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Heads Of Cold Steel Winter Steelheading In Upstate New York By Frank Geremski -The Angler Magazine of Upstate NY publisher
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inter steelhead fishing can be chilling, but once you hook into a 10-pound, lightning-fast bolt of silver, your blood will be boiling. The speed and explosion are what lures steelheaders to expose themselves to harsh Great Lakes winters. And there’s more. On Upstate New York’s Salmon River, there are plenty of beautiful, large, lake-run brown trout mixed in. Plus, today’s lightweight protective clothing provides comfort between strikes. The Salmon River in Oswego County, N.Y. (www.visitoswegocounty.com) offers consistent steelhead fishing during the late fall, winter and spring. In fact, the river has runs of trout and salmon from Lake Ontario all year long. With many quality tributaries along its length and a hatchery, this highquality wilderness river once was home to a legendary Atlantic salmon run. Rebounding populations of Atlantics still exist due to restoration projects, but Pacific salmon dominate the scene in late summer and fall. Huge chinook salmon, some heavier than 30 pounds, and coho salmon run up 14 miles of prime spawning and fishing waters each fall. A good number of steelhead (rainbow trout) follow the salmon to feed on the eggs dropped during this legendary fall salmon run. The steelhead feed aggressively during the salmon run, and they remain in this beautiful blue-ribbon river all winter, providing more than six months of explosive action. Winter thaws and early spring rains invite the remaining Lake Ontario steelhead to spawn and join their riverwintering kin. It’s a truly dynamic trophy trout experience. The Salmon River holds big fish. Ten-pound steelhead are commonplace. Fish in the teens are a definite possibility, and persistent steelheaders get chances every year on specimens in the 20-pound range. When salmon first enter the Salmon River in September and October, steelhead and lake-run brown trout mix in with pacific salmon making their spawning run. Both trout species feed on salmon eggs, and just when the salmon die off, the brown trout begin to spawn. Their eggs supplement the steelheads’ diet. Large numbers of giant trout and steelhead winter in the river, with additional fish running up from Lake Ontario all winter and early spring. When they first enter the river, these brightly colored bullets aggressively strike offerings like egg sacks, bright Estaz flies or beads that imitate eggs. Midriver matriculation brings them past the village of Pulaski, where there are about 10 miles of mostly public fishing access to deep holes, runs, rapids and every kind of trout water. Several high-quality tributaries flow in along the way and provide excellent spawning grounds up to what’s considered the upper section of the river. Natural reproduction does occur, and New York state operates a large hatchery on the upper end of the Salmon River. Since the Salmon River is a tailwater, this upper section is fishable all winter and never ices up. With egg availability diminishing, the winter steelhead diet evolves to more nymphs and stoneflies. Fly fishing is effective yet challenging. This section of river is ideal for fighting and landing large fish, with catch and release encouraged. Many trophy steelhead in the teens are photographed for replica mounts, and brown trout in the 5- to 10-pound range are caught regularly, with fish in the teens a possibility. 8
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The Salmon River has a reputation for tight quarters during the peak of the salmon run. Crowds diminish during winter steelhead season. Weekdays bring even less competition. Two very select permit-only resort properties are located on the two best sections of river offering managed access and exclusive riverside lodging. On the upper river, The Tailwater Lodge in Altmar, N.Y. has private southside access to Schoolhouse Pool and the runs and holes above and below. This is the prime wintering spot for a large percentage of steelhead and the best access for ice-free angling. The Tailwater is an Orvis-endorsed lodge, which includes an on-site fly shop, “The Woodshed.” Zero Limit Adventures Guide Service, also Orvis endorsed, has a collaborative relationship with Tailwater Lodge and provides outstanding guidance to this section and the entire Salmon River. They’ll get you dialed into current river conditions and what the fish are feeding on. The Tailwater Lodge’s opulent accommodations coupled with their location on the river and exclusive access make it the Mecca for Salmon River steelheading. This large section of river provides various speeds of current and holding water with ice-free conditions all winter. Tactics for hooking these giants include fly fishing, spinning, float fishing and center-pin techniques. The Angler Magazine highly recommends booking an experienced licensed guide on your first day to instruct you on equipment, fly or bait selection and technique. Allow Tailwater Lodge (www.tailwaterlodge.com) and Zero Limit Adventures (www. zerolimitadventures.com) ease the entry into this elite pursuit. Douglaston Salmon Run (DSR) manages more than 2 1/2 miles of exclusive access in the lower end of the Salmon River where steelhead first enter from Lake Ontario. Early steelhead action can be fast and furious. Winter access is dependent on weather conditions, as the middle and lower sections of the Salmon River get slushy or iced over during mid-winter cold speels. DSR (www. douglastonsalmonrun.com) publishes an accurate and honest daily report that functions as a great information source for river conditions and fish movement. The highly challenging adventure of hooking and battling your first 10-pound-plus Great Lakes steelhead will certainly not be your last. This divine experience will put you in a league of sportsmen who are the only ones to understand this trophy steelhead quest. It’s a feeling like the adrenaline rush of your first buck or sailfish. This heart-pounding adventure on a beautiful river will provide a memory that can be yours forever. To check out the “Men of Steel” video, go to
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12/15/16 3:09 PM
Live the Legend.
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Editor’s Note: Each month, Coastal Angler Magazine and The Angler Magazine staff search our vast coverage area for photos that will grace our covers. With well over a million readers in diverse coastal and inland markets, our magazines strive for broad national appeal as well as local-level intelligence to put anglers on fish. The cover is different depending on which edition you, the reader, are holding. The following is a little information about this month’s covers.
COASTAL ANGLER MAGAZINE Houma, Louisiana
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The big black drum on the cover of Coastal Angler’s January editions was caught by Banging The Drums Of Jacki Shae, whose south Florida upbringing Houma, La. taught her a love of fishing from an early age. Winter Chrome In On a recent ladies-only fishing trip to the Upstate N.Y. marshes around Houma, Louisiana, Jacki learned a newfound respect for black drum. Local This often overlooked cousin to the everpopular red drum might not be much on looks, but it puts up a heck of a fight and grows even larger than the big bull reds prized by so many anglers. Rumor has it the fish on the cover was caught with one of those kids’ Barbie rods spooled with 30-pound test. With tutelage from their guide Brittney Novalsky, the ladies also did battle with some of the big redfish Louisiana is famous for. Four young women staying on a houseboat and hauling big fish from the Louisiana mud… what more could anyone ask for from a fishing expedition?
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The covers of this month’s editions of The Angler feature a beautiful chrome steelhead Winter Chrome In caught by Zero Limit Adventures Guide Rob Upstate N.Y. Reynolds. The photo was taken by Zero Limit Banging The Drums Of Adventures Guide Matthew DeRosa. The fish was caught on the Salmon River in Oswego County, New York. To learn more Local about this fantastic fishery view this month’s article “Heads of Cold Steel” by The Angler Magazine Upstate New York publisher Frank Geremski. Zero Limit’s diverse team of guides offer tailored trips of a lifetime and expertly fish many tributaries of central and western New York. They can be reached by e-mail via mderosa@zerolimitadventures.com by phone at 585-766-2421, or view their website at www.zerolimitadventures.com. Zero Limit has a collaborative relationship with the opulent Tailwater Lodge www.TailwaterLodge.com in Oswego County. Tailwater Lodge offers exclusive access and wonderful accommodations on the banks of the Salmon River, home of legendary trophy salmon, steelhead and brown trout runs from Lake Ontario. Call Tailwater Lodge for availability and reservations at 315-298-3434. To learn more about Lake Ontario, the Salmon River and Oswego County fishing go to www. visitoswegocounty.com or call 1-800-248-4FUN. Houma, La.
Fishing Reports Catch Photos News & Events
PHOTO COURTESY OF ZERO LIMIT ADVENTURES GUIDE MATTHEW DEROSA VOLUME 22 • ISSUE 264
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LADIES DRUM UP ACTION IN THE LOUISIANA MARSH By Jacki Shea
I
find myself staying in the strangest places when I go on fishing adventures. But as long as it involves fishing, sleeping on a couch or on the ground really doesn’t matter. On this particular trip, my friends and I found ourselves in a small houseboat on a river in the Louisiana marshes west of New Orleans. It was tiny, there was only one bathroom (picture four girls trying to use one bathroom), and the bed sheets smelled like a man after a long day of fishing. You might be wondering what brought us to such a place, and I will give you two very good reasons: redfish and black drum. Enormous specimens of these two drum species come into the marsh each fall and winter, 20 to 30 pounds to be more specific. If you plan on making the trip to Louisiana to do some inshore fishing, it is not necessary to stay on a houseboat; however, I highly recommend it. When
you wake up each morning, you are on the water ready to fish with your boat tied up next to you. Of the drum family, redfish seem to be the most popular inshore species. Redfish are always a great fight, especially the big bulls. But many anglers seem to overlook black drum, which are sometimes referred to as a “mud donkeys.” It is not an attractive fish, nor is it great for eating; therefore, it is not commonly targeted. This fish does, however, grow the largest of the drum species, and it fights with the same action and power as a bull red. Now that I’ve caught a few, I believe black drum can look very pretty once the Louisiana sun hits those scales just right. Redfish and black drum are thick in the Louisiana marshes all year, but the season for the monsters runs from September to January, when big fish move from offshore into the marsh following migrating baitfish. When the baitfish show up inshore, the big fish won’t be far behind. For bait you can use live or artificial depending on whether you are trying to sight fish or just toss a line out and wait. On our trip, we used a standard knocker rig, with an egg sinker and a hook, and sank split live blue crabs and shrimp to the bottom and waited. The fishing is quite simple when you know where the fish are, although a guide is recommended for those unfamiliar with the waters because it’s easy to get lost in the marsh. Keep an eye out for cold fronts. The cold fronts clean up the water and bring the fish closer to the surface, which makes for perfect sight fishing. The fish also enjoy the cooler inshore water, so they will be more abundant and active. Check out Jacki’s YouTube channel Jacki Shea Fishing for videos of her fishing adventures. Her guide for the Louisiana trip was Brittney Novalsky who can be contacted through www.fishingadventureswithbrittney.com. For more fishing with Jacki Shea, go to
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By Tom Karrow Researcher Tom Karrow assessing fishery health in Abaco with a Bahamian angling guide from the Delphi Club. Photo by Andrew O’Neill
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hen I first started fly fishing in the 80s, the sport was not nearly as popular as it is today. Shops carrying fly tackle were sparse, people with knowledge of the sport were few and far between and getting lessons was nearly impossible. When I think back to those days, recalling the number of flies I lost in trees, the frequent tangles I developed and the shear lack of fish I caught, it is a wonder that I kept with it. Indeed, if it were not for the fly tying component of the sport, I might well have thrown in the towel. I love fly tying; being able to create something to fool fish with is a marvelous achievement. In contrast to my early fly fishing days, today there is a seeming abundance of information on the sport, from equipment, to angling destinations; everyone seems to have some insights. On top of this has been the advent of the Internet, a treasure trove of information and misinformation. The fact of the matter is, fly fishing is not nearly as complicated as it may seem. It is simply a form of fishing that allows for lightweight or nearly weightless “lures” to be used, which without the added weight in the line could not be presented to a fish. In some cases, fly fishing is a far superior method for fooling fish and in others, deep waters for example, far more challenging. When it comes to heavily pressured or sensitive fish, especially those inhabiting shallow inshore waters, I would argue fly fishing can often out-produce other techniques. Being able to imperceptibly drop a fly in front of fish when they are used to loud splashes from heavy lures or live baits can often result in fooled fish. Fly fishing is sometimes called an art, perhaps because of the apparent delicateness of the cast, the manner in which the line travels out over the water, or because many incorrectly, consider it hard. So let me correct this fallacy. Fly fishing is not hard, it does not need to be complicated and it can be very easily learned. If you really want to learn to fly fish, I would suggest a trip to the Bahamas. The weather is beautiful, the waters are stunning, and the people, culture and food are marvelous. The chance of catching fish is very high, as the guides are great instructors and a week’s worth of fly fishing immersion would provide incredible advancement in understanding and skill level. Throughout my travels in the Bahamas, I have met many wonderful guides and visited many top-notch facilities. To highlight one Bahamian guide or lodge is simply impossible. However, when it comes to learning the sport, be honest. When booking a trip to a lodge, perhaps directly or through a travel company like Yellow Dog Fly Fishing or Frontiers International, tell them what you want. Tell them you are a beginner. Tell them you want to learn. Through this strategy, those in the know will put you with facilities and personnel best suited to an instructional 12
