOLUME 22 • ISSUE 267
COSTA RICA PROSTAFF
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THE ANGLER MAGAZINE Hudson River Striped Bass
FREE
All over the country, wherever striped bass Striped Bass live, spring incites migrations of these bruisers Are Running up the rivers to spawn. This is the time of year when very large fish can be caught in skinny water. In the Southeast, runs of landlocked Electronics stripes can be roughly timed by the blooming Edition Local of the dogwoods. In the Northeast, anglers Picky-Trout Tactics await the arrival of the Alewives. Dave Maneri, of Tivoli, N.Y., caught the big striper on the covers of this month’s The Angler editions. His buddy Paul Hughes Jr. snapped the photo while they were fishing the striped bass run on the Hudson River, which feeds the Atlantic Ocean at New York City. It was an epic day for the two anglers. They caught multiple fish, including the cover fish and another one about the same size, which Paul is holding in the photo that appears with the article. In that article, Dave tells us all about the Hudson River striped bass run and how he goes about catching big stripers from the shore as well as from a boat. The uninformed might assume there’s no fishing to be done in such close proximity to one of the biggest and busiest cities in the world. But striped bass and baitfish still run up the Hudson each year to spawn, just like they have since time immemorial. Fishing Reports Catch Photos News & Events
PHOTO COURTESY OF PAUL HUGHES JR. VOLUME 22 • ISSUE 267
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By Pro Staff Costa Rica • Photos by Francisco Mejias
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he Pacific sailfish is one of the most sought after offshore game fish in Costa Rica. Growing larger than their Atlantic
counterpart, sailfish in Costa Rica average 60 to 80 pounds, but big ones can surpass 200 pounds! They are migratory, with the main concentration of fish arriving in our area of the Central Pacific as the dry season sets in the end of December. They move away as the wet season kicks in during early May. Even though this is the main migration, there are always sailfish present in our waters year round. We fish from smaller boats, so we use the traditional five-rod setup. A combination of natural baits and lures are used, and our main baits are ballyhoo. Our lures of choice are the Magna series from Santos. Variations of pink, lumo and blue combined with a Trokar hook are deadly combinations. If the bite is slow, we often sew a belly flap or strip bait into the lures for a more enticing bait. On the outriggers, we use teasers. A squid chain in pink on one side and a bigger lure like a Santos Carolina Seastalker on the other is a good start. The shotgun gets a Santos lure as well as the long rigger. The short rigger and the two corners are set up with naked swimming ballyhoos on Trokar 7/0 circle hooks. It is also handy to have a mullet, horse ballyhoo or tuna
rigged and ready to go as a pitch bait in case a marlin decides to crash the party. Once the fish is caught it is time for a few photos. This is a critical part of the process, as it involves fish handling. Even though some boats still bring up a sailfish for a photo, it is highly recommended to not do so, as it can be extremely harmful to the fish. It is the process of pulling the fish over the rail of the boat that causes problems. The protective mucus covering is scraped off, leaving an area of skin exposed to bacterial and fungal attack. This can result in death of the fish at a later time. Leave the fish in the water, and with a good pair of AFTCO gloves, grab the outer part of the bill and push the fish as far out from the boat as possible. Keep the head of the fish in the water as much as possible, and lift it briefly for a good photo. Take the shot from the tail end of the fish looking forward or from above if possible. Alternatively, grab the front part of the sail, pull it up and hold the bill with your other hand. Make sure the bill is always pointing away from you and not at you. Take the photo from the front of the fish. If you have never been to Costa Rica fishing, it is definitely worth it and you will be hooked! Pro Staff Costa Rica provides monthly reports for Coastal Angler Magazine’s Costa Rica edition. Search out Pro Staff Costa Rica on Facebook for more great photography, videos and fishing content.
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Spring Striped Bass Run The Hudson River By Nick Carter
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ach spring, through the Hudson River’s mouth at bustling New York Harbor, a massive spawning migration of Atlantic stripers pushes some 150 miles upstream to the Federal Dam at Troy, N.Y. In this long stretch of tidally influenced river, striped bass show up when water temps reach the 60s. Dave Maneri, of Tivoli, N.Y., said the trick is to keep up with the migration and put yourself in the right place at the right time to intercept pods of transient stripers. “They move in big schools,” Maneri said. “Some days they’re there and you can catch them; other days they’re not. You gotta stay on the reports. They’re running the whole river, so you could travel to where the fish are or wait until they’re where you are.” Smaller schoolie striped bass show up first. They come with the spawning alewives, which are baitfish commonly called herring. Schoolies remain in the river for a couple months some years, and there’s also a year-round resident population. But Maneri said the big cows remain only for a week or two each season. They are always on the move, and connecting with them can lead to unbelievable action with big fish measuring past the 40-inch mark with weights heavier than 30 pounds. Fishing bait is generally the most productive tactic. The best bait is herring pulled right out of the river, either live or chunked. Most locals use a scap net to catch herring. A scap net is essentially a 4’x4’ dip net. The schooling herring will follow a swimbait right up to the net where they are captured. Maneri fishes his herring off the bottom using medium and medium-heavy rods with baitrunner-style reels that allow fish to run with the bait on free spool before the angler strikes to set the hook and engage the drag. He employs a main line of 30-pound braid with a 1 ½-foot leader of 15- to 20-pound fluorocarbon. A 7/0 Gamakatsu Octopus should be hooked through the bait’s mouth, and the whole rig is kept down with a 2- or 3-ounce slide swivel teardrop sinker. Maneri said stripers don’t relate to any kind of structure on their spawning run, so the good spots are the drop offs, channels and shallows where baitfish might be funneled. Obviously, a boat gives anglers the ability to move and seek out fish. But fishing from shore is also productive. When he fishes from the shore, Maneri uses rod holders made from PVC pipe and rebar. They can be wedged into rip-rap to free up the angler while waiting on a bite. And the bite can be a tricky thing. Maneri said these stripers have a knack for spitting the bait. One thing is for sure, though; when the hook sets solid and the drag is engaged, a big striped bass in heavy current is a formidable opponent. Dave Maneri is a team member of Catskill Outdoors. Look them up on Facebook.
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Tips For Catching Picky Trout
By Charlie Warfield • Photo by John Winkler, redhouseflyfishing.com
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he upper end of the Delaware River, and more specifically the West Branch of the Delaware in the Catskill Mountains, is a favorite of many fly anglers in Pennsylvania and Upstate New York. It can also be frustrating place, as it holds some very picky trout. The river has a reputation for crystal clear water, and because it is a bottom-release tailwater, it has a very consistent temperature, which makes for great hatches and healthy fish year round. It is known for being very technical, and this is just a nice way of saying it will sometimes make you want to pull your hair out. The first time I fished it, I was tested, even frustrated by this beautiful waterway. But besides the beautiful mountain setting and endless hatches, it is in part the challenge that drove me to go back time after time. I persisted and figured out ways of tricking the beautiful native fish. I learned lessons there that have made me a better angler. The following are some insights that will give you a leg up when you go fish the Delaware or any other technical stream. Downstream Presentation: Many anglers learned to cast upstream and let the fly drift down. But when fishing for spooky or educated fish, this method can sometimes leave you frustrated. It’s harder to get a good, long drift with a downstream presentation, but many times it is your best bet. Next time you’re having a hard time getting a take, cast out at about 90 degrees to the bank, and quickly give an upstream mend, this will help you keep a drag free drift for as long as possible. Keep mending as often as needed, letting the fly swing to its full downstream position. Sweep-Style Hook Set: The downstream presentation should be matched with a sweep-style hook set. To use this technique, swing the rod downstream and strip the line at the same time, this will pull the line through the water, creating tension and giving a good hook set. By swinging the rod downstream, you are also pulling the hook into the corner of the fish’s mouth rather than pulling it up and away from the fish. Slow Down Your Hook Set: Ok, we have all done it before. It’s a tough day on the water and all of the sudden you get a strike, BAM you set the hook… and nothing. I have heard people say things like, “Next time, set the hook faster.” But most of the time the opposite is true. A good technique is to wait one second and then give the rod a gentle lift or sweep. Match the Hatch: Picky fish know what they want to eat. There can be significant variation in color, size and body shape in the same species of fly from region to region, and there are many subspecies for each type of fly we fish. So do your homework. I suggest hiring a local guide or at least stopping in at the local fly shop. It is good to support the community, and you can never beat local knowledge.
For more tips on trout fishing, go to
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apt. Judy Helmey is reporting some pretty good action off the Georgia coast. “The inshore bite continues to be very good one day and not so good the next,” she wrote. “Whiting bite has been great, and thank goodness I have been on the on-bite days. Plain old bottom fishing has been great in the sounds with small pieces of shrimp on small hooks and light tackle.
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“Redfish (slot and trophy redfish), spotted sea trout, flounder, sheepshead, black drum and whiting have pretty much lined our captains’ coolers on the on-bite days! Best bait hands down is going to be live shrimp, with the cold water. Mud minnows come in second.” Photographed here is what Capt. Judy called a grand gaggle of whiting, caught by the Silva family while on spring break at Tybee Island. Capt. Matt Williams, of Miss Judy Charters, showed them the fish-catching way. “When it comes to catching whiting, it sure is a lot of fun!” wrote Capt. Judy. “Although the fish are small, it comes with some big bite patterns. Normally these fish hold at a certain depth, and at a certain tide under certain circumstances. Once you figure out their selection for the day, you will be catching good to go. “Here are a few tips: Once you find their preferred depth, continuous bites can happen. Keep in mind that this fish can hold in as shallow as 8 feet to as deep as 30 feet of water. They love staging at the contours/drop offs on the bottom. Heck, take a close look at your chart plotter and let it show you the way. The old whiting has the strangest bite pattern. The fact of the matter is a whiting peels its shrimp, just like we do, before eating it. “If I have said this once, I have said it thousands of time. And since I have been fishing for over 52 years, this certainly is not so much of an exaggeration! I always tell my customers that where you catch one whiting they are plenty more. The reason being is they follow the food. So, if you are anchored and start catching fish right off, you most likely have picked the right spot. In my case, since my boat has a 12-foot beam, the fishermen on the port side might catch more than those fishing on the stern or starboard side. In thinking about that, 12 feet can make a lot of difference. Having everyone fish on one side of the boat can get a little crowded, but it works! Out on the artificial reefs, the Spanish mackerel have arrived. Capt. Judy said to watch for feeding and diving birds to find them, and the best way to catch them is trolling a Clark Spoon. On the Snapper Banks, bottom fishing for vermilion snapper, black sea bass, trigger fish, porgy, white grunts and other biters has been good. The best baits have been cut squid and fresh fillet fish. Capt. Judy Helmey runs Capt. Judy Charters out of Savannah, Ga. Contact them at 912-897-4921 or by email at fishjudy2@aol.com.
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The Heart Of The Season
In Nosara, Costa Rica
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he best part of the fishing season is right around the corner for the northern Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. The inshore bite for cubera snapper and grouper remains consistent up and down the Pacific Coast. These reef fisheries are less affected by bait movement, and seem to be more influenced by moon phase or tidal swings. Vertical jigs coupled with a cloud of chunked fresh bonita is the presentation that lures the big ones off of the reefs, with the more enterprising anglers dropping bridle-hooked live bonita. Boats going offshore are finding that the 1000-foot ledge at the 8-mile mark yields dorados of all sizes, from 5-pound schoolies to 60-plus-pound bulls. Dorado will rule this food chain until late May or early June when big yellowfin tuna will swarm in from the north. This changeover is marked by giant schools of spinning porpoises attacking the yellowfins mixed in with marlin and sailfish on the prowl. The extreme water clarity here dictates tackle choices when trolling for billfish, dorado and yellowfin tuna; brightly colored lures and complicated teasers tend to spook the fish. Successful captains report that a cleanly-rigged, unskirted Ballyhoo is the weapon of choice. The water temperature will stay high until late June, when the evening rains will begin to fill the rivers up in the mountains. In addition to taking the edge off the high water temperature, these rains will wash out trees into the ocean, and floating logs quickly become a full ecosystem for baitfish, table fare and predatory billfish. Protected bays dot the coastline of northern Costa Rica’s Guanacaste Peninsula on the central Pacific Coast, supporting old-school fishing villages even in the era of sprawling marina resorts in the southern region of the country. One such bay is Playa Garza, which is home to an armada of 30-
foot, sub-300 hp sportfishing boats operated by local captains. Visitors to this region trade the creature comforts and long boat rides of the big marinas for the chance to catch world-class billfish less than 15 miles from shore. In early April, the 2017 Ship of Fools Tournament was held in Playa Garza with 10 local captains vying for cash, prizes and bragging rights. The winning boat caught a 450-pound blue marlin approximately 12 miles from shore. Capt. Francisco Rosales on the 26-foot Explorer hooked the fish on a naked ballyhoo. The bite is expected to peak in July and August, just before the two-month rainy season begins. In August, it’s not unheard of to have double-digit sailfish releases on a single eight-hour trip. For the past few years, the late-summer action has been white hot with several boats reporting multiple billfish grand slams.
Flats or Bay, which one?
