Coastal Angler Magazine - April / Tidewater, VA/Outer Banks, NC by Coastal Angler Magazine

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Venice, Louisiana:

A Paddler's Heaven

Local

Bass Pro

Mike Iaconelli

Fishing Reports Catch Photos News & Events

Talks Kayaks Inshore

PHOTO COURTESY OF JEFF SCHNEIDER VOLUME 22 â&#x20AC;¢ ISSUE 267

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Each month, Coastal Angler Magazine and The Angler Magazine staff search our vast coverage area for photos that will grace our covers. With well over a million readers in diverse coastal and inland markets, our magazines strive for broad national appeal as well as local-level intelligence to put anglers on fish. The cover is different depending on which edition you, the reader, are holding. The following is a little information about this month’s covers.

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The cover of this month’s Coastal Angler Venice, Louisiana: editions features a gorgeous Louisiana red A Paddler's caught by Kaku pro-staffer and Louisiana Heaven tuna captain Jeff Schneider while fishing from the deck of a Kahuna SUP. There is perhaps no better place in the world to chase redfish from a paddle-powered boat Local Bass Pro Mike Iaconelli than Venice, Louisiana. Kaku’s president Talks Kayaks Inshore Kevin Hawkins tells us all about it in this issue. With thousands upon thousands of acres of marshland situated around the mouth of the Mississippi Delta, it is a paradise for inshore species and the anglers who target them. There are so many options for kayak and paddleboard anglers around Venice. They range from mothership trips out in the Gulf of Mexico for big cobia, jacks and bull reds to easier hand-launch expeditions off the side of the road in Venice, where marsh ponds and canals in tall grass make it easier to find fishing out of the wind. No matter where or how one decides to deploy a little plastic boat in the waters around the Delta, the fishing will be fantastic. It truly is heaven for anglers under paddle power.

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THE ANGLER MAGAZINE Bass Pro Mike Iaconelli: Down Off The Deck

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Professional bass tournament angler and Mike Iaconelli TV personality Mike Iaconelli is one of the most recognized anglers in the world. The 2003 Bassmaster Classic Champion and 2006 Make New Lures Angler of the Year, “Ike” can claim to have won Confidence Lures Local almost every major award in professional bass fishing. But he’s also a self-described fish-head, who will fish anywhere, any way for anything that will pull on the other end of a line. It’s fitting that the rig pulling his stateof-the-art Bass Cat boat also has a Hobie kayak strapped to the roof for quick and easy, on-the-spot fun fishing. In this month’s magazine, Ike tells us about his love of kayak fishing in a question-and-answer session that delves into some of the tools and techniques he uses inshore. Ike is one of the best bass fishermen in the world, and his tournament skills translate well to saltwater. The cover of this month’s The Angler Magazines is of “Ike” with a good redfish caught while filming for his TV show “Going Ike” in Port Fourchon, Louisiana. We interviewed him in the run-up to this year’s Bassmaster Classic, and taking a moment to talk kayaks seemed a breathe of fresh air for him during crunch time. Talks Kayaks Inshore

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Kayakin’ The Spring

By Patrick Sebile

ife is getting vibrant. Things are warming up, and spring is here. As a ritual long established, I feel the need to be close to nature. And to me there’s no better way to experience the feeling of life awakening than riding a kayak with a rod in my hand. I have fished and guided from all kinds of boats, from small skiffs to majestic deep-sea vessels, but a small plastic shell puts me right next to the fish, my hands always a few inches from the water’s surface. It’s not a money matter, as I own boats. Perhaps it is the challenge? I definitively spend more time each year fishing from my skiff or bass boat, and surely catch more fish from these boats. They are true fishing machines, helping me cover lots of water to find fish. And they can carry all the gear necessary for any situation. On my kayak, I have to think effectively about what my needs are and carefully consider every single thing I will bring onboard. It’s a good way to find the balance between needs and wants. So how do I fish while kayaking? In freshwater and saltwater, my approach is to slowly and surely cover every spot. In a kayak, I am much more aware of, and more capable of, targeting the places where fish hide. Superbly silent, my Pro Angler carries me at the edge of two worlds, above the surface where we

live and the liquid world, which holds the object of all our passions. My kayak tackle boxes have a variety of carefully selected key lures that will help in different situations and environments, nothing more than what I will need. I carry Magic Swimmers, hard for open water and soft for heavy cover and structure. A Flatt Shad snagless is effective in both open and snaggy areas. Twitch baits like the Stick Shadd definitely go into my box, as they are needed if fish are active. A handful of plastic worms, a couple of bucktails, and then a topwater or a pivot frog will complete this set to fish from a ’yak. Seated just above the water, gliding silently with gentle movements of my feet on the pedals, rod in hand and with eyes searching, I use the smooth approach to get as close as I can to the spot or to the fish. Then all that’s left is a short but accurate cast. Proximity also gives me greater enjoyment of seeing the fish and seeing it bite. That’s why I love kayak fishing this time of the year. And you never know; I may let my lures sit in the tackle box and simply hook a shiner or a shrimp and let it swim. Or maybe I won’t even do a thing, just watch the water and the life that surrounds it—just enjoy life… and a kayak ride. Patrick Sebile is the owner and lure designer of Sebile Innovative Fishing (www.sebile.com).

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Mike Iaconelli Talks Kayaks And Redfish

Editor Nick Carter had the chance to interview professional bass angler Mike Iaconelli just before the Bassmaster Classic. We didn’t want to jinx Ike by talking about the Classic, so we asked the Hobie pro about his love of kayak fishing.

hat’s the appeal in stepping down from the deck of a bass boat into a kayak? Ike: Growing up in southern New Jersey, I consider myself a small-boat angler first. Many of my early childhood experiences fishing involved fishing from the bank, rowing a small jonboat or paddling a canoe. Kayak fishing fills a huge niche in my fishing life. Outside of competitive bass tournament fishing, I’m still a huge fish head. That means fishing for all freshwater and saltwater species in my down time. When I’m fun fishing or filming for TV shows, I love to access remote places that I can’t get into with my full size bass boat. Kayak fishing is also a HUGE breath of fresh air to leave behind the big boat and all of the time and preparation that go along with launching and running that boat. With your tournament schedule, do you get to spend much time on the salt? Ike: I definitely try to go inshore and offshore fishing each fall when the tournament season concludes. This past fall, I spent a week in Port Fourchon, Louisiana hanging out at Hobie Worlds 6 and filming a kayak fishing episode for season two of my TV show, Going Ike, which premiers this spring on the Pursuit Channel! I had a great time catching big redfish and trout, plus it was awesome meeting the Hobie World Championship competitors from all over the world who love fishing as much as I do. I also had a chance to go offshore fishing with my buddy Ish Monroe in San Francisco during November. We were mainly targeting lingcod, and it was an amazing day of fishing! Where do you put your kayak in and what do you fish for in New Jersey? Ike: I mostly fish the small lake behind my house, which has largemouth bass, northern chain pickerel, crappie and sunfish. My son, Vegas, got a brand new Hobie kayak from Santa for Christmas this year. The fish in our lake better watch out this summer! I’m really looking forward to spending time with my family and pursuing exciting new fishing adventures. How do redfish compare to “green fish?” Ike: Anyone who has caught a big redfish would agree that they are definitely more powerful and are a very aggressive fish in general. One of my favorite things about targeting redfish is that most of the time I can focus on shallow-water power-fishing techniques and search for active, feeding reds. With the “green fish,” there are a lot of times that I have to slow down and present a bait to them slowly such as with a jig, worm or finesse fishing.

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What skills, techniques and gear from your bass arsenal translate well to inshore? Ike: Casting accuracy/ presentation, reading tides and powerfishing techniques are the first three that come to my mind. Often when I’m inshore fishing, I am targeting fish that are relating to a grass edge or current break. If I can make accurate, quiet casts, there’s a good chance I’m going to catch more fish! Having grown up fishing the Delaware River, which can have up to a 7-foot tide swing between low and high tides, I’ve spent much of my life learning how fish position based on the tide level and current. This experience translates extremely well to inshore fishing…. I bring a lot of traditional power-fishing gear that you’d also find in my Bass Cat boat when I’m fishing for bass: Abu Garcia “Ike” Series Rods, Berkley Trilene braided/ monofilament/ fluorocarbon fishing lines, Rapala Skitter Walk and Skitter V topwaters, VMC jigheads, and Berkley Powerbait and Gulp swimbaits, grubs, and more soft plastics. How is your Hobie rigged out? Ike: I have a Power Pole Micro Anchor to stop the kayak on a dime. This is a very crucial piece of equipment, which allows me to quickly stop and fish an area without the kayak drifting with the current or wind. This is huge when you are fishing specific targets such as points, current breaks, laydowns, docks and more. I also have a Lowrance HDS 9 Touch unit, a storage crate for my Flambeau Zerust tackle boxes and tackle bags, landing net, rod holders, and of course, Hobie’s Mirage Drive pedals so I can keep my hands fishing instead of paddling! Electronics play a huge role on the bass tournament scene, what’re your thoughts on electronics in kayaks? Ike: Electronics play just as huge of a role in kayak fishing. I really use it the same as with my Bass Cat boat! As I just mentioned, I run a Lowrance HDS 9 Touch unit on my Hobie for its GPS/ sonar abilities. I rely heavily on the information I can gather from the Lowrance such as mapping/ bottom contours, reading the water temperature, and using the sonar for locating fish, cover and structure to name a few. I may mount a Hydrowave on the Hobie as well soon. It’s another great innovation in electronics, and I use it often in my boat to fire up fish. I’m always interested in adding tools to my boat or kayak that help me catch more fish!