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Great equipment meets great Bahamian culture. Photo by Tom Karrow
environment. You want a location that offers everything, lodging and food of course but also equipment, casting lessons, fly tying lessons, safety instruction along with patient and professional guides. One common thread that has become apparent through my research in the Bahamas is the respect that Bahamians have for travelers, specifically bonefish anglers. Bahamians openly welcome tourists, recognizing the importance that bonefishing has on local Family Island communities. Bonefishing on some Bahamian islands provides employment for up to 80 percent of the local population. With that level of economic importance, industry professionalism is critical along with healthy fisheries. In the Bahamas you will find both a high degree of angling knowledge and amazing fisheries. The Bahamas are certainly an excellent place to consider taking a trip and a phenomenal place to learn to fly fish. What I find most attractive about the Bahamas is the shear diversity available. With more than 700 islands, there is something for everyone. And for anglers, old and new, there are always new opportunities to learn from. Tom Karrow is a sustainable tourism scholar from the University of Waterloo. His research focuses on the Bahamian bonefishing industry, centered on the guides and their knowledge, stories and experiences. For more on his research see: http://tomkarrow.wixsite.com/bahamasguide-tek, and follow Coastal Angler Magazine for updates and more. Tom Karrow can be reached at tkarrow@uwaterloo.ca or tomkarrow@ gmail.com. For more Bonefishing in the Bahamas, go to
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Elite Series™ Bassmaster Lester Pro Brandon t the rods tha builds all of he Elite he uses on t ment Trail. a n r u o T s ie r Se
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no weight reduction had gone into the components above the handle. The guides were large and weighty. As a result, the rod was annoyingly front-heavy, even when I mounted two of the spinning reels I had tabbed for the task. Lost balance led to lost feel and sense of control over my bait. It took an oversized reel to bring anything resembling “balance” to this rod, and the resultant combo was still cumbersome. “It’s hard to get a rod perfectly balanced without knowing the reel a guy plans to put on it,” said Russ Lane, a Bassmaster Elite Series angler known for his talent for tackle tinkering. Lane wraps many of his rods with Winn Superior Rod Wrap (www.winngrips.com) to give them the same advantages of hand control and comfort that he gets with the Denali Attax rods and other rods in his arsenal already fitted with Winn grips. But at times there’s a secondary benefit to the wrap. “Sometimes adding the Winn rod wrap can add just enough weight to balance a rod,” noted Lane. He faced a formidable “weight-forward” balance challenge with the flipping/pitching rod he uses to punch matted vegetation with soft plastic lures and 1.5-ounce tungsten By Mike Pehanich weights. “I needed to add more weight to the handle,” Lane recalled. As usual, he covered the cork mid-grip of this 7-foot, 6-inch Denali Lithium Flipping Stick (Xtra Heavy) with the ightness” has been the dominant thrust of rod evolution for years. Lightweight guides, skeletal reel seats, split grips… these and other polymer overwrap. Before he added the wrap to the butt grip, however, he developments have served rod builders in their ongoing quest to added Storm SuspenStrips—adhesive-backed rectangles of soft lead that he reduce rod weight and, in turn, diminish fatigue and enhance angler comfort generally uses to add weight to his jerkbaits—to the tapered butt grip. “You can get the balance perfect by adding just enough lead tape over the and feel on the water. Oddly enough, radical downsizing of rod components sometimes produces butt grip before adding Winn overwrap on top of it,” explained Lane. “Balance the opposite of its intended effect if rod balance is significantly compromised makes a big difference when you are flipping those heavy tungsten weights in along the way or when heavier-than-usual lures or terminal tackle enter the heavy cover all day long.” picture. Several seasons ago, a rod manufacturer asked me to road test a new midFor a word from Lester on the benefits of Winn Grips, go to priced spinning rod the company was planning to bring to market. The design team had taken the split grip concept to an extreme, virtually eliminating the mid (rear) grip altogether and adding a very airy foam to the butt grip. However,
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Shown above: Chad Roberson, President of H2O Sports congratulates Danny Amador on his new boat.
hat’s a real mouthful of salutations, but the winner of Coastal Angler and The Angler Magazine’s Boat Giveaway contest is certainly deserving of all three. Danny Amador was drawn as the winner of the 15’10” Cape Craft boat with 75 hp Honda engine and a Coyote trailer. A massive fire at H20 Sports Manufacturing delayed much of their manufacturing, and Danny Amador had to wait until Dec. 9 to pick up his brand new Cape Craft vessel. That’s where the story gets really interesting. Dec. 9 is Danny’s birthday. Yep, and as all December birthday people know it’s always “Happy Birthday and Merry Christmas.” Coastal Angler Magazine would like to salute Danny Amador for his patience in receiving his boat. Unforeseen circumstances can sometimes alter even the best of transactions. Danny Amador’s patience and H20’s commitment to fulfilling the contest award represented the best of our industry. In addition to Danny’s boat, motor and trailer, Chad Roberson, H20 Sports Manufacturing’s President, insisted on
throwing in a free bimini top and invited Danny Amador to pick his favorite custom color for the boat. Good things are worth waiting for. Special thanks to Top Notch Marine in Fort H2O Staff and Danny Amador shown at H2O Sports headquarters. Pierce, Fla. for their assistance in titling this boat to our Florida winner. Once again to Danny Amador: “Congratulations, Happy Birthday and Merry Christmas!”
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UNDER THE SEA
Center s LIONFISH: CAN’T BEAT ’EM? EAT ’EM! SHERI DAYE
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lthough beautiful to look at, the invasive lionfish poses a severe threat to Atlantic and Gulf waters. They are known for having spines that can sting if not handled properly, but the meat is perfectly safe and delicious to eat. In other words, they are venomous but not poisonous. Lionfish is becoming increasingly common on restaurant menus and is even available at Whole Foods grocery stores. Connoisseurs often compare the quality to hogfish – a fine, delicate white meat. The scientific community concluded that home aquarists are to blame. Much like the python in the Everglades, it only took a few released invasive individuals to begin the breeding cycle. Since they are a new and strange looking species, native fish are not consuming lionfish. Yet lionfish are consuming juvenile native species at an alarming rate. Adding to the problem, they also breed at an amazing rate. Females reach sexual maturity at six months and release up to 30,000 eggs every five days. They now cover the east coast of the U.S., the entire Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic side of Central and South America, and can be found between 2 and 1,000 feet deep. The most effective way of hunting them, by far, is spearfishing. Since they have no natural predators, they are not wary which makes them easy to spear. Just handle the spines with care and you will be rewarded with a delicious meal while helping the environment! Lionfish hunting tips: 1. First, you must find them! Unfortunately, they are everywhere—look on reefs, wrecks, sometimes out in the open and often in ledges and holes. 2. Handle them carefully and do not to let the fins puncture your skin. If stung on the hand, remove any rings right away. The best treatment is heat, which breaks down the venom. Heat packs or hot water collected from the boat exhaust can be used. 3. Use the specially designed pole spears (such as Neritic) and use lionfish containers (such as the Zookeeper), which are puncture-proof. These specialty items can be found on the LionfishHunting.com website or your local dive shop.
4. Once back on the boat/shore, place lionfish into cooler and continue to handle with care. The protein-based venom is broken down by heat but preserved by cold. 5. Lionfish can be filleted just like any other fish. See LionfishHunting.com for a good set of instructions with photos on how to fillet. 6. Lionfish can be prepared like any other white-meat fish. Many recipes can be found online. For an impressive presentation, they can even be cooked whole as cooking neutralizes the venom. P. S. The Blue Wild Ocean Adventure Expo, which takes place April 2017 in Ft. Lauderdale, will have a Lionfish Pavilion featuring several exhibitors along with a cook-off event where several chefs will be showing off their best recipes and giving samples. Happy Hunting! Sheri Daye 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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HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!! FISHING IN UPSTATE NY is going to be fantastic in 2017, and we are off to a great start. The Salmon River along with other tributaries are flush with steelhead and the NYS Winter Classic is on!! The snow and cold weather have been a blessing for our fishing, with the snows and thaws came rising water levels for our streams to fill with water and chrome steelhead. Cold weather brought some early ice enthusiasts out, and conditions have started so much better than last, ensuring an exciting Ice-fishing season. The NYS Winter Classic www.nyswinterclassic.com has just begun and we will be having daily updates and fishing reports on our brand new website www.theanglermag.com/upstate-ny. Improvements and additions are on-going and we invite our readers to suggest additions by text to frankie at 518-898-6484 or e-mail to frankie@theanglermagazine.com. With our start, plus your input with additions from our field experts and advertiser’s vast data base’s, we can create the ultimate source for UPSTATE NY FISHING!! If you want yours or an interesting video on our site, simply text or e-mail it to us. It will be up there that day if it makes the cut. We are very active on both Instagram and Facebook. Expect more giveaways, promotions, and social-linking on our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/theanglermagazineupstateny. Our Instagram page at www.instagram.com/theanglermagazineupstateny offers the best Upstate NY photos that we compile. JP Ross Fly Rods will be featured on our first Instagram contest. On Jan.10th, we will be posting readers best 25 photos that we compile this month and will
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post our favorite 25 to our Instagram Page on Jan. 10. On Jan.13th at 5 pm, the top 2 photos based on Instagram likes both win a “Adirondack Burl Wood Fly Box”. JP Ross www.jprossflyrods.com is a local Utica fly-fishing powerhouse who is offering The Angler readers a $50 off discount on all their custom fly rods, use promo code; anglermag. JP Ross will also be hosting a special fishing get together, “Bugs & Beer 6” at The Tailwater Lodge on January 6-7, www.tailwaterlodge.com. Many are enjoying the opulent accommodations by staying overnight and fishing The Tailwaters great stretch on The Salmon River. Go to JPRoss Facebook page for special pricing and details at https://www.facebook.com/jprossandcompany. There is so much going on, and its only January.
Happy New Year!! –The Upstate NY Angler Magazine Team
NOW ONLINE www.theanglermag.com/upstate-ny For editorial comments, articles, photography, advertising and all other inquires please contact: The Angler Magazine Upstate New York. CALL OR TEXT 518-898-6484 OR EMAIL frankie@theanglermagazine.com OR VISIT www.theanglermag.com/upstate-ny Find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/theanglermagazineupstateny
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SALMON RIVER REPORT BY DREAMS COME TRUE CHARTERS RICK PECCI WELL FOLKS, IT’S A HAPPY NEW YEAR AND A BIG WINTER steelhead ahead! That’s right. The Salmon River is loaded with all kinds of steelhead, domestic rainbows, and a few lunker brown trout mixed in. The high water created by the lake-effect events that occurred in Late November and early December flushed the river with pods of chrome. The end of November saw water levels rise to over 2000 cfs, with smaller tribs also adding to that flow. During this high-water event, keen fishermen started picking up more fish than usual. When the water receded to normal conditions, IT WAS ON! Double digit hook-ups of all sizes have been consistently occurring. The best part is this crushathon has been happening in all sections of the river and fish are nicely
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dispersed. Best baits have been varied. Many steelies have been had with egg sacks, with blue and pink being the primary colors of success. Beads have been just as hot for the float fishermen, with Great Lakes Steelhead Co products leading the way. To be specific with beads, GL Steelhead Co’s www.GLSteelheadCo.com 10 mm Retro Roe and Atomic Yellow, 8mm Deep Buttered Popcorn and Cheese Doodle being the best choices. GLSC 132 oz. jigs and Marabou Ghost, Licorice and Sherbert have been taking fish. Fat Nancy’s www.fatnancy’s.com in Pulaski has a plethora of GL Steelhead Co selection. Though beads are more popular with the float fisherman, several drift fishermen have told us that they have been connecting with beads also, particularly the 10mm Retro Roe. You may have your own favorites to add to the mix. Stoneflies also have been taking steelhead all throughout the river. To maintain the population of steelhead over the winter, quality catch and release is highly advised. Be ready for your photos and if releasing is your intent, careful and quick return to the water will ensure many more exciting hook-ups. Continued lake-effect events followed by mini thaws will repeat this pattern. That is the type of winter we are anticipating. As the month continues cold streaks and possible lower water will centralize the fish to deeper pools and runs. We anticipate that more brown trout will start showing up in Anglers’ catches. The high-water event also had a wonderfully positive effect on some of the small and medium sized tributaries. In September and October, many of these tribs were at scary low water levels and now they have returned to a healthy flow. It is imperative, particularly this year to take extra care. We are truly blessed that we have so many high-quality streams that yield natural reproduction. It is partially our responsibility to steward this process, and we are the prime beneficiaries of this genuinely unique successful procreation. The naturally produced steelhead and salmon create a stronger fishery all throughout Lake Ontario and its tributary system. Tight Lines and Happy New Year everyone!!