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ithout a doubt, Alberta, Canada’s Bow River is a world-class trout fishery. Glacier-fed and flowing more than 350 miles from the Canadian Rockies through the foothills and prairies of Alberta, it is big and scenic by the time it reaches the 50-mile section southeast of Calgary that author Jim McLennan called “the Blue Ribbon Bow.” It is here in this blue ribbon stretch that anglers flock to get in on some of the best brown and rainbow trout fishing in the world. Stephen Laurie considers the Bow his home water. Although most guide operations fish the river from drift boats or rafts, he prefers fishing it from a kayak most of the time. He said it’s a good way to access smaller runs that larger, less-maneuverable vessels can’t reach. Some of his best days of fishing have occurred in back channels that don’t receive much fishing pressure. When speaking of good days on the Bow, one must consider that
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the river holds 2,500 rainbow and brown trout per mile. Laurie said fish average about 15 or 16 inches, and that large fish longer than 20 inches eat lures and streamers daily. He has a fondness for what he called “Bow River bullets,” which are big rainbow trout renowned for their fight. He said visiting anglers are often surprised by how hard these big-shouldered rainbows pull. Early spring to late fall offers a long window when the Bow fishes well. Either end of that time frame can present huge snow banks and bitterly cold temperatures, though. The best fishing can be found following the subsidence of the spring runoff in May and early June. Trout remain hungry and susceptible to a variety of tactics through the summer months. Laurie said fly anglers should bring boxes loaded with streamers like Clouser Minnows, Rubber Buggers and Crystal Zonkers. Nymphs are also very productive, and patterns like Hare’s Ears, Rainbow Warriors, Frenchies and worms are a necessity. And it is definitely worthwhile to stop in at a local fly shop to ask about what hatches might be coming off. The dry fly fishing can be spectacular during heavy caddis or mayfly hatches. “I have always taken a spinning rod when on the river, as the winds can pick up any time and cause some real fly casting issues, especially when fishing from a kayak,” Laurie said. “Having a spinning rod with me has saved a few wind-filled days. Most common lures would be Rapala CD7 and typical spinners in varying colors.” Although it is possible to access stretches of the Bow to wade, float trips are by far a better option because access points are spread out. A floating angler could bite off between three and eight hours worth of fishing or even an overnight trip depending on the put-in and take-out points and how long is spent stopping to wade fish the more productive stretches. With summer vacations coming up, now is the time to start planning a trout excursion to the Blue Ribbon Bow to experience some of the best fishing on the planet.
For more fishing on Canada’s Bow River, go to
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Atlanta/N. Georgia/ Lake Country May 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
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A Free Publication The Angler Magazine Is Distributed Across The Southeast. The Angler Magazine Is Published Monthly By B & B Publishers P.O. Box 766 Madison, GA 30650 706-614-8231 www.theanglermagazine.com Reproduction Of Contents In Any Form Is Prohibited Bob Rice, publisher The Angler Magazine Fishing, Boating, Conservation “Find your outdoors here”
Photo by Photo by Kenny Simmons, Frog Hollow Fly Fishing
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Local Rivers & Fly Fishing
May Fly Fishing Report Contributed By: Henry Cowen www.henrycowenflyfishing.com May is one of the great months to fish all of the lakes in North Georgia. May gives anglers an opportunity to catch both striped and spotted bass on topwater flies and lures, and in big numbers! This is positively the most exciting way to fish for our local area game fish. There are multiple patterns that exist in the month of May. First and foremost is the early morning and late day topwater bite. Now is the time to grab a nine or ten weight rod rigged with a floating line and one of Charlie Bisharat’s Pole Dancer flies or Flat Fred flies and have at it. If you have never seen a striper eat a Zara Spook or Top Dog lure off the surface (for conventional anglers), then you have no idea what you are missing. A Pole Dancer is just that; a fly anglers Zara Spook. It walks the dog when retrieved and striped bass do not just eat it…THEY CRUSH IT! Once you witness this vicious strike yourself, you will liken it to throwing a cinder block into the lake from two stories high. If you want to simply catch lots of fish then this is the time to toss a Game Changer fly on an intermediate line on the lakes tapered points. A Game Changer is one of the best flies ever as it mimics many types of baitfish, and looks like a living/ breathing shad or herring when retrieved. After the sun comes up, you can switch over to a sinking line and start tossing either Coyote flies or baitfish type patterns like a Cowen’s Baitfish or Puglisi type fly off the points. The key to this pattern is to keep moving. The more points you fish, the more bites you will attract.
While low light is the preferred time to fish, do not discount midday when it gets a tad windy. This is also the time of year where fishing a point off the main lake river channel can get a topwater eat from any fly that is slowly worked on the surface and makes a seductive V-like wake. Conventional fisherman can continue to toss Redfins on all the points. Fishing big 7” long Redfins can be very effective on windy days. I always keep a few rigged in my boat for May. On sunny days use a chrome sided Redfin and on cloudy days fish a matt colored Redfin. Fly anglers can use a large slider type fly on a floating line to mimic the action of a Cordell Redfin. A large weightless Bass Assassin can also be a good choice at this time of year. Finally, keep in mind that the dock light bite is in full swing. Along with the daytime bite, the mild weather allows for some pretty good fishing for stripers and large spotted bass on dock lights all over the lake. This is easy fishing as game fish seem to get really dumb when fished to on a dock light. While I prefer a sinking line when fishing these fish, it is also fun to toss a slow sinking intermediate so that you can actually watch for the bite when your fly passes over the light. May is a great time to be fishing the ponds of North Georgia, Short sleeves, shorts and sun block are the dress code. By the middle to the end of the month, carp will be getting targeted on the Chattahoochee River and others around the state! We will discuss that fishery a tad more in detail during next month’s report. See you on the pond.
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Local Rivers & Fly Fishing
Dry Fly Time Contributed by James Bradley Coming back home from a trip yesterday by one of our local orchards, the apple trees were coming to life with hundreds of blooms. Yes, everything is coming back to life. More outside chores to tend to like cutting grass, weed eating, repairing the landscape around the house, oh yeah, more fishing! On the last several trips late in the day, we are now seeing a good bit of caddis coming off, a sprinkling of mayflies here and there and some giant crane flies. By the time you read this, it should be early May. With the rainbow’s spawn being well over, there is still excitement in the air. Yes, I’m speaking of dry fly time in the mountains! It will not be long until the water gets to a comfortable temperature for us to wet wade most mountain streams and retire those old worn heavy waders for nothing more than nylon fishing pants. I’m looking forward to that as much as the trout are looking up for some of their meals! Trout only take about ten percent of their diet from the surface. The remaining balance is taken subsurface. But, the excitement of this time of year is having trout rise to dry flies. It’s undeniably an adrenaline rush! I cannot put into words the excitement you have when you see a monster rainbow slowly come up from the depths to inspect your offering, then slowly rise to tip it’s nose up to calmly sip it in or maybe even quickly turn away. I can feel that little rush already building up! Or what if it’s one of those little feisty wild rainbows that come up from the depths like a rocket ship heading to Mars to smash the fur right off the fly. Yes, it’s right around the corner, just a matter of days and counting. Many anglers will not fish at all until Mother’s Day, the sort of kickoff of our dry fly season. Although, I am no dry fly purist, I love the rush when catching trout this way as well as our clients! By the way, you do not have to wait until Mother’s Day to begin dry fly fishing as we are catching an occasional riser every once in a while. The southern Appalachian Mountains offers a good variation of stream configurations until you get too low in elevation where most streams meander their way through the valley floors. The higher elevation
streams as they decline downward or off the mountains will have what we call the classic riffle-run-pool sections throughout its course. These are what I refer to as mountain trout streams with many having wild trout. Let’s examine the riffle of a stream and how it relates to rising trout. A riffle is a highly oxygenated bug generating area of a stream. This area is usually shallow with lots of cobblestones and wide with an occasional large rock. Many anglers overlook the riffle areas thinking due to it being shallow there will be no fish. Any depression, break or obstruction (like the rock) can create a great lie for a trout. A riffle area is where thousands and thousands of insects hatch off throughout a year. Look at a riffle as being a micro food plant. If you catch it operating (hatch coming off), you’ll be pleasantly surprised at the number of fish that may come into this area to feed. Let me put it this way, trout are in this area for one thing, to feed. You just have to figure out what fly or flies to be using. Approach trout in the riffle areas from the downstream side. The faster choppy water (riffles) helps blur you from their sight. This fast water also cause trout to feed a little more carelessly. If you approach from the upstream side, the trout may easily identify you as danger and either flee or get lockjaw. Your approach is always one of the most important elements to catching them. Your setup can be from a dry fly to hopper/dropper to tight line nymphing, and all work well in fast riffles at times. Dropper flies can be stoneflies, wets or emergers. Learn to high-stick this area as well. If you have to use an indicator, set your height correctly to compensate for the shallow water. Let Mother Nature tell you what to tie on. Look for any flying insects in this area and tie on a compatible fly in the same size then color. Dry fly time in the mountains has sprung, so get out there and tie one on! If you are wanting to try fly fishing for the first time, want the watchful eye of a casting instructor to help improve your casting, or are just unsure of what you may be doing, we have several guides that teach the “Art of Fly Fishing”, entomology, stream reading, etc. We are a full time fly fishing guide
service with professional guides from across North Georgia. So, what are you waiting for? Give us a call, We’ll Hook You Up! Reel ‘Em In Guide Service is an Orvis Endorsed Fly Fishing Guide based out of beautiful Ellijay, Georgia. They have been offering their services to fly anglers since 2001. Their Special Use
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Permit for Guiding allows them on the Chattahoochee National Forest, they have licensed guides for North Carolina, offer over 7 miles of private trophy waters across Georgia, and offer.
MAY 2017
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Local Rivers & Fly Fishing Chattooga River
by Karl Ekberg Chattooga River Fly Shop www.chattoogariverflyshop.com 864-6382806 The graces of spring are now upon us and the fishing couldn’t be better on the waters around us here at Chattooga River Fly Shop! The waters have warmed with spring rains to the mid-50’s and look to stay in the mid to high 50’s for a while now. Fishing on the delayed harvest sections has been outstanding with large fish being caught with dry flies. The early spring hatches have been great. We have been fishing the riffles to the heads of the pools with the most success. Dry fly fishing the slower water areas when the hatch is happening has also produced great numbers of fish as well. Early morning and late afternoons, long swinging dead-drifts of flashback nymphs and emergers, has been the key to success. Fishing streamers has also been very productive. Trevor’s Sculpin, Carolina Peach and Wounded Sculpin have all been working very well. Drifting and stripping all of these streamers have still been producing large fish. As the hatches progress with the warmer weather, we look forward to seeing more Mayflies and Caddis. Please stop by the Fly Shop and check out the “Hot List” for hatch updates. Another large emergence is of the oak worms. These fine little creatures are a tasty treat that even the largest of trout cannot pass up as they fall from the trees
Bennett Mahon caught this beautiful brook trout on his first fly fishing trip on the Chattooga. into the rivers. Casting imitations of these into over-hanging bushes and dead drifting them with a twitching technique will be very beneficial to a large day on the river. Anywhere you may find these worms dangling from their silk lines from the trees, do not hesitate to stop and watch the worm finally hit the water and see what happens! The next process is to make your cast to the fish which just ate the natural. Do not worry about a delicate cast. Even splatting the worm on the water will be just as effective, as they fall out of the trees from far above. As the late spring temperatures rise, fishing the shady areas of the rivers will be essential, as the fish will move out of the high sun and warmer temperature waters. Let’s all remember “leave no trace” to keep our beautiful streams and rivers how they should be. Check out our daily posts on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, giving you the daily water conditions on the Chattooga River, and please share your big fish pictures with us!! We hope to see everyone out on the rivers! Post a Picture of your catch!
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Local Rivers & Fly Fishing
The Casting Corner Rene J. Hesse Certified Casting InstructorFederation of Fly Fishers & Atlanta Fly Fishing and Camping Meetup Organizer
Big Rod - Tip Cast? A tarpon rod is a different tool than a trout or bass rod. The important part of a 10-12 wt tarpon rod is the ability to lift the fish at the end of the fight and try to break its spirit, so it’s not surprising to say the butt section is very, very stiff! Only the tip section of a tarpon rod can be loaded. In other words, only the tip bends! That is the ‘action’ of the rod. There are a few important points to make when casting a tarpon rod. I know most of us think that we have to learn to cast a long way when going tarpon fishing, and yes, it is important to know the essentials necessary to cast a long way, but more often it is a short, 40-60 foot cast in windy conditions. When casting a tarpon rod, you need to understand the construction of the rod so you can cast narrow loops into the wind. Simply stated, the butt of the rod is very stiff to give it lifting power. Only the tip section of a tarpon rod bends. I call this tip casting, because the rod is designed to only bend at the tip, as I’ve said before. The most common casting error in this case is the angler doesn’t make the necessary adjustment to the casting arc with a tarpon rod in his hand. More to the point, to form a tighter loop, shorten the casting arc. If the rod arc is too wide (4590 degrees), the rod tip path will be convex causing the loop size to
be very large. Although it may be counterintuitive, try a shorter stroke length and arc (30 degrees) during the acceleration phase of the cast, and you will start to get that tarpon rod (10-12 wt) under control. Try it. Check out the Federation of Fly Fishers website. If you don’t know these terms, it will help you understand the following: To cast the heavier tarpon rods and achieve the straight line path of the rod tip (SLP) on the back cast, stop the rod a little sooner in an upward direction and then drift. On the forward cast, after transition and during the rotation, don’t drop the rod tip down much below the oncoming line. A few other tips: Remember to use the 180-Degree Rule, and the cast will perform much better. Here’s how it works. If you are casting into the wind, remember to use a back cast with a high trajectory, like the angle on the roof of your house. Then on the forward cast, aim low at the water. One last thing about the line. Tarpon fly lines have specialty tapers. They have a short belly (fat part), so you don’t have to have a lot of line out of the rod tip to make those short casting strokes and load the rod like it should be. Try these tip casting tips. The next time you are in front of a tarpon coming at you with a 15 mph wind, stay calm. Good luck!
henrycowenflyfishing.com. To book a trip, please contact us thru our website at www. by Capt. David Hulsey Contributed
Fly Fishing In May
International Federation of Fly Fishers Master Certified Casting Instructor http://www.hulseyflyfishing.com 770-639-4001
May in the mountains is a magical time of the year for the fly fisher. Trout are looking up to the surface for an easy meal and we’re glad to help them out. Caddis, mayflies, stoneflies and even a few ants and beetles can be on the daily menu for our colorful friends. The water temperatures are still very comfortable, and the little guys’ metabolisms are running full tilt. This is perhaps the perfect time to get someone started fly fishing, as it is probably the most fool-proof time of the year to get a trout to eat a fly. Dry flies are much easier to cast than a double nymph rig or a twopound streamer. We use this stuff when the trout are hanging close to the bottom of an icy cold wintertime piece of river. The trout are also more likely to move a farther distance to eat the fly. An errant drift a foot or two off the mark might still draw a strike. A skittering Elk Hair Caddis swung out at the end of the drift isn’t a bad thing like it is at other times of the year. May is also sulphur mayfly time on our waters here in North Georgia. Good-sized yellow bugs are easy for us old dudes to see. Fishing a nine-foot 5x mono-
“This is perhaps the perfect time to get someone started fly fishing, as it is probably the most foolproof time of the year to get a trout to eat a fly.”
