Coastal Angler Magazine | December 2022 | Tidewater, VA / Outer Banks, NC Edition

UpSwitzerland

A watch that revolutionized timekeeping at a price equally as radical.

In the history of timepieces, few moments are more important than the creation of the world’s first Piezo timepiece. First released to the public in 1969, the watch turned the entire industry on its head, ushering in a new era of timekeeping. It’s this legacy that we’re honoring with the Timemaster Watch, available only through Stauer at a price only we can offer.

Prior to Piezo watches, gravity-driven Swiss watches were the standard bearer of precision timekeeping. But all that changed when the first commercially available Piezo watch came onto the market.

The result of ten years of research and development by some of the world’s top engineers, they discovered that when you squeeze a certain type of crystal, it generates a tiny electric current. And, if you pass electricity through the crystal, it vibrates at a precise frequency–exactly 32,768 times each second. When it came on the market, the Piezo watch was the most dependable timepiece available, accurate to 0.2 seconds per day. Today, it’s still considered a spectacular advance in electrical engineering.

“[Piezo timepieces]...it would shake the Swiss watch industry to its very foundations.”

Foundation For Economic Education

With the Timemaster we’ve set one of the world’s most important mechanical advances inside a decidedly masculine case. A handsome prodigy in rich leather and gold-finished stainless steel. The simplicity of the watch’s case belies an ornately detailed dial, which reflects the prestige of this timepiece.

Call today to secure your own marvel of timekeeping history. Because we work directly with our own craftsman we’re able to offer the Timemaster at a fraction of the price that many Piezo watches cost. But a watch like this doesn’t come along every day. Call today before time runs out and they’re gone.

Your satisfaction is 100% guaranteed. Spend some time with this engineering masterpiece for one month. If you’re not convinced you got excellence for less, simply send it back within 30 days for a refund of the item price. But we’re betting this timekeeping pioneer is a keeper.

Stauer… Afford the Extraordinary ®

EXPERIENCED ANGLERS WANTED!

Dear Angler,

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Ask us if we have a franchise territory available near you! We have freshwater and saltwater franchise territories available throughout the US and abroad!

Tight lines, Ben Martin

Editor In Chief

Coastal Angler Magazine

The Angler Magazine

www.CoastalAnglerMag.com

TROUT TIPS FOR Wintertime

By Nick Carter

Trout like cold water, but there’s no denying the slow down that occurs on most wintertime trout fisheries. When water temps fall into the low 40s and below, insect life and other food sources are less prevalent. Trout metabolisms slow and they go into energy-conservation mode. They are content to hover near the bottom out of heavy current and feed only when an easy opportunity arises.

That said, fish still need to eat, and intrepid anglers will find joy in the seclusion of a wintertime trout stream. Here are some tips to raise the odds of a great wintertime trout trip. Dress warmly, wade carefully and savor the taste of the ice you suck from your rod guides.

1) Choose Destinations Wisely: Winter is not the time to explore high-elevation brook trout streams. Instead, float a tailwater, where water temps are consistent year-round, or go to lower elevation streams that are a bit warmer. For a target-rich environment, try out a delayed-harvest fishery. They are stocked heavily through the cooler months.

2) Fish Warm Spells: Two or three days of consistently warmer weather are primetime in terms of winter trout fishing. Everything in the stream, from the trout to the bugs and baitfish they eat, perks up.

By the same logic, the best bite is usually during the warmest part of the day. Sun warms the shallows, bringing out the tiny little midges, black stoneflies and blue-winged olives that are wintertime staples. Even if the action is subsurface, trout will take advantage of easy feeding opportunities.

3) Fish Meticulously: Unless trout are visibly rising, subsurface is the way to go. Turn your attention away from the riffles where rainbows pop dry flies in spring, and look to the deeper, slower runs. Pick them apart with nymph rigs. Keep in mind that most winter food items will be small, but fish a variety of sizes and patterns at the same time and cover every inch of each run vertically and horizontally. The idea is to hit a fish in the nose, and this is best achieved fishing slowly and carefully.

If you want to tempt a giant trout, it’s a good time to dead drift a big streamer with the same meticulous patience. Don’t hesitate to fish a heavy streamer deep under an indicator. Sometimes a big mouthful is enough to convince a lock-jawed bruiser to eat.

4) Fish Safely: Flooding your waders can kill you when it’s frigid. During cold snaps, consider fishing near the truck, where a quick jog can put you in a heated cab if you get wet. If you do go into the backcountry, take a dry-bag with fire-starting equipment, a towel and a change of clothes.

Wherever you fish, wade carefully, avoid stepping on frozen-over rocks, kick any snow off your boots before entering the water and avoid taking chances like wading deep water or heavy flows.

Nick Carter is the author of “Flyfisher’s Guide to North Carolina & Georgia.” Contact him at nsc8957@gmail.com.