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Lou

By Nick Carter - Photos Courtesy of Kaku

f there’s a heaven for folks who fish from paddle-powered boats, it must look a lot like Venice, Louisiana. This narrow spit of marshland at the Mississippi River Delta is a maze of canals and bays that flush into the Gulf of Mexico with fecundity born of joining waters. Channels and marsh ponds tucked into thousands of acres of wetlands make it the perfect habitat for redfish, seatrout, flounder and other species. It’s like the landscape was designed for fishing and exploring with a paddle. Kevin Hawkins was born and raised in Tarpon Springs, Fla. He is the president of Kaku Kayaks & Paddleboards but calls himself the company’s chief pro-staffer. He prides himself on the amount of fishing he does and designs his boats on experience. Venice is one of his favorite testing grounds. Whether its launching roadside into the marsh, a trip outside the pass from remote Port Eads or a mothership expedition to the Gulf ’s famous oil rigs, it’s the perfect setting to test his boats. It doesn’t hurt that the fishing is awesome. When the seas aren’t too rough, there’s no adventure quite like a mothership trip out to the oilrigs in search of cobia, kingfish and bull reds. Kaku pro-staffer Capt. Jeff Schneider is also a tuna captain who runs a 36-foot Contender when he’s not paddling a small plastic boat. With kayaks loaded, it’s about an hour and a half run from Venice Marina out to 50-foot-deep rigs in West Bay. Hawkins described a day he fished with Schneider, and although the primary target was cobia, a big 45-inch redfish was the highlight. Armed with big 5000 reels and 40- to 50-pound tackle, they dropped Kaku Wahoo kayaks into 2- to 3-foot seas. Even on the stable fishing platform, Hawkins said it might have been a bit much for new paddlers. For a veteran it was fun. “It’s awesome, man. I love paddling a good kayak in that stuff and busting over big waves,” said Hawkins. “When it gets rough like that, it’s fun.” They fished a series of four or five structures linked by a bridge, which gave space to paddle around and explore. Hawkins said he paddled right up to the corner of a pier, dropped his jig straight down and began back paddling before jigging. That’s when the big bull red ate. “When you’re in the shallows and they pull you around, they call that the Cajun sleigh ride,” Hawkins said. “When you’re in deep water like that, he heads straight down. He was pulling me, and that kayak was smashing straight down on those waves. It was pretty intense.” Invariably, fish seek something to wrap the line around, and only by kicking off a beam was Hawkins able to keep himself from going

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Experience Heaven

APRIL 2017

under the rig and losing the fish. He gave a piece of advice for battling big fish from a kayak in deep water. “Keep the tip of the rod toward the front of the boat,” he said. “When the rod goes to the side, that’s when you run the risk of flipping.” If an open-water mothership trip seems a little much, Port Eads sits on the southernmost tip of Louisiana, right at the end of the Mississippi River. It’s only accessible by boat, and reasonable prices buy lodging and good meals. Also known as South Pass, the location is a few minutes paddle from the open Gulf and offers excellent fishing for big jacks, reds, cobia, blacktip sharks and any number of other species big enough to warrant medium-heavy rods, 3000 to 4000 reels and 30- to 40-pound-test lines. Hawkins likes artificials and prefers Slayer Inc.’s Sinister Swim Tail rigged on a 4/0 jig head. For him, sinking bait outside the pass would detract from the reason he fishes from kayaks and SUPs in the first place. “Kayaks are about stalking and hunting the fish,” he said. “You’ve got to use your instincts to find them. I don’t like to just sit on a hole and fish bait.” It’s as much fun as you can have sitting down… or standing up if seas are calm enough for an SUP like Kaku’s Kahuna, which is specifically designed for fishing. But perhaps the best bet for calm waters is a third Venice option, to launch roadside. Highway 23 runs from New Orleans to Venice, and Tidewater Road is where the pavement ends. There are any number of places to hand-launch a kayak or paddleboard. Hawkins mentioned Yellow Cotton Bay as well as a series of marsh ponds and cuts at a circular canal known as The Pinwheel. Once you find fish off the grass edges, it’s probably the best inshore action in the world, and it’s easily accessible to paddlers. Popping cork rigs are a no-brainer, but Hawkins said once you get tired of catching scads of rat reds and trout, it’s time to switch to the paddletail rig he likes to fish outside the pass. “We’re looking for the big ones,” he said. “You’ve still got to be ready for the big ones. No matter where I am in Venice, I’ve got a 30-pound rig.” For more information on Kaku Kayaks & SUPs, see kakukayak. com.

To learn more about fishing from a Kahuna Paddleboard, go to

FISHINGLIFE.CO

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The 12.5′ length of the Wahoo helps ensure stability. The Wahoo spans 33″ wide, great for fishing! Weighing only 74 lbs, the Wahoo is WWW.kakukayak.com lightweight, but incredibly stable. The Wahoo has a capacity of 400lbs.

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THE DAY’S BIG CATCH SHOULD BE YOUR ONLY FOCUS Insurance coverage through BoatU.S. makes for a great start to what could be an epic day of fishing. Our policies are designed with coverages custom-made for Anglers and include 24/7 claims service from boating experts. • Agreed Value Coverage for Your Boat, Engine(s) and Boating Equipment • Broad Cruising Areas • Charter and Guide Coverage Options Available • Coverage for Fishing Gear • Tournament Coverage • Water Towing and Roadside Assistance from TowBoatU.S. – the Nation’s Largest Fleet

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Paddlesports Product Review COVERALLS KAYAK COVER

CREEKKOOLER FLOATING COOLER

Who says kayak covers need to be bulky and thick? CoverAlls kayak covers deliver protection, strength and durability in a lightweight, tough material that keeps your kayak clean and dry year-round. Protect your kayak from nature and the elements. Prevent dirt, debris, pollen and leaves from piling up in the cockpit and seat. Block bugs and critters before they move in. Keep water out with material that’s not just water-resistant—it’s water-PROOF. Our covers are also UV-resistant to preserve your kayak’s hull and rigging from the sun’s damaging rays. Best of all, CoverAlls kayak covers are a breeze to use. They slip on quickly, draw closed with a single poly cord and cam lock—not zippers—and get snug with durable Velcro straps. There’s even a built-in red flag for transport. The cover slips off easily and stows neatly in an included compact stuff bag that even fits in most deck hatches. Spend more time with a rod and reel and less time with a hose and scrub brush. See how much better protection can be at www.coveralls.biz!

Space is always at a premium when you’re on the water in a paddle-powered vessel. Whether it’s a kayak, canoe or stand-up paddleboard, a lack of stowage often forces us to leave behind the things not absolutely necessary for the activity at hand. On a larger boat where there’s plenty of room, many anglers wouldn’t think of going fishing without a cooler full of iced-down beverages. With the new Creekkooler, those navigating under paddle power can have the same luxury. The Creekkooler is an innovative floating cooler designed with dual-wall construction and top-quality insulation to retain ice and keep things cold for extended periods. Its shape cuts through the water, limiting drag and allowing it to be pulled easily behind a boat. Creekkooler has a 30-quart capacity and will hold 30 12-ounce cans and 20 pounds of ice. It has four drink holders on deck and a 1/8-turn watertight lid that makes it a great tool for extra dry storage, too. Whether it’s for keeping drinks cold during a day on the water with buddies, packing in provisions for a multi-day float trip, or extra dry storage for the stuff you need but don’t have room in the boat for, Creekkooler is an innovative new product that will make your excursion under paddle power more comfortable.

WWW.COVERALLS.BIZ

KANOOLERPRODUCTS.COM

WHALEBACK PADDLEBOARDS TORTUGA

When I’m not in the studio or at the racetrack, I’m fishing. Every chance I get. I recently started SUP fishing, and the 12’6” Tortuga by Whaleback Paddleboards is a real game changer. At 12’6” x 34” x 10.5”, with twin pontoons, the stability is ridiculous. I can walk nose to tail and all around the rails to reel in fish from any direction. Its 3-inch side bite tracking fins allow me to squeeze into shallow flats, and its maneuverability and stability is great offshore as well. With a fullcoverage, water-resistant traction pad, the deck space is unmatched. And its 28 customizable

By Matt Nix, Racin’ Nation Radio

WWW.WHALEBACKPADDLEBOARDS.COM

JACKSON KAYAK KRAKEN 13.5

Jackson Kayak’s Kraken 13.5 is an all-new option for paddlers looking to tackle big water. Based on The Kraken 15.5 platform, the 13.5 sheds some length for more maneuverability but with all the punch of its big brother. This kayak, just like the original, is designed for the most challenging paddling environments and intended for the offshore and big-lake kayak angler. It’s a natural follow up to the first collaborative design between legendary kayak angler, Jim Sammons and Jackson Kayak’s design team led by Tony Lee. The new Kraken 13.5 is a boat shaped and built to accommodate those hitting the open water in a nimble, smaller footprint but still capable of big water management. It’s designed for punching through surf, handling rough offshore currents, swells, beach landings and those who desire ultimate performance and maneuverability. With more features than can be listed, Jackson has considered all the needs of bigwater anglers and packed them thoughtfully into this kayak. Its great-tracking hull has the speed to cover miles and the volume and storage to carry you and your gear comfortably on long outings. 16

inserts and deck tie downs let me rig up my YakAttack lean post, rod holders, GPS and paddle holder and still have room for the cooler, cup holder and lawn chair. Because let’s face it, nothing’s better than celebrating a good catch with a cold one. Whether you’re an experienced SUP fisherman or just getting started, the 12’6’ Tortuga is the board for you. It sets you up with everything you need. You just have to find the fish. All Whaleback boards are made in the USA. Visit www.whalebackpaddleboards.com or call 561-3361612 for a dealer near you.

PAU HANA BIG EZ ANGLER At 11 feet long and available in both 32 and 36 inches of width, Pau Hana’s Big EZ Angler is built to be stable, the perfect platform for fighting any game fish. This paddleboard is derived from the classic Big EZ, and is shaped to provide anglers the balance they need while remaining easy to maneuver in shallow water without disrupting fish underneath. It is lightweight at just over 30-pounds, which means it is easy to launch anywhere there’s a place to carry it to the water. It can be rigged up for any kind of fishing, can handle heavy loads and carry all the gear you need. With a soft and stylish deck and space in between the pieces for water drainage, the Angler comes pre-equipped with 25 multiple threaded mount attachment points using Pau Hana’s innovative SeaMount System. Coolers, tackle boxes, anchors, nets, rod holders, paddle clips, lights and anything else an angler needs can be easily mounted on deck. The Big EZ Angler is a real teak paddleboard with the capacity to carry everything an angler needs and provide a stable platform to fish from.

