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By Capt. Ryan Palmer
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ahoo are some of the fastest fish in the ocean. Built for speed with large tails and torpedo shaped bodies, they can accelerate rapidly and turn on a dime. Wahoo can be solitary fish or found in large schools, depending on conditions, time of year and moon phases. Known for their excellent table fare and awesome fighting ability, anglers travel to South Florida and The Bahamas from all over the world to target them. They have razor sharp teeth and their jaws are hinged like scissors, so landing one on mono is always an exhilarating feat. They can be caught year round, but during the winter months they are found in far better numbers and sizes, especially around the new and full moons. There are several ways to catch them, including high-speed trolling, planer fishing, vertical jigging and live bait. High-speed trolling for wahoo could well be the most exciting method to catch them. There’s nothing like hearing the clicker of an 80 wide reel scream while you’re doing 17 knots. In some cases, you will have multiple hook ups with multiple drags going off. Talk about heart racing! I’ll go over my normal high-speed spread, but keep in mind everyone has their favorite way of doing things. I run a three-line spread. I fish two electric reels and a 50W Shimano Talica. My first electric is set at 80 feet from the boat with a 48-ounce cable-rigged cigar lead. To that I have 25 feet of 400-pound mono shock leader, which is then connected to my lure. The next electric is set at 150 feet from the boat with a 32-ounce cigar lead and the same shock leader. Last is my shotgun Talica with a 24-ounce cigar lead and the same shock leader. I have about 25 different lures from different manufacturers in many colors, shapes and sizes. All of my lures are rigged on 480-pound cable with either single or double hook sets. I start my spread with an assortment of colors. If I get more than one bite on a particular color, I will change the others to that or similar colors. High speed trolling is done in both South Florida and the Bahamas. I used to think that it
was pointless in South Florida, but over the last few years I have been more successful catching them, and the fish I’ve been catching are better sized fish than the wahoo I’ve caught while planer fishing. On a trip just after a winter full moon, we caught a double header off Pompano Beach. Each fish was in the 40-pound range. When high speed trolling, the optimum speed is between 15 and 20 knots, and we fish a zigzag pattern between 120 and 300 feet of water. There are a couple reasons for the zigzag. One is to mimic baitfish coming in or going out during tidal changes, and the other is that during your turns your baits will slow down and fall slightly before accelerating again. This is when you get most of your bites. Keeping an eye on your chart plotter is key, because you can generally mark the schools in the upper portion of the water column. High speed trolling is great if you want to specifically target wahoo, as there are only a few species that eat at that kind of speed. Planer fishing is just as fun and doesn’t burn nearly as much fuel. I like to run two planers consisting of a #4 and a #8 planer with either a drone spoon or a bonita strip behind a Sea Witch. Colors, sizes and shapes all vary, but once I find what color they like I switch them over. The drone spoon is a time-tested and proven method. The flash and vibration of the spoon cutting through the water gets their attention. I prefer 3.5-inch blue drone spoon behind a #8 Old Salty planer. I run about 60 to 100 feet of 60-pound mono between my planer and bait. While pulling planers down deep, I also pull a couple surface baits. Anything from a bonita strip behind a chugger-style lure to a rigged ballyhoo on wire behind an Islander will work. If you have outriggers, you can spread two baits wide and run a shotgun with a cigar-weighted rigged ballyhoo. I
planer fish the same areas as I high speed, but my speeds will be much slower at 6 to 11 knots. Lots of wahoo tournaments have been won fishing at slower trolling speeds, so don’t rule out a jumbo just because you’re not highspeeding. Live baiting wahoo is less common because you are either bump trolling or drifting goggle eyes or other live baits. You are not covering as much ground. Live baits rigged on light wire or titanium are my first choice, with fluorocarbon being second, due only to a wahoo’s super sharp teeth. I’ve caught several wahoo on vertical jigs. About 90 percent of those have come way offshore under some type of flotsam. I prefer a simple 2-ounce diamond Jig. All the wahoo I’ve caught on vertical jigs have been less than 10 pounds. Wahoo as table fare is in my top five, maybe even top three. I’ve often said that if you have cooked it, it’s already burnt. Do yourself a favor and try some wahoo sashimi! Capt. Ryan Palmer Family Jewell Fishing Charters 954-882-2631
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Friends&Fishing By Jim Parks
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here are a multitude of pleasures and benefits to fishing. The beauty of the environment, the challenge, the relaxation, the simple joy of being outside, the fish caught and the big ones that got away are all among the reasons we fish. Intertwined are the relationships created during outings. Like many others, there are times when I would rather be on the water alone. One particular period of my life, I was working full time while going to night school working on my master’s degree. I had no time. Recognizing this, my wife all but demanded I go fishing. Entering the creek that morning, I was mentally exhausted. I perhaps fished 30 minutes before I wound up lying on a rock with the sun in my face. The sound of the creek and my feet in the cool water washed away a lot of stress. At other times, I’ve found the solitude allows me to commune amidst the creation with its creator. After all, even Jesus knew the merits of hanging out with fishermen. To quote Norman MacLean in A River Runs Through It, “And we were left to assume, as my younger brother Paul and I did… that all firstclass fishermen on the Sea of Galilee were flyfishermen... and that John, the favorite, was a dry fly-fisherman.” Over the decades, I’ve been blessed to meet hundreds of like-minded sportsmen. Some, I’d rather forget! However, looking back over fourplus decades, I cannot help but reminisce over what fishing friendships have meant. If you were fortunate to begin fishing young, you had at least one mentor. If you had a father or grandfather who took you on early fishing trips, hopefully you realize how blessed you were 6 NATIONAL
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and will joyfully pass that blessing to the next generation. Having no fishermen in my family tree, I adapted. Like-minded friends of my own age, aka the “Three Amigos,” myself, Keith and Steve, as well as their fathers and grandfathers, helped me along the way. Though my father didn’t fish, he worked in a textile mill alongside more than a few fishermen with whom I came into contact. Among them were the late Don Kirk, author of several books on fly fishing, and the late, great fly tyer Kirk Jenkins. To this day, the memory is burned in my mind of my father’s co-worker Charlie Murrell tying flies with me while camped on Forney Creek in the Smoky Mountains. I was 14 years old. Along the way, they and others taught me wading, casting and reading water, always instilling an interest and knowledge of the history of and respect for the locations where I trod as a young fisherman. Growing older meant adulthood; college, career and marriage entered the scene. Still, at least one of the Three Amigos besides myself has kept fishing, and we still get together when life permits. As we grow older and hopefully better in our pursuit, we’re sometimes blessed to invest in the future of our sport by sharing with the next generation. We instill in them an appreciation for the beauty and opportunity of wading in the crystal clear streams while sharing the history passed down to us. Those opportunities make us better fishermen. In teaching, we are forced to consider the intricate, basic skills of the sport, which over time can become blurred by repetition. As my mentors did with me, I am careful to not “over-coach.” This allows the student to make and learn from their
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mistakes. How awesome to be part of their first catch and to share in that accomplishment. If we’re lucky, at some point we are blessed to come into contact with equally experienced fishermen with whom we just click. The best fishing buddies possess a similar interest in locales and styles, but are different enough that we still learn from one another. The best fishing buddies become those who can finish your sentence, agree on the best places to fish, offer insight we didn’t consider and share learned tidbits, making both that much better. An additional bonus are those friends who are willing to take those crazy adventures such as night trips, remote bushwhacking treks and just downright crazy ideas for which they’ll catch it from their spouse when they eventually return home, well past curfew. I remember as kids how we were competitive. We even had the unofficial “Virgil Ward Award” for whoever landed the largest fish that day. Over time, a point is reached when you get just as much joy in watching a friend ply a hole for that big ol’ brown. Sometimes it’s a tag-team approach, with a spotter directing casts to a trophy fish. We realize as much excitement in our friend’s success as if it were our own, if not more! Lately, I’ve been stepping back… just a little… to give my buddy the first crack at a good run. Watching an artist at work, regardless of the canvas, is a joy. When that person is using all the combined skills of a stealthy approach, with the fly you both agree is best, making that cast in just the right spot and setting that hook, it’s like watching yourself from a distance. In that moment, you are just as elated to share and witness the moment. That moment is when you realize having a fishing buddy is priceless.