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filament leader is about right for the size 12 through size 16 dries, and a 6x leader will suffice for size 18 Blue Winged Olives or a teeny Black Ant one might use. A long medium or slow action 3, 4, or 5 weight rod is the stuff to use to toss a weightless dry accurately and make it land softly on the water. My favorite dries for late spring jaunts to the river are a Parachute Sulphur size 16, a Parachute Black Ant size 18, a Catskill Style Adams size 14 and an Olive Elk Hair Caddis in size 14. Don’t forget to head out to your favorite bluegill cove or pond in May. Around the full moon the scrappy little rascals should be bedding and will not tolerate a popping bug chugged along the surface over their bedding area. Bluegill are the gateway drug for many that starts a life long love of fly fishing. Bream are easy to catch and the action is usually fast and furious, perfect for a kid to get started. Give us a call at Noontootla Creek Farms in Blue Ridge, Georgia at 706838-0585 or visit our website at www. ncfga.net to book a trophy trout trip of a lifetime. See you on the river!
MAY 2017
ATLANTA 5
4/17/17 7:56 AM
Local Rivers & Fly Fishing
The Guide's Angle
Lake Allatoona
Contributed By: Chris Scalley River Through Atlanta Guide Service
Dry Fly Time
Now that spring is well underway, trout in most streams are now keyed in on the surface for food. While our springtime insect hatches in most Southern trout waters are fleeting and sporadic, keep your dry fly box handy. Mayfly adults have been available for a couple months since March, and caddisflies actually live up to six to eight weeks after they hatch as adults. Even if you don’t see rising fish, anglers can dead drift dries on seams and foam lines with surprising success. During this later spring window in May, caddis in particular will begin laying eggs and subsequently die on or near the water’s surface. Early mornings and late evenings can be excellent in May during these low light windows. The insects seem to peak in activity causing voracious feeding frenzies among the trout.
Forecast By: Capt. Robert Eidson First Bite Guide Service 770-827-6282 eidson6260@att.net www.firstbiteguideservice.com Linesides fishing is good. Spring is here and it’s spawning time. The white bass are already staging for the spawn run. The hybrids and stripers will be shortly behind them. With the unseasonable warm winter, I am looking for a strong run up both the Etowah and Little Rivers this year. Since the whites run first, be sure to carry your light spinning gear spooled with 8-pound fluorocarbon. Cast a Rooster Tail, crappie jig or a tiny fluke. Once the stripers start showing up, you better break out your bigger gear. Live and cut shad fished on the bottom are the ways to go. Fish sandy bottoms, bends in the rivers and deep holes. If you’re like me and the river isn’t your
thing, the main lake can and does give up good numbers and big fish, even when the river run is at its peak. Springtime is shad time on the big water. Threadfin shad fished on freelines, planer boards and downlines can produce big numbers. But if you’re after a big girl, then you need to be patient and pull big gizzards on freelines and planer boards. The Little River area along with the Allatoona Creek arm would be good starting points. For both numbers of hybrids and big stripers, the topwater bite is also starting to pick up. The flats at Little River and the Delta are starting to heat up at sunup and sundown. White Rooster Tails are hard to beat when these fish are busting topwater. Spring is my favorite time of the year on Allatoona. Time to dust off the gear, grab a kid and hit the lake. May is one of the best months for stripers and hybrids on Lake Allatoona.
lake lanier striperS Forecast by: Clay Cunningham www.catchingnotfishing.com 770-630-2673
May 10th Full Flower Moon 6 ATLANTA
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The striper fishing on Lake Lanier has been solid. The water temperature continues to climb and the fish are on the points up and down the lake. Over the next few weeks, look for the topwater bite to be a great choice. Take advantage of the next few weeks to do some casting and experience some explosive topwater bites. For the topwater bite, you will need a couple of casting rods and a variety of topwater baits. Spool up a Penn Conflict 4000 spinning reel with 12 pound Trilene Big Game line on a Fenwick 7 foot medium heavy spinning rod. If you prefer a baitcasting reel, spool up an Abu Garcia Revo with 12 pound Trilene Big Game line and a Fenwick 7 foot medium heavy casting rod. On the topwater baits, be sure to take a variety of baits. Due to changing weather conditions, look for different lures to be hot depending on the weather. The best lure can even
change throughout the day. A couple favorites are the Cordell Redfin and the Heddon Super Spook. Another option is a jointed swimbait. The Sebile Magic Swimmer is a local favorite. The Magic Swimmer can be deadly on windy days. It also does not require much work by the angler. Just cast out the Magic Swimmer and reel. The lure will do all the work. Just be ready for a trophy spotted bass or striped bass try to rip it out of your hands. The live bait bite using herring pulled on freelines will also be a viable option. Match up a Shakespeare striper rod with a Penn Squall Linecounter reel and you are ready for business. Spool the Squall Linecounter with fifteen pound Trilene Big Game line and you are good to go. Pull the points with two freelines at 1 mph and kick back and relax. The best herring continue to be smaller than normal. Be sure to use a small Gamakatsu Size 2 Octopus hook. These hooks are small but highly effective. Too large a hook will decrease your bites. It is very simple fishing but highly effective. See you on the water.
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Local Rivers & Fly Fishing
Traditional
Contributed By: Jimmy Harris
www.unicoioutfitters.com
Recently, I read an article where a guy was essentially talking about his love affair with an old Ross Saltwater fly reel. They were made almost 30 years ago, and many technological advances have come along since then, but the Saltwater was his go-to reel. It caught my attention because I also own one. It was the first serious saltwater big game reel I purchased, and even has my name engraved on it. I had fished for trout with a Ross Gunnison for some time and was convinced you could drag it behind your truck all the way to the river, and it would still work perfectly. Plus, Ross Reels had a click that was very distinctive,
not your wimpy little whirring noise some reels make when a fish is screaming away from you. No, the Ross Gunnison sounded the way an engineered piece of equipment would sound if it were something you relied on every day at work. The Saltwater has a similar sound and feel to it, and I’m convinced that should we find ourselves in the middle of a nuclear Armageddon, this reel will still function perfectly. It’s interesting how certain sounds, like smells, bring back memories from years ago. My favorite “sound” in all of flyfishing is not that of a screaming reel hooked to a big fish, but the unique sound
of an old Pflueger Medalist reel. It’s a great, solid yet soft sound that is unmistakable. It is very similar in sound and cadence to another timeless piece of equipment from my past, John Deere’s 2 cylinder Poppin Johnny tractor. If you grew
up with this kind of machinery, you’ll know what I mean. They were simple but solid pieces of equipment that you knew would be handed down for generations. I can’t think of anything today that would come close to them.
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Local Lakes & Forecasts
May Time Equals Bream Time! Contributed By: Wayne Wooten
I always look forward to May. The water temps have reached into the 70’s, and the bream begin to spawn. I love catching these scrappy fish and eating them. Here are some of the things I do to find them and what I use to catch them. After the water warms up, the bream begin to move out of the depths to shallow water and begin to eat vigorously, building up strength for spawning, and building and defending the beds. When the water temps stabilize in the 70’s, they start to spawn, and the males become very aggressive while guarding the nest. I usually take a slow ride or walk around the edge of the lake looking for what looks like elephant foot prints. These small craters with dark centers are bream beds. After locating the beds and starting to fish them, it’s important to approach them quietly so you don’t spook the fish. Staying
away from the beds, I will anchor the boat and begin to cast into them. I use several methods and lures to fish with during the spawn beginning with 6 to 7 foot light spinning rods, ultralight reels and 4 to 6 pound test monofilament line. If you are bank fishing, a 5-1/2 rod can come in handy to cast in tight areas. When casting live bait in 2-3 feet of water, I use a #6 Aberdeen hook, a BB split shot and a small float to decrease the disturbance of the water. In deeper water, I increase the size of the split shot to get the bait down quicker and a larger float to support the increased weight of the sinker. I have found that the drop shot method is very good, especially in 3 feet and deeper water. Using a #6 Aberdeen hook and 1/8 or 3/16 ounce finesse sinker with a red wiggler hooked whacky style is deadly. There are several choices for live
bait; red wigglers, crickets and meal worms. I have found shellcrackers/ red ears like pink worms! There are also pre-made baits such as flavored nuggets and bait imitations that work well. Some other very effective lures I use are small tubes or grubs on jig heads, small spinnerbaits, creature baits and 1.5 – 2 inch long crankbaits that run 2 – 4 feet deep. Casting these along weed lines, structure or over beds can produce
some big bream. Smaller fish are less likely to attack the larger lure. Finding bream beds and fishing them is a lot of fun! You can catch a lot of them, and they are delicious to eat. Please remember to fish responsibly as they are very vulnerable and can be decimated at this time. Removing too many large males can affect the entire population. If you remove all of the large males, the DNA that produced the big ones to start with can get lost.
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Local Lakes & Forecasts Lake Blue Ridge Smallmouth and Spotted Bass By: Shane Goebel Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service & The Angler Magazine Fishing Team www.bigolfish.com 828-361-2021, 1-844-4-ANGLER
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Lake Blue Ridge plays host to some of North Georgia’s best smallmouth and bass fishing, and May is a great month to hit the water. Currently, Blue Ridge is 7 feet below full pool, water temperatures are in the mid 60’s, and the water is clear in the main lake and stained in the creeks and rivers. We are still catching a lot of smallmouth and spotted bass all over the lake, with the majority of our smallmouth being caught in the Toccoa River area. Target these fish off rocky points, ledges and shallow humps around the lake. Focus on working the banks that the early morning sun hits first. We are also catching some nice fish under the docks. We are still pulling planer boards with live blueback herring early. It’s also a great idea to set out a couple of free lines 100 to 120 feet behind the boat while you pull planer boards. When the sun really comes up in the mid-morning hours, we’ll switch to down lining live blueback herring. Most of our fish have been caught in the 15 to 25-foot range. This really seems to be the best technique for the larger smallmouth but not until the sun really gets up. Look for large schools of smallmouths in the Toccoa River and Star Creek area. Live bait seems to be the key lately, but a jigging spoon and shaky head can’t be ruled out now. Towards the end of this month these spotted bass will really start to school up and be feeding strong. Also watch
for an exciting topwater bite. When they start busting on the surface, they will hit just about anything you can throw at them. In May the walleye will start to head for deeper water. Look for them to be suspended off rocky points and on steep ledges throughout the lake. You can also find some stray wanderers on shallow humps. Downlining live bluebacks will work best. You can even bounce a few nightcrawlers 6 to 12 inches from the bottom. Also trolling crankbaits and jerkbaits will get you hooked up. When pulling artificial baits, I always go to my Yo-Zuri Deep Diver, Shad Raps or Smithwick deep divers. Just remember to make some good S turns and keep your speeds around 2 to 3 mph. May is a fantastic month for catching some very big fish. 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. For all your live bait and tackle needs, check out Hughes General Store in Blairsville, GA. They carry everything you need for a successful day of fishing. Good luck!
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Local Lakes & Forecasts lake seminole
by Paul Tyre paultyrefishing@yahoo.com 850-264-7534
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Water temperature: 71 degrees, lake level: full pool, clarity: clear. The majority of the bass have spawned and are transitioning to the post-spawn areas and patterns. As the bass move into the summer area, the shad are starting to spawn along the grass edges on the main lake. To catch bass on a shad spawn, get out on the water early and cover a lot of water with reaction baits. My lure of choice is a 1/2 or 3/8 ounce Strike King double willow spinnerbait fished along the edges and over the top of the grass. This time of year, the topwater fishing on Lake Seminole can be incredible. I like to use several different topwater baits, a buzzbait and a frog. I like to fish the buzzbait when the fish are feeding on the edge of the
grass. My favorite is a Strike King Pro Model in chartreuse and white. I like to use at least a 7 foot medium heavy rod with braided line and a high ratio reel. This setup allows me to turn most of my bites into catches. For the frog (hollow body frog), I like to use at least 50-pound braid and a 7’ heavy rod with a high speed reel. When working the frog over the top of hydrilla or pads, you need a stout rod and line to set a good hook and to get the big bass out of the slop. The shellcracker have been spawning and have been being caught in limits. I recently had the honor to take a young man, Brandon Autry, from Woodville, FL while my buddy, Angelo Koundourakis took his father, Neal, and we put an awesome mess in the cooler using worms. The weather has been great for fishing. The bream will be spawning soon and we’ve been seeing some getting ready on the lake. The crappie have slowed down some since it is warming up but are still being caught with minnows.
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MAY 2017
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Local Lakes & Forecasts lake lanier STRIPER
NOBODY SAID IT HAD TO BE FAIR FOR THE
FISH
Forecast By: Steve Scott http://TeamLanier.wordpress.com April’s successful striper fishing had been basically time of day, water temperature, method and location. Early morning using a small BB weight 50’ feet behind the board in shallow water with medium shiners; mid-morning using weighted planer boards behind the boat with medium shiners and unweighted flatlines and weighted freelines at 70-100’ out, flatline trolling on main lake points and humps in the river channel, river bends near the channel and over trees, River Forks area off the main point in 50 feet of water using medium shiners; mid-day using umbrella rigs, weighted flatlines, weighted planers in river channel and in the channels of Shoal Creek, the Saddle Dike, Orr Creek, Mud Creek, Balus and Flat Creeks 1-4. May brings us the strong topwater bite with water temps in the midseventies. Pitching herring using a clear bubble with spincast rod hitting the rough edges and points (4 casts per point) or lobbing from 9 o’clock to 3 then let out line – wait one minute - do it again. Also try Super Flukes
gps & navigation
and throwing bluebacks behind the topwater lure cranked by your partner. Don’t forget to use Red Fins, any Spook or Super Spook on sunny days before lunch at reef poles and if cloudy, over points. Other methods and locations to try are planer boards 30-50’ behind the board with and without a split shot. Put shad right up on the bank with a short leash; use umbrella rigs on points, if sunny; and flatline trolling on main lake points and humps. Locations to try are C1 and C3; River Forks Island; LM 29 to LM 31 with bluebacks and gizzard shad on flatlines; LM 36 to LM 38 by the 2 islands around the back; LM 55 and Gainesville Creek on right by power lines; Flat and Balus Creeks blue docks; Mt View to the river channel and the Elvis dock. Update your log. TIP OF THE MONTH: Look for breaks in water temperature: rocks on banks, sandy banks and mud lines. For more detailed information about striper fishing go to http://TeamLanier.worpress.com/menu.