WWW.PAUHANASURFCO.COM WWW.JACKSONKAYAK.COM APRIL 2017 COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

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Paddlesports Product Review RAM MOUNTING SYSTEMS Whether you are on a lake, stream, whitewater, inlet or ocean, kayaking is all about adaptability. RAM has created a complete line of rust-resistant mounting solutions for kayaks that allow anglers to mount items where they are needed. RAM Mounting systems offer the widest selection of kayak fishing accessories to adapt to a wide range of fishing scenarios. With a patented ball-and-socket design, RAM mounts allow anglers to mount almost anything at the perfect angle. This provides flexibility to mount equipment within reach, but out of the way. RAM’s kayak mounts and fishing accessories are rugged, compact, and have no sharp edges or points. All of our kayak mounts are backed by a lifetime warranty and are made in the USA. RAM mounts are the solution for mounting anything you might need on the water. A full line of rod holders covers everything from fly rods to conventional baitcasters and spinning rods of all sizes. Electronics, like fishfinders, chartplotters, phones, tablets and cameras can be mounted securely where they are needed. RAM even has a special system for mounting transducers for depthfinders. If there is something that needs to be mounted on a kayak, chances are RAM has thought of it and designed a product to hold it.

WWW.RAMMOUNT.COM

THE SKIMMER KAYAK MOTOR KIT Paddle fatigue getting to you? Want to motorize your kayak or canoe? There’s no need to pay $2,000 for a motorized kayak. Watercraft Technologies’ The Skimmer is a simple system for motorizing your kayak or canoe, and it costs less than $400. It is a lightweight, portable motor that mounts easily to your stern. Just snap it on when you need it. Fishing has never been easier, safer and more convenient. Go farther and save your energy for fishing! Increase your range! Catch more fish! The Skimmer weighs only 6 pounds. It’s 12v battery operated. There are easy controls for steering and motor lift. It’s environmentally safe, with no pollution, oil or gas spills. The Skimmer is made for saltwater, but does great in brackish or fresh water. It is able to propel a craft 2-4 knots and lasts two to five hours per charge. Imagine running your kayak at that speed and that long with zero effort! This propulsion system is great for people who want to get on the water and not worry about paddling hard into a swift current or strong wind. It is also great for those with shoulder, back or elbow issues. This kayak trolling motor kit carries a one-year, full parts replacement policy. See The Skimmer in action and order online at www.kayaktrollingmotor.com or order by phone at 631-848-3119.

WWW.KAYAKTROLLINGMOTOR.COM

MALIBU X-WING CONSOLE

Storage is a huge issue when all the gear you need at hand must fit in a space the size of your legs and lap. Malibu’s X-Wing Console is a fantastic option for storing and organizing gear in the cockpit of a kayak. Mounting of electronics, rod holders and other accessories can all be accomplished on one unit without drilling unnecessary holes in a kayak’s deck. A dry-storage compartment included in the unit makes the perfect place for valuables as well as being a great place for a battery. The X-Wing slides back and forth on a track mounted to the gunnel, so placement can be customized on the fly so it’s there when you need it and out of the way when you don’t. It’s also completely removable for storage and transportation. The X-Wing fits Malibu Kayaks, and modifications and adapters can be used to make the console fit other brands.

WWW.MALIBUKAYAKS.COM

YAKGEAR COOLER SEAT A cooler is one of the most valuable tools in most anglers’ arsenals. It goes everywhere and serves as a refrigerator, stepladder, poling platform, storage box and even a seat. YakGear’s Cooler Seat and Rigging Kit allows anglers to turn their cooler into a more comfortable and practical seating platform. Perfect for fishing, paddling, camping, tailgating and hunting, the YakGear Cooler Seat and Rigging Kit consists of the YakGear Sting Ray Seat and the necessary hardware to mount and secure the seat to a cooler. The kit is compatible with all coolers that feature “Front Locking Holes” including Yeti, Grizzly, Engel, Yukon, Icehole, some of the Bison models, and many more. The YakGear Sting Ray Seat features built-in back braces, which allow rigid back support without pressure from an exterior backrest. While most seats slouch down or fold over, the YakGear back braces hold the seat in place. As an additional feature, the seat has an aggressive non-slip pad to prevent unwarranted movement while sitting.

YAKGEAR.COM APRIL 2017

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FLY FISHING A Modern Take On Booking Fishing Guides And Charters

a better way. In April 2016, Fisher Guiding was founded. Since then, Hill has been working full time to turn his dream of easy one-stop shopping for charters and guided trips into reality. Fisher Guiding is a web-based service that lets anglers book trips with guides and charters online. It allows potential customers to search, review, message and pay guides all through an easy-to-use website. This service allows guides and captains to advertise and book clients based on available dates. It makes payment hassle free and allows guides and captains to market to customers in a way never before available. For some independent guides, the local fly shop is the only avenue available for them to book clients. Fisher Guiding is looking to supplement and modernize by offering a variety of scheduling and booking tools. Right now, Fisher Guiding currently has booking options from Alaska to the East Coast, Bahamas, Belize and Costa Rica. Although the consumer website just launched eight days ago, Fisher is already off to a great start with trips booked and new guides joining daily making for a constantly growing community. “Ultimately, the goal is to have guides and charters representing every market and fishing destination in the USA and around the world,” said Hill. It will be interesting to see how Fisher Guiding impacts the industry. The advantages are obvious for guides and charter services, but the greatest benefit may be for the consumer. Customers can read reviews and even message guides right through the website. Booking and paying for trips can be handled in two easy steps. While all change forces adaptation, a more competitive and transparent system will serve both the professionals and consumers. Ultimately the goal of Fisher Guiding is to make guides and charters more accessible to the public and contribute to the growth of the sport. A high tide will raise all the boats. See for yourself at www.fisherguiding.com.

FLY FISHING

ooking fishing guides and charters has not really changed at all for 50 years, so the industry is ripe for change and improvement. That is what Edward Hill—founder of Fisher Guiding– thought before launching his online service for guides and captains and the anglers who use them. Hill worked at Front Range Anglers before By Charlie Warfield graduating from the University of Colorado. There he saw firsthand how the guiding business worked in the local area. After school, he did private sector work in Washington, D.C., but after a couple years felt the need for a change and a new challenge. He began planning a trip to the Everglades with his father to do some fishing and reflection. Hill began searching the Internet for local guides. He was frustrated by the lack of information and the hoops he had to jump through to get hold of a guide. He had to look up guides and then call them for available dates and rates. It was a hassle, and it then turned out the guides he tracked down didn’t have the dates available he was looking for. Hill thought there must be

CHOOSING THE CORRECT BAITFISH FLY

f you look in many fly anglers’ boxes, you will see a huge array of flies in all shapes, sizes and colors. However, having the one correct fly in the box is the key to fishing success. Picking the correct flies for any saltwater fly fishing situation is key to whether or not you’ll be catching fish. Walking into a fly shop and looking into the fly bins can prove mindboggling to the uninitiated. The bins are filled with so many flies with which the fledgling saltwater fly fisher has little or no knowledge. Saltwater flies differ from their freshwater cousins in size and dress. Sometimes, like the kid in a candy store who is more influenced by the attractive wrapper than its contents, the beginning saltwater fly angler often chooses the eye-candy, over-dressed flies far too bulky to resemble a baitfish or a crab, flies that hook fishermen rather than fish.

Baitfish patterns

I believe a sparsely dressed baitfish pattern is preferable to a bulked up flashy fly. Why? The sparsely dressed fly will have a more natural look than will an all-too-spruced-up fly. Also, my experience has shown that a fish is far less selective when presented the sparsely dressed fly. The fly is only an imitation, a hint, of what the fish is feeding on, producing in the fish a reflexive action to strike. Perhaps one of the most important parts of the saltwater fly is its large eye that resembles closely the good-sized eyes on baitfish such as sardines, pilchards, and anchovies. Game fish zero in on that oversized eye when chasing and feeding on baitfish. Focusing on that eye results in fewer lost meals.

Color

Natural colors work best. Olive green, browns, tans and

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FLY FISHING Upstate New York

Bass On The Fly! By Mathew DeRosa

t was a very successful spring steelhead season on New York’s Salmon River. Approaching the tail end of the season, a friend and I made a “last chance” trip in hopes of finding a few final drop-back steelhead left in the system. We fished the lower section of the river, near Lake Ontario, to increase our chances of a tight line. It was one of those days when spring starts meshing into summer. The sun was shining with a few high clouds, the warm breeze was 70 degrees, and we had the river to ourselves. For an angler, being outside and fishing in a short sleeve shirt with no one around should be enough to call any day a success. This day was about to get better. As we cast into a river with increasing water temps and a majority of the steelhead already back in Lake Ontario, our expectations of a tight line were low. Soon enough, as we launched large flies

into the water, the addicting tight line grabs began. These fierce strikes were not steelhead, but hungry smallmouth bass. We enjoyed a full day on the river swinging 4-plus-inch flies and catching more than 25 smallmouth bass apiece. Are you a bass fisherman? Have you experienced the power of a bass on a fly rod? Smallmouth and largemouth bass will aggressively hunt down prey, which makes catching them on a fly rod extremely enjoyable. The late spring and early summer months are perfect to experience bass on the fly in Upstate New York. Altmar, N.Y. is on the Salmon River a short drive from the Tug Hill Sportsman Club. Both the Salmon River and the Tug Hill Sportsman’s Club are great places to learn how to fly fish and test your skills on bass. The beautiful scenery and vast expanse of meandering clear water make the Salmon River a top-priority fishing location in late spring. Favorable river conditions draw in large numbers of smallmouth bass. The river has more than 12 miles of public fishing property, and you can fish all day without encountering another angler. Smallmouth enter the river in April to spawn and remain in the system until September. Average Salmon River smallmouth bass range from 2 to 3 pounds; some weigh more than 5 pounds. Bass are present the entire length of the river from Altmar to the Douglaston Salmon Run. Tug Hill Sportsman Club The Tug Hill Sportsman Club is located on 450 acres of gently rolling land and is home to four lakes. The lakes make up about 45 acres of pristine largemouth bass-infested water. New to fly fishing or experienced, the opportunity to catch a world-class largemouth is there. The fish in these small lakes have had unpressured feeding, growing and reproductive conditions as the property has been carefully managed for more than 25 years. The goal is to provide guests with the highest quality angling. Enjoy Tailwater Lodge’s relaxing accommodations and fish the Tug Hill Sporting Club with Zero Limit Adventures! Matthew DeRosa is a guide with Zero Limit Adventures. For more information on the Tug Hill Sportsman’s Club and Zero Limit Adventures, visit www.zerolimitadventures.com.

whites are all great color combos for baitfish patterns. You should, however, carry a selection of blue and white, red and white and, of course, chartreuse and white in your fly box.