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WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA GREAT SMOKIES
Cold Water Bassing
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By Ronnie Parris
ey folks, it’s that time of year again! Time to drag out the insulated underwear and put the heater on the boat. If you don’t like the cold, best stay home and poke the fire ‘cause I can guarantee you, it ain’t gonna’ be comfortable when you get on the boat. This is probably the only time of year I don’t suggest taking young kids to the lake. If the bite is slow, you could make them loose interest in fishing all together. If you do, please make sure to dress them warm and have a heat source on the boat. Even though this may be the most uncomfortable fishing of the year, it’s usually the most dependable for putting a good mess in the live well. On Fontana, I can usually about guarantee a catch on the spotted bass and smallmouth.
Yellow perch are usually in the mix this month too with some of the best sized you will see all year. You are probably gonna’ have to slow your presentation down and really be paying attention because the bites aren’t gonna’ be hard. I love watching the fish finder and dropping live minnows to them, but you can catch them a good variety of ways with both live and artificial. Another good tip is, if you aren’t seeing fish and you have been catching in a certain area, drop all the way to the bottom. Sometimes they lay so close to the bottom they don’t show up on the screen. Depths can vary so try all the way against the shoreline too. If you are out on a windy day, be sure to check the side the wind is blowing against first, as a lot of bait can get pushed into these
areas. Also, the backside of points on the main channel will usually hold good numbers of feeding fish. If your patient, usually your gonna’ find a pattern; just pay
attention when you do catch a fish and usually you will figure them out. Stay safe and when it warms a little, take a kid fishing!
Ronnie Parris is owner and head guide of Smoky Mountain Outdoors Unlimited-Fontana Lake Fishing Guides, headquartered in Bryson City, N.C., heart of the Great Smoky Mountains www. smounlimited.com; (828) 488-9711.
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The Trout Spey Advantage
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By David Hulsey
hy use a two-handed trout spey rod when I can just use a single hand rod? I get this question in prep for all our intro trout spey classes. The answer is not that all areas on the stream are fishable with a single hand rod because of the length of cast and line manipulation needed. I can think of at least half of the waters on our large rivers here in the southeast that are inaccessible to the wading angler. Slick rocks and deep, fast water can ruin your day, or worse. If you are blessed with a drift boat or raft, you can usually reach most of these areas but if you are chest-deep in icy river water, it’s a no-go. Spey lines, especially Skagit lines and heads, are designed to deliver big streamers at amazing distances with very limited backcast room. Swinging a big piece of meat through a deep hole and getting it annihilated by a two-foot brown or striper, is one of life’s true
pleasures! addition In to lines designed to deliver a huge payload, Scandi spey lines can make swinging soft hackles or smaller flies a thing of beauty. They can cast a pair of flies like a laser beam to any riffle area unreachable by conventional fly lines. With the advent of smaller two and three weight trout spey rods, catching normal sized trout can be a blast too. Two-weight spey rods are pretty much equal in power to your four or five-weight outfit. Balanced with the five-weight reel that you already own makes a powerful trout getter. So, anything you chunk out there with your normal trout set up can be thrown with your two-weight trout spey. Trout spey rods are usually under twelve feet long and any two-hander over that length is getting into the salmon and steelhead range. A well balanced two-hander is a joy to cast and fish with. Getting the right line and tips to use with
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your spey rod is critical to success. Recommendations from line companies are readily available and should be followed closely to get the best results. For Scandi type lines or heads, a regular nine-foot leader, looped to the line, performs very well for spiders and soft hackles. Adding a couple of feet of tippet with a surgeon’s knot and a tag provides a system to put on a second fly. It seems to really increase the attraction to the trout by showing them a pair of flies. Integrated Skagit lines and heads require some sort of tip to get the best performance in reaching the proper depth to present the fly. Tips that float to sink rates, up to seven inches per second and more, are available, and the shorter the better. I find with our rivers here in the southeast that 1.5 to 3 inches per second sink rates are the
most useful and useable to our trout spey rods. Short tips are turned over easier and are more fun to cast. Most of the holes, or buckets, on our southern rivers can be reached effectively with these sink rates and short, five to six-foot tips and then, adding a five foot piece of tippet. Effective trout spey flies can range from wooly buggers to intruders to soft hackles and any other swing type fly tied. I love small steelhead and salmon type flies, at times, to show the trout something they haven’t seen before and they are very appreciative for them! If you are interested in trying the new trout spey game, book one of our 3 Hour Introductory Trout Spey Classes on the Toccoa River in Blue Ridge Georgia. We supply a variety of gear for you to try, so you can experience why trout spey is the way!
Give David Hulsey a call at (770) 639-4001 to book a class or a guided trout trip. Visit his website at www.hulseyflyfishing.com.
JANUARY 2022
GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS & THE UPSTATE 3
Fly of the Month – Adams Variant
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he Adams dry fly is by far the single most well-known fly, by name, by both fly fishers and non-fly fishers. It’s alphabetically near the top of every list anywhere among fly shops, so the fly gets attention. Besides being well-known, the Adams fly pattern in general has a strong reputation for catching trout everywhere. The exclusive upright and divided grizzly hackle tips, as wings, in conjunction with a brown and grizzly mixed hackle, bears the Adams label, regardless of other characteristics and features. So, let’s name the fly patterns that we know which bear the Adams label. They include, but are not limited to, the Adams Dry Fly, Female Adams Dry Fly, Yellow Body Adams Dry Fly, Rusty Body Adams Dry Fly, Quill Body Adams Dry Fly (Whitcraft), Adams Parachute, Adams (hi-vis orange wing) Parachute, Adams (indicator) Parachute, Yellow Parachute Adams, Black Adams, Smoky Mountain Adams, Adams Waterwisp, Adams Variant Dry Fly, Adams Superfly (Quigley), Adams Wet Fly, Downwing Adams Wet Fly, Adams Midge, Adams Wulff, Adams Humpy, Adams Goofus Bug, Adams Irresistible, Female Adams Irresistible and yes, even an Adams Caddis (which is a variation of the original Adams Dry Fly). No doubt, there is Female Adams versions of every fly pattern listed
By Tom Adams, Alen Baker
above and then some. The Female Adams (believed to have originated locally), Adams Variant, which was originated by Allene Hall of Bryson City, North Carolina (Fred Hall’s wife), Yellow Parachute Adams, Black Adams and Smoky Adams are each a fly pattern unique to the Southern Appalachians. The very popular Adams Variant is a local fly pattern that was developed by Allene Hall. It was tied and sold by the late Bryson City resident, Fred, and his wife Allene Hall. This is one of their trademark dry flies that made them fly tying legends here in the South. Fred Hall is credited for originating the Black Adams and the Smoky Mountain Adams. The Adams Variant is fished much like a Wulff pattern. The rear grizzly hackle adds float capabilities that hold up well in rough water. The Adams Variant is our personal “go to fly” on delayed harvest waters where the ripples and runs contain rising rainbow or brown trout. You will not find this timeless, local fly pattern in most fly shops as it is not as well-known as the Adams, but nonetheless, it is highly effective as a go-to rough water fly pattern. You may well find the fly available and sold locally in tackle shops, service stations, and general stores throughout the North Carolina Mountains where a local tyer is making part of his living tying and selling his flies.