Berkeley County, South Carolina

Berkeley County is a wonderland for outdoor enthusiasts, sports buffs, adventure seekers, and water lovers. From exemplary fishing for striped bass, or a trophy largemouth bass, to our hiking trails and water activities, along with scenic outdoors where you can catch a glimpse of white tail deer and gators, Berkeley County has activities to fit all visitors and families. Learn more about Berkeley County at: exploreberkeleycounty.com

Peacock Bass Luxury

Next stop Manaus, Brazil! It all started when my good friend Capt. Johnny Stabile called.

J: I know what you’re going to say before I even ask.

G: What is it?

J: Do you want to go Peacock fishing in Brazil?

G: When?

J: We would leave 13 days after our Alaska trip.

Of course, my response was, “Ok, sounds great!”

That would give me just enough time to get back from Alaska, fulfill orders for my business, and get things ready to head south. We flew out of Miami, and with a layover in Panama City, Panama met up with several other fishermen on the expedition. After a very long night of traveling, we finally landed in Brazil and hopped on a quick seaplane ride to the Rio Matupiri for six and a half days of non-stop fishing!

We stayed aboard the Amazon Legend with a very accommodating crew of 14. We ate like kings and fished hard. Our typical day of fishing consisted of getting up before the sun for a quick breakfast and loading into skiffs to spend the day zipping around to the guide’s best fishing spots. We threw a variety of lures, mostly topwaters like big choppers and walking baits. Johnny’s favorites of the trip were a Rebel Jumping Minnow and a Borboleta Woodstock 10.5 cm. He wore out the peacock bass on that Jumping Minnow. I threw bucktail jigs, and they produced the largest number of fish, but for Johnny it was all about the BIG’UNS!

Johnny loves to fly fish, so one special thing about fishing in Brazil for him was catching several nice fish on the fly rod with easy-to-tie flies that he made myself. These fish are so much more aggressive than the peacock bass you find in south Florida. For a little perspective, we caught more than 350 peacocks and more than 50 piranha along with several other exotic species. The average peacock was 2 to 3 pounds, and Johnny’s biggest weighed more than 8 pounds. One person in our party caught a big peacock that pulled the scales to nearly 14 pounds.

After a long morning of non-stop action, sometimes we would take a quick lunch break and hide in the shade of a tree for a wonderful shore lunch. The guides packed everything for remote meals on land, where they cooked native fare on an open fire. While they cooked, we relaxed in hammocks with

plenty of cold drinks and the opportunity for a quick nap before lunch was served. Many of the fish we caught contributed to these lunches, and there were also steaks and chicken available with all the fixins. Homemade salsa and native seasonings complimented the meals perfectly. After a relaxing lunch, it was back on the skiff and back in the action!

After afternoons of fishing, we indulged in fivestar dining and the most important part of the trip, air conditioning! The crew made up our rooms, did our laundry and prepared dinner every evening. Specialty cocktails were also provided, if that’s your fancy, but Johnny’s favorite was the freshly squeezed juices. He’s already looking forward to the passion fruit juice when we return next year!

Johnny shot some great video of our trip. Check it out in the December edition of The Angler Video Magazine

If you are interested in a Brazilian fishing adventure, e-mail Johnny at captain@ SFLFishingCharters.com or Gary at gary@purgeright.com.

By Capt. Johnny Stabile and Gary Turner

For as long as I can remember, offshore bottom fishing is what we look forward to during the last half of November and the entire month of December. The week of Christmas has always been considered the apex of the bottom-fishing year.

You can see the move of the big snappers marching offshore on the edge of the colder water. This will pile big snapper and other bottomdwelling species up on certain staging areas, along with a clean water temperature line that also stacks up the kings and wahoo. Keep a light line bait out while you’re bottom fishing. There is no telling what you’ll catch and on what baits.

Of course, I love a pinfish, grass grunts or sailors choice for grouper and snapper baits for more than one reason. 1) They get bites from the target species; and 2) they eliminate most of the trash bites from grunts, pinkies and sea bass.

Yes, I love a live bait on a jig, but don’t ever forget that a big grouper also loves a big chunk of cut bait. We have seen a huge uptick in amberjack and almaco jacks in the past few

years for some reason. This is an excellent bait source! I like to keep one of the first, smaller, amberjacks that come up just for this cut-bait option. The big chunks of cut bait do

of my bottom-fishing strategy. This is also the reason I take a couple boxes of squid on every trip. I start every new post-up on a ledge or live bottom area with everyone firing down whole squid every drop. I don’t care what they are catching. It’s usually grunts, pinkies or seabass, but what is really happening on the bottom is the squid are being ripped to shreds and small pieces are swirling around and creating a chum slick. After several volleys of whole squid, I change it up to live pinfish, grass grunts or other live baits on a jig.