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Guntersville
Forecast By: Jake Davis msbassguide@comcast.net, 615-613-2382 The past month has been good for my clients for the most part, we had some slow days but everyone still caught fish. Our best fish this month was a 9.09 largemouth which was Mr. Randy Stanfield’s personal best. We experienced some exciting fishing while catching them on a variety of lures. The best lineup of lures was Tightline Jigs, D-Bombs and Destroyers from Missile Baits, swimbaits and Wobble Head Swim-jigs from Tightline Jigs around main channel grass lines and grassy humps. Water temps range from 68 to 76 degrees. May should be a blast as we will 12 ATLANTA
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have the shad spawn starting on or around the full moon, and we’ll start working the shell beds. Best advice is “slow down and work an area completely!” It’s time to start planning those late summer and early fall frog and flipping trips Guntersville is famous for, so 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. COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
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Local Lakes & Forecasts
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Angling for Shoal Bass
Contributed By: Dr. Andrew Cox Professor at Troy University, Phenix City, Alabama. andrewtrout@aol.com. Over the last several years of fishing in Georgia, I notice that it is becoming increasingly common to catch shoal bass. Shoal bass are more likely to make up a portion of your bag of fish in fishing Georgia’s waters. This is particularly true if you fish the rocky, flowing headwaters of various reservoirs across the state of Georgia as well as the tributaries of rivers and reservoirs that contain flowing water and shoals. Their range seems to be increasing, particularly within Georgia. Though native to Alabama, shoal bass are not as commonly found as in the waters described within this article. It is noted in the Alabama Hunting and Fishing Digest, in the major Alabama tributaries of the Chattahoochee River, shoal bass are protected with it being illegal to possess this fish species. Make sure to review these regulations if targeting shoal bass in this state. Shoal bass are now recognized as a distinct species within the bass family. They have red eye coloring with olive to bronze coloring making them similar in appearance to smallmouth bass. They are scrappy fighters and are fun to catch on rod and reel tackle. The Georgia state record shoal bass is 8 pounds, 3 ounces. I usually catch shoal bass by accident rather than specifically targeting them. Some common lures and baits that I catch shoal bass include plastic worms, fluke type plastic baits, small Rapala type lures in both the floating and countdown versions, in-line spinners, spoons and small topwater lures. These fish are typically caught with light action spinning equipment. Fly rod anglers catch shoal bass with streamers, poppers and Wooly Buggers. The area being fished seems to be more important than the type of bait/lure used in catching shoal bass. I recently met Jeremy Bagley from Columbus, Georgia. He specifically fishes for shoal bass in the waters of West and Central Georgia. He targets shoal bass in the Chattahoochee and Flint Rivers in West Central Georgia,
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and the Ocmulgee River in Central Georgia. He also fishes the major tributary streams of these rivers in West Central and Central Georgia. Jeremy fishes these waters both by wading as well as from a kayak. Jeremy’s approach to catching large shoal bass seems to be somewhat novel in nature. Though he will use trick worms, paddle tail Flukes and spoons in catching these fish, his go-to baits are large swimbaits. These swimbaits resemble baits that you might use in saltwater fishing settings for larger fish (Stalker Swimbaits, Fish30Acre). These swimbaits are jointed and have a tight action when retrieved. He uses bait casting equipment with rods over 7 feet long with lower gear ratio bait casting reels. The fish that Jeremy catches with these baits and equipment is impressive, far exceeding the shoal bass that I catch by accident on spinning equipment and smaller lures. Shoal bass are a fun fish species to catch and represent a fun departure from catching largemouth and spotted bass. Both the Alabama and Georgia state records for these fish are under 9 pounds. You never know; you may go down in the record book for catching a shoal bass of a lifetime. This is Jeremy Bagley’s goal, which he seems well on his way to attaining. Remember to practice catch and release angling with these fish. Author’s Note: Dr. Andrew Cox is a contributing writer to outdoor publications and newspapers. He is a member of the Georgia Outdoor Writer’s Association. 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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ATLANTA 13
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Local Lakes & Forecasts Fishing Lanier in May – Topwater Time! Contributed By: Jim “Jimbo” Mathley www.jimboonlanier.com Lake Lanier is arguably at its very best during the late spring and early summer due to the consistent availability of an aggressive topwater bite during this time. This is an excellent opportunity for anglers to catch spotted bass and watch the action as wolf-packs of monster spotted bass chase your topwater plugs! In this month’s installment, you will learn the necessary tackle, equipment, locations and resources to catch topwater fish on Lanier. Location: Heading into May under normal weather conditions, most of the spotted bass on Lake Lanier are finishing the spawn, and will begin aggressively feeding to recover from the spawning process. After a short period of inactivity, the larger female spots will begin their migration from their spawning haunts to key features at the mouths of the major creeks as well as main lake areas, and can be found on or around: long-running points, rocky shoals and underwater humps/ islands throughout the lake. Locating these areas and the man-made cover that is often found on them which will often concentrate the fish will be important to your success. I recommend LanierMAPPED.com to get started. The site provides an opportunity to purchase narrated video and GPS Coordinates for over 800 different fish-attracting features in the lake that were filmed when the lake was 20 feet below full-pool during the historic draught of 20072008. Using LanierMAPPED.com in conjunction with your Lowrance HDS Electronics, you will quickly find many locations that match the description above of key fishattracting structure and cover. These “secret” places are key areas that hold fish and have not changed. They are still the same year to year. The bottom line is that you will catch more fish with LanierMAPPED.com! Tackle: For topwater action, you should utilize either a medium or medium-heavy bait-casting or spincasting outfit, rigged with 12-17 pound Seaguar monofilament line. Monofilament fishing line floats, whereas fluorocarbon line sinks, which makes either monofilament or braided line the best option for 14 ATLANTA
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presenting topwater baits correctly. As far as choosing a rig for fishing these topwater baits, consider the weight of the bait as your deciding factor. Lighter poppers and smaller walking baits are often better presented on spinning gear which allows for easier casting of smaller baits. For swimbaits, I like to present the larger, heavier, mechanical-type swimbaits on a heavy action rod that is at least 7 feet long. My big swimbait rod is from G-Loomis and is a beef stick! I appreciate the extra rod strength to cast these big baits and manage the big fish I catch on them. As far as the many other soft and hard swimbait options, you can scale back to a medium-heavy rod if you prefer, but I definitely recommend keeping the length at 7 feet or more. Lures and Presentation: Now let’s examine some of the techniques and lures that can be used to catch these fish. Remember that even though we are discussing topwater presentations in this article, when the females first come off the bed, they are lethargic, so the use of more subtle techniques such as a fluke or a Picasso Shakedown head and worm combo can be the ticket. As the postspawn period progresses, the fish will become much more active and aggressive as eating becomes a major part of their recovery process from the spawn. The fish at times will feed voraciously, and it is at these times that you should focus on fishing fastmoving baits such as the topwater and swimbait presentations we have focused on through the course of this article. 1. Topwater - Nothing beats being able to watch a fish crush your topwater bait! There are many choices of baits here – poppers, walkers, waking baits, etc. The preference of the fish will change day to day, so make sure to experiment to identify the mood of the fish as well as their preference in presentation. Excellent topwater baits for Lake Lanier include: Lucky Craft Sammy, Heddon Zara Spook, Pop-R, Storm Chug-Bug and a Cordell Redfin. All of these lures as well as all the G-Loomis rods and Shimano reels you will need to present them can be purchased at local tackle shops such
as Hammond’s Fishing in Cumming, GA. 2. Swimbait – Swimbaits offer great versatility as they can, based on the model, be fished at any depth you wish. Once the post-spawn has advanced, this becomes a great bait to throw around points and humps in both creeks and on the main lake. As far as the mechanical type swimbaits, I am a HUGE fan of the Sweet Herring Swimbait made by Sweet Baits, a local vendor in the Lake Lanier area. In the soft bodied swimbaits, I prefer the ZMan Swimbait offerings. 3. SuperSpin from SuperFish – When the topwater/ swimbait bite is tough, pick up your Sup e r Spi n and go to work. F i s h the same areas you would normally present your topwater baits and
experiment with different depths of the water column. Also, work these lures over brush for big spots! I still have some dates available in May and June 2017, so call me to book a trip today and reserve your opportunity to come experience some of the best spotted bass topwater action in the country! See you on the water! J i m b o is a full-time, yearr o u n d spotted bass guide on Lake Lanier. Contact him today to book a trip at 770-542-7764 or at www. jimboonlanier.com
6 AM to 6 PM Monday Thru Sunday
2595 Buford Dam Rd, Cumming, GA We carry a large selection of live bait; Night Crawlers, Baby Night Crawlers, Green Night Crawlers, Big Reds, Wax Worms, Meal Worms, Crickets, Minnows (small, medium and large), and Blueback Herring. We also have a large selection of brand name artificial bait and an assortment of Rods, Reels and Combos. Adjacent Chevron Foodmart has a deli, snacks, drinks, gas, beer and wine. Striper guides with charters and needing bait early can call 706-429-7211 to make arrangements.
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Local Lakes & Forecasts carters lakE
Forecast By: Eric Crowley Lake & Stream Guide Service (706) 669-4973
lakeandstreamguideservice@gmail.com
Water temperature: low 60s, lake level: full +/- 6 feet, clarity: 6 feet. Carters has been fishing great. All the fish being caught are fat and healthy and seem to be in great shape. The striper bite has been awesome early in the morning, and we have been catching fish on planers and flat lines fished on the banks with big baits. As the morning turns to midday, the fish are pulling out to the main lake points and creek mouths always near the schools of bait and suspended about 35 feet down. These fish seem to prefer the smaller baits in the 3-5” range. The hybrid bite is best either on the edge of or actually in the trees. The submerged timber all over the lake has been holding hybrids from 5 to 10 pounds all month. We have seen lots of smaller hybrids this year,
and I think that’s due to the change in stocking by DNR. Hopefully, we will see more and more numbers in the next few years and have a great hybrid fishery again. We have been catching spots on pitched live baits all along the shoreline from one end of the lake to the other. Our best day this spring was 41 fish in 4 hours, and that included some real quality fish. If you’re looking for a day of catching, this can be a lot of fun. The walleye we have been catching are mainly at night under the Hydro Glow lights. We are fishing live baits on the bottom directly under the boat. Small hooks and fluorocarbon with a big split shot is the simple rig we use, and it works well. We have seen some big fish this year, and we are just waiting to see a real giant. No doubt there’s double digit walleye in Carters. It’s only a matter of time. We have good results fishing the walleye like this until about August when they go deep again. If you would like to get in on the action, we run night trips all summer long.
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MAY 2017
ATLANTA 15
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Local Lakes & Forecasts Jackson Lake
By Brian Lee leebrian16 @yahoo.com
Water temperature: low 70’s, water clarity: stained/clear, water level: full pool. As the spawn starts to wind down, the bass will be looking to replenish some energy, especially as the dog days of summer approaches. Primary points early in the mornings with topwater will be on fire. Run and gun as this will only last till the sun gets up. Concentrate on bait as the bass will be in a feeding frenzy before it gets hot. As the sun rises, back off and throw a C-Rig or a shaky head on the same points. Deeper brush piles and ledges will start to have fish stack up on them as the water temp rises. You can also flip wood
cover and docks to catch a few fish as well. This is the time of year that you can catch multiple fish on one spot as they school up. Best of luck and tight lines.
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Local Lakes & Forecasts
More Then Just BBQ By: Joe Woody Ask almost any fishermen what they love to eat when they go on a fishing trip and, most of the time, the answer will be Barbeque. We flock to a good BBQ restaurant like stocked trout to a feeder bin. If you’re ever fishing in the western tip of North Carolina or in North Georgia, do yourself a favor and stop by Rib Country BBQ. Rib Country BBQ began in 1998. The founder, Nick Fisk Sr. had two simple rules: Make the best BBQ around, and treat people like family. That simple philosophy paid off with Rib Country BBQ gaining the reputation of the best BBQ in Western North Carolina. Some menu item favorites include the ribs, brisket sandwich and smoked chicken wings. Nick saw an opportunity with the growing communities around Lake Chatuge in the early 2000’s and decided to move his family to Murphy, North Carolina. He
soon opened the new Rib Country BBQ in Blairsville, Georgia. He hired great people, cooked BBQ with family recipes passed down through generations and soon began expanding. He opened up a Rib Country BBQ in Murphy (NC) and has since expanded to six locations including Hayesville (NC), Blairsville (GA), Cleveland (GA), Helen (GA) and Hiwassee (GA). The restaurants offer catering services for events of all sizes, and breakfast is starting to be rolled out at several locations. It’s currently available in Cleveland and will soon be available in Murphy. Nick Jr. and his brother Tim took over the family business in 2014, sticking to the same philosophy…Making great BBQ and treating people like family. They give all the credit for their continued success to their hard working, warm and professional
staff. When not running the business, Nick and Tim spend their spare time fishing. Nick loves to track down bass and stripers on Lake Nottely, Lake Chatuge, Lake Hiwassee and Lake Apalachia. He is determined to catch a record striper and knows those lakes as well as anyone. Tim is a member of “Team Deaddrift”, a competitive fly fishing team based out of Georgia. He prefers to fish for trout in the many streams found in Western North Carolina, North Georgia and East Tennessee. There is a healthy rivalry between the Fisk Boys as both strive, as with BBQ, to be the best. After talking with Nick in his Blairsville restaurant, I was taking phone calls in my truck when I noticed Nick trying to get my attention. I rolled down the window to hear him. He wanted to guarantee I got his
family priorities right…Family, BBQ, Boats, Fishing and Hunting. Family is always at the top…and everybody is family! s a side note…I had the best BBQ sandwich I have ever had during my talk with Nick. The Burnt Ends Brisket Sandwich is indeed like the Rib Country BBQ web site says…”So Good It’ll Make You Squeal.” Be sure to connect with Rib Country BBQ on Instagram.com/ ribcountrybbq and Facebook. com/ribcountrybbq.