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For example, the Citco along NC 19 in-route to the Nantahala River has a display of locally tied flies that includes (before the sell out each month) the Adams Variant, tied typically in size 12 and maybe size 14. You will have to tie your own size 16 and size 18. Hook: Dry fly, standard length. Tiemco 100, Size 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 Thread: 8/0 Uni Black Tail: Deer body hair Wing: Grizzly hackle tips Rear-Hackle: Grizzly rooster, 1x size smaller than hook size Body (center): Yellow ostrich herl Fore-Hackle: Grizzly & brown rooster, mixed Directions: 1. Begin thread wraps two or three eye lengths back from the eye and wrap tightly about one third of the length. Let the bobbin hang. 2. Select two equal size grizzly hackle tips. Generally speaking, the excellent dry fly hackle we use has terrible tips for use as a wing. Spade or saddle hackle is much broader for the wing profile. The tips should be about the length of the hook shank. Strip a short section and tie in together with the “cupped” sides facing away from each other. Secure the tips, facing the hook eye with several wraps on top of the hook shank. Advance the thread to in front of the tips and pull upright by tensioning the thread in a parallel to the shank pull. Once they stand up, add several turns in front and behind to secure their place. Divide the wings using several ‘x’ wraps and take the thread in touching wraps to above the hook barb. Let the bobbin hang. 3. Select a small bunch of natural deer body hair and clean the underfur thoroughly. Stack and tie in on top of the hook shank with the length being about the same as the hook shank. When tying in,
use several light wraps for position. The deer should start at the wing and then extend beyond. This will make a smoother body without big lumps of varying materials. Once the position and length are good, tie in firmly, starting at the wings and moving to above the hook barb (you may need to pinch the hair on top of the hook shank by using your left hand to keep it from rolling at first) and let the bobbin hang. 4. There is a short section of hackle immediately in front of the tail. Choose a size, or even two, smaller than “normal” for this section. When it is wrapped, it should be smaller and not extend past the hook. You only need two or three wraps. Tie in, trim the waste, and let the bobbin hang. 5. Select a piece of yellow ostrich herl with barbs not exceeding the hook when wrapped and tie in immediately in front of the grizzly. Advance the thread to the wings. Wrap the ostrich in touching turns to the thorax, tie off and trim the excess. Let the bobbin hang. 6. Select a brown and a grizzly rooster that are matching, not only in the length of the barbs but also in the diameter of the stems. Strip their tips and tie in behind the wings. Advance the thread to in front of the wings and let the bobbin hang. Advance the brown hackle leaving space in-between turns for the grizzly. Tie in the brown in front of the wings leaving room for the eye. Trim the excess and repeat with grizzly. After trimming the grizzly form, a nice head with thread, trim and apply head cement.
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Murphy, NC Lake Monsters – Lake Hiwassee Trophy Stripers
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By Shane Goebel
anuary’s here and the holidays are gone. It’s time to put those awesome Christmas fishing gifts to good use, and there’s no better place to start than on this excellent Western North Carolina reservoir. Located in Murphy, North Carolina, Lake Hiwassee offers some amazing striper fishing. For me, January seems to really kick off the start of monster striper season. So, if Santa forgot to leave you those rods and reels, just book a trip with Murphy, NC’s #1 and only fulltime striper guide: Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service. We specialize in striper and hybrid fishing on these mountain lakes and have what it takes to put you on some huge trophy stripers. If you want to experience an amazing fishing opportunity then give us a holler! Currently, the water temps are
in the low 50’s. The water clarity is clear throughout the entire lake. Water levels on Lake Hiwassee are extremely low, about 32 feet below June’s water levels but, no worries, it just concentrates the fish. Striper fishing is EXCELLENT lately! We have been slaying the monster stripers every morning. It’s probably been the most exciting and busiest December ever! The majority of our fish have been in the 15–30-pound range with a few 30 to 40 pounders mixed in. Most of our fish are being caught early in the morning on planer boards and free lines with either live bluebacks, big gizzard shad or huge trout. We’ve also had an incredible downline bite once the sun gets up. This is pretty typical for this time of year. Look for these hard fighting stripers in the backs of creek all the way out the
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Continued, see LAKE MONSTERS Page 8
JANUARY 2022
GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS & THE UPSTATE 7
The New Year Has Arrived! By Capt. James McManus
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o, the New Year has arrived, I have opened all my presents, eaten everything in sight, and I am ready to lay low for a month or so. Chances are, at least some part of this month will deliver a white, slick driveway and hauling the boat up and back will be impossible so, finding tolerable chores is high on my list. With a boat, you have a readymade place to start. Here are a few of my todos.
From the ground up, I start with the trailer. Check tires for wear and pressure. I jack up each wheel and grease and check the play in the bearings. Hook up the boat and check all the lights, look at bunk supports and bunk lumber. I even carry a preassembled hub kit. This may at least keep you off the side of the road come better weather. Next, I move to boat safety equipment, check expiration dates
on fire extinguishers, small medical kit, flares, whistles and condition of life jackets and tool kit. You need a kill switch in good shape, and now’s a good time to check battery life, fluid levels, remove, clean and treat posts and connectors of all electronics. Power up boat and check lights and bilge pump and listen for fuel pump and starter issues. Look into bilge and check bilge pump and actuator, along with fittings on anything else that’s visible. I always have my guys at Rhinehart’s tune up and change fluids in the motor before heavy winter sets in. A fuel additive is a good idea if you plan to let the boat sit, along with running fuel out after the last run. After small checks of drain plug o rings, hinges, and other visible moving parts, I tighten all the bolts on my t-top, check steering arm bolts and motor mount bolts and perform a general visual inspection of the trolling motor and all things connected to the
boat. Now that your boats ready for a weather break, all you have left is changing line on all 50 rigs, clean, grease and repair reels and rods, go buy a couple dozen of the newest hot baits and you are ready for that first tolerable day. Stay safe, be prepared to stay warm and as soon as the snow melts, get back out there; the fish still have to eat. Later, Capt. James
Capt. James McManus owns 153 Charters. Give him a call for a great day on the water at (828) 421-8125.
LAKE MONSTERS continued from page 7 mouths of creeks. We’ve also been picking up some nice fish in the rives. In the upcoming month, look for stripers to be searching for warmer water, especially on cold sunny days. Continue to work the backs of creeks, around shallow humps and in the river. Pulling planer boards and free lines with live blueback herring and gizzard shad will be your best technique for landing these wintertime monsters. Keep an eye out for seagulls and schools of baitfish. It’s not uncommon to see stripers crushing bait right under those birds. I like to cast a Red Fin or a fluke right into these guys for
some nice top-water action. January is a great month for catching a lot of schooling stripers 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 Hiwassee’s best trophy stripers during the fishing trip of a lifetime. We are Murphy, NC’s and Blairsville Georgia’s premier fulltime guide service, specializing in striped and hybrid bass. We also serve Lakes Nottely, Chatuge , and Lake Apalachia for smallmouth and trout. So, come fish with the pros for the opportunity to be featured in Angler Magazine, and let us help you get your fish on!
Shane Goebel owns Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service and is a member of The Angler Magazine Fishing Team. See the website at www.bigolfish.com or call (828) 361-2021 8 GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS & THE UPSTATE
JANUARY 2022
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ready u have 0 rigs, ls and of the ready . Stay m and t back o eat.