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N s e o w h fi b fo y Th s s fi th W m to a in A o S
Great Lakes Steelhead Co.’s Feature on Beads and Jigs BY ZACK RAYNO, FOUNDER OF GREAT LAKES STEELHEAD CO.
NOWADAYS, THE OPTIONS FOR STEELHEAD AND TROUT fishing seem endless. Choosing and rigging a bait can seem daunting, but an evaluation of your river surroundings can make this choice easy. Trick Em Beads and Jigs are my go-to baits while scouring the tributaries of Lake Ontario, but when is appropriate to fish a bead vs. a jig? First, I analyze where the fish are. For example, in early fall when water temperatures are high, steelhead tend to hold in quick riffles. This faster water is perfect for bead fishing. As fall turns to winter and the water temperature drops, steelhead begin retreating to the deeper pools and slower water. This slow drift is classic for fishing a jig underneath a float. Next, consider what the fish are feeding on. During spawning periods, you can bet there are eggs floating around in the water. Grab your bead box! This holds true not only for Lake Ontario’s tributaries, but also for inland streams where fish are spawning. Just as steelhead gorge themselves behind spawning salmon in the fall, inland trout enjoy an easy meal behind spawning fish as well. No spawning fish around? No problem! How about baitfish? Jigs mock the sharp movement of minnows perfectly and serve as a great imitation. Whether it’s gizzard shad wandering into the lower Oswego River or smelt making their spawning run on a Lake George tributary, jigs are an effective tool. Now that we’ve decided what kind of bait to use, it’s time to pick a color and size. Nowadays, the options seem endless. Trick Em Beads are available in over 200 colors and sizes 6,8,10 and 12mm, each with its own purpose. Again, analyze fishing conditions. When deciding bead size, look at the size of the egg you are trying to mimic. Big Chinook Salmon eggs? Try a 10mm. Small trout egg? Time to bust out the 6mm beads.
Water clarity also influences size and color choice. When fishing clear conditions, I stick to the natural light oranges and yellows in a size true to the egg. Colors like All-In, Cheeze Doodle and Egg-Zacktly in sizes 6mm and 8mm are very effective. When fishing turbid water, I brighten my color selection and utilize UV enhanced baits in bigger sizes. Super UV Orange, Atomic Yellow and Tangy in 10mm and 12mm are favorites of mine. These same considerations dictate jig selection as well. The Salmon River in Pulaski, NY often flows low and clear during the winter. I like to run 1/64 oz. and 1/32 oz. jigs in natural tones like Ghost Marabou, Cotton Candy Marabou, Kalamata Bunny and Gingersnap Bunny. Travel a bit west to the Oswego River and you may find high and turbid water flows. Time to bump up to 1/16 oz. and 1/8 oz. jigs with a little more flash. Dirty Girl Bunny, Ecto Crafty and Shocker Shimmy jigs are all viable options. Now it’s time to rig up! But, how? Centerpin fishing with beads differs from jigs. I still begin with split shot tapered in weight beneath the float, but as they say, the devil lies in the details. When I am throwing a bead at fish, I like to keep my shot pattern heavy, enough weight to keep a 6-8g float riding properly. I also tend to keep my leader length relatively short, between 15 and 18 inches. This helps to keep your bait in the strike zone. As I switch gears to jigs, I lighten things up. My shot pattern is decreased down to a 4-5g float. I also increase my leader length, about 20-24 inches. In doing this, I let the jig move more freely. At first glance, hundreds of colors options in multiple sizes can seem disheartening. But, after breaking down river conditions and keeping a wide selection of baits with you, hook-ups are right around the corner. Now get out and fish!
GLSC strives to provide quality products that catch fish.
Check out our website for a full selection of custom steelhead tackle!
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UPSTATE NEW YORK 3
OSWEGO REPORT AND FORECAST BY ROBERT MALLORY
Dave Maneri with an attractive steelhead.
Over the past month the brown trout fishing in Oswego picked up with many spawners entering the river. Float fishing has been the way to catch them and small chartreuse beads and spawn bags caught a good number of fish. Currently, spawned out brown trout are still available and the best fishing remains in any slack water that you can find. For the past few weeks the water has been up and off-color which made fishing tough, but not impossible. Domestic rainbows and steelhead are now also available in good numbers with natural spawn sacs out-fishing most other offerings white, pink, and chartreuse sacs coupled with fresh or cured salmon or brown trout eggs will take fish daily. With the high water level float fishing is the best way to get your offering down and get a natural drift that covers a lot of water. Small white marabou jigs have also been taking some fish down behind the hotels when fished under a float. The water temps are currently dropping rapidly so look for trout to start transitioning to slower water holds. There are also some reports of perch being caught in the harbor on live minnows fished near bottom.
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The view from our back deck overlooks the Salmon River. 4 UPSTATE NEW YORK
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“The Most Wonderful Time of the Year”...
Reflections on the Salmon river Run of 2016 BY RACHEL LYNN VICKERS, ANGLER MAGAZINE FIELD EXPERT AS YOU READ THE BEGINNING TITLE OF MY STORY MOST people think of the holidays & Christmas, but for most Upstate New York Anglers that time comes a bit earlier in September thru October in the form of a massive spawning migration of over half a million 3-4-year-old chinook (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) AKA King, and coho (Oncorhynchus kisutch) salmon from Lake Ontario into its largest surrounding cold water tributary, the Salmon River Corridor/watershed. This 17-milelong stretch of river 12 of which are public access and its tributaries Trout Brook, Orwell Brook, and Beaver Dam Brook support and sustain a true world class fishery, due to its outstanding water quality and help from the DEC funded Salmon River Hatchery which was opened in 1980. This facility provides most of the fish for the now multi-million dollar Lake Ontario salmonid fishery, with over 3.5 million salmonids and trout produced yearly. When it comes to this time of year, thousands of anglers from novice to professionals ascend on the rural towns of Altmar, Pineville, Pulaski, and Port Ontario, with the opportunity for all to catch large trophy sized salmon. The Salmon River fishery has produced the state record for both coho and chinook salmon, drawing fish enthusiasts from surrounding states and further states like California, Colorado, Florida, and as distant as England, Ireland, Switzerland, Australia, and China! In turn, the economic influx is essential for the surrounding towns’ many diverse local and seasonal businesses to remain, and grow thru out the years. This makes it possible for us anglers to experience, and share this truly amazing, unique world renowned fishery with friends, and future generations of anglers “in the making” to come. I consider myself very privileged to have a friend, a fellow graduate from Cobleskill who has rental properties, and lives on the river at Port Ontario, just before the Douglaston Salmon Run (DSR) begins. I have been able to experience, and fish the” Run” for the past 12 years. From where I live, the Salmon River is only a 2 ½ hour drive. I would wait for the call in late September early October, pack my gear, drive up and get in a good weekend of fishing. This season I was able to spend 4 consecutive, extended weekends up there most of the month of October. Everyone I interviewed and spoke to from business owners to fellow anglers along the river said the same thing. They all agreed this year was different, it
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was the most successful and bountiful run they had experienced in the last 3-4 years. Karen Ashley, a manager at Woody’s Tackle and gifts on rt.3 in Pulaski says that about 50 percent of their yearly business comes from the Salmon Run and following trout seasons. She described the overall attitudes as “excited & polite” in regards to visiting fishermen. Woody’s is open year-round, it also provides hunting gear and serves as the weigh station for all the local fishing derby’s, and instruction to 1st time salmon anglers. Across the Street in a tiny shack with a pop up canopy attached, where a small fish cleaning station owned by Kevin DeOrnellas. Kevin comes up for 8 weeks a year to earn a quick profit cleaning salmon and then heads back home to Lincoln, Michigan. He told me he has seen more anglers catching their daily limit of fish on a consistent basis this year compared to previous runs. Which pleases both the anglers and businesses who profit from their catches. There is no doubt on the positive impact this sustained fishery has on both the economics and ecology of the area. It has been named as one of the top fishing destinations in the country, and if you have ever experienced it, you will agree that there is no other fishing experience like it. This year I was fortunate enough to witness and film my 14 year old son hook, fight and land his very first King Salmon. A very proud Mom moment for myself, as many parents have shared when they brought their children to this very special fishery, during the most wonderful time of the year for angling enthusiasts.
Fox Hollow Salmon River Lodge
Our property features 160 feet of Salmon River frontage, a lodge with private bedrooms, a sitting room, and living room with television. We also have cabins that sleep 4 to 8 people and fully equipped with efficiency kitchens and TV. For those who like to rough it, we also have a small campground with sites for RV’s with electrical hookups, tent sites are available along with a bathhouse.