Grouper and big snapper see the live bait as a smaller fish that was grabbed by a crab while feeding on small pieces of squid. It’s a winning technique that has been very successful for me and other Decoy Jig users for years now. It is also new to the fish, tackle-wise.

two things. They get bites and they also create a “chum slick” on the bottom right where you are fishing. When the cut bait gets pecked at, all the small pieces of flesh swirl around as it’s being eaten.

This is one of the most important aspects

The beauty of this cold water line moving farther offshore with every cold front creates opportunity for a variety of species. You never know; keep firing down cut bait and setting the hook on “strange feeling bites,” and you might even catch a big deep-water lobster like the one in the video below.

Check out some awesome bottom fishing videos at https://youtu.be/w1YmT6M0ObQ.

Tim Barefoot

SO, YOU WANT TO TIE A CHRISTMAS FLY?

By Scott Reppert, Virginia Coastal Fly Anglers

Ilove Christmas and music and eating. I even usually like my family and friends. But, frankly I hate traditional shopping in December. Some years ago I was inspired to tie a Christmas y. I did one and like most rst tries it took a while. I, however, made a tactical error and showed it to my lovely wife. She thought that it was great and that I should make one for each unit of her extensive family. Needless to say practice makes perfect.

Or at least better and faster.

What I made was a y shaped as an angel. Really it is not that hard. the fun happened when we put said y into a clear plastic ball to make it a Christmas tree ornament.

Start with whatever materials and hooks you have on hand. I tend to start with Aberdeen hooks that I had laying around as I expect that they would be straightened out or broken if used on a real sh. If you saw last month’s article, think about starting the y the same way with a pile of thread about a 1/3 of the way between the hook eye and the bend of the hook.

Now the fun can start. Build wings with whatever material you have on hand and are comfortable with. I have used hackle tips, DNA, old jig material, whatever and tie it/them across the hook shank. Use the thread and thumb pressure if appropriate to spread the material. If using multiple feathers consider which direction the feathers are going and be consistent (or not) if that is what you want.

en take some more material and tie it down the shank as a tail/ gown/train. Use the pressure of your thumb to spread the material so that it airs as you did the wings.

Now if your material is misbehaving we bring in some support systems to wrangle the wings and tails into place. I tend to see angels as shiny. Particularly at the base of the tail, tie in ice dub or maybe angel hair to u things up and out. I also have used Estaz here.

I will tend to wind a head and body for the angel out of Estaz or like material to support the wings and tighten everything up. is works best if you wrap the Estaz with the thread. is supports the material and tends to make nishing easier. Tie down your material near the head/neck/top of the wing area and consider a touch of head cement or UV product.

Now if you are inspired (coerced, manipulated) and wish to put the hook in a safe display consider stu ng it in a clear Christmas tree ball. If your creation is too big you have a few options to consider:

1. Tie some thread around the hook point to protect little ngers that will nd a way to grab your creation

2. Cut o the hook at the bend or below where it is wrapped.

3. Make a new smaller angel that will t into the ball.

Some tips for getting your angel in a Christmas tree ball:

1. Take a break. Grab a beverage. Take a nap. You need to be well rested for this part.

2. Assemble some 25-40 pound test to loop around and through the eye of the hook. Also handy is a forceps straight and curved and long toothpicks and/or skewers.

3. Cut at least a foot of line and attach it to your angel.

4. Grab the angel from the hook eye and get it into the Christmas ball.

5 e angel may look o centered and a little ragged. Use the skewers, forceps and the loop of line you still have hanging out the top of the ball to center and straighten the material.

6. When you are happy cut the extra line and put the top on the Christmas ball

7. Be prepared to make more. anks for reading. Merry Christmas and all that. I hope this may give you a break from other even more stressful holiday activities. As always I would encourage you to be familiar with the Virginia Coastal Fly Anglers particularly at VCFA.org.

By J. Andre

Scouting for Catfish

e cat shing is spectacular this Fall. e temperature dropped, as predicted, and the sh went into their Fall feeding patterns. It isn’t that the cat sh become directly predictable in these moderately cool conditions, but the cold-intolerant bait sh are, as they follow warmth wherever they can nd it. is is true not only for the shad, perch, and bluegills but whatever is eating these sh. If you can nd the food chain, you have found the cat sh. To nd the bait, you don’t have to be related to Merlin or Nostradamus. e bait will dive below the colder surface layer on a cool night. As the morning sun shines on the skinny waters, the bait sh will leave the depths of channels and cuts to head for the ledges and edges leading to the shallows. Sure, it’s helpful to have some technology and imagery on the boat, but if you can visually pick out the ripples and splashes of bait and feeding sh on the surface, you can get into the action. It is hard to nd water over 10 feet deep where I sh. Most of it runs 5 to 6 feet. erefore, I scout for sh using planer boards. ey reach out to the sh that are not spooked by the boat. Here, a side scan sonar can help look ahead of the planers and dragged bottom rigs to con rm that the bait is present in the search area.

is time of the year, when the shad are schooled up in the shallows trying to stay warm, it is possible to see their tell-tale sign in an oily bait slick on the surface. e mouth of a creek or cove dumping into the main body of a river/lake may create temperature or nutrient breaks that can be as productive as physical structure, causing the bait to cluster up – a likely place to nd a slick. Again, a sh- nding sonar can con rm the presence of bait in the slick.