Size

Depending on what type of fish you’re pursuing, the size of your flies will vary. But, in most saltwater fly fishing situations, you’ll also need baitfish patterns that range from a small anchovy patterns in size 6 to large sardine or pilchard patterns in size 2/0. Remember, just as it is on the spring creek or on the large river, it’s all about matching the hatch, weather it’s insects or baitfish.

For more flyfishing with Bowman, go to

CAMFLYFISHING.COM

35 Acres of Private Access to the World-Renowned Salmon River 42 Luxurious Accommodations On-Site Bar and Restaurant • Daily Hot Breakfast Included Salmon River, Altmar, NY 315-298-3434

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You could get a discount when you combine your auto and boat policies.

for your boat geico.com | 1-800-865-4846 | Local Office Some discounts, coverages, payment plans and features are not available in all states or all GEICO companies. Boat and PWC coverages are underwritten by GEICO Marine Insurance Company. Multi-Policy Discount available to auto insureds that have purchased a boat policy through the GEICO Marine Insurance Company. GEICO is a registered service mark of Government Employees Insurance Company, Washington, D.C. 20076; a Berkshire Hathaway Inc. subsidiary. © 2017 GEICO

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SOUTHEAST

FRANKLIN COUNTY, FLA.,

A Tarpon Fishing Destination

he areas of the Forgotten Coast in Franklin County, Fla. might not be your first thought when planning your quest to bag a silver king, but you really should consider it for your next fishing destination. Franklin County is not only home to beautiful, historical areas that take you back in time, the fishing is also second to none. Typically, May through August is the best time to find these migrating monsters as they come north for the summer, but given the warm conditions this year it might be sooner. Tarpon are not always an easy fish to catch, but if you hire one of the many seasoned guides that understand their habits, it increases your odds of landing one exponentially. Capt. Jordan Todd, of Saltwater Obsessions (www.facebook.com/ SWOfishing) understands these fish extremely well, and regularly cracks the code to get them on the end of his client’s line. Having a keen understanding of the migration pattern and feeding habits, he can put you in the right place at the right time to do battle. If you bring your own boat to chase tarpon, you can count on them making an appearance around the mouth of the Apalachicola River, Ballast Cove, Dog Island, Mud Point and Alligator Point. Live bait, like threadfin herring, pilchards or pinfish are always a good bet. Try live mullet or jigs tipped with shrimp near the mouth of the Carrabelle River. They’ll often

be chasing mullet up and down the lower portion of the rivers and into the bays. Live mullet free-lined is a good bet when you’ve located actively feeding fish. You’ll know they’re active when they’re crashing on bait balls; mullet learn to fly and the commotion is intense! Techniques vary from casting and drifting live bait to sight fishing with a fly rod, but one thing is constant: these are big tarpon that migrate to this area! You won’t be chasing juveniles; they will usually be in the 70- to 100-pound class, so gear up accordingly. Spinning gear is always a good bet for presenting live bait. A 7’ med-heavy action rod with an 8000to 12000-series reel will do the trick. Fly fishermen should consider a 12-weight rod and a comparably matched reel with a quality drag system. These fish will test your equipment! Speaking of equipment, Apalachicola now features a fly fishing shop. The Forgotten Coast Fly Company, located in the historic downtown district, is a technical fly shop that provides the fly fishing community with fly tying material and tools as well as American-made rods, reels, line and merchandise. Your Franklin County tarpon quest awaits you along Florida’s forgotten coast. To hook up with one of Franklin County’s tarpon guides, visit www. floridasforgottencoast.com./ca.

Your fish is waiting. Florida’s Forgotten Coast

Boaters and mariners will find something to love in Franklin County. Carrabelle features deep water access to the Gulf of Mexico and freshwater rivers. Plan a kayak or day sailing eco-adventure from Apalachicola or St. George Island. Eastpoint and Alligator Point offer direct access to the best inshore fishing on the Gulf Coast. Bring your own boat or rent one here; there’s no better place to enjoy Florida’s Forgotten Coast.

Visit Floridasforgottencoast.com/ca for complete launch, marina, guide and tackle information.

ALLIGATOR POINT • APALACHICOLA • CARRABELLE • EASTPOINT • ST. GEORGE ISLAND COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

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Picking the Right Inshore Rod

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By Tobin Strickland CAM Special Correspondent

any overlook the importance of selecting the right rod for the job as it relates to casting artificial lures. There are five things to consider with casting performance in regard to graphite

rods. The first is the modulus of the graphite in the blank. Higher modulus graphite weighs less and is stiffer. Then there’s power of the blank, the tip action, the weight rating for the blank, and finally the rod length. For example, a medium power 6’6” or 6’9” rod, with a fast tip rated for 1/8 to 1/2 oz. is a great rod for inshore casting and fighting speckled trout and redfish with lures that range from 1/8 to ¾ oz. This rod specification will be well suited for topwaters and subsurface walkers. A medium light rod power with a fast action tip may cast the smaller lures slightly better, lures like the Mirrolure Little John on 1/16- or 1/8oz. jig head or a swimbait hook. The higher the graphite modulus of the blank, the lighter the blank will be and still keep the performance. For example, for my soft plastic rod I use a Lew’s Custom Lite Speed Stick in a medium lite action, 6’10” and rated for 1/8 to ½ oz. It’s constructed from 85 million modulus graphite. It’s light, casts far and accurately and is extremely sensitive. I can still cast larger lures such as She Dogs on this blank, and it makes for a lighter stick working lures all day. Tobin Strickland created TroutSupport.com - Tech Support for speckled trout and redfish anglers.

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Wee Willy Wigglers

Are Fly Rod Magic By Craig Riendeau

arm-water fly fishermen are always looking for the “magic fly” that will catch fish all the time no matter what the conditions… something irresistible to most species of fish in a lake all at the same time. Well, I think I’ve come up with that fly. Say hello to the Wee Willy Wiggler (W3). This fly pattern is as easy to tie as it is to fish. I would place it under a guide fly category as you can crank out a dozen easily in an hour. For detailed instructions on how to tie this pattern go to my website offthedeepedge.com. If it takes you more than five minutes to tie this, maybe fly tying isn’t for you, which then is the case I’d check out Rainys Flies Inc. They are making the Wee Willy Wiggler commercially available. As for fishing this fly pattern, it doesn’t get any easier. Several of my fishing companions call this style of fishing “just stupid easy.” I tend to fish this fly under a half inch foam indicator or as I refer to it, a depth regulator. Even though the indicator does detect strikes very well, that is really the secondary reason for its usage. Its main purpose to suspend the fly at a specific depth and hold it over a specific spot for as long as you want it to stay there. Basically, you’re putting the fly in the fish’s face and leaving it there until out of hunger, curiosity or annoyance he eats it. Lucky for us anglers, fish do not have fingers to poke at

the fly to see what it is or push it away. Any testing comes in the form of a bite. To fish this, set the fly’s depth under the “regulator” to be just above the cover you may be fishing over. Things such as weedbeds, rocks, logs, fish cribs or even fish you see suspended on your electronic devices. Most species tend to feed upward. Then simply cast at the area and wait. It is similar to being an impatient bait fisherman with a cricket and bobber. Let the fly dangle over the area you think there is a fish for say five or 10 seconds (sometimes more). If nothing happens, give it a six to twelve-inch strip and repeat. If there is a breeze blowing, just let the indicator drift with the current, mending occasionally to control the speed of the drift. It may sound silly but it is addicting, especially once you start catching fish. So, there you have it, the most productive fishing method that you’ll ever do. When using this method and anyone asks what are you fishing for you can blatantly say “fish” without being facetious. That’s because with the Wee Willy Wiggler you’re never quite sure what is going to eat it. Anything from a small bream to a

10-pound bass may show up at any time, so hang on to your rod tightly. Check out Craig Riendeau’s website: offthedeepedge.com.

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TIDEWATER AND THE OUTER BANKS

April 2017

CATCHIN’ AND COOKIN’ By Jim Baugh

NEW MARINE SPONSOR FOR JBOTV

veryone at JBOTV is just super excited and proud to announce our new boat sponsor, Tideline Boats! For 30 years we have worked with many marine manufactures in search of the perfect bay and offshore boat, the problem is it’s difficult to find that combination in one hull. Over the years JBOTV interest has been highly peeked in regards to catamaran power boats however due to contractual obligations with other boat companies we never have been able to put it together. My contemporaries like Frank White host of the Southern Sportsman and Dr. Jim Wright of Fishing with Dr. Jim both at times featured catamaran hulls and loved them. Well now for JBOTV… the “Cat” is outta the bag. Tideline Boats is dedicated to building the most versatile over built boat that encompass the best of both worlds, fishing the flats (skinny), and fishing offshore. Tideline is manufactured in Edenton North Carolina and the company is of course no strangers to the sea conditions we regularly face in the Grave Yard of the Atlantic and the Chesapeake Bay. They go the extra mile in building a vacuumed resin infused fiberglass hull of which there is simply none stronger, not even hand laid glass. These are not assembly line price point boats. Each boat is built to order to the purchaser’s specs in both the 235 Hybrid as well as the 360 offshore. The word is out the build time is around five months. So I highly recommend calling the factory to discuss your order today. Because these catamaran hulls offer a soft dry ride in rough sea conditions, and the fact the draft is only 14 inches plus the overbuilt quality these boats- they hold their investment well. With the versatility and quality of Tideline Boats, it may be the last boat you will ever need to buy. Jim Baugh Outdoors is super excited to partner up with a mid atlantic marine company that builds boats and fishes in the same waters we do. JBOTV will be producing fishing segments highlighting Tideline Boats as well as performance test and factory tours. Although the boats are custom built and ordered direct from the factory, we will soon be announcing a popular dealer in Virginia Beach that will host the boat so folks nearby can come have a looksy, and place an order. To see the boat in action check out the Jim Baugh Outdoors YouTube channel as well as Facebook and other social media, we already have some great films of the boat. For more information check out the Tideline web site at www.tidelineboats.com or call them at 252-230-8566

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Virginia Beach SPORTFISHING RUNDOWN By Dr. Julie Ball, IGFA Representative, Virginia Beach

his is the month of change on for anglers along the Mid Atlantic coast. As the warmer Spring weather kicks in, the climbing water temperatures will usher in new species for the warm season. While newly arriving species bring a welcome transition from the mostly uneventful winter fishery, the cold-water mainstay will continue to provide good opportunities for a while longer. Tautog have provided good catches in deeper water over the cold months, and will now become more active on Chesapeake Bay and inshore structures this month. Anglers can usually count on good numbers of keeper fish with a few citations in the mix along the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel and nearby wrecks. And with fiddler crabs now emerging from their winter dormancy, anglers are able to offer the best inshore tog bait available to tip their hands. Action on the deeper wrecks can still be very good this month, with many larger fish already caught this season. Nice seabass will get in your way on these same structures, but you must continue to throw them back right now. Remember, tautog will become off-limits on the 1st of May. The Spring debut of red drum is always a much-anticipated event this month. These fish are a local favorite, offering a challenging battle for catchand-release enthusiasts. As schools of big drum filter into the lower Chesapeake Bay and spread among the shoals and breakers lining the Eastern Shore barrier islands, local anglers will race to intercept these early season takers using blue crabs, menhaden, and live bait. This action will continue to improve over the upcoming weeks, especially with an impending full moon. Some of these bulls will measure to well over 50-inches, and weigh in excess of over 50-pounds! Black drum will also filter into the Chesapeake Bay this month, but this fishery has not been as productive as years past. These large drum can weigh more than 80-pounds, with clams the favorite offering for these docile fish.