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JANUARY 2017
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Trophy Musky Hunting with the Waterwolf and SeaGypsy BY FRANK GEREMSKI, PUBLISHER UPSTATE NY ANGLER MAGAZINE DURING MY LIFETIME FISHING OBSESSION, I CONCLUDE that focus may be the most important ingredient to success. My most successful days on the water, were coupled with the engagement and effort that I invested into the trip. I learned more about focus on one trip with Bob Walters of Waterwolf Charters than any other day that I can recall. It wasn’t only Bob’s commitment to every detail that gets put into each musky rig, it’s Capt. Darryl Raate’s focus on fishing Upstate NY period. Bob and Darryl are both Oswego County based salmon guides that team up each fall after salmon season and head north when many pro’s head south. They invest 2 months into obsessive hard core musky fishing from mid-October to Dec.15th, close of the muskie season on the St. Lawrence River and NY State. Capt. Darryl’s recollection of techniques, fisheries management, knowledge of hotspots, local methods and diverse familiarity is unique and impressive. Darryl grew up the son of one of Oswego’s first salmon charter boat captains, and he rigged on his dads boat all his life. His focus on Upstate NY fishing and time spent advancing tactics and devotion to his craft is impressive. Though Darryl is a Lake Ontario guide for trout and salmon, he gave me quite a few spots in the ADKs and Tughill, that I am planning to add to my 2017 fishing. The Angler Magazine will be extending coverage of musky fishing with Waterwolf Charters in the Oct-Dec. issue from the St. Lawrence River in 2017, and will be adding occasional salmon fishing tips from Darryl and Waterwolf Charters. Mike Muehlemann is a technology executive and fisherman who has chartered Waterwolf six times this season to field test his invention, the SeaGypsy. The SeaGypsy is a downrigger camera system which transmits live data to wifi connected screens that allow everyone on the boat to monitor their lure action from combined or individual screens. There were five total members on our charter and each of us had a handheld screen which augmented the Waterwolf ’s permanent screens. Since we had two downrigger cameras active, we had the ability to switch from different channels and watch or record either lure’s presentation. While other applications of similar concepts have existed, Mike’s focus is to streamline and advance this prototype utilizing fresher technology. The ability to monitor changes in lure action due to boat speed, current and lure of choice characteristics is invaluable. Witnessing and recording when and why a strike occurs may become a revolutionary technology. Darryl and The Waterwolf have been field testing the SeaGypsy camera every trip this muskie season, and utilized the camera system during their 2016 Lake Ontario salmon trips. The intention is to continue making improvements through rigorous field testing during the 2017 salmon and muskie seasons. The Sea Gypsy is just in the field testing phase, and may never be enhanced to Mike’s standard to go forward with marketing, though Waterwolf will certainly continue to employ one of the architypes available. Mr.Muelhemann’s focus is also on catching trophy fish and that’s why he’s out with Waterwolf and Bob Walters. To inquire about the SeaGypsy email Mike at muehlemann@illuminationtech.com. Bob Walter’s is truly focused on St. Lawrence muskies. His comfortably heated and protected 31’ craft is a seemingly muskie fishing research vessel. He executes all the knowledge, tackle, and fishing tools that he has accumulated in over 20 years pursuing these majestic fresh-water monsters. Not only is Bob convinced that a new world recold muskie is imminent from our prized Upstate NY river, the Waterwolf had the fish on his line while monitoring the strike on his SeaGypsy earlier this month. Though the fish 6 UPSTATE NEW YORK
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shook off less than a minute into battle, based on lure size to fish guestimate comparison, Bob and Darryl extrapolate that they battled and witnessed a world record strike. Bob utilizes his SeaGypsy, among many electronics to intersect transitioning muskies matriculating between Lake Ontario/ St. Lawrences waters amid Carleton and Wolfe Islands. Waterwolf trolls a combination of large plugs and spoons and often combines both in what local St.Lawrence guides call a Berger King or Berger Rig. This combination was procreated from the 1000 Island Bait Store www.tibait.com in Alexandria Bay, NY. The Berger consists of a large plug like a 13” Believer with a 3050” leader attached trailed by a large spoon such as a 9 “ Williams spoon. Waterwolf and many other St. Lawrence muskie hunters customize and tapeup these lures. 1000 Island Bait Store has a huge selection of favored local and Great Lakes Region muskie baits and will demonstrate the rig at their impressive store. This rig can also be viewed on our website. Bob trolls the transitions between shoals, channels and points from 30-80’ that are past muskie-producers. Waterwolf utilizes his electronics while monitoring his Sea Gypsy unit to keep his spoon in a desired constant dyeing flutter down and up motion. The Sea Gypsy technology provides true lure action monitoring. When The Angler Magazine was invited to view the Sea Gypsy in action, we jumped on the opportunity. SeaGypsy and Waterwolf sharing this innovation to our readers and learning more about the elusive muskie’s behavior was exciting. The Angler brought along a technical expert in monitoring, my former mentor when I was an Air Traffic Controller, Tom Deppmeyer. Tom can focus on presentations for hours and has a great eye. Tom transfixed his attention to many quick follows and swim-bys that we observed from our displays. Frequently lake trout followed our Berger rigs and several schools of baitfish and juvenile salmon swam along for long distances of our troll. This intrigue can certainly hold the attention and focus when utilizing trolling techniques and keep members of a fishing party engaged in your presentation. The Angler Mag believes this can be perfect for younger generations interests and attention. My focus as an avid trout, salmon and steelhead troller is in applying the Sea Gypsy to a steelhead trip. I am very excited anticipating which speed changes, turns and lure dynamics create the most strikes. I focus my attention on the Great Lakes on certain trips to just steelhead strategies and can’t wait to watch the action on the SeaGypsy. I can certainly ascertain why all downrigger anglers would want to utilize this technology to enhance their spreads and dial-in on what triggers a strike and why? We did land a large 34” Northern Pike on our trip and we had one confirmed muskie sighting. Like my steelhead focus, Bob Walters choses to only present his prime muskie lures and commits his St. Lawrence efforts to trophy muskie pursuits. The Waterwolf ’s mantra is “MUSKIE’S-all other fish are just bait”. You can view Waterwolf ’s videos and muskie data at www. stlawncemuskiefishing.com or book a trip with Bob for next year’s muskie or salmon season. You can also monitor his SeaGypsy field testing firsthand by calling him at 315-529-2697. I am highly anticipating a planned Lake Ontario trip utilizing the SeaGypsy and will be doing a follow-up story in our August edition. If you are a serious troller who would like to help augment Mike’s field testing or would like to get on an inquiry list for the SeaGypsy, email Mike at muehlemann@illuminationtech.com . This tool can certainly increase focus on all downrigger trolling applications.
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Experience four seasons of fishing with over 200 lakes, streams and rivers in one of the world’s premier fresh water fisheries
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Prepare to be
Hooked
The 1000 Island Bait Store located in Alexandria Bay, 1000 Islands, N.Y. was founded in 1952. NYS WINTER CLASSIC WIEGH IN
ICE FISHING HEADQUARTERS
For a Free St. Lawrence County Anglers Guide call: 877-228-7810 & For fishing info. visit FISHCAP.Net
We have Nightcrawlers, Trout Worms, Shiners, Suckers, Crayfish and Leeches. (some are seasonal). We also have Cold Beer • Soda • Souvenirs • Ice • Lottery GUIDE SERVICE • LIVE BAIT • FISHING LICENSES
42980 Rt. 12 Alexandria Bay, NY
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UPSTATE NEW YORK 7
Ice Fishing for Pike In the Adirondacks with Hillbilly WE ARE TRULY BLESSED TO LIVE IN AN AREA WITH SOME of the best pike fishing in North America. Trophy pike can be found throughout the Adirondacks. The Great Sacandaga, Lake Champlain, Lake George, Indian, Schroon, Cranberry and Tupper Lakes are some of the bodies of water that hold trophy pike. When ice fishing for pike I like to use large bait. Large suckers are my usual bait, but big cow shiners will also work well, when available. Over the years, I have built many pike rigs and harnesses and have done lots of experimenting with different colored beads, blades, and hooks. Different colors work better on some lakes than others. When glow beads came on the market our fishing changed dramatically. I prefer to use black-coated multistrand wire leaders on my rigs. Fluorocarbon can also be used, but I do not recommend it if you are targeting the big boys or if you are fishing over structure with logs. When building my pike rigs, I prefer to run a minimum of 24 inches of steel leader. I like to use size 4 and 6 trebles on most of my rigs. A heavy-duty barrel swivel is a must for attaching the harness to your mainline. I always attach the hook to a split ring, then to the wire with a crimp. This allows the rig to have more action when the bait swims. Two-hook quick strike rigs also work well and I assemble them the same way. One serious pike fisherman, Bob Film, who uses fluorocarbon,
makes a deadly rig. He runs a small Swedish Pimple, a foot above the bait attached to the line with a barrel swivel. I have seen this rig put some big pike on the ice. I like to set my tip-ups in the mouths of shallow bays where there is structure like stumps and rocks and on the edges of known weed beds. Pike like to hunt and cruise these edges of drop offs in transition zones where shallow water drops off to deeper water. At first light, I like to put big live suckers down on a flashy harness equipped with glow beads. I do not use sinkers, preferring to let the sucker do its job and swim around and flash the blades and beads around to attract the pike. The more sound and vibration coming from the harness, the better your chances of it attracting a roaming pike. In order to increase the activity of your suckers you can drill jigging holes near your tip-up holes and drop a jig down. A few shots on the jig pole and the sucker will start to react, making the harness work. This also will attract fish into the area. You may even catch a pike on the jig. To keep the tip-up from being bait-flagged by the large suckers you can do two different things: you can tie a rubber band around the trigger assembly that will break when the pike hits the bait, or you can choke up on the flags to put more pressure on the trip. In my opinion, the short HT tip-ups which have good spring steel in the flags are the best. I do not recommend setting drags on any tip-ups for pike. You
Good Times, Great Food, Best People
NFL Sunday Ticket
Watch all the games after fishing GO! Raiders’ Just feet from Sacandaga Lake Tasty meats smoked on premises Great �ishing hangout
We currently have thousands of Walleye Harnesses, Trolling Trees, Pike Rigs, and custom Spoons and Spinners. All our products are put together with the highest quality materials and are designed to catch slammers!
Winner of the coveted 2008 Leader Herald's Best Tavern Award
johnzeis@hillbillylures.com
(Old Rte 30)
Northville, NY 12134
(518) 863-6272 JANUARY 2017
Hillbilly Lure & Tackle LLC PO BOX 584 Wells, NY 12190
(518) 338-4575
223 County Highway 152
8 UPSTATE NEW YORK
Visit the stores listed on home page to pick up Hillbilly Lures.
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The following colors are what I have found to be hot setups over the years. I use size 3 Colorado blades with three beads. The darker color bead should always be on the bottom. I recommend the red and white blades and glow beads on all the lakes mentioned. Antifreeze is very good on the Great Sacandaga and Schroon Lake. Pink and white, and black and white are deadly on Indian Lake. Fire tiger with chartreuse beads is good where pike are feeding on perch for forage. The fire tiger works well on Lake George. The red freeze is deadly on Tupper Lake and Cranberry Lake. So there you have it - - - patience is a must if you are fishing with big bait (12 inch plus suckers). You may fish all day for a few runs, but you might also catch the fish of a lifetime. Every year 20-pound plus pike are caught in the Adirondacks and the next one might be on your line! Tight Lines, John Zeis.
ADK Legend John “Hillbilly” Zeis with another monster pike. Check out www.hillbillylures.com for product availability. want to let the pike run with the bait after the initial hit. I do set the hook quicker than normal if I know the pike has a good chance of getting hung up when fishing in area like old stump fields. When fishing for pike I do not leave home without a good pistol grip hook remover, jaw spreader and needle-nose pliers. Almost all the pike we catch we try to release quickly and unharmed. Three sections of a snow rake with a gaff attached to it is another handy tool to have if the fish gets wrapped around logs. You can sometimes pick the line back up on the other side of what the pike swam around and then--game on again! I have slivered some big pike through 8-inch auger holes over the years but prefer to use a 10-inch auger.
Jim’s Bait Shop
Mayfield, NY
Open all year round. 1/2 days on Holidays Full Supply of Bait Your gateway to ice/fishing the ADKs and Sacandaga
“Jim’s January Tip” 15’ feet with shiners just off bottom for Walleye’s
GSLFF Ice Derby Sign-up
118 Second Ave Ext, Mayfield, NY 12117
(518) 661-5724
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UPSTATE NEW YORK 9
2017 ANNUAL ICE FISHING CONTEST APPLICATION PLEASE PRINT LEGIBLY Name__________________________________________________ Full Address____________________________________________ Phone_________________________________________________ Email__________________________________________________ Name of participating Child(ren): ______________________________________________________
P.O. Box 991, Northville, NY 12134 – www.gslff.com
ANNUAL ICE FISHING CONTEST Saturday January 28, 2017 7:00am-4:00pm
OUTDOORSMEN AND WOMEN!! IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN joining a great federation that gives back to their lake and truly is a great group of guys and girl, consider the GSLFF or fish it’s derby to find out firsthand. Their annual ice fishing contest on Jan.28th offers $2250 in cash prizes, plus $18,000 in tagged fish awards. They pay-out the top 4 pike, trout and perch. The proceeds go to their stewardship programs to improve fishing on the Great Sacandaga Lake. To find out more about this great event and federation, go to www. glsff.com. The GLSFF truly makes a difference, but they need more members to help carry out their well thought out initiatives.
Enter @ Fuel -N-Food, Jim’s Bait Shop, Ross Bait Shop, Sportsman’s Choice
______________________________________________________
Please check all that apply: q Enclosed is my entry fee of $20.00 (only current 2017 members are eligible for tagged fish prizes) q I would like to become a 2017 GSLFF member for $10.00 and be eligible for tagged fish prizes q I have enclosed a donation of $________ to help stock and protect the fisheries of the GSL. Mail completed form and entry fee to: GSLFF P.O. Box 991 Northville, NY 12134 **We must receive mailed entries by Friday January 27th** FOR MORE INFORMATION: Randy Gardinier - 518-848-7248 / Jack Smith – 518-863-1062 Email - chairman@gslff.com
Choose Fulton County’s lakes for your next escape. We offer 44 backdrops for boating, fishing, swimming or just relaxing.