Another tip for nding the bait is, to follow the current. Currents created by tide, wind, river ow, etc., can push the smaller bait sh over a large open area. Don’t get hung up on old sayings such as, “When the wind is from the East, the sh bite the least.” When confronted with this situation, I will look for bait against a windward shallow West bank, especially on a sunny morning. Also, anything on that side of the river/lake that will produce an eddy is worth exploring with the sh nder.

en, there are those times when the sh nder is drawing blanks. Well, the cat sh aren’t at the Holiday Inn Express! Try to nd some warm water and put out the trolling gear. I like planer boards here also, but a few rods pulled way back behind the boat will do the job. Trolling with some shallow S-turns will help keep the Santee Bottom Rigs from tracking directly behind the boat where the sh are shy. Keep the boat speed slow, around .4 to .8 knots. Experiment with planer board speed. Occasionally, you can excite a bite with more speed. I’m not saying it works every time. Just don’t give up trying. By constantly trying something new, the patterns that work will eventually unveil themselves. As the water cools down this time of year, the sh slow down. If the sh aren’t biting, anchoring over your favorite spot for 3 hours is likely not going to be productive. A er 30 minutes, try something else. Go scouting.

My most recent video covers much of what is discussed here and shows the results of a successful day. Copy this link into your browser and enjoy: https://youtu.be/-ysJ56hrMjw

e “Dead of Winter” has nothing to do with cat shing. Some of my best sh were caught in February. We’ll talk about the Winter bite later. Until then, save the rotten windy days for Christmas shopping. Go cat shing on the good days and “Get Slimed!”

By Aaron Kelly

OBX INSHORE

Hope everyone has a great holiday season this month! So get your shopping done on the blow days. ose northeastern winds that make shing conditions cold and darn near impossible. While your chewing on your Cinnabon on the way to the Bed Bath n Beyond store don’t forget your tackle! Treat yourself to a couple 1/2 ounce rattletraps in blue n chrome. Great baits for the striped bass! Toss in a couple bags of 3-5 inch chartreuse storm lures too! If you like to troll for the stripers the manns stretch 15s and yozuri plugs are winner winners. Not feeling like striped bass then how bout some seabass. ese tasty rascals are waiting for you on wrecks and hard bottoms. Little shing pressure this time of year can help you stu your cooler! Looking for bigger game! Yellow n and the king poobah blue n tuna are waiting for you in the gulf stream. Look for that favorable weather forecast and get out there! Charters are available and tackle shops well rigged up to get you necessary gear. Trolled ballyhoo is the most common technique out there. Try a inlander sea star in front of a hoo. Blue n white always a nice starting point. Fear not the way way back naked ballyhoo, it can pick o that tuna. Good luck and Merry Christmas!

Capt.

Aaron Kelly rocksolid shing.com 252-441-657

WINTERIZING

By John Tiger

Winter’s coming on fast; as I write, we’re over a month into the Fall season. Unfortunately for boaters and anglers that means less boating, more cold and wind. Your boat needs to be prepared, especially if you live where freezing occurs. Here in Hampton Roads/OBX, we do get freezing temps, typically later in January but sometimes earlier. Even if you don’t winterize your boat, you should at least do some maintenance in the down-time.

You can pay someone or do it yourself, with hand tools and an a ernoon’s time. You’ll need a place to start and run the engine(s) without incurring complaints about the noise and smoke. A good running water supply is needed, as is adequate ventilation. While winterizing procedures vary somewhat for older vs. newer engines and for outboards vs. inboards, sterndrives and PWC, the basics are similar. Here’s a checklist of the important areas to address:

• Manufacturer’s Instructions:

Today’s engines (especially four-stroke and direct-injected two stroke outboards) may have special winterizing, ushing and maintenance instructions. Follow them closely. If your engine is still under warranty and you don’t follow manufacturers’ instructions, you could easily void the warranty.

• Fuel Supply:

Besides ensuring that your engine doesn’t freeze (more on this at the end of the story), the fuel supply should be treated using a product designed for fuel storage treatment. At Tiger Outboards, we recommend Gas-Shok, which is available locally ay many marine dealers.