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Flounder are a mainstay in the early Spring months, with catches improving over the next several weeks. Be sure to check the regulations for the season, with possible changes still on the way. Decent Spring catches of keeper flatfish can often be found in the Eastern Shore seaside inlets, as well as Back Bay, the Hampton Bar area, and other local inlets such as Lynnhaven and Rudee Inlets. Drifters always fare best during the early season trend, with fresh strip baits and gudgeons the best producer. Puppy drum and speckled trout are good options within lower bay inlets, with Rudee, Little Creek and Lynnhaven Inlets the best locations to try your luck. Top water lures often provide good action this time of year for specks, while puppy drum may opt for grubs and cut bait. Croaker will keep local pier anglers busy this month, with most lower bay piers faring well during the spring introduction of these popular panfish. Other good locations to try for hardheads include off of Ocean View, Buckroe, and the James River Bridge, where some of these fish can push to over a pound. The biggest fish will come from the lower bay rivers, with squid and bloodworms working well as bait. The arrival of small bluefish, spot, and sea mullet will also offer a good variety for surf and pier anglers. Deep dropping is always an option with cooperative weather, but until the dog fish thin out near the end of the month, accessing the preferred bottomdwelling species is a chore. Blueline tilefish are available off the coast in water over 50-fathoms, along with a variety of grouper. The offshore action out of North Carolina is usually good in April when boats can get out. Boats can look forward to catches of bluefin tuna, yellowfin tuna, dolphin, and scattered wahoo. Dr. Julie Ball IGFA Representative,Virginia Beach For more information, go to www.drjball.com

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Since my last article, there has been a lot of action on the Cobia regulation front. During the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries meeting last February, the board voted not to comply with the Federal Government’s closed season for Cobia. Instead they voted to do the following during the 2017 North Carolina recreational cobia season. The Cobia Season in North Carolina state controlled water from three miles inside the Economic Exclusive Zone will be from May 1 to August 31 with a one-fish-per-person-per-day possession limit and a four-fish-per-vessel-per-day maximum possession limit seven days a week. The size limit will increase to 36-inches fork length. The maximum charter boat limit will include the captain and mate, as well as customers. Additionally, the commission requested that all cobia harvested be recorded and tagged at a current or future N.C. Citation Station and that the length and weight of the fish be recorded to provide a more accurate harvest estimate for future use in determining needed regulations. The division is evaluating ways to accommodate this request. At press time the NCDMF has yet released how they will require anglers to weigh and report Cobia caught. The North Carolina Commercial Cobia Season will also continue as it was with a two fish limit per person for each day. NC Commercial Fisherman has been recording their catches via the trip ticket program that weighs and measures the fish. Once again, hats off to the dedicated research, lobbying and hard work Jonathan French and Billy Gorham have done to keep our access open to this public resource. When the Finfish Management Advisory Committee of the Virginia Marine Resources Commission met in late February, they heard from 14 speakers that represented Charter and Recreational fisherman as well as Tackle Shop Owners. VMRC has yet to take action on what the Virginia Season will be. Last year, Virginia followed North Carolina’s lead and opened the fishery in their state waters with reduced bag and size limits. VMRC’s next public meeting will be in March 28th, 2017, so the Virginia 2017 Cobia Season is still in limbo as of press time. One thing we, as recreational fishermen, need to do as a group from here on out is to be involved in the process. There were no Fishing Organizations working in this fight-- it was a grassroots effort. From here on out, we all will need to be proactive in contacting our state and federal elected officials by phone and mail. We need to attend all the state and federal fisheries meetings if they are in your area. We have to fill the seats and show that we care and we will fight. When public comment is open, make sure you go online and take the time to post your comments in the public record and have your friends and family do the same. The fight is far from over and we must not be complacent. Visit my Facebook Page Jake’s Outdoor Adventures for further updates.

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TIDEWATER AND THE OUTER BANKS KAYAK FISHING: WARMING UP FOR SPRING By Mark Lozier

Even with the unseasonably warmer winter then usual not many kayak anglers have gotten out the last few months, especially saltwater kayakers. Before cabin fever gets the best of you and the first few warm days of spring have you loading up and heading to the water to fish be sure to do some gear and self maintenance. Typically April in the Tidewater area can start to see the first of some inshore species showing up in the inlets. Rising water temps and longer days get things stirring. Ideal water temps reaching the upper 50’s and lower 60’s will start to bring out the blue crabs, fiddlers, mullet and minnows. Perfect scenarios for flounder, croaker and drum to start moving in from their offshore and southerly winter homes. Don’t just take down those rods and reels off the wall that have been resting all winter and think they are good to go if you didn’t perform some routine maintenance before you gave them their winter rest. A light service of the internal parts like the gears and bearings is always a good start. If you’re not comfortable, find someone in your area to perform a clean and lube. Be sure to check the line, especially if you have not replaced it for a season or two. Braided lines can last for a few good years, longer than monofilament line. If your braided line is faded or “fuzzy”, it needs to be replaced or pull off several yards to get to some fresher line. Mono that has a lot of memory or just old needs attention. There’s nothing worst than setting the hook on a good fish only to have old line fail you.

This is also a good time to go through your lures and jigs. Replacing rusted hooks or at least taking a file to the points and sharpening them. Check and replace any worn terminal tackle like swivels, split rings and snaps. Now is also a good time to check over the biggest piece of equipment, your kayak. Though we do not have as many issues as the boat owner long periods of rest and the elements can have a toll on key pieces. Check all your straps and any bungee ropes that connect key points. Give it a fresh bath and treat the hull with some plastic conditioner to help repeal the harmful UV rays. Finally prepare YOURSELF for the beginning of your 2017 fishing season. Make sure your PFD is still in good condition, no dry rot of straps and your pealess whistle is in working order. Replace batteries in your white light and check the bulb. If you have what I call a ditch bag, be sure all those items are still in good shape. I keep a first-aid kit, spare flashlight, small flares, vhf radio and extra batteries in a small Watershed dry bag. Also, don’t let air temps fool you. Even if you are comfortable on land in shorts and t-shirt, water temps are much cooler. Dress properly in the event you get separated from your kayak. A pair of lightweight paddling pants like the Immersion Arch Rivals with a light paddling check is perfect to keep water off exposed skin. Be safe, have fun and be prepared for an upcoming great year of kayak fishing! Mark Lozier 1st Landing Kayak Fishing Services

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SURFACE FLIES By Mike Buss

ast month we talked about streamers and while they can be fished on the surface, they are typically fished subsurface. This month let’s talk about flies that are designed to be fished on the surface. There is a complete class of dry flies for trout designed to be fished on the surface. Entire books have been written about fishing dry flies and that is beyond the scope of this article. If you are going to be fishing for trout and want to use dry flies, the best course of action is to stop by a local fly shop in the area you will be fishing to get the insect hatches that are happening on the rivers and streams you will be fishing. They can guide you to the correct selection of dry flies to imitate the hatches that are happening. These dry flies are usually small flies tied on size 12 or smaller sized hooks and you should be using fly fishing outfits that are downsized to be able to fish these small flies effectively. I recommend no larger than a balanced four weight rod system with a floating fly line. Simply look for likely holding areas in the river or stream you are fishing and watch for rising fish. When you spot them, cast upstream, put a mend in your line to allow the fly to float naturally without drag, and float your fly over the spot where you saw the rising fish. Hopefully, your fly will look natural then it’s game on. There are other types of flies that are designed to be fished on the surface like hard and soft body poppers, gurglers, deer hair flies, and crease flies to name just a few. Most of these are designed to be fished for freshwater bass and panfish or saltwater fish. These surface flies can be tied on both small and large hooks depending on the fish you are after. You can find small surface flies that are designed for panfish and larger surface flies that will be used for much larger fish. But no matter what the size of the surface fly, they are all designed to imitate an injured minnow, animal, or struggling insect on the surface of the water. You should fish these flies to imitate these injured or struggling things. Most of the fish you will be fishing for with these surface flies will be located around structures, waiting for something that appears to be helpless to swim by. Simply cast your fly to a likely looking area and let it lay there motionless on the surface before giving it a small strip to give it some motion. The strike usually comes as soon as the fly starts to come alive after setting motionless on the surface. If you don’t get a strike, keep alternating the stopping and starting of your fly on the surface. After retrieving your fly all the way back make another cast and do the same thing. If you find a good structure, I’ve often found that making casts back to the same area will result in a strike. It’s as if you are invading their space and they finally need to take some action to remove the irritant. When using these flies you should match your balanced system with the flies you will be using and the fish you are after. This could range from four weight systems used for pan fish all the way up to 15 weight systems used for large sail fish. You should also be using a floating fly line. Like streamers, surface flies have been around for a long time for the same reason, they work and catch fish.