Rib Country BBQ Restaurant’s choice cuts of meat are basted with a special sauce and Bar-B-Qued over selected hardwoods, carefully balancing heat and cooking time to seal in that special Rib Country taste.
SIX LOCATIONS IN NORTHEAST GEORGIA AND NORTH CAROLINA Hayesville, NC 580 NC-69, Hayesville, NC 28904 828-389-9597 Hiawassee, GA 101 S Main St #1, Hiawassee, GA 30546 706-970-3615
Murphy, NC 2121 US Hwy 64 W, Murphy, NC 28906 828-837-4444 Blairsville, GA 373 Kousins Drive, Blairsville, GA 30512 706-781-3530
Facebook.com/ribcountrybbq
Helen, GA 11 River St, Helen, GA 30545 706-878-8008 Cleveland, GA 2652 US-129, Cleveland, GA 30528 706-865-1119
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ATLANTA 17
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Local Lakes & Forecasts Kim’s Kitchen
lake Oconee CRAPPIE
Contributed by Chad Smith chadsmithguideservice.com (706)207-2411 Crappie fishing has been good over the last week trolling deep coves real close from the shallow spawning areas! The bite was tough for a few weeks with all the crazy weather we have had but has significantly improved! Double 1/16th and double 3/32nd jigs trolled at .9-1 mph has been the key! The crappie are within 7 feet from the bottom! There are a lot of good fish in the mix! Look for this bite to continue on into May as well! 30-40 fish a day is common right now!
Easy Baked Fish • • • • • •
“Look for this bite to continue on into May as well! 30-40 fish a day is common right now!”
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Local Lakes & Forecasts
May’s Full Moon Bass Bonanza Contributed By: Capt Jake Davis
Although lasting just a short period of time, the shad spawn can mean the best bass fishing of the spring if you hit the right spots at the right times. Shad spawn when the water temperatures hit the upper 60’s to low 70’s and during the full moon. In the Southeast, this usually means the full moon in May. Shad normally spawn right at daybreak. Once the sun gets on the water, the shad spawn is usually over for the day, but can last longer if it remains cloudy. For the most part in the Southeast, the first major wave of spawning bass have either finished or is close to finishing. Shortly after spawning, the larger female bass start a migration to deeper water areas to start the recovery process. After a couple of days rest, they are hungry. A favorite meal of the bass is threadfin shad, and the shad are beginning their spawning ritual. Threadfin shad are the staple diet of all bass across the Southeast. This high protein food source makes them the perfect forage for hungry bass. Threadfin shad generally grow to a size of four to six inches and inhabit a wide range of water depths and temperatures. Typically the shad are triggered to start their spawn when the water temperature ranges between 70-77 degrees. The shad will find varieties of habitat to spawn depending upon the type of lake. These areas may consist of shoreline grass or lily pads, rip rap, wood cover and even boat docks typically in shallow water (three to five feet) with deeper water close by. On lakes such as Guntersville, shad can also be found spawning on the main lake grass ledges around deeper water. Watch for dark clouds of shad travelling the grass lines or rippling of the water right where the water meets the edge of the hard surfaces such as wood or rocky banks. The school of shad runs down the bank or channel grass and the females lay eggs that stick to the grass and other hard surfaces. The males are
running with them and releasing sperm that fertilizes the eggs. I’ve noticed shad jumping completely out of the water onto the bank when they spawn. I have found one of the best ways to catch bass during the shad spawn is using a spinnerbait such as a ¾ ounce Booyah Spinnerbaits or the light wire Punisher Spinnerbait. Silver willowleaf #4 or #5 blades with a white skirt imitate the shad. Another great way to catch bass during this time is topwater baits like Assassinator buzzbaits with a head/hook that sits below the water, poppers and Lucky Craft Sammy type baits. A buzzbait worked slowly will often excite the bass in more shallow cover. If you are fishing close to deep water, try a hard bait such as the Sammy, Spook or a popper as this will draw them from greater depths. Get your boat in close to the bank and parallel the bank. Try to position your boat behind the shad and keep your movement to a minimum, so not to spook them. See which way they are moving and cast with or across the flow of traffic. Cast your spinnerbait right on the rocks or against the sea wall in areas void of grass, and when fishing around grass, allow the spinnerbait to “tick” the grass. When it does, jerk it free and hold on. When fishing grass ledges, as your lure clears the grass, drop the rod tip and stop your retrieve for a few seconds, then pop the tip once or twice. Many times, bass will relate to the edge of the grass waiting for unsuspecting prey. If you suspect this, using a stick bait similar to a wacky rigged Yamamoto Senko will produce great results. Some bass will be amazingly shallow and will be looking for shad almost out of the water. Start your retrieve as soon as your bait hits the water and be ready to set the hook immediately. Bass will often hit as soon as the bait hits the water when using either a topwater lure or spinnerbait. My preferred equipment setup
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when using a spinnerbait, Sammy or popper is a 6’9” to 7’0” medium heavy Duckett Micro Magic Rod, LEW’s 6.4:1 reel spooled with 1517 pound test Vicious Ultimate Co-Poly line. With buzzbaits, I’ll arm my clients with a 7’0” Heavy Duckett Micro Magic or White Ice Rod, LEW’s 6.4:1 or 7:1 reel spooled with 50 pound test Vicious
Acworth, GA
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braid, because we are normally throwing it in or around heavy cover, and you’re going to need the extra power to drag them out! Capt Jake Davis is a full time, year round professional guide on Lake Guntersville and Tim’s Ford, Mid-South Bass Guide, www. midsouthbassguide.com or cell (615) 613-2382.
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Local Lakes & Forecasts Lake chatuge
Eric Welch Welch’s Guide Service www.welchsguideservice. com 706-455-2323 Water temperatures: 59-61 degrees, lake level: 3.5 feet below full pool, water clarity: clear. Well, we just got past another month of crazy weather, mid 80’s one day and frost during the night. The fish have moved up to their spawning areas. Spotted bass are off rocky points and flats. We’ve been targeting them with shaky heads, tube baits Zoom Critter Craws and swimbaits. Fish these baits slow in the spawning areas because the fish are just picking the lure up to move it.
The largemouth are in the pockets that have water temps around 65 degrees. You will see some on bed, and you will also see the females swimming around. On the bed fish I use a tube, jig, lizard and craw. For the cruising bass I’ve been using a fluke and swimbaits, making long casts and staying back so they can’t see me. Remember, release the bed fish back ASAP unless you’re fishing a tournament. These are the future of our fishing, and they say only 5% of the fry will ever make it. You should also start seeing some post-spawn fish moving in around timber and around docks. Best bait for the post-spawn fish is a fluke. Give us a call for a great spring trip.
“You should also start seeing some post-spawn fish moving in around timber and around docks. Best bait for the post-spawn fish is a fluke.”
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Local Lakes & Forecasts Night of Looney Tunes Conclusion to Pinball the Not Cat
Lake Sinclair catfish
Contributed By: Noey Vinyard
When last I left you, my newly adopted, very odd acting cat had just climbed my dog’s tail like a rope in gym class, and after two weeks of enforcing ‘guest’ manners on him towards the cat, he was not having it anymore. So with Festus’s head resembling a teapot at full boil whistle, the night of Looney Tunes began. As I mentioned, my floors are buffed hardwood so they ran in place for about the first three seconds, but fortunately for Pinball his claws found traction on one of the rugs first, and he pulled into a slight lead. My loyal partner for over a decade, Festus has never disobeyed, and has always come to my call, but the only thing on his mind right now was getting a hold of that cat. Like something from an old cartoon, they ran, scrambled and slid all over the house. They bounced off furniture and walls. At one point Pinball made a run and jumped up on a long shelf that has several plants and pictures on it. Still full of rage and not to be outdone, Festus was right behind him. Not a plant or picture was left standing on that shelf. Pinball had a slight advantage. Being a little more nimble, he made a fake move to run up the stairs but jumped out of the way at the last moment, leaving poor Festus to crash headlong into the wall. That gained the cat about three good strides, and I swear, when he ran by me folks, he was laughing. Across the kitchen table, through the TV stand, and at least two trips around the bedroom, and all the screaming in the world could not get Festus to break off his pursuit. With blood streaming down his tail, it was hard to blame him, and he was actually gaining ground. In the end it was a bed pillow that was Pinball’s undoing and his saving grace. It seemed like he had figured out that Festus could not run across the couch as fast as he could, and it looked like his plan was to run the length of the couch, use the arm as a springboard and make the high countertop that Festus had no chance of reaching. And it would have worked if that bed pillow had not been unevenly balanced on the edge of the couch. They were still only making about one stride in three because of the slippery floors and the lack of traction caused Pinball to short
the jump up on the couch, and he landed on the pillow which instead of springing him forward, fell back on him. With the claws of all four paws hooked into that pillow he fell to the floor, pulling the pillow over on top of him, and that probably saved him a trip to the vet as the little terrier’s jaws closed on the pillow instead of the cat. Two weeks of imposed guest manners came out and Festus tore that pillow to shreds, and then he tore the shreds to shreds. Meanwhile Pinball was doing the only catlike thing I have seen him do since I have had him. He hid. And he stayed hid for about an hour, and for the next couple of days he hid every time Festus came in the room. Well the house was a wreck, and the stuffing from the pillow was strewn all over the place, but that had been coming for a long time. After all my years of having animals, I knew that something had been worked out between them. For the first two nights after the Looney Tunes Chase, Festus would growl and click his teeth if Pinball tried to come in the bedroom and sleep with us. But on the third night, Festus allowed the cat to jump up on the bed and sleep at the very end, the very, very end. Some time has passed now and while Pinball does still like to lay in ambush underneath my recliner, and I do still hear the click of Festus’s teeth occasionally, the two seem to have worked things out. About a week later I had the opportunity to witness another hilarious incident with the non-cat. We have 11 other rescued dogs here at 30 Coveys, and we do not make boundaries. All the dogs are welcome in both houses, and they often come to visit me. One day Pinball was in his favorite position, on his back in the middle of the floor when five of the big dogs came walking in the front door that I had not shut behind me. They gathered in a semi circle around the cat and then just stared at each other. They seemed confused, because by all rights the cat should be running from them. But the only reaction that they got from Pinball was a slight lift of the head and a very purposeful flex of a paw that revealed very impressive claws. They all filed back out of the house without making a sound or a fuss. Such is the harmony here at 30 Coveys Rescue. See you next month.
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MAY 2017
Contributed by Chad Smith chadsmithguideservice.com (706)207-2411
Catfishing has been great as of late with us boating 20-30 fish in a few hours averaging 10-20 pounds! Deep ledges and anchoring has been
the technique. I’m anchoring just off the ledges throwing big cut bait around the ledges and waiting on the rods to bow. I had out a young fisherman, Forrest, and his granddad last week, and we got Forrest his new personal best blue catfish and biggest fish ever with a 30.50 pound blue catfish! This technique will remain the same through May.
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Local Lakes & Forecasts Lake Burton
Lake SINCLAIR BASS
Contributed by Matt Henry www.sinclairmarina.com 478-451-0167 Lake Sinclair is down 1 foot, clear with the water temperature in the 70’s. Bass fishing is very good. Fish of all sizes are scattered along spawning banks and flats at 1 to 6 feet deep. The bridge at Little River and all the docks are full of bass. Various styles of spinnerbaits continue to catch fish, but soft plastics have really shined the last few days, especially during the high pressure system. Carolina rigs, Texas rigs and jig head and worm rigs have all produced well. Zoom 5 inch and 6 inch lizards in June bug and green pumpkin have
done well on Texas and Carolina rigs. Zoom Finesse worms in the same colors have shined when teamed with a jig head or Carolina rig. Senko and Z Nail worms have also produced as a primary bait or as a comeback bait for missed spinnerbait bites. Spinnerbaits have done well during early morning and with wind or cloud cover. Try using a chartreuse white 3/8 or ½ ounce single spin model with a gold Colorado blade. Fish it tight against seawalls and shallow dock posts. A double or tandem spin model is more efficient in wood cover such a lay downs, stumps and brush piles. A few fish are coming from grass also. Small crankbaits and Rat-L-Traps are easy to fish and are working all day. Try a buzzbait which could catch the largest fish of the day.
Spinnerbaits have done well during early morning and with wind or cloud cover.
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Forecast by: Capt. Wes Carlton Georgia Lake Fishing 770-318-9777 www.georgialakefishing.com Water temperature: 61 degrees, lake level: full pool, clarity clear. Walleye: The walleye have started feeding better, and we are now catching fish with some size to them. Most of the fish seem to be congregated on long points that have good access to deeper water. I am starting off the day trolling small crankbaits up shallow in the 6 to 14 foot water depths. Clipping long points and brushy bank lines have been producing the better fish. Casting a blueback herring or jerkbait in the grass along the edges of coves has been working well. This pattern should continue over the next few weeks. Brown Trout: The smaller trout seem to be piled up in the creek channels. A small Rapala Countdown or spinner (silver) has been working well. We caught two nice brook trout
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this week on Lake Burton. These fish are absolutely beautiful! Most of the bigger brown trout are close to the main lake channel. These fish are feeding on the schools of bluebacks that are moving around the lake. Look for the bait and the browns are not far behind. Casting a small spoon towards these baitfish will certainly produce some big brown trout. Bass: The largemouth have finished spawning and are finally feeding again. We caught some huge fish this week with the average size being 5 to 6 pounds. Most of the largemouth are feeding up shallow early in the backs of the creeks along brush and trees. White crankbaits are working well. After 9 am or so, move toward the 14 to 16 foot range and work a Senko or Ned Rig on the bottom. This is where most of the bigger females are. Yellow Perch: Get ready. We have been catching some monster yellow perch the last two weeks while bass and walleye fishing. The perch will start congregating in the grass flats near creek channels soon. Good luck!