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S ca th sh to b ic p fi fr fi b
Taxidermy Starts With the Owner of the Trophy SOME TAXIDERMIST HAVE A DIFFERENT WAY ON HOW TO TAKE care of your trophy fish. This is how Hirsch Taxidermy prefers it. Determine the “show” side of the trophy. Keep this “show side” up at all times. Cover the show side of the fish with this 20 Mule Team Borax. Wrap entire fish in a wet towel, and wrap in plastic bag. Do NOT wrap in paper. If you do not have borax, make sure you wrap it in the wet towel. Lay the fish on a flat surface with ice underneath to keep the fish cold. Do not lay the fish directly on the ice or plastic. Bring it to taxidermist as soon as possible, if you have to freeze the the fish, lay it flat in the freezer. Preferably only freeze for a few weeks, as longer freezing can cause damage to the fish. Always remember to photograph your fish! Photos should to be taken within 60 seconds of dispatching your fish, because color and spot pattern changes occur quickly. Do NOT gut the fish.
Mangino Chevrolet 4447 State Highway 30, Amsterdam, NY Sales: (518) 770-1220| Service: (518) 770-1223
Mangino Buick GMC 1484 Saratoga Road, Ballston Spa, NY Sales: (518) 490-1269 | Service: (518) 490-1272
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Mangino Chevrolet, Buick GMC New & Used Cars in Amsterdam and Ballston Spa Our top priority is helping you find a new or used car, truck, or SUV that's right for you. Make Mangino your destination for new and used cars in Amsterdam and Ballston Spa. 3 generations of the Mangino family are here to serve you in your next car buying experience
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UPSTATE NEW YORK 11
NYS WINTER CLASSIC
IS ON!!
BY THE TIME YOU ARE READING THIS, THE MUCH anticipated NYS Winter Classic www.nyswinterclassic.com has begun, the best part is you can still get in!! That’s right for just $25 you can enter yourself to WIN tons of CA$H and merchandise. Just entering at each weigh-station will enter you to win 60 shanty,s randomly drawn at each subsequent local weigh station. Every fish you enter during this 2 month (Jan,Feb.) statewide (all-waters) derby gives you another entry for the random drawing. A good day on the ice may make March and next ice season comfy in your new shanty donated by the many sponsors that derby organizer Tim Thomas graciously accepted. Other gear and merchandise, like a brand new Case Canoe, www.casecanoe. com that has a patented steering and electric motor with solar panel charging system included will be given away by Alex Case. Also, Clam Corp, www.clamoutdoors.com who donated a share of the shanty’s for the random weigh station drawings, will be funding a $2500 grand prize. Big Shout for Clam Corp!!
Upstate NY anglers and The Angler Magazine certainly appreciate national, regional and local businesses’ taking part and sponsoring a contest benefiting local anglers. Show your support by joining or following the contest at www.nyswinterclassic.com , for up to minute digital derby standings. There is a leaderboard available for both weekly and derby long standings. Check out the lunker pool and a catch a release category for trout and pike that allows for 2 pictures and a release of trophy fish unharmed. Special thank you for all sponsors and entrants, but everyone involved owe a big Thank You to Tim Thomas for his endless energy promoting the great fishing in NY State and packaging up this innovative payout structure that rewards so many anglers. Tim is willing to field questions regarding the derby by calling or texting him at 585-330-0494. You can also follow all the NYS Winter Classic at www.theanglermag.com and select Upstate NY.
The Crossroads is a family owned business located in the beautiful southern Adirondacks. Just east of exit 25 on the Adirondack Northway, The Crossroads is surrounded by lakes, rivers, and mountains.
Along with gas and snacks, we also carry Jim’s Organic Coffee and over 50 choices of Craft Beer!
We carry supplies for Hunting and Fishing in every season, from tip-ups to fly Rods and Flies, Adirondack Gifts and books, clothing and footwear for all seasons. We now have a Boar’s Head Deli with fresh soups and sandwiches as well as breakfast sandwiches in the morning…try a “Bull Moose” I dare you!
NYS Winter Classic Weigh-In Station 40 Dixon Rd., Chestertown, NY (518) 494-3821 • www.crossroadsoutdoors.com 12 UPSTATE NEW YORK
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Clam Outdoors Fully Commits to NYS Winter Classic and NYS Anglers IT’S REFRESHING TO SEE THAT A COMPANY AS SUCCESSFUL and innovative as Clam Outdoors www.clamoutdoors.com support their customers firsthand. That’s what has occurred in their generous sponsoring of the NYS Winter Classic. When asked to supply prizes for the Classic, they stepped up big time and offered up 5 of their “state of the art” shelters. This helped enable NYS Winter Classic www.winterclassic.com organizer Tim Thomas achieve his vision to enable each Classic weigh-station have a huge giveaway just for entering. If that wasn’t enough, Clam Outdoors truly reinforced their support for our derby by offering the $2,500 cash award for the GRAND PRIZE!! Clam Outdoors has been a leader in the icefishing industry for over 30 years because they strive to ensure that their products are dependable, durable and tough. Now Clam Outdoors is proving their loyalty to NY outdoorsmen by very generously supporting this great event that will become a showcase of NY winter fishing for years . Visit www.clamoutddors.com to learn more about their wide assortment of products. BIG shout-out to Clam Outdoors for sponsoring OUR derby.
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UPSTATE NEW YORK 13
Case Canoe Innovates Canoe Fishing WE TRULY LOVE CANOE FISHING HERE AT THE ANGLER Magazine. There’s something about the closeness to the water or the solitude of being one with nature. Unfortunately, sometimes paddling and casting can get cumbersome. Case Canoe www.casecanoe.com has made that a thing of the past. They have patented and advanced a special product that can be revolutionary to outdoorsmen. The Case Canoe has developed a simple hand controlled electrically powered canoe complete with a solar power system to keep you motoring all day long. All these special features come complete with your Case Canoe purchase. To launch the excitement of their innovative
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new product, Alex Case has pledged a complete Case Canoe package as a prize in the NYS Winter Classic www.nyswinterclassic.com. I simply can’t wait for spring to be able to troll for landlock salmon with the quiet approach the Case Canoe will be supplying. The Case Canoe also provides those with a physical limitation to enjoy the peacefulness that canoeing always supplies. Thanks for all the hard work to Case Canoe in making a great tradition better. Go to their website www.casecanoe.com to learn more, and watch their great videos which are also available on our video dropdown at www.theanglermag.com/upstate-ny.
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• GIVEAWAY PACKAGE CONTAINS • http://www.jprossflyrods.com Eskimo Fatfish 949I • Eskimo Propane Auger • Marcum Flasher 2 Eskimo Ice Chairs • ION Ice Auger • Ice Armour Ice Suit Vexilar Underwater Camera • Mr. Heater Big Buddy Register December 1, 2016 through January 15, 2017 Register in-store or online at: www.runnings.com/icefishinggiveaway
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Learning to Fish the Ice With an Automatic Fisherman ONCE I ENTERED THE NYS WINTER CLASSIC, I REALIZED THAT it would be a great time to learn how to ice fish. In the winter months, I have always steelhead fished the Salmon River exclusively and never developed an ice-fishing expertise. Since the Automatic Fisherman www.automaticfisherman.com was sponsoring the same event and Tim Thomas (the Winter Classic organizer) highly recommended the product, I got myself a few to start my ice adventures. I was attracted to their packaging and the kit had complete set up and rigging instructions and everything you need to get started. I plan to chronicle my learning, use and results with the product in coming issues. We have placed some Automatic Fisherman videos on our website www.theanglermag.com, select Upstate NY, then go to the Video dropdown. The Automatic Fisherman reminds me of what an icefishing downrigger would operate like, and it comes complete with a superb ice rod and reel combo. I am excited to catch some fish with the Automatic Fisherman www. automaticfisherman.com and win some prizes in the NYS winter Classic. www.winterclassic.com.
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FISH307.COM LAKE GEORGE FISHING REPORT This report is a preview of traditional baits and methods from recent icefishing seasons. We will be updating you each month in this column or visit our website www.FISH307.COM for recent information and products. Let’s focus on four popular species and how to target them, you can stop in FISH307 for further details, ALL our floor experts are knowledgeable, and will get you dialed-in. PERCH - Many of the bays and coves of Lake George will freeze earlier, so utilize those waters first to target these tasty favorites. Once you locate your spots, jig small spoons tipped with maggots. We recommend Hali products or Swedish Pimples. PIKE - Like the perch, these toothy monsters inhabit the bays and coves that freeze over early. Use large shiners or Big Pike minnows with tip-ups. Also see “Hillbilly’s Monster Adirondack Pike” article in this issue. For jigging Northern Pike, we recommend a #9 Jigging Rapala tipped with Sucker Meat and/ or enhanced with Smelt- Rite scent attractor. LAKE TROUT - You can have a fast and furious day jigging for lakers, when you locate the right spots. These are a few of the jigging lures that have worked well. ½ and ¾ oz jigs with white bass tubes, Venom Bad Blood Series and Strike King Coffee Tubes. Also utilize Smelt - Rite scent. LANDLOCK SALMON - These active specimens cruise just below the ice and can provide a world of fun. Place a medium shiner 2-10 feet down. Landlocks cover more water and cruise around actively searching for food. This fall proved that salmon love cocktail shrimp, since many locals were using them to hook salmon in the Village. Set up some Automatic Fisherman with a small piece of cocktail shrimp, 2-10 feet down. This set-up is perfect for younger and novice anglers just learning. Special Thank you for all who attended our 7th Annual Ice Fishing Open Seminar. If you didn’t make it this year, our 2017 event will be even bigger and better.
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UPSTATE NEW YORK 17
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NEW PRODUCTS CNY CUSTOM RODS IT’S HARD PRESSED TO CALL A LONG ROD A NEW PRODUCT, since tournament anglers in the Midwest have been using them for years. Shawn Hariham of CNY CUSTOM RODS www.cnycustomrods.com is a hard-core tourney angler and designs his rods at his Finger Lakes location in Montair Falls, NY on fabled Catherine Creek. Prior to Lake Ontario salmonids explosion, Catherine was home and still features a prized rainbow run from Seneca Lake, home of the National Lake Trout Derby (www.lake troutderby.com). Strains of Finger Lakes rainbows are steelhead originally stocked by legendary trout pioneer Seth Green. CNY CUSTOM RODS facebook page https://www.facebook.com/CNYCustomRods has all the information you need to know about long rodding but we utilized excerpts of Shawn’s technique below. Call, visit or view CNY Custom Rod at Shawn ‘s Catherine Valley Outfitters location, and bring your waders and pole. SHAWN’S TIPS When using a long rod you don’t use it in the shanty, they are designed for faster fishing while hole hopping, or fishing the shallows. Guys that use long rods stand on the ice instead of sitting down. When using a long rod it gets you back away from the hole when fishing early ice or shallow water, as you can easily spook the fish by standing over the hole or projecting your shadow. By using a long rod when fishing 10’ of water or less, in one motion
you can lift your arm up and lift the fish right up out of the hole without having to reel your line in. This makes for a very fast retrieval, and almost just as fast you can have your line and jig right back down the hole back on the school. Instead of having to wait for your line to unspool off your reel, you already have that length of line out for the depth that you were fishing. If you decide you want to work a line of holes that have been drilled in a certain depth, you can lift the rod tip up and move to the next hole and drop your jig right back down, again, without having to reel your line in. Also, if you have several holes drilled around you, you can stand in place and just turn your body and fish a hole to your left or right, or directly behind you. This gives you a better advantage as just walking on the ice in shallow water spooking fish. For the guys that tournament fish, time is money. And the faster they can hook a fish, get that fish on the ice and the jig back down the hole, the faster they can fish an area and move on. It can make a huge difference when tournament fishing. Using a rod with the line running through them gives you a greater advantage when fishing out of the shack on windy days. With the line protected inside the rod blank, you aren’t losing any vibration when the fish bites, to the wind. With a long rod, you aren’t typically reeling the line in, therefore, you shouldn’t have to worry about getting water inside the rod until the end of the day when you’re headed back in. When using our long rods as intended, you’re sure to have a great day on the ice catching fish.