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Drive to the East side of the Oregon Inlet Fishing Center’s parking lot. You will see the giant bronze ship propeller. Get your waders on and walk along the saltmarsh a couple hundred yards ‘til you line up the red and green buoys marking the fishing center entrance and the lighthouse. When all three align you should be pretty darn close to a drop-off we call, “prop slough”. It’s a 3-7 foot deep slough that meanders out along the grass flats and finally meets the channel on the north side of the inlet around the pond, or even more precise, Jet’s point (cool story for another day Vietnam Vet Mr. Frucci). Toss a huge popper and work that thing like there is no tomorrow. Try your sneaky chug-chug, spit, and your splash-splash, pause, and of course your best walk the dog. Then and only then will the giant April tarpon rise up like the great pumpkin and reward you with a glimpse of a behemoth mouth as she engulfs your plug! You’re on and the silver king is hooked! Try to not whoop and holler too much because you don’t want the bridge workers to discover your new sneaky spot! I know I am laying things on a bit heavy. But in the spirit of April fools I have to at least keep one on his or her toes. The prop slough is real and is an ideal place to try fishing in April. The shallow waters warm quick and entice trout and redfish to hangout. Other traditional spring hotspots can be Kitty Hawk Bay, the little bridge, and behind the Bodie Island lighthouse. Light spinning and ¼ ounce jigs fit the bill for most of this fishing. You could encounter little stripers, flounder, reds, and trout. If you are more of a bait fisherman, it seems redfish will find your fresh cut bait. Or if you like try a pier or surf with some fresh shrimp or even squid to capture the tasty, wily and elusive blowtoad! Try smaller hooks for these guys but normally when you find one you can catch a mess of ‘em. Another spot you could try is over on the south side of the Bonner Bridge along the area we call the “catwalk”. If you do go down to the catwalk, don’t forget to beep the horn at the fellas casting big poppers in the prop slough!!! Captain Aaron Kelly Rock Solid Fishing • www.rocksolidfishing.com • 252-441-6575

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rgoDock CEO Kent Weisenberg’s challenge was simple, straightforward—and very ambitious. After living on the water for most of his life and watching conventional dock materials buckle, chip, splinter and fade, he sought to revolutionize fundamental dock design and repair. His driving belief: boaters, anglers and other waterfront residents should expect better performance, design life and aesthetics from their docks—especially docks that float outside high-dollar homes. Weisenberg, a multi-patented engineer, entrepreneur, inventor and also the President/ COO of SippTech, a design and engineering firm, sought with ErgoDock to improve the safety and comfort of dock surfaces—with added touches of elegance. After three years of prototyping and testing, he found the solution he was aiming for: a multi patent-pending panelized surfacing material with application potential reaching far beyond what it was originally designed for. Independent testing has shown ErgoDock consistently outperforms its competitors in safety, comfort, aesthetics and installation versatility. The product is formulated and manufactured to deliver industry-leading ergonomic performance in the most extreme climate conditions. ErgoDock has 20 times the slip resistance and impact attenuation than that of other decking materials. It’s also 30 percent cooler in direct sunlight, self-extinguishing, resists stains and eliminates pooling by self-draining, which dramatically reduces the

potential for mold and mildew. Today, ErgoDock’s ground-breaking features have gained attention from consumers—and interest from businesses seeking to grow with ErgoDock. The interest from businesses comes at an ideal time in ErgoDock’s growth plan; however, Weisenberg explained that he and his partners are looking for that one “perfect fit” company that can expand sales and expedite production to meet demand. He added that the ErgoDock concept has the potential to expand into other industries and applications including decks, patios, wheelchair ramps, walkways, bridges and many more. “It’s the product’s big numbers that have drawn the most interest from the business community, especially investors,” Weisenberg said. “Just consider: ErgoDock has more than 20 times more static and dynamic slip resistance than wood or composite decking, more than 20 times more impact absorption which mitigates injuries from falls and reducing fatigue on feet, back and joints. It’s made of 100-percent environmentally-friendly materials and because of its unique surface, it’s 30 percent cooler than wood or composite decking.

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COLOR Me Caught…Choosing Lure COLORS

Ladies Fishing Weekend On The North Mills

he N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is offering a women-only fly-fishing weekend April 21-23 at the North Mills River Recreation Area in Henderson County. The weekend is open to women of all skill levels who want to learn more about fly fishing. The $125 registration fee covers instruction, fishing equipment and camping for the weekend, and a light lunch, beverages and snacks on Saturday. The three-day program is being offered through the Wildlife Commission’s Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (BOW) program. Accommodations are at an outdoor campground, which includes a bath house with hot showers and restrooms. Participants should bring their own tents and equipment, if they have them; however, space in one of two small group tents will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis. The weekend is broken down into five skill-building sessions. In the stream ecology session, participants will search for aquatic organisms using nets and kick seines to understand what type of flies work best for trout fishing. They will learn how to tie flies that mimic the organisms they find. In the basic equipment session, participants will learn about proper waders, wading shoes, vests and other items. Other sessions include knot tying, fly casting and lure presentation. Experienced instructors will demonstrate casting techniques and offer one-on-one instruction. On Sunday morning, participants will practice their newfound skills with a guided fishing trip on the North Fork Mills River. Pre-registration is required and space is limited to 25 participants. Visit www.ncwildlife.org/bow for registration form. To register or for more information, contact Gillen at bb.gillen@ncwildlife.org or 919-218-3638.

haden migration, matching the natural appearance of the food is pretty important. How to put this to use: • Black is generally the most visible color and creates the best contrast in low visibility. • Create contrast by using dark colors next to light colors. In dirty water or lowlight situations, more contrast is better. Bright clear conditions call for less contrast. • When using lures deep, use blues and greens as they are the last colors absorbed. • Consider the visible colors of natural prey at the depth you will be fishing and match that, not the surface colors. Studies show that fish react to specific colors. Maybe it is a color that occurs during mating or a color that triggers another response. However, what fish see and react to varies species to species. Also, unlike humans, fish can see ultraviolet light, which leads to options when tying flies or using skirted lures. Many materials can bring this into play. There is no doubt that color plays an important role in lure selection. Utilizing colors that show up at the depth you are fishing is a good strategy. Also, use colors that create contrast and make your bait visible under the conditions you are fishing.

Photo courtesy of Controlled Descent Lures

veryone has their go to lure or fly, that certain color and pattern that always gets the job done. But why is that one lure so effective? Is it the color, shape, action or just the fact that you have confidence in it? Undoubtedly it is a combination of all of the above, especially when you consider what the fish sees. The colors fish can see are limited by the light absorbing characteristics of water as well as the amount of light and the water clarity. In water, the longest color wavelengths are absorbed first. Red is affected nearly immediately, transitioning to a shade of gray within depths of just 15 feet in clear water. The absorption continues in the order of the color spectrum to affect orange, yellow, green and finally blue. It is important to note color absorption occurs both vertically and horizontally. No matter the depth, red will appear gray to a fish that is 15 feet away from the lure. The distance is shortened in stained water. Conversely, with blue being visible to about 90 feet in clear open water, it will show up pretty well. So does that mean color has little bearing? Absolutely not; while colors might not pop bright and vivid, they have a profound effect on contrast. This might be of even more importance in fishing. Many anglers have discovered that dark colors work better at night, in low light and in dirty water. This may seem counter-intuitive, but consider that fish see the contrast of a bait to its surroundings. Using baits with two colors boosts the contrast when fishing in turbid water. Colors, shapes and patterns are likely more important when fishing a particular run. If you are fishing the mullet run or a men-

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Tackle Corner:

By Mike Pehanich

Angling for comfort and joint health

nce upon a time, fishing was deemed a passive, even contemplative game, a quiet pastime spent under a straw hat and a warming sun. No more! Modern angling is an active endeavor generally characterized by energetic casts, and plenty of them. The aggressive style of the modern angler takes its toll on the body with back, wrist, elbow and shoulder injuries. “As we get older, our bodies kind of fall apart,” said Bassmaster Elite Series angler Mark Menendez during an outing on Kentucky Lake. Menendez has developed tendinitis in his elbow. “I have had to figure out ways to fish that are less taxing on my body.” He has changed technique and equipment to reduce the wear. He fishes soft swimbaits like the Strike King Shadalicious far more these days, working them on relatively light spinning tackle and line testing no more than 10 pounds. It’s effective and easier on his elbow. The other adjustments he makes relate to his tackle. He lauds the Winn grips now featured on Lew’s Custom Lite, Lew’s Tournament Performance TP1 Speed Stick and Lew’s Mach Speed Stick rods. “The advantage to the angler is that the Winn grip adheres to your hand, but it’s not sticky,” he explained. “It just makes you feel you have a good grip on your rod and reel. The grips also allow me to make longer casts because I have better control of my rod and reel.” Musky and saltwater anglers are also taking advantage of the “tacky” feel and security of the non-slip polymer to protect against joint stress. Eavesdrop on a group of musky fishers for long and you’re bound to hear complaints of sore elbows and forearms. Many musky anglers are building custom rods with Winn grips, employing larger 1.25-inch Straight Taper split grips or a Straight Taper fore

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grip coupled with a 15-inch Straight Cylinder Saltwater grip capped with a fighting butt to extend the rear handle to 18-plus inches. Winn will add a new 18-inch grip to the Saltwater line this spring. Builders of custom surf and offshore rods are already making plans for its use. But oversized grips and rod wraps are finding favor with other anglers, too. At the Bassmaster Elite Series event at Lake Okeechobee in February, anglers with arthritic hands and joint issues noticed the booth Winn shared with North Fork Bait & Tackle owner and rod builder Steve Keller, who also operates a Winn Authorized Service Center at his store in Jensen Beach, Fla. Arthritis sufferers noted their preference for larger grip diameters to ease gripping pressure. The 1.25-inch Winn grips caught their attention, as did the array of offerings in the Winn Superior Rod Wrap line of overwraps, which enable the angler to put a layer of non-slip Winn polymer over existing cork or EVA grips. Winn grips and rod wraps (www.winngrips.com) are available in a wide range of sizes and colors. The Winn interchangeable grip system offers an endless combination of configurations.