Regarding fuel in the tanks, there are many opinions on this. e ideal situation is to drain as much as possible, and get all the fuel out of the system—including engine fuel lines and carburetors/fuel injectors. is is not always practical. e next best solution is to keep the tanks nearly full to reduce condensation. BUT—be sure to treat the fuel with conditioner as mentioned above. Two notes about fuel conditioners, we’ve learned over the recent past as fuel gets more and more extended with alcohol:

1. “Over-dose” the fuel with conditioner; for example, if the instructions on the bottle call for one ounce per every ten gallons of fuel, then double or even triple the dosage. We have found that a lot more is much better than not enough.

2. A er putting the conditioner in the tank, be sure to run the engine long enough to get the treated fuel into the carburetors or fuel injection. is can take up to een minutes or so depending on what RPM you run the engine, and how big the engine is. A very small engine that doesn’t drink a lot of fuel will take longer than a big engine. Running the engine at a low idle speed will take a lot longer than running it at higher RPM. Remember that if you’re running the engine in neutral, do not rev it over 1500 RPM.

3. If possible, when done winterizing, disconnect the fuel line from the engine and run the engine out of fuel. is will not harm the engine!

Adding a fuel decarbonizing treatment in addition to fuel conditioner is a good move. ese additives remove built-up carbon from cylinder heads, piston tops and sides, piston rings and ring grooves. For this, we recommend Quicksilver Power Tune, Yamaha Ring Free, or BRP Engine Tuner. All of these products are readily available at local marine dealers.

• Flushing:

Flushing the engine’s cooling system with fresh, clean water prevents corrosion. Pay attention to the manufacturer’s instructions.

• Lubricants & Filters:

e engine lubricants (engine oil and drive gear lube) should be drained and re lled with fresh lube to remove water and contaminants. If your gearcase (lower unit) has water in the lubricant and you don’t change it, the water can rust the gears and bearings over the winter.

• Fogging:

A er the fuel’s been treated, the engine should be “fogged” with a storage lubricant. is protects the internal parts.

• Periodic/Required Maintenance:

All periodic maintenance should be performed. With many newer engines (especially four-stroke engines) much of this must be done by a dealer.

• FREEZING: VERY IMPORTANT! (Draining/Flushing):

A er all work is done, drain any water from the engine and drive to reduce the chance of freezing and cracking. is is critical! You must lower the engine all the way down, and WATCH to ensure all water runs out. If you must tilt the engine back up again (for example, to store it with the bow of the boat tilted up), then cover the water opening (prop hub) with plastic or duct tape. is will keep rainwater and rodents out. is is critical! If trapped water in the gearcase freezes, it may expand as ice and crack the gearcase housing, leading to very expensive replacement!

FINAL PREP

To protect against the elements, all painted/exposed surfaces of the engine should be waxed. A er running, the engine should be tilted all the way down, to the run position, and the engine covered with a fabric or plastic cover that can be pulled tightly to keep it from apping and abrading the paint.

John Tiger, a recognized expert in high performance boat setup, rigging and driving, outboard repair and trailer towing, John’s boating and racing experience has helped him write popular columns such as Outboard Tech and Seat Time as well as many hundreds of feature stories.

NORTH

TIDEWATER / OUTER BANKS

CATCHIN’& COOKIN’

FRIED ROCKFISH CHICHARRONS

Just when you don’t think there is a twist to fried rock sh, old JB has come up with one and you will love it! First clean and let your rock sh how ever you like. Next prepare your breading station with a little our, then egg, or if you don’t want as thick of batter, don’t use the egg and our. Now instead of breadcrumbs, grind two bags of non- avored pork rinds in a blender or food processor. You want to blend them until they are of a panko consistency.

Once done, simply use this as your breader. Why? It tastes fantastic and is better than panko. e big bene t is ZERO carbs. I use this not only on sh but anytime I need a breader.

I have been doing this for a few years now and recently started buying it on amazon pre blended. It is great. Check it out. Best fried rock sh you will ever have!

THE LAST SHOOTOUT!

by Jim Baugh reporting from Oyster Farm at Kings Creek, Cape Charles VA

Twenty years goes fast! Here we are at the last Mid Atlantic Rock sh Shootout and there is still time to register. You have till the captain’s meeting December 7th held at the Oyster Farm at Kings Creek. Lets go out with a bang!

roughout the Shootouts history, every event has been run rst rate with usually rather spectacular results. Jim Baugh Outdoors TV goes back almost to the beginning lming this event twenty years ago. Back then, 40+ pound rock sh could be caught right o the beach. I don’t mean to harp on how good the old times were but in this case, yeah, it was pretty incredible.

Seems that in time, everything changes as so does the sh. It was time to call this event and hold one last anglers’ journey into competitive rock shing that we all have known and loved. Now they say it’s not over until the fat lady sings, in this case we need a fat rock sh to swim. Yes, if the stock gets better and sustainable the tourney may come back, however that is a pretty big “If”, so don’t miss this one!