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JANUARY 2022
GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS & THE UPSTATE 9
Old School Bass Techniques: The Jigging Spoon
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ere’s a question for you to ponder: Do bass stop biting a technique, or do we just stop fishing them because they aren’t cool anymore? I’ve had this conversation with several dedicated and good anglers lately. Like most things, it seems that we chase the popular and whatever a YouTube celebrity tells us to fish. We should never confuse that fleeting attention span with the fact that these traditional oldschool techniques still produce fish. Matter of fact, in certain times and places, they not only produce fish, but they also dominate. Over a few articles, we are going to look at some techniques you might have forgotten about, or you might not even know. I am not claiming that these have disappeared completely. In fact,
By James K. Pressley
I still see people fishing some of these baits and techniques, but not often. A couple of weeks ago, I got together with one local guide that I am fortunate enough to call a friend, Jimmy Holmes of Fish On! Guide Service. Jimmy and I were chatting one evening and we got to talking about jigging spoons. I started saying it was a technique I had been trying to learn but was just unable to find a lot of info about it, and how to be successful. Well, Jimmy offered to teach me, and a plan was hatched. Jimmy and I met up one morning in October and launched his boat over at the landing, close to Rock Hawk and the dam on Oconee. After making our way out, we started fishing some deeper holes around the dam and
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the east bank of the lake. Over the course of the morning, we boated a couple of good largemouth, a good striper and some hybrids. Here’s what I learned: • Tip: With a lot of action in the tip. You want “give” in the tip. • Line: You really want mono or fluorocarbon line. Mono is
perfectly fine here and somewhere between 10 to 14-pound test is good. Braid is just too stiff and has no give in it. You need the give if a big fish hits. • Reel: This is where Jimmy got me. He uses line counter reels, low profile Okuma line counters to be specific. It’s an affordable reel with
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good drag, and you can pinpoint where you place the spoon. • Lures: Berry’s Flex-it spoon (it comes in some tiny sizes for when they are hitting some tiny shad), the Bomber Slab Spoon and the Live Target flutter spoon. Color doesn’t matter as much as size and shape, however, when Oconee and Sinclair get muddy, you might want to have a gold spoon in the box.
• Boat gear: A trolling motor with spot lock is going to make this a much easier to fish technique. You can pay much more attention to your line and lure when you aren’t battling a trolling motor to stay on top of fish. • Electronics: A basic entry level fish finder will get you on fish these days. Just make sure you KNOW how to use it, what to look
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for and pay attention. • Fishing styles for spoons: For our purposes, we are going to focus on only one- a vertical presentation and jigging up and down. You can cast them, and you can power reel these spoons, however, MOST of the time I believe, at Oconee or Sinclair, you are going to drop these spoons to the bottom, or the desired depth, and raise them in short movements. That’s an important part of this. Don’t move these spoons 4 feet. Just watch your rod tip, and on a tight line, raise the spoon a few inches to maybe a foot, and on a tight line, drop it back down. If you spot fish up off the bottom feeding, this is where the depth counter can come in very handy. Just reel up to the depth and go back to jigging. Make sure you get ABOVE the fish though. Stripers and bass orienting like this are not going to feed down. If you don’t see any fish on the electronics, don’t panic. Make
sure you are fishing a location where you have seen and caught fish before, then just drop that spoon to the bottom and bounce it. This will cause commotion and mud to get stirred up, just like a dying baitfish. Bass, hybrids, and stripers all will lay on the bottom and just wait. This commotion will get their attention, and even if you don’t see them on the electronics, you can catch them. • Time: Traditionally, this has been a dead of summer and dead of winter technique, but really you can catch fish all year on this. I spoke to a tournament angler in the upstate of SC the other day who loves to do this with the herring spawn. The bottom line though is this will work on fish year-round if you try it. As always, this is a “for what it’s worth” type of deal. I have dedicated some time to learning this and I hope you will give it a try if you aren’t fishing it already!
You can reach James Pressley at jameskpressley@gmail.com
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GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS & THE UPSTATE 11
ASHEVILLE / HENDERSONVILLE / BREVARD
The Shutdown
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By Scott Norton
intertime can be a time of feast or famine when it comes to catches. It is a lot like the summer shutdown with the downsizing and upsizing of baits just to get a bite. I do know that conventional baits that most people use all year will eventually not work at all. If you want to be successful, you have to use some good planning to put all the odds in your favor. Let us talk about downsizing your baits and when to use them. Baits like the A-Rig, the jig, and the jerk bait will eventually start letting you down and that bite will taper off as the metabolism of bass comes to a halt. Downsizing will provide a better chance to just get something. “Why not just stop fishing in the winter?”, some
will say. Winter can be that time of year when you get the chance at a new personal best. Baits, like the Ned Rig, finesse jig, and the finesse swim baits are a few baits that land that quality bite you strive for. When is a good time to upsize your baits? If you have tried downsizing and it will not work, then go to your big swim baits and you can try for those giant bass. When you catch a bass in the winter, they will be at their highest body mass this time of the year, after all that feeding up in the fall. Your giant bass still must maintain their calorie intake just to survive. These large bass will not chaise down any small baits because they must conserve energy. They will, in fact, go for a
Continued, see THE SHUT DOWN Page 14
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Planning Your Next Fishing Trip By Gary Turner
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don’t know about you, but sometimes planning a fishing trip is half the fun. Okay, maybe it’s really only a third of the fun if the fishing is really great! Sometimes I like to book a guide, show up, and walk onto the boat. I have also learned that researching new places to fish and gathering lots of info for these trips is fun too! If you ever decide to go to a new place and do some prospecting on your own, it can be very rewarding.
Where do you start? I usually have an idea of the place I want to go or a certain species I want to catch. For example, if you want to catch monster catfish, you could Google “where to catch 100 pound catfish”. Next, you can look at the different places it suggests and see if any of them are places you want to fish. Once you choose a place, start looking for information about fishing there. If there is an Angler Magazine or Coastal Angler for the area, look up the online edition and see what some of the local reports say. You can learn a ton of information from this magazine. You can also search Facebook, Instagram and other social media for people that fish that area and often, there are fishing groups on social media, too. Another thing I like to do is call up some local bait shops and see what info they have about the area. I have found this to be a great source of information and often, if I fish an area several times, will make friends with the bait shop owners. Local bait shops can usually tell you what live or artificial bait are working in their area; like that when you go to Guntersville to catch skipjack,
Foley spoons are usually the trick; and when you go to Goat Island, SC after a big catfish, cut bream and live bream are usually your best bet. I have found many a good spot, including the spot where I caught my first peacock bass, from a location given to me by a local shop owner. When I used to travel for my job, I loved to check out places to fish nearby. One year I had a business trip to Miami, and it opened up a whole new world of fishing for me. Tomorrow morning, I am headed to Pompano Beach to fish several days with my friends Damon Melcho of Xtreme Bait Tanks and Capt. Johnny Stabile. I found Capt. Johnny on YouTube while I was recovering from knee surgery. We have done a lot of fishing together and always have a great time. Johnny is now trying to teach me how to fly drones more effectively. We are going to fish for peacock, clown knife, tarpon, snook, flathead, bullseye snakehead, mayan cichlid, midas cichlid, and the list goes on. For those that know me, you know I like to eat so, part of the planning for my trips is looking for good seafood restaurants, good brisket BBQ,, or places that have gumbo. Finding a good restaurant at a fishing destination is always a big plus for me! I hope the New Year finds you all happy and healthy and ready to plan your next adventure! I’m not sure what next month’s article will be on or where I’ll be fishing, but if you have an empty seat on your boat that needs filling, shoot me an email and maybe it will be about fishing with you!
If you want more information about fishing, you can reach Gary Turner at gary@purgeright.com.