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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 I’m constantly asked, “What is your favorite lake to fish on?” and I always reply by saying Lake Nottely, especially in the month of May. This is the month we’ve caught almost all of our trophy striper out here. It’s definitely the trophy striper time of year. Currently Lake Nottely is on the rise at 7 feet below full pool. Clarity is mostly clear and slightly stained in the backs of some creeks. Water temperatures have been in the mid to upper 60s. Our striper bite has been excellent for this time of year. The majority of our fish have been in the 15 to 25 pound range, with several in the 30 to 40 lb. range. We are still boating some good numbers, also. In this regard, smaller baits have been key, and here’s why: We recently had the great opportunity to go out with the Georgia DNR biologists on their
spring striper shocking. As we shocked up stripers and other large fish, we also shocked up large amounts of bait the big stripers were feeding on. All this bait was very small. This is where the term “match the hatch” comes to play. Usually this time of year we do use bigger bluebacks and shad, but we are still catching a bunch of larger fish on small bait. In May you’ll start seeing these stripers working their way back out of the creeks and into the mouths. You can still find some good fish up the river towards Meeks Park to marker #9. Pulling planer boards and free lines with live herring will be your best technique. As the sun starts beating down, work your way to deeper water. It never hurts to throw out a couple of down lines. Your early morning and late afternoon bites should be the best, but May also brings with it an amazing topwater bite. Keep a Red Fin or a Spook ready and watch for fish busting on the surface. We would like to also give a big thanks to the Georgia DNR and biologists Chris Looney and Pat
Snellings for allowing us to work with them. If you know Chris or Pat, give them a big thanks for all the hard work they do on all of our North Georgia Lakes. Spotted bass fishing also remains very strong. At the moment, we are catching some nice 4 to 5 pound spots with an occasional largemouth. Several of our largemouth lately have been in the 8 to 10 pound range, and I always quickly get these guys back into the water and never keep them. Largemouths and spots will soon start to work their way to shallower water. Start looking for some large schools of spots halfway in the backs of creeks, pockets and
around shallow hump, and look for largemouths to be hanging around shallow points and brush further down into the creeks and rivers. May is a fantastic month for catching some monster stripers and bass on this North Georgia 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. For all your live bait and tackle needs, check out Hughes General Store in Blairsville, GA. They carry everything you need for a successful day of fishing. Come fish with the pros for the opportunity to be featured in Angler Magazine— let us help you get your fish on!
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Local Lakes & Forecasts Bassmaster Classic 2017 Was Awesome! Contributed By: Jay Striker www.jaystriker.com If you have not had a chance to go to a Bass Master Classic, then it is one show on earth that has to be on your bucket list. The Classis is the Super Bowl of bass fishing, what every angler that competes on the BASS circuits wants to be in. The 2017 Bass Master Classic was held in Houston Texas and was truly a huge attraction. The lake that was fished was Lake Conroe, located just 45 minutes northeast of Houston. The anglers who were able to compete were from around the country and did not disappoint. However, at the end of the final day of the Classic, there could only be one man standing. The way they had the layout of the Classic was just awesome. Whenever you entered the convention center and walked through the main areas, they had on display all of the previous classic champions on big blue flags that were hanging from the ceiling. Just outside the convention were a lot of activities for the fans to enjoy like a fishing area for the kids, jumping competition for the dogs and plenty of food to enjoy. One on the neat things about the Bass Master Classic is the Expo. All of the fans get the opportunity to buy all of the products right on site with many of the fishing items getting their first debut. When I tell you that they had just about everything you could imagine there, I mean it. Rods, reels, fishing line, Nitro Z-Series boats, tires, coolers, Fish Head lures, and the list goes on and on. The 50 plus anglers who were
fishing in the Classic were the best of the best, and fishing Lake Conroe turned out to be a lake that you could easily catch a 15-20 pound bag of fish a day. During the competition of the Classic the wind picked up a bit and made the fishing a bit tough. Angler Brent Ehrler had led the tournament for most of the first two days and looked as if he could win it all. However, I have seen too often where the tide of the battle could turn, and for one angler it did. The winner, Jordon Lee, who was in 12th place on the last day, found a way to come from behind to win it all. Wow, it just goes to show that in bass fishing it could be anybody’s day to win, and as the saying goes, never give up. In closing I want to say that if you have never been to the Bass Master Classic, this is one show you have to attend, because it will be one you will never forget. Perhaps one day in the near future you just might see me up there competing in the greatest show on earth in bass fishing. The next Bass Master Classic will be on Lake Hartwell, SC, and I’m sure that it will be just as good if not better than this one that was held in Houston, TX. Striker Nation, I enjoyed meeting with all of you that came up to me at the Classic, and I look forward to seeing you again next year.
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Local Lakes & Forecasts
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Local Lakes & Forecasts lake lanier crappie Forecast By: Dan Saknini, Lanier Crappie Angler’s Club. www.laniercrappieanglers.net This time of year we often hear the comment “if the dogwoods are blooming, the crappie are biting”. There is truth in that, but fish need to eat all year, so we target them all year using various methods. Current water temps are in the mid-sixties. Fishing is good to excellent. We are still fishing both the prespawn as well as the post-spawn, with some fish having already spawned and some fish waiting to spawn. Both have one thing in common: crappie ALWAYS relate to structure. They may leave their habitat in pursuit of bait, but they always return. That is why you can target fish using several different methods right now. If you prefer using crappie minnows under a cork, the blowdowns and brush piles close to docks in shallower water along with
areas nearby are still going to be your best bet. Blowdowns are beginning to produce quality fish, especially if you see a few surrounding weeds. Do not overrule using a jig. In my opinion, it may work better. Some of these blowdowns are in 10 feet of water, but some are in 20 feet, depending on the size of the tree. Look at the size of the trunk, compare to nearby trees and estimate the height of the similar trees. Also look at the slope of the bank. All these factors will help you determine the location and depth of the tree below the surface. Make sure you fish the blowdown at every possible angle before moving on. Hair jigs and soft body jigs are working well as is long line trolling. The fish chasing bait are the targets of this method. If you are a dock shooter, game on! We are catching them inside docks at various depths with structure (both deep and shallow) and getting photos of impressive catches from our members. Warmer days together with good fishing is a great recipe for an awesome time on the lake. Wear your life jacket as it can save your life!
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Local Lakes & Forecasts Deceiving Ol’ Big… K.I.S.S.
HOURS Mon-Fri 8AM-5:30PM
By: Ryan Kennedy YouTube: Ryan Kennedy Fishing Instagram: ryankfishing ryankfishing@gmail.com
Where I usually fish in North Georgia, the majority of the fish that came up to bed in April have come and gone. Yes, that means that that world or state record you were trying to find up shallow laid her eggs and is feeding up again to get ready for her life in the hot summer haunts. If you caught a monster during the spawn, I congratulate you. If you didn’t, well you’ll get her next year champ. Why can’t we all go out and catch a fatty on every trip to the lake? According to the clever marketing in the fishing industry, it’s because we don’t have every single new “revolutionary” product that comes on the market. The big ones only want to eat the best lures fished on the best equipment, right? Let’s take a look back in history at how the biggest bass ever recorded was caught. George Perry caught his record 22-4lb bass on a Creek Chub Fintail Shiner. If you’ve ever seen this lure, then you know that it is nothing more than a lipped minnow-style bait with two treble hooks. It resembles a crankbait with fins. Compared to today’s modern lures, it doesn’t even come close to the realistic qualities we can find on the shelves of tackle stores today. To top it all off, Perry’s catch was recorded in June. Something is clearly wrong with this picture… You mean to tell me that someone caught a 20 plus pound
bass in the summer, not during the prespawn, on a lure that was the only one he had matched up on generic fishing line with a mediocre rod and reel? YES. Bass are opportunistic feeders. That big girl was up shallow, so Perry tossed the lure over to her, and she devoured it. Everything in bass fishing gets so complicated these days. I remember the days when I was just a little boy stopping at Walmart or the tackle store, buying a lure that I could afford and that looked appealing to me, and sure enough I could take it out on a pond or lake a catch fish on it. It taught me to have confidence in what I had and not continually chase after the newest and “best” lure on the market. Don’t get me wrong; I love to go out and try new lures and new equipment, but when it all boils down, I’ll take any shad colored square-bill crankbait and a brown jig all day long. ’ll always remember that my first big bass I ever caught came on a cheap baitcaster combo and a two-dollar brown jig just dragging it around stumps. The more tournaments I fish and the more experience I gain, the famed acronym holds true. K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Stupid). So don’t lose hope that we are heading towards a different fishing season; the big ones are still out there. Fish your confidence baits, and you’ll run into Ol’ Big sooner or later. Tight lines…
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4/17/17 7:57 AM
Local Lakes & Tournaments Tournament Schedule 2017
Lake MARTIN Forecast By: Capt David Hare 256-401-3089 Alex City Guide Service
May 6 Berry’s Oconee Marina Store - Non-Ethanol Gas - Deli- Boat Ramp -Dry May 7 Boat Storage -ABA BaitCouples and Tackle - Costa Sunglasses May 13 ABA AFT - Boating - Skis and Tubes MayClothing 20 Berry’sAccessories Oconee Classic May 25 Thursday-Mid GA Tournament June 3 Mid GA Tournament Trail June 10 Fishing with Jim Austin June 17 RAM Truck Open Series June 22 Thursday-Mid GA Tournament June 24 ABA AFT July 15 Mid GA Tournament Trail July 27 Thursday-Mid GA Tournament July 29 Mid GA Tournament Trail August 12 Berry’s Fall August 19 GA Tournament 353 Parks Mid Mill Road • Trail Buckhead, GA August 24 Thur. Mid GA Tournament 706-342-2231 Sept 9 Berry’s Fall Sept 30 Mid GA Tournament Trail Oct 7 Berry’s Fall Nov 4 Berry’s Fall
LARGEST SELECTION OF TACKLE IN THE AREA
Well folks, April has been a crazy trophy fish month for our guide service. Lots and lots of fish from 20 to 40 pounds have been caught in April. A lot of them were released, and some were sent to our in-house taxidermist. You will see a few of the pictures in this article, but you can check them all out in facebook /alexcityguideser vicelakemartin. With May brings us a full pool here, and our stripers will be chomping up some live bait on our boats this month. Thinking back to last May, we boated (our client) a 45 pound striper on May 3rd. That’s a pig, but definitely not our biggest which to date is 52 pounds (proud to say caught by our guide service). This month a few years back, I saw one of 30625 my biggest stripers ever in the Wind Creek area, so needless to say, that’s where I spend a good bit of time at May! Also in May, you need to either fish real early or late evenings unless
www.sugarcreekmarina.com
you have a lot of time to stay on the water. Those two times will be most productive. Dust off your Cannon down riggers (that is our choice of down riggers) dig out your bucktails and your spoons and go trolling for schooling stripers. Look for these smaller stripers in 40 foot water depths and troll around 2-3 mph. Now if it’s a big fish you’re looking for and want to catch them on live bait, which is the most exciting way to catch them, then give us a call at 256-401-3089 and book yourself a trip. Remember, we can handle individual trips or multiple boat trips. Until next time, keep what you can eat and release the rest for your next trip out!
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TECHNICIANS ON STAFF
MAY 2017
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Local Lakes & Forecasts
Little Hooks for Big Fish By Capt. Cefus McRae Nuts & Bolts Fishing Series
I love fly fishing. I’m not the best long-pole thrower on the planet, but I can usually make a cast that gets the fly in the general vicinity. One thing I’m continually amazed by, especially when trout fishing, is how small those dang flies are, and just how big the fish are that I’ve caught with such a tiny fly. I mean, some of the flies are almost too small to see or to tie on the end of a leader. One thing I’ve learned from fly fishing which I’ve carried over to conventional fishing techniques is an understanding of hook size, and the fact you don’t necessarily need a hook made from rebar to catch a big fish. The biggest rainbow trout I ever caught was over seven pounds, and I caught it with a fly tied to a #18 size hook. By the way, a #18 hook is small, really small. I believe a mistake many anglers make is using hooks that are too big. They think you need a big hook to catch a big fish. In some cases, that’s true. Strong fish require a strong hook that won’t straighten out under pressure. But more often, it’s the gap
of the hook that you really need to be focused on. Hooks come in a variety of configurations, shapes, sizes and materials. My rule of thumb is to always use the smallest, lightest hook I can get away with. That rule of thumb is guided by the size of the bait that I’m using, not the size of the fish I’m fishing for. Usually, the two will go hand-in-hand. A hook used to fish for bream with a cricket is going to be much smaller than a hook used to troll for marlin with a 3 pound Spanish mackerel. The more you can conceal the hook from your quarry, the more likely they are to eat the bait attached to it. A hook size properly matched to the bait you’re using will allow that bait to move more naturally, and keep them frisky longer too. Nowadays, I use circle hooks almost all the time. Once you get used to the hook-up technique, you’ll find you actually have a better success rate. And if you are in the catch-and-release mode, fish have a much better chance for survival after
the release. For circle hooks I like the Gamakatsu Nautilus Light circle hook. It comes in a variety of sizes from small enough for mud minnows and fiddler crabs and to big hooks for full grown mullet. Even though it’s a relatively light wire hook, it’s strong enough to handle big fish. The shorter shank means there’s less ‘hook’ exposed that might shy fish away. While we’re on hook styles, I love to throw soft plastics. Many worms, flukes and paddletails need a little help getting down into the strike zone. Carolina rigs, Texas rigs and jig heads will serve the purpose, but sometimes you need to be superstealthy. All that weight in front of the plastic can spook fish or get hung up on grass, brush and rocks. Years ago I discovered the advantages of what I call the “Flutter Hook”. In reality, it’s a weighted-shank, worm hook. The Gamakastu EWG (extra wide gap) Weighted Monster hook offers a big gap, sizes to match even the biggest plastic swim baits, and you rig it weedless. The weighted shank gets the lure into the strike zone quicker too. On the fall, the lure ‘flutters’ down like a distressed minnow, and as you retrieve the weight imparts a
lot more action that a non-weighted worm hook might create. I’ve used this hook for everything from soft plastics to cut bait, and it’s become my go-to hook for inshore fishing. Again, I match the size of the hook to the size of the bait I’m pitching. There’s an axiom that states, “Elephants eat peanuts”. I think that’s true for fish too. Fish don’t necessarily eat peanuts, but big fish will often focus on very small prey. I’ve seen 25 pound stripers crashing baitfish that were an inch long, and I’ve seen 40 pound amberjack gulping 3 inch glass minnows. The only way to catch those fish was with similar-sized baits, and that meant sizing all the terminal tackle down to match. The next time you rig up, take a moment to consider your quarry. Also consider what your bait or lure looks like to the fish you hope will eat it. Does it look and move naturally? Or is it hampered by a hook that’s too big? Try sizing down and be prepared to reap the rewards of the big fish you’ll catch. Tight lines and calm seas!