Sacandaga Specialist
No matter your skill level, experience, or age, our goal is to make memorable experiences. Our ice fishing guide services lakes of East Central New York State including Great Sacandaga Lake, and all waters in Hamilton, Herkimer, Fulton-Montgomery, Otsego, Saratoga, Essex Counties and beyond. Ask about our catered guide trips with meals prepared by Chef Lomanto's Kitchen, from Gloversville, NY.
All equipment and live bait is provided for you, so all you have to do is show up and enjoy the trip. Be sure to dress warm!
Captain Stephen George is a NYSDEC Licensed Wilderness Guide who specializes in ice fishing and fly fishing for trout on streams, lakes, and ponds.
Book Your Trip Now! (518) 527-6175 www.allwaterguideny.com
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UPSTATE NEW YORK 19
ANGLER MAGAZINE FLY FISHING...next 4 pages
Edited by Charlie Warfield
Upstate NY Winter Trout Fishing EVER SINCE OCTOBER 15 MOST OF THE TROUT FISHERMEN that I know have been feeling low. Certainly the prime part of the season is gone. No more easy casting for fish rising to Large Caddis or even Blue wing olives. But for those willing to brave the cold, there can be great reward. Some places are well known like December Steelhead on the Salmon River and some places are less well known like brown trout on the Kayaderosseras creek in Saratoga County. In this article I will mention some of the open trout streams in the areas. These are streams from across our state but mostly within a 2.5 Hr drive from me here is Hamilton County. I will list them by County, and in no particular order. As always check the NY State DEC book or website www.dec.ny.gov for fishing regulations pertaining to the specific water you are planning fish. During the winter, your best bet will be Nymphs. Everything from large stone fly Nymphs to small midge patterns will work. Streamers can be another good option but generally use a slower retrieve in the colder months. One of my favorite nymph rigs for winter fishing would be a size 4-8 Stonefly nymph followed by a size 12-16 hares Ear nymph trailing a small soft hackle nymph -- like a Partridge and Green size 16 and smaller -- or a midge. I use 5x tippet tied to the bend of the hook to rig these flies together. This rig is best suited to a tight line nymphing technique, because it will not cast very well at long distances. This by no means a complete list of trout water that is open year round, but it will get you started. Check these places out for some fun in the cold! And remember to be very careful wading, and layer up! Nobody wants hypothermia. Herkimer County: West Canada Creek from Trenton Falls Dam downstream to the first bridge (Comstock Bridge) below the mouth of
Old Forge, NY Eagle Bay Stillwater
Cincinnati Creek. And the Hudson River. Hamilton County: Hudson River, Indian River. Saratoga County: Kayaderosseras Creek from first railroad bridge upstream Oneida County: Oneida Creek from Peterboro Road (Rt. 25) downstream to NYS Thruway Washington County: Batten Kill from Vermont state line downstream to covered bridge at Eagleville. Madison County: Chenango Canal from Route 46 to Oriskany Creek. Rensselaer County: Kinderhook Creek from Adams Crossing downstream, and the Hudson River from Troy Dam upstream to Bakers Falls in the Village of Hudson Falls and tributaries in this section to first barrier impassable by fish, Mohawk River below Route 32 bridge. Essex County: West Branch Ausable River from mouth of Holcomb Pond Outlet downstream to marked boundary 2.2 miles downstream of Monument Falls, West Branch Ausable River from the Whiteface Ski Center bridge downstream to the Rt 86 bridge at the flume. And Schroon River from Schroon Lake upstream to Alder Meadow Rd.
Adirondack Base Camp
Big Moose Beaver River
Fulton Chain Lakes
First Lake Fulton Chain of Lakes Old Forge
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ANGLER MAGAZINE FLY FISHING
Time for Maintenance BY PAUL SINICKI
BEING A FAIR WEATHER FLY FISHER I DON’T FISH WHEN the line freezes in the guides, so I use the time to prepare for the next season. This is the time to clean and check your rods, reels, lines and flies. You may also want to go through your vest or whatever system you use to carry your tools and equipment. Let’s start with the rods and clean and check them. First wash them down and dry them. The next step would be to check the guides with a cotton swab to make sure that the cotton is not sticking on the inside of the guides. If the cotton sticks anywhere on the guides take a closer look to see why. If a Guide needs to be replaced this is the time to do it. The reel is next to check. Remove the line from the reel and clean it in mild warm soapy water, rinse and dry. Now is the time to examine the line for cracks or problems. Remove the dirt by cleaning the reel, lube and reapply grease. Remove the items from the pouches of the vest or what system you use and place the fly boxes aside for now. Check the items you removed to see if they need replaced cleaned or repaired. Check your fly floatant, leaders and tippet to make sure they are sufficient for the start of next season. One of the final steps in this process is to check your fly boxes and spare fly inventory. You would want to replace the flies that are badly beaten and unraveling. Check to make sure that you have all the sizes you use of your favorite patterns. If you need more flies now is the time to start replacing the flies by buying them or tying them. After this you will be ready for the new season.
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Fly fishing with Ralph Sexton Utica Bass Pro Shop fly-fishing guru FROM THE OUTSIDE BASS PRO SHOP IN UTICA LOOKS LIKE a themed big box store, but spend some time inside going from one department to another, meet the associates that work there and you will find they are knowable about the products they are selling and more than willing to spend some time filling your fishing or hunting needs. Each department has the feel of a local bait and tackle shop, where friends go for a conversation about the big one that did or didn’t get away. Our fly shop offers fly tying classes, for the beginner to advanced. At this time we are currently offering a beginners class on wednesday night from 6:00pm to 7:30pm. These classes are a great way to find out if fly tying is for you. The classes run for 5 weeks and there is no charge for the class, Bass Pro Shop supplies the materials and tools. You will learn the basics of tying streamers, nymphs, dry flies, how to pick the correct thread, hook, and read a recipe. The classes are open for all young and old, stop into the fly shop and ask to sign up for an upcoming class. For the more advanced tyer we have a monday or tuesday night class from 6:00pm to 7:30pm. We ty the hatch chart for our local streams with some of Mike’s and mine favorite trout flies added in, at times we take side excursions into bass and pike flies. Our tiers shape these classes, we encourage your input regarding what you would like to ty. Not a week goes by without a round table discussion that brings new ideas, patterns and techniques to light. Tight Lines and hope to see you soon
THE CHIT – Streamer
MICKEY’S ONEIDA LAKE REPORT I’m going to wait until the last minute to write this article hoping that the bays on Oneida Lake are beginning to top off with ice. Right now Central NY is in the throws of an arctic blast with limited snow fall, perfect conditions for making ice; Lets keep or fingers crossed. Early ice usually means great Sunfish and Bluegill action. It’s a shallow water proposition, typically 4 to 10 feet. It’s also been our observation that Sunfish and Bluegills prefer smaller offerings such as #8 to #10 size Rockers or Drops, tipped with a Spike or Mousie a few anglers prefer to tip there ice jigs with some of the new micro plastics being offered today. Big Bay is usually the first spot on Oneida Lake to get ice. It’s relatively shallow and full of pan fish. Access is somewhat limited however the most popular location providing access is frought with a steep decline that one must negotiate. One snowy day, many years ago, Mickey Letterman, the founder of Mickey’s, on his way back from Frenchman’s Island shouldering two news paper sacks filled with 10 walleye; The limit was 10 then. He was also carrying a spud, that’s what you made your hole with in those days. Mickey, much to his dismay broke through the ice in water that was definitely over his head; He dropped right to the bottom like a bag of rocks. It wasn’t until he rid himself of the spud and the sacks full of walleyes that he was able to buoy back up to the surface. Mickey was in shape back in the day; He got the name Mickey for his amazing athletic ability on the base ball field which probably came in real handy when it came to crawling out of that hole not to mention hoffing it back to shore. So remember, you can drive a car on 6” of black ice; But it may be 6” in one spot and 2” in another. Good advice would be to follow the beaten path especially during first ice. You don’t get to be old by being stupid.
Hook: Size 4/0 Saber 7060 Thread: Black 210 flat waxed Weight: Black ¼” Cone Head Head: Grey Hen Saddle Body: Grey Hen Saddle Tail: Purple/ Olive Badger Saddle Hackle Flash: Purple Crystal Mirror Flash You can find a tying video for this fly on the YouTube @ Modern Fly Fisher. This video is also available to view at www.theanglermag.com/upstate-ny
www.FishingCNY.com
715 South Bay Rd.,N. Syracuse, NY • 315-458-7998
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FRANCHISE OPPORTUNITIES Dear Readers, The Angler Magazine that you are reading is part of a franchise publishing system that spans the Northeast, the Southeast, Florida, the Gulf and even Costa Rica and the Bahamas. In total, we have 40 franchise locations. This Upstate New York edition that you are reading is one of those locations and I am its publisher. The Angler Magazine is looking to grow its Great Lakes presence in 2017 and we are offering franchise locations in:
• Milwaukee, WI • Detroit, MI • Cleveland, OH • Rochester, NY
If you love the outdoors and think you would enjoy running your own business, I would like to encourage you to check out our franchise opportunities by contacting our Corporate Office at 888-800-9794 or email info@coastalanglermagazine.com. You’ll be glad you did. I know I’m glad I did. Sincerely,
In Loving Memory of Mike Gordon
Frank Geremski Co-publisher
December found us any many friends with a heavy heart as we all lost our dear friend. Mike Gordon was a sweet and loving soul whose cheerful smile and friendly nature warmed many hearts. Mike, the original Huge Brother, a teenage world record holding powerlifter and the definition of the term “gentle giant”. Your friends want to tell you, We love you Mike.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
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TIPS FROM A PRO
FRESHWATER WINTERTIME CRAPPIE FISHING
BRANDON LESTER
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very year as my bass tournament season comes to an end, I start thinking about crappie fishing. I like to take a break and let the competitive flames refuel a bit. When the calendar strikes November and water temperatures dip into the 50s in Tennessee, I take several days to go crappie fishing. These fish make really good table fare, they are also very fun to catch, especially the big ones like you find in winter. I am well aware of how good crappie fishing is in spring. But for the way I fish for them around home, fall and winter are when you can really fill the livewell.
It works the same way when fishing laydowns. I look for laydowns on vertical banks that have a good-sized trunk. If they have a big trunk, I know there is a good-sized treetop out in the water. If they are there, I will see them on my SideVision. Once you find fish, cast exactly where they are or just beyond them, not 3 feet to the left or right. If you miss a crappie’s strike zone by 6 inches, you’ve missed it by a mile. Make the cast, count your bait down to the desired depth and reel just fast enough to maintain that depth. No jigging, nothing fancy, just a
Crappie stack up in large schools this time of year, at it’s not hard to catch them if you know what to look for. Crappie always hang around cover of some type. The two key pieces of structure on my home water are boat docks and laydowns. There are a few docks that seem to always hold fish, but I like to hunt for them with my Raymarine electronics. I turn on SideVision mode and start searching. Crappie will be in big schools, and I might go down a line of 50 docks with only one dock holding the mother lode. To see how big they are and to make sure they are crappie, I will put an Aqua Vu camera down there and check them out. Most of the docks I fish are floating, and the magical depth is normally at least 20 feet of water under the dock. The crappie will normally be suspended under these docks anywhere from 8 to 15 feet down, depending on the water clarity.
slow reel. My favorite jig head is a 1/32-ounce ball-shaped jig head with a good sharp Mustad hook, but I will go up to a 1/16-ounce if the wind is blowing or I’m fishing deeper than normal. Any soft plastic minnow imitation in the 2-inch range with a straight tail will work. Stay away from twist-tail grubs for this method because they cause your bait to rise too much. I use a S721 MHX rod built with supplies from Mud Hole Custom Tackle, including a Winn grip. It is 6-foot-long, super-sensitive and has the perfect action for controlling small baits. I team it with a 1000-size spinning reel and 4-pound Vicious Panfish line in fluorescent green. The green line helps me detect light strikes. These tips will help you all the way up until crappie start moving shallow to spawn. These fish are fat and healthy this time of year. So get out and have some fun this winter.