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JANUARY 2022
GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS & THE UPSTATE 13
Tying vs Buying Your Own Flies
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By Ethan Hollifield
have always loved tying my own flies. I started when a gentleman at the church I grew up in gave me a deer hide, some pheasant feathers, and packs of old mustad dry fly hooks that looked like they belonged more in a fishing museum than crammed into the desk of a wide-eyed 11 year old. While my first attempts at tying were “interesting” to say the least, it sparked a love of a hobby that I also credit with helping to advance my guiding career and also helping me better understand the effects that different styles of flies have on trout. There is also nothing more rewarding to me than watching a fly that I created being responsible for putting fish in the net, whether I’m guiding or fishing for myself.
With that being said, there’s been an age long debate on whether or not the time/ material cost of tying flies is worth the effort, rather than just buying your own and calling it good. It can also be intimidating for someone, who has never tied flies, to know what materials/ tools to buy, let alone how to tie a fly in the first place. As for me, I sit in both camps. I don’t tie all of my own flies, with the main reason being the greatest cost: personal time. While I can whip out a standard beadhead pheasant tail or waltz worm in 45 seconds with enough concentration, I go through way too many parachute adams and stimulators on guide trips for me
to be able to keep up with the constant need of replacements. There are many great outlets for flies, either through local fly shops or online, and the price of a good dry fly, that is well tied with plenty of hackle, is well worth the 3 bucks or so you might spend. I will strongly caution that if you go the route of buying your own flies, to stay very far away from “discount” flies that can be bought for a dollar or less, in some cases. These flies are usually tied on poor hooks, and will sometimes fall apart without even catching a fish. Consider buying your flies as an investment into your time on the water, which I think we all can agree is very precious. With that being said, there is a strong argument to be made with tying your own flies. Like I said, there’s really no greater satisfaction than fooling a wary trout on a fly, that you created from scratch. Fly tying also has a very strong tradition that goes back for hundreds of years, and the availability of instructional videos and in-person fly tying clubs is greater now, more than ever. Fly tying is also a great hobby to spend time during days when going fishing just isn’t possible, and is also a great way to “scratch the itch”, so to speak, in the off season. Generally speaking, you
T can tie 100 basic fly patterns for the normal selling price of ten pre-tied patterns. (Take this with a grain of salt). With that being said, if you’re new to fly tying, treat the tools and materials that you purchase as an investment into your time on the water fishing. Materials and tools are only as good as what you pay for, in some cases, and I promise you there is nothing worse than trying to learn on a vice that constantly malfunctions or with
thread that breaks during the final stages of tying. I encourage those of you who have never gotten into fly tying to give it a shot, it’s a great way to socialize with other members of the angling community and is also a wonderful hobby that keeps your mind focused on fishing.
Ethan Hollifield is a member of a conservation organization called 2% For Conservation and a guide for Southern Appalachian Anglers
THE SHUTDOWN continued from page 12 large easy meal. Back a few years ago, you only had a few choices on large baits to use but today, you have so much to choose from. You now have burrito baits, which are big rubber swim baits you pull on the bottom slowly to get those big bites. A big flutter spoon can fit into upsizing as well when they go deep. When you see water temperature starting to dip below the 50s is when this shutdown starts to rear its ugly head. You will notice the water getting gin clear so you will need to downsize your line as well. You will not be able to do this with your big baits; just make sure you use a good fluorocarbon line. In some cases, mono may be the way to go since fluorocarbon will shatter if the temperatures are too cold and over stressed. There are anglers
on both sides of that fence, and both have their own process to use each type of line. Just know if you downsize your fluorocarbon line, you must have a rod that is more forgiving to absorb all that load. Bass this time of year really won’t fight that hard so it will be like dragging in a wet log. The places to fish will be the backs of creeks or the main lake points where you will find rock and wood. It is all about getting warm for the fish. Start on the shorelines where the sun hits the water first in the morning. Running water in the backs of creeks will also be warmer than the rest of the water in the lake and is also a good place to try fishing. Hopefully, this will help a few people this winter that are looking to catch some winter bass this year. Good luck!
Scott Norton is a Western North Carolina native. Born in Asheville, N.C., he is a long-time hunter, angler and weekend warrior. 14 GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS & THE UPSTATE
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Beech Mountain– Walking in a Winter Wonderland
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hink you need snow on the ground for a good winter hike? Not at all! When leaves and undergrowth have died back, winter reveals much beauty that is obscured during warmer months. The Town of Beech Mountain is home to twenty-seven miles of public hiking trails which offer everything from an easy stroll through the woods to a strenuous hike with sweeping views. With elevations in town ranging from 5,506’ to 3,500’, Beech Mountain’s multiple micro-climates provide outdoor opportunities all year long. In general, the temperature decreases with higher elevations. The change is an average of 5.5 degrees less per 1000 feet gained if there’s precipitation, or 3.3 degrees less per 1000 feet gained if it’s not raining, snowing or foggy. On a day when the Emerald Outback trails, the town’s highest system, are too cold for a fun hike, the Buckeye Lake trails may be more than 10 degrees warmer. The lake region is also sheltered in a valley, that protects it from the winter winds, which bring a briskness to the highest part of the mountain. There are several trails around the Buckeye Lake Recreation Area that are popular for winter
bird watching, and that part of town is listed on the North Carolina Birding trail. Before heading down to the Buckeye Lake area, birders can stop by the Beech Mountain Visitor Center at 403A Beech Mountain Parkways and pick up maps and a birding checklist. Over 137 species of birds have been identified on the mountain. While many of them are migratory, bird watchers are sure to see plenty of wildlife, including juncos, cardinals, nuthatches, and doves. Winter fishing is also popular on the mountain. Trout season is closed during the month of March but re-opens each year on the first Saturday in April. Canoes and kayaks are available to use at no charge. To arrange to use one on Buckeye Lake, call the Buckeye Recreation Center at 828-387-3003. For those without a North Carolina fishing license, a three-day license can be purchased for $5 by calling 888248-6834. This special license is good for designated Mountain Heritage Trout Waters, and a brochure on this can also be found at the Visitor Center. For more information, stop by seven days a week from 9-5 pm, call 828-387-9283 or visit beechmtn. com.
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JANUARY 2022
GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS & THE UPSTATE 15
EAST TENNESSEE GREAT SMOKIES
Smokies Grand Slam! By John L. Torchick
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here is a good place to fish in the national park? The Trout Unlimited chapter president pointed to another member who answered without hesitation, “Tremont!” This is the Middle Prong of Little River. Favorable weather and a day off combined for a trip to the park. Driving through Townsend, I turned right at the “Y” onto the Laurel Creek Road and then a left onto the road marking the direction to the Tremont Institute. My first impression of the Middle Prong was like a dream. I didn’t want to wake up. Pools, riffles, waterfalls, were all ideal trout water. Couldn’t wait to get
started! A size 14 elk hair caddis proved to be a good fly in other places, so why not here? A 6 ft., 2 wt. rod, a 6 ft. leader and a length of 3 lb. tippet fit the bill. Casting alongside a rock, I had a good strike but lost it after a few seconds. Short and accurate casts were necessary. My first fish was a rainbow trout of ten inches. Not big, but good for starters. Outguessing trout is a challenge: “If I was a trout, where would I be today?” Casting at the next pool didn’t produce anything. Moving upstream produced a strike by another rainbow. Much of the Middle Prong is accessible by car. My
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plan was to drive a bit, fish then drive some more. Reading the water from the car was possible by eliminating some places and casting to other likely spots. The stream had some steep gradients forming small pools I call step pools, looking like stairsteps. Further up, a large rock island split the river with the fast current scouring out a pool at the confluence of the two branches. The pool looked inviting even though it was very shallow. Make a cast? Never know what will happen. Well, it happened. My first brook trout from the park! It was not big compared to the rainbow and brown trout but overshadowed
them by its brilliant colors. The Middle Prong proved to be an outstanding place, combining good fishing and breathtaking scenery. The final tally was five rainbow trout, four brown trout and two brook trout. A Grand Slam! These are the three main game fish found in the park and it was an honor to catch all three in one day. Retirement fuels the desire to try again. So much water, so little time! Take the challenge for yourself and have fun while doing it!