Register for this awesome event at www.midatlanticrock shshootout. com. For this years Shootout, book your slips and accommodations at the Oyster Farm’s website: www.theoysterfarmatkingscreek.com

When you’re in Cape Charles, check out some of my Metal Print Nightscapes at Lemmon Tree Gallery. We have several in the Gallery including the Milky Way by the Love Sign. If you are coming through Virginia Beach, stop by and see my Nightscape Metal Prints in a new exclusive gallery location called 2Beaches Studio and Art Gallery located in the Bay Bridge Shoppes at 4465 Shore Drive. Give them a call at (757) 650-8424. Nightscapes make for a perfect holiday gi !

To view our online Nightscape Gallery check this QR See you folks at the Shootout at the Oyster Farm the week of Dec. 7th, wishing everyone a happy and blessed Christmas and a happy New Year!

Jim Baugh, Jimbaugh.net, Jim Baugh Outdoors TV

For more updates on our fishing trips and latest shows log on to: https://jimbaughoutdoors.blogspot.com/ for updates on everything, digital prints gallery, etc. Jim Baugh Outdoors TV Amazon Prime Video https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/ B07Z9S825F/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r

JBOTV Online Hubb: https:// jimbaugh.blogspot.com/

HONESTY IS THE BEST POLICY

By Capt. Jim Davison, Miss Disturbed Sport sing

With there being tournaments in every type of shing and at every level a person could almost sh a tournament every weekend if they owned a fresh water something a smaller saltwater something and a large o shore battlewagon. With all the tournament action unfortunately comes cheaters, plain and simple. Everything in the next couple paragraphs will be my opinion and my understanding of what happened in each case. I will not name anyone or any boat but if you follow all these tournaments you will know exactly who and what I’m talking about. e problem with the cheating is it comes at every level in every type of tournament. So why can’t folks just be honest and compete within the rules?

Here are two examples of teams or individuals getting caught cheating in very high pro le tournaments.

At a freshwater walleye tournament the angler made it to the scales with a limit of walleye and had what appeared as a normal size sh for the tournament average but when weighed in the sh came in heavy for their size. A er further investigation it was found that the sh had lead weights and parts of another sh in their stomachs. All sh appeared to have these weights and parts in them. It is pretty obvious the angler was disquali ed and escorted o the premises. Here’s my question, who in the world thinks they can get away with stu ng a pound plus of lead and sh into the stomach of a 5-pound walleye and think they can get away with it? Now with that being said, I think other things need to be looked at like the rules of the tournament. Do the rules leave it open for someone to do this? If so, then the rules need to be changed so there is no question that each and every sh in a kill tournament will be opened up to verify the internal contents. I feel that if this isn’t in the wording and being done it will only leave it open for someone in the future to stu a sh with lead and whatever is lying around in their boat.

Now for the big one. Very large and high pro le saltwater tournament found itself doing an investigation into a high pro le team. e team had entered in all categories of the tournament and that gave them access to the big bucks for the largest marlin. Well the team came in just before the scales closed for the evening and hung a whopper of a sh on the scales that would have taken over a spot for a large payday. A er all the pictures where taken and things calmed down from the excitement, the stomach content and stomach came out of the sh’s mouth. When the weigh master started looking at things it was found that the water that came out was fresh water. So one of my questions is where would a saltwater sh get fresh water from? Only one place I can think of. A er a quick decision was made and the investigation launched, the sh was disquali ed and the team was disquali ed as well. ere was of course a ton of hearsay and rumors going around about the team owner, the captain, the mates, who were responsible and who knew it took place. Here’s my thoughts on the matter. I feel everyone on the boat knew someone pumped that shes belly full of water and took the chance that no one would gure it out. Everyone on that boat should step up and take responsibility and take what is due and not be allowed to sh another tournament regardless of size and type.

With all this said I’m sure some people will say I’m crazy or whatever. I’m ne with that and yes, I’m a little crazy. I also feel that if the tournament rules don’t cover or are not clear enough to let people even think they can sneak one in, then the tournament directors need to amend the rules so there is no chance someone can sneak in and get a big payday that’s not theirs. I hope that I never sh against a team that feels they can get away with cheating and really hope that no team member on my boat asks me to cheat.

Let’s keep things honest, enjoy the competition, have fun doing what we all enjoy doing and possibly win some money doing it.