Get more tips from Lester at
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Surprising Winter is the Best Planting Time
I am often asked when is the best time to plant fruiting plants. My answer is usually the same; the best time is 20 years ago or today. The second best time to plant is during the winter months. Plants are dormant, and can be easily shipped and planted with no stress on the plant because there is not a lot of maintenance once the plant or tree has been planted. Simply dig a good hole, water thoroughly
at planting, and take the rest of the winter off. Even though there are no signs of growth above ground, the root systems will have time to get adjusted to their new location and begin to initiate new root growth. There are plenty of advantages of growing your own edibles. First of all, you know what has been done over the course of the growing season from a chemical stand point. Second, the fruit just taste
better coming out of your home orchard versus buying fruit from the grocers that have little to no flavors. Thirdly, it is good for your soul and you will feel more connected to the environment and nature. Whether it is an apple tree, muscadine vine or a blueberry bush; now is the time to plant. Let’s Grow Together. Greg Ison, Ison’s Nursery and Vineyards, 800733-0324, www.isons.com
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estled in the picturesque Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina, Jackson County is home to the Western North Carolina Fly Fishing Trail and its centerpiece, the Tuckasegee River, which dissects the county as it flows north to Fontana Lake. The “Tuck,” as it is known to the locals, is a beautiful tailwater trout fishery used for the 2011 USA Fly Fishing Championships, in which the Gold Medal was won by Team USA member Logan Egan. The most popular time to fish the Tuck is during the delayed harvest (DH) fishing season from Oct. 1 to the first Friday in June each year. During this time frame, the Tuck is a catchand-release fishery with artificial-lure, single-hook restrictions. This stretch of specially regulated water runs about 5.5 miles outside the small towns of Dillsboro, Sylva and Cullowhee. The boundaries of the DH are marked by signage on the banks. These regulations appeal to fly fishers and spin fishers alike. You will not only see anglers stripping streamers, drifting nymphs, and casting dries, but you will see a fair number of spinner fishermen taking good numbers of brook, rainbow and brown trout. Jackson County receives an annual stocking of 92,800 trout, the most in the state of North Carolina. In October and November 2016, the Tuck DH section was stocked with 19,600 trout. Rainbow and brook trout made up about 80 percent of this number, and the other 20 percent were brown trout. Normally, trout reach 12 inches in length before making it into the Tuck, but anglers should expect to see, and potentially land, some trophy-sized trout on any drift or presentation. Many anglers wade the river, and drift boats are also popular. Stream flow is controlled by Duke Energy, which posts three days of release schedules on their website, www.duke-energy. com under the Nantahala link. Duke Energy has also provided boat ramps on Old Cullowhee Road and North River Road that many drifters use while floating the Tuck. South River Road is a popular area for anglers and guides due to the number of pull-offs that parallel the river and make accessing the river easy. Access to the Tuckasegee is great compared to some other rivers in the area, but there is some posted private property. Be sure to avoid it. The Tuck is also part of the North Carolina Mountain Heritage Trout Waters program, which allows anglers to fish with a special three-day license that costs only $5. Many anglers opt to purchase a regular fishing license with a trout stamp since the fee is fair and it gives access to almost all the state’s trout waters. A non-resident can purchase a 10-day fishing license and trout stamp for $33 or an annual fishing license and trout stamp for $51. The Tuck DH runs very close to downtown Sylva, yet its beauty catches most first-time anglers off guard.
In fall, the red, yellow and orange leaves dancing on the trees highlight the contours of the surrounding mountains. A bald eagle might closely judge your fishing skills, watching for its opportunity to show you how it’s done. Winter brings cleansing and the occasional snowfall, in which many local anglers find solitude chasing trout on tiny midges. Winter fishing pressure is minimal, which makes it a great time to land a large trout if you’re willing to test your mental toughness wading in cold water. Spring comes to life with budding trees and insects hatching, signaling the coming summer. Anglers spend late evenings on the Tuck sight casting to rising trout honed in on larger dry flies and emerger patterns. Spring evenings can be very peaceful, since most anglers have broken down their rods by 6 p.m. and are headed to the local brewery or one of the many unique restaurants or food trailers in downtown Sylva or Dillsboro. There is a list of local restaurants and breweries at www.mountainlovers.com, or just ask local fly shop employees for their recommendation. In 2016, the North Carolina General Assembly proclaimed Jackson County the Official Trout Capital of North Carolina. Jackson County is home to 4,600 miles of trout streams with a good mixture of hatchery supported streams and wild streams. Check out www.NCTroutcapital.com for more information. Jackson County was also the first to have an officially designated Fly Fishing Trail, which highlights 15 different streams and rivers for any angler to test their skills. Many have taken the challenge of catching and releasing trout or smallmouth bass in each location. There is a map that gives detailed information about each stream, directions, and the type of fish anglers can expect to catch. More information is available at www. flyfishingtrail.com. If you are looking for a fishery with plenty of trout and the opportunity to catch a 25-incher, the Tuck is for you. It is relatively close to Atlanta, Knoxville, Charleston and Charlotte. The Tuck is just an hour west of Asheville, N.C., and it is at the base of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Blue Ridge Parkway. This makes for a nice and easy weekend retreat, or it can be a popular destination for longer stays due to accessibility and other local attractions. Come and experience North Carolina trout fishing at its best! Shannon Messer owns Appalachian Flies and manages and guides at Blackrock Outdoors Orvis Authorized Fly Shop at 570 West Main Street, Sylva NC 28779. Contact him at 828-6314453 or appalachianflies@gmail.com.
North Carolina’s Tuckasegee River, A Southern Gem By Shannon Messer
For more fishin’ on the North Carolina Tuckasegee River, go to
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FISH & FISHING
A DIFFERENT APPROACH MARK SOSIN
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t’s commonplace today, but more than a halfcentury ago few anglers even thought about it. The late Dr. Webster Robinson wanted to catch either a sailfish or striped marlin on a fly rod while casting from a boat that was out of gear so that the fly was not being trolled. Working with his skipper, Capt. Lefty Reagan, these angling legends fathered the concept of teasing a fish. They reasoned that if they could raise a billfish on a hookless bait, capture its total attention by keeping the tasty morsel just out of reach, work the fish within casting range and substitute a different offering at the last minute, the mission would be successful. I knew both men well and listened intently as Web Robinson described the process to me in detail. He even gave me a copy of the fly he used. Teasing ranks as an extremely effective technique for countless species in a variety of situations. Working on sailfish or marlin on the offshore grounds is just one phase. Sometimes known as bait-andswitch, it’s nothing more than using a live bait, dead bait or a certain artificial to excite a fish enough so it will eat the lure or bait you want it to devour on the tackle of your choice. Very light tackle enthusiasts often tease their quarry into striking so that the line doesn’t break on the initial contact. I’ve teased countless species from sharks, albacore and tuna to striped bass, redfish, barracuda, amberjack, snook and many more. Let me share a couple examples to show you how effective teasing can be. Using a spinning outfit, I rigged a plastic worm exactly the same way as I would for largemouth bass. Pacific sailfish normally don’t include plastic worms as part of their diet. We teased one with a bonito belly and, once the boat was out of gear, I cast the worm. My partner yanked the teaser out of the water and the fish inhaled a plastic worm faster than you can read this.
I met a man who showed me beautiful flies for offshore species. When I told him I could catch a sailfish on a cigar just as easily as with one of his flies, he laughed at me. We were shooting a television show in Panama, and late in the day Capt. Karl Anderson asked if I had a cigar. He rigged it with a leader and hook, attached it to a flyrod and waited for a sailfish to show in the trolled teasers. We stopped the boat, Karl yanked the teaser away from the fish, and I cast the cigar. Within seconds, the sailfish crashed the cigar, went airborne, and all you could see was tobacco showering through the air. As Karl put it, that’s no longer theory. Teasing fish opens a broad new dimension to the sport. As an angler, it allows you to hook fish on all types of tackle using any bait or lure you choose including cigars and plastic worms. Try it and you’ll become hooked on the technique just as I am.
For More Mark Sosin Visit
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FLY FISHING
CASTING FOR REDFISH: BEYOND THE DOUBLE HAUL
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t is well-known that the double haul and the back cast are essential for fly fishing for redfish. Here are three more casts I believe are very important when targeting winter reds with a fly. Fly Repositioning Cast This cast is wonderful when you need to recast a fly to a redfish that refused it or when you missed your target. It works best when 20 or more feet of line are outside the tip-top. It is essential to the success of this cast to not rush picking the fly line up off the water. The key is to load for the back cast by beginning with the rod tip close to the water and slowly lifting the line off the water. Then wait to feel the rod load on the back cast. Once you feel the rod load, make a forward cast, allowing the fly to hit the mark. I’ve witnessed far too many fishermen rush to recast, and in doing so, miss their target on the second cast. The Quick-Cast For The Short Game When sight casting, you will need to execute some short, quick accurate casts. The short cast is one of the most difficult casts to make because a fly rod made for short casting has yet to be built. When red fishing, unless I know I’ll be making long casts, I keep roughly 40 feet of fly line stripped into a line management basket (a bucket if fishing from a skiff) and 20 feet of line outside the fly rod’s tip-top. The first 15 feet of the belly section of the line will easily load the fly rod with minimal false casting. Place the fly between the index finger and thumb of the hand not holding the rod. If a redfish is spotted at close range, make a back cast while at the same time releasing the fly from your hand and cast to the redfish.
Master The Cross-Wind Cast The wind blows where redfish live. The most difficult winds to a fly flinger are the cross-wind and the following-wind. Both are guaranteed to give the angler fits. The best cast for these challenging situations is the Belgian cast, a very quick cast that when executed correctly presents the fly under challenging conditions. The key is to make an extended side-armed back cast, followed by a high extended-arm overhead cast that will provide the angler distance when working in a big wind. A word of caution: The side cast may produce the painful problem of a fly imbedded in the angler if the wind is blowing toward the casting arm. Put It To The Test When targeting winter redfish, the fly angler will be presented with many different casting situations depending on weather conditions. It’s important to understand and execute each of the casting techniques discussed. Once mastered, a trophy redfish is only a cast away! Conway Bowman caught this 41.65-pound IGFA fly-caught world record redfish out of Hopedale, La.