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Enhance Your Fishing
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by Capt. Cefus McRae NutsAndBoltsFishing.com
ishing is a lot like cooking. We use a variety of ingredients to enhance the flavor of what we’ve got on the stovetop. A clove of garlic, a dash of hot sauce, fresh herbs and of course, a pinch of salt. These enhancers need to be used strategically. Not enough, and the meal can be bland. Too much and their flavors can over-power the entrée to the point that it goes from tasty to the trash can. The same is true for additions to your tackle. There are any number of items that can be added to a lure or live bait offering as enhancers to trigger a bite. In the most basic sense, a jig is really just a hook with a ball of lead toward the eye. While it is both simple and practical, it’s not very good at attracting a strike. But when you paint the head and tie on some bucktail, suddenly you’ve got a fish-catching machine. How about adding some mylar strips along the shank of the hook? The prismatic flash and bulkier profile mimics the silhouette of a baitfish. These are good enhancements. Other enhancers include scents, rattles, spinning blades and even lights. For the most part, these enhancers are welcomed additions to an otherwise bland lure. Fishing accoutrements aren’t limited to lures alone. There are also some fishing enhancers that make the experience more pleasurable and productive. Here’s a few essential ingredients I’ve found that add a lot more flavor to my fishing recipes. Bean Bags – Those overstuffed cushions are probably one of the most fought-over items on the boat, especially when running back home from a long day offshore. Being comfortable and portable, I’ve caught a catnap in them many times.
Downriggers – Trolling lures will only go so deep. I think my deepest running lure will dive to about 35 feet.Oftentimes, the larger fish are 50, to 90 feet deep. If you don’t have a downrigger on your boat, you’re likely running over fish that might otherwise make it in the fish box. Chum and Scent – When the bite slows down, the best way I’ve found to get it revved up is to spice up the water column with chum. I’ve got a Chum Churn on the boat with a port on the side to pack it with expired baitfish, fish carcasses, or even a couple cans of dog food. The blades macerate what’s inside and create a ‘cloud’ of scent and tasty tidbits that will usually put fish back in the feeding mode. Cooling Cloths – This is probably the best thing since sliced bread. On a hot day, dip one of these in the water at the bottom of your cooler, snap it a couple times in the air and lay it on top of your head. The evaporating water immediately cools you down, and adds a little shade to your neck and face too. A word of caution: don’t dip these in salt water and expect the same results. Lots of Pictures – Even if the fish you catch aren’t monsters, the memories you make on the water are what fishing is all about. The stories behind the pictures and the people you share your adventures with will appreciate some cool pics long after the day is over. So give some thought on what you can do to enhance your next fishing trip. Adding just a little pinch of fishing ‘salt’ to your next outing can enhance the experience and transform that fishing hamburger into a fishing filet mignon.
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JANUARY 2022
GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS & THE UPSTATE 17
UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA
Layer Up and Catch Big Fish
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By Karl Ekberg
great Happy New Year from all of us at Chattooga River Fly Shop and we are excited for the upcoming year with great weather, gear, and friendship out on the local waters here in South Carolina. The holidays are now behind us, and we hope by this article being published we received some much needed height in the rain gauge. November thru December, had been quite dry, leading to lower water levels and “Gin Clear” conditions. Very spooky fish at those water levels, leads to lengthy leaders and a very stealthy approach to the rivers, to have a successful day. Numerous days of colder than normal temperatures had brought waters down to the low 40’s with occasional warm ups to the mid 40’s. Now the winter fishing season is upon us, and it is time to layer up and catch big winter fish. At times, with the heavy rains, the rivers
will take a few days to subside from extremely high levels and unsafe w a d i n g conditions. After this, the rivers will fish extremely well, with many large fish being caught. Do not let the cold weather keep you home, just dress appropriately and enjoy the rivers. We have found using the wicking base layers and the Redington I/O Fleece Pants to be very beneficial, to keeping warm while wading. Let’s not forget about top layers either. Wearing a wicking base layer shirt, and then a fleece and an insulated coat depending
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on the day time temperatures. Let’s make sure wading belts are tightly secured around the mid area, as well as the top draw sting. Nothing worse during the mid -winter cold, is a slip and fall in the water, and a gush of icy cold water down the old waders due to a loose belt or draw string. Deep, deep, deep, as the saying goes if you’re not hanging the bottom once in a while you are not deep enough. As water temperatures fall down through the low 40’s and
high 30’s, this is absolutely true as the river water will be warmer down in the depths of larger pools and trenches. As warmer days increase the river temps, back off the big heavies, and swing some soft-hackles, in tandem with some smaller nymphs. Heavier large steamers can also be a great way to be Winter fishing as well. Large fish cannot resist putting the big bright flashy in their mouths. At times, though a little slower retrieval can be necessary as colder temperatures will lead to lethargic fish. Let’s remember that we only have one great outdoors, enjoy them, respect them, pick up a little bit of trash on our way out, and always remember, “leave no trace” ourselves. We hope to see everyone out on the rivers in 2022!
Karl and Karen Ekberg are co-owners of Chattooga River Fly Shop, located at 6832-A Highlands Hwy, Mountain Rest, SC 29664. Give them a call at (864) 638-2806 and visit their website at www.chattoogariverflyshop.com.
JANUARY 2022
GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS & THE UPSTATE 19
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January Fishing T
By Andrew A. Cox
his month you are probably using those angling items and gadgets that were received as gifts over the Christmas season. Some of you probably received traditional fishing items such as lures, rods and reels that have a limited learning curve to use, particularly if you have been fishing for some time. It is likely that you received some gift cards with which you have splurged in purchasing some angling items. Others may have received some high-tech type angling gifts, which seem to be popular today in the fishing world. These include high tech fish finders and trolling motors that virtually operate themselves. If you fall into the latter camp and have new high tech fishing aides, hopefully you kept the manuals for these items or are adept enough to go to the manufacturer’s website and download instruction manuals and FAQ’s for your particular item. It’s possible your new fishing toy
will include some YouTube videos to help you in mastering the use of your new angling item. Though I have my fair share of angling technology that supposedly assists in making fishing more enjoyable, or in locating and catching more fish, I have recently become rather leery regarding high tech angling gadgetry. A point comes to mind when, last year, I purchased a high tech, top of the line electric motor for my boat that has a multitude of features to include spotlock, to keep you on a particular fishing location -virtually hands-free operation, and a self deploying feature. The latter, I thought, would be very useful in easing stress on my worn-out body joints. The motor comes with either foot pedal operation or remote operation modes, which allows the angler to operate the motor from anywhere in the boat. I took time to read the manual, which was difficult to comprehend with the different
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operation menus and practiced on the water. I would operate the motor with the manual in one hand and remote in the other. The long story is that the motor’s features are difficult to master and serve as a source of aggravation to this angler, defeating the idea that fishing is supposed to be pleasurable. I have threatened to replace this high-tech electric motor with a good basic foot control motor with simple features and no extravagant bells and whistles. However, I continue to slog along using this motor with the hope that as time proceeds, I will learn to operate this piece of marine equipment effortlessly.