Brag 5- Josh Bailey - Waldord, Maryland - State Record Catfish. Josh Bailey arrowed an almost 69lb blue catfish from the Rappahannock River. The fish measured 3’11” and had a girth of 35 1/4”. New Maryland State Record. The fish measured 3’11” and had a girth of 28.5”

Brag 6 - Richard Hayden, Jr.Bracey, Virginia - State Record Catfish

Richard Hayden, Jr. arrowed a 48lb flathead catfish from Belmont Bay. The fish measured 47.5” and had a girth of 28.5”

PIC OF THE MONTH

Michael Miller, from Nathalie, Virginia sets first ever state record with a 6lb Saugeye! Mr. Miller caught the trophy-sized fish from the Staunton River with spinning tackle using a crankbait. The fish measured 26 1/4 inch with a girth of 14 inch

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The question of lure size is o en pondered in the shing world. Di erent circumstance requires a di erent mentality, but one thing is for certain, the sh did not read any articles, attend any seminars or watch that YouTube video. ey eat what they want, when they want, but I have an approach that I nd useful in deciphering the riddle.

As winter approaches, it brings changes to our estuaries: cooler water temps, a change in the type and abundance of forage, less pressure from boaters, and in some areas, much better water clarity. ere are two trains of thought on lure size when it comes to winter shing in the bays. Should I go bigger or smaller? I know anglers who immediately upsize for the entire season, while others downsize for its duration.

Both can be e ective, but here is how I typically tackle early winter shing.

Cooling water temps and increasing frequency of cold fronts put the sh on both spectrums of the feeding attitude. Unlike more stable weather patterns, when sh are less a ected and feed more consistently, these fronts can make them, for a lack of a better term, moody.

Late fall and early winter can be some of the best inshore shing of the year. Schools of

bait ushed from the bays with the dropping tides are followed by hungry specks and reds. In these situations, I like to use a smaller lure. Generally, they feed on shrimp or smaller bait sh, and having a lure of similar size is a good idea. When they are following these schools, I like non-natural colors so the sh have something to key in on when bait is abundant. I like my lure’s color to stand out in the fall feeding frenzy.

Now, for the other end of the mood swing, the inactive period caused by post-frontal conditions. is is another situation when I favor smaller lures in early winter. When the bite is o , smaller o erings entice bites from non-aggressive sh. Using myself as an example, if I am not hungry, the chance of me driving to a restaurant for a steak dinner are slim, but I might grab a few peanuts for a quick bite just because they are on the counter.

e nal reason is clearer water. Some bays I sh will have 1 to 2 feet of clear-green water in the summer, but 6 to 7 feet of air-clear water in winter. ese sh are not accustomed to this transitional clarity. When I can see my lure bouncing in the sand in depths of 7 feet, a much smaller lure will produce more bites.

I hope these tips help you catch more sh this winter, and next month I will explain my transition to larger lures as we press deeper into winter’s grip.

Capt. Michael Okruhlik is the inventor of Knockin Tail Lures®, Controlled Descent Lures™, and the owner of www.MyCoastOutdoors.com.

By Capt. Michael Okruhlik

Photo courtesy of Knockin Tail Lures

Centuries

ago, Persians, Tibetans and Mayans considered turquoise a gemstone of the heavens, believing the striking blue stones were sacred pieces of sky. Today, the rarest and most valuable turquoise is found in the American Southwest–– but the future of the blue beauty is unclear.

On a recent trip to Tucson, we spoke with fourth generation turquoise traders who explained that less than five percent of turquoise mined worldwide can be set into jewelry and only about twenty mines in the Southwest supply gem-quality turquoise. Once a thriving industry, many Southwest mines have run dry and are now closed.

We found a limited supply of turquoise from Arizona and purchased it for our Sedona Turquoise Collection . Inspired by the work of those ancient craftsmen and designed to showcase the exceptional blue stone, each stabilized vibrant cabochon features a unique, one-of-a-kind matrix surrounded in Bali metalwork. You could drop over $1,200 on a turquoise pendant, or you could secure 26 carats of genuine Arizona turquoise for just $99

days

don’t

MONSTER SMALLIE IS GREAT LAKES RECORD

Ohio Angler Gregg Gallagher caught a 10.15-pound smallmouth bass on Nov. 3 that once certi ed should be a new Lake Erie record. e 23 ¾-inch sh is also the largest bronzeback ever caught from the Great Lakes.

Gallagher told In-Fisherman his was the result of his son’s extensive time surveying bait and bottom structure. With sonar, they were able to do what some call video-game shing and target individual sh with drop shot rigs. He was shing 8-pound test.

“With an abundance of bait sh and unique bottom composition located a er long days behind the graphs, we dropped down our forward-facing sonar and we were able to individually target these pelagicesque smallmouth,” he told In-Fisherman. “On what turned out to be the most memorable cast of my life, my bait got hit before it even hit the bottom and my rod quickly doubled over. I honestly thought I had hooked into a sheephead and not a smallmouth. We quickly learned we had just caught the smallmouth of a lifetime.”

e monster smallmouth is the only certi ed 10-plus-pounder ever caught from the Great Lakes. It should beat out the Canadian record of 9.84 pounds, which was set 68 years ago. It is also heavier than the Ohio state record, which weighed 9 pounds, 8 ounces and was caught in 1993.

e world record smallmouth bass weighed 11 pounds, 15 ounces. It was caught from Tennessee’s Dale Hollow Lake in 1955.