For More Fly Fishing with Bowman, go to
CAMFLYFISHING.COM
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FISHING AND DIVING
The Maldives
By Capt. Terry Fisher
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t had been 20 years since I had boarded a followed by fishing. The Maldivian government live-a-board to fish and dive. My friend, Capt. is famous for it’s eco-friendly approach and Wayne Hasson, president of Aggressor and serious application to fish conservation. The Dancer Fleets, invited me to accompany him to government’s prohibition of net and long-line the Maldives for a world-class fishing and diving fishing for commercial purposes has sustained the expedition. Over the years, Wayne and I have abundance of fisheries. Commercial fishermen use fished and dived many exotic locations, including line and pole, preventing by-catch of species other waters of the Caribbean, Mediterranean, Pacific than their main target, which is tuna. Sport fishing, and Atlantic. This was my first visit to the Indian therefore, has thrived. Among the game fish found Ocean. are giant trevally, barracuda, wahoo, dorado, A three-leg flight from Miami through New yellowfin tuna, sailfish and marlin. Bonefish and York and Dubai landed us in Male, the small, permit inhabit the flats. bustling capital of the Maldives. Upon arrival, There are many charter fishing operations Wayne and I quickly cleared customs and were in the Maldives. I had numerous opportunities to assisted by a friendly and helpful crew of the be transported to beautiful sand beaches in the mother ship. We were transported aboard a ‘Dhoni’ middle of the Indian Ocean to fish for bonefish, (dinghy) by water, to lush accommodations aboard giant trevally, jack crevalle and other species. the Maldives Aggressor. This live-a-board vessel While sailing to new dive sites, we used a ‘Dohni’ boasts a full-service galley, huge salon, 10 guest to troll and catch tuna, sailfish, wahoo and dorado. state rooms and decks for relaxing, sunbathing, At night aboard the Maldives Aggressor, we dining under the stars or just getting away for bottom fished for grouper and snapper. some private time. This luxury yacht offered all Trolling, spinning, fly-fishing gear, including of the comforts and amenities of a five-star, land- lures and fly presentations are basically the same as based property with toilets, lavatory and shower we use in the states. Diving various locations and facilities to satisfy the most demanding guests. seeing up close the numerous species that I would This voyage, Dive with the Owners Week, fish for was an added and educational bonus. provided me the benefit of being surrounded Perfect water clarity offered a vast array of marine by a number of crew, divers and fishermen, life at every dive destination. representing more than 10 different countries. The Maldives is a nation of islands. It is also For information on this trip of a lifetime, visit the “Honeymoon Capital” of Europe and parts www.maldivesfishing.com or www.aggressorfleet. of Asia. Temperatures range from 77 to 86. There com. Contact Capt. Terry Fisher of Cape Coral, are 26 atolls with 1,190 islands. One island boasts Florida’s Fish Face Charters at fishfacecharters@ a rainforest. Only 209 of the islands are inhabited yahoo.com. with a total population For more fishing in the Maldives, go to of only 400,000. Tourism is the leading industry,
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ll tournament anglers want to win. The questions are: How bad do you want that win? How much are you willing to sacrifice? How much are you willing to put on the line chasing the big win? The answers aren’t cut-and-dry or crystal clear. Most tournament anglers I know are perfectly content competing at the club and local level for beer money. But don’t underestimate the will of those guys either. I recently competed in a Deerpoint Team Trail event with Travis Poole in which a win would have been a few hundred dollars for us to split. It was low threat, low entry fee and big fun. You’d think that given the conditions that day, any sane man would’ve stayed at home. Approximately 4 inches of rain fell that day, the wind blew and lightning popped around our heads all day. Still, most guys that entered the event that morning brought their catch to the scales in the pouring rain hoping to claim the prize. The weather didn’t seem to dampen their desires one bit. They wanted it bad enough, at least they did that day. For the professional angler, the weather is just one of many elements they must fight to stay in the game. Family, sponsorship obligations, mechanical problems and financial burdens are just a few of the non-fishing issues that require an angler to do a gut-check nearly every day. All these things must be tended to before the angler can even set out to find fish for a coming event, and he’s usually a one-man crew. Some of the top touring anglers have support networks taking on some of this for them, but rest assured, they didn’t get there with them. Stories from many of the top pros sound the same, tales about sleeping in the cab of their trucks for weeks on end, dining on peanut butter day after day, selling possessions off to fund the next event, and practicing in horrible weather because they only have two days to figure out unknown waters. If there was one thing I could define that separates the successful tournament angler from the others, it’s this: he wanted more. The guy in this picture is my friend Johnny Nguyen. He is a great example of what I just described. I can’t tell you how bad he wants it, but I can tell you he possesses at least one critical element for fishing success: the undeniable, unflappable, hard-core love for the sport. No tournament here, just him out fishing on a day he probably shouldn’t have been. But there he is, doing what he loves. Some get it, others never will. Randy Cnota is the co-publisher of Coastal Angler/The Angler Magazine’s Panama City/Forgotten Coast edition.
For More fishing with Randy ‘C-Note’ Cnota, go to
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hose of us who live life outdoors know it’s not always sunny. It can get downright ugly, and many times the best bite of the year is on the leading edge of a nasty front. With good foul weather gear, wind and rain should never stand between anglers and feeding fish. Pelagic Gear, a company founded on and devoted to the ocean lifestyle, has developed a line of gear that guarantees anglers will stay happy and dry, no matter what Mother Nature sends rolling in. Pelagic’s Dri-Flex Lightweight Jacket is perfect to throw in the bag for those dewy mornings or windy evenings when there’s a slight chill. Pelagic’s DRI-FLEX fabric provides the comfort of a lightweight jacket while protecting you from the elements with water repellant technology. When it’s time to take protection from the elements up a notch, anglers shouldn’t get caught on the water without
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Pelagic’s Hurricane Jacket. For more than a decade, this 100-percent waterproof outerwear has been the choice of hardcore captains around the world. It was designed specifically for the harsh conditions of the marine environment with technical features that cater to the needs of anglers. With welded zipper technology, reflective hex-safety patches and a moisture-wicking liner, the Hurricane Jacket keeps anglers dry and shielded in bad weather. And then there are those times when you need protection all over. Pelagic’s Stormbreaker Foul Weather Jacket and Bib are a full barrier to the elements. The suit is made of a lightweight PVC that is 100-percent waterproof, yet comfortable to wear. Again, it was designed specifically for anglers, with a loose cut for optimal maneuverability and plenty of ventilation. This is also the perfect rain barrier for the traveling angler. It is lightweight and packs easily, so an angler never has to leave the docks without the full protection from harsh conditions. Good foul weather gear is essential to every angler. When it comes to selecting protection from the elements, it makes sense to choose gear designed specifically for fishing. Any outerwear will do if the mission is a stroll through the park. Pelagic Gear’s line protects anglers and keeps them fishing in the kind of brutal conditions only found on open water. To learn more about the Pelagic Lifestyle, go to
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FITEC CAST NETS Fitec International has been providing the very best cast nets available to anglers for over 50 years. They are the world’s largest manufacturer of cast nets and their products are in stock or online with all major retailers and distributors where cast nets are sold. The superior quality in their handmade nets gives anglers the fun and performance they deserve while out on the water. Hold a Fitec net next to a competitor and you will see there is no comparison. Fitec’s Super Spreader and Ultra Spreader cast nets are simply the best! Fitec offers four distinct categories to ensure you are able to get the net you need. The patented EZ throw cast net is designed with a disc feature that is perfect for the novice. The RS, or Recreational Series, is designed for shallow waters or for the person who wants a lighter net. The SS, or Sport Series, nets are designed with a 1-pound per radius foot weight system and are the No. 1 selling cast net in the country. Finally, the GS, or Guide Series, nets are designed for the serious angler, built with the highest quality standards and the fastest sink rate. Fitec values your business. They go to work every day with you, their customer, in mind. Their mission is to “bring innovative quality products to customers, with drive and passion every day.”
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Seeking to become the leading and most comprehensive manufacturer of all things diving and fishing, Hammerhead Spearguns has made another addition to its lineup of gear. They are proud to announce the launch of the Dentex NT, a utility glove so durable yet flexible it’s almost like having a second skin on the hands. The Dentex NT comes with an ANSI Cut Level 5 and Puncture Level 3 and is woven from Hammerhead’s signature red Dentex fabric, but now it has a Sandy Nitrile coating on the palm and fingers, giving it increased resistance to heat and chemicals, plus additional grip. The Dentex NT is also known to be extremely pliant, molding seamlessly into your hands, so no clumsy mitten-hands here. You can even pick up a penny while wearing them! The wide range of things you can do with the Dentex NT gloves is staggering. You can use them not just when you fish or handle tricky, spiny sea critters but also when doing repairs or squaring off with hazardous materials. Welding a piece of metal to fix your boat? Piece of cake! Filleting tuna? Sure thing! Changing lines and hooks? Say goodbye to line abrasions and getting pricked, stabbed, or poked on your fingers. Sharp tools and hot objects no longer pose a threat to your valuable hands.
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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT ERGODOCK OFFERS IMPROVED RESILIENCE, AESTHETICS AND SAFETY
While many docks along the Florida coastline buckled to the force of Hurricane Matthew this fall, widespread reports from boaters and anglers indicated that docks utilizing ErgoDock technologies held up considerably better. With the damage and debris left in Matthew’s wake, the resilience of ErgoDock proved significant—not only because of its strength, but because of expected durability against future hurricanes that routinely batter the coast. The ErgoDock difference is its inherent structural augmentation. ErgoDock is designed to provide a matrix that evolves the dock into a single structural component instead of a succession of individual parts like most marine docks are constructed. Independent tests report that ErgoDock significantly outperforms all other dock options in comfort, safety and customization. ErgoDock’s unique texture, for example, enhances safety with a far more slip resistant material than wood or composite decking. The ErgoDock surface also is designed to allow more “give,” increasing comfort and safety by easing stress on ErgoDock owners’ feet, back and joints while also mitigating any potential injury from a fall. ErgoDock prevents deterioration, therefore reducing the need for maintenance. Its products adhere with an impervious membrane to seal all decking materials and are self-draining, to prevent UV or water degradation of existing decking or concrete surfaces. “Our purpose was to create a material that far outperforms all other dock options when it comes to safety, comfort, customization and longevity,” said Kent Weisenberg, founder and CEO of ErgoDock LLC. “There is nothing like it on the market. ErgoDock is a multi patent-pending marine surfacing system that is revolutionizing the dock design and repair industries.” Weisenberg, the sole named inventor on 28 U.S. and foreign patents, added, “We passionately pursue improving the world’s infrastructure with green technology. ErgoDock surfaces are made of sustainable materials that fight the depletion of our environment.” ErgoDock products can be used in various stages of a dock’s life whether for preservation, safety, aesthetics or for any combination of the three. Still want that traditional wood dock look? ErgoDock offers ErgoWood Decking, which is select-treated wood that is pre-dried and then encased in ErgoDock’s patented SafeTread material and prevents deterioration from sun and water while increasing a dock’s life by as much as 10 years over current decking materials. “Add it all up, and ErgoDock products represent a major leap forward in dock design and repair,” Weisenberg said. “We want people to know that there is another option out there–one that comes with ergonomic elegance and represents a resilient, safe and viable option that contractors will want to offer their customers.”
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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT XTRATUF CAMO-LINED LEGACY BOOT Designed to keep fishermen sure-footed on the water, XTRATUF’s Camo-Lined Legacy Boot is the ideal boot for fishing in the elements. An interior camo lining and XTRATUF logo that are visible when the boot is rolled down adds a pop of color to XTRATUF’s classic performance boot. Not your typical rubber boot, the Legacy is triple-dipped to create a seamless coating of rubber that further strengthens an already watertight material, thus sealing the boots and making them impervious to fish oils and chemicals. The soft, pliable and lightweight neoprene latex rubber gives the Legacy boots unparalleled comfort and flexibility. The hand-laye r e d construction allows for flex and strength at critical stress points on the boot. A signature chevron outsole design and unique rubber compound provides maximum surface contact for ultimate traction and stability in even the most severe fishing and work conditions. These 100 percent waterproof boots will keep the warmth in and the cold out when the temperature drops.
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Customer Rating 69662 shown
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6" VARIABLE SPEED DUAL ACTION POLISHER Customer Rating ITEM 69924 shown 62403/62862
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How Does Harbor Freight Sell GREAT QUALITY Tools at the LOWEST Prices? We have invested millions of dollars in our own state-of-the-art quality test labs and millions more in our factories, so our tools will go toe-to-toe with the top professional brands. And we can sell them for a fraction of the price because we cut out the middle man and pass the savings on to you. It’s just that simple! Come visit one of our 700+ Stores Nationwide. R PE ON SU UP CO
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ITEM 95659 shown 61634/61952 • 580 lb. capacity
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RETRACTABLE AIR HOSE REEL R PE ON WITH 3/8" x 50 FT. HOSE SU UPCustomer Rating ITEM 93897 shown CO 69265/62344
$ $
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comp at
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ITEM 69252 68053/62160 62496/62516 60569 shown
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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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