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Wall of Fame Jim Gillespie from Acworth with a nice early spring crappie from Lake Allatoona.
Justin Utterback with a 31 pound Lake Lanier striped bass caught on April 3.
Win A Free Angler Magazine Cap! A Angler Magazine cap will be given away each month for the best reader submitted photo!
Pat Griffin caught this big striper on Lake Oconee with Capt. Bill Wheeler with Gone Fishing Guide Service.
WINNER! Rachel DeCoff with a huge 37lb., 9 oz. Lanier striper.
Ron & Betty Davis and Dennis & Connie Dean from Amberson, PA caught a nice stringer of hybrids and stripers on Lake Oconee with Capt. Bill Wheeler with Gone Fishing Service.
This fat spotted bass was caught on Lake Lanier by Mike Johnson.
Shane Shadburn with a big Lanier striper caught on the south end trolling an umbrella rig.
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Skyler Tavenier with a nice Lanier striper caught on a jerkbait.
4/17/17 7:58 AM
Photo by Penn Waggener/flickr.com
Texas Wardens Break Up Illegal Seafood Ring
By TAM Staff
W
ith so much turmoil surrounding fisheries management in the Gulf of Mexico, Texas game wardens have announced a potentially huge bust of fishermen plundering important recreational species in the Gulf. The Galveston County Daily News reports that Houston chef, Bruce Molzan, 59, has been charged with multiple misdemeanors involving the purchase and sale of illegally captured fish through his Houston-area businesses. These charges are related to Molzan’s alleged involvement with an illegal seafood network of about a dozen unlicensed commercial anglers that has provided tons of illegally caught fish to his businesses. Illegally caught species include such important game fish as red snapper, tuna, amberjack, grouper and redfish. Officials believe the illegal seafood ring has been operating since 2013, according to the Daily News report. A break in the case came in April 2016, when the U.S. Coast Guard stopped a commercial fishing boat near Freeport, Texas with 1,900 pounds of red snapper alleged to have been illegally harvested off Freeport and Galveston. Game wardens have written more than 200 Class C misdemeanor citations in relation to the case. Two Freeport recreational anglers have been charged with felonies. Molzan owns Ruggles Black restaurant on Kirby Drive in Houston.
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few years ago, Alabama native Jordan Lee was a member of the Auburn University fishing team with dreams of the big show. In late March, at 25 years of age, he ascended to the pinnacle of the bass fishing world by winning the Bassmaster Classic. He collected a $300,000 check, and the trappings of a Classic win will fuel his career for years to come. Lee rose from near the bottom of the heap through the threeday tournament at Texas’ Lake Conroe to claim the coveted trophy. On Friday, he wasn’t even able to put together a five-fish limit and brought three fish to the scales that weighed 8 pounds, 6 ounces. On Saturday, he had better conditions on a hard-bottomed point he found during practice and hauled in four fish that weighed 21-0. It was good enough to push him into 15th place and make the cut for the final day. He had obviously found a big-fish pattern. To that point, California’s Brent Ehrler was sitting atop the leaderboard with 43-4 after two rounds. Lee, with 29-6, would need a monster bag of fish and a little bit of help on the final day. He got both. With engine trouble negating his ability to move, Lee settled in on that same point and worked it for all it was worth, catching a big limit on a football jig dressed with a Rage Craw. After hitching a ride back to the docks with a spectator, Lee weighed in a 27-pound, 4-ounce sack for a three-day total of 56-10. Ehrler managed just 1110 on the final day and fell to third place behind Alabama angler Steve Kennedy, who finished second with 55-1. Of all the stories that come with such dramatics, the most useful is of the location Lee was fishing. About 100 yards offshore, he targeted a section of hard bottom on a flat point. Lee said he thinks it was rock or gravel, and there was no brush. Finding such a magic spot requires an angler to know their electronics. It’s easy to identify structure with today’s technology. Reading bottom composition can be a little trickier, but it’s easy enough if you know what to look for. Hard bottom, whether it’s shells, a roadbed, rock or gravel, can be a magnet for baitfish and bass. A hard bottom reflects sonar waves emitted by the transducer more efficiently than a soft or mucky bottom. On a traditional unit, a hard bottom will show up as a dense, deeply colored line because of strong echoes bouncing off a solid surface. With soft bottom, some sonar waves penetrate the bottom and are reflected back as weaker signals. The resulting image is a thicker line with less density. Color indicators vary by unit, but you can bet Lee knew what it meant when the bottom was a yellow line on his Lowrance. This barely scratches the surface of the capabilities of today’s technology, but it’s a good example of information that can be gathered when one knows how to read and operate their electronics.
4/17/17 2:30 PM
FLY FISHING
PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE
I
love this time of year. With the warming Pacific water temperatures and the arrival of pelagic species like bluefin tuna, I know mako shark season is only a few weeks away. There is not a better saltwater game fish on the west coast for the saltwater fly angler than the shortfin mako shark. These apex predators are big, fast and aggressive, which makes them a prime sight-fishing target with the fly. However, it’s a lot like hunting, and to hook one of these amazing fish, an angler must have lots of patience. Chumming for mako sharks can be boring. Sometimes it takes a few hours for the first mako to show up in the chum slick. So, what do you do when you’re waiting for Mr. Grinner to swim up the slick? You play with blue sharks! Pass Time With The Blues The blue shark has helped me pass many boring hours bobbing around in my skiff waiting for a mako to show up. In fact, it’s the blue shark that got me started in saltwater fly fishing. I remember it well. The year was 1993, and I was looking for some adventure in my life. Bored with casting to bluegill and bass at the local lakes, I wanted something bigger, more extreme, a greater challenge. I discovered the blue shark. I don’t cast to blue sharks much these days. I would rather appreciate their beauty and companionship, sort of like a pet dog. The Art Of Chumming The art of chumming for sharks is more about the time invested chumming; sometimes many hours than actually catching the shark. Three things I’ve learned over the years fishing for Mako sharks is: 1) Have good, fresh chum 2) Find a spot where there is plenty of current
3) Find a good temperature break And… be patient. The longer you stay, the bigger the payoff. As my shark-fishing mentor once told me many years ago, “Stick and stay, and make it pay.” Sage advice. www.conwaybowman.com
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GEORGIA
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4/17/17 2:04 PM
By Jim Farmer
F
olks, it’s that time of year again and it’s started already. The other day, I received a text from a buddy. The text read, “It’s here” and showed a string of photos of nice spotted bass, lips adorned with a familiar topwater plug, a Chug Bug popper. The Chug Bug has been a favorite in the spring and fall for topwater bass and stripers the past few years. To be honest, it’s worth its weight in gold here on Georgia’s Lake Lanier. I imagine it will find similar success wherever there are spotted bass and stripers. This time of year, I’ll either be popping or walking the dog with a topwater walking bait. Now, the timing varies on different waters, but here the bait starts moving to the top when surface temperatures reach 70 degrees. Some of the bait is seeking warmer water, and some are entering their spawning season, so they are swimming the surface in the shallows looking for structure to spawn on. In May on Lanier, we are catching the tail end of the shad spawn and entering the blueback herring spawn. In both cases there are plenty of opportunities to find surfacing predatory fish looking for a big meal. In calmer early morning hours when the creeks are glassed over, I pull the boat out into the middle of the creek, shut the motor down and watch for fish chasing bait. They usually give themselves away on points and shorelines. I’ll make a mental note of the areas I’ve seen activity, and then I go to work hitting those locations. Generally, the fish stay and feed as long as bait is in the area. I’ll start out throwing a walking bait like the Lucky Craft Sammy. “Walking the dog” with this bait is very effective, and creates a wake on the surface the fish are looking for. This can be a lock very early in the morning on creek points. But if walking the dog doesn’t get their attention, I’ll break out the popper and start making some noise. “Calling them up” with a popper mimics fish feeding on the surface, and it’s sometimes the ticket when the quieter walking bait doesn’t produce.
This pattern usually goes on for a while, and fishing is easy. It’s when they quit surfacing that times get tough, and you need to go looking. The next place to look is main-lake humps, where the water comes up shallow out of the depths. The pattern is the same as in the creeks, and at times surfacing action on the main lake can last all day. A lot of times these fish go undetected, and throwing topwater baits around shallow-water markers can produce. Whether it’s the creek points and shallows or mainlake humps, there are two baits and two tactics for me in May. You can find me walking the dog with a walking bait or calling them up with a surface popper for some of the best topwater action in the South. Jim Farmer is an avid fisherman and owner of Cast Away Bait and Tackle, a custom tackle shop located just off the shores of Lake Lanier in north Georgia.
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By Nadeen Welch
G
oing on vacation and trying to decide where your next excursion should be? Fort Myers and Sanibel, Fla. offer something for everyone. Beaches, hiking, kayaking, fishing, camping, birdwatching and shelling abound here. With mild temperatures and low humidity, outside is Photo courtesy of Capt. Terry Fisher/ where you want to be Fish Face Charters after being cooped up through the winter! If fishing is your activity of choice, you have made a great decision. You can take the whole family, only those interested or go it alone. Your best bet for a great day on the water is to hire a professional captain or guide. You can go out on a private charter, where you and your family are the only ones on board, or you may choose a “head boat” where there will be 50 other people fishing with you. Either way, almost everything needed will be provided—boat, license, rod and reel, bait, and a good time. Usually the only things not included are sunscreen and alcoholic beverages. Make sure you ask what is included, just to make sure. Charter guides usually specialize in a certain type of fishing. Inshore fishing trips will have you fishing the flats, mangroves and back-bays. The advantage of inshore fishing is it is usually a more active fishing day, and a windy day won’t ruin your day of fishing. Your guide will move to
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different locations to find the fish, which are not sitting still waiting for you, and provide you with a better experience. This time of year, redfish, snook, mangrove snapper, sea trout and tarpon are what you will catch. These fish will give you a good fight and provide an exciting day on the water. Offshore fishing trips will still provide most required items. The captain will travel anywhere from 20 to 50 miles or more offshore to find fish. While you may not catch as many fish, you Photo courtesy of Capt. Larry McGuire/Show will catch larg- Me the Fish Charters er fish like king mackerel, Spanish mackerel, snapper, grouper and sharks, such as blacktips, spinners, bulls, and possibly hammerheads. This is an entirely different type of fishing from inshore and just as fun. Then you have tarpon fishing. The “silver king” is world famous in these waters, and people come from around the world for the opportunity to land one. The food of choice for a tarpon is a pass crab. Boca Grande is famous for its tarpon fishing history and provides a beautiful environment, if you are here specifically for tarpon fishing and a laidback island environment. If fishing is not up your alley, visiting Sanibel and Captiva will offer you many options. J.N. Ding-Darling National Wildlife Refuge is located on Sanibel Island. It is home to one of the country’s largest undeveloped mangrove ecosystems and is well known for its migratory bird populations. Captiva Cruises operates in two locations on the island and can take you to the private island of Useppa, Cayo Costa State Park, Cabbage Key and Boca Grande, as well as many other options. On the island’s beaches, shelling like you wouldn’t expect is the norm. Whatever you decide to do, relax and enjoy our “IslandOlogy.” Nadeen Welch is co-publisher of the Fort Myers edition of Coastal Angler Magazine.
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FRESHWATER
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FRESHWATER
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estled in the south Georgia pines just southwest of Adel, Ga. is 3,500 acres of sportsman’s paradise known as Live Oak Plantation. Campbell Roberts and I arrived with Ranger bass boat in tow via a fence-lined, well-manicured slice of green earth that led us to the lodge at Live Oak Plantation. This is where we met our expert bass fishing guide, Max Gresham. Max is a seasoned bass angler and a member of the Valdosta State Blazers bass fishing team. Max perfectly planned our day of bass fishing. With 10 ponds and more than 500 acres of fishable water to choose from, he had his sights
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set on two main bodies of water that had been producing quantity as well as quality bass for the past several days. What a breathtaking sight it was as we traveled the winding road past Jim’s Backyard Pond just as the fog was lifting off the water. We made our way to our first destination, Gator Pond and launched at about 7:45 a.m. Yes, there is a reason they call it Gator Pond and yes, we did see a couple of resident gators. The pond was impeccable, with its splendor of bass cover including grass, dollar pads, lily pads and submerged timber. We had a deck full of rods with an arsenal of big bass lures tied on: buzzbaits, frogs, flukes, trick worms and jigs. Campbell was first to hook up on 3-pound bass swimming a fluke across visible grass structure. Max and I followed with several bass including two massive topwater explosions on frogs that resulted in the big bass of the day. Gator Pond was very good to us that morning, yielding about 25 bass in about four hours. We took a break and headed back to the lodge for a quick lunch and then it was back to fishing. This time we launched the boat in Outback Pond. This pond was heavy in willow trees, laydowns and grass. The bass numbers rose quickly in this pond, one after another. The action was nonstop, cast after cast, bass after bass. We located a ball of baitfish, and the bass were close by. The fluke bite was the strongest around these schoolers, and we managed to bag another 40 bass in about four hours. We all caught our fair share of bass on both of these fine bodies of water. You would need a week or two to thoroughly fish all the beautiful ponds Live Oak Plantation has to offer. When you visit, you must stay and dine at the lodge. The lodge will accommodate up to 12 guests in 10 rooms. There is a conference center that will accommodate groups up to 20. In addition to some of the best bass fishing in the state, Live Oak Plantation offers quail, deer and turkey hunting. They also offer tower pheasant shoots. For additional recreation, there is a well-manicured golf course that has three greens and three tee boxes per hole that allows for nine different holes of golf, and there is also a driving range. For additional Information on Live Oak Plantation, visit their websites www.fishliveoak.com and www.huntliveoak.com or call direct at 800-682-4868. Live Oak Plantation is located at 675 Plantation Road, Adel, GA 31620.