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TIPS FROM A PRO

FRESHWATER LEARN CONFIDENCE IN NEW TECHNIQUES

BRANDON LESTER

rowing up in southern middle Tennessee, I was fortunate to have a lot of really good fisheries within a couple hours of my house. I had my choice between the Tennessee River lakes like Guntersville, Wheeler and Wilson or the typical highland reservoirs located in the hills of Tennessee. I spent many days fishing club events and absorbing every bit of knowledge I could. It helped me become a versatile angler and to stay in tune with the seasonal movements of bass. These things helped prepare me for the situations I would later face on

the Bassmaster Elite Series. I remember my very first Elite Series event. It was at Lake Seminole. I had never been to the lake and didn’t know a thing about it. After a tough first day of practice, I ran way up the Flint River to see if I could find something up there all to myself. What I found was a couple of small backwaters with clear water and fish that were setting up to spawn. These places had been completely overlooked, and I finished 21st in that tournament. I caught almost every fish on a floating worm, something that is very popular during the spawn around my home waters. That tournament and many others since have taught me that no matter where you go in the country, or what body of water you’re on, there will always be something that fits your fishing style. It may not always be the winning pattern,

but more times than not, I would rather be fishing for fewer fish with more confidence. The very best lure in any tackle box is confidence. But this doesn’t mean I stubbornly sticking to the same techniques I’m comfortable with. Successful tournament anglers must keep up with the latest trends. Lures, line, rods, reels and everything else are constantly evolving. It helps to stay on the forefront. As I travel the country, I learn a lot of new techniques and about new baits that work in particular regions. Every time I go to a tournament and a new technique arises that I’m not familiar with, the first thing I do when I get home is take it to a nearby lake and try to learn it. When trying to learn something new, it’s best to do it in areas you know hold fish. A good example of this was at the first Elite Series event of this year at Lake Cherokee. Cherokee is in east Tennessee, but it is much different than my home waters. There is a hot new trend among the locals there called the “Damiki rig” that is dynamite for catching smallmouth relating to baitfish. It is a small fluke-style lure rigged on a Lake Erie-style jig head that allows for precise placement of the lure at depth. I had heard about the rig leading up to the tournament and tried it in practice, but I never could figure it out. Our tournament was actually won on that rig, and several of the top guys were doing it. After that tournament was over, I spent the next day on my home lake with nothing but that rig. I wanted to learn everything there was to know about it. I went on to catch some big smallmouth on my home lake with it, and although I still don’t consider myself an expert, I feel like I can catch them on it next time the opportunity arises.

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Endless Fishing Opportunities

In Marathon

By Capt. Chris Johnson, SeaSquared Charters Marathon, the very heart of the Florida Keys, offers fishing options as vast as the crystal blue waters that surround the islands. to experience the exhilaration of big game sport fishing closer to shore and easier on your budget. Rounding out the sport fishing options in Marathon are bonefish, snook, Goliath grouper, permit and barracuda. Each challenging in its own right and all worthy of a place of honor on your trophy wall.

ill Your Trophy Wall With visions of Ernest Hemingway’s exploits in their heads, adventurers flock to Marathon from around the globe to fulfill their dreams of catching the sportfish of a lifetime. The offshore deep blue waters are the realm of the mighty swordfish, who live in the 1,500-plus-foot depths. Fishing for swordfish is highly technical and is best done with an electric set-up. While a magnificent creature to display above the fireplace, swordfish are also prized for their food value. Closer inshore are sailfish, which are unsurpassed in their size range for combined strength and spectacle. These silver speedsters, with their distinctive blue fan-shaped fin, are free-roamers that seem to prefer the coral reef areas. They are best fished for where their favorite foods are plentiful, such as along weed lines or around schools of blue runners, goggle eyes or pilchards. Perhaps the most elusive of all the sportfish in the Marathon waters is the Silver King. The tarpon that visit the Middle Florida Keys each spring love to hang out at bridge passes, where their food of choice is easily obtainable. These areas are known for their relative calm conditions, making tarpon fishing a comfortable experience for all anglers, even those prone to seasickness. Using light spinning tackle and circle hooks, fishing for tarpon is about as sporting as it gets. And, to hook one and chase it through the bridge pilings, hoping to be rewarded with a few jumps and maybe a picture at the side of the boat is an unforgettable experience. With a plethora of media coverage of sharks, catch-and-release fishing for them has become increasingly popular. The Marathon area sees a vast spectrum of sharks, including lemons, blacktips, bulls, blacknoses, nurse, spinners, hammerheads and tigers. These range in size from little guys to behemoths at 12 to 15 feet in length. Light tackle, shallow water angling for sharks in the Middle Florida Keys presents the opportunity 30

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Fill Your Dinner Plate When it comes to catching fish with a top-quality food value, you’d be hard-pressed to find a greater bounty than contained in the waters surrounding Marathon. On the Atlantic coral reefs and wrecks, snapper of all variety are plentiful for the taking year-round. Yellowtails, mangroves, muttons and lanes offer endless rod-bending entertainment and fill the bellies of hungry anglers at the end of the day. Grouper – blacks, reds and gags – are ever-present as well, although they tend to retreat to deeper waters during the summer heat. Additionally, the season is closed for them from January 1 to May 1. There are many more species that provide high-quality table fare – too many to list – but include amberjack, cobia, kingfish, Spanish mackerel, cero mackerel, pompano and on and on. Marathon’s offshore waters are fishing central for pelagic species that provide angling excitement. Venture 26 miles out to the Marathon Humps and you will be in tuna heaven. Blackfin and skipjack tuna are abundant year-round, and the only thing that can prevent you from getting there to catch them on any given day are the winds. But, on a calm day, the ride out and back is comfortable and the catching typically rapid-fire. Dolphin (mahi) and wahoo roam the open sea in a continuous hunt for food. Anglers seek them along weed lines and around any sort of floating debris. Feeding birds, particularly frigates, also indicate their presence. The spectacle of the blue and yellow blaze of a dolphin or the blue and white zebra-like stripes of a wahoo on the end of your line is indelible. Entertain The Family. There’s nothing finer for family bonding than spending quality time together on the water, away from the interruptions of everyday life. Marathon boasts multiple venues that are ideal for a day of family fun fishing. The patch reefs, Hawk Channel, the Seven Mile Bridge and the nearshore bay waters are chock-full of fun-catching fish. Snapper, hogfish, porgy, yellowjack, maybe even grouper, keep the rods bent with tasty rewards at the end of the day. Just for fun, there are sharks, barracuda, jacks and more. Catch ’em and release ’em and on to the next! So, whether you’re looking to fill your trophy wall or your dinner plate, or just have a great day out with the family, Marathon offers the fishing opportunities to make your dreams come true. Capt. Chris Johnson specializes in offshore, gulf/bay, reef/wreck, sailfish, shark and tarpon fishing with SeaSquared Charters, docked at Faro Blanco Resort and Yacht Club in Marathon. You can reach him at 305-743-5305, http://SeaSquaredCharters.com and http://Facebook. com/MarathonFishing.

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3/20/17 3:40 PM

The Bahamas Extreme Kayak Fishing Tournament

Photo courtesy of Controlled Descent Lures

nglers with the guts to mix big-game tournament fishing with kayaking will head to beautiful Grand Bahama this month to compete in the Extreme Kayak Fishing Tournament April 2023. This two-day kayak fishing tournament will attract anglers and their family members from all over the world for a chance to win more than $40,000 in cash and prizes, and all to help raise funds for the Humane Society of Grand Bahama. There will be free entertainment, food, drinks, a huge raffle and lots of fun for the entire family! “This event, now in its fourth year, has gained tremendous interest and notoriety for anglers and sporting enthusiasts from throughout the USA, Canada, China and Brazil. We have seen the competition grow each year from 40 anglers in our inaugural year in 2014 to some 280 participants last year,” said Bahamas Ministry of Tourism (BMOT) spokesman Richard Treco, Sr. “The high level of competition, coupled with our incredible on-island authentic cultural experiences and diverse product offering, makes this event most attractive for the seasoned as well as relatively new to the sport, angler.” Joe Hector, of Extreme Kayak Fishing International and organizer of the event, said he is excited to work with The BMOT on this tournament, and is particularly pleased with its rapid growth. “The Bahamas Extreme Kayak Fishing Tournament truly is the gold standard for kayak fishing in the world, as it provides everything into one great getaway: fun and family adventures, awesome fishing from white and blue marlins to huge mutton snappers, friendly people and the most beautiful destination in the world,” said Hector. Pre- and post-tournament packages range from $595 triple or qua-

druple occupancy for a three nights stay to $1,370 single occupancy for a seven nights stay, which includes tournament registration, hotel accommodations at the Flamingo Bay Hotel and Marina, round-trip transportation for the angler and his/her kayak from Port Everglades to Grand Bahama, a cocktail reception and awards dinner. Fish caught during the tournament will be given to the Grand Bahama Children’s Home, Flamingo Bay Hotel and Marina, and volunteers assisting with the project. For more information or to register for the tournament, visit www. extremekayakfishing.com or call 954-661-0175.

To learn more about the event and how to register, go to

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UNDER THE SEA

SLINGS AND POLESPEARS

from companies have challenged this SHERI DAYE traditional design by changing the here’s a fun retro-movement taking hand position. The place in spearfishing—a trend toward Headhunter Guerilla primitive hunting gear. Slings and Sling has a comfortable polespears are used in places that do not allow trigger mechanisms, such as Bermuda or the grip, which transfers the weight load from Bahamas, but they are growing in popularity the wrist and distributes the force throughout the forearm. Sea Archer slings look like an outside these regions too. This could be attributed to the new Sling/ underwater bow and arrow. The user holds Polespear category for world records, run by the body of the sling just as they would with a the International Underwater Spearfishing bow and arrow. There’s nothing more beautiful Association (IUSA). However, I suspect the than watching a skilled underwater hunter real reason is that many hunters appreciate using a sling and hitting the mark with a freethe challenge and simplicity, not unlike land- flying shaft! Polespears are another fun option. hunters opting for bow-and-arrow over rifles. It’s a beautiful art form that evokes images of They can be made of fiberglass, aluminum Indians using extreme stealth and having great or carbon fiber. The tip can have a flopper, three-prong paralyzer tip or a slip-tip. Neritic respect for their prey. Slings and polespears are great tools for Diving company makes polespears with someone who is either learning how to spearfish interchangeable sections that can be assembled or interested in improving their hunting skills. in different length configurations. Users may Compared to modern spearguns, they force a choose to use a shorter polespear when hunting diver to become calmer and stealthier because in dirtier water or in tight spaces. When diving of their shorter range. One must slow down and in deep clear water, fish may not be cooperative study the behavior of fish in order to get closer and a longer polespear may be desired. The to them. While both slings and polespears are ability to quickly construct your weapon of powered using rubber bands without trigger choice is one of the best recent innovations, along with magnetic slip-tips that don’t fall off mechanisms, these two styles differ. Slings, sometimes called “Hawaiian slings,” while diving. I must admit that I can’t help feeling a are similar to a slingshot where the band is pulled back to launch the spear. Traditionally, smug sense of satisfaction when I land an the shooter was a tubular-shaped piece of wood elusive fish with a simple stick and rubber with a hole drilled down the center so the shaft band. Regardless if you are a novice or could slide through when being launched professional, primitive hunting offers a forward by the band. Recent innovations fun and entertaining challenge. Why not

Charles Duffie with a polespeared hogfish. Photo by James Ferrara.

add another skill to your spearfishing resume and another choice in your toolkit? It will double your fun and make you a better hunter! Sheri is a world-record holder, host of Speargun Hunter and producer of “The Blue Wild Ocean Adventure Expo” in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Follow “Sheri Daye” and “The Blue Wild” on Facebook and Instagram.