Those anglers with more technology experience who grew up cutting their teeth on using technology may have better success in using such fishing gadgets. I can see how these items can improve your angling skills and boat maneuverability. This month, many of you will spend time practicing and mastering this technology. This can be a good thing, giving you an excuse to get out on the water and practice with these new items at a time of the year when angling success can be slow. Best of luck in learning and enjoying these new angling technology items.
Dr. Andrew Cox is a contributing writer to outdoor publications and newspapers. His writing interests specialize in angling and travel, human interest, and general fishing technique-oriented topics. He is a member of the Georgia Outdoor Writer’s Association. He has been fishing the waters of Georgia, Alabama, and north Florida for over forty years. He enjoys fresh and saltwater fishing for bass, bream, crappie, trout, redfish, and speckled trout using fly, baitcasting, and spinning equipment. Dr. Cox financially supports his fishing habits as Professor Emeritus at Troy University, Phenix City, Alabama. He may be contacted at andrewtrout@aol.com.
JANUARY 2022
GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS & THE UPSTATE 21
Fly Fishing for January Reservoir Spotted Bass
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By Jacob Milholland
hen it comes to our North G e o r g i a reservoirs, January can be cold and miserable. That doesn’t mean it has to be unproductive! A sure-fire way to catch spotted bass on a fly rod this month is with a float-n-fly rig. Float-n-fly fishing is essentially using a jigged streamer pattern under a strike indicator. We are targeting suspended, lethargic bass. By dropping the fly below a strike indicator, we are allowing the fly to sit at a fixed depth over a longer period of time than a sinking fly line would allow, giving the fish more time to come up to the fly. A 9 ½-foot 6 wt. fly rod excels for this kind of fishing, but a 9-foot 5 wt. rod/reel with a weight forward floating fly line is sufficient. As far as leader/tippet, choose length based on your targeted depth. A good start would be a 9-foot 3X leader, then add about 18-24 inches of 3x Fluorocarbon tippet. For my strike indicator, a ¾ or 1 inch Airlock is a good start, but a two-tone Thingamabobber is my preference. Make sure to tie a loop knot to the fly so that the fly hangs naturally. Electronics are an excellent tool to locate fish and bait, but before I had a graph, I learned from my fly fishing mentors, Conner Jones and Garner Reid, to search for visual clues like rock walls, docks, or shoal and point markers for success. Cast to the wall, bank, or dock and allow the fly to sink to maximum depth. With the rod tip at the 10 o’clock position, creep the fly back by “skittering” the strike indicator to the boat with slight shakes of the rod. The goal for the retrieve is to dangle the fly on the same plane throughout, as if it were slowly hovering back to the boat. I
will also give the fly long pauses, as fish may react slowly in cold water temperatures. While I still tie baitfish patterns, I prefer to tie them on a 90-degree jig head rather than tying a Clouserstyle fly. We carry Wapsi “Super Jig” hooks - 1/32 or 1/16-ounce lead heads on a black nickel Mustad hook, and those are excellent. If you think you’re around striper or magnum spotted bass, you could straighten out too light wire of a hook. Color-wise, it’s hard to beat chartreuse/white, olive/white, or gray/white. I like a good bit of silver or pearl flash in my flies, but there are circumstances that a fly without flash is better. I tie flies around 3 inches long, but with synthetic materials like Just Add H20 Slinky Fibre or EP Gamechanger Fiber. These materials can be trimmed in situations that call for a smaller profile. Another tip comes from guide Henry Cowen: Hot Pink Fluoro Fibre on the “throat” of the fly. I’m tying a small selection of these flies for the store this month if you need an example or are headed to the water! Cohutta Fishing Company is located in the heart of downtown Blue Ridge, Georgia. We carry a large assortment of guide-tested fly fishing equipment and proven fly patterns, as well as having a knowledgeable and friendly staff. Come by and see us at 490 East Main Street, Blue Ridge, GA 30513. (706) 946-3044,
Jacob Milholland is the Store Manager at Cohutta Fishing Company. You can find their website at www.cohuttafishingco.com 22 GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS & THE UPSTATE
JANUARY 2022
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The Casting Corner: Casting A Sinking Line By Rene J. Hesse
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ith winter here and fish holding in deeper water, we often change lines from a weight forward (WF) to a sinking line (S) or somewhere in between, such as an intermediate sink (F/I). Rather than get much more into the types of lines, go to your local fly shop for good advice. Let’s talk about the differences in casting the sinking lines. It is very different than floating line. The biggest difference in casting a sinking line is the start of the cast. Where the line is in the water column and how much line is out of the rod tip matters quite a bit. Sinking line tends to have a shorter head, so the
‘fat/heavy’ part of the line will generally be down deep in the water by the time you retrieve the fly. If the line and fly are sunk and you start your back cast, it will generally overload the rod.
and the false casting sequence will be quicker and easier. We are trying to lift the line and fly up to the top of the water. We are also trying to get the portion of the line that’s in the water in
Rather than get much more into the types of lines, go to your local fly shop for good advice. Getting the line and fly up to the surface with a roll cast, or spey cast, will allow you to move into the back cast smoothly. Spend more time getting the line and fly in the proper position before trying to make a back cast
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line with where we want the next cast to go. There are some fancy names for this type of change of direction, but the important thing to remember is the rod, line and fly need to be pointing in the direction we want to go
JANUARY 2022
before we start false casting. That may mean just a flop of the line out with a roll before we make that first back cast. Start that sequence with only 15-20 feet of line out. Get to know your sinking line. A lot of them will be color coded to mark the head of the line. A hint would be to start with less than the head of the line out of the rod tip, several feet less. Let the weight of the line load the rod and shoot line into the back cast. Generally, only one false cast is needed if you have done it right. Yep, it’s sink line time. Time to work on a little different cast.
GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS & THE UPSTATE 23
Lake Hartwell to Host 2022 Bassmaster Classic
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he world’s most prestigious professional bass tournament will be returning next year to the site of some of the best moments in the sport’s famed history. B.A.S.S. officials, along with Visit Anderson and VisitGreenvilleSC, announced that the 2022 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk will be held for the fourth time at scenic Lake Hartwell, March 4-6, with takeoffs from Green Pond Landing & Event Center. Daily weigh-ins will be held at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena and the annual Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo will take place at the Greenville Convention Center, both of which are in nearby Greenville. B.A.S.S. CEO Bruce Akin said the organization is excited to once again visit a venue that has become the gold standard for professional bass fishing events. “Everything about Lake Hartwell and the city of Greenville make them the perfect setting for
the Super Bowl of Professional Bass Fishing,” Akin said. “The Bassmaster Classic is not only a chance for the best anglers in the world to showcase their abilities, it’s an annual celebration of the sport itself. Hartwell is a 56,000-acre man-made reservoir situated between Georgia and South Carolina and encompassing portions of the Savannah, Tugaloo and Seneca rivers. It features a vast array of habitat and a good population of both largemouth and spotted bass that are likely to be in the prespawn phase when the Classic competitors arrive. The fishery has hosted three previous Classics that each provided action-packed finishes. “The Upstate of South Carolina is thrilled to welcome the Bassmaster Classic back to Lake Hartwell for the fourth time since
24 GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS & THE UPSTATE
JANUARY 2022
initially hosting back in 2008,” said David Montgomery, Vice President of Sales for VisitGreenvilleSC. “Not only has the Classic set attendance records each year it has returned, but it has proven to be one of our largest economic impact events for the Greenville region.” Since the 2018 Classic, Hartwell has hosted several other highlevel B.A.S.S. events, including a 2019 Bassmaster Elite Series tournament that was won by South Carolina pro Brandon Cobb. Just last year, another South Carolina pro, Patrick Walters, won the Basspro.com Bassmaster Eastern Open on Lake Hartwell. Most recently, Hartwell hosted a Bassmaster College Series tournament that was won by Carson-Newman University anglers Ben Cully and Hayden Gaddis with a two-day total of 35 pounds, 10 ounces. In two days, a
giant field of 261 teams caught just over 4,536 pounds of bass. The 2022 Classic will feature 55 qualifiers who will earn their berths through the Elite Series, the Opens, the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation circuit, the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops and the Bassmaster Team Championship plus the defending Bassmaster Classic champion and winner of the final Elite Series event of the 2021 season. They will compete in the no-entry fee event for their share of a whopping $1 million purse, with the champion earning $300,000. “Since its inception, the Classic has been a tournament that changes lives,” said B.A.S.S. Chairman Chase Anderson. “The payday is great, sure. But the opportunity to refer to yourself as ‘Bassmaster Classic champion’ for the rest of your life — there’s no greater clout in our sport.” The Bassmaster Classic is being hosted locally by Visit Anderson and VisitGreenvilleSC.