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FRESHWATER
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COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
4/17/17 3:04 PM
UR-Cut
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UNDER THE SEA 26
Diving in Tonga with my new PLB
A
fter several years of traveling for work, I had enough frequent flyer miles to take my family to Australia to dive on the Great Barrier Reef. After returning home, we heard on the news that two Americans had accidentally been left at sea by the same dive operator we had chartered. The crew miscounted when tracking divers, and by the time the search began, they most likely suffered a slow, agonizing death. That nightmare incident was portrayed in a Hollywood movie. Unfortunately, these “left-at-sea” stories are not uncommon. Boats can become incapacitated; divers can get caught in a current; the possibilities are endless. According to U.S. Coast Guard rescue swimmers, the key to getting rescued is to make yourself visible. A whistle or Dive Alert air horn might be enough to catch the attention of your boat if it is nearby. If lost, it helps if you are wearing a brightly colored wetsuit hood or deploy a brightly colored safety sausage. Even better, you can carry signaling devices such as flares, a mirror (requires sun), or glow sticks (at night). A small LED dive flashlight or strobe can be seen from afar—especially if the USCG is searching with night vision goggles. But what if your boat sank and no one was called? What if you are in a country where there is no coast guard? These thoughts rattled around in my head before a recent trip to a remote island off of Tonga. Fortunately, advances in technology continue to provide new solutions. PLBs (Personal Locator Beacons) on the market today are small, waterproof devices designed to alert search and rescue services of your location anywhere in the world. When activated, it transmits a message on the 406 MHz distress frequency which is monitored by the COSPASSARSAT satellite system. The alert is relayed to the nearest Rescue Coordination Center. Once in the area, rescue services pinpoint your location using the 121.5 MHz homing transmitter. Unlike EPIRBs, which are registered to a specific vessel, a PLB is registered to a person and can be carried wherever you go. Before my trip, I bought an ACR ResQLink PLB from Bass Pro for
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$249. It can be used on land or sea, but divers need to know that taking it deeper than 5 meters could cause the device to activate due to pressure changes, so it should either be secured to a flag float on the surface or stored in a dive canister if taken underwater. The increased peace of mind was well worth the price. There are several similar products on the market. The Ocean Signal rescueME PLB1 operates in a similar manner. Nautilus Lifeline makes a “Marine Rescue GPS” which broadcasts a distress message to all AIS equipped ships up to 34 miles away and to the marine radio on your own vessel. The ultimate survival tool is your ability to keep calm and maintain a positive attitude while taking action to make yourself visible. Prepare ahead of time, and your chances of rescue are very good. Safe diving! Sheri Daye is a world-record holder, host of Speargun Hunter, and producer of “The Blue Wild Ocean Adventure Expo” in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Follow “Sheri Daye” and “The Blue Wild” on Facebook and Instagram.
For more Sheri Daye, go to
CAMSPEARFISHING.COM
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4/17/17 3:04 PM
Selected Colors & Lengths
A Full Service Marine Lumber Yard
Specializing In Lumber, Pilings, Decking and Dock Accessories 3 LOCATIONS Showroom: CAPE CORAL 1005 S.E. 10th St. • 239-573-6857 FORT MYERS 10871 Kelly Rd. • 239-267-6857 CHARLOTTE COUNTY 3055 S. McCall Rd. • 941-474-0099
ShorelineLumber.com COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
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CAPTAINS OF FISHER GUIDING 28
A CAPTAIN AND HIS LUCKY LADY, FISHING THE VIRGIN ISLANDS
BY LUKE CAMBELL
R
obert Mitchell hasn’t stopped chasing marlin since childhood, when he would see the species or its larger-finned counterpart, the sailfish, mounted on walls of seafood restaurants. After catching plenty wall-worthy fish in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Gulf of Mexico over the years, Robert chose the Virgin Islands to begin living his dream as a charter captain. Now, he takes guests on his boat, The Lucky Lady, to catch marlin and other trophy fish surrounding St. Thomas and St. John. After visiting St. Thomas frequently over the last 10 years, local mainstays on the island have helped Capt. Mitchell settle in since moving there permanently in January. Mitchell said, “Jimmy Loveland has been great to go over to and get advice. Getting to talk to a legend like Jimmy has been fantastic. Jim on the Black Pearl (a fellow USVI sportfishing charter) came over and welcomed me into town. He is a good guy, and I would do anything for these two people.” The name Jimmy Loveland may be familiar to those who follow sportfishing. Loveland founded Marlin Magazine and the USVI Open/Atlantic Blue Marlin Tournament that runs every August in St. Thomas. In addition to advice from fellow anglers, Lady Luck has loyally followed Capt. Mitchell to teach him the nuances of fishing here. Mitchell explained, “Everywhere I have fished, I have been blessed with good luck in finding boils, birds and porpoise. Birds down here are very few. When you see a bird, you better follow it. When you see the porpoise, you might make one or two passes, but that’s it. The lonely bird has been far more successful. The other places I have fished, you looked for a flock of birds and when following the porpoise, you were just about guaranteed a tuna strike.”
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Another key difference anglers find in the Virgin Islands is distance. In contrast to other destinations Mitchell has fished, the boat ride is short. The South Drop is 6 miles from dock, and the North Drop is only 20 miles. These drops are famous. While fishing, Mitchell has watched the bottom drop from 90 to deeper than 3,000 feet in a matter of minutes. Paying close attention, and staying over the intended depth is important. Capt. Mitchell described a recent trip aboard The Lucky Lady when that awareness paid off for anglers. They started the day trolling around a FAD (fish-attracting device) when four out of six lines hit on a school of blackfin tuna. They put their spread out again, started trolling, and then the line popped with a 180-pound blue marlin. The group also caught a wahoo of about 45 pounds and a 25-pound kingfish. “It was a great day on the boat, and everybody got a chance to sit in the (fighting) chair and take a turn,” said the new captain. Luke Cambell is a co-founder of Fisher Guiding, an online marketplace to find and book fishing guides, which is proud to partner with Capt. Mitchell and The Lucky Lady.
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C
ustom rod building has entered an era of resurgence, with new components, fresh design concepts, and, most importantly, a broad base of sophisticated anglers and creative rod builders driving developments on multiple levels. Today’s avid angler understands the importance of the rod with respect to a given approach or technique. Credit this recognition in large part to the broader segmentation of the markets for fishing rods and lines. Anglers have a much broader selection of both to choose from. More importantly, they have learned to discriminate and apply the right variations to the proper settings. With better understanding and experience, a fisherman begins to dial in on the nuances that make a rod better suited to the technique and personal preferences. Custom rod makers can give an angler everything he wants from essential components to bells and whistles. While “personalization,” artistry and uniqueness drove custom rod making in the past, functionality and comfort are driving custom rod projects today. “I used to have three to five rods that I would use for a given technique,” recalls bass tournament angler and rod builder Chris Adams of Mud Hole Custom Tackle and a member of the Winn Grips pro staff. “One had the guides I liked. Another had a more comfortable reel seat that added to the rod’s sensitivity, but it didn’t have the backbone or action I wanted. Another had the right power and action but didn’t have the components I liked. I realized the easiest way for me to get everything I wanted into one rod was to build it myself, the way I wanted it!” Adams notes that rod grips from Winn (www.winngrips.com) factor into
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many rod-making decisions. The comfort and tackiness of these all-weather grips provide sure-handed angler control. Bass fishermen have driven a lot of technique-specific rod customization. But more and more saltwater anglers are tailoring rods to their task. Many saltwater anglers have taken up custom rod building as hobby or a basement business to build their own rod arsenals. Classes in rod building are available across the country. At the Saltwater Fishing Expo in Somerset, New Jersey, in March, the custom rod craze was evident. Fishermen were building rods for everything from flounder fishing to trolling for big game species. Saltwater anglers often have a more complex set of needs, from guides resistant to corrosion to rod handles that provide adequate control and comfort. A lot of attention at the Winn booth centered around the sneak preview of new tapered rod grips for heavy-duty saltwater fishing, available in multiple lengths and diameters, and the new Winn Rod Handle System. Winn also unveiled a durable and versatile extension of its very popular overwrap, Winn Superior Rod Wrap. Like its predecessor, it can be the primary material in an original rod handle or applied over an existing cork or EVA grip. Winn also will expand its Saltwater Straight Cylinder line of 1.25-inch diameter grips this summer with black grips ranging to 18 inches in length. Get to know a rod builder in your area to create the perfect rod for any technique or style of fishing. Or take up the practice yourself!
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4/17/17 3:04 PM
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# 1 SEL
RAP ALU
Multi-Mounts
ITEM 6 62160/ 60569 s
Mount all your vital angling tools and protect your investment. Great for sonar, chart plotters and GPS units.
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B
ack when everyone else was rocking a 3.5-inch grayscale fishfinder, Gary sported a color 7. He always seemed to catch fish. One day I had the nerve to ask him, “Hey Gary, how much did that thing cost?” “More than the kayak,” was the deadpan response. That was years ago. Since then, sonars are more and more capable and feature rich, for less scratch. A Lowrance Hook-7 will run you $449, much less than the kayak. Downscan and side imagining are commonplace. Over time, screen sizes grew until Gary was no longer the exception, he was the rule. So how big is too big? The answer depends on your bank balance and risk tolerance as well as the water you fish and the kayak you captain. Five to 7 inches seems like the sweet spot for kayak use. The screens are wide enough to offer high-resolution readability, yet compact enough to stay out of the way of a cast—or your foot. These days the better question might be, “How big is the transducer?” For peak performance, it’s best to mount a modern transducer in direct contact with the water. Some transducers require adapters such as the Lowrance Ready Total Scan plate to fit properly. Alternatively, kayak anglers can go the MacGyver route and craft their own adapters. Where there’s a will and fish to be caught, there’s a way. Just ask Gary.
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99 79$129 .99
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ANY SINGLE ITEM
LIMIT 1 - Cannot be used with other discount, coupon or prior purchase. Coupon good at our stores, HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Offer good while supplies last. Shipping & Handling charges may apply if not picked up in-store. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 9/1/17. Limit one FREE GIFT coupon per customer per day.
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CANGL_NAT3-NAT42.indd 33 hft_coastalangler_0517_M-REG109337.indd 1
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2000 WATT CONTINUOUS/ 4000 WATT PEAK POWER INVERTER
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ITEM 69651 18 VOLT CORDLESS 3/8" DRILL/ 62868/62873 68239 shown DRIVER WITH KEYLESS CHUCK
Includes one 18V NiCd battery and charger.
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Limit 1 coupon per customer per day. Save 20% on any 1 item purchased. *Cannot be used with other discount, coupon or any of the following items or brands: Inside Track Club membership, Extended Service Plan, gift card, open box item, 3 day Parking Lot Sale item, compressors, floor jacks, saw mills, storage cabinets, chests or carts, trailers, trenchers, welders, Admiral, Bauer, CoverPro, Daytona, Earthquake, Hercules, Jupiter, Lynxx, Poulan, Predator, StormCat, Tailgator, Viking, Vulcan, Zurich. Not valid on prior purchases. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 9/1/17.
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meaning of “Compare” or "comp at" should be implied. For more information, go toHarborFreight.com or see store associate.
4/17/17 3:04 PM PM 4/6/17 4:35
suzuki spring savings Three Limited Time Offers Make A Good Deal Even Better Suzuki Gives You All Three So You Don’t Have To Choose One Or The Other
Buy a new Suzuki outboard from 25 to 300 horsepower and take advantage of not just one, but ALL THREE Suzuki Spring promotional offers.
Add cash rebates on select models and you can get up to $800 cash back. Plus our Repower Financing is available at attractive interest rates (on approved credit.*)
Just say, “Gimme Six!” and you’ll get six years of product protection. That’s right, you’ll get Suzuki’s three-year limited warranty and Suzuki’s 3-Year Extended Protection Plan at no extra charge.
See your participating Suzuki Marine dealer today and find out how you can get the ultimate deal on the Ultimate 4-Stroke Outboard.
Six Years of Protection at no extra charge on all new outboards 25 to 300 HP.
Cash Rebates on select models. See your dealer for details.
REPOWER FINANCE
Rates as low as 5.99% on new Suzuki outboards (OAC).*
For details and the name of your nearest participating Suzuki Marine dealer, visit www.suzukimarine.com
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 4/01/17 and 6/30/17 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 4/01/17 and 6/30/17. 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. Customer will have the choice to either apply the cash rebate against the original dealer invoice (Suzuki will credit Dealer parts account) or have a check sent directly to the customer. 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 4/01/17 and 6/30/17. “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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COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
4/17/17 3:04 PM 3/12/17 5:04 PM
You could get a discount when you combine your auto and boat policies.
for your boat geico.com | 1-800-865-4846 | Local Office Some discounts, coverages, payment plans and features are not available in all states or all GEICO companies. Boat and PWC coverages are underwritten by GEICO Marine Insurance Company. Multi-Policy Discount available to auto insureds that have purchased a boat policy through the GEICO Marine Insurance Company. GEICO is a registered service mark of Government Employees Insurance Company, Washington, D.C. 20076; a Berkshire Hathaway Inc. subsidiary. Š 2017 GEICO
COMMON CVRS_0517.indd 3
4/17/17 12:07 PM
© 2017 Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries
THIS SEEMS TO BE THE PLACE WHERE ALL THE FISH HANG OUT. I THINK I’LL DROP IN.
12”
PROGRAMMABLE
HOT KEYS
PRELOADED
BUILT-IN
BLUECHART® G2 + LAKEVUU¨ HD CHIRP SONAR + CLEARVUU¨ + SIDEVU¨
GPSMAP® 1242xsv
COMMON CVRS_0517.indd 4 Coastal Fishing Ad_US-8.125x10.875-CoatalAngler.indd 1 17-MCJT512 GPSMAP 1224xsv
4/17/17 PM 3/8/17 12:07 9:13 AM