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Spearfishing Course for Freedivers

By Capt. Chad Carney Photo courtesy of Controlled Descent Lures

n 2016, Freediving Instructors International (FII) presented their new spearfishing course at The Blue Wild Expo in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. If you’re new to spearfishing or a veteran, this wealthof-knowledge course, from many of the world’s best spearfishermen and freedivers will be invaluable. All students must already have a Level 1 freediving certification from an internationally recognized agency. FII founder Martin Stepanek, and freediving instructors John Dornellas and Cameron Kirkconnell, wrote the textbook for the course, called FII Spearfishing. The first course was taught by Martin and John at Florida Freedivers, Jonathan and Kelsey Dickinson’s dive shop in North Palm Beach, Fla. just days before The Blue Wild. Jonathan became a FII Spearfishing Instructor in September and taught the course to most of his staff and several customers since. The classroom section of the course runs a half day and is packed with great content including spearfishing ethics, freediving safety, location safety about dive planning, site obstructions, currents, marine animals, divers and boats. Information about spearfishing gear, it’s handling and use is covered thoroughly along with underwater hunting skills and techniques. The second half of the day is the pool training, where speargun handling and float line training is hands-on. The provided spearguns are unique in that they can be loaded in the water with total safety, because their shafts are completely stationary, as they are permanently bolted to the muzzles and mechanisms. Otherwise, the spearguns are fully functional and allow the best practice for pool or confined water training. Hunting styles and tricks are also taught and practiced in the pool around a portable artificial reef at the pool bottom where students will stalk a foam fish. Certification is completed with the classroom and pool session, along with a written test. A day of real ocean spearfishing is an option and may vary from location to location, but in the Palm Beaches, Jonathan says they plan for a day of spearfishing in moderate depths where water entries with gear can be polished, and also float lines can be used in currents. Reefs with low structure are available for stalking with, aspetto and agguatto techniques. The photo is Jonathan Dickinson with a recent 70-pound amberjack!

Check out www.floridafreedivers.com and www.freedivinginstructors.com for more information about the course and spearfishing and freediving equipment. Capt. Chad Carney runs diving and spearfishing charters in southeast Florida and can be reached at 727-4237775 or chad.carney@yahoo.com.

To learn more about Florida Free Divers, go to

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FISH & FISHING

THE LIGHT WAND MARK SOSIN

earning to fish a fly in saltwater adds a new and extremely challenging dimension to the sport. Light-wand enthusiasts on the marine scene don’t have to trip over tradition that sometimes limits the thinking and performance of their brethren who focus attention solely on trout and salmon. There are differences. When you work over fish in a stream, you often have ample time to contemplate the situation, change flies if the first one doesn’t work, and even try several approaches. Even a shoreline largemouth bass lays claim to a stationary feeding station near a log or under the lip of a lily pad. Saltwater critters remain on the move, probing and prowling continuously or they hold on a seat in the restaurant until the water level rises or falls a certain amount. Then, they change position. If you happen to spot your quarry, you only have seconds to get a fly in front of it. The first cast has to count. Simple hesitation can cause you to miss the opportunity. When you are blind casting, it’s important to read the water and recognize another set of signals. Predators frequently follow a feeding rhythm tied directly to the stage of the tide. Since they are not restricted to a few deep pools or the tail end of a run, finding them and presenting a fly with accuracy requires detailed knowledge of their habits and habitat. Casting in saltwater demands a bit more distance than it does in many freshwater settings. False casting becomes a handicap when you’re trying to drop a fly in the path of a cruising gamefish. You won’t have time to admire the tight loops or match the distance to the target precisely before dropping the fly gently on the skin of the water. The repeated surges of a powerful marine denizen tethered to flyline, leader and backing, or the task of driving a fly into the wind and in front of a cruising fish have no parallels in other forms of angling. Once experienced, these challenges trigger an insatiable appetite that demands more.

For smaller species of fish, a 9-weight fly rod that is 9-feet long would be my first choice. The reel should be single action, hold adequate backing, and left or right hand retrieve. You should turn the handle with your primary hand rather than what many fly fishermen do today. With a 9-weight rod, the reel should hold at least 200 yards of 20-pound dacron or braid. The second outfit for larger fish starts with a 12-weight or 13-weight rod and a reel that holds at least 275 yards of backing. Again, if you are right handed, choose a right hand retrieve. If you’re new to fly fishing, the time to break out the fly rod is when fishing is very good and your chances of success are boosted. It pays to keep it rigged and handy all the time. Let me warn you that catching fish on a fly rod becomes addictive. Once you start hooking fish on the light wand you will also be hooked.

For more Mark Sosin visit

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A slippery knife can make filleting fish a difficult chore. Dexter UR-Cut Fillet knives were designed to eliminate this problem, while providing comfort and control by custom molding the grip to a user’s hand. Coastal Angler put Dexter’s design to the test at the docks with a cooler full of sheepshead, which are known to be difficult to clean. The customization involves boiling the handle before dipping it in cold water and gripping it tightly so the owner’s grip is impressed on the handle. With attention to thumb position during the process, we were able to customize the grip to the exact position our fillet men prefer. It took just a few minutes, and the result was a well-balanced tool that felt secure and comfortable in the hand. Then we took our blades to the cutting table. Dexters are known for maintaining a super-sharp edge, and having just the right amount of flexibility. Past experience has taught us they are also easy to sharpen. We were not surprised to find the blade on our new UR-Cut knives performed flawlessly working along spines and ribcages. Our hands and the table were coated in slime, and this is where the URCut showed why it is more than just a good knife. We intentionally created a slippery situation by not washing down, and the non-slip properties of the custom handles performed as advertised. For more information, visit...

UR-Cut features the same legendary DEXSTEEL, super-sharp edge, and just-right flexibility that you are used to with Dexter... 1.Dip handle in boiling water for 2 minutes. 2. Dip in cold water for 1 second. 3. Grip and form handle for 10 seconds. 4. Put back in cold water for 10 seconds and your done.

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PANTHER SWIM PLATFORM OUTBOARD MOTOR BRACKET Now, with the new Panther Swim Platform Outboard Motor Bracket you can transform the family boat or even the work boat into a fishing machine. The convenience of having a kicker motor makes slow trolling for your favorite species much more efficient and productive. The new bracket easily mounts to most swim platforms and features three levels of convenient height adjustment to accommodate most platform heights and motor shaft lengths, for optimal prop depth and performance. • Rated for two- and four-stroke motors up to 20 hp with max motor weight of 195 pounds • Constructed of black powder coat aluminum • Comes complete with transom support bar for weight support torque resistance For more information, contact MarineTech Products at 1 651-486-2010 or visit

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ost anglers would probably enjoy a shopping spree in the fishing section of the local Walmart. An Ohio man allegedly helped himself to not one, but two free-ofcharge shopping sprees last October, and has now been charged with stealing an estimated $3,800 worth of fishing gear, according to NBC affiliate WLWT. Warren County, Ohio prosecutor David Fornshell told reporters that Derrick Marcum, “pretty much cleared out the aisle.” According to the WLWT report, Marcum was arrested last October when he attempted to carry two backpacks stuffed with fishing gear out of an Ohio Walmart. He was arrested that same day for the theft of $1,300 worth of gear. But it wasn’t until recently that investigators connected that incident with another theft that occurred the previous day at another Ohio Walmart. Marcum allegedly filled five plastic bins with tackle and then proceeded to the self-checkout, where he paid only for the bins. Investigators valued that heist at about $2,500. A grand jury indicted Marcum, and he waits in jail for his arraignment, according to reports. Jail time seems a pretty steep price, even for thousands of dollars worth of fishing gear.

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ITEM 69594/69955 42292 shown

339

Wheel kit sold separately.

SUPER COUPON

99 9 8 $2 99 Compare

$439

LIMIT 3 - Original coupon only. No use on prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase or without original receipt. Valid through 8/1/17. At Harbor Freight Tools, the “Compare” or “comp at” price means that the same item or a similar functioning item was advertised for sale at or above the “Compare” or “comp at” price by another retailer in the U.S. within the past 180 days. Prices advertised by others may vary by location. No other meaning of “Compare” or "comp at" should be implied. For more information, go toHarborFreight.com or see store associate.

Use Coupons:COASTALANGLERMAG.COM In-Store, HarborFreight.com or 800-423-2567 • THEANGLERMAG.COM APRIL 2017

NATIONAL

3/8/17 12:34 PM 3/20/17 3:41 PM

suzuki spring savings Three Limited Time Offers Make A Good Deal Even Better Suzuki Gives You All Three So You Don’t Have To Choose One Or The Other

Buy a new Suzuki outboard from 25 to 300 horsepower and take advantage of not just one, but ALL THREE Suzuki Spring promotional offers.

Add cash rebates on select models and you can get up to $800 cash back. Plus our Repower Financing is available at attractive interest rates (on approved credit.*)

Just say, “Gimme Six!” and you’ll get six years of product protection. That’s right, you’ll get Suzuki’s three-year limited warranty and Suzuki’s 3-Year Extended Protection Plan at no extra charge.

See your participating Suzuki Marine dealer today and find out how you can get the ultimate deal on the Ultimate 4-Stroke Outboard.

Six Years of Protection at no extra charge on all new outboards 25 to 300 HP.

Cash Rebates on select models. See your dealer for details.

REPOWER FINANCE

Rates as low as 5.99% on new Suzuki outboards (OAC).*

For details and the name of your nearest participating Suzuki Marine dealer, visit www.suzukimarine.com

NATIONAL

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APRIL 2017

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

3/20/17 3:41 PM

PENNFISHING.COM

LET THE BATTLE BEGIN The Slammer is back! Featuring a full metal body and rotor, IPX6 sealed gear box and spool design, a full Brass CNC Gear system,

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and a smooth yet powerful Dura Drag System. The Slammer is not only back…. it’s better than ever before.

3/19/17 2:26 PM

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3/19/17 2:26 PM