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Bassmaster Classic Returns to Hartwell T
he world’s most prestigious professional bass tournament is returning to the site of some of the best moments in the sport’s famed history. The 2022 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk will be held at Lake Hartwell March 4-6. It is the fourth time the crowds and pageantry of the Classic have descended on Upstate South Carolina. Takeoffs will be conducted from Green Pond Landing & Event Center, while daily weigh-ins will be held at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena. The annual Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo will take place at the Greenville Convention Center, both of which are in nearby Greenville. B.A.S.S. CEO Bruce Akin said the organization is excited to once again visit a venue that has become the gold standard for professional bass fishing events. “Everything about Lake Hartwell and the city of Greenville make them the perfect setting for the Super Bowl of Professional Bass Fishing,” Akin said. “The Bassmaster Classic is not only a chance for the best anglers in the world to showcase their abilities, it’s an annual celebration of the sport itself. “Lake Hartwell provides the perfect site for amazing competition, and the city of Greenville provides the hotels, restaurants and other facilities you need for an event the size of the Classic.” Hartwell is a 56,000-acre man-made reservoir situated between Georgia and South Carolina and encompassing portions of the Savannah, Tugaloo and Seneca rivers. It features a vast array of habitat and a good population of both largemouth and spotted bass that are likely to be in the prespawn phase when the Classic competitors arrive.
“We are very excited for the opportunity to host the Bassmaster Classic once again on Lake Hartwell,” said Neil Paul, Executive Director of Visit Anderson. “The leadership of Anderson County has made a significant commitment to Green Pond Landing and the marketing efforts of Lake Hartwell, and we expect another record-breaking event with our teammates from Greenville. “Hosting our fourth Bassmaster Classic on Lake Hartwell is significant to our community because no other fishery will have hosted more Bassmaster Classic events. Having hosted this great event in the past, we can speak first hand to the significant economic impact it will have on the upstate of South Carolina and the impact of residual tourism that will be felt in Anderson County for years to come.” The 2022 Classic will feature 55 qualifiers with berths earned through the Elite Series, the Opens, the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation circuit, the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops and the Bassmaster Team Championship, plus the defending Bassmaster Classic champion and winner of the final Elite Series event of the 2021 season. They will compete in the no-entry-fee event for their share of a whopping $1 million purse, with the champion earning $300,000. For more information, go to www.bassmaster.com.
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NATIONAL 11
THINKING ABOUT QUITTING BOATING? P erhaps your vessel needs a major repair. Maybe you sold your house and are moving away from the seashore. Maybe you are too busy to sell your boat, or you tried and found a lot of people didn’t have the resources to buy it, much less to move it. There are a lot of reasons people have for getting rid of an older boat, working or not. We want to let you know that you can trust Boat Angel Outreach Center. We here at Coastal Angler have seen them help thousands get rid of their unwanted boats and receive generous IRS1098 tax receipts for doing so. Did you know older, larger working boats can be donated for their fair market value? Did you know Boat Angel will walk you through the whole process, and most of the time even a boat that has been unused on your dock or in your backyard will be gone in less than 15 days? I’ve known the people at Boat Angel Outreach for more than a decade, and I can personally vouch that this charity is both caring and focused on helping kids. 100 percent of their funding is from the sale of donated boats. They currently fund projects on four continents and ceaselessly work to make this world a better place, especially for children. They have a courteous and diligent staff. They are experienced in solving logistical problems and multi-state title issues, all while achieving their goals of getting the donated vessels moved away quickly. So, if you’ve got a vessel that’s no longer
working, or you have decided to move on from boating, I strongly recommend you give this great organization a call or contact them through their website. When your donation is completed, just forward your receipt to your tax preparer. Who knows how much money your donation will put back in your pocket? We all know that an unused or nonworking boat is a drain on anyone’s finances. Fuel, maintenance bills, registration, insurance and slip fees are year-round expenses. Maybe it is finally
Donate A Boat or Car Today!
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time to move on. A friend of mine once asked, “What is better than being a boat owner?” “I don’t know, what?” I said. “A friend with a boat,” he replied, smiling. We all have friends with boats. Why not put the money saved into their gas tank and take a small fishing trip? Boat Angel Outreach Center; www.boatangel.org; EIN 42-1619552; 800-700-2628.
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Whether you take your boat out to the lake or the ocean, your 4-stroke outboard needs ECSTAR Suzuki Semi-Synthetic Engine Oil so it can run long and strong. ECSTAR features special additives that protect the engine in harsh salt and fresh water environments, advanced detergents that keep engine parts clean, and viscosity index improvements that help the engine start in cold conditions. No matter where your next boat ride takes you, go confidently with ECSTAR.
RUN LONG. RUN CLEAN. RUN STRONG.
Don’t drink and drive. Always wear a USCG-Approved life jacket and read your owner’s manual. Suzuki, the Suzuki “S” ECSTAR and Suzuki model and product names are Suzuki trademarks or ®. © 2021 Suzuki Marine USA, LLC.
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Angler Lands Record Red Hind
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North Carolina angler boated a new state record red hind off Cape Lookout in October, and it’s a record that’s likely to stand for a while. The fish weighed 7 pounds, 1.6 ounces and measured 21.5 inches in length with a 17.5-inch girth. The new state record holder, Matthew Parr, of Wilmington, N.C., was fishing with Capt. Charles Stewart Merritt of Salt Air Ventures. They were dropping cut bait on 80-poundtest line, probably looking for big grouper. The record breaker Parr hauled from the depths was less than 2-pounds off the IGFA all tackle world record, which stands at 9 pounds even and was caught by Eddie Vanmeter out of St. Marys, Ga. in July of 2019. Previously, North Carolina did not list a state record red hind but created the category after Parr applied for the state record. The Division of Marine Fisheries creates new state record categories for fish that are exceptionally large for North Carolina. Parr’s was exceptionally large for anywhere. Although red hind are known to grow up to 23 inches and exceed 10 pounds in weight, anglers rarely encounter them that large. The typical specimen brought over the rail measures about 16 inches. Red hind is a quality table fish that is important in Caribbean commercial fisheries. In the South Atlantic it is regulated within the three grouper aggregate recreational bag limit. It is also listed in the ShallowWater Grouper Complex, which means there is a closure for the species from January through April.
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FOR REEL
GOOD FISHING Visit Upcountry South Carolina Stop by the South Carolina Lakes booth at the Bassmaster Classic Expo, March 4-6, 2022 at the Greenville Convention Center.
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Lake Hartwell, host of the 2008, 2015, 2018, and 2022 Academy Sports & Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk