WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA EDITION
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Tailwater
Trout
Local
Deep Summer Bass
Fishing Reports Catch Photos News & Events
PHOTO COURTESY OF DALTON TANKERSLEY VOLUME 23 • ISSUE 281
F R A N C H I S E
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Target AnalyzerTM function, facilitated by Doppler technology, immediately alerts you to targets (displayed in red) that pose a threat to your vessel. Simultaneously track up to 100 moving targets, displaying their speed & course vectors.
RezBoostTM beam sharpening displays higher resolution targets, similar to those from a large open array antenna.
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FAMILY LEGENDS
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A Rare Medium Well Done CEO / EDITOR IN CHIEF : Ben Martin • camads@coastalanglermagazine.com COO : Tracy Patterson • tracy@coastalanglermagazine.com ART DIRECTOR : Rebecca Snowden • graphics@coastalanglermagazine.com EDITORIAL COORDINATOR : Nick Carter • editorial@coastalanglermagazine.com WEBMASTER : webmaster@coastalanglermagazine.com ADVERTISING INQUIRIES: Corporate Headquarters info@coastalanglermagazine.com • 888-800-9794
FLORIDA
BIG BEND : Mike McNamara • (850) 510-7919 • captmike@coastalanglermagazine.com BREVARD : Chris Milner • (321) 631-1001 • cmilner@coastalanglermagazine.com DAYTONA/NEW SMYRNA/DELAND : Amy Chibbaro • (386) 478-3812 • achibbaro@coastalanglermagazine.com
Chris Chibbaro • (386) 478-9234 • cchibbaro@coastalanglermagazine.com
FLORIDA KEYS : Cliff Lumpkin • (305) 849-9093 • cliff@coastalanglermagazine.com FORT LAUDERDALE : Gene Dyer • (954) 680-3900 • gene@coastalanglermagazine.com FORT MYERS : Nadeen Welch • (239) 595-8265 • nwelch@coastalanglermagazine.com GREATER ORLANDO : Phillip & Giselle Wolf • (407) 790-9515 • phillip@coastalanglermagazine.com GREATER MIAMI : Gene Dyer • (954) 680-3900 • gene@coastalanglermagazine.com LAKELAND & SUMTER : Mary Brasher • (352) 598-4219 • maryf@coastalanglermagazine.com NAPLES : Nadeen Welch • (239) 595-8265 • nwelch@coastalanglermagazine.com NC FLORIDA/NATURE COAST : Cary & Lynn Crutchfield • (352) 372-4237 • crutch@coastalanglermagazine.com NE FLORIDA : Danny Patrick • (904) 742-4696 • danny@coastalanglermagazine.com PANAMA CITY/FORGOTTEN COAST : Randy Cnota • (229) 834-7880 • randyc@coastalanglermagazine.com PALM BEACH COUNTY : Barbara Ryan • (561) 373-8040 • barbara@coastalanglermagazine.com SARASOTA : Phil Prevoir • (239) 257-4684 • pprevoir@coastalanglermagazine.com TAMPA BAY : Chuck Atkins • (239) 464-5153 • chuck@coastalanglermagazine.com TREASURE COAST : Misti & Gary Guertin • (772) 285-6850 • treasurecoast@coastalanglermagazine.com
flahama@coastalanglermagazine.com
SOUTHEAST
ATLANTA : Bob & Brenda Rice • (706) 614-8231 • bobr@theanglermagazine.com
BEN MARTIN EDITOR IN CHIEF
Dear Reader, Fishing magazines are not really that common, but Coastal Angler Magazine and its interior freshwater publication, The Angler Magazine, are changing the landscape of the publishing industry. Today, these localized fishing magazines are available for the marine enthusiast throughout the continental U.S and Costa Rica. These publications are distinctly different, but all provide great information for anyone interested in the pursuit of fishing. Coastal Angler and The Angler’s franchise publishing system have produced a field of co-publishers united in their mission of giving the best local fishing information possible. By working with the local fishing guides and charter captains, these co-publishers have their fingers on the pulse of what’s happening across the different fishing areas every month – month in, month out. If your plans have you traveling to a new area this summer, check out www.coastalanglermag.com and review the same quality of fishing information, that you are used to reading in your area, from any area in the magazine’s current footprint. Want more information about joining Coastal Angler or The Angler Magazine’s team of local fishing magazine publishers? Just give us a call. We are interested in expanding throughout the U.S. and abroad. For more information, call 321.777.2773, email info@ coastalanglermagazine.com or visit franchise.coastalanglermag. com.
CHARLESTON : Sam Buckareff • (843) 607-8629 • sam@coastalanglermagazine.com CHARLOTTE/PIEDMONT : Doug Simmons • (704) 361-6189 • simmons@theanglermagazine.com
Juli Simmons • (980) 333-7273 • simmons@theanglermagazine.com
COLUMBIA/MIDLANDS : John Lux • (803) 807-6885 • jlux@theanglermagazine.com MYRTLE BEACH : Mike Masiero • (732) 674-3019 • mmasiero@coastalanglermagazine.com TIDEWATER/OUTER BANKS : John Tiger • (757) 707-9654 • john.tiger@coastalanglermagazine.com
Laura Tiger • (757) 707-9655 • laura@coastalanglermagazine.com
WESTERN NC : Debra & Joe Woody • (828) 775-9663 • woody@theanglermagazine.com WILMINGTON/MOREHEAD : Kenny Ritter • (910) 550-9094 • kenny@coastalanglermagazine.com
NORTHEAST BOSTON : George Regan • (617) 488-2842 • boston@coastalanglermagazine.com
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LONG ISLAND : Lisa & Michael Danforth • (203) 321-7635 • lisad@coastalanglermagazine.com CONNECTICUT/RHODE ISLAND : Lisa & Michael Danforth • (203) 321-7635
Handmade, custom colored, extremely tough, functional handles for all your stainless steel cups. Universal fit for most popular brands. Made from marine grade shock cord and true 550 paracord. Pull all you want. We can handle it.
lisad@coastalanglermagazine.com
GULF COAST MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST : Adam Nelson • (228) 627-5903 • anelson@coastalanglermagazine.com
Toby Nelson • (228) 623-1761 • tnelson@coastalanglermagazine.com
ALABAMA/PENSACOLA : Paul Caruso • (239) 980-7738 • paul@coastalanglermagazine.com
GREAT LAKES WEST MICHIGAN : Phil Belsito • (616) 957-1714 • phil@theanglermagazine.com
INTERNATIONAL PUERTO RICO/VIRGIN ISLANDS : Ace Bassue • (407) 285-9453 • ace@coastalanglermagazine.com COSTA RICA : Mike Erickson • (561) 262-2242 • mike@coastalanglermagazine.com © 2018. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. Disclaimer: Coastal Angler Magazine / The Angler Magazine will not be held liable for injuries incurred while partaking in activities described herein, or for claims made against products or services provided by advertisers.
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SUNGLASSES OAKLEY PRIZM
NATIVE EYEWEAR SIGHTCASTER
Oakley’s new Prizm lens collection finetunes vision for different sports and environments. They’ve created the perfect lenses for several outdoor endeavors, and
of course they’ve got anglers covered as well. In fact, they’ve developed two different formulas tailored to whatever type fishing you do. The Prizm Shallow Water is perfect for sightcasters and skinny-water anglers, whether it’s in the mangroves or on a trout stream. Prizm Deep Water is for open-water anglers who need the ability to peer into the depths. Prizm Shallow Water enhances greens and coppers and keeps whites bright so anglers can better see hiding spots and fish shadows. The added polarization cuts through the glare of the water. Prizm Deep Water filters out the shades of blue that overwhelm your vision on open water, while boosting greens and reds and keeping whites bright, so anglers can spot flashing fish and see what’s beneath the surface. The added polarization cuts through the water’s glare, and the dark lens provides comfort on long days out on the water. With a renowned brand like Oakley, you can rest assured the optical clarity and fit of their Prizm line will be second to none. Now there’s a pair of Oakleys designed specifically for the sport you enjoy.
From fishing the flats to backcountry fly, the fish are biting for the Native Eyewear SIGHTCASTER. Weighing less than an ounce, the SIGHTCASTER is the right pair for the pursuit of a good catch. Color-enhancing, high-def optics allow you to see deeper and 99.9 percent polarization efficiency cuts through glare. The frame’s wrap enhances protection and coverage while nonslip CUSHINOL rubber temples and nose pads ensure all-day comfort and a secure fit. Starting at just $109, you won’t find a better value for a quality piece of gear.
WWW.NATIVEYEWEAR.COM
WWW.OAKLEY.COM MAKO EYEWEAR BLADE The Mako Polarized sunglass collection launched this year in the United States, featuring a range of technical lenses created for outdoor sports with a particular focus on fishing. One of the best-selling Mako Polarized sunglasses is the Blade, offering a comfortable fit without sacrificing style. An eight-base design, the Blade wraps close to your face, reducing side light and improving line-of-sight and peripheral vision. Thin arms reduce pressure over the ears and are excellent for fishermen who always wear a hat. Mako sunglasses are available in four polarized glare-reducing lens types, all made from glass for its scratch-resistant properties and ultimate clarity. All of our sunglasses have an industry-leading 12+ anti-reflective coatings, advanced polarization, and oleophobic and hydrophobic coatings to repel oil, dust, dirt and water. The featured lens for the Blade is the Green Mirror (G2H5), polarized lens, featuring a special rose base color which helps you see enhanced detail at a greater depth. The internal green mirror reflects the brightest sunlight while its high definition filter removes harmful UV light rays, enhances color and increases contrast.
WWW.MAKOEYEWEAR.COM COSTA CAPE Costa’s new Cape style is an extra-large frame that offers massive lenses and ultra-wide temples to provide the most protection from the sun’s harmful rays. Manufactured from biodegradable resins sourced from reclaimed castor oil, Costa’s new frame withstands the elements of adventure while also providing comfort and wearability. Cape features Costa’s new innovative sweat management system, with ventilation ducting allowing air to flow through the end piece of the frame, which reduces lens fogging. Sweat management temple channels enable airflow from the vents to cool, wick away and drain sweat and moisture through openings on the temple tips. In addition, a thinned out inner bottom eyewire tucks closely into the back surface of the lens, which allows sweat and moisture to drain down the back of the lens and off the frame. The new style also features Costa’s patented 580 lens technology, providing 100 percent UV protection and polarization to give anglers the clearest lenses on the planet. Color-enhancing technology filters out harsh yellow light for superior contrast and definition and absorbs high-energy blue light to cut haze and enhance sharpness. Cape is available in matte black ultra, shiny steel gray metallic, bowfin and matte russet, with lenses in seven lens colors, including Sunrise Silver Mirror and Gray Silver Mirror. The new frame can also be customized with prescription lenses.
WWW.COSTADELMAR.COM
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S RE VIEW2018 RCI OPTICS POWER PLANT
OCEAN WAVES JAX BEACH Ocean Waves Sunglasses, renowned for fishing eyewear, has produced an excellent and versatile pair of fishing glasses with their Jax Beach frame. The Jax Beach comes in tortoise or matte black and has the widest range of size flexibility and wrap to fit anyone’s head. From small to XL head sizes, the Jax Beach provides a great wrap look, excellent coverage, and comfortable fit and feel. The Jax Beach can be paired with any of Ocean Waves’ specialized lens types according to the angler’s personal preference and visual needs. Ocean Waves Sunglasses customizes fit, utilizing two lens curvatures, which can be selected in any of the company’s high-quality mirrored lenses: Offshore Blue (OSB), Backwater Green (BWG), Lunar Silver (LS – ultra dark), or Luminator Purple (LP – light enhancing) as well as non-mirrored Grey and Amber. Piece together the perfect shades to fit your style and needs.
WWW.OCEANWAVES.COM
RIO RAY MALIBU Rio Ray Optics is the best new affordable polarized brand on the market. Designed for the outdoor lifestyle, all Rio Ray sunglasses come with 100-percent optically correct polarized CR39 lenses, frames with indestructible TR90, acetate and memory metal titanium with optical spring hinges for maximum comfort and a hassle-free lifetime warranty. All Rio Ray hard-coated polarized lenses are made of the highest quality CR39 and contain nine layers of protection with 100 percent UV protection. A hydrophobic coating on the front repels water, sunscreen and dirt, which makes cleaning and maintenance easy. A vibrant flash mirror provides additional glare reduction, and a superior scratch resistant coating prevents lens damage. The backside anti-reflective coating eliminates bounce-back glare. Rio Ray MaxFlex frame technology makes these the most comfortable sunglasses on the market, utilizing lightweight TR90 nylon, which maintains frame shape and offers incredible durability. Frames are prescription ready, and each pair comes with a full array of accessories including a hard and soft case and cleaning cloth. The frames here are Rio Ray’s Malibus. Go to their website to see all their stylish models. For dealer inquires, call 800-498-2104 or email jarrod@riorayoptics.com.
American-owned and based in Florida, RCI Optics is producing the most advanced sunglasses, equipped with more features than any other brand. These glasses, manufactured in Italy, are lightweight and incredibly durable, with optics that are crisp and clean with unbeatable polarization. Built for the elite waterman and outdoor enthusiast, RCI’s glasses are in a league of their own. RCI’s Power Plants are made with a Ballista 2.0 frame material that’s virtually bombproof. The Helius 2.2 lens material is six times denser than standard polycarbonate lenses. An ANSI Z87.1 safety rating meets OSHA requirements for safety glasses, and a Mil Std 662 military rating stops a .15 caliber projectile fired at 650 ft. per second. How’s that for durability? Well, they’re also top-notch in terms of optics. RCT (Radius Curving Technology) offers distortion-free optics for the clearest vision. These shades are 99.9 percent polarized, using injected polarization, not laminated. H780 Infrared blocking technology eliminates harmful radiation. Multilayered antireflective coatings eliminate distracting internal reflections, and permanent hydrophobic, oleophobic and antistatic coatings are applied to both sides of the lenses. Try a pair for yourself and you will see why they say, “The Advantage is Clear.”
WWW.RCIOPTICS.COM SALT LIFE ANDROS
The most recognizable name on the water, Salt Life, is also the maker of stellar sunglasses. Their Andros Matte Black sunglasses are performance designed and lightweight, offering extreme comfort for extended wear in the sun. Made in Italy with highquality glass lenses, they allow you to see images crisper and clearer. Andros are available in lens colors of Smoke Blue and Copper Green. Their lenses are 100-percent UV protected with five layers of anti-glare reflective coating that completely eliminates glare. Go out and get noticed in Salt Life sunglasses.
WWW.SALTLIFE.COM
WWW.RIORAYOPTICS.COM SKELETON OPTICS MOSSY OAK BREAK-UP COUNTRY SCOUT Skeleton Optics high performance eyewear delivers superb craftsmanship, trendforward innovation and advanced technology for Outdoor enthusiasts everywhere. From the Rocky Mountains to the Atlantic Ocean, Skeleton Optics sunglasses are designed to empower ordinary people to do extraordinary things, inspiring them to live the “No Boundaries” lifestyle. The Skeleton Optics Mossy Oak Break-Up Country Scout sunglasses are a product of that thought process. Working with experts at Mossy Oak and Zeiss, Skeleton Optics is pleased to provide hunters and sportsmen with sunglasses featuring the most true-to-nature elements ever produced on camo. Mossy Oak Break-Up Country combines digitally enhanced, life-sized natural elements with perfect color tones to help you blend in and shadowing elements that break up your outline like no other pattern available. A blaze orange nosepiece has been fitted for anti-slip and moisture wicking, and to complete the look,
the Skeleton logo has been hand-painted in blaze orange. No two frames look exactly alike! So, no matter where you hunt, becoming a part of your surroundings won’t be a problem. Every pair of Scouts include polarized polycarbonate lenses by Zeiss, designed using an advanced Tri-pel coating to promote clear vision, amazing visibility and clarity, while reducing discomfort caused by glare during outdoor activities. Designed for those who don’t go where the path leads, the Mossy Oak Break-Up Country® Scout sunglasses are intended for those who instead forge their own trail.
SKELETONOPTICS.COM
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QUIK-CHANGE II ™ Our Innovative, Interchangeable Fixed Blade Cutlery System 9” FILLET 7” FILLET 5” FILLET 3” SERRATED
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rugged canvas roll pack
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By CAM Staff • Photo by Jean-Pierre Bazard
E
very blade-handy angler has their own techniques and tricks for peeling the perfect fillet off a fish. But anyone who has spent enough time around a cutting board knows the perfect way to fillet is a combination of three crucial elements: technique, tools and practice. Whether it’s a 15-pound red snapper or a 6-ounce bream, the basics of filleting a fish are the same. The idea is to remove the meat along the fish’s flanks, while leaving behind the head, bones and guts. Step 1: Make a vertical cut just behind the fish’s gill plate and pectoral fin. This cut should go all the way down to the bone and
extend from back to belly. Step 2: Run the blade from the first cut all the way down the top of the fish, along the backbone to the tail, making a shallow incision as close to the backbone as you can get it. Step 3: Using that long cut along the backbone, utilize smooth, light strokes to work the fillet away from the bones moving from the back to the belly. The other hand can be used to peel back the meat as you go. Cut around the ribcage when you arrive at it. Step 4: With step 3 completed, you should have a beautiful skinon fillet. To remove the skin, place the fillet on the board skin side down. Start from the tail and insert the knife through the meat down to the skin, leaving a tab of meat and skin at the tail to hold onto. Turn the knife horizontal and run the blade up the skin to remove the meat. Step 5: Use tweezers to pick out any pin bones left in the fillet. The technique seems simple enough, but if you don’t have good, sharp, flexible knives that are sized correctly for the fish on the board, you’re going to make a mess out of your fillets. Havalon has come up with an all-in-one solution for this issue with its Talon system. With five styles of high-quality blades that all fit on the same handle, switching from a 7-inch blade down to a 5-incher or even down to a 3.5-inch utility blade is as easy as pressing a button with their Quik-Change II blade replacement system. The blades can be resharpened as well as replaced to make sure they are razor sharp when you need them. Also, with a handle that opens up, clean-up is both thorough and easy with the Havalon Talon system. Rinse your tools down and roll them up in the included canvas kit so they’ll be ready the next time you need them. And next time should be soon, because practice is the final and most important element in the perfect way to fillet. Go fishing enough, and you’ll be peeling off perfect fillets for the table in no time. Check out the Havalon Talon System at www.havalon.com.
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TOW & STOW ®
THE LAST HITCH YOU’LL EVER NEED
• Rotate the Ball
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• Adjust the Height
• Stow the Hitch
TowingAdventure.com COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
6/18/18 2:58 PM
American-Made Innovation At
B&W Trailer Hitches S ince 1987, B&W Trailer Hitches has been using quality and innovation to build one of the most trustworthy names in the industry. Employee-owned and all American, B&W manufactures towing products with the kind of quality that can only be delivered when pride of ownership goes into every step of the process, from design to the final customer experience. While most other manufacturers have shipped their operations overseas, this commitment to excellence has made B&W one of the few remaining hitch makers in America. Like many American success stories, B&W’s began in a garage. It was 1987 in the Midwestern town of Humboldt, Kansas. Roger Baker was experiencing declining demand for his skills as a classic-car restorer, and Joe Works had endured several tough years on the family farm. To provide for their families, they began applying their skills in a new way—building custom truck beds under the name B&W. They quickly recognized a way to remove the inconvenience of a gooseneck ball permanently welded in the bed of a truck. They designed a gooseneck hitch with the mounting hardware underneath the bed and a ball that turned over and stowed in place. The Turnoverball Gooseneck Hitch was born. They didn’t know it would revolutionize the industry the way it did, but today nearly every gooseneck manufacturer uses this type of ball storage and mounting system. They didn’t invent the trailer hitch, but they made everyone else reinvent theirs. A few years later, they applied the same
concepts to fifth-wheel hitches. Using the same under-bed mounting hardware and hole in the bed, they designed a Companion with a single point attachment that was removable when not towing. They also designed the Companion to provide a quiet and smooth ride for the user. From there, they kept solving problems other hitch manufacturers weren’t, always thinking of the customer’s towing experience. They set the bar high and built a company that continues to raise it. Baker retired in 1999, and in 2007, Works began transferring ownership to the company’s 390 employees, who are now employee-owners. With a vested interest in their products, the employee-owners are more dedicated than ever to making the best hitches and accessories possible. Their product line now includes all types of innovative towing products manufactured on-site in their nearly 500,000-square-foot facility, where they can oversee every detail. Their steel comes straight from the American Heartland and is forged in mills they’ve known and trusted for years. Because the best labor doesn’t come from the lowest bidder overseas, B&W’s craftsmen are some of the best and brightest in the industry. “We know that what you tow matters— and so does what you tow it with,” is a company motto. B&W Trailer Hitches is a shining example of American-made quality and American ingenuity. For more information, go to www. bwtrailerhitches.com.
There’s a lot going inside a 4-Stroke engine. Keep it protected with ECSTAR Suzuki Genuine Oil. Available in Gallons or Quarts at a Suzuki Marine Dealer Near You.
RUN LONG. RUN CLEAN. RUN STRONG.
ECSTAR. the Suzuki “S” and model names are Suzuki trademarks or ®. Always wear a USCG-approved life jacket when on the water and read your owner’s manual. © 2018 Suzuki Motor of Ameria, Inc.
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E
veryone who goes out on the water wants to have a good time and come home safely. No matter what boating activity you take part in, there is something freeing about that feeling of the wind in your face, the gentle rocking of the hull and the sound of the waves. Unlike cars, there are no yellow lines to stay between; you can go anywhere you want. But just like in a car, there are some rules you must follow. The Navigation Rules and Regulations Handbook, published by the U.S. Coast Guard, includes the U.S. Inland Navigation Rules or NAVRULES and the international rules known as the COLREGS. These rules were developed for the purpose of avoiding collisions and keeping boaters safe. Every boat owner should have a copy and spend some time understanding them. It is mandatory to have a copy onboard any vessel over 39.4 feet in length. Taking a class on the rules can also be extremely helpful. To break it down, the rules tell you what to do when you come across another vessel. In this case, the term “vessel” is used to classify almost anything that floats on water that can be used for transportation. That means there is a rule that applies to almost every situation involving everything from a kayak to a seaplane. They cover steering regulations as well as sound signaling equipment and navigation lights. As a responsible boater, you should not only be familiar with the basics of how the regulations apply to the specific situations for where you are fishing but should try to know and understand all the requirements. If you regularly go fishing on a small lake or kayak fishing in a river, it is probably rare for you to come into contact with commercial vessels, but you still should know how to handle those situations. Also, just because you are fishing, does not mean you are always a “stand-on”
vessel like a commercial fishing vessel using nets or longlines. Knowing the different rules that apply to all of these situations can mean the difference between a good day on the water and tragedy. At a minimum, you should always have a proper lookout, operate at a safe speed and yield or give-way to another vessel when in doubt and to always avoid a collision, even if that means breaking a navigation rule to save lives and avoid damaging property. Don’t leave the dock without knowing the rules of the road. The United States Power Squadrons–America’s Boating Club offers a seminar that simplifies the sometimes complex COLREGS for the recreational boater. Through examples, you’ll discover how to avoid collisions in various situations, the differences between power and sailboat rules, and the special rules for fishing vessels. This seminar includes student notes with slides. The downloadable U.S. Coast Guard’s Navigation Rules and Regulations Handbook is the supporting text. This seminar is also a starting point for study preparation for the USCG License examination. For more information on how to sign-up for the seminar, visit www. americasboatingclub.org.
Join in the Fun!
United States Power Squadrons is America’s Boating Club Learn boating skills. Engage with boating friends. Connect with the boating community.
Learn more at www.americasboatingclub.org
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FOR WORRY-FREE FISHING ALL YEAR
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W
e call them “dinks” here on the Gulf Coast of Texas. They are the spotted seatrout that are undersize or just barely legal. There are many anglers out there this summer who will be happy to catch a limit of trout, even though they are dinks. But there is also a strong contingent of anglers, like me, who would rather catch trout in the 18- to 20-inch or larger Derek Change caught this nice trout on a TroutSupport GrassWalker lure. range or go catch redfish. You can put several things in your favor to help you catch better quality summertime trout. One of those is not fishing too shallow during the heat of summer. The forage better quality trout eat is oxygen level dependent. Species such as glass minnows, silversides and menhaden move deeper in the summer heat. Continuing to fish shallow grass flat edges during July and August is a great recipe for catching smaller-than-average, undersized spotted seatrout. Look for structure that is deeper than 8 feet in your bay system. If it has good current, you’ll find it also has better quality seatrout during the heat of the summer. On rare occasions, a very large trout will be feeding on the small trout and mullet in shallow water. But trying to target fish in this scenario tends to be a Hail Mary more than a good plan, unless it’s an area that typically holds big trout. Big trout can be caught on structure at the edge of deep water pre-dawn until about sunrise, but many will just stay deep during this period. Hunt the fish, and you should have better results. Tobin created TroutSupport.com - Precision Teaching and Tools for Speckled Trout and Redfish.
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NORTH CAROLINA
By Nick Carter
I
t’s hot, and trout are lethargic in our low-elevation streams. With low dissolved oxygen levels and high water temps, catching a trout in the depths of summer is often a death sentence for the fish, regardless of how carefully they are released. So what’s a trout junkie to do when summer temperatures put a damper on the action? Go get your fix on a tailwater. Tailwater trout fisheries are a great resource during the extreme temperatures that throttle free-flowing streams. When water pulled through a dam from a reservoir is released through oxygenating devices into a river, the ecosystem below the dam maintains oxygen levels and water temps suitable for trout year-round. In addition to this, water that has been stored behind a dam is generally nutrient rich, which provides fertile grounds for trout to grow large. In North Carolina, the Hiwassee
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River, around Hayesville, and the lower Nantahala River, in Nantahala Gorge, are two good tailwaters that fish well no matter the season. On the Nantahala, because of its popularity as a whitewater rafting destination, there are limited opportunities when anglers can wadefish effectively. Constant high flows during the daytime make floating the river the best option. A guide is highly recommended for anglers who are not also strong whitewater paddlers. The state stocks the Nantahala downstream of the Beechertown powerhouse, and there’s a strong contingent of holdover fish as well as some wild fish from natural reproduction. For some reason, the rainbow trout do not seem to achieve the same size as the huge browns that come out of the lower river. On high water, heavily weighted nymphs are best for getting down where the fish are. A big streamer is a good idea for those hunting big browns. On the Hiwassee, public access is the issue. During low flows, it’s possible to wade the river at several public access points from Hayesville downstream to Mission Dam. However, floating the river is, again, the best option. On this one, someone who can handle a canoe, kayak or inflatable driftboat reasonably well should be able to handle the river when water levels aren’t too high. But know ahead of time that low flows force a lot of boat dragging, while water releases turn the river into a muddy torrent. The Hiwassee is not designated as trout water by the state, yet it is full of wild rainbows. Most of the fish are small, but some huge 20-plus-inchers show up for anglers who know what they’re doing. It is a technical fishery, where trout can be super selective and spooky. Nymphing is the way to go in summer. Also, water temps rise the farther downstream one goes, so the stretches above and just below Hayesville fish best this time of year. For more information on all the state’s best trout fisheries, including GPS coordinates to access points and more, check out “Flyfisher’s Guide to North Carolina & Georgia,” available on Amazon or by contacting the author at nsc8957@gmail.com.
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Photo courtesy of Capt. Tim Cutting ollowing a nearly sixmonth closure due to widespread cold-stun events in January, North Carolina opened up harvest for spotted seatrout in inland waters June 15. A press release from the North Carolina Department of Marine Fisheries indicated that recreational size and bag limits will remain the same for the species as they have since 2011. Those limits are four fish per person, per day with a 14-inch minimum size limit. The closure was implemented due to winter cold-stuns, which have been shown to have a significant detrimental impact to seatrout populations. Cold stuns are natural events on the northern end of the seatrout’s range, and they occur when sudden drops in water temperature or sustained periods of cold weather either kill fish outright or make them sluggish. When they are stunned, seatrout become easy pickings for larger fish, birds and other predators. For more information, see www.ncwildlife.org.
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BLUE RIDGE
By Jay Striker
I
have caught some of my biggest fish on jigs, and they have put me in some really good positions while competing. Some anglers have never fished a jig in their life and feel the work that goes into fishing jigs can waste a lot of time. Well, I don’t agree with that. The success of fishing jigs comes down to key factors such as equipment, location and retrieve. Let’s dive right in and make jigs more enjoyable to fish. The football jig has a football-shaped lead head with a heavy-duty
hook with or without a weed guard and a skirt that can come in a variety of colors. What makes the jig so effective is the versatility. A good universal set-up is a 7-foot heavy action rod with a pretty stiff backbone, 14-pound line and a 3/8-ounce football head jig in my favorite color, green pumpkin brown. This set-up is my go-to in many situations. This time of year, as we head into deep summer, I like to find migration routes that lead to and from shallow water out to deeper water. Bass tend to stack up near these locations before they completely retreat to their offshore summer haunts. Ledges are a prime location to target with football jigs. I increase the size of my jig from 3/8 to 1/2 ounce, and sometimes to 3/4 ounce, to make the jig fall faster on the ledges. I can make contact with the bottom faster and start my retrieve. When fishing a jig in deep water, be sure to let the jig hit the bottom. Once you hit bottom, lightly raise the rod tip to about a 10 o’clock position to tighten the line. Keep a light pulling pressure on the rod tip to move the jig. This action mimics a crawfish moving across the bottom and triggers strikes. Jig fishing around deep submerged structure like rocks, deep wood or brushpiles will pick up some quality fish in deep water. Location is a key component to being successful with jigs. Try targeting ledges, migration routes, channels or ditches. I like ledges because fish bunch up right off them in summer, where they can move up and down easily to feed throughout the day. Cast a football head jig on the ledge and pull it until you feel it start to fall off the edge. Allow the line to remain limp on the fall. If the line twitches or tightens even a little bit, set the hook. You have to be a line watcher, especially when ledges are 20 to 30 feet deep. Take the time to learn how to fish a football jig. Sticking with it will ultimately lead to opportunities at big bass. Follow tournament angler Jay Striker on Facebook, Instagram and at jaystriker.com. Look out for Striker Nation Live, which will be a 30-minute weekly live show to discuss bass fishing.
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outh Carolina has established a catch-and-release-only zone for brown and rainbow trout on the lower Saluda River near Columbia to protect spawning trout. Anglers have long enjoyed a “put-and-take” trout fishery in the lower Saluda river below the Lake Murray Dam, thanks to cold-water releases from the bottom of the dam that support hatchery-reared rainbow and brown trout. From the 1960s until the mid-2000s, anglers enjoyed catching stocked trout during the fall and winter and into the spring. During hot summer and early fall, those stocked trout that weren’t caught by anglers would typically die due to decreased oxygen levels in the river. In the late 2000s, after the South Carolina DNR and other conservation groups negotiated with dam operator SCE&G for a more regular minimum flow through the dam, trout anglers and South Carolina fisheries biologists began to notice something interesting. With the new water flows and new equipment designed to increase oxygen levels, some stocked trout were surviving and growing to trophy size. During 2014, it was also discovered that these “holdover” fish had begun reproducing, with young-ofthe-year surviving in a section of the river between Saluda Shoals Park and Riverbanks Zoo. The SCDNR held a series of public meetings in February to discuss the possibility of creating a “catch-and-release-only” zone to facilitate the reproduction now occurring in the river.
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Feedback from anglers and other stakeholders was positive, and a bill, sponsored by Lexington Senator Katrina Shealy was drafted. “The establishment of the catch and release zone between I-20 and Stacey’s ledge on the Lower Saluda will provide an opportunity for anglers to experience a very good trout fishery in a very unique location,” said SCDNR Fisheries Chief Ross Self. “This area should have very good access and is the best area for anglers to wade and fish of any location along Lower Saluda.” The law was passed by the legislature in May and signed by Gov. Henry McMaster on May 17, 2018. Effective July 1, “the lower reach of the Saluda River, from the eastbound I-20 bridge downstream to Stacey’s Ledge, is yearround catch-and-release fishing only for all species of coldwater trout.” The bill also mandates that “the Department of Natural Resources shall make a study of the lower Saluda River trout fishery and make recommendations on any needed modifications to the fishery by Nov. 1, 2023.” 10:01 PM For more information, go to www.scdnr.gov.
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JULY 2018 l WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA
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LAKE HIWASSEE
Lake Hiwassee Striper Explosion with Murphy, NC’s Only Fulltime Striper Guide!
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By Shane Goebel
ummer is finally, officially here--the weather is beautiful, the water is warmer, and the striper bite is insane! We’ve been averaging 30 to 50 fish per morning out here. This is the perfect time to hit the lake and experience some extreme striper fishing, and what’s the best way to do that? By booking a trip with Murphy, NC’s #1 and only fulltime striper guide: Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service. Currently, Lake Hiwassee is at full pool. Water clarity is clear and slightly stained in the rivers, do to all the recent rains. Water temps are in the low to mid 80s. Striper fishing has been excellent. We have been loading the boat with some big fish in good quantities, and I mean loading the boat. These Lake Hiwassee monsters are schooling up, big time, and are hammering baits. The early-morning and evening bites are your best times to see action. In the early-morning hours, we are still pulling some free lines with live blueback herring along with our downlines. Keep your free lines 100-150 feet behind the boat. As the sun comes up in the later morning hours, start to focus on deeper water and switch
to all downlines. This is the time you’ll want to pay close attention to your electronics. While searching for schooling fish, target creek mouths and rocky points along the main channel. As the top-water bite has also been good, keep a spook or a Red Fin at the ready to snag those surface-busting fish. July is a fantastic month for catching some big fish on this lake. From smallmouth bass to hard fighting stripers, there are many great opportunities to catch a number of fish species on Hiwassee Lake. Give Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service a call and let the area’s #1 rated guide service put you on some of Lake Hiwassee’s best trophy fish. We are Murphy, NC’s only full-time guide service, specializing in striped and hybrid bass. We also serve Lake Nottely, Chatuge and Blue Ridge. And for all your live blueback herring and tackle needs, check out Hughes General Store in Blairsville, GA. They carry everything you need for a successful day of fishing. So, come fish with the pros for the opportunity to be featured in Angler Magazine, and let us help you get your fish on!
Shane Goebel is the Owner of Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service and a member of The Angler Fishing Team. Contact him at www. bigolfish.com or (828) 361-2021 / 1-(844)-4-ANGLER.
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MURPHY AREA LAKES
Hiwassee, High Water and Fish Bites
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he last few weeks have been interesting. The recent flooding on Hiwassee Lake has resulted in a lot of floating debris (be careful out there), and for a week or two, it rendered all but a couple of ramps inaccessible. It has also resulted in a ton of water being released into Apalachia, with the generators essentially running nonstop. However, the increased water levels have not had a detrimental effect on the fishing, and we are still catching a bunch. The striper bite has been awesome. We are catching both big fish and big numbers, with multiple fish over 30 pounds being boated recently. A lot of these fish are still coming on light tackle, which is even more fun. Incidentally, I am still collecting DNA samples on stripers for the NC Wildlife biologists to be used in a study. I will most likely be done with this col-
By Aaron Kephart
lection process by the time this is printed, but just in case, I wanted to make potential new clients aware. The bass bite has been consistent. On the days that we target spots and smallmouth specifically, we are catching a bunch, and we are even catching quite a few “accidentally” while striper fishing. We have finished out a few striper trips lately by catching a boatload of scrappy spots. We have also caught some very respectable largemouth lately, although it seems like their numbers are going down every year on Hiwassee. The walleye bite is starting to slow down with the increasing water temperatures, to the point that I am not specifically targeting them going forward for the rest of the Summer. However, we are still running into some on most trips. The flood waters had a bigger effect on crappie than any other species, sim-
ply because it scattered them in the woods instead of in the usual Summer night holes. The bite has improved dramatically with the receding water, and the night bite for the rest of the Summer should be good. I apologize for the brevity of my article this month, but I have been on the water basically nonstop, and I am trying to squeeze in this writing between trips. Suffice to say that fish are biting and should continue to do so throughout the Summer, and
as of this moment, I have a few July and August dates left, but they are filling up fast. If you are interested in a trip on Hiwassee, Apalachia, or Chatuge I would love to hear from you, and I will do my best to work you in. Please give me a call at 865466-1345. I look forward to hearing from you, and have a great day!
Aaron Kephart is the Owner of Mountain Lakes Guide Service. To book a guided trip on one of the Murphy area mountain lakes, contact him by phone at 865-466-1345 or by email at mtnlakesguide@outlook.com Check out his website at http://www.mtnlakesguideservice.com and catch him on facebook@mountainlakesguideservice
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6 WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA
JULY 2018
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LAKE CHATUGE
Lake Chatuge July Hybrids
I
n July, fishing on Lake Chatuge, which borders Western North Carolina and North Georgia, really gets fired up. With warmer water temps, the hybrids and bass school up, which means we are able to load the boat with tons of trophy hybrids, spotted, and largemouth bass. Currently, Lake Chatuge is at full pool. Water temps are in the low 80s, and water clarity is clear throughout the lake. Hybrid fishing is explosive right now. The fish are schooling in large numbers, and we are catching some big quantities. We’re catching between 30 and 50 hybrids and bass in just a couple of hours. Most of our hybrids are averaging 8-12 pounds. These are some of Lake Chatuge’s hardest-fighting fish, and we’re having a blast wearing them out. The early morning bite has been prime. Look for schools of fish off shallow humps along the main channel, clay banks, and off points. Down lining live blueback herring has been the best technique. Search out your areas and watch your electronics. When you mark fish, drop your lines. Fish will be slightly shallower in the early morning hours and will move to deeper water by mid-morning. Top-water bite remains very good as well. When these fish start busting on bait, it’s always a good idea to have a plug,
By Darren Hughes
spook, or red fin at the ready. Spotted bass fishing remains excellent, too. We are still catching some huge spots throughout the day, and it’s not uncommon to put 30-40 of these feisty fish in the boat in one trip. Early morning top-water bite has been strong. Top-water plugs, spooks, and jerk baits have worked well. Our downline bite has also been very productive, especially in the mid-morning hours. Look for fish to be schooled up on shallow clay banks, humps, and off points. In terms of location, the upper end of the lake has been producing slightly better numbers than the lower end. July fishing on Lake Chatuge is always exciting. You won’t regret booking a trip with Murphy NC and Blairsville GA’s #1 guide service, Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service. Remember, live bait on this lake can be the difference between a successful day of fishing and a horrid one. For all of your bait and tackle needs, come visit us at Hughes General Store in Blairsville, GA--it’s the best place around for quality live blueback herring. We also carry ethanol-free gas and have some of the best hot, made-from-scratch biscuits in North GA. For guided fishing trips on Lakes Chatuge, Apalachia, Hiwassee, or Nottely, or questions about the bait shop, call me, Darren Hughes, at Hughes General Store. And
whether you’re a seasoned angler or just starting out, give Chatuge a shot for some of the best spot-
ted bass and hybrids in the area. Good luck, and get hooked!
Darren Hughes is the Owner of Hughes General Store & Bait Shop and a member of The Angler Magazine Fishing Team and Guide for Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service. Look him up at www.bigolfish.com or give him a call, (706) 745-6569 or (828) 361-2021.
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JULY 2018
WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA 7
Summer Fishing Tips
I
can still remember my first smallie on a popper. There are few things more exciting than the explosive action of top water small mouth fly fishing. A lot of the guides that I know joke that they trout fish between smallmouth seasons and anyone who has ever hooked into one of these bronze backs knows why. It always amazes me how many fly anglers have nev-
By Ken Kastorff
er fished for smallmouth bass, brim or red eye. They are definitely missing out on some quality fly fishing action. A smallmouth will fight twice as hard and jump three times as high as a similar sized trout. Here are some things to pack for summer fishing. I always carry a small first aid kit. Find a wide brimmed hat and lots of sunscreen to avoid getting sun burnt. Good
polarized sunglasses and a light rain jacket. Bring lots of drinking water. I recommend a five to six weight 9 foot medium to fast action rod with a good floating line. I think one of the most fun things about fly fishing for smallies is that you are, most times, in places where you can make those long “river runs through it” casts. Bring a variety of popper colors and sizes. Other flies that work well are gugglers and foam minnow imitations. If you decide to try wet wading, invest in a good pair of light weight wading shoes and a life jacket. My favorite shoes for this type of fishing are the high top Astral water shoes. They are lightweight, comfortable and have a sticky sole and a Velcro strap that covers the shoelace knot so it stays secure. Plan on occasionally stepping in over your head. Having a life jacket on makes this a non-issue. You can just float down to the next shallow spot,
all the while continuing to fish. Last, but most important, be careful and alert, summer is snake season and, while the chances of you running into a poisonous snake is very remote, I have seen a few copperheads over the years while getting into and out of the river. Here in the mountains of western North Carolina, we are very fortunate that we have both excellent trout fishing and smallmouth bass fishing throughout the summer months. I don’t know many places where, all summer long, you can spend one day fishing rivers like the Tuckasegee, Little Tennessee, or Cheoah for warm water species and then the next day float the 50 degree waters of Nantahala tail race, which is considered one of the top 100 trout streams in the United States, for both native and stocked rainbows and browns. That is a hard act to follow!
Ken Kastorff is the Owner and Guide at Endless River Adventures located along the Nantahala River in Bryson City, North Carolina.
8 WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA
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SWAIN COUNTY / BRYSON CITY / ROBBINSVILLE
Give Calderwood a Try
W
hen the summer heat beats down, a great place to stay cool is Calderwood Lake! Located on US 129 North, a short thirty-minute drive from Robbinsville, Calderwood is an often, overlooked gem. This lake is the third lake in a chain of lakes on the North Carolina side of the Little Tennessee River system. Built in 1930, and owned and maintained by Tapoco, a subsidiary of Alcoa (Aluminum Company of America). It may seem a little confusing, but the lake level is controlled by the Tennessee Valley Authority or (TVA). This lake has defiantly been here for decades, and has a lot of history. For someone who has never been to Calderwood, it’s an adventure. Basically, a big river, having only one channel, you really can’t get lost, but don’t let the thirty-acre reservoir fool you. For the trout fisherman, it’s a great place! This lake is located in NC and Ten-
By James (“Josh”) Lane
nessee, so both fishing licenses will work. The state line can be located just a quarter mile down stream at the mouth of Slickrock Creek. One thing about Calderwood is its cool temperatures. When July heats up, I always make a few trips there. The water temp stays in the low forties, and due to warmer air temperatures, it creates an eerie fog. It is primarily a trout lake. Trout of ten pounds or better have been caught; although, most trout will be in the 14 to 16 inch range. Also being down stream from Lake Fontana, other types of fish exist and thrive here as well. There are some beautiful bluegill and colorful, big and aggressive smallmouth bass. Most fishermen target bass near the dam, where the water is a little warmer. One technique that I recommend for trout is a Carolina Rig. There is a sand bar located straight out from the boat ramp. I anchor on the sandbar,
and Carolina Rig a night crawler, or corn. The trout school in this lake, so it’s a waiting game. I grew up fishing this lake with my uncle, who learned this technique from some fishermen from Tennessee. He passed it on to me. One particular memory I have from my teenage years, was camping at the “magazine”, an old concrete structure where dynamite was stored during construction of the dam. We had fished till noon, without a
bite! My uncle Donald said “ Let’s go eat a sandwich at the camp, we’ll come back, they’ll bite sometime today”. We went back, about an hour later, and a school of trout had moved in. We caught both our limits of nice rainbows in about 15 minutes! So, you have to have patience, they will bite using this method. When July and August heats up, and you’re looking for new water, give Calderwood a try.
Josh Lane is a native of Western North Carolina in the town of Robbinsville. He is a long time avid fisherman and enjoys hiking, backpacking, writing and singing gospel music.
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JULY 2018
WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA 9
All About the Timing
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By Capt. James McManus
iming...it’s a constant in everything we do. Sometimes it’s something we can control, but there are times when we have only reactions at our disposal. Even within those confines we have choices to make that are time sensitive. When summer rolls around, things we guides have to consider include starting and stopping times, day choice based on which lake we fish and most especially, the timing of the dinner bells of our little finned friends. There are lakes I fish that if you are going to do well, you had better be on the water before daylight and at around 10 or 10:30 am, regardless of almost any other factor, you are done for the day as far as catching goes. Hartwell is one of those lakes, stripers feed early and totally disappear once
that old sun gets up in the sky. This works out because the heat in upstate SC can be overbearing by midday. Fontana on the other hand can be a little more angler friendly in midsummer. Many of our fish move out and suspend in mid-channel during the day and continue to bite even on very hot days. Trolling is the best way to take advantage of this scenario. We typically set up with at least three to four methods for reaching fish. You almost always have some breaking fish early. They may be against a bank or in the middle of an open area like the junction of the Tuck and Little Tennessee. To best intercept these fish, we do two things, first we put shallow running plugs like flicker shad or Rapala Jerkbaits on side planers
to cover a lot of ground. This ups our chances of running into the roving small schools of spotted bass that are chasing little schools of threadfins or now, Bluebacks that are scattered on the surface. The other depends on the abilities of our clients, but we put them on the front of the boat with either jigs, jerkbaits, or spoons to cast directly at breaking fish. Talk about timing, if you throw more than 5 seconds behind a break or are off on your cast by more than a couple of feet, your chances of getting bit drastically falls off. On a good number of trips, about half of the fish caught will be caught by the anglers up front. Both spots and even bigger Smallies can be taken this way. Folks
from lower elevations can’t believe it but we catch tons of bass in over 200 feet of water, it’s just a summertime thing. As the day wears on, some of the fish will naturally move deeper in the water column and that means either downriggers, leadcore, dipsy divers, or a combination of all of the above. If you stop seeing breaks, pay more attention to your sonar and continue to search in the same general area as before. Match the depth of your baits with what you are seeing on the screen. Downriggers are the easiest, as to precise depth control, but with practice and experimenting, you can also get good results with less precise methods. Changing tactics or concentrations on
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Go Deep By Ronnie Parris
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he July heat is here, and although the bank fishing is slowing down, this is the time of year a lot of anglers catch their best numbers of Walleye and Bass. A few changes are in order if you want to come home with a good mess of fish for the table. I like trolling and this is one of the best times for this technique. I run ten rods, starting at the top column of water where you usually catch trout and several types of bass. I usually run one long line with a Rapala, or other minnow type lure, off the back of the boat. Off either side, I run a planer board with a minnow imitation. For the next level of fish, which are usually from 20 to 50 feet deep, I use Dipsy Divers and Sea Strikers to get my lures to where I’m seeing fish. On these, I run either minnow imitations or trolling spoons. On my two front down riggers, I’m going to be hitting where I see the Walleye suspending, but I run them shallower than the back two down riggers, which will be my deepest walleye sets. On these, I run many different sets from rigs to Rapalas or Trolling Spoons. Always play with different colors because fish preference changes from day to day. Some days, you will get lucky and the Walleye will be in the middle depths at around one hundred feet deep and you can troll without much fear of hang-ups. Other
days, you practically have to bump the bottom with your down rigger ball to get the walleye to hit. Look for wind blown shore lines where the water gets a little color line from the wave action on the clay, this can be a hot spot for hungry Walleye. If you’re not set up with the down riggers, you can still troll using Dipsy Divers and Sea Strikers or simply using a large trolling sinker. The key with both is to use reels with line counters so when you do start catching, you know how much line to put out. Another good technique, is vertical jigging with either ice jigs, call and I will set you up on a trip. in The Angler Magazine and I will spoons, or slow jigging a live bait. My number is 828-488-9711, be give you a discount on your trip. The live bait may be the toughest sure to mention you saw my ad Thanks and good fishing. because the heat makes it hard to keep bait alive. Boat control for Ronnie Parris is the Owner and Head Guide of Smoky Mountain either of these methods is crucial, Outdoors Unlimited-Fontana Lake Fishing Guides, headquartered so try to keep your lure straight up in Bryson City, North Carolina, heart of the Great Smoky Mountains. and down if you want to be able to (www.smokymountainoutdoorsunlimited.com) detect strikes. Another good place to start looking for fish when it’s hot is where a creek pours in. Water temps may be several degrees cooler in these areas and the fish will congregate there to feed on baitfish. Bottom line…You can’t catch any fish sitting on the couch, so get out there and fish. You may end up with the best mess of fish you catch all year. If you would like to go and you don’t have down riggers or you have bought some and you need some help getting the technique down, give me a
Fontana Lake Fishing Guides – Ronnie Parris, Owner & Head Guide LAKE, CREEK & RIVER FISHING • FLY FISHING • CAMPING We offer both full and half day trips with the most competitive rates available. All tackle and supplies you will need while you are on your trip is covered by our listed price.
1012 East Alarka Road, Bryson City, NC • 828-488-9711, Cell: 828-736-9471
smokymountainoutdoorsunlimited.com
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Swainglers…Year Two By Tammy Parris
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ear two of the Swainglers Fishing Club is in the books. Dozens of fish were caught but the best thing of the year was the countless smiles and laughs I witnessed! Throughout the school year, we ventured out to Fontana Lake, The Tuckasegee, Nantahala Rivers and Deep Creek. The Swainglers caught Just about every fish species of the Great Smoky Mountain Waterways. We accomplished our goal of having an all day fishing tournament at Fontana Lake this year. JT Neugin and Payton Ball were the overall winners of the day. Our waiting list for the club continues to grow with over eighty students on it! The club is getting so popular that students from the middle school are already asking for their names to be on the wait-
ing list so that when they arrive at the high school, they will have a better chance to be in the club. Our last trip of the 2017-2018 year was spent at Bryson City’s favorite place to eat and fish, Nabers Drive-In Restaurant, which sits right beside the Tuckasagee River. It has become our ritual to fish there on our last trip of the year, as we did last year. Nabers is the home of the best cheeseburgers, milkshakes and their famous cherry-lemon-mountain dews. The Tuck waters behind NaSwaingler Ashton Buchanan Swaingler Nick Bishop bers, require single hook, no live bait or scented lures, and is will continue to enjoy the out- I’m sure they will find time to catch and release only. Several doors this summer. Most of the cast a line and set a hook! trout were reeled in by JT Neuanglers have summer jobs, but gin, Nick Bishop and Ashton Buchanan. Tammy Parris is the Leader of The Swainglers fishing club at Swain Summer will fly by and The County High School in Bryson City, North Carolina. They fish once Swainglers will start up again in a month of the school year during club time. Contact her at tparris@ the fall. I’m sure the members swainmail.org for more information or to support this popular club.
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Breakfast • Lunch • Dinner
828-479-6669 2620 Hwy 28, Robbinsville, NC WolfCreekGroceryCafe.us
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Great Smoky Mountain National Park – Tennessee Side
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By Chad Fouts
he National Park has been about all that is fishing well. Many days of rain has kept the water up and cool,even though some days too high. As far as what to use, the dry fly bite has definitely increased. But because the water level has been so high, double nymph rigs have been our best friend. A lot of the fish we caught were within 10ft of the angler. Just another reason we like high and stained water. The pats rubber leg and squirmy worm would be our victors in the most used flies this month. For those of you who are interested in dry fly, fishing yellow and olive patterns should be your color choices! Try using any type of yellow sally pattern or never-sink caddis, large olive stimulator with a dropper underneath. With high water we have also been throwing large hopper patterns and doing well. Little River has been fishing really well and producing not only good qual-
ity fish but searching Holston River fantastic patterns The Holston River has been nu m b e r s . such as fishing amazing when not on full Middle M u r d i c h generation. We are catching great Prong of Minnows numbers and some nice size fish! the Little or Clouser They are eager to eat, especially Pigeon rivMinnows. around Indian Cave. Smallmouth Topwater bite on this river is pretty good beer has been f i s h i n g low Nances Ferry.While floating the producing, has also river it is good to have a few differas always, been good ent set ups, a dry dropper rig and great numin slower, of course streamers. When you are bers in low s h a l l o w - wading Euro nymphing has proven and high elevation. er water very effective on this river. For the with big If you have any questions about brookie p o p p e r s fishing in this area give us a call fans, Road Prong and Sam’s Creek or divers getting some violent takes (865)436-8746 are still your golden ticket from true trophy smallies. As the OUR TRIPS ARE BOOKING water warms through the summer UP FAST SO HURRY UP AND and the smallmouth become more BOOK YOURS TODAY!! Smoky Smallmouth This water has been greatly af- and more elusive gar and carp in- Mountain Angler (865)436-8746. fected by the amount of rain we habit the normal smallmouth haunts have gotten. We are fishing this allowing for some exciting warm but in very short windows when it water fishing all summer long! gets less muddy. When it does we Chad Fouts is the Fly Shop Manager at Smoky Mountain Anglers in are throwing bright white or silver Gatlinburg. He is a self described Fly Fishing Junkie.
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CHEROKEE / GSMNP / GATLINBURG
I’M GOING FISHING
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By Eddie Hudon
t will be five years since I retired from my business on June 26, 2018, and moved to North Carolina. When I got here, my wife, Dorothy (Dottie), and I decided to open up a Fly Fishing Business. (BLUE CHIP FLY FISHING) I had to do something. LOL. So now, I’m into my fourth year guiding and I love every minute that I spend with my clients. This year looks to be real good as I have a lot of repeat clients booking dates already. I’m writ-
ing this next story in March and we are getting ready to go fishing because the state is stocking all the rivers and streams for the Delayed Harvest season. This reminds me of when I retired and wrote a poem and read it to all company employees at my retirement party. I would like to share it with you now. I think you’ll get a “kick” out of it. I’ve traveled each and every highway No More, No More of this
I’M GOING FISHING
I’ve loved laughed and cried I’ve made my share of Broker meetings And now, as years subside I find that they were all amusing To think, I loved them all And may I say, in a big way Oh ya, it was for me but I’M GOING FISHING For what is a Broker, what has he got If not his lines, then he has not To say the things, he truly feels To the buyer’s face-you know how I feel The record shows, I took some blows So, I’M GOING FISHING YES………….I’M GOING FISHING
Power Point, I’ve done a few But then again, too few to mention, I did what I had to do Presented them without apprehension
Eddie Hudon is the Owner of Blue Chip Fly Fishing headquartered in Whittier, NC.
I planned each vendor’s course Each careful step along with KeHE No More, No More of this I’M GOING FISHING Yes there were times, I said “Oooh” Son When I bit off more than I should have done But through it all, when there was doubt I found a way to work it out I faced it all and I stood tall But, I’M GOING FISHING
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HAYWOOD COUNTY
History of Local Appalachian Fishing Culture
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By Dr. Jason Chambers
his past winter I had the pleasure of mentoring a group of students at Tri-County Early College (TCEC) in Murphy, North Carolina as they studied the history of the local fishing culture. It was part of a larger school-wide project that connected students with their Appalachian heritage. With help from local residents, students in small groups each chose a different aspect of Appalachian culture to study. Some of the topics included hide tanning, medicine, spinning, basket weaving, blacksmithing, food preservation, music, and more. My group of students decided they wanted to look at how the fishing culture in their region has changed and evolved over time, and how the
different events in history (Trail of Tears, the Great Depression, the New Deal, Industrial Age, etc.) have had an effect on how we fish, why we fish, the technology we use, and even the species we catch. First, a little about the school. Located on the campus of Tri-County Community College, TCEC is an innovative public high school where students begin in the 9th grade and graduate in four years with a high school diploma and an opportunity to earn a two-year college degree. Students can choose a two-year university transfer degree or a career-based technical degree like Welding or Auto Mechanics. Project-based, hands-on learning is the norm and students get a
say in which local or world problem they want to tackle. Check out the student-made website – www. tricountyearlycollege.org. The “fishing group” as it came to be known, divided their project into four phases based on the acronym FISH: Finding information, Interviewing local residents, Securing artifacts, and the Heritage Hoedown presentation. In phase one the students used the internet and the col-
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Let’s Eat! lege library resources to research the history, stories, and ancient fishing techniques used in the area. One thing they learned was how the native Cherokee Indians
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Haywood Fishing Report
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Enjoy our relaxed dining experience overlooking Jonathan Creek We have something for everyone, veggie platter, fried catfish, lemon peppered catfish, or a killer turkey melt with bacon. We make all our sauces in house daily. Our southern pearl catfish fillets are straight out of the Mississippi Delta. Try them grilled with our lemon pepper seasoning or have them deep fried to perfection. We will also serve it on a freshly baked onion roll or kaiser bun with all the fixins on top.
By Dan Dry
ey everyone, It’s been a while since I’ve felt like sharing my adventures. As we’ve all experienced, life can sometimes throw you a curve ball. Due to all the latest rains, trout fishing has been challenging, to say the least. I’ve managed to pull some nice ones out though. I took a rookie out the other day and watched her catch her first trout ever. It was very gratifying, seeing my skills used to produce for someone else. My tactics are teachable. We were fishing some of my favorite spots in Maggie Valley and they provided a great dinner. Just so happens, The rookie was also a close friend and a great cook…which is another benefit of being on the water--friendship. After this trip to Maggie Valley, I went out west to trout fish on the South Fork of the Colorado River, and got really spoiled. The limit out there is four fish a day verses our seven fish per day limit here, but wow, it usually only took about thirty min-
Dan Dry can be reached on Facebook and dandry53@gmail.com
Catering, Large or Small • Pet Friendly Dine indoors or outside under the canapy Check out the Dollar General ad for a free sandwich coupon.
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utes to catch our limit on any day of our many trips. When I got back to Maggie Valley, it rained every day for 2 weeks. Luckily, Haywood County didn’t flood, but Jonathan Creek looked like a class four river. I got lucky in some of the bends, where my baits weren’t surfing, and managed to pull in a couple, but it took every skill I knew plus a little luck. I don’t think I’ll move, but I do foresee another trip out west sometime in the near future. Sunburst is still producing limits even after two weeks of rain. Jonathan Creek is calming down and things should return to normal soon. Our local bait shop in Maggie Valley is well stocked with info on what’s producing. For you tourist, a daily permit for Maggie Valley Waters can be had only at the Welcome Center on Soco Road with rods provided. Stay safe, pack out your trash, and enjoy our valley. See ya’ll on the water and be safe!
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ASHEVILLE / BREVARD / HENDERSONVILLE
Angry Skies
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pawn season came but those who dared fought the angry skies for the prize. Nothing can test your will like the flooding we experienced during spawn season. The lakes and rivers were swollen and fish got pushed into new terrain. Spots that were once too shallow to boat in were now deep and full of active spawning bass. This can be very rewarding to those that fought with nature as lots of us found ourselves being the only boat for miles in all directions. Catching bass was on during and in between fronts. Most people thought the lakes would be too muddy to sight fish but moving up in elevation you will find that the water was quite clear. Keep in mind that, before you plan a day like this, some preparations will have to be made due to
By Scott Norton
the risk of your boat taking on too much water during the hardest of rains. I planned as well as I could, but I still found myself dealing with the water causing short circuits in my electrical switches. Be sure that your bilge pumps are working and you have plenty of charge in your batteries. Those of you with older boats know what I mean. You don’t want to find yourself in a bad situation and, believe me, it can happen fast. Don’t forget your rain gear as well. Heavy wind and rain will expose the weakness of your gear. This is where you get what you pay for. After all, it’s all about being comfortable. Bass were very eager to feed and the fishing pressure was very minimal. I found that running spinner baits and brush hogs through submerged brush
worked out well for quality bass. Some anglers don’t like to bed fish because this is a critical time for them to replenish the population so, for those anglers, they would like the secondary points. Bass were all over the lake, since we had an unusually long winter, which caused some to spawn later than usual. I found that most anglers thought these bass were already on main lake points when they were in the middle of their spawn. Interesting stories of triumphs and failures were told at the boat docks at the end of the day. This year was all about hard work and planning. Being able to learn and adapt was a must, even for advanced anglers. It’s good for
these processes to happen to make your decision making grow with your experiences. After all, where’s the fun in it if there’s no challenge.
Scott Norton is a native of Western North Carolina. Born in Asheville, NC, he is a long time avid hunter, angler, and weekend warrior.
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ALL ABOUT THE TIMING
continued from page 10
Relaxing and Adventurous River Float Trip on the French Broad River
different methods will depend on timing, based on observations of what the fish are doing. If you ignore timing factors, you could be totally out of the loop: For example, I wanted to watch the Braves’ west coast game late last night so I didn’t get on the water till 10 AM, first chance missed. I love to catch fish by casting, but by the time I got to my spot, the surface bite was about done. Cast away, but blind casts don’t get many acorns. I also like to cast jigs to the banks for bass, but you are a whole season off and, cast away,
but most fish are a hundred yards behind you. So, my advise is to pay attention to what the fish are doing, get out early so you can see for yourself and as time goes on, be aware of the progression of what they might be doing. Many folks this time of year opt to night fish and have a lot of success doing so, but at my age, I just cannot spend after dark hours fishing and function very well for several days after. Have a safe and wonderful summer, enjoy God’s gift and call if you want to time some catching. Later, Capt. James
Capt. James McManus is the Owner of 153 Charters. Give him a call for a great day of boat fishing!
Enjoyable River Float Trip Don't spend your weekends doing the same old stuff. Take your family and friends for a river float trip on the French Broad River. Landscape and wildlife will give you the perfect blend of solace and adventure that you can enjoy with your loved ones for hours. Lazy River Tubing Trips Open May thru September Open 10:00am-4:00pm Seven Days a Week No Reservations Needed!
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Create Your Own Culture By Wilson Love
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o you suffer from moderate to severe drug commercialitis? Has your brain turned to liver mush from relentless pharmaceutical propaganda? Ask your doctor if FISHMORE could be right for you. FISHMORE is not a stupidly expensive mind and body altering chemical. FISHMORE treatments are painless, low cost, and have been proven to reduce the effects of cultural weirdness more than TV, video games, and FAKEBOOK combined. Really, it does. How crazy is it that we as a culture just blindly accept whatever is dished out to us and willingly swallow anything that billion-dollar business, (or other jaded inter-
ests) ram down the pipe? Some debilitating current cultural concepts are: 1. There is an undefined (but important) reason to hurry. (Just ask the guy on your bumper) 2. Worry is necessary, expected and beneficial. (It brings happiness into balance) Most of us have an agenda; a plan for living – some sort of personal strategy. That’s good, except culture eats strategy for lunch. Culture is a combination of what we as a people create and what we allow. What happened to rugged individualism and patriotic unity? It seems like we’ve become a trendy school of fish (no, not
game fish, some small species like guppies or snail darters), every one blindly chasing the tail of what is out in front, just waiting for the net to drop. A laid back friend of mine often says, “I don’t hurry and I don’t worry”. This man is brilliant. Words release creative power. He has built a personal culture that soars above the Hurry and Worry Graveyard. Maybe it’s time for more of us to lighten up and have a little spinal resistance. Consider taking time to stop and have an objective look at (whatever behavioral steering comes to mind) and make some decisions. When the world zigs, we have the option
to zag. There is indeed time for everything that is worthy of our time – many things aren’t. And worry is just fear with skin on it. Let’s go with confidence instead, not in ourselves but in the One who made us and saves us. Jesus said, “..I came that they [we] may have life, and have it abundantly”. (John 10:10) Time and confidence are part of an abundant life.
Wilson Love is Owner/Operator of The Practical Outdoorsman, a retail and consignment store.
Priscilla Billings’s “Catch Of A Lifetime” Pricilla Billings caught this trout of a lifetime while floating down the Tuckaseegee with her Husband Claude and her ten year old twins, Hunter and Alden. Her three year old daughter Kris was there as well with her baby fishing pole and Gold Fish Crackers. Congratulations to the Billings Family on landing this monster!
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Big water. Big flies. Big fish. By Abbi Bagwell
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iving in Brevard for the past 10 years has been amazing, and the fishing is outstanding. We have over 125 miles of fishable water in Transylvania County but one thing everyone who lives in this beautiful little mountain area can say is that we get a ton of rain. Rain and fishing typically aren’t considered best friends but adapting to the circumstances and getting out there despite the high waters, overcast skies, and humid air can be extremely rewarding. So how do you fish these deep, murky, fast-moving waters? Streamers. What is streamer fishing, you ask? It’s one of the most interactive styles of fly fishing. It’s also the most closely related style of fly fishing to the conventional fishing world. You’re using bigger flies, in bigger water to target bigger fish.
You’re continuously moving, stripping, drifting, swinging or jigging the fly, to mimic a series of baitfish. Streamers are large flies made to imitate large baits such as baitfish, crayfish, hellgrammites, leeches, and other large aquatic insects. Streamers (and poppers) are as close as it gets to imitating conventional lures and jigs. What rod to use? I personally recommend anything over a 6wt. Below that might be a little scary and incredibly frustrating when casting large flies (the flies range from 2in-15in depending on what species you are targeting). If you’re going for a nice 22” brown, you’ll probably want to use a 2-5in fly; if you’re going for a 50” musky, you’re going to want a massive 10-15in fly. Also consider the leader and tippet you have on your rod. I typically
lean towards a 2x or 3x leader, and never go below 4x tippet. One of the things I love most about streamer fishing is that you can’t really mess it up. Unlike casting a dry fly and trying to make it land elegantly and without disturbing the water, with streamers you can chuck the fly into a hole and not worry nearly as much about its presentation. The biggest thing to worry about and consider, is what you do with the fly after it’s in the water. Stripping your line gives your streamer life, making the fly dance in the water and mimic exactly what your “bait” should look like as it swims along. Make that fly MOVE! This is part of what makes streamer fishing so awesome – the thrill of the chase.
CONTINUED, BIG WATER, PAGE 27
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24 WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA
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You are watching a fish physically hunt down your streamer. In high water the fish hang out on the bank so cast to the bank and strip the fly back towards you. All styles of fly fishing are about landing the fish. You’ll hear the term “strip set.” When the fish eats the fly, instead of “trout setting” where you use the
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Disturbance of Rocks in Streams - How it Affects Mountain Aquatic Ecosystems
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ummer is finally upon us here in the Appalachians. This brings with it the nostalgic notions of wet wading in cool mountain streams to cast dry flies at wild trout, away from everything and everyone. However, summertime also brings with it tourists… lots of tourists. A great number of tourists flock to Western North Carolina from all over the country to escape the stress of suburbia and the intolerable heat of the flatlands. Our streams offer opportunities for those seeking a respite from life to enjoy varied types of recreation: the most popular being fishing, tubing, and swimming. All of these things are well and good, but it also creates an issue from an ecological standpoint on how these seemingly innocent activities can evolve into an issue that affects the biotic health of our streams as a whole. To put it simply, people are moving too many rocks, and this relatively insignificant act is having significant consequences on our streams. Most campgrounds and recreational areas in Western North Carolina are based around rivers and streams. I spent a good portion of my summer guiding around one particular camp-
By Ethan Hollifield
ground next to a river where I saw a massive amount of tourist traffic in a singular location. Over the course of the summer, I noticed that more and more rocks that made up the bottom of the stream were being moved in extremely large quantities to make things like dams, V-shaped river channels, and rock statues. At one point, a rock dam over 30 feet across and 5 feet high was erected across the entire width of this trout stream during the heat of the summer. By the end of September, I had removed a total of 15 of these dams from this stretch of river, which as considerable amount of bed load that is being moved at an unnatural rate along the streambed. So, what’s the big deal about moving a few rocks in a creek? The biggest issue that can arise is the increased water temperature that comes from the water’s velocity decreasing. This increase in temperature lowers the dissolved oxygen levels of a stream, which can negatively affect populations of aquatic insects and trout that require cold water with high amounts of dissolved oxygen to survive. Rocks can also acts as radiators of heat when positioned around sunny areas, further compounding the issue.
On top of this, the decreased velocity of stream flow allows for unnatural amounts of dissolved sediment loads to be deposited behind the rock dam, further choking out aquatic insects and vegetation. The disturbances of these rocks will also disturb and potentially lead to the further decline in the populations of hellbenders. Hellbenders are an ancient species of salamander that can reach lengths of up to a meter long. These critters are nocturnal, and live most of their lives under the same rock. Moving these rocks from the stream bottom results in their habitat being disturbed, and can in-
crease the chances of this threatened species being exposed to predation or even crushed by the ignorance of someone who doesn’t know any better. This article is short and I wish I could go into more detail about how the consequences of one simple act can be compounded to have negative effects on our ecosystems. However I hope this will serve as a reminder to everyone of how fragile these places are to disturbance. If you come to the mountains to enjoy our streams, remember you are it’s visitor and these places deserve all the protection that we can give.
Ethan Hollifield is an Environmental/Physical Science Teacher and is also a guide for Southern Appalachian Anglers.
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MOUNTAIN WISDOM
Ode to the Sailor By Ben Bailey
I
’m a mountain boy, pure and simple, and I take a certain pride in that. So much so that it may border on smugness. I might even give the impression that I look down on those who are not mountain bred and raised. After all, we are tough. Most of us cut our teeth on a Barlow pocketknife and were huntin’ squirrels by the age of ten. We read tracks like most people read the Sunday News and walk the steep mountain trails like we’re taking a walk in the park. My father carried me on his shoulders through the remote mountain trout streams till I was old enough and big enough to manage them on my own. And of course, as I got older, I also came to appreciate the beauty of our mountains and the
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rich heritage of our forefathers that settled its soil and reaped her bounty. I say all that to say this. I just returned from a recent trip to Hatteras and the Outer Banks where I got a clear look at my own frailty and flawed reasoning. I got a good look at another beautiful culture. I met new people with just as much pride in their way of life as I have in mine and with good reason. The sea does not yield her bounty, but those who have chosen her don’t seem to mind; on the contrary, they seem to rise to the challenge and relish the fight. We rose at 4AM and were on the boat by 5:30 or so. The weather was questionable. Recent storms had whipped up 6’ to 8’ waves but we had traveled
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eight hours to fish and a fishin’ we would go. Within 30 minutes, we were out of the safety and calm of the harbor and I got my first look at what an eight foot wave looks and feels like. Needless to say, it didn’t take me long to lose my breakfast and subsequently, throughout the day, I lost earlier and earlier meals till they were all gone. It was just me, a once proud mountain boy, reduced to a hollow shell. Every once and a while, I would rise to the task of reeling in a Tuna or a Dolphin, but mostly, I just waited for death to take me. Meanwhile, the Captain kept
us afloat and moving while the deck mate kept the fishing gear functional and to his credit, he was never still, always attending to some chore. He kept the deck clean, all the rods working, and all the hooks baited. He very patiently instructed us when a fish was on and never once made fun of the sick mountain boy. As I watched him walk about as the boat pitched and tossed, I was filled with admiration for this son of the sea who was definitely in his element and definitely due my respect. His heritage is just as rich as mine and his pride just as worthy.
Ben Bailey, is a native of Western North Carolina, Master Carpenter, Avid Angler, and Naturalist.
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BIG WATER
continued from page 24
rod to hook the fish strip setting, is when you use the line so you’ll just continue to strip your line in after the fish takes the fly. There are tons of videos, tutorials and articles on streamer fishing for all of you future
streamer junkies. Be sure to consider the risk you take when getting into high water and always let someone know you’re going out. All preaching aside, make your fly dance and move and get ready!
Abbi Bagwell is a life long angler. She dove headfirst into the fly fishing world six years ago and has not stopped since. She served as the Vice President of the Pisgah Chapter of Trout Unlimited and has been featured in several fly fishing publications for her enthusiastic work to get more women into fly fishing. She’s never too proud to make fun of herself and the nuances of her passion for angling. It’s all about keeping it fun.
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WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA 27
B
Fly Fishing Museum of the Southern Appalachians
ryson City, North Carolina – The Fly Fishing Museum of the Southern Appalachians Hall of Fame announces the third class of inductees to be recognized at our annual museum luncheon event. The third annual Museum Hall of Fame inductions will be conducted on September 8, 2017 at the Southwestern Community College Swain Center located at 60 Almond School Road, Bryson City, NC 28713, west of Bryson City on US 19/74. From the downtown Bryson City, drive approximately 7 miles west. The old Almond school is on your right. Our 2018 Museum Hall of Fame Inductees are Jim Dean, Curtis Fleming, Kevin Howell, Sandy Schenck and Joyce Shephard. Jim Dean – Inducted in the
Communications category as the editor of Wildlife in NC for many years, the author of numerous outdoor articles and books, and an outdoor photographer. Curtis Fleming – Inducted in the Recreation category for his varied contributions to fly fishing as a fly fishing volunteer, fly fishing educator. Fly fishing guide, and “Reality Fly Fishing” TV celebrity. A West Virginia fly fisherman, Fleming is the host for more than fifteen seasons of the globally televised Fly Rod Chronicles. Kevin Howell – Inducted in the Crafts category as a professional fly tier who is widely recognized for the creativity and wisdom in designing the famed Hot Creek Special, Trip Maker, Trip Saver as well as other noted creations. Kevin is the owner of Davidson River Outfitters and
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continues the family legacy of his father Don R. Howell and uncle Dwight Howell. Sandy Schenck – Inducted in the Conservation category for his many years of dedication to teaching kids about the outdoors and preserving the land. He founded Muddy Sneakers - “teaching children the joy of learning outside” and he is the founder and executive director of Green River Preserve summer camp where he put 2,600 acres of Green River Preserve in a conservation easement, preserving the land for perpetuity. Joyce Shepherd – Inducted in the Humanity category for her contributions to fly fishing as a volunteer of organizations that
“give back” - helping others recover from personal challenges, as a fly casting instructor, and for her leadership in NCWF, NCTU, RRTU and Casting Carolinas. Third Annual Museum Hall of Fame Induction Luncheon at The Old Almond School Gym September 8th, 11:30 AM Meet and Greet, Lunch at Noon, Inductions at 1PM The inductions will be held in Bryson City with Museum supporters as well as the family and friends of our inductees in attendance. Fly anglers from across the southeast will celebrate the Second Annual Museum Hall of Fame Inductions. With limited space, advanced reservations are essential and are currently being
CONTINUED, FLY FISHING MUSEUM, PAGE 33
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UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA
High Water Fishing Tactics in The Upstate
T
o say that predicting this past month, for us around the Chattooga River Fly Shop, was easy, with what Mother Nature had in store for us, would be an understatement: A week of large amounts of rain, followed by a tropical depression that dumped more than a foot of rain and blew up all the rivers and streams around us. The rivers were extremely high and the flows were at extreme highs as well! The water levels have subsided since the big rains, and wade fishing is starting to be a little easier now. The outlook is for more rain, but we are avoiding the high heat of early summer, which is great. Due to all of the rain, the trout fishing is good, with water temperatures starting the day in the high 50’s to low 60’s. We have had the best success getting out on the rivers at day break and fishing un-
By Karl Ekberg
til the early afternoons, and then again, very late afternoons until dark. As the daytime temperatures heat up, finding the shady areas of the rivers is the key to a successful day, along with deeper shady runs. Let’s remember, Trout like cold water, and as the water temperatures rise, they will seek thermal refuge in the bottoms of the rivers where the waters are at their coolest. Some dry fly action can be had with flies in pockets of deeper water around the banks, but dead-drifting tandem nymph rigs has seemed to produce more fish. Streamer fishing cannot be forgotten as well, as there is a tremendous amount of smaller baitfish in pocket waters all over the rivers. Bass fishing the river has been extremely tough to do with the extremely high waters. Now with the water levels subsiding, accessing the lower points on the rivers will
be much easier. Wet wading will be a refreshing way to spend the day catching bass and pan fish on the river. We have a full arsenal of what you need for both top-water and subsurface flies to make your day a successful journey. Plenty of fluids to drink to keep hydrated, sunglasses, a hat, and some sunscreen will make for an enjoyable day (and a couple of days after), so you’re not sun burnt. Don’t forget about booking your lake fly fishing trip with us, as our experienced certified guide Zach Hart, will take up to two clients out on a mountain lake boat excursion. This is a great time of year to take the kids fishing! School is out for the summer break, water temperatures are great, and there
are plenty of fish to be caught. We had the pleasure of participating, as volunteers, with the Kid’s Fishing Rodeo, at Burrell’s Ford Campground this past month, with the U.S. Forestry Department. Introducing kids to the greater outdoors and nature is a wonderful time, and catching a few fish will add to the experience for all. Remember to bring your camera along on your trip and share your photo. As we are all guests of the forest, let’s remember to “leave no trace”, and pack out what we bring in on our trips to the rivers. Keeping the forests clean will add to the enjoyable experience for all. We hope to see everyone out on the rivers!
Karl Ekberg is the owner of Chattooga River Fly Shop, located at 6832A Highlands Hwy, in Mountain Rest, SC 29664. Give them a call at (864) 638-2806 or look them up on the web at chattoogariverflyshop.com
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HIGH COUNTRY
‘The Guide Life’
T
he other day a customer asked me, ‘What does it take to be a guide?’ Well, here’s my answer: ‘Dedication!’ You can’t just have a fly rod and a guide license and call yourself a guide (or at least a guide that’s worth a s$!*). Our guides have spent thousands of hours on the water gaining knowledge and perfecting their craft. Now, just because someone can fish, doesn’t mean that automatically makes him a good guide. You have to be able to work with all skill levels and be able to teach any angler from ages 6 to 96. It’s our job to give you the best opportunity at catching fish. We cannot, and will not, catch them for you. I have seen other guides catching fish for their clients and handing them the rod. If we can’t teach you how to catch that fish, then we aren’t doing our job! Fly fishing isn’t an easy sport. You won’t become ‘good’ at it in a 4 hour trip. It takes practice, practice, practice, but we will do our best to teach you the fundamentals and give you the best opportunity to catch fish. A guide’s day doesn’t begin and end with your trip. Whether it’s a 4 hour wade trip or an all day float trip, many hours have been put into preparing for that trip. Guides spend hours upon hours tying flies all year long. During the winter months, most guides try to ‘bulk’ up on fly patterns they know they will use throughout the season. A guide
By Jeff Dean
will tie hundreds of flies during the winter months, and the process will continue throughout the year. On a typical 2-person float trip, we’ll go through 12-24 flies. On a half-day wade, probably 6-12 flies. Sometimes, more... Sometimes, less, but they can add up quickly. We usually realize, early in the summer, that what was tied during the winter won’t last as long as we had hoped. We may take you on a wade trip in the morning and head right back out in the evening to scout ‘new’ water or do another trip. There are countless hours spent on rod setup, gear maintenance, lunch prep, and keeping cars and boats clean. If the hours were broken down, you could add around 3 hours of prep for each trip. Some of this time may have been spent scouting water and tying flies in the winter, but needless to say, a lot of time is spent on the trip before you even meet the guide. I get asked, 100 times a year, ‘Should I tip my guide?’ and ‘What is a customary tip for my guide?’ YES, YES, YES to the first question. The second, well, take the info I have given you already to heart, and also realize, the guide is supplying most of the gear. You are using their rods; they are buying all the leaders, tippet, indicators, etc; they are paying for shuttles and lunches for float trips; and they are buying or tying the 2 dozen flies you will use. The point is, there are a lot of
expenses that go into a trip and a tip will hopefully cover those expenses. For a short answer, 20% is standard. It is like any other job in the service industry; if you had a good experience and were happy with the service you received, tip accordingly. We are very appreciative of our tips and it also shows us that you were happy with your experience. Being a guide isn’t easy! We’re up early and in bed late; then we turn around and do it again the next day. I am very proud of our guides. I see how much time they spend getting ready to give you a trip you won’t forget. They are very good at what they do and I
am lucky to have them on board. I hope you understand a little bit more about what it takes to do our job. It is not the life for everyone, but it is very rewarding for us and we love doing what we do. We are dedicated to our passion of fly fishing, and we are here to give you a great experience and show you why we love this sport! Happy Fishing! For inquiries on guided trips come to the shop or give us a call (828)963-5463 and we’ll be happy to help!
Jeff Dean is the owner of Watauga River Fly Shop located at 5712 NC Highway 105 South, Vilas, NC. Visit their website at www. wrflyshop.com, email them at info@wrflyshop.com, or give them a call at (828) 963-5463.
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Fish Springs Marina is your gateway to fun on the water! Watauga Lake is the perfect family-oriented destination for boating, fishing, camping or sightseeing excursions. Fish Springs Marina is the oldest continuously operating marina on beautiful Watauga Lake, having been in the White family for three generations. Fish Springs Marina Store We carry all goodies for all your boating needs! Our marina store has all the essentials for lake activities, including a huge selection of boating supplies, bait and tackle, inner tubes and water toys & more.
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423-768-2336
191 Fish Springs Road Hampton, TN
www.fishspringsmarina.com 32 WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA
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FLY FISHING MUSEUM taken. E-mail info@greatsmokies.com or call 828-488-3681 to reserve your place. The ticket price of $35 per person includes admission to the induction ceremony, lunch, and all weekend admission to the Fly Fishing Museum of the Southern Appalachians. “Lagers and Legends” PreEvent Party at Nantahala Brewery September 7th, 7 PM Casting Carolinas and the Fly Fishing Museum of the Southern Appalachians invite all Museum Hall of Fame attendees to drop in at the Nantahala Brewery in downtown Bryson City on September 7th at 7 pm for a PreEvent Party and Fund Raiser. This is an opportunity to meet and greet the MHOF Inductee, other members of the MHOF and help raise funds for Casting Carolinas, a non-profit organization that utilizes fly fishing as a means of helping patients deal with and recover from various cancers.
continued from page 28 Each Inductee will select a beer to be renamed after them during the party. Nantahala Brewery is generously donating $1 per renamed beer sold at the party. Please come celebrate our fly fishing heritage together and meet each Museum Hall of Fame Inductee while enjoying some time at Nantahala Brewery. For 2019, Museum Hall of Fame nomination forms may be obtained electronically from Mac Brown macbrownflyfishing@ gmail.com or picked up as hard copy at the museum. The Museum seeks to recognize those who have made outstanding and unique contributions to the art, science and sport of fly fishing. We encourage you to nominate those who meet the nomination criteria and are deserving of such recognition. Once nominated, the candidate remains in nomination for current and future consideration.
JIM DEAN (left) – Inducted in the Communications category as the editor of Wildlife in NC for many years. SANDY SCHENCK (center)– Inducted in the Conservation category for his many years of dedication to teaching kids about the outdoors and preserving the land. KEVIN HOWELL (right) – Inducted in the Crafts category as a professional fly tier who is widely recognized for the creativity and wisdom in designing the famed Hot Creek Special, Trip Maker, Trip Saver as well as other noted creations.
JOYCE SHEPHARD (left) – Inducted in the Humanity category for her contributions to fly fishing as a volunteer of organizations that “give back” - helping others recover from personal challenges. CURTIS FLEMING (right)– Inducted in the Recreation category for his varied contributions to fly fishing as a fly fishing volunteer, fly fishing educator.
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Come Hell or High Water By Alyssa Adcock
T
he recent rains in the High Country have left our rivers with a huge excess of high water- after tying flies for two weeks straight I couldn’t be trapped inside anymore. I headed out to the South Holston River in Tennessee with some friends, Collin and Skye, to fine tune my streamer game. Working as a guide, I have access to drift boats; an opportunity I do not take for granted, that allows me to cover more water from a greater vantage point. When it comes to fun fishing on a drift boat, we have a running joke, “If you don’t row, you don’t
go”. I was a bit apprehensive about rowing in such fast moving water. I’m still a baby when it comes to the guide lifestyle (twenty-twoyear-old females aren’t very common in the industry on the East Coast), but I told myself I would never reach my full potential if I allowed fear and gender roles to dictate my skill level. We had been on the water for maybe an hour when a huge thunderstorm rolled in along with a large pressure change and an iridescent fog. Storms usually don’t bother us when we’re fishing, but when lightning and thunder rolled directly over us, it was a
CONTINUED, HELL OR HIGH WATER, PAGE 37
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HELL OR HIGH WATER humbling moment to experience Mother Nature in all her devastating glory. I was now rowing in the worst possible conditions with twenty feet of visibility in front of the boat. Even with huge sheets of rain coming down, we efficiently worked our way down river as a team. Both guys shouting encouragement and helping to navigate me around rocks all while pulling out large, streamer eating browns. My friend Skye ended up landing a 31” x 20” brown trout that day and it became a huge turning point in how I thought about myself as a female in the fly fishing industry. Tackling opportunities that scare you and push you out of your comfort zone is the best
continued from page 35 way to learn. Don’t be afraid to advocate for yourself, especially as a female- if you have put in the time and effort it takes to succeed, then people will start to notice. Learn as much as you can on and off the water, ask questions and do your homework so that when your opportunity comes, you are ready. The payoff is the opportunity to experience a tiny piece of raw and powerful wilderness; witnessing such intoxicating beauty is a privilege.
Alyssa is a fly fishing guide at Due South Outfitters in Boone, North Carolina. You can find her tying flies and drinking coffee in the fly shop, hunting for big brown trout in Tennessee, or taking guide trips on local wild water.
Nature and comfort meet here at the highest KOA east of the Mississippi at an altitude of nearly 4,000 feet. Nature and comfort meet here, a spot with long pull thrus under tall trees, a pool, arcade games and even a farm animal mini zoo, all set atop a scenic mountain just 4 miles from city services.
Boone KOA
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Reserve: 800-562-2806 Info: 828-264-7250
123 Harmony Mountain Lane Boone, NC 28607
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FISHING CULTURE
continued from page 17
would use something called a fish weir to catch large numbers of fish. A fish weir is a large stack of rocks, up to 60 feet in length or longer, arranged in a v-formation, and often built strategically on the downstream side of a bend in the river. Several people would wait at the apex of the funnel with fish baskets while others would line up across the river a hundred yards or so upstream. They would make noise and beat the water as they drove the fish into the trap and down into the baskets, which would fill up quickly with hundreds of fish. Sometimes they would ground up buckeye nuts and spread the powder into the water, stunning the fish and causing them to float to the top. Each spring the Cherokee Indians would hold a festival in what is now Murphy, NC when the Sicklefin Redhorse fish was spawning. This fish was known to the Cherokee as “Junghitla” which means “wearing a red feather.” Growing up to two feet long and weighing 8 pounds, they would catch hundreds of them right where the Hiwassee and Valley Rivers come together. In phase two the students interviewed local residents to record their fish stories, the techniques they used, and how the fish species they catch have changed over the years. Some of the techniques they learned about would not be considered sporting or even legal today. There were stories of men using half-sticks of dynamite to stun and gather fish. “People thought differently back then” said one person. “Nobody really thought of it as a sport. It was simply a way to feed your families.” A few recalled how the introduction of fishing licenses back in North Carolina 1927 was not well received in these mountain communities. “My grandfather refused to ever buy a license saying he didn’t need a permit to put food on his table” said one long-time resident. Some of the stories were more light-hearted and funny. One person recalled how their great uncle was picked up by the game warden for having a fish that was an inch and a half too short. He was put in the back of the truck with the
fish and hauled to town. However, on the way there he pulled and stretched the fish so much that it was legal by the time they got to the ranger station! The students came to learn that after the great depression, fishing began to evolve into more of a sporting activity than simply a way to just gather food. The Hiwassee Dam was completed in 1940 and brought jobs, electricity, and more leisure time to the mountain residents. The dam also produced a new lake to the area, and with it came different species, fishing methods, and technology. Unfortunately, the dam also interrupted the spawning cycle of several native fish. One student interviewed Powell Wheeler, the local district fisheries biologist who explained how the local fish populations have fluctuated over time and how the introduction of the invasive Blueback herring only a few years ago has dramatically affected the local lakes and necessitated the introduction of the striped bass. For phase three, “securing artifacts” at TCEC simply means preparing evidence in the form of pictures, citations, or physical items that display how learning has taken place. For this phase the students continued to record and transcribe their interviews, as well as gather items like fishing poles and old lures to display for their final presentation. David Wood, a local trout fishing guide and former Cherokee county commissioner, came to the school one day and gave a mini-lecture, complete with some antique rods and reels, on how fishing technology has evolved. He gave a demonstration of fly casting and ended the day with a field trip to the Nottely River to see ancient fish weirs build by the Cherokee. Along the way the students saw some pretty cool historical items like an old forgotten train trestle and an abandoned talc mine. A few weeks later, David took some students on a trout fishing trip in the Nantahala National forest where they learned about natural fish barriers, fly tying, and how the now-closed Tellico four wheel drive trails nearly
Ancient fishing weir on Nottely River destroyed the native brook trout population, there. Phase four was the Heritage Hoedown, the culminating event of the school-wide project held at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, NC. Over 400 local residents turned up for the event to watch the students display what they’d learned. The fishing group set up a table with a timeline of
historic events and their effects on the local fishing culture. They had old lures and fishing poles, and gave out samples of trout they smoked that morning over chips of apple wood. The project was a huge success! Some of the students in the fishing group had never been fishing, much less caught, cleaned, and cooked fish all in
CONTINUED, FISHING CULTURE, PAGE 41
A quaint hotel in Blowing Rock, NC right on Main St.
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Within walking distance to over 80 shops and galleries and over 20 local restaurants. The Blowing Rock, Grandfather Mountain, Tweetsie Railroad, Mystery Hill and Linville Caverns are all within a short drive.
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(828)-295-7921
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FISHING IN ASHE COUNTY
Mile After Mile of Great Fishing
W
here do I start? Maybe the best way is to tell you where to find Ashe County. We are located in the northwest corner of North Carolina, bordered by Tennessee and Virginia. Towns that you might recognize are Todd, West Jefferson, Jefferson, Lancing and Glendale Springs. Ashe County, The Coolest Corner of North Carolina, has some of the best fishing available in several states. With over 70,000 trout stocked, it is hard to beat. There is mile after mile of great fishing. Ashe County is proud to have two Mountain Heritage Trout Waters stocked with Delayed Harvest Trout by the NC Wildlife Resource Commission. The first is a ½ mile section of the South Fork of the New River in
40 WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA
By Andrew Guion
Todd, which includes Todd Island Park. The second is Lansing Mountain Heritage Water, a 2-½ mile section of Big Horse Creek from the SR 1325 bridge to the North Fork of the New River. The Lansing Creeper Trail Park offers a number of fishing spots including a handicap fishing pier and a number places for picnicking Ashe County has developed a fishing map that has public access and parking and can be viewed at http://www.fishashe. com. There are Delayed Harvest, Hatchery Supported, Wild Trout and Catch and Release waters. Now, at this reading, the Delayed Harvest is over but that does not mean that the fishing is over. Once the temperature rises, the small mouth fish-
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ing turns on! Both the North Fork and the South Fork of the New River become great small mouth fisheries. You can wade fish, kayak fish, or canoe fish. Plus, there are several outfitters that will put you on the water and pick you up. Lists of outfitters can be found at https:// ashechamber.com/outdoor.php under “Water Sports”. Moreover, the smallies are very cooperative. There is no need to get up early, since they get active mid-morning through the middle of the afternoon and then again late in the afternoon. You have time to have coffee and a casual breakfast, relax and enjoy the mountain air.
There are many lodging options: cabins, Holiday Inn Express, and more. (See https:// ashechamber.com/directory.php and select “Accommodations”) In the evening you can enjoy art, shopping, great food, live music, and entertainment in the many establishments in the county. Plus, there are always things going on that you can review on the Ashe Chamber’s event calendar. Check it out at http://thecoolestcorner.com. Come and check out Ashe County and see for yourself why it’s The Coolest Corner of North Carolina!
Andrew Guion is a Board Member of the Ashe County Chamber of Commerce, Co-Owner of The Hotel Tavern, and an avid angler.
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FISHING CULTURE
continued from page 39
one day. The group was able to demonstrate how they had applied concepts from all the core subjects – English, Math, History,
and Science – to help them learn about the history and evolution of their own local Appalachian fish culture.
Collection of fly fishing rods and reels, from old to new. Dr. Jason Chambers is a Dean at Tri-County Community College in Murphy, NC and the Instructor/Liaison for Tri-County Early College. When he’s not in the office or the classroom, Dr. Chambers can be found on his family cattle farm or (most likely) out fishing on Hiwassee Lake. You can email him at Unaka@yahoo.com.
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Ashe County Fishing Map Key
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fish like this only comes around once in a lifetime, or several lifetimes considering it is likely the new world record black crappie. Lionel “Jam” Ferguson was fishing a private pond in Loudon County, Tenn., near Knoxville, when he caught a verified 5-pound, 7.58-ounce crappie on May 15. The huge slab, which ate a Kalin’s Triple Threat grub in John Deere color, smashes the existing Tennessee state record of 4-pounds, 4-ounces. After DNA testing confirms it is indeed a black crappie, rather than a white crappie, it will eclipse the world record of 5-pounds. Ferguson knew he had a special fish when he tossed it up on the bank on that fateful Tuesday, and the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) agreed. Anthony Chitwood, a Loudon County wildlife officer, met Ferguson and they took the fish to a nearby boat ramp where it could be weighed on a set of certified scales used for bass tournaments. TWRA biologists later inspected the fish to determine it was indeed a black crappie. A fin clipping was taken for DNA analysis to remove all doubt. Whether it’s a white crappie or black crappie, Ferguson’s fish will be a new world record. The 5-pound IGFA world record black crappie was caught from a private lake in Missouri in 2006. The IGFA world record white crappie was caught way back in 1957 in Mississippi. It weighed 5-pounds, 3-ounces. 4
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6/18/18 2:32 PM
By Billy Darby • FWC Photo
E TIPS FROM A PRO
verybody knows that wind is simply the movement of air, ranging from a slight breeze to tornadic activity. Anglers would do well to consider the effect this weather related action has on the attitude of and feeding habits of several specific species of fish, but in this article we will concentrate on bass. In late winter or very early spring when bass are looking for warming conditions, the southern breeze pushes warm surface water into coves, which in turn draws the females into the well documented cruising phase of behavior. Wind-blown banks are notorious for holding feeding frenzies, especially in the months of May and June, when the shad hatch is in full swing. This shad spawning activity can be easily spotted
THE NEKO RIG FOR SUMMER BASS
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BRANDON LESTER
’m headed to Pickwick Lake today and have a Neko rig tied on. Don’t know what a Neko rig is? It’s a pretty simple rig that really works no matter where you fish. You’ll probably start catching so many fish with it that you’ll turn pro soon and try to beat me on the Elite Series! OK, maybe I’m exaggerating a little, but it does catch fish— and good ones too. The big bass shown here was one I caught on the rig in the Bassmaster Elite Series event this year in Oklahoma. From the photo, you can see the bait is rigged wacky-style, with the hook in the middle of the worm. A light nail weight is inserted into the head of the bait, which makes the bait stand on its head when it reaches the bottom. The fish can’t stand it. It works really well all year all over the country. The rig works at all depths, too. In the summer, I suggest fishing it around bluegill beds and skipping it under docks. It is very skippable, and that makes it a great bait for fishing the shade of docks. It is a finesse approach and will coax sluggish bass into biting. As more and more anglers get better at learning to fish offshore, the fish get more and more conditioned and tough to
by watching for an unusual number of herons and other shoreline-feeding birds stacked shoulder to shoulder against the banks and in frantic mode. This activity will normally be in grass that is adjacent to deeper water or clay banks that protrude toward a point. Be like the early bird that gets the shad, or you’ll miss the entire spectacular show. Throughout the summer months, let’s not forget the mayfly hatches, when the wind is also a major player. Wind pushes larvae and mature flies closer to shore, where bream and other bass prey are having their own little party. Rafts of mayfly husks also afford shade for almost any aquatic creature that might be a meal, especially the rafts that are shoreline oriented. A topwater lure worked right through the middle of these rafts can get very exciting. June and July are prime months for the bream beds that almost always develop near the shoreline and can be active for extended periods of time. Big bass love to hang out around these beds to wait on easy meals. The wind and wave action can camouflage your approach to the shallow-water beds. These beds can be easily recognized by setting your Humminbird on side view, looking at no more than 50 feet and scanning only the bank side of your search area until multiple scalloped out dish-like impressions are located. When detected, wait several minutes before returning to the active area, and allow the bed to settle before using a stealthy approach. Even then, skirt the perimeters of the bed with your first few casts. When the surface temps are at their maximum in July, August and September, all types of plankton-related goodies that inhabit hydrilla, including freshwater shrimp, attract crayfish, shad, small crappie, bream, and you name it, that are blown close to shore by your friend the wind. Take advantage of the wind. It can be your friend. Billy Darby is a professional guide on Lake Eufaula. He can be reached at imfishing4u@windstream.net or 229-768-2369. catch. The drop-shot rig was a technique I started to use when fish weren’t biting out deep in recent years. A Neko rig fits into that same category, but I think you can catch bigger fish with it. The main reason for that is you can use bigger worms and bigger hooks. For depths of less than 10 feet, I use a 1/32- or 3/64-size nail weight. Out deep, I go with a 1/16 to 1/8, depending on the depth and current in the lake. The best hook for this technique hands-down is the Mustad Titan X Wacky/Neko hook. Once you get a hook in them on this rig, they don’t come off. I throw the Neko rig on an MHX NEPS 81MXF spinning rod. It is 6’9” with medium action and I pair it with 10-pound Vicious braid and 10-pound Pro Elite Fluorocarbon. The bait of choice the majority of the time is a X Zone Fat Finesse Worm. When I’m out fishing deep on ledges, I’m not afraid to rig up an 8- or 9-inch straight tail worm as well. Green pumpkin works best around beds, and a plum color is good for deeper water applications. Have fun and let me know on social media if this works for you. Facebook – Pro Angler Brandon Lester and Instagram @ brandonlesterfishing.
Get more tips from Lester at
FISHINGMAGAZINE.FISHING
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K By Capt. Chester Reese and Capt. Randy Cnota • Photos by Capt. Chester Reese
ingfish might be the most explosive-biting fish in the Gulf of Mexico. We often see them skyrocketing a surface bait and jumping 8 feet into the air. They’ll hit live bait doing 30 mph, and all you’ll hear is a screaming reel. Kings in the 40- to 50-pound class are common here off Franklin County, Fla, with many 20- to 30-pounders mixed in. The state record is 90 pounds. It was caught off Key West in 1975. Kingfish might be in a school of hundreds, or a solitary big one might cruise the reefs and wrecks like a lone wolf. There are many ways to fish kings, but live bait can be a sure thing. Trolling dusters with a cigar minnow in tow has been a standard in the northern Gulf ever since powerboats have plied these waters. The old guys used drone spoons with long wire leaders to defeat the sharp array of teeth that can instantly cut a leader off. Light tackle is the way most Franklin County anglers fish kings today, and it gives quite an experience to the angler who has never hooked one of these torpedoes. They will hit jigs tipped with bait, trolled plugs and even take a grouper bait off the bottom. The food value of kingfish is very good, depending on how you prepare and cook them. Being high in omega 3 oils, they don’t freeze well if they are not precooked. Fresh fillets broiled or fried are hard to beat, and you don’t have to get fancy with the seasoning. Make sure to remove the dark bloodline from any part of the fillet, since it offers too strong of a taste for some. Kings in the 15-pound class are fantastic on the grill, and slicing the fish into steaks with a drenching of Italian salad dressing makes a nice presentation. If you have a smoker, this opens up another great way to do kings. Cut fillets into manageable pieces and smoke them for 6 to 8 hours with a dusting of seasoning. Kingfish makes a superb fish dip, and it is great for parties. Kings are abundant in our waters, so get out there and catch some. This Aug. 4-5, C-quarters Marina in Carrabelle, Fla. will hold the 15th annual Kingfish Shootout. To date, this event has raised $915,000 to fight leukemia, and this year’s event promises to be bigger and better than ever with more than $20,000 in prize money! Come help raise money for the Leukemia Research Foundation, experience the beauty of the Forgotten Coast, and enjoy the sounds of screaming drags. For a complete list of rentals, charters, supplies and more visit www.floridasforgottencoast.com.
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By Capt. Randy Cnota
I
t all started for me when I began focusing on the big bull reds that prowl the waters around the St. Andrews Pass and the bridges in Panama City, Fla. I knew many of them lurked in those deep waters, and using live bait was usually a sure bet, but I get such a kick out of fooling fish with artificial lures that I had to explore the world of deep jigs like the Shimano Butterfly jig and the Offshore Angler Freestyle jig. When attempting to fool fish holding in water 50 to 100 feet deep, or more, you need a lure that gets down in a hurry. Not many tools can fill this niche, but these heavy, lead, streamlined jigs with the cool paint jobs come through in spades. Equipped with one or two hooks on a short tether, these jigs produce a wild, erratic fluttering on the fall, and when worked correctly, produce an enticing jumping action when ripped up off the bottom with the rod. The action is similar to a spoon more than a conventional jig, and fish of all species fall for it. It’s crucial to team your jig up with a properly rated rod. Deep jigging rods are usually short and work very well, but many rod types will get the job done. Spinning reels work fine, but I’ve found reels built for bottom fishing, like the Shimano Torium, to be my favorite. They’re smooth and fast, perfect for this technique. Spool up with 50• Safer to 80-pound test braid and a shock • Easier leader made of • Better 30- to 60-pound monofilament or fluorocarbon. Typically this is a vertical presentation with your boat positioned right on top of your target. Casting the jig, however, can be a very effective way of targeting fish that may be suspended somewhere in the water column and away from the boat. You can cover a lot of water using these jigs as a searchbait. Cast or drop the jig and let it settle to the bottom.
Then begin pumping it back to the boat. Work it with hard jerks several feet off the bottom, and let it settle on a semi slack line. Usually, a hard jerk works best. This triggers a strike without giving the fish time to think about what it’s looking at. You will feel the strike, and it will likely be on the fall, so hold on! I once had a large fish rip a rod right out of my hand. Down it went, the whole rig. That was a learning moment! Adjust your drag properly. I have experienced several days, both nearshore and offshore, when I caught fish about four to one against my partners using live bait. This is due to the bait’s ability to cover a lot of water in a short time with extremely effective results. I’ve caught reds, grouper, bonito, snapper, Spanish and king mackerel, trout, amberjacks, mahi and more using these jigs. It is an extremely exciting and productive fishing technique; give it a try! Randy “C-Note” Cnota is co-publisher of the Panama City/Forgotten Coast edition of Coastal Angler Magazine and owner of C-note Charters in Panama City, Fla. Check him out at cnotecharters.com.
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For more kite fishing tips, go to
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here’s no denying the effectiveness of presenting lively, active baits on the surface for just about any predatory offshore species. And kite fishing has to be the ultimate way to do it. With live bait rigs suspended beneath a kite flown off the stern, live baits remain right on the surface, where they are free to skitter and thrash to draw in kingfish, mahi, tuna, sailfish, marlin and just about any other species that prowls the open water. With the leader and line hanging out of the sky, there’s no line in the water to tip-off a hungry predator. It is a presentation that catches a whole lot of fish when practiced correctly. For anyone who has thought of adding kites to their offshore arsenal, Taco Marine has released a video that takes all the complications out of rigging and flying kites. Capt. Mark Henderson, 2008 Angler of the Year on the Yamaha Professional Kingfish Tour, lays it all out while catching kings off the coast of North Carolina. Working with his team, the Liquid Fire Fishing Team, he discusses the benefits of kite fishing, techniques for deploying a kite, what types of rods and reels to use and how to prepare a basic rigging kit. While walking the viewer through the process of launching and rigging his kites, Capt. Henderson shares useful tips such as the best way to rig live baits for kite fishing—with a live bait hook just in front of the dorsal to keep the bait’s nose in the water, and a treble just behind the dorsal for better hookups. He also discusses positioning of kites and rods for more effective line management as well as all the gear one needs to kite fish effectively. The video also features TACO Marine Straight and Offset Trident Rod Holders with a Tool Caddy. These high-polished, aluminum Trident Rod Holders have a detachable tackle tray Tool Caddy designed to conveniently and safely hold fishing gear, including hooks, pliers, knives, rigs, lures, spoons and a beverage. For more information, go to tacomarine.com.
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Since the SeaLander sits so high in the water, it planes quickly with no bow rise. There are no power robbing pontoons to push through the water, so there is plenty of power reserve for towables or wakeboards. A towing tower and swimming ladder are standard features . In comparison to pontoon boats, this 90 HP deck boat design provides more power with less horsepower and greater fuel economy . The standard 90HP outboard powers the 8’ wide x 25’-8” long boat up to 32 mph. The SeaLander handles beautifully in banking turns and incorporates hydraulic steering for easy control with zero feedback from the outboard motor. Personal requirements, ie., colors, seat arrangements, etc, are all optional. SeaLander Deck Boats LLC builds
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he Surface Seducer Double Barrel Bass Bug is a no-nonsense popper fly designed with one thing in mind—generating a massive pop to trigger attacks from predatory fish! This foam popper fly won Flymen Fishing Co. the Best of Show—Fly Pattern Freshwater award at the 2017 International Fly Tackle Dealer Show and is now better than ever with a new and improved no-epoxy design. This popper is impossible to crack because there is nothing to crack. You can literally hit it with a hammer multiple times and it will still be fishable (we know because we’ve tried). Fishing guides such as Blane Chocklett report catching dozens and dozens of fish on a single bass bug. How does this bass bug take a beating so well? The Double Barrel popper body (also available as a fly tying material) is made of durable, soft EVA closed-cell foam, which means it will never get saturated with water. It is made to catch fish over and over and over again. Because it cannot become waterlogged, it remains lightweight and easy to cast. The Surface Seducer gets its powerful popping action from the deep front cup and extended top lip of the foam Surface Seducer Double Barrel popper body, which allows you to effortlessly trigger loud pops with strong splashes when working your fly. If you’d like to fish the Bass Bug, it’s available at fly shops, at retailers such as Bass Pro, and at www.flymenfishingcompany.com. Flymen is running a promotion exclusively for Coastal Angler and The Angler readers. Enter the code ANGLERMAG at checkout on the Flymen website to get a free Bass Bug Popper when you buy three. Don’t wait! This promotion is only available through August.
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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT Popticals Sunglasses There is a $200 piece of equipment every angler needs. It is indispensible to our sport. Yet we store this expensive piece of equipment in unsafe ways. Breaking a $200 fishing rod after less than a year of use would be a major loss. Why do we treat our high-quality sunglasses like they are disposable? The answer: because there’s no easy, safe way to store sunglasses. Popticals has come up with a new solution to this dilemma that has frustrated anglers since the first pair of polarized sunglasses fell off someone’s head and sank into the depths. Popticals’ innovative new FL2 Micro Rail system allows you to fold your glasses down to fit into a compact protective case. Sure, all high-end sunglasses come with a case. No one uses them. They are bulky, inconvenient and don’t fit in your pocket. As a result, those highperformance lenses get scratched up or lost when they fall from the front of your shirt or fly off the top of your head. Popticals are different. The slim case slides easily into your pocket, or you can clip it with the included carabiner to the T-top. Because it is easier to take care of them, Popticals might be the last pair of sunglasses you’ll ever need to buy. Popticals are also high-quality sunglasses. With NYDEF nylon lenses manufactured by Carl Zeiss Vision, they provide all the clarity of glass and weigh 18 percent lighter than polycarbonate. In optics, they outperform the market’s premier brands. When you’re tired of looking through scratched lenses and replacing expensive sunglasses, give Popticals a try. You’ll be glad you did.
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he oldest fishing tournament on the Gulf Coast, The Deep Sea Roundup will return July 12-15 to the Texas Gulf Coast to celebrate its 83rd year. Hurricane Harvey roared into the Coastal Bend last year and left its mark on Port Aransas, but the PABA will hold the 2018 Deep Sea Roundup with the help of volunteer and the community fishing spirit. The Deep Sea Roundup began in 1932 as the Tarpon Roundup and has grown from a handful of Port Aransas fishing and hunting guides pitting their skills against one another to the largest family fishing tournament on the Texas Gulf Coast. The Roundup attracts anglers of all ages and skill levels, drawing over 800 contestants annually. The Deep Sea roundup is a volunteer effort that includes the chairmen, judges, dockmasters, master of ceremonies, weighmasters, photographers and more. This year’s tournament will include a silent auction for the Port Aransas Volunteer Fire Department, benefiting those firefighters who lost equipment during Harvey. As part of the Rebuild Texas Project, Tito’s Handmade Vodka has entered the tournament and will support the cause through both monetary and silent auction donations. Deep Sea Roundup includes Offshore, Bay Surf, Fly Fishing and Junior Division plus a free Piggy Perch contest for the little guys and gals. The historic fishing tournament is a weekend filled with great food, fun and some of the best fishing in Texas! For more information, go to www.deepsearoundup.com.
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6/18/18 2:59 PM
FLY FISHING
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t’s summertime, and that means mako sharks on the fly in southern California! If you ever get a chance to try it, mako sharks are the premier summertime gamefish off our coast, and being able to sight fish a fly to them is an experience like no other in fly fishing. Here are some suggestions on tackle and flies to get you into the Mako shark game. Rods The fly rod used when mako shark fishing is more a fish fighting tool rather than a casting tool. Fly rods in the 12- to 15-weight range are what I recommend. These rods easily cast a large fly and have enough lifting power to fight a mako shark from deep water. For larger makos, I use one-piece custom rods that are 7 ½ feet to 8 feet in length and can cast a fly to 30 feet quickly and accurately. They are great fish-fighting tools, especially for makos in to 200- to 400-pound range. Reel The drag system must be able to apply at least 18 pounds of drag pressure at its maximum setting. Most fly reels used in the saltwater these days are designed to apply up to 20 pounds of drag pressure. The reason you want a reel to have this amount of drag pressure is to be able to apply maximum pressure on the fish when it is swimming away from the boat and during the final moments of the fight. You want to be able to “lock down” on the mako and hold it at the boat so you can get a quick release. If the drag is too light (not enough drag pressure), you will never get the mako to the boat. Line retrieval The rate at which the fly line can be retrieved depends on the size of the reel’s arbor. The larger the arbor, the more line you can retrieve in one revolution of the fly reel spool. I recommend using the largest arbor reel possible. Many fly reel companies make reels with large arbors specifically for big saltwater gamefish like makos, tuna and marlin.
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Flies The flies I use for mako sharks are large-profiled flies with a foam popper head. These flies are typically 8 to 12 inches long and tied on plastic tubing. I prefer tube flies because they are able to slide up and down the steel leader, saving the fly from getting eaten up by the shark. My hook size varies from 6/0 to very large 10/0. As for fly colors, red/orange combo is what I like best. This color combo is easy to see in tough lighting conditions. However, I will have one rig with a different color fly. The reason I do this is if the mako gets turned off by the red/orange color combo, a change in fly color can get the mako to react to a different color fly. Now go catch some Makos on the fly!!
For more Bowman, go to
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At Harbor Freight Tools, the “Compare to” price means that the specifiIed comparison, which is an item with the same or similar function, COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM JULY 2018 I NATIONAL 33 was 900 Stores Nationwide or HarborFreight.com advertised for sale at or above the “Compare to” price by another national retailer in the U.S. within the past 90 days. Prices advertised by others
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CANGL_NAT3-NAT42.indd 33
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6/18/18 6/4/18 2:59 1:09 PM PM
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Instant Savings of up to $800 on select models. See your dealer for details.
Rates as low as 5.99% on new Suzuki outboard on approved credit.*
Gimme Six Extended Protection promo is applicable to new Suzuki Outboard Motors from 25 to 350 HP in inventory which are sold and delivered to buyer between 04/01/18 and 06/30/18 in accordance with the promotion by a Participating Authorized Suzuki Marine dealer in the continental US and Alaska to a purchasing customer who resides in the continental US or Alaska. Customer should expect to receive an acknowledgement letter and full copy of contract including terms, conditions and wallet card from Suzuki Extended Protection within 90 days of purchase. If an acknowledgement letter is not received in time period stated, contact Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. – Marine Marketing via email: marinepromo@suz.com. The Gimme Six Promotion is available for pleasure use only, and is not redeemable for cash. Instant Savings apply to qualifying purchases of select Suzuki Outboard Motors made between 04/01/18 and 06/30/18. For list of designated models, see participating Dealer or visit www.suzukimarine.com. Customer and participating Dealer must fill out the appropriate form at time of sale. Instant Savings will be applied against the original dealer invoice (Suzuki will credit Dealer parts account). There are no model substitutions, benefit substitutions, rain checks, or extensions. Suzuki reserves the right to change or cancel these promotions at any time without notice or obligation. * Financing offers available through Synchrony Retail Finance. As low as 5.99% APR financing for 60 months on new and unregistered Suzuki Outboard Motors. Subject to credit approval. Not all buyers will qualify. Approval, and any rates and terms provided, are based on credit worthiness. $19.99/month per $1,000 financed for 60 months is based on 5.99% APR. Hypothetical figures used in calculation; your actual monthly payment may differ based on financing terms, credit tier qualification, accessories or other factors such as down payment and fees. Offer effective on new, unregistered Suzuki Outboard Motors purchased from a participating authorized Suzuki dealer between 04/01/18 and 06/30/18. “Gimme Six”, the Suzuki “S” and model names are Suzuki trademarks or ®. Don’t drink and drive. Always wear a USCG-approved life jacket and read your owner’s manual. © 2018 Suzuki Motor of America, Inc.
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