You raise the flags of the fish just caught to show you weren’t skunked.

Once onshore you can take it a step further showing your fellow anglers your catch of the day wearing “slippahs” from Scott Hawaii.

Hanapa‘a - Marlin

Hanapa‘a - Ahi

5 WINTERTIME FISHERIES

Instead of spending the next few months holed up inside, get yourself a good parka, nd a window of decent weather and go shing. Believe it or not, for some sheries winter o ers some of the best action of the year. Here are a few ideas to help you combat cabin fever.

By CAM Sta

1) Wintertime Wahoo:

is time of year, wahoo pile up around the Bahamas. Some of the largest sh of the year will show up over the next couple of months.

High-speed trolling is the technique that allows captains to cover lots of water along rocky ledges, color changes, temperature breaks and dropo s. ’Hoos hunt in packs, so multiple hook-ups and double-digit days are possible. is shery requires some forethought and perhaps some exibility. ey bite best around the full and new moons, but you’ll de nitely want to avoid fronts and those wicked north winds.

2) South Florida Sailfsh: From

December

through February

the Atlantic Coast of South Florida becomes one of the best sail sh destinations in the world. Release ags will be ying along the edge of the Gulf Stream from roughly Fort Pierce down through the Keys.

For this bite, you’ll want to sh when the weather’s a little rough. With strong winds from the north, tailing conditions push sail sh high in the water column to feed. ey surf the swells and it’s possible to sight sh for them, which is about as exciting as shing gets.

3) The Outer Banks: In winter, North Carolina’s Outer Banks are the destination for several migrations which bring excellent shing to the island chain from Oregon Inlet down past Ocracoke.

Out of Hatteras, it’s a short ride out to the edge of the Gulf Stream, and this time of year tuna congregate there to feast on a bounty of bait sh. Big blue n tuna 200 pounds and larger are on the prowl, and anglers can also do battle with black n, yellow n and bigeye tunas.

At the same time, big schools of striped bass will be marauding bait sh on the beaches and in the inlets. Surf anglers can encounter them blitzing menhaden by looking for bait and birds. Charter boats do good business this time of year trolling while keeping eyes peeled for stripers herding and crashing bait balls.

4) South Padre Island, Texas: Way down on the Mexican border, South Padre Island is as far south as you can go in Texas. e winters are mild and the shing is good year-round.

When water temps drop, snook pile into the canals and school up. ese schools of sh can be giant, and they are suckers for arti cials. At the same time, the grass ats experience the clearest water of the year. Red sh, big trout and black drum cruise the ats, where anglers can sight sh them in shin-deep water.

5) Delayed Harvest Trout: On the East Coast from Maryland down to Georgia, most states have developed robust delayed harvest trout sheries which keep y shers on the stream through the winter. ese specially regulated sheries are catch-and-release only through the cooler months and most of them have single-hook, arti cial-only regulations.

Most delayed harvest streams are heavily stocked, usually with some largerthan-normal hatchery sh. Since you can’t keep them, they stay in the creeks and rivers all winter long. Maryland, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia are some of the states with excellent delayed harvest programs. See the state wildlife agency websites for information.

TROUBLED ATLANTIC STRIPED BASS STOCKS TREND UPWARD

For the rst time in a while, sheries managers are reporting some good news about striped bass populations on the Atlantic Coast. In early November, e Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) accepted an updated 2022 stock assessment that looks good enough that no additional harvest cuts will be needed.

is stock assessment found that rock sh stocks are still over shed but they are not currently experiencing over shing. e female spawning biomass appears to have been on a modest upward trend for at least the last three years, but at an estimated 143 million pounds is still far below the 235-million-pound target for rebuilding.

Total mortality in 2021 from commercial and recreational shing was estimated at 0.14, which is below the mortality threshold of 0.20 as well as below the mortality target of 0.17.

What does this mean for anglers?

Currently, a reduction in catch is not needed, and the rebuilding program is on schedule to declare the striped bass stock rebuilt by 2029.

“ is 2022 assessment was the rst check-in point for progress toward stock rebuilding by 2029,” said Board Chair Marty Gary with the River Fisheries Commission. “It is extremely important shery removals and conduct regular stock assessments to keep evaluating rebuilding progress and stay on track.”

e next stock assessment update is scheduled for 2024, and the Board will review the 2022 removals as soon as the data are available to evaluate whether catch remains at sustainable levels.

The Return of a

For more information, visit www.asmfc.org.

NOAA Photo

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